Altenew Educator - Level I Final Challenge

Hello everyone!  Today I am back with a more detailed tutorial of how I created today's card for my AECP Level I Class Final Project Assignment.  The three techniques I decided to use are Easy Die Cutting Techniques, All About Layering, and Let it Shine and although I'm pretty sure I had the Let it Shine part down pat already it is always great to see additional ideas and inspiration.

As you know if you're a regular visitor to my blog, I have been playing around a lot with alcohol inks and also regular Reinkers with 91% Rubbing Alcohol and Alcohol Blending Solution.  By this time I have many lovely backgrounds to use on cards and on most of them I have used my Minc to add foiling after they dry for that extra sparkle and shine that I love so much.  I had one that was particularly beautiful and large enough to make a 5 x 7 card, which I only do when making something for a special person or occasion such as a wedding or that type of thing.  This particular occasion is my daughter's 38th Birthday.

Sterling Silver Rose

Sterling Silver Rose

I started with a beautiful purple & rose alcohol inked blended background as my starting point for the flowers I wanted to put on it.  The Build-A-Flower Rose is an absolutely beautiful set that comes with dies and I love the finished product, but I needed more colors than I had in a single color family because there are 6 layers for the roses and 4 for the leaves, so I had to improvise.  Let it be said that a Misti or other stamp positioning tool is a must for this set.  I tried roses in several colors as I was initially planning to try to recreate Sterling Silver Roses which are a pale, kind of mauve-y purple and my daughter's favorite.  None of the colors seemed right and I even mixed in inks from other companies trying to achieve the look I was going for so I changed directions and went with a pink rose, which meant I also had to select a different background.  No problem, I had a favorite one in pink tones so I went ahead. 

I really wanted a more vibrant pink for my base color rather than Rose Quartz or Pink Diamond would have been for my pink roses, so I used Bubblegum Pink from Gina K Designs as my first layer on these roses.  The rest of the colors I used were all Altenew Crisp Ink colors from the Cherry Blossom and Rose Petals Mini Cube Collections.  Layer 2 was done in Pinkalicious, Layer 3 was done in Rubellite, Layer 4 in Razzleberry, and Layer 5 in Purple Wine.  This combination was exactly what I was looking for.  I did not stamp the 6th layer from this set.  It is very small and hard to see where it goes, so I didn't want to mess up all my work by putting it in the wrong place.

Now that I finally had the colors I was looking for I could stamp out the leaves in the Green Fields Collection of Crisp Inks Inks using Frayed Leaf for Layer 1, Forest Glades for Layer two and Evergreen for layers 3 and 4.  I stamped multiples of these so I could have some for the additional blooms I had stamped in an attempt to get a perfect match to the background.  I just tuck them into the stamp pocket for future use if I need to pull a card together quickly.

Now that I had all of my elements, it was time to decide what greeting to use and I also knew I wanted to use a frame for this card so I chose the Sweet Friend Stamp and Die Bundle which has a frame die with a coordinating stamp for it.  I took a piece of gold foiled cardstock and die cut the frame out of it.  I stamped the frame with the coordinating stamp using Versamark and Antique Gold Embossing Powder.  Now this does get a bit tricky because the foil wants to curl up so I ended up double stamping it to make sure I didn't have any gaps in the design.  To do this, you have to use the negative pieces as a placeholder and add a dot of adhesive on the back of each piece to hold it in place while you stamp.

At this point, things went horribly wrong!  As soon as I tried to die cut the frame out of the background, I realized I had forgotten one important thing. You cannot die cut the 144 lb. Yupo with any type of intricate die.  If it isn't a basic shape like a square or rectangle, there is no way. Not in any die cut machine - not even the Gemini Die Cutting Machine. The 74 lb Yupo cuts beautifully, but not so much with the heavy weight.  All it did was stretch out and warp my Yupo leaving it unusable.  I decided I needed to walk away for a little while but I also realized I would have to try to recreate the background in those same shades using the lighter weight Yupo or Glossy Cardstock.

The thing about alcohol inks for me, is that it's more "playtime" than actual work time because you will never get two backgrounds that look the same. I don't keep track of the colors I use because even using the same colors you will still get different looks. It's kind of like watercolor in that you can't make duplicates.  I didn't have a clue what colors I had used to get the background, but I was willing to play around for a while.  I finally had to shred the other background so it wouldn't sit there taunting me, ha ha.  It did go through my shredder with no problem - but not my Gemini or Cuttlebug.  After about an hour I came back to create a new background in similar colors.  It's not nearly as lovely as the other one, but it's the closest I could get.  I also ran this through my Minc Machine to get some of the gold veins although most of them are covered up with the other elements of the card.

My card is 6.75 inches by 4.75 inches and will fit perfectly into a 5 x 7 envelope.  I don't have one the right color, but I can definitely make one using my Scor-Pal.   To get  a card this size that is vertical in orientation, I cut two panels of the plum cardstock  - one at 7.25 inches by 4.75 and the other at 6.75 by 4.75.  I scored the longer piece at the ½ inch mark and folding it over, creased it well which leaves a little flap.   Then I put a piece of 1/4 inch score tape on that flap, then and adhered the front to the back.  I was very careful when doing this but you can trim away any uneven edges if needed. I had to cut about ⅛ inch from the back to have the front just a tiny bit longer.  I learned this nifty little trick from Yana Smakula.

I used a frame die from Spellbinders (due to the larger size card) to die cut the frame which also cuts a center panel in a rectangular shape.  I added little dots of Multi Medium Matte all around the frame working quickly, then set it carefully into place on my plum cardbase.  I lined it up with the card base creating the frame all the way around.

Slightly sideways view so you can see the inside the card with
the white panel and the embossed detail on the interior frame.  

Then I die cut the center piece from the marbled and foiled lightweight Yupo cardstock.  You can cut a rectangle from the heavyweight Yupo, but nothing with any detail at all.  Using a piece of fun foam, I added the center panel with Score tape on both sides of the fun foam to keep it in place.  I used the white negative piece from the additional frame I had cut from white cardstock to heat emboss my sentiment which came from the Build-A-Flower Sakura Blossom.  I inlaid that into the frame and taped it together on the back side with a bit of micro pore tape.  I like using this in this type of situation because it's very flat and doesn't add bulk.  I also added the positive white frame to the heat embossed foiled frame to make it a little bit sturdier.  Then I laid the blooms, leaves and the framed sentiment on the cardbase until I had a design that was pleasing to my eye.  I really struggle to do arrangements that are not from left to right.  It's the obvious choice for those of us who read English because we read from left to right.  So I challenged myself to do one that started on the right and went to the left.

Once I had my design, I used a piece of Press N Seal over the top and rubbing it into place, then picked up all of the elements and flipped it over so I could put adhesive on the back side.  Then I flipped it over again and carefully set it into place, rotating as needed before actually putting it on there.  Because the Press 'N Seal is semi-transparent, it's a great way to see the the layout to make sure you have it lined up the same.  Once you lay it down, press everything into place walk away for a few moments to let it set.  When you come back, gently pull the Press 'N Seal away from itself.  The top pieces will probably be loose, but you can hold them in place as you are peeling the film back, then add foam tape or adhesive under them and put them in place.  Fold the used piece of Press 'N Seal in half and save it for the next time around.  I use the same piece over and over until it loses it tackiness.

Anytime I use a darker cardstock, I die cut a panel of white cardstock to put on the interior of the card for my message or in case I want to add a greeting there.
The 2nd to largest die in the Spellbinders 5 x 7 Matting Basics A set is perfect for the inside of the card.

Once I got this card finished and nearly completed this post, I decided it needed a special touch since it is for my daughter after all.  She loves shiny and sparkly things also. A quick layer of Tonic Nuvo Shimmer Pen and a few gems did the trick. In case I haven't mentioned it before, I love to use Flat Backed Swarovski Crystals in the colors Crystal and Aurora Borealis in the 12 and 16 millimeter sizes.  I watch for a sale and buy a few packages at a time.  I don't use them for every card and it takes so few to make a big impact on a card. For the smaller size, there are 50 in a package and for the larger size there are 40 in a package.  A small package goes a long way.  If you did big crystals, they would just be gaudy and ugly, but these small ones give you a whole lot of bang for your buck.

I am late getting this card done but she asked me to make something that I haven't completed yet and I want to give it all to her at the same time.  So I better skedaddle off and clean up the rest of my "Craftermath" so I can finish that project as well.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  I've linked the supplies I've used below for your convenience (Affiliate Links used).

Altenew Antique Gold Crisp Embossing Powder Shop at: ALT	Altenew Build-A-Flower Sakura Blossom Shop at: SSS | ALT	Altenew Cherry Blossom Mini Cube Collection Shop at: ALT	Altenew Green Fields Mini Cube Collection Shop at: SSS | ALT
Altenew Green Fields Reinkers Shop at: ALT	Altenew Rose Petal Mini Cube Collection Shop at: ALT	Altenew Sweet Friend Bundle Shop at: SSS | ALT	Cuttlebug Die Cutting Machine Shop at: SSS
Gemini Full Size Die Cutting Machine Shop at: SSS	Heidi Swap Minc Machine Shop at: SSS	Kokuyo Long Dot Runner Adhesive Shop at: SSS	Marvy Jewel Picker Shop at: SSS
Mini MISTI Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS | ALT | GKD	MISTI Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS | ALT | GKD	Press 'N Seal Shop at: SSS	Ranger Multi Medium Matte Shop at: SSS
Scor-Pal Scoring Board Shop at: SSS	Scor-Tape 1/4th inch Shop at: PTI | SSS	Scotch 3M Foam Tape Shop at: SSS	Spellbinders Matting Basics 5 x 7 Set A Shop at: SSS | SPB
Spellbinders Renaissance Labels 52 Shop at: SPB	Teflon Bone Folder Shop at: SSS	Tonic 6 Inch Personal Trimmer Shop at: SSS	Tonic Aqua Shimmer Pen Shop at: SSS
Versamark Ink Shop at: SSS	Wagner Heat Tool Shop at: SSS

Altenew Educator Certification Program - Easy Die Cutting Techniques

The last two weeks have been utterly crazy around my house.  Contractors are still coming in and out several times a week to do some of the upgrades we've been waiting on or for paint touch-ups and other things that were not finished in the house.  In between that, I drove over 400 miles last week just getting to doctor appointments as I get re-established with my doctors that I had before I moved away from this area 8.5 years ago.  Everybody wants their own labs, x-rays, etc. and it's a lot of running around since the doctors and their facilities for these tests are a minimum of 60 miles away and two of them are even farther at 75 and 80 miles away.  I try to book things back to back but it still takes a ton of time since everything is so far apart from each other, and I always have to allow drive time as well.  I am not scheduling anything for the next couple of weeks.

Anyhow, I wanted to continue on with my class work for the Altenew Educator Certification Program and this post is for "Easy Die Cutting Techniques" over at Altenew Academy.

We are getting a painting for our new home by an artist whose work I greatly admire and whose work I follow on Instagram. Her name is Karen Hall Nitz and she paints geodes. These are not just flat paintings, but are very three dimensional.  She lives in the Dallas area and I have been wanting one for quite a while now.  I am finally getting one.  I told her the colors and will leave the rest up to her.  In addition to that, I told her that I would make her a selection of cards as a little bonus.  She asked for "Thank You" cards.  I know I can always use lots of those.


In case you don't know what a geode is, you can look on Wikipedia to get a definition or explanation of how they are formed and then search for geode images on Google or Pinterest.

I happen to have an uncle in New Mexico who is a geologist and I have long had a fascination for geodes.  He gave my mom one at least 30 (Probably closer to 40) years ago.  On the surface, the rock just looks just plain and flat and pretty round, but when he broke it open, it has amethyst crystals inside, much like the one pictured here.

You can also search Pinterest for

Geodes and see the many varieties of crystals that form inside of the geodes like the one on the right. It's always fascinating to me to see the wide variety of colors and textures inside.

So when I first saw Karen's work, I became an instant fan! I've been following her for over a year now  and while I would love to have a smaller painting in the style of "Rose Quartz" that you can see in her gallery, I wanted something that goes with the house and will fill some space on a currently very empty wall.  We have very tall ceilings in our living room and it echoes pretty bad right now.  We are hoping the canvas will absorb some of the noise.  We really don't want to put blinds or curtains over the windows because we love all the light.

Geode Painting by © Karen Hall Nitz

I know this style of artwork wouldn't appeal to everyone, and honestly, it is difficult to capture in a photo, but it was love at first sight for me.  Let me also say, this is not our painting.  But I do love the sea blue colors with the silver and gold accents.  It's very similar to the colors we asked for but we said "heavy on the gold".  Our fixtures throughout the house are Brushed Nickel so we decided it needed to have at least some silver in there to tie it all together.  You have no idea how hard it was for me not to put gold or brass fixtures in this house given my love for gold.

If you've been following along on my blog, then you know that my grandson, Charlie, and I have been playing a whole bunch with Yupo Paper in Medium and Heavyweight Varieties along with glossy cardstock so I have a whole slew of backgrounds right now.  I have also been experimenting a lot with using my Minc to get "gold veins" onto the backgrounds as well.  I still haven't figured out exactly what makes it work, but because the backgrounds look like granite or some other type of stone, I think the style of them matches Karen's design aesthetic very well and so I chose to use the alcohol inked backgrounds to make all of Karen's cards. 

As I sat down this morning to figure out what I was going to do for my Easy Die Cutting Techniques project, I decided to do Die Cut Inlay so I used a particularly lovely background that Charlie had created to make a Thank You card for my personal stash.  It didn't turn out at all how he wanted it, so he gave it to me to use because, as you know, Pink is one of my favorite colors.  He likes the grunge effect and he also likes Red - all reds and variations of red including orange, pink and coral.  I knew it would be really pretty foiled and I was right.

As I mentioned in a few previous posts, there are lots of variables using the Yupo paper, but the biggest thing is that it's hard to die cut the #144 Yupo with an intricate die cut.  So I decided to do the next best thing.  I used a scrap from another background to die cut my word and a piece of gold foiled cardstock to cut the shadow or mat for the word.

Then I adhered the sentiment strip (both the white and gold layers) to the background panel, placed the shadow die onto that and ran it through my die cut machine, with a piece of printer paper over the top so it wouldn't leave marks in the foiling.  This did exactly what I thought it would which is that it cut through the top two layers leaving the heavyweight Yupo background panel completely intact while providing the recess for my inlay technique.  When you do this, be sure to save all the little white pieces that fall out of the die cut so you can put them in place once your die cut word is adhered to the card background.

I added a couple of views here for you so that you can see the gorgeous shine left by the Minc machine.  This is actually one of the classes I had taken early on at Altenew when I first started Cardmaking and it was taught by one of my favorite designers, Yana Smakula.  Yana has a way with Gold and she is probably the one person who most influenced my style.

This particular background used Flamingo Alcohol Ink with Gold Mixative with Alcohol Ink Blending Solution but there is just no way to predict how the foiling will come out of the Minc Machine and in fact, I don't have another background like it in the many that I've made now.   Simon Says Stamp has the entire collection of Alcohol Inks available as a group HERE or in individual colors at THIS link.

I hope you enjoyed reading my thought process of how all of these cards came to be.  I like for my blog posts to be more conversational rather than strictly technical in nature and I hope you enjoy that aspect as well.  Thank you so much for stopping by today to check out my project and post.  I really appreciate all of you who take time to comment or just visit.  I listed the supplies I've used below for your convenience (Affiliate Links may be used).

Cuttlebug Die Cutting Machine Shop at: SSS	Heidi Swap Minc Machine Shop at: SSS	Kokuyo Long Dot Runner Adhesive Shop at: SSS	Ranger Multi Medium Matte Shop at: SSS
Ranger Non-Stick Craft Sheet Shop at: SSS	Thermoweb Decofoil Sheets - Gold Value Pack Shop at: SSS | GKD	Tim Holtz Tonic Paper Trimmer Shop at: SSS	Tim Holtz/Ranger Alcohol Ink Blending Solution Shop at: SSS
Tim Holtz/Ranger Alcohol Inks Shop at: SSS	Tonic 6 Inch Personal Trimmer Shop at: SSS	WPLUS9 Gift Card Layers Designer Dies Shop at: SSS	Yupo Heavyweight Paper 144 lb. Shop at: SSS
Yupo Paper 74 lb. Shop at: SSS