Altenew Academy – Irresistable Inking

June 7, 2020 Karen Brown2 Comments

Hello and welcome! I\’ve been working my way through Altenew Academy\’s Irresistible Inking class and I wanted to share this card. Sara Naumann is the instructor and she provided loads of inking details, tips and techniques to make cards more interesting. I used three of these techniques on my card. After watching all the videos, I was inspired to make a vintage look masculine card.

My Process:

I started by using the stamp block inking technique we learned in Class #3. I took a square acrylic block, inked it with Altenew Sand Dunes ink, spritzed with water and then stamped on a Bristol cardstock panel. Sand Dunes was a great ink to use because it looks vintage but it is light enough to color over. I was going for a rustic, uneven masculine effect.
I popped out to have a latte and once the panel was dry, I stamped the planter on the inked square and then colored with Zig markers.
I trimmed the panel down and then inked around the edges (lesson #4) of the square with the same Sand Dunes ink. This is very subtle but the inking frames the vignette and gives a little more definition to the card.
I also block stamped the Sand Dunes on a scrap of Bristol cardstock so the sentiment strip would coordinate with the square panel. I inked the edges of the sentiment strip and then heat embossed the sentiment.
I made a top folding A2 card out of Bristol cardstock and then used a small paint brush to make Sand Dunes splatters over the card base.
I adhered the square panel and sentiment to the card base with foam tape.

Supplies:

Altenew Garden Grow stamp set

Altenew Sand Dunes ink (background, edges and paint splatters)

Square Acrylic Block

#2 paint brush

Small Spray Mister

Bristol cardstock

Zig Markers (Deep Red, Wine Red, Pale Rose, Oatmeal, Dark Oatmeal, Olive, Mid Green, May Green and blender)

Versamark Ink (planter and sentiment)

clear embossing powder.

Foam Tape

I am also playing along with:

Sweet Stampin Masculine/Father\’s Day Challenge

With all the social distancing, I have been staying home a lot more than usual and these Altenew Academy classes have been the perfect activity for me to grow my card making skills.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Altenew Academy – Seasonal Scene Building

June 5, 2020 Karen Brown7 Comments

Hello and welcome. I just finished Nichol Spohr\’s Altenew class on scene building and wanted to share this card. I love \”scene cards\” so this class was very fun for me. My card concept was \”coffee in the garden\”. I was especially inspired by Nicole\’s lessons #1 and #4 on creating scenes and die-cut scenes.

My Process:

Once I came up with my coffee in the garden theme, I started by working on my background. I wanted to use a stencil technique that I learned in Laurel Beard\’s Stencil Techniques class. I had never worked with embossing/texture paste and I found I really liked it. I knew I wanted a subtle plank like background so I made three….a neutral tan, soft blue and light yellow. I tinted the paste with dye ink and used a palette knife to work it through my stencil. I left the finish a bit rough and rustic and then put the panels aside to dry. I really like the texture and look of the background.

Next I stamped, Copic colored and die cut my images. By this time my backgrounds were dry so I laid the die-cuts on each and decided I liked the neutral tan the best. I adhered the images with foam tape and popped on a card base.

Supplies Used:

Altenew Garden Grow stamp and die bundle

Altenew Tea Time stamp and die bundle

Altenew Watercolor Stripes Background stencil

Altenew Sand Dunes Crisp die ink (to tint the paste)

Texture paste and pallet knife

Copic markers

Foam tape

I am also joining:

As You Like It Scene Challenge I enjoy a latte in my garden every afternoon and depicted this scene on my card.

Time Out Proust Quote Challenge This is a wonderful quote that speaks to me. I focused on the gardening aspect of the quote for my card.

Update:

I was so pleased to learn that my card was selected as a top three at Time Out Challenges.

I think this is a fun scene card that would work for a man or woman. Thank your for stopping by!

Karen

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Altenew Academy: Celebration Stencil Techniques

June 4, 2020 Karen Brown4 Comments

Hello and welcome. I just finished a wonderful Altenew Academy course and I am excited to share my card with you. Laurel Beard taught us stencil techniques and I loved them all! This is my favorite card from the class. I also used my favorite Altenew stamp and die bundle called Weekend Doodles.

My inspiration came from lesson 3: Stamping with Stencils and I chose to watercolor over my stencil.

My Process:

I taped my stencil to a 6 x 6 piece of watercolor paper. Next, I wet my watercolor paper well with a brush. I then \”pounced\” three colors of distress ink onto the wet watercolor paper.
I haven\’t used my Zig markers in months but they were exactly what I wanted for this project because of their bright vibrant colors. I heat embossed my floral image, colored with Zigs and then die cut.
I die cut a white panel for the sentiment and to provide some contrast with the bold stripes and then heat embossed the sentiment. I glued the white panel to the background and then used foam tape to adhere the flowers.

Supplies:

Altenew Watercolor Stripes Stencil

Altenew Weekend Doodles stamp and die bundle

Distress Inks: Salty Ocean, Mermaid Lagoon and Twisted Citron

Zig Markers: Emerald, Green Shadow, Pale Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Yellow and Bright Yellow.

Watercolor Paper

Neenah Cardstock

Versafine Onyx Black ink and Clear Embossing Powder

Liquid Glue

Foam Tape

I am also playing along with:

Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #458

Lil Red Wagon Create Your Own Background Paper Challenge

Seize The Birthday All About Summer Challenge

I was so pleased to see this card chosen as a Top 3 at Tuesday Thowdown!

I am so pleased you stopped by and I would love to hear what you think about this card.

Karen

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WWC274 – Dawn\’s Challenge: Anything Goes with a Feminine Twist

June 3, 2020 Karen Brown7 Comments

Hello and welcome! We are making \”feminine\” cards this week at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge Website and Dawn is our hostess.

I\’ve been admiring \”grid\” cards online and decided I wanted to make a watercolor botanical version.

My Process:

I decided to make an oversized A6 card since there is so much going on with the layout. I started by sketching six 1 1/4\” by 1 1/2\” rectangles on a watercolor panel. I added clean water into the first rectangle and then dropped in sap green and turquoise and let them blend for this wet on wet technique. I repeated this process for each rectangle, varying the color combinations as I went. The images were heat embossed for a vibrant silhouette. I backed the panel with craft foam and popped on an A6 card base made from watercolor cardstock.

I really like the framed silhouette look.

Supplies:

Altenew Garden Grow stamp set

\”Hi\” sentiment from Altenew Pinstripes background die

Watercolor Paper

Watercolors: sap green, turquoise, blue, olive, yellow and orange

Versafine Ink

Embossing Powder

Heat Gun

Brushes

I am also playing along with:

The Inspired Challenge: All the Details I was inspired by the grid layout and floral/botanical paper flowers.

Addicted to Stamps: Make Your Mark Challenge I made my mark with Watercolors.

Time Out \”Free\” Challenge I took \”time out\” to create this garden card. My husband and I have afternoon lattes in the garden every afternoon and that is where we enjoy spending our \”free\” time.

Hand Stamped Sentiments: #340 Challenge I was inspired by the squares.

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

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Altenew Academy – Let It Shine

May 31, 2020 Karen Brown3 Comments

I finished Altenew Academy\’s Let It Shine Class and wanted to share this card on my blog. As the name suggests, our teacher Clarissa Wiley, taught us to embellish our cards with a bit of shine. I am happy with the way this card turned out….but boy did I put in a lot of work. I had a different layout created in my mind, but when I laid out the design there was too much metallic gold. I kept diecutting flags, banners and sentiments strips. Originally there was a lot more metallic gold cardstock but I decided for me, less is more…a little gold goes a long way! I will save the other elements I created for future cards and it will be nice to have them all ready to go.

My inspiration was to use metallic cardstock (lesson #5), gold embossing (lesson #2) and faux watercoloring over ink blending that I learned in Altenew Academy\’s Easy Ink Blending Class. Another example of this fun technique is here.

My Process:

I started by heat embossing this beautiful daisy in gold and then I lightly inkblended a pale yellow over the bloom. Next I gently sprayed the flower with water and then used a #8 brush and distress inks to paint on some darker yellow highlights using wet on wet watercoloring. I dried with a heat gun and then added random orange highlights using wet on dry watercoloring. I repeated the same technique with the leaves. I assembled the card using liquid glue and foam adhessive to raise up the flower bloom.

Supplies:

Altenew Smile More stamps and dies

Distress Inks

Watercolor Paper

Picket Fence Studios Life Changing Blending Brush

#8 Paint Brush

Gold Embossing Powder and Versafine Ink

Metallic Gold Cardstock

Scrap of green cardstock for sentiment

Liquid Glue

Foam Adhesive Tape

A2 cream colored card

As I said above, I tried a lot of layouts and decided in this instance, CAS was best for me.

I am also playing along at:

The Sisterhood of Crafters Favorite Technique Challenge. I recently learned how to faux watercolor and I am having so much fun with this new to me technique!

Global Design Project – Floral Challenge I am happy to add my flower to the GDP challenge.

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

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Altenew Academy – Cards For the Guys

May 28, 2020 Karen Brown3 Comments

Hello and welcome. Today, my blog post is about making masculine cards and I\’ve chosen to do a color blocking background. Fun, bright and eye-catching.

Altenew Academy Cards for the Guys using Color Blocking with Altenew Mega Alphabet T die and Large Thanks Sentiment die.

I started by cutting four 2×2 squares from brightly colored card stock. My inspiration came from Jennifer Rzasa and her class on Pop Art Color Blocking. Once the squares were cut, I taped them together, trimmed the edges for a nice even line and then backed with craft foam for dimension.

Next, I die cut the \”T\” from bright blue card stock and the \”thanks\” from lavender cardstock. I die-cut each three times and then carefully glued them together for nice dimension. I initially was going to back them with foam but didn\’t like the white shadow which I thought distracted from all the bright bold colors.

I made a 4 1/4\” x 4 1/4\” card base and then attached the color blocked panel. I weighted it for a few minutes with an acrylic block

Supplies Used:

Altenew Mega Alphabet T die

Altenew Large Thanks sentiment die

6 shades of brightly colored card stock

tape

liquid glue

craft foam

white cardstock for base.

I am also playing along with: Try It On Tuesday \”Cut It Out!\” Challenge This card is all about cutting as every element was either cut with a paper trimmer or die cut.

I really like how the card turned out and think I will do some more color blocking in the near future.

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

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WWC273 – Marsha\’s Challenge: All About Occasions

May 27, 2020 Karen Brown2 Comments

Hello and welcome! Today we are making Occasion cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Marsha is our hostess.

I wanted to create a 3D village scene by incorporating a fussy cut \”peek-a-boo\”window on my card. I started by stamping two card panels:

In the center, a bit toward the top of one panel I stamped the longer street scene (inside the window pane).
On a second panel I stamped the \”Open\” shop on the far left and the cafe on the far right.
Next, I Copic colored the scene. Then I die cut a small circle on the second panel and then used that opening to fussy cut the peek-a-boo window so panel #1 could \”peek\” through panel #2.
I assembled the card using foam tape so the scene would have dimension.

This card is for my sister. Linda loves to travel to Europe so I used their charming villages for my color inspiration.

Supplies:

Art Impressions: Shoppes stamp

Neenah cardstock

Copic Markers

The Greetery Crimped Frame Die

foam Tape

Heat Embossed Birthday sentiment

I am also playing along at:

Art Impressions \”All Layered Up\” Challenge. I used layers to simulate a 3D village scene.

Inspired By\”Sitting Pretty Challenge\” I was inspired by those gorgeous colors that remind me of the beautiful European villages.

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

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Altenew Academy – Easy Ink Blending Techniques

May 25, 2020 Karen Brown1 Comment

Hello and welcome. I am excited about this new technique I learned at Altenew Academy! I love ink blending but had never done \”faux watercoloring\” like this. This is my homework assignment for lesson #5 and I was very inspired by our instructor, Amy Lee, and the process she walked us through.

This card has two firsts for me….ink blending on watercolor paper and faux watercoloring over ink blending. I personally had never considered ink blending on watercolor paper as it is rough, but it worked beautifully!

I started by heat embossing 8 images from Altenew\’s Smile More stamp set. I then inkblended yellow, pink, yellow green and blue over the embossing. Next, I dabbed 6 colors of dye ink on my glass media mat. When my palette was ready, I very lightly spritzed the lower inked panel with water. With a largish brush, I added contrast using very loose watercoloring (wet on wet). I dried the panel with my heat gun and then added more random color variation using the wet on dry technique. In total, I used 10 different colors of dye ink to complete my watercoloring. Last, I very lightly added some blue paint splatters. The watercolor paper warped slightly so I flattened it inside a heavy book.

I finished the card by stamping a large sentiment, mounted on a card base using craft foam for dimension and then added five buttercream jewels. I will definitely use this technique again in the future.

Supplies:

Altenew Smile More Stamp Set

Watercolor Paper

White Embossing Powder and Heat Gun

Picket Fence Studio Life Changing Brushes

Black Velvet Brushes (#8 for watercoloring and #2 for paint splatters)

Mini Spray Bottle

I made lots of beautiful ink blended backgrounds during this course, but
this was my favorite card.

I am playing along at As You Like It \”Favorite Embellishment\” Challenge I used these buttercream jewels which are my most used embellishment. The color seems to go with everything I create.

UPDATE: I was so pleased to see my card selected as \”Top 3\” at the As You Like It Challenge.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Altenew Academy – Clean and Simple Boutique Card

May 23, 2020 Karen Brown4 Comments

Hello and welcome. Today I am sharing my third card from my Altenew Academy journey. Jennifer Rzasa taught us about Clean and Simple Boutique cards and I learned a lot. I chose to write my blogpost about my homework assignment for lesson 2 – Stamped Backgrounds. I love pattern stamping, but this card pushed me out of my comfort zone because of the loose water coloring.

My inspiration came from Jennifer when she said don\’t worry about being precise…keep is casual. I chose to use Altenew\’s Garden Grow stamp set, which was the first Altenew purchase I ever made. It is still one of my favorites.

My Process:

I started by making an A2 card out of Bristol cardstock. I found the center of my card, and using an acrylic block, I stamped the first potted plant in the middle of the card. Working out from the middle I stamped the rest of the plants. I then went back and filled in with the rainboots. Next, I scribbled four colors of Zig watercolor markers on my glass media mat. The next part was the most challenging for me as Jennifer encouraged us to use a large brush and big strokes to fill in the images. I used two colors on each image starting with the lighter color and then adding contrast with the darker color.

The background is the card and I like how the colors are muted and understated.

Supply List:

Altenew Garden Grow Stamp Set

Bristol Cardstock

Zig Watercolor Markers (yellow, bright yellow, mid green and olive green)

I would also like to play along with Cardz 4 Galz CASE Your Wardrobe Challenge I have not one, not two but three pairs of olive green pants. They are all so comfy I keep buying more. My card has a simple palette of olive green and pale yellow.

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

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Coffee Lover\’s Wreath

May 22, 2020 Karen Brown20 Comments

I always love the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog Hops and I\’ve made this bright cheery card for their Spring/Summer Blog Hop.

I wanted to do a springy wreath so I went through my stamp sets looking for images that would work for my idea.

I started by dry embossing the background and then I die cut a circle for the sentiment area. The \”quilted\” panel was attached to the card base with foam tape so there would be nice dimension. I stamped, Copic colored and die cut a bunch of images and then started working on my layout. When I had the wreath the way I wanted, I took a picture with my phone so I could glue everything the same way.