ACEP Level 1 Final Project Feminine and Masculine Cards

 

Hello, encouragement cards bring smiles to the faces of those who receive them, and those who send them.  I have created two sets of cards, one set is more masculine in design and one set is more feminine in design.  The tools chosen to complete each card, come from the wonderful options offered by Altenew. 

1.        The three courses I have selected to use as my guides are the Celebration: Stencil class, the Easy Die Cutting class and the Easy Ink Blending class for these cards.  Let’s start with the background panels.  Cut ten A2, 5.5” x 4.25”, panels from watercolor paper.  The first color layer is a wash of teal for the masculine cards and a wash of pink for the feminine cards.  Use a broad flat paint brush.  Wet the brush lightly, swipe the wet brush a few times over the paper.  To add color, press an ink pad on the work surface to leave a small amount of ink for this next step.  Pick up some of the ink with the wet paint brush, swipe the ink over the paper. 

                                             

2.       Choose two stencils which would provide a subtle dimensional look to the background of the cards.  All of the masculine cards use the same stencil, Scallop Builder stecil.  My examples show the results of dry embossing, ink blending and dimensional paste spread over the stencil.  The feminine cards show examples of ink blending through the stencil, and the Flowing Drips stencil was used for these cards.

                                       

3.       To add stability to the sentiments, I cut additional paper rather than using foam.  The paper I used was from the stamp package.  I glued three of these additional packaging die cuts behind the initial stamped and embossed word. That cardstock isn’t visible under the sentiment, and is heavy enough to provide t for the die cut sentiment if the card is mailed.  You can see here the pieces needed to make the sentiment for the card. One other option for adding dimension to the word die cuts, if using a shadow die and word, cut the shadow from the watercolored panel, die cut a piece of fun foam with the shadow die.  Using double-sided tape, attach the tape behind the shadow cut, making sure the tape is larger than the shadow.  Insert the foam die cut shadow, stack three or four shadow die cuts from the packaging cardstock, topping the stack with the watercolor cut, top the watercolor cut with the sentiment word.

                    

                

4.       I chose different halftone stamp images, stars, squares and circles, for the masculine card’s examples.  I stamped some images and heat embossed them; other images were stamped with different ink colors, fussy cut and attached to the base panel.  Each card has a sentiment. 

 

    

 

                                 

 

5.       The feminine card examples all have floral images stamped with black ink, fussy cut or die cut and one or two individual images were colored and added to the larger image.  Finally, a smaller sentiment was added to complete the message and additional strips of cardstock were topped with the shadow cut.  See if you can identify which cards have this technique!! One card was created differently, it is a shaker card.  The word SMILE was die cut from the center of the base panel.  A piece of package acetate was cut to cover the word and the acetate was attached behind with liquid glue. Once the glue was dried, foam tape was used to surround the word and stuck to the edges of the panel so the entire panel would site evenly over the card base.  Once the tape was in place around the word, making sure there were no gaps between the foam tape, the well was filled with the sequences. Another white panel was used to close up the well.  The panel was attached to the card base.

     

                 

                                      

6.       Presentation is so very important, from the card to the card carrier.  I have chosen to give a open case option for these cards.  Start with a piece of 12” x 12” decorative paper.  Cut the paper to 9” x 12”. The paper I chose here for the masculine cards is green and black.  The feminine card carrier is floral, completing the theme presentation.  Using a scoring tool, follow the diagram below.  Fold all the lines so the bump is on the inside.  At one short end of the paper, remove the rectangles.  At the center remove small darts of paper from each fold just to the1.5” line.  Glue the sides and the small tab for stability. The three-inch strip can be cut into two .75” x 12” strips to be used for handles.  Punch holes through the folds at the top, fold .75” from each end of the strip and using a brad attach the handle to the carrier.

 

7.       Enjoy making your sets, add your own touches.  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share this wonderful artistic endeavor with you.