Altenew Clean & Simple Boutique Cards

Hi Everyone,

I am back with my second post for the day.  I am trying to get through the backlog of cards I have to share with you all. So I hope you enjoy this one too.


This card share is to show what I learned in the Altenew Academy class called "Clean & Simple Boutique Cards".


I learnt so much from this class and I created several cards with different techniques. I learnt that it is often harder to create simple looking cards than to create those with the detail piled on. I think this is because you really need to think about your layout before starting out. I also learnt that the papers that you use can dramatically add to the boutique look of a card by adding texture.


Today I am showing my favourite of all the cards I made. I was inspired by the stamped background portion of the class. I just adore how cards look with a stamped background.  It is also a fabulous way to use all the stamped images in a stamp set on one card. I find they are also an amazing layout for using when you are having a creative block.

(I participate in Altenew Affiliate Program. This means that I receive a commission when products are purchased through the links here on my blog. There is NO additional cost to you.) 


For my card I used the Ori Kami Stamp Set. I used all of the images at least once to create my stamped background.  To begin with though I stamped the sentiment where I wanted it to be on my card so that I could create the background around it.  For the sentiment I chose to use the "Today I celebrate you" from the Forever and Always Stamp Set.  I stamped both the sentiment and the images for the background in Versafine Onyx Black ink and stamped onto a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of Bristol Smooth cardstock.  I used both this ink and this paper as I knew I wanted to add a little watercolouring using my Zig Clean Colour Real Brush pens.

I decided not to colour each image completely, taking my inspiration from the card that Jen created. I love the way her card turned out, it looked super classy and free. I used the Zig markers in 027 Dark Pink, 080 Violet and 082 Purple.  I added a little colour to different sections of each image and then dragged the colour out using a water brush.


To add a little extra to my card I stamped out another elephant image and coloured it in the same way as with my other images and then fussy cut it out.  I added it right over the original stamped elephant image on my card using some 3M mounting tape. I also added a googly eye to him just to make the card a little bit fun and unexpected.  I added the whole panel to a standard  size top folding card base to finish off this project.

I hope that you enjoyed this card and will consider taking a class over at Altenew Academy. The classes are amazing.  You really can learn so much, regardless of how long you have been stamping for.

Have a great day!

Jodie xx