Month: November 2025

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AECP – Level 3 – Elements of Floral Composition

Hello.  Welcome back.  I am so happy you are here.

This is course 5 for my level 3 certification called Elements of Floral Composition.  These classes were extremely educational as I have never had a formal art or floral class outside of grade school.  Jaycee Gaspar taught us about Color, Value, Line, Shape, Form, Texture, Space and the Rule of 3.  Let’s dive in!

For my card I chose the Altenew Stencil Art: White Cap Peonies with the add-on die. This card had more ink colors than any card I have ever made, using 14 not including the watercolors used on the background. This stencil set was so much fun to use.

My apologies as my photo for the first stencil using Altenew Fresh Dye Ink -Buttercream came out blurry.  On to stencil 2.  After positioning stencil 2 on top of the previously inked image, we ink blend Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Pumpkin Pie. Blending a bit darker towards the center of the large flower and the right side of the smaller flower.

We continue to stencil 3, using Altenew Fresh Dye Ink –  Sicilian Amber and the same technique as before.  This stencil has more than one stenciling layer so we covered the section we are not using with low tack tape, but a Post-It note would work well also.

We shift the stencil and our tape, then blend this section with Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Red Jasper.

Stencil 4 also has several sections to it.  The section on the large flower was ink blended with Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Misty Moor.

As before, we shifted the stencil and taped over areas to keep us from over blending into them.  This section was inked with Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Marshland.

The first later of the stem and leaves was blended using Altenew Crisp Dye Ink – Misty Mint.

We blended the first layer of the smaller flower using Altenew Fresh Dye Ink -Morning Frost, applying it a bit heavier towards the stem of the flower.

On to stencil 5, using Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Sea Forest on the detail of the large flower.  Then moving to the stem and leaves using Altenew Crisp Dye Ink – Sweet Leaf. Continuing the same technique as we did earlier with taping off sections to keep from over blending.

Finished with stencil 5 blending Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Evening Gray onto the smaller flower.

Stencil 6 is the final layers of the flowers. Using Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Mangrove Root on the large flower, Altenew Crisp Dye Ink – Hunter Green on the leaves and stems and the Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Moon Rock on the smaller flower.

The final results using this stencil set are just beautiful. You can’t go wrong with this one!

I went back and ink blended another image using the same inks and techniques as we did on the first.

Now we die cut both images using the coordination die for this set.

These are so pretty.

Starting on our background, we tape a piece of watercolor paper to our board. We are using painters tape.

Wanting to try a technique I saw on Instagram where you put water droplets of color on your dry watercolor paper and then come in with a wet mop brush and move the color.

Mine dried faster than I expected but I went back over the color with the brush and the droplets smoothed out nicely.

Staying with a very night wash.

Before setting it aside to dry, we checked the color saturation on our background with our flowers.

The glitter watercolor added a nice shimmer and dried nicely.

Deciding not to keep the whole floral images we fussy cut one large flower apart and also removed some of the leaves and stems.

We began test placement of the flowers on our dry background.  Adding low tack tape to the arrangement so it can be moved without having to rearrange again.

I use a piece of cardstock that I cut a 5.5″ x 4.25″ rectangle out of the center.  This allows me to see what the final card will look like when all of the excess is cut off.

Testing a couple different arrangements.

Turning the entire taped arrangement over we add glue to the lower right leaves and then low dimension foam to the partial flower on the right.  Adding a bit of liquid glue to the foam gives a bit of wiggle time before adhering to the panel.

Removing all but one piece of low tack tape, which we can use as a hinge, we add dimensional foam tape that is thicker to the back of the large flower. We saved all of the cut off leaves, even creating a couple leaves out of the cut off stems incase they are needed.

Everything has been adhered to the panel, now it is time to flip the panel over and trim off all of the excess that is hanging over the edges.

We added some splatter using Altenew Metallic Watercolor Enchanted Gold and tested out a sentiment found in our stash.

The shimmer from the metallic splatter and the watercolor background is very pretty and adds a bit of texture.

Adding a couple of Champagne clear drops from PinkFresh Studio adds some additional texture.

I hope you like my final card for my AECP certification.  Wish me luck on my final.  Thank you for coming on this journey with me.

 

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AECP – Level 3 – Botanical Illustration Inspired Watercolor – Advanced Techniques

Hello.  It is wonderful to have you back to my blog.

My new set of classes were taught by Jaycee Gaspar entitled Botanical Illustration Inspired Watercolor – Advanced Techniques.  They were inspiring. As I am not an artist, I did not do these classes justice, but I thoroughly enjoyed them.

My inspiration was this picture of purple coneflowers.

I used the Altenew Build-A-Flower: Coneflower stamp set.  I started by stamping the floral images onto masking paper and then fussy cut them out.

Using Altenew Limestone Fresh Dye Ink, I stamped the first floral image onto smooth watercolor paper.

I placed the mask over the image and stamped the next flower.

Using the next mask, placing it over the stamped image and then stamped the third flower.

I did this twice, arranging the flowers in two different configurations, as I was not sure which I liked better.

I chose one of the arrangements and taped the watercolor paper to my board using painters tape to keep the paper from warping during painting.

Using a very diluted wash of purple and the wet-on-dry technique, I began painting the flower petals.

After the petals were dry I did the same to the leaves with a wash of diluted yellow-green.

I slowly added layers of detail to both the petals and the leaves with darker more saturated colors.

Using brown, orange and black I stippled the color onto the flower centers to try to recreate the prickly cone center of the flowers.

I enlarged the center of the flower on the bottom left and added a light wash of yellow to the background, fading from bottom to top.

Before removing the paper from the board, I added some splatter using black watercolor instead of gouache so contrast would not be so stark.

Using my A2 sized die I tested to see which orientation looked better.

After cutting the image using the die, I stamped a sentiment from the stamp set in black ink, using the Stampwheel 2.0 and my T-square to get it straight.

Then added it to a black A2 sized card base using dimensional foam tape to add a bit of lift since this is a one layer card.

I have learned so much in these watercolor classes.  Having a new appreciation for the medium, I plan to continue to take more watercolor classes.  Hope you liked today’s card.  See you soon.

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AECP – Level 3 – Creative Coloring With Erum

Hello!

Todays course is called Creative Coloring With Erum and it was amazing!  I learn so many new and exciting techniques in these classes.

I chose the Altenew Bold Bouquet Stamp, Stencil and Die Set.  I stamped the image on water color paper with watermark ink using the Stampwheel 2.0.

Then heat embossed the image Pearl embossing powder. I did it twice just in case I needed an additional image or elements for my card.

The technique I am doing calls for woodless watercolor pencils and a stencil. I used Tim Holtz Distress Watercolor Pencils in Festive Berries, Abandoned Coral, Mowed Lawn and Broken China.  You messy color through the stencil and then add water.

After removing the stencil you spritz the colored image with water.

The color movement with the water was very cool.  I moved the color around slightly with a brush.

I did this technique again on the second image but I did not use the stencil.  I feel the color flow was better with the stencil on the left.  I left these to dry and started on the background panel.

Using embossing paste I covered a panel of watercolor paper using a palette knife.  I wanted it to look rough and textured.  Using a technique from the class, I covered the wet paste with Tim Holtz Distress Rock Candy Glitter.

I left everything to dry completely over night.  The next technique was to add drips to the panel with watercolor paint.  I chose a medium blue which may have been too dark, in hind sight.

I mixed the watercolor with a lot of water and painted it on the paste covered panel, allowing the water to run as it pleased. I then added a bit of splatter using the same color.

Using the die from the set, I cut out both images and worked on the arrangement for the card.

I trimmed the background panel to 5.5″ x 4.25″ and added it to an A2 sized white card base. After adhering the floral images, I trimmed them to the size of the base. I pulled a couple sentiments from my stash and attached them with dimensional foam tape. I also added a couple gems for some added sparkle.

The glitter, paste and watercolor create the most amazing effect. I hope you like the card using today’s techniques.

Before I go, I wanted to pass along a tip about stencils.  The etching is always hard for me to see and I saw this tip from Tim Holtz a long time ago.  If you take black acrylic paint, any brand, and paint if over the etching (I use my finger), then let it sit for a few seconds.

Then take a paper towel and rub it off.  The paint will stay in the etched areas and not wash off.  I have done this to all of my stencils.  You can see it on my earlier picture with the stencil above.  Hope this tip helps you.  Have a great day and hope to see you again soon!

 

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AECP – Level 3 – All About Layering 7

Hello!

The next course for my AECP certification is All About Layering 7.  These were very interesting classes and I learned a lot. Using ink blending, water color, embossing folders, colored pencils, alcohol markers, embellishments, etc. you can add beautiful layers to your projects.

I chose Altenew’s Craft Your Life Set – Illuminated Scenes for this project. This set took me way out of my comfort zone.  It is intended to be a single layer card and is a beautiful set to work with, but I wanted to add layers.

I stamped the image on white cardstock with black ink.

The set includes stencils to color the components and create illumination of a portion of the image.

I worked through each stencil and added a little bit of darker shading in areas of the images. The inks used were Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Fresh Lemon on the window and some pink left in a blending brush, Wisteria and Ultraviolet on the pillows and Mocha and Fresh Lemon on the planter.

I continued working through the stencils and masking off sections so I did not over blend the ink.

I blended a bit of Altenew Fresh Dye Ink – Silver Stone onto the blanket and then wanted to try a technique I saw Jen Raza use on a live a few weeks ago.  I masked everything off and using Altenew Shimmer Paste – Pearl, I added it to the image but made it textured so it looked like the blanket.

I really liked how it turned out.  Thanks Jen!!  I added Glossy Accents to the windows to make them look shiny like glass. I then fussy cut around the image to add more dimension.

Using colored pencils I added a bit of shading to the pillows, the couch, the table, the tray, the book and the planter.

Using a fine liner black marker I added a few lines on the blanket to create the folds in the material.

I added foam tape to the cutout image and added it to a white cardstock panel.

After masking off the image, I added just a bit of ink blending on the edges of the panel with Altenew Fresh Dye – Caribbean Sky ink and a large blending brush.

Then using Altenew Carbon Black Gauche, some water and a stamping block, I added splatter.

The fan brush worked well as I wanted fine splatter.

I also did a fine mist of shimmer spray for a bit of sparkle.

I trimmed the panel to 4″ x 5.25″ and added it to a black A2 sized card base.

I finished it with a sentiment from the stamp set and added dimension, as well as a few teal gems.

I hope you liked the card and look forward to seeing you again soon.