Altenew Build a Flower: Aster Card

Well, I picked up quite a few Altenew products during the holiday sales, so thought I’d better check them out! Besides that, I’m in need of a few birthday cards and Altenew’s Build a Flower: Aster Kit seemed perfect. I also added a 2nd sentiment from my new freebie gift set, called Best Sentiments, and backed the image up using the Altenew’s Beveled Squares Stencil. Must admit, the quality of all of them was great!

So, contrary to instructions, I really, really wanted to watercolor the aster straight up without using the supplied layers. I stamped the image onto Arches cold pressed watercolor paper using Antique Linen Distress ink. I then pulled out my new 36 pan Watercolor set. Since, I recently received an email about a new January challenge, posted in the Altenew Inspiration Challenge Blog, I decided to try using that color palette. Hopefully, I came close to these colors!

So, I used 5 pink to purple colors on this image and a few greens for the leaves. When dried, I used a couple gray pens for further definition and then die cut the image using the supplied dies. I did use the layers and several green distress oxide inks to stamp out the leaves and I die cut those as well. Then the puzzle was what background to use. Since, I covered the green and purple/magenta colors, I decided I needed a background with orange. I finally decided to create my own and pulled out my new stencil. I thought the image might work well with thin stripes matching the thin petal strips. After taping down Canson Bristol paper and the stencil, I used the Picket Fence Blending brushes to blend Spiced Marmalade, Aged Mahogany and Seedless Preserves oxide inks on half of the paper.

I stamped and clear embossed the large sentiment using Thistle archival ink. I then stamped and clear embossed the little sentiment using Spiced Marmalade. I cut up strips of green paper from a striped patterned paper and wrapped them around the die cut stenciled paper. I attached the flower components and sentiments. I cut up a patterned K&C paper to use as a background and created a card base using an orange paper. I used foam tape behind the stenciled paper, added small coordinating crystals and called the card done.

Not my usual style, but I am having fun experimenting with new designs, colors, products and vendors. Seems I’m destined to welcome 2020 in with a fresh perspective! Thanks for stopping by -  hope the New Year brings you everything you wish for! Till next time, happy crafting!