Tag: Altenew

Challenges, Design team

AAA Colourful Challenges unveiled

Anne S

I feel very honoured to have been selected as a member of the Design Team for the AAA Colourful Challenge blog that launches today! I’ve always enjoyed colour challenges, so I couldn’t resist putting my hand up for my first ever design team gig. I’m also super thrilled with the theme of this month’s challenge, which is to create something based on the blog logo colours – that’s right up my alley, as I adore rainbow coloured cards, they’re so very cheerful and uplifting! The rest of the Design Team have created some stunning cards, so please do pop over to join us in the fun and to be inspired by our team of creatives.

I have a number of friends who have been struggling mentally, so I’m making 2024 the year to send some cards as a reminder of how the rest of us see them, or to just bring a brightness to their day out of the blue. For that reason I’ll often be using uplifting or supportive sentiments on my cards this year. This one is actually staying with me, though, as a personal reminder and also as a momento of this new creative journey.

A few details about my card:

I started by heat embossing the stamped image with gold, and used Gina K inks in just one shade of each colour for use with the stencils. I continued using the same shades in layers, starting off with a slightly lighter touch and getting more heavy-handed as the layers went on.

To try to get consistent colours, I began with applying the red through the centre of each peony, followed by the blue and the yellow at each far edge of the flowers. I then filled in the gaps with the pink and orange, and overlapping a bit over the previous colours. I really love the purple tones that appeared where the pink overlapped the blue. I started off using the Powder Blue colour but I found it too washed out compared to the other brighter colours, so I stopped at stencil 3 and went back to brighten it up a bit with Blue Raspberry. I was much happier then, and continued to finish the stenciling.

I have to say the card looks a bit complicated with the different colours, but the stencils really do all the hard work, and it’s actually a very simple card to pull together. Altenew really do make some stunning layering stencils!

Supplies used:

  • Billowing Peonies stamp set by Altenew (both flowers and sentiment)
  • Inks by Gina K Designs: Wild dandelion, Sweet mango, Red hot, Passionate pink, Powder blue/Blue raspberry, Sea glass
  • Gold and white embossing powders by Gina K Designs
  • Neenah 110lb Classic Cress cardstock for the cardbase
  • Quill A4 210gsm black board (for matt layer and sentiment) – this isn’t as heavy as a lot of cardstocks, but it’s super smooth and I find I get relatively good results heat embossing with it, plus it’s a very inexpensive option for layering when I’m channelling my inner Gina K
Challenges

Happy birthday to my hairdresser

Anne S

Yesterday I had my hair appointment and I woke up early to remember that this was the last time I’d see her before our birthdays (we’re a day apart), so I needed to scramble to find something that she’d like. Red is her favourite colour, so when I came across a cardfront I’d made some time ago, I decided it would be perfect to make into a card for her. I heat embossed a sentiment on black cardstock, and I was pretty happy with the end result. She was a bit emotional when she opened it, and she now has it on display on the salon desk, which is so sweet. So happy it cheered her up a bit, as she’s been struggling with some health issues and was a much-needed small boost.

I’ve decided this card would be perfect for the Beautiful Blossoms 1st birthday challenge as well.

Supplies used:

  • Golden days hot foil plate and coordinating stencils by Altenew (I love this image so much I even bought the hot foil plate about six months before I bought the actual foiling machine, because I didn’t want to miss out!)
  • Peaceful violets (happy birthday sentiment) by Gina K Designs
Challenges

My monthly challenge – Altenew

Anne S

One more card for my personal month of focusing on unused Altenew products. I’ve had this very simple card in my mind for a few weeks now and final gave the experiment a try. I absolutely LOVE the results! It was so very simple too, just using some pretty patterned paper for the background, and white heat embossing of the stamped image. This is perfect for any occasion I think – sympathy cards, birthdays, just because cards, you name it.

Supplies used:

  • Watercolours paper pad by the Craft Consortium
  • Flower image from Inspirational Quotes stamp set by Altenew
  • Timeless sentiments dies by Altenew
  • White embossing powder by Gina K Designs
Challenges

Color Throwdown 777

Anne S

I found this week’s Color Throwdown challenge to be a tough one – navy, red and pink. I decided to try using a brayer to add navy colour to an embossing folder to get the darker background, and it took three attempts to get something workable.

The sentiment is a good reminder to never give up, to keep on trying … every day is a new day. I’ve been trying hard to focus on the positives after a number of personal battles these last few years. I know a few of my friends have been struggling too, so I’m trying to make a few cards with positive sentiments to share with them and give them a boost. I’ve also become aware of The Path of Positivity blog that runs monthly challenges, so I think that’s a perfect place to join in the fun on this positive journey – and this card will be my first entry.

This card also completes my own personal challenge for January to create at least four cards using previously unused products in my stash by Altenew.

Supplies used:

  • Decorative Florals embossing folder by Altenew
  • Inspirational Quotes stamp set by Altenew for the sentiment
Challenges

Imaginary Jungle

Anne S

This was my first attempt at using the Imaginary Jungle embossing folder and stencils by Altenew. I used Concord & 9th Aqua ink on the embossing folder to create the background – it was super juicy and bled a little into the flowers and leaves, but I still used it and it worked out OK I think. Is it perfect? No. But is it still beautiful? It makes me happy to look at it, so in my eyes the answer is yes 🙂 I have two more panels that have the backgrounds coloured ready to try again … the hardest part is deciding which colours to use!

I’m using this card for the Double D anything goes challenge which is a collaboration with Altenew – what better way to join in, than to use Altenew stencils for the card?!

Challenges

Mmmm, magenta…

Anne S

I was supposed to be doing this rose using the Pantone colour of the year, Magenta, but it turned out more pink than magenta, but that’s OK it’s still pretty spectacular in real life! Originally created for an Instagram challenge, it’s also being entered for the Pink challenge over at the Colorful Options blog and the Use your latest stamps or dies’ at The Flower Challenge blog (the sentiment die is a new one).

Supplies used:

  • Golden Days stencil and hot foil plate by Altenew
  • Inks by Altenew (that I stupidly didn’t write down!)
  • Big Thanks shadow wafer die by Simon Says Stamp
  • Gold smooth disc sequins by Spellbinders
Challenges

Sassy pink roses

Anne S

Oh boy this Garden Roses stencil and stamp combo by Pinkfresh Studio is an absolute stunner! It seems a shame to whack a sassy sentiment on top, but it was a special request by a friend so it had to be done … I’m not a pink lover whatsoever, but I have to say I really love the colours of this one, and so happy with how it turned out.

I’ve decided to enter this one into the Cards 4 Galz challenge this week which is to use a stencil – in this case it turned out to be two different types of stencil.

Supplies used:

  • Garden Roses stamp, stencil and coordinating die by Pinkfresh Studio
  • Inks by Altenew – Pink Diamond, Pinkalicious, Purple Wine, Frayed Leaf and Forest Glades
  • Highlander stencil by Heffy Doodle
  • Sentiment from Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings by My Favorite Things
  • Classic rhinestone basic jewels by Stampin’ Up!