Altenew Educator Certification Program: Beyond Basic Backgrounds

I’m combining two projects today.  I recently completed the Beyond Basics Background class for the Altenew Educator Certification Program.  Plus, it is time for this week’s Paper Craft Crew card!!!

I found the Beyond Basics Background class really interesting.  There are so many interesting ways to create backgrounds on cards that you just don’t think of!  One of the lessons showed using metallic and foiling.

The instructor used a layering stamp and stamped one layer in a pretty color and then stamped another layer in Versa Mark ink and used bonding powder.  Once the bonding powder was heat set, she used foil to create a stunning background with a lot of shine!

The alternate card showed less of the background covered with this technique and that really sparked my interest.  This week’s Paper Craft Crew challenge is a Tic-Tac-Toe challenge with one of the square being metallic, another was clean and simple and the last one was birthday.  Those were the elements I would use to create my beyond basics background card.

I really like this technique and I think it would make a beautiful background with a simple sentiment.  It’s actually a quick and easy technique to do as well.

After I finished my front panel, I felt like it really needed that black and white stripe border element, so I cut my panel 3/4″ smaller in width than my card base and added a strip of that patterned paper.  I popped the card front up on foam tape to add dimension.  I also added a few clear droplets.  I felt like it had more than enough metallic detail, so I stuck with the clear droplets.  I used Coral Bliss, Warm Sunshine and Moss inks from Altenew.  I think they are 3 of my favorite colors.  I used my Misti to stamp the floral image twice to get a nice solid, bold inking on the flower background.

The stamp set is Altenew’s Stunning Cosmos stamp set and I think it is truly stunning!  I think I may use this to do a masking technique for another of the classes I’ve taken.

I created a second card.  I did not have bonding powder, so I used clear embossing powder.  I really liked how the clear embossing powder stamped with the top layer of the flower gave a darker color as if I had blended a darker color in.

It’s exactly the same floral color scheme, but this is without the foil. I’ve used clear embossing here all by itself.  To get the metallic detail in, I trimmed this card front down 3/4″ and added silver glitter washi tape.  This one is layered on a black card base and I left a sliver of the black showing on the right side and a little more on the left.  I also used the black for the sentiment.  Had I stamped the sentiment with my Misti, I would have added a layer of clear embossing powder over the sentiment as well.  Doesn’t that embossing really make the color pop?!  Such an easy detail to add and it really is pretty.

Two flowers with different techniques.  I love the black background on the second card because the colors are so bright, I feel like the black card base makes that color stand out even more.  This card has clear sequins added to it for fun.

It’s fun to experiment on your cards to see what details you like the best.  One small change can make a huge difference on your card.

Check out this week’s challenge at the Paper Craft Crew!  We would love to have you create a card and join the challenge.  Just pick 3 squares in a row and create a card from your stash!

Thank you so much for stopping by!  Happy crafting and remember to embrace the imperfections!