AECP Level 3 - Runway Inspired Card Making

Hey there, crafting friends!

Thanks for stopping by Paper Play today.  This post officially kicks off level 3 of AECP for me.  I have five courses to complete and then my final assignment will be to host a live class.  More about the class at a later date - today’s focus is on completing my first level 3 course, Runway Inspired Card Making.  This class was AMAZING and so much fun.  The content focused on getting inspiration for card designs from current runway fashions.  I started by making the decision to make three cards for the class - one female design, one male design, and one bridal design.  Bridal fashion wasn’t a focus of the course but I thought it would be fun to make a wedding card based on current fashion trends.  That decision made, I performed my research of current fashion trends and decided upon three styles to inspire my card designs.

Card 1 - Female 2024 Fashion Trend: Roses

According to Vogue, one of the leading fashion trends for women is rose prints.  I saw multiple rose print dresses that were stunning, but this one from Alexander McQueen truly stood out to me:

I loved the large rose and petals, and the A-line style.  I wanted my card design to have a large rose(s) and lots of petals.  However, I didn’t want to use a red rose.  I wanted to be different and chose two shades of pink instead.  Here’s my card inspired by this dress:

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Ambridge Rose Layering Stencil Set
  
• Altenew Happy Flowers Stamp Set - for the sentiment
  
• Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Inks: Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness
• White A2 card base
• 4”x5.25” black card panel
• Brutus Monroe Alabaster Pigment Ink
• Pink and green glitter gel pens
• Taylored Expressions Bits & Pieces Black Rhinestones

Here’s how I made it:

• Made three triangle cuts (top of black card panel, left & right sides) to mimic a neckline and waistline.
• Stenciled the base part of the roses with Spun Sugar Oxide Ink.  I chose this because I knew that the light shade of pink oxide ink on the black card stock would give the flower base the look of a sheer material, which is a way to add the illusion of texture to the card.
• Stenciled the second part of the roses with Victorian Velvet Oxide Ink.
• Stenciled the stem and base leaves with Mowed Lawn Oxide Ink and then added little touches of Rustic Wilderness Oxide Ink to add light shadows.
• Randomly stenciled leaves over the rest of the card panel with Mowed Lawn and Rustic Wilderness.
• Outlined the flowers and leaves with pink and green glitter gel pens to add some sparkle.
• Adhered card panel to base with double sided foam tape.
• Stamped sentiment onto black card stock scrap with Alabaster ink; once dry, adhered to card with double sided foam tape.
• Glued a black rhinestone where each notched triangle is located on the card.

I am extremely happy with how this card came out!  I think it’s a good likeness of the dress.

Card 2 - Male 2024 Fashion Trend: Patterned Cuffs

I have to admit that my research on male fashion trends was quite . . . interesting to say the least!  I didn’t see a lot that really spoke to me or that I could wear.  That said, I’ve always been a huge fan of patterned cuffs on a shirt.  You know, like the kind that the character Cam usually wore on Modern Family.  I own a lot these shirts and am a always drawn to shirts from designed Robert Graham; so I chose a Robert Graham style as an inspiration for this card:

I decided to go a little more bold with mine:

Here’s what I used:

• Altenew Organic Linen 3D Embossing Folder
  
• Altenew Painted Rainbow Outline Stamp Set
  
• Altenew Uplifting Sentiments Bundle
  
• Artistry by Altenew Alcohol Markers
• A2 sized navy card base
• 4”x5.25” medium blue card panel
• 6”x5.25” white shimmer card panel
• Brutus Monroe Alabaster Ink
• Brutus Monroe Clear Embossing Ink
• Brutus Monroe Raven Embossing Powder
• 3 white buttons

Here’s how I made it:

• Embossed the medium blue card panel with the Organic Linen embossing folder.
• Scored the white shimmer panel at 2” and used a stamp from Painted Rainbow to stamp the design with clear embossing ink to make the cuff design; added Raven embossing powder and heat set.
• Colored the cuff with alcohol markers; adhered the cuff panel to the medium blue panel so that the embossed cuff was in front of it and the remainder of that panel was behind it.  Used craft glue on the backside and double sided foam tape at the top of the cuff to give it a flared look.
• Attached card panel to card base with double sided tape.
• Stamped sentiment with Alabaster ink onto a strip of navy card stock; cut it outh with coordinating die; adhered to card with double sided foam tape.
• Attached 3 buttons tomthe left side of the cuff with craft glue.

I think that this card definitely gives the vibe of a shirt sleeve with a flared patterned cuff.  I’d wear it!

Card 3 - Bridal 2024 Fashion Trend: Floral Applique

Vogue was once again my go to source - this time for bridal fashion.  The trend that I decided to mimic is floral applique on the dress.  It’s such a pretty design element and one that I knew I could accomodate.  Here’s the pic of the actual gown that inspired my card:

I wanted to make a wedding card so that I could finally use the Enchanted Beginnings set.  Here’s a pic of my card:

Here’s what I used to make it:

• Altenew Enchanted Beginnings Bundle
  
• Altenew Folk Art Flowers Die Set
• Altenew Vintage Roses Stamp Set - for the sentiment
  
• Black A2 card base
• 4”x5.25” gold foil card panel
• White shimmer card panel
• Vellum
• Poece of white organza ( I cut apart an oragnza bag)
• Brutus Monroe Embossing Ink
• Brutus Monroe Raven Embossing Powder
• Nuvo Shimmer Glitter Gloss Pen
• Pearl gems

Here’s how I made it:

• Embossed the white shimmer card panel with the Enchanted Beginnings folder; colered the groom with Grey Shadow ink; decided on placement of couple on card; fussy cut the couple.
• Cut piece of organza to cover the train of the wedding dress and glued it down along the edges to the dress.
• Die cut nine flowers using die from Folk Art Flowers and vellum; adhered flowers to dress with craft glue; adhered pearls to center of flowers with craft glue.
• Used Nuvo Shimmer pen to add sparkle to top portion of dress and the applique flowers.
• Stamped sentiment onto gold foil card panel with clear embossing ink; added raven embossing powder; heat set it.
• Adhered couple to the card panel with double sided foam tape.
• Adhered panel to card base with double sided tape.

I think this card is gorgeous - and I’d be proud to give it to a couple as a gift!

That wraps up this entry on my Runway Inspired Card Making class.  This was by far my favorite AECP course!  I’ll be starting the next course and will have another post soon.  Until next time . . . be well!

BPM/IBFS - Life's Precious Things

Welcome back to Paper Play, crafting friends!

I'm really excited about this card that I'm sharing with you today.  It's another vintage themed card using the Silhouettes #1 stamp set from I Brake for Stamps.  I knew that I wanted to capture a nice town/village scene as soon as I saw the stamp of the photographer with the old camera.  I thought of him as being a photographer hired to capture the magic of a small town for a postcard.  There he stands, high up on the hill, focused down on the town below on a beautiful day.

Here's what I used to make it:

• Silhouettes #1
• Village #1 
• Postage Stamp Nesting Die Set

Here's how I made it:

• Die cut the postage stamp card panel using the largest postage stamp die in the set; blended some white pigment ink around the edges.
  
• Stamped the village at the bottom of the panel using Walnut Stain Distress Ink.
• Created a mask for the village using masking paper and adhered it to the village.
• Ink blended the sky with Salty Ocean Distress Oxide Ink; added some clouds using white pigment ink.
• Colored the village with alcohol markers and a white gel pen.
• Spritzed the panel with Antique Linen Distress Spray Stain to add some age and grunge.
• Adhered the sentiment ephemera to top center of panel.
• Stamped the photographer with black ink, fussy cut it out, and adhered to the panel with double sided foam tape.
• Adhered the card panel to an A2 Kraft card base that had grunge added to the edges with Vintage Photo Distress Ink.

 

 

I thought that the postage stamp shape would make a fun way to add a little something extra to the card.  This card looks like a quintessential New England town in the early 1900's.  Is it Massachusetts?  Vermont?  Perhaps New Hampshire?  It could be any of them!

Thanks for spending some time on the blog with me today.  What do you think of the card?  Do you like the vintage style?  I'd really enjoy hearing what you think!

Until next time . . . stay well!
 

BPM/IBFS - Make a Wish

Welcome back to Paper Play!

You can probably tell from my creations that I'm a fan of the vintage style.  I'm an old soul - I remember my mother telling me that as a kid.  I love photos, postcards, and newspapers from bygone years.  I love the smell, the feel, and to think about what life must have been like for them.  That's what drew me to the Silhouettes #1 stamp set from I Brake for Stamps.  There are so many nostalgic images to stamp and tell a story with . . . so many possibilities.

The first stamp that I wanted to create with is the one featured on today's card.  It's the silhouette of a family standing by each other and looking forward.  There's a lot of love to be felt from them.  I envisioned them looking out at the stars in the night sky and making a wish.  Perhaps they're enjoying a warm summer night or waiting for some July 4th fireworks?  Either way, I feel a sense of closeness and happiness when I see them.

 

Here's what I used to make it:

• Silhouettes #1
• Steampunk Romance: Digital Printable Papers for Journals, Cards, ATCs - paper for frame
  
• Scrap Divas A2 Front Shadow Frame 

Here's how I made it:

• Started by blending the sky backdrop on a white card panel; began at bottom with pink, worked up to purple, and then blended the blue.
• Stamped the image with black ink; stamped twirly leaf element in black on each side.
• Used the vintage handwriting digital paper from Steampunk Romance to make the shadowbox frame; added some grunge to it with Vintage Photo Distress Ink
• Attached the card panel to the back of the shadowbox frame with craft glue.
• Distressed an A2 Kraft card panel with Vintage Photo Distress Ink; attached shadow box to front.
• Used a fine tip gold metallic marker to add some stars into the sky.
• Added the Make a Wish sentiment strip to the shadowbox frame.

 

 

It's such a simple, yet beautiful, card that is perfect for a birthday, an anniversary, or just to say I love you.

I hope that you enjoyed this post and learning more about why I chose to create with this stamp.

Until next time . . . be well!