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