Hello crafty friends! Today I’m really excited to be sharing my final challenge for Altenew Academy Level 2. I was assigned to create 4 masculine cards plus an altered item/upcycled project. For the cards I chose two themes: birthday and encouragement that are the ones I use the most. I will start presenting and explaining how I made the 4 masculine cards and at the end I will show you the altered item/upcycled project, which in this case was a recycled item.
For this challenge I have selected three components from Level 1 and 2. Here they are:
• Easy Die Cutting Techniques: Die cutting is one of my favorite techniques and for these cards I used this technique to create focal points in a very subtle way since I was creating masculine cards. I think masculine cards should be clean and simple so I used a few elements like frames, word dies and feathers that I die cut using different materials like vellum and washi tape, making the layers more interesting. TIP: By using different elements like washi tape or vellum you give your card a very unique look without having to add too many elements to your background.
Impressive Heat Embossing: I love to heat emboss. I could gold-heat emboss every single stamp because I believe you can achieve a sparkly and glamours look when using metallic or glitter embossing powders. Also, you can get different textures that will enrich your projects. TIP: Whenever you heat emboss over vellum you get a better impression and it looks so elegant and beautiful.
Beyond Basic Backgrounds: I love working on making my own backgrounds from scratch, whether is playing with watercolors, ink blending, alcohol inks, etc. It’s always fun to achieve unique backgrounds with different mediums and techniques. For these cards I’m using an Embossing Folder and Washi Tape, the combination is really awesome. TIP: Don’t limit yourself and try different things, getting out of your comfort zone helps to find new creative ways.
Masculine Cards – Birthday and Encouragement theme
Masculine cards are very challenging for many including me, but I have learned that masculine cards need to be as clean and simple as possible. I don’t always get this done but I think you can help yourself by choosing the right combination of colors and the elements that you will use on the card, depending on the theme of course. So, for these cards I chose the Tranquility mini cube set as my ink color combination and this set includes the following colors: Misty Morning, Cloudy Sky, Nimbus and Dark Night. Additionally, I went out of my comfort zone and I included Washi Tape for the first time ever. I have to say that this design is so elegant and definitely work perfect for male cards, so I have to admit that I truly enjoyed using washi tape. Also, I thought that using an Embossing Folder was the right element for these cards and I decided to combine it with the Foiled Marble washi tape. You have many ways to incorporate Embossing Folders and washi tape to your projects, so this can easily be another technique for the Altenew Academy. Lastly, for adding that touch of shine I used Metallic Gold Embossing Powder and Antique Gold Pigment ink, which is my favorite when playing with Embossing Folders. I combined all the previous supplies mentioned before with elements like feathers stamps and dies, word dies and frames throughout the four cards that I made, having the same color combination with unique designs at the same time. Now let’s continue with the process of making the cards.
Supplies
- Mini Delight: Strength Stamp & Die Set
- Fancy Celebrate Die
- Nesting Frames Die Set
- Foiled Marble Washi Tape
- Mod Squares 3D Embossing Folder
- Tranquility Mini Cube Set
- Antique Gold Pigment Ink
- WOW! Metallic Gold Embossing Powder
- WOW! Ulla’s Cognac Embossing Powder
- Large Ink Blending Tool
- Mini Blossom Die Cutting Machine
- Vellum
- White cardstock
- Gold mirror cardstock
Let’s start with the Encouragement cards.
For this first card I started with an A2 panel, where I applied Misty Morning and Cloudy Sky inks to only half of the panel and using the large Ink Blending Tool. Then, I added this fabulous Foiled Marble Washi Tape on top of the other half panel without ink. But before adding the washi tape I slowly ripped the edges. As my next step, I placed this panel inside the Mod Squares 3D Embossing Folder and run it through my die cutting machine. Also, I added a white folded note card at the back of this panel.
In addition, I applied Dark Night ink using the Large Ink Blending Tool to a piece of cardstock and then I die cut it with a die from the Nesting Frames Die Set. Then, on top of it I heat embossed the sentiment from the Mini Delight: Strength Stamp using WOW! Metallic Gold Embossing Powder. I added it to my background along with some feathers that I gold-heat embossed from the same stamp using foam tape and glue. As a final touch, I added to the background a bit of gold using the Antique Gold Pigment ink from Altenew.
In the picture about you can see some images of the process I made to create this background.
For the next card, I ink-blended a piece of cardstock using the Tranquility Mini Cube Set and the Large Ink Blending Tool. I covered the whole panel using all colors from the Tranquility ink set. Then, I placed only half of this panel inside the Mod Squares 3D Embossing Folder and run it through my die cutting machine. I trimmed down the edges a little bit too. Next, to visually create a division between the embossed and the non embossed parts, I added a strip of washi tape previously adhered to a piece of cardstock. I also, added a white folded note card at the back.
Using the Nesting Frames Die Set I die cut 3 frames, the first out of washi tape adhered to a cardstock, the second from gold mirror cardstock and the last one out of white cardstock. On this last frame I heat embossed the sentiment from the Mini Delight: Strength Stamp & Die Set, using WOW! Metallic Gold Embossing Powder. Additionally, I added two feathers that I stamped and die cut from the same stamp. Finally, I added over the embossed part a bit of gold using the Antique Gold Pigment ink.
The following card is a Birthday card and I started by placing one side of a white folded note card inside the Mod Squares 3D Embossing Folder and run it through my die cutting machine. Then, I applied to the whole embossed panel Cloudy Sky and Nimbu inks directly on top and not pushing too hard.
I also die cut two frames from the Nesting Frames Die Set, out of washi tape and another from white cardstock. On this last frame, I applied Cloudy Sky, Nimbus and Dark Night inks on top using the Large Ink Blending Tool. Then, I added these frames to the background plus two feathers that were heat embossed on vellum using WOW! Metallic Gold Embossing Powder. Last, I die cut the Fancy Celebrate Die from white cardstock and placed it on top of the frames.
For my last birthday card I ink-blended a panel using all inks from the Tranquility Mini Cube Set. Then, I placed this panel inside the Mod Squares 3D Embossing Folder. Adhered a white folded note card at the back and I applied the Antique Gold Pigment Ink directly on top of this panel. The gold definitely enhanced the colors from the background.
Next, I die cut the Fancy Celebrate Die and I only heat embossed half of the word using WOW! Metallic Gold Embossing Powder. Finally, I added the celebrate word to the background along with some feathers die cut from vellum and washi tape.
Above you can take a look at how I made the background for the last birthday card.
Upcycled Item
Now let’s jump into the recycled item and for this project I decided to use one of my aprons, it’s not new, I got it like two years ago and I’m not planning on replacing it because this was a special gift to me. I love coffee and my aunt has a business where she sells organic products. Her Organic Gourmet Coffee is one of my favorites so this apron was given to me by her, it was part of her launching marketing campaign.
So I wanted to give this apron a new look and to add some of my personal touch to it by stamping. The stamp I used was Coffee Love Stamp Set & Die Bundle along with Evergreen ink from Green Fields Mixed Media Ink Bundle, which are perfect for stamping over fabric.
So, I started working on this project by washing the apron and once it was dry I ironed it until it was wrinkles free. Then, I got a large stamping block and created a collage on it using some stamps from the Coffee Love Stamp Set. I inked up the stamps using the Evergreen ink and pressed hard enough on top of the apron to transfer as much ink as possible.
Next, I stamped the Coffee Ring Stamp over the pockets. I didn’t cover the whole pockets, I just made small designs around them and once I was finished stamping I got my iron back, placed a piece of paper towel over my stamped designs and heat set all of them with the iron. This way the ink won’t fade and it became permanent. I loved giving this apron a second life and with my personal touch, thanks to Green Fields Mixed Media Inks this process was easy and fun to achieve.
As you can see here I decided to make a matching coffee card for my apron. We are coffee lovers in my family so this card will be handy! I used Green Fields Mixed Media Inks to stamp on my background using Coffee Ring Stamp and the coffee beans from Coffee Love Stamp Set. I did first, second and third generation stamping and I loved how you can achieve this look with the mix media inks. I also added some splashes of ink using Paper Bag Watercolor Brush.
Once I finished stamping I heat set my background using a heat tool and I adhered a white folded note card at the back. I also created a watercolor panel using Paper Bag Watercolor Brush, Milk Chocolate Ink and Forest Glades mix media ink. Then, I stamped some images from the Coffee Love Stamp Set using Black Jet Mix Media Ink.
Finally, I die cut the images using the coordinating dies and I placed them on top of my panel using glue and foam tape for more dimension. My sentiment was from Coffee Ring Stamp and I used Black Jet Mix Media Ink to stamped it.
I really hope you like these masculine cards and my new apron. I cannot wait to try more mixed media inks on a T-shirt. I think I can create a very special Mother’s Day present for my mom and sister. Below you will find all supplies I used to make the coffee card and to stamp on top of the apron.
Supplies
- Coffee Love Stamp Set & Die Bundle
- Green Fields Mixed Media Ink Bundle
- Coffee Ring Stamp
- Stamping blocks
- Milk Chocolate Ink
- Paper Bag Watercolor Brush
- Mini Blossom Die Cutting Machine
- Watercolor paper
- Espresso Envelopes
Thank you so much for stopping by and have a fabulous day!
Your friend, Karen