Altenew July Inspiration Challenge

 

I played along with the inspiration challenge this month using Moss green, Starlight blue, and cream cardstock. My first card used the Stencil Art Set Serene Landscapes. Rather than make a wintery scene with pine trees, I used the alternate large tree in the stencil set with green grass and blue flowers dotting the landscape. The butterflies from the Mini Delight Garden Bench set were a perfect way to add a blue accent using Tide Blue and Starlight.  The sentiment from Timeless Sentiments 2 is cut from cream cardstock. 

My second card uses the Mini Delight Regal Frame stamp & die. Pink Sand ink made the stamp appear like a tone on tone look. I added in a few gold flowers to match the gold flower centers. The sentiment is stamped in Moss ink, to tie into the green in the frame and foliage. I kept the sentiment small by using the Timeless Sentiment stamp. This would make a good masculine card. 

Sticking to these colors did prove to be a challenge for me, but they worked well together. I look forward to trying this monthly challenge again!

Watercoloring with Dye Inks

No watercolor paints? No problem. Paint with Dye Inks instead!

Did you know you can watercolor an image without actual watercolor paints? Yep! Just dab a bit of your dye ink on a slick surface, spritz with water, and paint! I used the wet-on-wet technique taught in the Altenew class, Creative Watercolor Media, to let the colors in my peony background flow more organically. 

Step 1: Using watercolor paper (this is 140 lb cold pressed), stamp your images with embossing ink. When using clear ink and clear powder, ink up one or two images at a time and heat set. The images will be easier to see once heat set them , allowing you to decide where to stamp the next image.

Step 2: Next, wet the paper with water, using a fine mister bottle. 

Step 3: Place a dab of your lightest dye ink color (Frosty Pink) on a slick surface and sprtiz with water. Mix the ink and water together with your brush and you're read to paint!

Step 4: Pick up some watery ink on your brush and tap it down gently on the wet paper. You'll see the ink fan out when it comes in contact with the water! Allow this area to dry some (or use a heat tool), before applying your next layer.  Continue painting, using your next darkest color (Coral Berry). Apply the darkest color, Grapevine, towards the center. I added some other colors, such as Pink Sand and Pinkalicious, to give the petals more dimension. Paint on as many layers as you'd like until you achieve the depth your are looking for. Be patient, it's not a quick process. 

Step 5: Use shades of green to paint the leaves, starting with Firefly and working darker as you add layers. My darkest color was Forest Fern, but I also mixed some with a lighter color to get a medium tone.  You may choose to leave the background color white or paint with shades of Sea Breeze and Tide Blue using the same wet on wet technique.

Step 6: To finish off the card, splatter with white and allow to dry. I stamped a sentiment "hello" and adhered it to the center of the flower. The diecut Arched French Doors opens like a window. A dark grey (Specturm Triblend Ice Grey) allows the frame to stand out on the floral background. I also inked the edges of the paper with a gray ink (Stormy Sky) using a direct to paper application. 

Want to see the process in action or learn other ways to "watercolor" using media such as shimmer spray or reinkers?  Check out the class Creative Watercolor Media at Altenew Academy. This class has lessons taught by three great artists. 

TIPS:

• Breathe and let go of the control you normally might have when painting. Wet on wet is a more loose application technique. The embossed lines will usually keep the paint contained. 
• If paint flows beyond where you'd like or is too wet, dab with a paper towel. 
• It is suggested to use a lower quality watercolor brush when painting with inks. 
• Apply dark colors towards the center and along lines where petals touch or overlap, to create shadows.
• Use a smaller brush to flick some lines from the center outward for the final details. 
• Don't like how your center turns out? Add the sentiment right over it! No one knows!

Supplies from Altenew:

•  Pristine Peonies Build A Garden stamp set
•  clear embossing ink and powder
• 140 lb cold pressed watercolor paper
• Alluring Orchids sentiment "hello"
• Fresh Dye Inks: Frosty Pink, Pink Sand, Coral Berry, Grapevine, Pinkalicious, Firefly, Shadow Creek, Forest Fern, Eucalyptus, Sea Breeze, Tide Blue

Other supplies:

• Spellbinders Arched French Doors die
• Spellbinders Splatter White
• Specturm Noir Triblend marker in Ice Grey (darkest shade IG9)
• Gina K Stormy Sky ink
• Art Glitter liquid adhesive

Enjoy the Flight

 

Add a twist to your card with a Double Shaker Window

This little Altenew Mini Delight stamp and die set, "Enjoy the Flight", is so fun for travelers like me! I was so happy to play around with it. 

Start with the inside: I used the world stamp with a gradient of colors from dark to light (Andromeda, Starlight, Tide Blue, Turquoise) on white cardstock. To make it shiny, I embossed it with Crystal Clear embossing powder. Cut this out and set aside for later. 

Die cut the airplane using gray cardstock for the base, silver metallic, and two shades of purple. I chose these shades to add an unexpected twist of color and pick up some of the purple shade of Andromeda used in the world stamp that would peek through the window. 

Next, I used the Liquid Marble stencil with Morning Frost ink on a white cardstock panel. Morning Frost ink is a perfect light warm gray. 

                                            Making a Double Shaker Window

Following the technique to make a double shaker window from the Altenew Adacemy class "With a Twist,  I die cut the same size circle from the marbled panel and the top panel of my card. TIP: To be sure these circles will line up, cut the circle from the card panel first, then use it to align the die for cutting from the marble panel. 

Adhere acetate flat behind marble panel window, then use foam tape to outline the circle window and keep shaker bits in. I used some chunky iridescent glitter and sequins, then adhered a second piece of acetate to sandwich the bits inside. Match and adhere this shaker panel to the card panel, aligning the circle window. Now you have a shaker enclosed in the top portion of the card!

Finally, align the world stamped die so it will show through the window and adhere to the inside of the card. The front of my card still needed something so I added a dark blue circular frame around the window. Finish it off with the airplane die cut, a sentiment, and some enamel dot stars. 

My two cents: Once again the Altenew Mini Delight stamp and die set goes a long way!  It is a very reasonable price for those on a budget or for anyone new to crafting who doesn't want to dive into the more expensive sets. You could use this for graduation cards and masculine cards as well. It comes with sentiments: hello, enjoy, sending hugs, missing you, safe travels, flying by to say hi and the sentiment I used (life is a journey, enjoy the flight)

Altenew Supplies:

Enjoy the Flight stamp and die set

Liquid Marble stencil

Fresh Dye Inks: Andromeda, Starlight, Tide Blue, Turquoise, Morning Frost

Enchanted Garden Enamel Stars

Other supplies: 

Cardstocks: white, dark blue, gray, purple, lavender, metallic silver from various sources (unknown)

Foam Tape

Acetate sheets

Circle nesting dies

Use calming blue for a sympathy card

  Calming Blue

Setting the Mood

Sympathy cards can be tough to get just right. There's always the all white option, but how about some color? I went with the Deep Blue Seas inks to create a calming feel. Orchids seem less playful and aren't overly feminine, which matches the peaceful mood I wanted to create.  

Get Ready to Add Color

I actually created two cards, using the Alluring Orchids stamp and stencil set.  For the water softened image, you'll need to use watercolor paper. Cardstock is fine for the other card.  

To keep the ink from bleeding from one section into another when adding water, I embossed the outline image using a clear sparkle powder. If you stamp with pigment ink, it drys slowly so you can add embossing powder right over it without using a special embossing ink. 

Now for the color...The stencils are numbered so the ink blending process is super easy. Placing more ink near the center of each petal gives the flower dimension. 

Soften the Stenciled Inks with Water

After the petals were stenciled, I dipped a watercolor brush in water and used it to spread the paint around and eliminate harsh edges. 

After inking the petals, I dried the paper with a heat gun before inking the flower centers. The brown spots were stamped and softened just a bit with water to retain their defining features.

To finish off the card, spatter with the darkest blue shade (Starlight), and stamp the sentiment in the same dark blue ink. This continues the cohesive calming blue feel of the card. I chose not to add any embellishments.

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         Here you can see the difference between the stenciled card and the card with water blending. 

Supplies from Altenew (unless specified otherwise)

• Alluring Orchids outline stamp and stencil set
• Elegant Sayings sentiment stamp set
• Crisp Dye Inks in Deep Blue Seas and Summer Afternoon
• Watercolor paper
• White cardstock
• Embossing powder WOW Clear Sparkle

Want to learn more about using color to create a mood on your cards? Check out the class In the Mood for Color at Altenew Academy. 

Water bleach your own backgrounds!

                                     

Waterbleaching is a fun technique that doesn't require a lot of materials, just an ink blended piece of watercolor or mixed media paper, a stamp, and a spray bottle of water.

Here's how to achieve this look:

Ink blend your background on mixed media or watercolor paper using a dye based ink.  Instead of inking your stamp, spray it with a mist of water, then stamp. Wait a quick few seconds and blot the wet image with a paper towel. Repeat stamping in this way until the bleached image is revealed! A stamp positioner tool, like a Misti, is a must. 

To create the inlaid look for the central stamp image, use your die to cut the area where you want your image to peek through the inked panel. Place white cardstock under the inked panel.  Then stamp inside the matching cut out area/window. Color the stamped image before adhering pieces together. 

You can add foam tape to the inked background before adhering, to make the image appear sunken. 

Or simply adhere the inked layer down flat for an inlaid look that will go through the mail a little easier. Its really personal preference!

Want to learn more about making your own backgrounds? Check out the class Beyond Basic Backgrounds on Altenew Academy. 

Tips: 

• Use darker ink for a better bleaching effect. 
• Using a Misti, or other stamp positioner tool, is critical because repeated stamping to bleach the ink away in the exact same area is how this works. You won't see a lot of the bleaching occur with the first stamp. I repeat stamped about 5 times in most areas. 
• Not sure how to color in your alocasia? Google an image of the plant. 
• Altenew mini stamps and dies go a long way for a small investment. This set is even on sale this week! 
• A busy background doesn't need a busy image on top. Let your eye rest by adding a small or simple stamp or sentiment on top. 

Supplies from Altenew:
🌿Cold pressed watercolor paper (140 lb)
🌿Fresh Dye Inks in Forest Fern, Eucalyptus, Jade, Marshland
🌿Elegant Alocasia stamp & die
🌿Sentiments from Alluring Orchids stamp set
🌿Alcohol Artist Markers: Ruby Red, Frayed Leaf, Forest Glades, Orange Cream, Autumn Blaze
🌿Enamel Dots Green Fields set

🍂Spectrum Noir Triblend marker in Earth Brown Blend