AECP with a Twist

So I just completed my final Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP) class for Academy 2, With a Twist, taught by Therese Calvird. I really enjoyed this course. Not only is Therese one of my absolute favorite designers, but she had so many great techniques for using your craft supplies creatively to create beautiful results.

For my final project I applied two techniques from the class, using creative color combinations along with cutting things “Oddly.”

I started my project by selecting the In the Woodland Bundle from Altenew and 4 shades of citron colored dye inks from PinkFresh Studios along with two shades of warm gray. The first task I completed was to create my card base, which I decided to cut oddly using one of the coordinating dies from the bundle. I first cut an A2 sized top-folding card panel. Using low tack tape (in this case some used masking paper I had on my desk), I taped down the die to where I wanted it positioned on the panel. Next I took it to my die cutting machine and I laid my top cutting plate edge at the end of where I wanted my die to cut the panel as shown below.

Once I completed my card panel cuts, I next moved on to stamping and stenciling my feature image. I stamped the image in a darker shade of citron, a color I have never used in card making, and proceeded to color all of the flower petals in various shades of yellowy greens. Next, I used the grays to color in the leaves and flower stems, adding my twist to the usual floral color scheme. To enhance the details of a stenciled image, I do like to go back in with some subtle color pencils. I typically use Prismacolor for this, which is what I used today. I added some soft shading to the darker areas using an olive green, and using my white pencil also added in some subtle highlights.

Next I die cut my floral image and adhered it to my card panel, trimming away the excess with my scissors. I then cut a piece of corrdinating pattern paper for the bottom of the card panel, leaving just enough at the top to stamp an inside sentiment. To finish everything off I stamped a sentiment included in the stamp set at the bottom of the panel in a dark olive green. This is such a unique take on my usual A2 cards, and I really love the results. I hope you do too!

Thanks!