…because store-bought cards are nice, but homemade cards are created with love!
Level 2 Final Challenge
Everything negative – pressure, challenges – is all an opportunity for me to rise.” ——-Kobe Bryant
Truly, this challenge is anything but negative. A little stressful, maybe, but in a good, stretching and growing way.
For me, the difficult part has been to make “masculine” cards. Most cards I make are clearly feminine. While I can make cards that are masculine only, using navy, grey and black and geometrics, and/or maybe a little foliage (no gorgeous flowers), I prefer to instead look at Yin and yang. According to Wikipedia, they “represent duality, or the idea that two opposite characteristics can actually exist in harmony and complement each other.” According to Anahana Wellness, “Yin symbolizes the dark, passive, feminine force, while yang symbolizes the light, active, masculine energy.” I believe everybody has some femininity and some masculinity, thus, my cards are not entirely masculine.
For this challenge I’ve selected three components from the courses in levels one and two. I chose Let it Shine; Celebration Stencil Techniques; and Magical Markers. Using these courses, I’m to make four masculine cards, using assigned themes, and also alter an item/or up-cycled item.
Let’s talk about these components.
Shine Without fail, if there is shine on a card, my mother lights up, “Oooh! I like this!!” Shine— whether it’s gold foil, heat embossing, shimmer or sparkle pens, metallic Cardstock, or glitter—gets her every time!!
Stencils Stencils are one of my favorite things to use. They are not just for pouncing paint on a wall. With card making, we have a number of techniques at our disposal! One can start by creating their own stencils by using dies with cardstock or, my favorite, special acetate. This, effectively means that all our dies can be used to make stencils, increasing our options immensely. Thru these stencils or thru store-bought stencils, we can gently blend ink; use a palette knife to apply embossing paste, gels or paste; do stencil overlay; and stamp with stencils. These techniques were taught in this course and they’re only a fraction of what one can do! Can you see why stencils are such a staple in my studio?!
Magical Markers This class showed us fun, different, unexpected ways to use alcohol markers. From scribbling on aluminum foil and spritzing with isopropyl alcohol, to scribbling on a craft mat, spritzing with alcohol and picking up the ink with some shiny white cardstock, or using a brayer to pick up that spritzed ink and applying it to that cardstock, to coloring on metal accent pieces, or vellum, or pearl embellishments, creating splatter, edging a card, drawing thru a stencil …there’s just so much one can do!
Alright! Those are the three components! Let’s get started!! Be sure to read the captions with the photos, as they include several pro tips!
Card 1: Encouragement
For this card I chose to make my own stencil to create a bokeh effect for my background. I used Altenew’s Tiny Bubble stencil to add…tiny bubbles.Pro tip: Here I’m masking off a single bubble of the stencil so I don’t accidentally get ink where I don’t want it.
Thru this stencil I lightly ink blended several pale colors, turning the stencil as I went. I also brought in the Tiny Bubbles stencil for the bokeh, as well as for drawing with alcohol markers, and later applying Cosmic Shimmer paste to add shine.
Stamping the jellies on the right side.Stamping the jelly on the left side.Using Dew Drops alcohol marker to draw rings thru the stencil.Stamping the sentiment.Pro tip: Use a hot glue gun to attach a magnet to the lid of your embossing ink.The magnet holds my anti static tool. This makes it difficult to forget to use it!Pro tip: I like to keep my favorite embossing powders in a covered container, each with a triangular tray so I can pin point an area thru a corner or I can use a long edge to cover a large area.Using a palette knife to selectively spread shimmer thru the stencil, only to where I’d drawn with the alcohol marker. Adding even more shimmer!
This is a clean and simple card…so I blinged it up with shiny heat embossing for the sentiment and also Wink of Stella shimmer pen to the heads and tentacles of the jellies.
While that was drying, I masked off half the card base, and ink blended the front. Next, I trimmed the panel just enough so that the color showing on the card base would be reminiscent of the tentacles of the jellies. I then applied foam adhesive to the back of the panel and applied it to the base. The card needed some dimension so I added that and more shine with some bubble embellishments, adding to the under-the-water appearance!
Pro tip: To prevent the tape from damaging the cardstock upon removal, first stick it to your skin to pick up dead skin cells and oils to decrease the stickiness!Pro tip: If you don’t have matching cardstock you can ink blend the cardstock.Pro tip: Gently peel back the masking tape at an angle to help prevent lifting the finish off the cardstock. Apply double-sided foam tape to the panel and add to the ink-blended card base. Encouragement Card Photo #1Encouragement CardPhoto #2Encouragement Card Photo #3
Card 2: Thinking of You
This card, while it has an amazing, tiled background, is all about the large, bold and gold (made more masculine with the navy shadow) sentiment. For this card I used the newly-released Journey Abroad set from Altenew. While I’ve shown the enamel elements, I’ll not be using them here.
Journey Abroad Bundle
I selected a palette of colors and began to experiment with some of the placement possibilities.
Same Colors, Different Placements
Creation of the card
Pro tip: Use an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter to quickly and easily cut your hot foil. Cut several sheets at once to save time.Pro tip: Be sure to color the registration marks/alignment guides, especially if making a slimline card!The panel is temporarily adhered to my surface, so it won’t shift. All four stencils are aligned and taped in place, allowing the tape to function as hinges, so I can efficiently switch between one stencil and another.Here you can see the hinge in action.Pro tip: Create your own mask using die cuts. I’ve masked off the nearby holes of the stencil so I can ink only what I want to be inked, preventing stray marks!The finished panel and colors used.
Next I need to trim my panel, edge it with gold pigment ink, adhere it to an A2 piece of navy cardstock, and onto my card base.
Carefully line up the cutter, and use this edge to square off the remaining three edges. Pro tip: For a more finished look, edge the white sides, and a little into the image, with Enchanted Gold pigment ink, a richer gold than most. Pro tip: Use liquid glue to have a little wiggle room when adding the panel to the next layer. Do the same to add to the navy-colored cardstock. Pro tip: Place the card base in the corner of anything with walls to hold the base still. Push the glued panel into the corner and onto the panel. I find this to be fast and easy, especially for a beginner.Pro tip: Match the gold cardstock’s finish with the heat foiled image–Brushed Gold. Pro tip: Die cut a second sentiment to stack for added dimension. Expert-level tip: Cut that second sentiment out of that same navy cardstock and offset, creating a shadow. Hold the glued sentiment by the shadow so as to not pinch and mar the gold. Pro tip: For the tittles, wipe off excess glue (here you see it on my middle finger) before adhering to the card. This prevents excess glue from oozing out.Final Thinking of You Card #1Final Thinking of You Card #2Final Thinking of You Card #3
Where I live, the above card isn’t necessarily considered feminine, but I’m sure elsewhere it is. I’ve made another with a different color scheme using the same techniques.
Card 3: Happy Birthday
For this card I chose something near and dear to my heart; getting a good bang for my buck! I again took a die and used it to make a stencil, creating an entirely different function and appearance from it’s original intention.
I used this die to initially make a stencil of acetate, later changing to cardstock.Pro tip: Instead of ink blending the entire panel, try partial ink blending, leaving white areas and focusing colors in a triangle.Pro tip: Use the appropriate sized blending brush to blend thru smaller spaces.Again I’m trying to match shine with shine. Mirror cardstock wouldn’t look right with the heat embossing.After pouncing embossing ink thru the stencil, I added embossing powder and heat set it.Pro tip: Have a set of A2 nesting dies to be able to quickly decide what area of the panel to cut, and exactly where to cut it.
With the panel finished we can now focus on matting it, making a sentiment and card base.
Again I’m trying to match shine with shine. Mirror cardstock wouldn’t look right with the heat embossing.I’ve adhered the panel to the silver cardstock, with only a 1/16″ border. I cut a piece of black fun foam using the same A2 die.Pro tip: Sometimes masking off can leave a residue. Here I’ve masked with a magnetic ruler so I can ink blend my card base.No need to ink blend the entire surface when most of it will be covered by the panel. Pro tip: Size the fun foam a little smaller than the matting. The panel is popped up, but the fun foam isn’t showing.Pro tip: For a thin, delicate die cut, apply glue to only a small portion of the BACK of what’s to show, and carefully adhere this portion to the shadow die.Continue adding glue to small parts and carefully aligning the die cut and shadow with a consistent amount of shadow showing.
Now, assemble the card and get ready to mail it!
I’ve adhered the panel to the silver cardstock, with only a 1/16″ border. I cut a piece of black fun foam using the same A2 die, and added the sentiment.See how the black fun foam on a dark card base is not distracting like white can be?
Card 4: Anniversary
This card is for a man in my family who lives in Colorado. When I think of there, I think of mountains, trees and snow. Even the State license plate depicts this!
Ink blending the skyPro tip: Ink blend the background with the far most images the most faded and leave some ghosting so it looks like morning fog risingAdding a little purple to the green trunk to get the right shade of brownReady to mix the embossing pastes to get custom colors
I failed to photograph the mixing and application of the Lunar Paste so will show the prototype card with Altenew’s embossing paste and ink refills.
Mixing the base layer of pasteSpreading the first layer, then added more color and only mixed a little to provide different shades of color in different areas. I also pounced the palette knife to give textureI used some of the paste on a scrap piece of cardstock. Once dry, I die cut the sentiment.After the paste dried.Scribbling alcohol ink onto an acrylic block.I added isopropyl alcohol onto the ink to create splatter and splattered the panel.I used the same marker to draw lines along the outer edges.Again with the same marker, edging the panel to create a finished look.Pro tip: Put the card base into the corner of your MISTI to assist in applying the panel.
Bonus Card: Thank You
I scribbled alcohol markers on my glass mat, spritzed with isopropyl alcohol, ran a brayer over it and transferred the ink to photo paper.Ink blending over Watercolor Stripes stencilCompleted background, needs only trimming.I’ve included this only to show how shiny the photo paper is.
Do you have a favorite card? While I thoroughly enjoyed making all of these cards, I really like the shimmer and texture of the trees, and the ink blending on the anniversary card. Today that is my favorite.
And now for the altered item/up-cycled project!!
Pro tip: In order to stamp the box, I had to place the stamp on the outside of my MISTI , and elevate the MISTI.Applying pigment inkThis result is part of why I’m using my MISTI; I can easily re-stamp if needed. The other issue is that this image is too large for any of my acrylic blocks.Experimenting with colors on the bottom of the box.Pro tip: To preserve your good brush ink blenders, use sponge ink blenders for pigment inks.Work in progress. Still needs another layer of darker ink for more detail.Using a Fantastix to draw in a little more detail.For brief periods only I heat set with this set-up. I do this long enough to quickly trade out sponges on my ink blending tool.Finishing up with just a little more detail with Grapevine, the darkest of this ink set.
And finally, the finished project!!
Thank you so much for visiting with me today. I appreciate your taking the time to view this. Please leave comments below!
4 comments
Leslie, these cards are top notch! Each card is clean amd crisp, vibrant and masculine! I love your use of different colors and your projects are breathtaking! I really can’t choose a favorite! I learned so much by reading your many tips and I look forward to taking many classes with you as the instructor!
Wow Leslie, I love all of your cards, you have really made these so beautiful and even though they are all very different, they are all such a work of art! I know your ready to be the educator you have worked so hard to become. Congratulations on having almost completed your goal! I will be honored to be in your classes!
Leslie!! These cards and the altered box are brilliant. Your attention to detail is amazing. The way you have combined color and texture looks great. Top job. I always love reading your posts.
Leslie, these cards are top notch! Each card is clean amd crisp, vibrant and masculine! I love your use of different colors and your projects are breathtaking! I really can’t choose a favorite! I learned so much by reading your many tips and I look forward to taking many classes with you as the instructor!
I love this wood box, Leslie! The Billowing Peonies by Altenew is so grand and lush–perfect for your final level 2 project!
Wow Leslie, I love all of your cards, you have really made these so beautiful and even though they are all very different, they are all such a work of art! I know your ready to be the educator you have worked so hard to become. Congratulations on having almost completed your goal! I will be honored to be in your classes!
Leslie!! These cards and the altered box are brilliant. Your attention to detail is amazing. The way you have combined color and texture looks great. Top job. I always love reading your posts.