ALTENEW: EASY DIE-CUTTING TECHNIQUES, FINAL PROJECT

Die-cutting can be so fun!  I forgot just how fun!!  

I created two different cards for this class' final project.  I used these Altenew stamp & die sets: Warm Heart (Penguin) stamp set & die and Wild & Free stamp set & die.  I've used dies before but never to create dimension or a background in this latest class.  Have a look!

On this penguin card, I wanted to add something to the background, so I pulled out my cloud stencil and used Salvaged Patina distress oxide ink and mini blending tool to create a cloudy sky.  Then I used white pearl paint and added some splatters with a small paintbrush.  I then stamped the penguins on white cardstock and adhered it to the grey card base.  Then I took the cloudy sky layer and used double-sided foam tape to give it some dimension.  It came out soooo cute!
For this wild & free card, I used the flower dies included in the die cutting set and positioned them on white cardstock to cut out the various shapes.  I had to do this several times to create a background for my sentiment to sit on.  After cutting everything out, I used Altenew's Woven Stencil and Spun Sugar distress oxide ink and a mini blending tool to create another dimension to the background.  Then I adhered it to a piece of white glitter cardstock and then onto a plaid printed cardstock.  Finished it off with some matching sequins and liquid pearls.
Now onto my next class...

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ALTENEW: EASY INK BLENDING TECHNIQUES, FINAL PROJECTS

This was a fun class and gave me another chance to play with my Distress Oxide ink pads.  For this class, I created two different cards.

Supplies used: Altenew Sentiments & Quotes, Vintage Flowers and Tea Time stamp sets.

For this first card, I ink blended to make a gradient (dark to light) background for these flowers to sit on.  I used Spun Sugar Distress Oxide Ink and a blender brush.  I stamped the sentiment using Versamark ink pad and silver embossing powder to make the sentiment pop.  After that, I added white and pink liquid pearls to tie all the colors together.

For this second non-flower card (yes, no flowers...can you believe it?  😄) I cut strips of cardstock and ink blended them with Scattered Straw and Vintage Photo Distress Ink.  I stamped the leaf pattern with Scattered Straw behind the stamped images.  And then stamped the sentiment directly onto the card front with black ink.  For the super cute tea kettle, cups and cupcake, I used a blue and aqua stamp pad and my trusty water brush to color them in.
Lots of fun...now onto my next class! 

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ALTENEW: CLEAN & SIMPLE BOUTIQUE CARDS, FINAL PROJECTS

This course was all about creating clean & simple cards.  For this courses' final projects, I used the Painted Flowers stamp set. I love this stamp set because it has flowers (of course!) and it includes a separate 'outline' stamp. So, it is really easy to layer this floral and create beautiful images.
For this fun, hot pink, floral Happy Birthday card, I used one of the flower stamps and created a clean and simple floral background.  To add some bling, I used some colorful pink and pink clear sequins.  I backed the card front onto a light pink cardstock.

For the Happy Anniversary card, I used an embossing folder to create a pretty white background for the flowers to sit upon.  Then I stamped and die-cut multiples of each different flowers in this stamp set.  I clustered them in the top portion of this card along with some black and white stamped leaf images.  I embossed the sentiment with silver tinsel embossing powder on vellum and attached it to the card front.  Then I added tiny sparkle gems.  

I'm loving the courses and learning so much!  Now, on to my next class!

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ALTENEW: LET IT SHINE, FINAL PROJECTS

I 💖💖💖 this course because I got to break out sparkly stuff!! I got to use glitter and metallic paper, yay! For this Happy Anniversary card, I used Altenew's Tangled Loops Cover Die and the sentiment from Painted Poppy stamp set.  I cut out four layers of the loops die and used spray adhesives to glue the layers together to give it a thicker dimension.  Then I used adhesive to glue it to the glitter paper.  I stamped the sentiment and then cut it out with my Scan N Cut machine.  When I put the sentiment over the blue glitter, it kind of got 'lost' within the design.  So, I used the loops die to cut another layer and then used the negative pieces to put the white behind the sentiment.  After that, I added some coordinating bling to make the sentiment pop even more.

For the Enjoy Today card, I used the Simply Spring stamp set.  It contains a large floral stamp.  During one of the Let It Shine courses, one of the instructors taught us how to color on the backside of vellum using Alcohol Markers.  I think it produces a very cool stained glass effect.  

First, I stamped the floral image with Versamark on vellum and then sprinkled grey embossing powder over the image and then heated it up to create the outlines of the stamp.  Then, I used Alcohol Markers to color the back of the vellum, staying within the grey lines that are easily visible on the backside of the vellum.  After coloring, I stamped the sentiment with Versamark and heated it up with black embossing powder.  Then I used a scalloped rectangle die to cut out the image two sizes smaller than the card base.  This left room to use the next size up to cut out a piece of metallic cardstock.  When I put the vellum directly on top of the metallic cardstock, it seemed to 'mute' the flowers, so I cut out a piece of white cardstock to fit perfectly underneath the vellum and that brightened it up a bit.  To stick the vellum to the white cardstock, I used spray adhesive.  (Mono adhesives or glue dots would show through the vellum.)  Love the final product and will be using this technique many, many more times!

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ALTENEW: ALL ABOUT LAYERING 2, FINAL PROJECTS

Here are my final cards for the All About Layering 2 Altenew course.  This course was a lot of fun because it gave me more opportunities to use their layered stamps as well as layering the actual cardstock.  I used the Peony Bouquet stamp set (again, I love this set) and inked them in another of my favorite colors: magenta and pink.

For the above card, I stamped all the images directly onto the card front.  The peony is made up of three different stamps which can be layered, making it a very versatile stamp set.  In both of these cards, I used the same ink pad color for all the layers.  After stamping the sentiment and adding some clear sparkly Stickles, the card looked like it was missing something.  So, I used a black .03 journaling pen and added some stitched lines to the edges.  Then I used a waterbrush and magenta ink pad and made a little swoosh under the sentiment.  It added just enough to balance the card out.

For my second card (below), I used the same stamp set.  Again, I stamped the images directly on the card front but this time, I layered the sentiment on white cardstock and then mounted it on pink cardstock.  The sentiment is stamped in two different ink colors.  To get this effect, I inked the top portion of the stamp in pink and then stamped the bottom half in magenta.  It gives it a nice ombre feel.  To add a little extra something, I used a Quickie Glue pen and silver prisma glitter and embellished some of the petals of the flowers to give them some sparkle.

Now onto my next class...Let It Shine

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SAWYER CARDMAKING WORKSHOP KIT

This beautiful spring-time cardmaking kit is perfect for creating birthday or friendship cards.  For this workshop, the featured technique is using a waterbrush with stamp pad.  

I'm taking pre-orders now so please leave a comment or send me an email if you are interested in this kit.

This kit includes everything you need to put together these cards, including an exclusive B-sized stamp set and coordinating thin cuts (requires a die-cutting machine) and a set of exclusive wood hearts, 16 white card bases and envelopes and printed instructions.

Additional items needed:

Sundance, Wisteria, Black Stamp Pads

Small Waterbrush

Adhesives

I love these workshop kits because a cutting guide and instructions are included.  However, the cards are very versatile and once you have all your papers cut out, it's very easy to assemble the cards any way that you like, as you can see from my cards here.

Thanks so much for reading and looking at these cards!  Don't forget to get in touch with me if you'd like to pre-order this kit.  

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LOVE LETTERS

The other day, I watched the recording of Jenn Shurkus' Love Letters online card making class and created these cards.  She's a designer for Lawn Fawn.  I love taking her classes because she covers Copic coloring and puts together the cards with us, in realtime, sharing tips and tricks along the way.  She's a terrific teacher!   If you like these cards, I highly...highly suggest checking out her website and taking any or all of her online classes.  They are very affordable and you can buy the class supplies ahead of time or use what you have, which she always encourages as well.

P.S  Jenn loves using glitter on her cards.  I don't really use a lot of glitter on my cards because it tends to get EVERY-where!  But, after taking her classes and learning about the tools that she uses, Sakura Quickie Glue pen and prisma glitter, I've completely changed my mind.  Using this combination of glue and this fine glitter, it stays on the cards and I don't have glitter anywhere on my desk after making them.

Check out the sparkle and glittery-ness in the little video at the end of this post. 😁✨

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ALTENEW: ALL ABOUT LAYERING 1, FINAL PROJECT

I finished my cards for the Altenew Academy Level 1, All About Layering course.  I made two different cards.  I am having so much fun learning these new techniques (and bringing out techniques I haven't used in a while, like heat embossing!).  I can't wait to continue my learning journey with Altenew!

Altenew Peony Bouquet Stamp set

This set is a multi layered floral image and was perfect for this course.  This flower is made up of three different stamps that make up the one flower.  I stamped two different layers of the flower in two different orange stamp pad colors and then used the third floral image to stamp and emboss with gold glitter embossing powder.  For the background, I used two different grey stamp pad colors to stamp the various leaf layers.  This technique really makes the flower image pop!  To tie the card together, I used gold glitter embossing powder on the sentiment.

Painted Poppy Stamp Set

I wanted to make a quick Thank You card and I love the simplicity of it!!  This stamp set includes one poppy flower, so I positioned the stamp on my acrylic block to face one direction and then the other to get two different poppy images.  I then embossed the outline of the flower in black embossing powder which gives the card a little something extra.

Now, on to the next course:  All About Layering 2

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