Butterfly Bush Sympathy Card

This card is my final homework for the Altenew Educator Certification Program! Hooray! I've taken 25 classes, completed 25 cards as homework for the classes, and created projects at the end of level 1 and level 2. What remains is the daunting AECP workshop in which I will teach online participants how to create 2 cards in 2 hours. But that's for another day! Today, I'm celebrating the accomplishment of finishing all the classes and homework for all 3 levels. I submitted my first homework project back on December 14, 2024, and my goal was to finish the program in one year. I don't think I'll be able to fit in my workshop before the one-year mark, but I'm excited to be finished with all the homework now. If you're not familiar with the AECP, here's a link to more information: Join the Altenew Educator Certification Program. I've grown so much in my cardmaking skills since starting the program and highly recommend it! 

To create this card, I followed the instructions from Lesson 2 of Altenew's All About Layering 5 class. Instead of layered stamps, I used layered die cuts for my flowers. The Craft-A-Flower set I used is Butterfly Bush. I die cut the layers out of papers from Your Paper Insider's Box 12: Aubergine Purple Lessebo, Violet Thai Unryu, Royal Purple Curious Skin and Box 13: Black with Color Florals: Yuzenshi and Pumpkin Colormates Cardstock. The branch from the set was die cut using Copper Curious Alchemy metallic paper from Box 12. The bee is from Altenew's Bubble Bumble Bee die set, and I used Royal Purple Curious Skin and Deep Black Cadillac from Box 12 and Bright Gold Gloss Glitter and White Fine Lines Vellum from Box 13 to die cut the layers of the bee. 

To create this fun fold card, I started by trimming a piece of 110-pound Recollections black cardstock to 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 inches. This is a nice, heavyweight cardstock. I embossed the piece using Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Whispers in the Canopy embossing folder (this will be released in December, but I'm a subscriber, so I receive the kits early). Then I trimmed a piece of Violet Thai Unryu that I had adhered to a heavier weight light purple cardstock to 3 inches by 5 1/4 inches. I scored it at 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch, 4 3/4 inches, and 5 inches.  I burnished the score lines and adhered the final two 1/4 inch panels to the back of the black 4 A2 card panel using red tape to create the middle panel of the card. The final layer is another piece of the heavyweight black cardstock trimmed to 2 1/2 by 5 3/4 inches and scored at 1/4 inch, 3/4 inch, 5 inches and 5 1/2 inches. I burnished the score lines and embossed the panel with the same Whispers in the Canopy 3D embossing folder I used for the back of the card. I then adhered the 1/4-inch tabs on each side of the 2 1/2-inch black panel to the back of the card to create the last panel. This tiered effect gives a lot of dimension to the card. 

Once I had my base made, I added my flowers and bee using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. Then I stamped "with sympathy" (this card is for a friend from my church whose grandfather just passed away) onto a piece of Pumpkin Colormates cardstock and adhered it to the card front. I took photos of the card and then decided I wanted to add some gold splatter using Altenew's Antique Gold Metallic Ink Spray, so I masked off the sentiment and used a small paintbrush to dip into the spray bottle and then tap gently onto another brush to create small splatters. 

If you'd like to subscribe to Your Paper Insider's quarterly box of mystery papers or shop for any of their specialty paper collections, I'd be so grateful if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.  And if you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. Altenew carries many gorgeous layering floral die sets like I the one I used for this card. 

Challenges I'm entering:

Creative Creases #109 - November 7 till December 4th: I'm on the DT and sharing my card just for fun

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (2/6; ends 12/12/25)

The Diva's that cut ....paper!: November and Lawn Fawn: Critters (please delete if bees don't count. I'm not sure if you want only animals or if insects/birds/butterflies, etc. are okay) (1/6; ends at the end of the month)

Crafty Animals: ATG with animals, birds, and insects (ends at the end of the month)

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Embellishment and why: I love adding splatters as an embellishment! It has the advantage of hiding any mistakes, adding interest to a card, and being less expensive than enamel dots, pearls, gems, etc. (3/3; ends 11/26/25)

We Love to Create mixed media Challenge Blog...sponsored by Polkadoodles: ATG (4/4; ends 12/25/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (5/5 for the week; 7/10 for the challenge; ends 11/19/25)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 12/12/25)

A Place To Start: ATG + option of using something new (the Whispers in the Canopy set is new: this is the first time I used it) (7/8; ends at the end of the month)

DL.ART: ATG with option of anniversary/love (3 entries per week; ends at the end of the month)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (3/3; ends 11/28/25)

Can You Handle The Pressure?: ATG with an embossing folder with an optional twist of food or drink (1/3; ends 11/19/25)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option to use the color yellow (3/8; ends 12/12/25)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (3/5; ends 12/15/25)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option of CAS (3/8; ends 12/15/25)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (3/3; ends 12/8/25)

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags: ATG with fun fold cards and tags (4/5; ends at the end of the month)

AECP Homework for All About Layering 5: Lesson 2 fun fold card design Submission #1186

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

AECP Homework for All About Layering 5: Lesson 2 fun fold card design

Slimline Sending Hugs Card

I recently completed an Altenew Academy class focused on layering stencils, and the first lesson in the class was about watercoloring through layering stencils. I decided to try the technique using Altenew's Stencil Art: Painted Geraniums stencil set. This set includes 6 layering stencils and makes a very detailed floral image. I've used it with ink blending several times and loved the results (see posts here Carrie's Custom Cards: Geranium Gatefold Birthday Card and here Carrie's Custom Cards: Slatted Z-Fold Birthday Card for Your Paper Insider). For this card, I used a combination of Altenew's Fresh Dye Inks that I smooshed onto acetate and sprayed with water along with Altenew's Watercolor Brush Markers for the watercolors I painted through the stencil layers onto watercolor cardstock by Your Paper Insider. I used the following colors: for the pinks: Coral Berry Fresh Dye Ink, Rubellite and Crimson Watercolor Brush Markers; for the greens: Whispering Woodland Fresh Dye Ink collection. For the final layer of the flower centers, I used Altenew's Pearl Shimmer Relief Paste mixed with a bit of Rubellite watercolor. I had a little extra paste left, so I watered it down further and used it to add splatter to the card panel as well as to another watercolor panel that I stamped and die cut for the inside of the card. I used my heat tool to dry the layers as I watercolored each stencil, and although some of the watercolor seeped below the stencils in places, I think it looks soft and pretty the way watercolors are supposed to. I'm happy with the results and plan to try the technique with other layering stencil sets. 

I wanted to make a slimline card because I didn't want to waste any of this beautiful tall floral image, but I also wanted to make a fun fold card because those are my favorite type to make. I searched fun fold slimline cards and found a video by Jennifer McGuire with a few ideas. She never disappoints! The first slimline card she made in the video featured a tri-fold design, and I thought that would work well, so I adapted the dimensions to what I wanted for my card. Here's a link to Jennifer McGuire's video if you'd like to see her 3 slimline fun fold designs: All About Slimline Cards (+ Fun Folds & Techniques).

For the front panel, I decided to add a bird from the December Craft-Your-Life project kit: Whispers in the Canopy to the Painted Geraniums image. I recently began subscribing to the monthly Craft-Your-Life kits, so now I receive them before they are available on the website. I love the Craft-Your-Life kits because they include a large stamp set, an embossing folder, a die set, and stencils. So many crafty goodies to play with! I used Your Paper Insider's Baby Pink cardstock from Box 13, Hot Pink cardstock from Box 2, and Touche Black cardstock from Box 1 to die cut the bird. I adhered him to the front panel using Art Glitter liquid glue. To finish the front panel, I stamped "sending warm hugs" from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Dear Dahlias set and mounted it onto a piece of YPI's Hot Pink Cardstock. I adhered it to the bottom of the front panel using Altenew's 1/8 inch thick 1/4 inch wide Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

For the inside of the card, I had fun decorating the extra panels the tri-fold design created. For the first panel, I trimmed a piece of Holiday Green Lessebo cardstock from YPI's Box 13 to fit the inside panel of the card. I then used the beautiful stamp from the Whispers in the Canopy project kit to stamp the image using Altenew's embossing ink and heat setting it with Altenew's clear embossing powder. That technique was from one of the other Altenew Academy classes I took, and I love the elegant tone-on-tone look it creates. It has lovely texture and shine to it, too!  To finish the first inside panel, I stamped "you're on my mind" using Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Grand Carnations set and then die cut the sentiment using the coordinating die. I added what was left on my blending brush from my last project with Coral Berry ink to give the sentiment a little color. Then I adhered it using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

For the last inside panel of this card, I trimmed a piece of YPI's Hot Pink cardstock and embossed it with the embossing folder that is included in the Whispers in the Canopy project kit. I stamped and die cut "feel better soon" from the same Grand Carnations set as the "you're on my mind" sentiment and die cut it. I used the watercolor cardstock I had splattered with the tinted Pearl Shimmer Relief Paste for this sentiment, so it matches the front panel of the card. 

To finish the card, I adhered the back of the trifold panels to a panel of YPI's Hot Pink cardstock. 

If you'd like to subscribe to Your Paper Insider's quarterly box of mystery papers or shop for any of their specialty paper collections, I'd be so grateful if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.  And if you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many gorgeous layering stencil sets and wonderful Craft-Your-Life project kits like I used for this card. 

Challenges I'm entering:

Creative Creases #109 - November 7 till December 4th: I'm on the DT and sharing my card just for fun

November 2025 Inspiration Challenge with Altenew !: (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Crazy is our fame - STENCILS are our game!: ATG with stencils with the optional twist of adding gold (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 1: 3 colors (shades of pink, shades of green, and a little black) 2 images: flowers and a bird 1 slimline card (3/4; ends 11/23/25)

simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge: Thinking of You (ends 11/17/25)

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (1/6; ends 12/12/25)

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Embellishment and why: I love adding splatters as an embellishment! It has the advantage of hiding any mistakes, adding interest to a card, and being less expensive than enamel dots, pearls, gems, etc. (1/3; ends 11/26/25)

We Love to Create mixed media Challenge Blog...sponsored by Polkadoodles: ATG (2/4; ends 12/25/25)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (2/3; ends 12/6/25)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of thanks (8/8; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (4/5 for the week; 6/10 for the challenge; ends 11/19/25)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: Christmas or ATG (2/2; ends 11/26/25)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 12/12/25)

A Place To Start: ATG + option of using something new (the Whispers in the Canopy set is new: this is the first time I used it) (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

DL.ART: ATG with option of anniversary/love (3 entries per week; ends at the end of the month)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (2/3; ends 11/28/25)

Cut It Up: Favorite color: Pink (2/3; ends 11/24/25)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option to use the color yellow (2/8; ends 12/12/25)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (2/5; ends 12/15/25)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option of CAS (2/8; ends 12/15/25)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (2/3; ends 12/8/25)

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags: ATG with fun fold cards or tags (3/5; ends at the end of the month)

AECP homework for All About Layering 7: Lesson 1: watercoloring with layering stencils 

Submission #1184

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

Fireside Escape Anniversary Card

I recently attended an online card class led by Altenew Educator Ishani S, and the class focused on creating a scene with Altenew's Fireside Escape die set. It's such a cute set that makes 2 Adirondack chairs and a little fire pit complete with flames. My 33rd wedding anniversary is next month, and my husband and I have red Adirondack chairs around our fire pit in the backyard, so I decided to make my card an anniversary card for him. I think this is the earliest I've made his anniversary card! 😁 

All the papers I used for my card came from Your Paper Insider. I'm having so much fun being on the Your Paper Insider DT! Here's a list of the papers I used, starting with papers that can be purchased in packs and finishing with papers from the current quarterly subscription box: watercolor cardstock (I used this for the ink-blended panel behind the die cuts as well as the ink-blended moon), White EVO paper (I used this for the sturdy card base), and bronze glitter cardstock for the berry branch. From Box 13: Green Leaf Vellum, Holiday Red Lessebo, Pumpkin Pie Colormates, Marigold Thai Unryu, and Eucalyptus Curious Metallics. If you'd like to subscribe to Your Paper Insider's quarterly box of mystery papers or shop for any of their specialty paper collections, I'd be so grateful if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.  

To create the night scene, I ink blended Altenew's Desert Night ink onto an A2 panel of watercolor cardstock, blending more heavily along the edges. Then I added a bit of Altenew's Jet Black to the edges to deepen the color a bit more. For the bottom of the panel, I blended Altenew's Cocoa Cream and then added a bit of Altenew's Choco Hazelnut to create the "dirt" the fire pit is on. I covered the bottom of the panel and then splattered Altenew's Pure White Ink Spray onto the blue part of the panel and set it aside to dry. 

I die cut the Adirondack chairs and fire pit from Altenew's Fireside Escape set and adhered the pieces together. They layer together easily with Altenew's keyhole system. 

Next, I die cut a circle from Altenew's retired Fine Rings: Circles die set (they now have a Nesting Circles die set with many more sizes in it) using watercolor paper. I then ink blended a bit of Altenew's Fresh Lemon ink to create a glowing moon. 

Then I die cut the 3 layers for the berry branch from Altenew's Berry Branch Layering Die Set and adhered them together. I played with a few different arrangements of where to place them before deciding on the top right corner. I adhered the moon and branch to the card panel since I wanted the branch to be behind my little fireside scene. Once I had the moon and branch adhered using Art Glitter liquid glue, I added the chairs with some of Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape and then popped up the fire pit with more Instant Dimension Foam Tape in a a thicker size. 

Finally, I die cut the "happy anniversary" sentiment and thought I could use the strips the little letters were die cut from to line up the words, but the letters are so small that it was very difficult to only get glue on the letters, and the strips wanted to stick as well. In the end, I think using a t-square ruler would have been better. Or I could have used the strips with the letters cut out as the set is intended to be used, but that would have covered more of my night sky. 

If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many great die sets and lots of beautiful inks and sprays like I used for this card. 

Challenges I'm entering: 

We Love to Create mixed media Challenge Blog...sponsored by Polkadoodles: ATG (1/4; ends 12/25/25)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (1/3; ends 12/6/25)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of thanks (7/8; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (3/5 for the week; 5/10 for the challenge; ends 11/19/25)

Allsorts challenge blog: Christmas or ATG (5/5; ends 11/21/25)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: Christmas or ATG (2/2; ends 11/26/25)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 12/12/25)

A Place To Start: ATG + option of using something new (the Fireside Escape set is new: this is the first time I used it) (5/8; ends at the end of the month)

Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog: Glitter and/or Christmas + a sentiment (I used glitter cardstock for the branches) (1/5; ends at the end of the month)

DL.ART: ATG with option of anniversary/love (3 entries per week; ends at the end of the month)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (1/3; ends 11/28/25)

Cut It Up: Favorite color: Red (1/3; ends 11/24/25)

Crafter's Cafe: ATG with the option to use the color yellow (my moon is yellow) (1/8; ends 12/12/25)

Heart's Quest Celebrations of Love Challenges Blog: Anniversary (1/5; ends 11/30/25)

Love To Craft Challenge Blog: ATG (1/5; ends 12/15/25)

Mix It Up Challenge Blog: ATG with option of CAS (1/8; ends 12/15/25)

The Crafting Challenge: Something Red (1/3; ends at the end of the month)

The Creative Crafters: ATG (1/3; ends 12/8/25)

{PIN}spirational Challenges: Around the Campfire (ends at the end of the month)

As You Like It Challenge: Favorite Embellishment and why: I love adding splatters as an embellishment! It has the advantage of hiding any mistakes, adding interest to a card, and being less expensive than enamel dots, pearls, gems, etc. (1/3; ends 11/26/25)

 

Layered Snowflake Slimline Shaker Card

I recently spent an evening crafting with friends during an online class led by Altenew Educator Pam Bodecker. Pam taught a few different techniques that I'm not featuring here, but the cards she taught focused on Altenew's Layered Snowflakes and Layered Snowflakes 2 die sets. I wanted to showcase papers by Your Paper Insider, so I used the following specialty papers from Your Paper Insider's Box 13: Poison Ivory Curious Metallics, White Fine Lines Vellum, Light Blue Living Wave Gmund Vibe, Blue Raspberry Poptone French, Light Blue Non-Shed Glitter, Aurora Origami gift pack, Silver Holographic Micro Mosaic, Light Blue Mizutama Rayon. These papers are incredibly beautiful! If you'd like to subscribe to Your Paper Insider's quarterly box of mystery papers or shop for any of their specialty paper collections, I'd be so grateful if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.  

I started by creating a 6 11/16 inch by 3 3/4 inch slimline card base out of Poison Ivory Curious Metallics. Then I trimmed a panel of Light Blue Living Wave Gmund Vibe cardstock 6 3/4 by 3 7/16 and added upcycled plastic packaging to create a shaker pocket. I adhered 3 sides of the pocket closed and added in several colors of tiny leftover tiles from a diamond painting project my youngest daughter recently finished while she was home on leave. Why waste them, right? Once I had added all my shaker bits, I sealed the last side of the shaker pouch and adhered the pouch to the white card base. 

For my snowflakes, I die cut a bunch of snowflake layers from Altenew's Layered Snowflakes and Layered Snowflakes 2 die sets using the papers from Your Paper Insider's Box 13 I listed above. I adhered the layers from both sets together in various combinations to create multi-layered snowflakes. I chose 3 of them to use on this card and adhered the 2 snowflakes on the side with Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape in 1/16 inch thickness and then the middle snowflake using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape in 1/8 inch thickness so it pops up a bit more. If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. Again, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many beautiful, intricate die sets like the one I used here.

Close up of the snowflakes:

Here's a look at the specialty papers I used for this card:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Crafty Catz: ATG with option of Thanks (5/5; ends 11/20/25)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of thanks (6/8; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: Merry and Bright or ATG (6/6; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 4/10 for the challenge; ends 11/19/25)

Allsorts challenge blog: Christmas or ATG (4/5; ends 11/21/25)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 1: 3 colors (white, blue, silver, and holographic) 2 images: three snowflakes 1 slimline card Thing 3: "T" words: three snowflakes and tiles in my shaker pouch (2/4; ends 11/23/25)

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge: Christmas or ATG (1/2; ends 11/26/25)

Christmas or not BINGO Challenges: Letter I: Winter, icy light blue, and snowflakes (1/5; ends 12/15/25)

Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Inspiring creativity 8-ways each week (ends 11/20/25)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges**********: ATG (2/3; ends 11/17/25) C10

No more challenges. 

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

 

"We Bee-lieve in You" Slimline Bendy Card

My youngest daughter is about to leave on her second deployment, and I made this slimline bendy card to encourage her as she embarks on another long trip out to sea. The inspiration for the card design is from Sam Calcott in her video here: Make this Stand Out card today! No DIES Needed | Slimline Bendy Card!. She added a couple more tiers to the front of the card, but I didn't want to cover up my watercolored flowers, so I kept it to just the front tier on my card.

I stamped and die cut the florals using Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Marigold Butterflies project kit. I watercolored them using the following Altenew Watercolor Brush Markers: Rubellite, Ruby Red, and Sweet Leaf. I added some details with Faber Castell watercolor pencils in the following colors: Pink Madder Lake, Rose Carmine, Fuchsia, and Hooker's Green. 

All the papers I used for the card are from Your Paper Insider except for the Black Diamond Glitter Cardstock for the bodies of the bees. That came from Altenew. The YPI papers I used are: Deep Black Cadillac and Amber Stardream from Box 12, Kelly Green Cadillac and White Fine Lines Vellum from Box 13, and the watercolor cardstock I used for the florals. If you'd like to learn how to subscribe to Your Paper Insider's quarterly box of specialty papers, I'd be so grateful if you shopped with my affiliate link. I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you: Your Paper Insider.

I started by creating the card base and the strip for the front of the card using Amber Stardream cardstock. Once I had those cut and scored, I trimmed the Kelly Green Cadillac cardstock to fit the back panels of the card base. I adhered those using Art Glitter Glue. Then I cut my stamped and watercolored image and adhered it to the green panels. 

For the bees, I die cut all the pieces to create 3 bees using Deep Black Cadillac cardstock, White Fine Lines Vellum, Amber Stardream cardstock, and Black Diamond Glitter cardstock. I adhered the peices together and then added them to the card using Altenew's Instant Dimension Foam Tape. 

Next, I stamped the sentiment from Altenew's Craft-Your-Life: Honeycomb Haven project kit and added Altenew's Crystal Clear embossing powder to heat set it before die cutting it with the coordinating dies. I then embossed the front strip for the card using the embossing folder in the Honeycomb Haven kit. I adhered the front strip to the card base and added the sentiment to complete the card. 

If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many lovely floral sets like the one I used to make this card. 

 Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases #109 - November 7 till December 4th: I'm on the DT and sharing my card just for fun

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (5/6; ends 11/12/25)

Crafty Catz: ATG with option of Thanks (4/5; ends 11/20/25)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of thanks (5/8; ends at the end of the month)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (5/5; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: Merry and Bright or ATG (5/6; ends at the end of the month)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 3/10 for the challenge; ends 11/19/25)

Allsorts challenge blog: Christmas or ATG (13/5; ends 11/21/25)

Double Trouble Paper Crafting: Thing 1: 3 colors (yellow, pink, and green) 2 images: bees and flowers 1 slimline card Thing 3: "T" words: three flowers and three bees (1/4; ends 11/23/25)

****Pammie's Inky Pinkies**** **********Challenges**********: ATG (1/3; ends 11/17/25) C10

No more challenges. 

AECP Homework for Artists Watercolor 101 for Papercrafters: Lesson 2: practice using your watercolors with your favorite stamped images to add layers of color Submission #1171

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

Nature's Magic Shaker Card

I recently attended the Level 3 Altenew Educator Certification Program workshop for Revati Panickar, and this was one of the cards we made during the workshop. I love shakers, and this full panel shaker was so quick and easy to create using recylced packaging! If you'd like to see my post about the fun fold card we also made in this session (see photo below), here's the link to my blog post about it: Carrie's Custom Cards: Sending Hugs Fun Fold Card

For this A2 shaker card, I started by creating a white side-folding A2 card base. Then I trimmed a piece of yellow pattern paper to 4 1/4 by 5 inches and adhered it to the front of the card. 

I then trimmed a piece of white cardstock to 4 by 5 1/4 inches and stamped one of the florals and the "wishing you a beautiful day" sentiment from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Nature's Magic set in VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink and added Altenew's clear embossing powder over the ink before heat setting it.  I colored the florals using Altenew's Fresh Lemon and Fresh Leaf inks through the coordinating stencils. 

To create the shaker pouch, I used trimmed clear packaging to create a pouch around the white panel. I adhered the ends of the packaging to the back of the panel on three sides and then filled the pouch with beads in coordinating colors. I then sealed the last side of the pouch and adhered the pouch to my card front. 

The stamped florals are from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Nature's Magic set. If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many lovely floral sets like the one I used to make this card. 

 Challenges I'm entering: 

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (4/6; ends 11/12/25)

Crafty Catz: ATG with option of Thanks (3/5; ends 11/20/25)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of thanks (4/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of something new (4/8; ends at the end of the month)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (4/4; ends 11/27/25)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 11/12/25)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (I used scissors to trim my clear packaging to create the shaker pouch) (4/5; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: Merry and Bright or ATG (4/6; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Thinking of you (4/5; ends 11/12/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (2/5 for the week; 2/10 for the challenge; ends 11/19/25)

We Love Stamping: ATG Christmas or ATG (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: Christmas or ATG (2/5; ends 11/21/25)

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26

Sending Hugs Fun Fold Card

I recently attended the Level 3 Altenew Educator Certification Program workshop for Revati Panickar, and this was one of the cards we made during the workshop. I love how it turned out! The stamped florals are from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Nature's Magic set, and the sentiments are from Altenew's Build-A-Garden: Peruvian Lily set. The stitched rectangle dies are from Gina Marie Designs. If you'd like to see details about the shaker card we also made in Revati's workshop, here's a link to the post: Carrie's Custom Cards: Nature's Magic Shaker Card

This is an A2 card, and I started by creating a side-folding A2 card base out of teal cardstock. I adhered a piece of white cardstock (4 by 5 1/4 inches) to the front of the card, adhering only the outside edges. Then I die cut a rectangle out of the center of the front panel. I saved the teal rectangle and then die cut the white rectangle with the next smallest size in the Gina Marie Designs set. I stamped "hello" onto the white panel and adhered it to the teal rectangle. 

I created a z-fold card a quarter inch smaller than my A2 card base and adhered it to the inside of the teal cardbase with the z fold facing to the right. I stamped "sending hugs" onto the inside panel. 

For my floral stamps, I stamped the images using VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink and then added Altenew's clear embossing powder and heat set them. Then I used Altenew's Lagoon and Fresh Leaf inks with the coordinating stencils to color in the stamped images. I die cut them with the coordinating dies and then adhered one of the images to the rectangle piece and one to the inside of the card base. 

To finish the card, I closed it and lined up the rectangle opening to know where to adhere the teal rectangle. After adhering the panel, I added 3 of Altenew's Black Onyx Gem Sparkles to complete the card. 

If you're interested in shopping at Altenew, I'd love it if you used my affiliate link here: Carrie's Altenew Link. I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Altenew carries many lovely floral sets like the one I used to make this card. 

Here's a look at the other card Revati taught us to make during her workshop:

Challenges I'm entering: 

Creative Creases #109 - November 7 till December 4th: I'm on the DT and sharing my card just for fun

Beautiful Blossoms Challenge: ATG with flowers as the focus (3/6; ends 11/12/25)

Crafty Catz: ATG with option of Thanks (2/5; ends 11/20/25)

613 Avenue Create: ATG with option of thanks (3/8; ends at the end of the month)

A Place To Start: ATG with option of something new (3/8; ends at the end of the month)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge ...: ATG (3/3; ends 11/14/25) Winner of 3 Sheepski Designs digis 11/16/25

Heart's Quest for Shaped Cards and Tags: ATG with fun fold cards and tags (2/5; ends at the end of the month)

Polkadoodles Cardmaking, Craft & Scrapbooking Challenge: ATG (3/4; ends 11/27/25)

A Perfect Time To Craft Open Challenge: ATG (unlimited entries; ends at the end of the month)

Classic Design Challenge Blog: ATG (unlimited entries; ends 11/12/25)

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge Blog: ATG (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Paper Rocks Scissors: ATG with paper and/or scissors (3/5; ends at the end of the month)

Triple B: ATG with birds, blooms and/or butterflies (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

Creative Fingers Challenge Blog: ATG (3/3; ends 11/13/25)

Ellibelle's Corner: Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday: ATG (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

A Cut Above: ATG with die cuts (3/3; ends at the end of the month)

The Paper Funday Challenges: Merry and Bright or ATG (3/6; ends at the end of the month)

simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/: Thinking of you (3/5; ends 11/12/25)

Word Art Wednesday: ATG (1/5 for the week; 1/10 for the challenge; ends 11/19/25)

We Love Stamping: ATG Christmas or ATG (2/3; ends at the end of the month)

Allsorts challenge blog: Christmas or ATG (1/5; ends 11/21/25)

I'd like to leave a blessing for all the lovely visitors to my blog: 

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

--Numbers 6: 22-26