AECP Level 1: Clean & Simple Boutique Cards

 Hello, friends!

The words "clean & simple" intimidated me when I first started making cards.  I assumed that I couldn't use color . . . and color is something that I'm definitely not afraid to use.  However, my third AECP Level 1 course, Clean & Simple Boutique Cards, taught me that I had nothing to fear.  I learned how to create cards with a minimal look that STILL incorporate color.  I was so inspired by this course with Jennifer Rasa that I made three cards.  I hope you enjoy them!

Card 1

 

My first card is a clean and simple birthday card that used a white A2 sized card base and only two colors: black and silver.  What I like about this card is that it can be used for anyone since the colors and images are neutral.  I also decided to change it up a bit by using a Spanish birthday sentiment.  I have several Puerto Rican family members and friends in my life, and this is an easy way for me to incorporate their culture into our celebrations.

I started the card by stamping one of the beautiful butterflies from the Altenew Dovetail Butterflies Stamp and Die Set:

• I stamped the base layer using Tsukineko Delicata Silvery Shimmer Ink.  I knew that this would provide just the right amount of silvery shimmer to the butterfly.
• I then stamped the next layer using Altenew Jet Black Crisp Dye Ink.
• Next up was using the die and my die cutting machine to cut out the butterfly.

For the leaves, I used the leaf stamps from the Altenew Calming Reverie Stamp & Die Set.  I didn't have to use the leaf base stamp since I used silver shimmer card stock to create them.  I loaded Altenew Jet Black Crisp Dye Ink onto the detail stamp and stamped it.  I repeated that to create a second set of leaves.  I love how this stamp provides shading to leaves and how the black ink and silver card stock play so well together.  You can see this in the pic below.  I used the coordinating die and my die cut machine to cut out each set of leaves.

Stamping was now done and I turned my attention to creating the frame for the card.  It was created using some black card stock and one of the frame dies from the Taylored Expressions Frame in Frame 3 Cutting Plate.  It's the perfect A2 sized frame with just a little bit of detail on it.

I played around with some layouts before stamping and embossing the sentiment.  I found my placement for the leaves and butterfly and was ready to heat emboss.  Jennifer gave a great tip in this class that made my heat embossing a success - brush some baking powder over the where you plan to emboss on the card stock.  It acts like anti-static powder and helps the excess embossing powder glide off of your card stock.  Baking powder was brushed on and I was ready to move forward.  I used the Feliz Cumpleanos from the Altenew Birthdays Around the World Stamp Set, loaded it with some Sizzix Clear Embossing Ink, and stamped it.  Simon Says Stamp Ultra Fine Silver Embossing Powder was sprinkled over the embossing ink and I gently tapped the card stock to remove the excess.  I used my heat tool to apply heat to the card stock.  You can see in the pic below that this resulted in a smooth and consistent silver sentiment that looks just beautiful.

 

Time to put it all together!  I did so by:

• Putting some Altenew Double-sided Tape on the back of the leaves and adhering them to the card embossed card base.  I trimmed the parts of the leaves that were hanging off of the base with some scissors.
• Putting some Altenew Double-sided Tape on the back of the butterfly and adhered it to the card base.
  
• Cutting some Altenew Double-sided Foam tape the fit around the black frame, affixing the foam tape to the back of the frame, and adhering it to the card base.

 

Card 2

 

 

The second card for the course includes shades of blue, cool patterns, and heat embossing.  I think it's a great card to send to a fellow crafter/artist or even just to let someone know that you're thinking of them.

I used an A2 sized piece Recollections White Shimmer Card Stock for the front panel of the card.  It adds just a little bit of shimmer and shine to the card - even in the parts where you add ink.

 

 

 

The card was made with stamps from the Altenew Painted Rainbow Outline Stamp Set:

• I started with the color splash stamps and chose a light blue to start the stamping.  Concord & 9th Harbor Premium Dye Ink was loaded onto the first color splash stamp and stamped onto the front panel using my stamping platform.  I repeated this step again to ensure good ink coverage.
• This was repeated for each of the five remaining color splash stamps using the following inks: Altenew Iceberg Crisp Dye Ink, Altenew Eastern Sky Crisp Dye Ink, Altenew Ultramarine Crisp Dye Ink, Altenew Azurite Crisp Dye Ink, and Concord & 9th Midnight Premium Dye Ink.

The paisley stamp really spoke to me and I decided to feature it in the design.  I first stamped it with Altenew Jet Black Crisp Dye Ink.  Once dry, I brushed some baking powder over the card base since the rest of the card would made with heat embossing.  After brushing on baking powder, the next steps included:

• Stamped the paisley stamp again using Sizzix Clear Embossing Ink and used my stamping platform to achieve perfect alignment.
• Arranged the sentiment stamps where I wanted them placed and, using my stamping platform, stamped all three onto the card base using Sizzix Clear Embossing Ink.
• Sprinkled Ranger Super Fine Black Embossing Powder over the card base and then gently tapped off the excess.
• Applied heat to the areas with embossing powder.  You know it's done when you see the appearance embossing powder change from flat to shiny.
• Brushed the card base to make sure that all of the baking powder was gone.
• Used Altenew Double-sided Tape to adhere the panel to an A2 sized card base.
  

I used some Post It Tape to cover the sentiments and then sprinkled some drops  Altenew Jet Black Ink Spray over the card base.  You may choose to also cover the paisley stamp with Post It Tape to avoid getting ink spots over the image.  I decided not to because I wanted a more messy/splashy look for the card.  Voila . . . the card is finished!

Card 3

 

 

My final card for the course is simple in style but full of love.  It starts with a white A2 sized card base.  I took the one set of right and left hands from the Altenew A Little Bit of Love Stamp Set, loaded them with Altenew Jet Black Crisp Dye Ink, and stamped them onto the card base using my stamping platform.  I then used a Sakura Glaze Black Pen to trace over the hand outlines.  The glaze pen gives just a little more dimension and some shine to the image.

I wanted the card sentiment to really stand out and there were quite a few ways that I could achieve that.  I ultimately decided to go with some depth and dimension with a little pop of color.  I used the words love you from the Altenew Versatile Greetings Die Set.  I cut the shows for each word once from white card stock, and then cut the actual words four times from white card stock.  I used craft glue to adhere all four loves together and then glued that stack to the shadow.  I repeated this for the word you.  I then cut the words love and you from red glitter card stock and glued each onto the respective word bundle.  Both word stacks were then adhered to the card using Altenew Double-sided Foam tape.  I really like the depth it gives and the pop of color that it adds!

The final step was to cut an outline frame to put around the image and greeting.  I cut it from black cardstock using one of the frames from the Taylored Expressions Frame in Frame 3 Cutting Plate, cut some Altenew Double-sided Foam tape to the size of the frame, and adhered the frame to the card.  The look is clean and simple, and the card is a perfect way to tell someone that you love them.

That wraps up this post on the Clean & Simple Boutique Cards course.  Until next time . . . be well!