Hello! Today I was brave. I tried something I’ve always wanted to try: I attempted no-line watercoloring! I was inspired by the Altenew Class “Exploring Watercoloring Mediums” and specifically the class by Ashlea.
She gave a lot of great advice and encouragement. I first stamped the anemone outline stamp with a light ink. Then I got out my 36 pan watercolor set from Altenew and a round brush and gave it a try!
I chose to create a pink and a yellow flower. It took me a while before I felt like I was getting the result that I wanted. This flower has a center with smaller stalk-like stamens and the tops are lozenge-shaped anthers; these I hand painted in using small lines and then dots on each of the ends.
I also did the same technique on the leaves: stamping with a light ink, watercoloring them, then adding in hand-painted veins.
One of the things I also loved about Ashlea’s card was that she stamped a light grey spray of leaves behind her flowers. So I also stamped some grey leaves in the background for my card.
The sentiment is white heat embossed on a grey cardstock (to bring in the color of the background leaves); then popped onto some white cardstock to make it pop off the front of the flowers.
I’m often asked what supplies I use to make my cards and projects, so I’ve put together a list using affiliate links when possible. If you make a purchase with these links I may receive a small commission. These help me to keep up with blog costs and continue bringing you fun projects. Thank you so much for your support!
Hello again! I am excited to share a 3D Lily card with you today, inspired by the latest course I took at Altenew Academy. I’m going to share with you my favorite way to add extra interest/texture to a layered 3D die, and my inspiration for the background!
First of all, I enjoy watercoloring my 3D dies to get so much variation in color. I love this technique and I share just how I did this in my video below.
Then I was completely inspired by Therese in this class, she uses patterned paper and I thought that would make a wonderful background for my card!
Here’s the video, watch it below or in HD on YouTube:
This lily die set is one of my favorites already! I love how easy it is to layer up a gorgeous flower, whether you ink up your paper, watercolor, or use colored cardstock.
For my first card I made different layers of color with watercolors, then cut out the images. I used some patterned paper for the background in a rainbow colorway, and added the hello sentiment die cut from the leftover watercolor I painted.
On my second card I used the negative pieces from the above lilies! I like to save all the pieces to create even more flowers (that are also so interesting)!
I pieced these flowers together to look like smaller flowers that haven’t fully bloomed yet. I love the variety you can get by using all the extra pieces! For the flower on the right, I die cut the very back layer, but then used the cut out pieces on top of that to finish it off.
For this background, I did some ink blending and watercolor splatters. I used a sentiment from the Hero Arts/Altenew collaboration set, matching the ink color to the flowers.
I’m often asked what supplies I use to make my cards and projects, so I’ve put together a list using affiliate links when possible. If you make a purchase with these links I may receive a small commission. These help me to keep up with blog costs and continue bringing you fun projects. Thank you so much for your support!
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed…and if you haven’t used 3D dies I highly recommend them! I’ll be back soon with more projects.
Hello! Today I have a secret to share with you: it’s my formula for making masculine cards. This is also a part of my FINAL for Level 2 of the Altenew Educator’s Certification Program (AECP).
The Final Challenge was to create 4 Masculine Cards using 3 components of the techniques I learned in Levels 1 & 2 of the AECP. The components I chose were:
Stencil Techniques
Impressive Heat Embossing
Let It Shine
I also pulled together 3 masculine themes (metallic, nature, & geometric) and 3 colors to create all of my cards. I get a lot of questions on how I create Masculine cards, so today in my video I’m sharing my SECRET FORMULA for making Masculine cards (it’s not a secret anymore)! Watch the video below to find out the formula I use, or watch it in HD on YouTube:
For my first card, I used some stencil techniques: inking with Distress Oxide on dark cardstock & offset stenciling. I used the Halftone stencil to ink on some of the new Speckled Egg Distress Oxide ink, then let it dry. Once it was dry, I offset the stencil just a bit to add some Versamark sticky ink and added some Distress Embossing Glaze & heat set that. The embossing glaze is translucent so you can see through to the inking, but it gives a shiny element to the background. (So neat!)
I also created a temporary “holder” to emboss that die cut sentiment three times. This holder was so helpful so I didn’t burn my fingers or get any tweezer marks in my silver embossing!
The sentiment adds a metallic look for the “Let It Shine” inspiration on this card! I love a metallic element on a handmade card. I stamped the subsentiment with the same Speckled Egg Distress Oxide and popped it up with foam tape.
For my second card I die cut a cover die and adhered it to a white card panel…then I filled in a few of the spots with colored cardstock to get that geometric look!
Layered Monstera Leaves give this card a 3D look
I die cut some monstera leaves in steel gray and silver metallic (for that shine)! Then I popped them up with foam squares. To match with the silver theme, the sentiment is heat embossed in silver. This card turned out to be my husband’s favorite card of them all!
For the third card I’m bringing in some selective stenciling! First I stenciled the entire background in Speckled Egg Distress Oxide, then I added a darker blue to just a portion of the stencil. To the very smallest portion, I added some Glacier Paste in Quicksilver for some shine (it dries to look like foil)!
We are better together
For the leaves, I heat embossed it TWICE. Once with a silver embossing powder, then I stamped the dots in Versamark and embossed with a gold embossing powder. This is a neat technique, as the embossing powders kind of melt into each other. I think this is a great look!
Stencil techniques, Embossing techniques, and Let It Shine Techniques are glorious together!
For my fourth card, I created a geometric background using the Cube Builder Stencil. I spaced the cubes apart just a little and gave them more of a “chevron” appearance, using colors I chose for the theme, but adding in a bit of Antique Linen. It turned out a little more yellow than I expected, but that just added a sunny, happy look.
Flowers and leaves in gray, black, and metallic
I die cut some leaves and one hibiscus using black, gray, and metallic papers. This adds a more masculine feeling. (Don’t you want to take a trip to Hawaii now?) I stamped the sentiment on a strip that I inked with Antique Linen Oxide to match.
Now, if the flower is a little over the top for you (my husband does like flowers, but it’s not for every man!), I made a variation of this card omitting the hibiscus flower.
It’s the same stencil background, using only black and gray inks. Then I added a metallic paper focal point with a black frame to the middle. The monstera leaf is popped up with foam squares to give even more dimension.
So there you have 5 masculine cards, using 3 Techniques, 3 Themes, and 3 Colors (mostly)! It’s a fun challenge to take, and I hope you enjoyed the process with me.
I’m often asked what supplies I use to make my cards and projects, so I’ve put together a list using affiliate links when possible. If you make a purchase with these links I may receive a small commission. These help me to keep up with blog costs and continue bringing you fun projects. Thank you so much for your support!
I completely enjoyed my experience with the Altenew Educator’s Certification Program! I highly recommend it to you if you are interested in learning a lot of techniques, getting better at cardmaking, and teaching techniques to others.
Hello! Today I have some cards inspired by my latest class at Altenew Academy called Magical Marker Techniques.
There were many techniques I wanted to try, so I actually made two cards! The first one features stenciling, with some marker accents. Then I splattered on the marker ink using alcohol to make it more liquid, and a stippling brush.
See the stippling?
I inked on the stencil first, then added some darkness with the markers. I also colored some pearls with the same artist marker to make them match.
This stippling technique creates such small, dainty splatters! I love how this turned out.
Then, I really wanted to use the markers to color an image. So, I first stamped the layers of this flower with ink, then I added to it using the artist markers.
Beautiful flowershello!
The artist markers really add such a beautiful dimension! The stamping (on the right) is beautiful on its own, but add the markers (on the left) and get a flower that really pops!
I added some soft gray stamping in the background using the leaves from the same stamp set. Then for a little sparkle, some stickles to the center of the flower, and painted onto the gray leaves. It’s subtle, but gorgeous!
I hope you enjoyed these projects today! This is my last project/class for my AECP Certification…now onto the Final! (wish me luck). Thanks for stopping by!
Hello! Today I have a Layered Masking Technique that is sure to make you happy: because it creates TWO cards!
I was inspired by the class at Altenew Academy called Masking Unleashed. The technique I loved was layering the masking to created more depth in your card. I took it a little further by adding four layers!
Can you count all four layers?
I first masked off some leaves and inked the background (those are the whitest leaves)
Then I masked more of the leaves and inked even more (those are the lighter blue leaves)
I added a stencil layer with a darker blue ink to create a focal point that draws your eyes right to the plant
Fourth, I added some vellum leaves (colored up with green copic marker)
For even more interest I added white and gold splatters and a “designer” vase.
After I took off those masks from the first card, I saw the beautiful blue leaves splattered with the gold and white paint and I knew I needed to make another card…they were too beautiful to go to waist.
I made a video with all the details and tricks for keeping those masks adhered down to the card…after all, those masks had been put on and taken off a number of times! Watch the video below or in HD on YouTube:
I had a great time making these and I highly recommend this class!
I’m often asked what supplies I use to make my cards and projects, so I’ve put together a list using affiliate links when possible. If you make a purchase with these links I may receive a small commission. These help me to keep up with blog costs and continue bringing you fun projects. Thank you so much for your support!
Hi I'm Kari. I'm a creator, a card maker, and a day maker! I am Lucky in love to a supportive husband, blessed to raise 3 kids (all moved away now!), and happy to be watched over by 2 dogs.
I originally started this blog to remind me to be happy amid adversity, and I hope it inspires you, too!
