Layering Stamps for my first Altenew AECP project



I have been accepted into the Altenew Educator Certification Program (AECP) and I am excited. This is the card I created for my first  AECP class -  All About Layering 3.  The class is about layering stamps.  I have a history with layering stamps and it's not pretty. I have tried lots of layering stamp sets from Altenew over the years. Altenew is known for how beautiful and realistic their layering flower stamps are, and there have been times when I've created something beautiful with them - but I always felt that I had to work way too hard and it was difficult.  Eventually I decided that layering stamps was just not my strength and I passed almost all of my layering stamp sets on to others.  


Now I am faced with wanting to do a good job for my very first AECP class. I started by finding a layering stamp set that remains in my stash. It's an Altenew orchid stamp set, Laelia.. My first tries were horrid but then I had an important insight: I am used to being a "producer" - that is, having to produce a card for a specific person and occasion. That puts my learning into a timeframe and, when a technique seems to take too long or be too frustrating, I would move on to something else because I had a deadline to meet (in my head!). Getting layered stamps to look like I want them to look - that's not simple for me.


However, as I used the stamps over and over for my class project, I came to know them and to understand how they worked together. This led to better flowers with less work. The flower that I identified as my final flower is by no means perfect or fabulous, but I like it! That's big for me!


I used Altenew Crisp dye inks Pink Pearl, Fresh Lemon and Ruby Red, and Altenew Fresh dye ink in Amber Blaze, with Altenew Mini blending brushes. The background is a stencil by Crafters Workshop. I added splatters from Altenew Metallic Shimmer Ink Sprays: Mountain Mist. The sentiment is from Altenew Versatile Greetings with foil. You can see that I layered the sentiment and the top layer of petals.




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