Hello my crafty peeps!!  Well, I made it to the end of Level One of the Altenew AECP classes!!!  This blog post will feature my Level One Challenge project!!  First of all, the whole program has been amazing and I am actually in awe of the skills I have learned, and the new ones this program has pulled out of my old crafty brain.  It's been exhilarating, and I have had so much fun!!  I'll highlight tips and tricks throughout this post so hopefully you will all learn something from my experience as well :)

The Level One Challenge was to create a set of masculine cards and feminine cards as well as the packaging to keep them in and the curve ball was you had to incorporate some recycled material into the project.  I literally had to work up until the night before it was due because my recycle material and other material I needed to finish the project was out in the twilight zone of the postal service...but I made it!!  I chose to highlight my three favourite classes from Level One: Celebration Stencil Techniques, Easy Die Cutting Techniques and Easy Ink Blending.  The design part was next, so I got out my notebook, (yes, I make sketches and notes of all projects I do) my color wheel and all my inks.  I knew I wanted to keep the two sets coordinated, yet clearly define the masculine vs. the feminine, so I chose subdued colors to work with:  Altenew Crisp Dye Ink in Sweet Leaf, Deep Iris and Aqualicious.  My neutrals were Altenew Crisp Dye Ink in Industrial Diamond (for my "black") and Vanilla Cream (for my "brown"). I decided to do a gift set of 10 cards, five masculine and five feminine (I like odd numbers).  And to further challenge myself, I went for slim line cards (cut to 8"x 9 1/4" to fit standard envelopes).  I was thinking, it's not so common to just give a man a card, but we give them gift certificates frequently, and slim line cards can easily accommodate paper gifts like gift certificates or lottery tickets.  So I went with practicality to make this set appealing.  And yes that made the design 10 times more challenging lol.  Because the cards could share similar techniques but not be copies of each other, I designed them in pairs of two so there were five sets of two, one male and one female, for each technique.  I used the colors to keep the sexes of the cards visually separate. All the cardstock used was Altenew Classic Crest Solar White 80 pound cardstock and cold press 140 pound watercolor paper.  Now, this is gonna be a long ride so now may be a good time to take a bathroom break and get a snack lol  (I used red text to highlight some design tips along the way)

Cards 1: 

These cards featured stenciling techniques using the Altenew Classy Stripes Stencil on the masculine card and the Altenew Stone Wall stencil on the feminine and the Altenew Branches and Berries die set on both.  First I arranged the Branches and Berries dies on scrap cardstock being sure to leave enough room around each die because once the shapes are cut I'll be using the cardstock as a stencil of their shapes, then ran them through my die cutting machine.

The feminine card is portrait orientation and I started blending with Deep Iris ink from the top right corner down towards the bottom left corner--a diagonal direction, spreading across the top and down the right side and fading away towards the middle of the card.

 Next I used the Industrial Diamond ink to drag my blending brush over the stencil picking up the brush and returning to the top and dragging it down again multiple times.  This gives the stones of the stencil some 3D shadowing effects. Taking the cardstock that the Branches and Berries were cut out from, I used a foam dauber with Deep Iris ink and Industrial Diamond to dab color onto the card through the "stencil". 

I then used some of the cut outs to embellish on top of this stenciling, using liquid glue to adhere just the bottoms of the branches so they flop a little off the card and add dimension.  I finished this card with Altenew antique gold sequins and a sentiment cut with the Altenew  Script Words die set utilizing a scrap piece of painted cardstock I had in my scrap pile. (I cut one for the masculine card as well)

The masculine card is in landscape orientation.  Using the Classy Stripes stencil and a blending brush in one direction on a diagonal, I blended Vanilla Cream ink onto the center of the card.  Then I rotated the stencil to create a cross-hatch pattern and went over it Industrial Diamond ink. 

I used the cut out "stencil" from the Branches and Berries die cuts and the Industrial Diamond ink and Sweet Leaf ink to dab stencil the branches onto the card in the low center of the card. 

 

Instead of sequins, I dabbed the Industrial Diamond ink pad onto my craft mat and used a round small tipped paintbrush to add water and then flick splatters across the bottom of the cross-hatching.  I then attached the cut out branches and the sentiment.

  

Cards 2:  

 These cards are both in portrait orientation and feature the letterpress technique using die cuts.  For the feminine card I cut a panel of cardstock smaller than the card face, so it left about a half inch all around the card face.  This will be the panel I use for the pressing technique.  This technique requires you to use some heavy cardstock die cuts so I used watercolor paper scraps and cut out "hugs" and "congrats" from the Scrip Words die set. 

I cut four of each sentiment because I will be pressing them in multiple areas on each card.  Now, depending on the die cutting/embossing machine you have, you may need to alter your plate/embossing plate sandwich.  I added a thick piece of cardboard to mine: 

 On my base plate I laid out the smaller panel and arranged the "hugs" sentiment with one at each end and one in the middle. then I laid the cardboard shim over it (you need your shim to be larger than the entire surface area of what you are pressing), then my metal shim and the top plate.  I ran this thru my machine and when it came out the three "hugs" were pressed into the face of the panel.  Next I used a blending brush and Deep Iris ink to color the panel which highlighted the pressed sentiments. 

 I used the ink pad to run along the edges of the panel to finish it off.  I set this aside and used low tack tape to tape the card base to my cutting mat. I embellished the card with Atenew 1/4" gold washi tape, and to do this I measured out at the top and bottom  so both ends of the card would match when I added two strips of the washi tape. I let it hang over the edges so I can adjust if necessary, then just snip off the ends and press them down good.  

Next I adhered the inked panel to the card with tape runner, centering it on the card face.  I accented this card with the gold sequins and some branches I had left over from another project.

The masculine card uses the die cut "congrats" sentiment.  Using the same embossing machine plate sandwich as I did on the feminine card I laid two of the "congrats" diagonal across the card from bottom left up to upper right. (for future note, I would try this with a colored cardstock as you can't see it that vividly on white, but when you hold the card you can-but it does look elegant on the plain white)

I then taped the card down and copied the measurements from the feminine card to adhere the gold washi tape to this card.  I centered three gold sequins in the middle of the card and used two grey  flower die cuts I had in my stash to embellish it.

Cards 3:  

These cards feature ink blending techniques and die cutting.  The feminine card is in portrait orientation. I used a blending brush with Deep Iris ink to blend all around the card, fading into the center. I used the same ink on a foam dauber to blend around the edges making it a bit darker.  Next I used the Altenew Bitterroot Flower layering stencil set, but I only chose two layers of the flower. (FYI this stencil set is my new favourite thing in life!!) Using the same Deep Iris ink and just varying pressure on my blending brush, I added four background flowers with darker centers.  

Then I did a ghost stencil technique, where I used whatever ink is left on my brush and with a third flower shape from the set I very faintly blended only parts of this third flower shape, scattering these "ghost" flowers all over the card face To add some definition I used two shapes of flower from the Altenew Watercolor Blooms stamp and die set and stamped a couple with tone on tone Deep Iris ink and Industrial Diamond. 

 I adhered three of them to the card with  foam squares and glued three more flat to the card face.  For sentiments I used the Altenew "Best Sentiments" stamps, and stamped them with Deep Iris ink onto white cardstock scraps.  From my scrap stash I found scraps from the Altenew 6x6 paper set Enchanting Washes. I trimmed the sentiments up and attached the ends of them to the paper scraps and cut flag tails on one side.  

For the masculine card I embossed leaves and a sentiment from the Engagement Wishes stamp set onto the card using Altenew Antique Gold embossing powder.  Then starting at the top of the card I blended Sweet Leaf ink down towards the middle.  Then I used Aqualicous ink to blend from the bottom up so the two colors met in the middle.  I used foam daubers, again applying various pressure, to add dots of the green and blue all over the card, but I kept the blue on the blue blended end of the card and the green on the green blended end of the card for a textural tone on tone look.

Next I used  a scrap of cardboard and angled it over the lower left corner of the card.  I used it to create varying strips of Aqualicious and Industrial Diamond by applying the two colors to everyone other line created by moving the cardboard down at an angle.

I added gold sequins to the top grey stripe. 

In the top space I wanted to add some fun flags (I love sentiment flags!). I found in my scrap stash, a painted background scrap that had three shades of grey blended on it.  I cut three flags out of this.  Then, using a sentiment from the Best Sentiments stamp set I used Industrial Diamond, Silver Stone and Pure Graphite to make a graduated color of sentiment for the flags.  I fanned them out and added some die cut leaves from my stash.

I attached the sentiments to the edges of the card, only adhering half of them to the card, this allows them to move and lift and give interest to the card. 

 

Card 4:

These cards featured ink blending techniques and both are in the portrait orientation.  For the feminine card I wanted a grand focal point so I chose the two large flowers from the Altenew Engagement Wishes stamp set. I wiped down the card face with anti-static powder and stamped the flowers using Versamark ink.  

I sprinkled Altenew embossing powder in Golden Peach generously over the images and heat set them with my heat gun.  I started by blending a light coat of Sweet Leaf allover the card. Then, using foam daubers and applying varying pressure, I dotted the card face with dots of Vanilla Cream and Sweet Leaf. I then took my blending brush with the Deep Iris ink on it and, using whatever ink was left on it, I just lightly blended out the middle of each of the flowers. 

Next I ran a strip of the 1/4" gold washi tape across the bottom.

 I left room for the sentiment which was stamped in Sweet leaf green using the Best Sentiments stamp set, onto white cardstock, then trimmed it out and attached it to a scrap from the Enchanting Washes paper set. I then cut two flag ends on it.  I embellished the card with gold sequins and added two small ones for "nail" on the sentiment. I then just happened to find some inked background cardstock in my scrap stash and the colors were nearly identical to the color of the flowers on this card, so I cut out "Love" and "Hugs" using the Script word die set and adhered these with foam squares, one to each flower. These also corresponded to the words in the sentiment. Sometimes when things just work out, you go with it.

The masculine card is in the landscape orientation. I created a wood plank look on this card using the Industrial Diamond ink pad to drag staggering stripes across the card, starting in the middle and working back towards an end.  Then I rotated the card and did the same technique starting where I started on the other side.  This gives a technique like rough wood.  

Then I took a scrap of white cardstock and, using a foam dauber, I blotched the Vanilla Cream, Sweet Leaf and Industrial diamond ink all over it--random, but not blended.

I took the Branches and Blooms die set and cut out the shapes from this inked background.  (This just might be my favourite trick to get depth on die cuts). Next I took the Altenew Apothecary Label dies and, although they are not a true concentric layering die set, I used a large one and another one small enough to leave some of the larger one showing around it.  The large one I left white and ran through my embossing machine using the Altenew Angled Mosaic embossing folder. (Always cut your shapes first then emboss, because you will flatten out your embossing if you emboss the paper first then cut a shape out of it.) 

The smaller label I blended Industrial Diamond ink onto and stamped "Thank You" in the same ink.  I adhered the small label onto the larger label using glue dots and adhered the whole thing to the card with foam dots. I glued the ends of the branches and slid them in behind the label, then added small gold sequins on each side of the grey label to look like nails.

Cards 5: 

These cards feature ink blending techniques on watercolor paper panels attached to the card faces. I let it all out on these cards lol....I just couldn't help myself and really wouldn't be the artist I am if I didn't get a little bit "extra" lol.  Both cards feature water coloring techniques using dye ink.  On the feminine I wanted this card to have a peek through window but I didn't have an oval die to cut a big enough shape so I used a large ink pad to draw an oval shape on the watercolor paper panel using very light pencil. 

Once the oval was cut out I softened the edges with sandpaper. I started with blending Deep Iris all over panel.  I then spritzed it with water.  Now, I was going to add ink colors to the wet spots but as the water spread, it kind of created a pinkish purple tie-die look and I loved it, so I left it at that. 

 I let this dry and then came in with flowers and leaf stamps from the Altenew Mini Delight Winsome Bloom stamp set, stamping with Deep Iris. Next I dabbed the Deep Iris ink, Sweet Leaf ink and Vanilla Cream ink onto my craft mat and added water to the colors.  Using a small brush I dabbed the colors throughout the leaves and flowers.  

When this had dried I came in with Industrial Diamond on a foam dauber and shaded around the edge of the panel and around the cut out window. I did the sentiment next, using the same two sizes from the Apothecary Label die set as I had used on the previous cards,  cutting them from scraps of painted cardstock that matched.  The sentiment was stamped onto white cardstock using Deep Iris ink and a stamp from the Best Sentiments stamp set, then trimmed and adhered to the pink label.  I glued the pink label to the purple label and then glued the whole thing flat onto the panel.  

Now for the window part.  I found a scrap of watercolor cardstock larger than the window area I had cut out. I embossed flowers from the Altenew Sunlit flowers stamp set using the Golden Peach embossing powder onto this, centered in a triangle shape to fill up the space. I blended Vanilla Cream ink all over this and spritzed it with water. Dabbing Vanilla Cream ink on my craft mat, I used the brush to add the color to the wet spots on the piece.

I let it dry and I dabbed Deep Iris ink onto my craft mat, added some water and using the small brush I applied the ink as a watercolor to the flowers.  When this dried I went over them with Wink of Stella. Now, flipping the large panel over, I used foam dots all around the cut out window.  I used foam tape all around the edge of the panel.  I attached the flower panel to the foam dots so the flowers showed through the other side, then I adhered the whole panel to the card face.

I supposed I could have left it at that, but I had the awesome 3D layered die cut flower I had created that just happened to coordinate with the colors of this card, so I added it into the window.  I mean, lets admit, we all know someone who would love a card this "extra".

The masculine card is in the landscape orientation. I gathered as many leaf stamps as I could find and embossed all around the panel with the Antique Gold embossing powder.  I blended a background of Sweet Leaf ink onto the panel which I spritzed with water.  While it was wet I dabbed Aqualicious ink onto my craft mat and, using the brush, picked up the ink and floated it into the puddles on the panel. 

Where there were very deep puddles, I used paper towel to soak up the inky water and it left very light spots on the card. I let this dry.  I dabbed the Sweet leaf, Aqualicious and Industrial Diamond ink onto my craft matt, added some water to each and dabbed the colors onto the embossed leaves.  when it had dried, I used a blending brush with Industrial Diamond to blend out the center of the card as it was a little too bright. 

 I found a greenish label in my stash as well as some painted die cut leaves and attached these to the middle of the card.  On top of this I adhered a sentiment stamped in Aqualicious from the Best Sentiments stamp set using foam dots.

Whew!  Now for the packaging.  I have never come across a good way to package a set of slimline cards, so I decided to make my own box for them.  I used the outside measurements of the envelopes, in this case they are just standard envelopes. I stacked up the cards with their envelopes to get an idea of how deep this box needed to be and I just winged it as far as design goes.  I ended up using one sheet of 8 1/2"x 11" cardstock.  Yep, that's it. I blended Sweet Leaf ink all over and, used the same ink for the background stenciling and "ghost stenciingl" of flowers from the  Bitterroot Flower stencils all over it. I have the measurements for the scoring lines shown on a picture below, but for a tutorial for the basic box construction, check it out on my You Tube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWu_GSfzV10

 

I then scored and snipped to the measurements.  I used double sided sticky tape to hold the top of the box to the bottom of the box but otherwise used liquid glue to glue the tabs together. Now here's where my recycled elements come in. 

I had finally just received an Altenew order which had a pack of the white cardstock and some small things they send in pretty flower boxes.  I took the plastic wrapper from the cardstock and cut two 1" stirps off of it.  I snipped these in half.  I piled up the feminine cards with their envelopes and the masculine cards with their envelopes.  I used a stirp of this plastic bag to create a belly band for each stack of cards.  I used glue dots to attach the band together and used die cut shapes from Altenew stamp packages I had to decorate each belly band, adhering them to the plastic band with double sided sticky tape.

From the cute little flowered boxes I cut the back down to fit the ends of the card box I made. I added more double sided tape to adhere these.  I cut the top off of one of the the little flowered boxes,, snipped the ends on an angle and covered over the "Altenew" name with flowers I had die cut from Altenew stamp packages.

Whew!!  lol, that  was a heck of a project.  But like I said before, it was fun!!  I haven't been  artistically challenged like that in so long, it felt great to use my art muscles.  I hope you found this project inspiring and I hope you have enjoyed my Altenew journey so far.  Stay tuned, Level Two is just around the corner!!!