Well, I’m back at it.

After completing Level 1 of the Altenew Educator Certification Program last summer, I took a nice long break to enjoy summer with my family and then got busy with “life”…  But I sat down last week to start my lessons again and I have a few cards to share.

The first lesson was all about backgrounds.  Many techniques were shared and I chose to use a combination of repeat stamping and water bleaching for this first card.  I inked up the entire background with Distress Oxide inks and my blending tool.  Then I mixed a little perfect pearls powder into a spray bottle with water and got started stamping.  I gave a light spritz of the water mixture onto this floral stamp from WISPY BEGONIA and then stamped it down on the inked panel.  I used my MISTI for this so I could stamp repeatedly in the same spot if I needed a better impression. After stamping, the water reacts with the distress inks to “bleach” it and the perfect pearls adds a lovely shimmer.  I continued this process all over the panel to give the look of patterned paper.  I finished the card off by matting it with black cardstock and adding a sentiment from the LABEL LOVE set backed with silver glitter paper. This is a super simple card that packs a big punch with all the shine!

For my second card,  I wanted to create dimension in my background by creating a DIY stencil from heavyweight cardstock and layering that over a stamped panel.  I used the BELOVED DAISY stamps and dies for this sunny cheerful birthday card.

I used the flower dies to cut through the top layer of the card, which is 110 lb white cardstock.  Then I lined up my stamps in the exact same position using the MISTI and stamped all the layers of each flower with the SUMMER AFTERNOON INK set onto another panel of white cardstock.  On the top (die cut) panel, I added a sentiment from WISPY BEGONIA and wrapped a bit of linen thread across the bottom.  Then I mounted the die cut panel onto the stamped floral panel with foam tape, such that the flowers showed through the openings.  This adds a very cool dimensional effect and lots of interest to an otherwise simple card.

Thanks for stopping by and have a terrific day!

xo,

Tricia

SUPPLY LIST