Onto the next course, "Clean & Simple Boutique Cards".

Like I stated in a previous post, clean & simple is not my forte, however, I am happy with what I created.

The first technique is about creating backgrounds.  I stamped the add-on stamp from Altenew's "Painted Flowers".  What a nice surprise with both the stamp and the coordinating die being included.  Turns out this stamp is my favorite within the collection.

  My first card is top folding and measuring 4 1/4 x 5 1/2".  I stamped a diagonal pattern using black "Versafine" ink onto "Neenah Solar White" 110lb cardstock  I then used "Distress Ink" and a small blender (one use for charcoal drawings) to place down the ink for both the flower and leaves, followed by faux water coloring using the same inks that I blended with.  I mounted the newly designed cardstock on celery colored cardstock that I die cut using a pin hole edge rectangular die.  The sentiment is from the "Beautiful Quotes" set, embossed with fine detail gold embossing powder.  The flower that is onto the sentiment was die cut and popped up with foam.  I love the bright cheery colors.

My second card features the faux letterpress technique.  This card is top folding and is slightly smaller than a 5x7.  I wanted to have an equal border around the card panel.  The card base is "Neenah Solar White" 110 lb.  I die cut a frame in a red raspberry color to go around the sentiment panel. I then debossed the sentiment into a "Solar White" panel. Then I inlayed the die cut sentiment into the debossed area.  Finally, I ran the sentiment panel through my Tim Holtz "Switch" with the Altenew "Dotted Tile" cover die, placed foam on, and mounted into the center of the frame. 

I really love this look and will be doing it again.

My final card for this course is from the specialty papers unit.  I chose vellum cardstock.  The final card is slightly smaller than a 5" x 7".  The card base is "Neenah Solar White" 110lb.  My project is made with Altenew's "Kind Words" stamp set, purchased totally impulsively, based on the phrases.  (I hope I can come up with more creative ideas for this set.) The front panel is stamped with "Versamark" ink and then heat embossed in fine detail white and find detail gold.  I used a slot punch to hold the vellum in place and mount it on the navy cardstock.  Because of warpage that often happens when heat embossing I got this brilliant idea (NOT) to press my card after it was done.  It made it worse.  Sigh, another life lesson learned.

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