Boutique Cards

I'm working my way through the Level 1 classes for Altenew's Educator Certification Program.  My most recent class was Clean and Simple Boutique Cards. Clean and simple cards are my favorite, so I knew that I'd love this class!  

I made a few cards using stamps and inks from Altenew that incorporate some of the elements of "boutique" cards.  This one uses two different kinds of trendy metallic details.  I tried and tried to do foiling, but my laminator wasn't cooperating, so I had to move to Plan B for my images--heat embossing.  The outline leaf images from the Leaf Canopy stamp set were stamped in gold ink at the top and bottom of a mossy green cardstock panel, then heat embossed in gold. The embossing on the colored panel looks so elegant!  For interest, I subtly inked inside the leaves with Olive ink to add some depth.  I stamped the set's "thank you" sentiment on a darker green cardstock strip.  After adding a narrow strip of gold foil cardstock to the bottom edge of the sentiment strip, I used foam tape to position the strip across the panel.  The panel was matted on more gold foil cardstock then adhered to a card base that matches the sentiment strip.

Materials Used:
Leaf Canopy stamp set, Antique Gold Pigment and Olive Crisp Dye inks (Altenew); Spring Moss and Simply Chartreuse cardstock (Stampin' Up!); Zing Gold embossing powder (American Crafts); Gold Foil cardstock (Recollections); foam tape

This card features a stamped background using one of my favorite Altenew stamp sets, Sohcahtoa.  I arranged a mix of the set's different equilateral triangular images on a white panel, varying the orientation, sizes, and patterns for interest.  Once I settled on an arrangement that I liked, I selected a coordinating trio of inks and stamped the solid triangles in Dew Drops Crisp ink, the lightest shade, the striped ones in Aqualicious, the middle shade of ink, and the outlines in Galactic Stream, the darkest blue ink.  

The set's "you are appreciated" sentiment was stamped in Galactic Stream ink, the darkest ink, on a small aqua cardstock panel.  I used foam tape to adhere the sentiment to the panel over the bottom of one of the large triangles.  The finished panel was adhered to a card base that is the same color as the sentiment panel. I could see making a bunch of cards in this same design in different color schemes and with different sentiments...

Materials Used:
Sohcahtoa stamp set, Dew Drops, Aqualicious, and Galactic Stream Crisp inks (Altenew); Ocean cardstock (Recollections); (Recollections); foam tape

And, while I had the Sohcahtoa set out, I played around a little more with the triangles in the same color scheme.  On this card, I used the open triangles to create a second stamped background.  This one uses more space than the first one.  It looks simple, but it took me a few tries to get the arrangement right!  I trimmed my stamped panel down a little and placed it at the bottom of a coordinating blue card base.  I stamped the "thank you" sentiment in Galactic Stream ink on a coordinating strip of aqua cardstock.  The strip was edged along the bottom with shiny silver paper, then placed at the top of the stamped panel.  Clean, simple, and easy to mail, too!  I have a few more ideas for clean and simple designs inspired by this course, so I'm sure you'll be seeing more to come.

Materials Used:
Sohcahtoa stamp set, Dew Drops, Aqualicious, and Galactic Stream Crisp inks (Altenew); Ocean and Silver cardstock (Recollections)