Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP) – Level 1 Final Project Part 1: Her Cards

I’ve finally competed the level 1 courses of the Altenew Educator Certification Program and have now moved onto the Final Challenge of Level 1. This by no means is a simple challenge but it was very useful as it helped to push me a bit more with my card making. I’ve made sets of cards before but never with such specific requirements!

My Feminine Set (details below) :

Requirements:

• Select ANY 3 components from the classes in Level 1 (e.g., layering 1/2, Let it shine, stencil techniques)
• Explain the 3 components that you’ve chosen for the project
• Create a His and Her Card Set birthday/graduation/encouragement cards (your choice) as a gift sets. This makes TWO sets one Masculine and one Feminine. Each card (with various sentiments) can vary a little bit, but it should have a similar and cohesive theme as the rest of the set.
• Each card set should consist of 4-6 cards
• Also, use one recycle element on a set or its packaging.
• The minimum card number is six (up to 12) per set. You will also design how you package the sets as a gift. Be creative!
• Challenge blog post: Detailed step-by-step photo tutorial and/or YouTube video
• Minimum of 10 photos (close-up and process)
• So.. Not simple! This is going to be rather long post as I will be showing a total of 12 cards. So I’ve opted to spllt it into two posts (slightly easier to read I think) – 1 for the ‘Her’ Cards (this post) and 1 for the ‘His’ cards (posted here). I hope I can pass along what I’ve learned from Altenew’s Educator Certification Program Level 1.

There are so many great classes and so may amazing techniques. For this challenge, I opted to use:

– Easy Die Cutting Techniques

– This class covers all of the basic die cutting techniques, like Stamps and Coordinating dies, to more elaborate techniques, like Inlaid die cutting. I’ll be using Inlaid Die Cutting, Embossing with Dies, Negative Die Cutting and Stamps and Matching Dies throughout both my sets.

– Clean and Simple Boutique Cards

– I LOVE Clean and Simple cards. Do I exclusively create CAS (Clean and Simple) cards? Nope! This class is one of my favourites as it really shows you how to add some amazing details to your cards to help them pop while keeping a very clean look. I’ll be using Simple Styling, Stamped Backgrounds, Metallic Details, Letterpress and Luxury Papers throughout my sets as well to help my cards stand out.

– Let It shine:

– This class is all about adding details that can really help your cards stand out, from embellishments and heat embossing to foiling and specialty cardstock. I usually like adding at least one element to my cards to add a pop, be it Nuvo Drops, SEQUINS, Shimmer Pen Accents or Glitter and Metallic papers. This class was right up my alley and also showed me that something I use every day adds pizzazz – Heat Embossing. Throughout my sets, I’ll be using embellishments, heat embossing, Metallic Paper and Shimmer pens to help add a bit of pop to my cards.

I’ll be incorporating one element from each of those classes on every single card. I’ve mentioned the supplies used for each card in the descriptions and also at the end of the post. I hope you enjoy!

Since this is such a long post, I’ve split the Feminine “HER” card sets and the Masculine “HIS” card sets into separate posts. The HIS card set can be found here.

CARD #1: Hello Card

I started by stamping a small floral image from Altenew’s ‘Charming Doodles’ stamp set in a repeating pattern using Altenew’s Jet Black Crisp Dye Ink. I didn’t want to worry about having the pattern centered exactly, so I started slightly off center and went on from there.

I thought these would look amazing in a yellow, so I used Altenew’s  Buttercream. However, I found that this colour needed a little something. So I stamped the colour layer of the stamp a second time, but instead of using Buttercream again, I grabbed Altenew’s Warm Sunshine Dye Ink and inked up the layer stamp. But instead of stamping a full layer of Warm Sunshine, I used a dry microfiber cloth and dabbed off the ink from the center of the stamp so that the colour would only be added around the edges of the stamp – Perfect! You can see the subtle difference on the yellow flower on the far left of the image below.

I wanted to try the Inlaid Die Technique from the Easy Die cutting Techniques class. So using the coordinating die, I cut out there of the floral images on my card panel.

I also cut out six of the same floral shape on plain yellow cardstock for stacking.

I glued two of the yellow die cuts together, then glued one of the stamped floral images on the top.

I added a simple Heat embossed “Hello” from Altenew’s Floral Shadow stamp set. I prepped my card panel with an embossing bag to avoid getting stray embossing powder. I used Versafine Black Onyx to stamp the sentiment and then heat embossed using Brutus Monroes’ Icicle embossing powder. It just added a smidge of sheen to the sentiment …hello Let It Shine class!

To keep this card simple, I adhered my card panel to an A2 card base. But what about those die cut outs? Well….I took the stacked floral die cuts and placed them inside the cut outs for a really simple and clean stacked look.

To add a little more shine to this card, I used Tonic Glitter Drops in Honey Gold and added a small drop into the center of each flower, and Studio Katia’s Sparkling Crystals all over the card.

I wanted to create a coordinating envelope, so I used the same image and dye.


Voila, card #1 complete!

CARD #2: Sympathy Card

I like the look of embossing, so I thought for card #2 I’d emboss using Altenew’s Doodle Dots Cover Die. How ? Well….essentially you set up your cardstock as if you’re about to cut but use your embossing mat in your due cutting machine.

In order to minimize hiding the now beautifully embossed card panel, I used vellum for the sentiment. Altenew’s Build-A-Flower Sakura Blossoms stamp set has a beautiful Sympathy sentiment. I heat embossed the sentiment using Versamark ink and Brutus Monroe’s Gilded Embossing powder. I then trimmed down the sentiment strip and cut a diagonal edge on the internal side of the strip.

I then stamped and die cut three of the long stalks from Altenew’s Charming Doodles stamp set. I stamped the colour layer using Altenew’s Chammomile and Marigold dye ink.


And of course it would look a little odd to have these stalks just floating, so I needed a small vase. I grabbed Altenew’s Beautiful You stamp set which has a really cute vase. I stamped it using Altenews Jet Black ink, then fussy cut it out. I used Picket Fences Life Changing Blender Brushes and Altenew’s Caribbean Sky Dye ink and added a bit of “water” to the vase image.

I adhered the Vellum sentiment to the card panel, then glued down one stalk and popped up the other two stalks using some foam tape.


I popped up the vase as well, then used a permanent black pen to draw the floral stalks into the vase so that the flowers looked like they were sitting inside the vase.

I adhered the panel to an A2 card base. I also added a few Studio Katia’s Sparkling Crystals in between the floral stalks for a little extra sparkle.

I stamped the same floral stalk and used Altenew’s Marigold ink to decorate the coordinating envelope.

And there…Card #2 is completed.

CARD #3: Thank You Card

I started off with the stem in Altenew’s Charming Doodles stamp set and stamped it a couple of times to get a larger image.

 

Then I grabbed the second largest floral image and stamped 4 floral images. I did use the included masks in the set to allow my fourth flower to appear behind the third. In the image below you can see the mask placed over the third flower, then I’ve positioned the fourth flower that will “overlap” but will appear behind once stamped. 

Sooooo…letterpress look. In theory it’s not that complicated, however it didn’t turn out perfectly for me..not bad for a first try I think, but I’ll definitely try it again. Here’s how….I die cut “Thanks” using Altenew’s Mega Thanks die out of white cardstock three times, then once out of vellum.

I adhered all layers together, ensuring that the vellum is on the bottom. Then I took Altenew’s Andromeda Dye Ink and pressed it onto the vellum side of the die cut ensuring a solid coverage of the ink one image.

 

I then placed the sentiment very carefully, and ran the entire panel through my die cutting machine using the embossing mat.

Then I carefully lifted the sentiment – and voila a letterpress look. 

I also stamped the colour layer for each of the flowers using Altenew’s Pink Diamond and Pinkalicious Dye Inks. 

I also stamped the colour layer of the leaves using Altenew’s Bamboo Ink.

I wanted to add a little more to my sentiment, so I grabbed Altenew’s Thinking of you stamp set and stamped “Dear Friend” below my letter press style “Thanks” using Altenew’s Jet Black Dye Ink. I love the look of that font it’s delicate but clear to read.

I then cut a panel of Gina K Passionate Pink cardstock to approximately 4×5.25 inches and adhered my panel to it. I also added some Studio Katia’s Sparkling Crystals. I used an odd number as odd numbers are usually more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I also tried to position them in a “triangle” pattern which is also a rule learned through the Let It Shine class as it also helps to make it more pleasing to the eye. 

I stamped the same flower on the envelope and used the same Dye Inks to coordinate with the card.

 And Voila! Card #3 is complete!

CARD #4: Birthday Card

Starting with the bunch of tiny flowers in the Altenew Charming Doodles set, I did a background image by varying the height of the stamp across the card panel using Altenew’s Jet Black Dye Ink. This would help to create a clean and simple background while still providing solid coverage across the panel. I used Altenew’s Sunray and Chamomile Dye Inks for the flowers and Frayed Leaf Dye Ink for the leaves. 

I adhered this panel to a white A2 card base for a very clean and simple look

I took Altenew’s Happy Birthday Die and cut two using Neenah Solar White Cardstock and a third using Recollections’ Iridescent White Cardstock for a bit of shimmer. I stacked the die cuts making sure the Iridescent cut was on top. 

I made a coordinating envelope by stamping a small section of the floral bunch using the same Ink colours as the card panel.

I adhered the Happy Birthday sentiment to the upper right hand corner of the card panel to fill the empty space. It’s a subtle sentiment, but the shimmer is definitely there. I also added some Studio Katia’s Sparkle Crystals for a bit of shine. 

This was a pretty simple card, but a card doesn’t need to be super complex to be beautiful and I think this is quite pretty. And just like that, Card #4 is complete.

 

CARD #5: Thinking of You Card

So I wanted something very light and airy for this card so that I could focus on the die cutting element more as I was planning to make an Inlaid die card. Inlaid die means that you’ve filled in a die cut with the same fitting image. Sometimes you may use a different colour for some added pop or in my case create a stack to raise it slightly off the card base.

I started with the largest flower in the Altenew’s Charming Doodles stamp set. This time I didn’t use the outline stamp, only the colour layer. I used Altenew’s Pink Pearl Dye Ink and put down the first layer of colour. Then I took Altenew’s Rouge Dye Ink and instead of using the entire stamp covered in this colour I inked it up but then took a dry micro fiber cloth and blotted off the colour from the center of the stamp to allow a deeper shade around the edges of the flower for some depth.

I covered the entire panel with these flowers to create a background 

I then added the centers of the flower using Altenew’s Warm Sunshine Dye Ink.

Then I took one of the single leaves from the same stamp set and added leaves to each of the flowers to help fill in some of the white space. I used Altenew’s Misty Mint Dye Ink for the leaves as I wanted a colour that was subtle and would go nicely with the other colours. 

Then I took Altenew’s Mega You Die and cut out three from Neenah Solar White Cardstock and then I cut one directly out of my completed floral panel.

I stacked all of the die cuts together with liquid glue making sure not to loose any of the negative letter spaces as I wanted a shadow stack on the finished card. 

I white heat embossed “Thinking of” from Altenew’s Thinking of You stamp set using Brutus Monroe’s White Alabaster Embossing powder on Gina K’s Black Onyx cardstock. I cut the strip down so it would fit nicely above the “You” cutout on the panel and I snipped the internal edge at an angle for a bit of flare. 

Then I adhered the floral panel to a white A2 card base and added some liquid glue in the empty space ready to place my die cut.

I added a few of Studio Katia’s Sparking Crystals to add a bit of shine to the card. I wanted to keep it subtle but wanted to make sure that I included something from the Let it Shine class. 

I also did the same floral stamp on the envelope to match.

I love the look of these raised Inlaid die cards. Card #5 is done!

CARD #6: Just for You Card

Last card in my Feminine Set. I wanted to use Simple Styling from Altenew’s Clean and Simple Boutique Card class for a nice clean card.

I started with the largest flower from Altenew’s Charming Doodles stamp set and stamped on a scrap piece of white cardstock. 

I used Altenew’s Ruby Red and Coral Berry Dye inks to fill in the flowers. I did a mix of one colour flowers and some with two colours. For the two coloured flowers, I did one stamp with the lighter colour, then inked up the stamp with the darker colour, but blotted off the colour in center of the stamp with a dry micro fiber cloth so that only the edges are inked, then stamped again. It gives the flower a bit more depth and interest. 

I then filled in the centers of the flower with Altenew’s Warm Sunshine Dye Ink for a pop of colour. I then die cut the flowers out as I’ll be popping them up later for some more interest.

Now onto the main panel. I started with the stem and leaf bunch and stamped it down a couple of time to allow for a larger bunch of stems as I wanted to place at least three of the flowers.

I used Altenew’s Forest Glades Dye Ink to fill in the leaves on the branches

I opted to use a “Just for You” sentiment using Jet Black Dye Ink

I added some foam squares onto the backs of the die cut flowers and then adhered them onto the branches near the ends of the stems. I only ended up using three of the four flowers I had stamped. Keeping an odd number tends to be more pleasing to the eye.

I cut a panel of Simon Says Stamp’s White Glitter Paper to approximately 4×5.25 inches and adhered my floral panel to it.

Then I added some Nuvo Glitter drops in Honey Gold to add a bit more sparkle to the flower centers. 

To add EVEN more shimmer, I used the Tonic Aqua Shimmer Pen and coloured in over the petals of each the flowers. I love the look for the shimmer with this pen! I also stamped the same flower on a coordinating envelope to complete the set.

But WAIT! What’s a card without some more embellishment? Still an awesome card but I’m really loving Studio Katia’s Sparkle crystals, so I added a few to the panel of my card. Again I used an odd number and kept it within a triangular positioning to be more eye pleasing. 

And just like that all 6 of my cards for my feminine set are done!

PACKAGING:

So as a part of this challenge I was required to package these cards as a gift set. I opted to save my recycled item for the packaging. I found a really simple tutorial online by Catherine Pooler on how to make a simple card box. I opted to modify this tutorial to add a window in the cover of the box. I used old acetate packaging to make this window. The following will give a high level description of the process.

I started with two pieces of cardstock, one in grey for the base of the box, and one with Orange on one side and yellow on the other for the cover. I cut the panels down to 8 9/16 x 9 13/16 for the cover, and 8 1/2 x 9 3/4 for the base. 

I then scored both panels at two inches all the way around. Then snipped the corners to create the box folds.

 

Looking at both sides of the box I realized that the Yellow would suite my left over die cut elements better….so change of plans…

I used tape runner adhesive by Gina K to adhere the sides up and close the box top and base. 

In retrospect, it would’ve been easier for me to cut out a spot for the window BEFORE I adhered the sides….you live, you learn. Anyway….I cut out a window that would be slightly smaller than my recycled acetate piece. I used liquid adhesive to adhere the acetate to the lid of the box. 

I had some left over die cut pieces from my projects in this set, so I used them to decorate the outside of the box. 

Having a “fancy” window in the lid of the box means that I can show off one of my cards, so I picked to display the “Thinking of You” Card.

And Finally, the first part of the challenge is complete!

WANT TO SEE THE MASCULINE CARDS? HOP OVER TO THIS BLOG POST HERE.

PRODUCTS USED :

Altenew Stamps/Dies:

-Hello Card: Floral Shadow, Charming Doodles

– Sympathy Card: Beautiful You, Build-A-Flower Sakura Blossoms, Charming Doodles

-Thanks Card: Script Words 2, Charming Doodles, Thinking of You

Happy Birthday Card: Charming Doodles, Happy Birthday Die

Thinking of You Card: Mega You Die, Charming Doodles stamp set, Thinking of you stamp set

Just for You Card: Charming Doodles, 

Inks Used:

– Altenew Crisp Dye Inks (Colours listed in descriptions)

– Tsukineko’s Versafine Onyx Black Ink

– Tsukineko’s Versamark Ink

– Altenew’s Permanent Black Ink

Other Supplies:

-Brutus Monroe’s White Alabaster,Gilded, Sterling, Icicle Embossing powder

-Nuvo Glitter Drops – Honey Gold

-Simon Says Stamp Vellum

-DCWV Metallics Paper Pad

-DCWV Shimmer Paper Pad

-Studio Katia’s Sparkling Crystals

– Neenah Solar White cardstock

– Gina K Designs Cardstock (Black Onyx, Passionate Pink)

– Simon Says Stamp’s Cardstock ()

-Studio Katia’s Sparkling Crystals

– Neenah Solar White cardstock

– Gina K Designs Cardstock

– Simon Says Stamp’s Cardstock

– Ranger’s Glossy Accents

– Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue

– Ranger’s Multi Media Matte

– Craft Foam

Tools:

– Krystal Katana Jewel Picker

– My Sweet Petunia’s MISTI Stamping Tool

– Tim Holtz Mini Comfort Trimmer

– Simon Says Stamp’s Acrylic Blocks- Simon Says Stamp’s Grid Transparency

 

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