Level 1 Final Challenge-Her Cards Set

Hello Everyone!

Today, I am very happy to share the second part for my final challenge for Level 1 of  Altenew's Educators Certification Program, the Hers Cards Set.

The final challenge I was assigned was to create gift sets of "His" and "Hers" cards using at least three components from what I learned from the courses.  Each set needed to be cohesive but vary slightly.  I also needed to create packaging for each set in which I need to use a recycled item. 

Since this challenge incorporated a lot of information, I've decided to divide the challenge submission into two parts, His Card Set and Hers Card Set.  Products used (except for a few) were all from Altenew and I will list what products I used for each card.  For both card sets, I decided to use a birthday theme and also used the same product for the her cards and same product for the his cards but used them differently on each card.

Her Cards Set

Here's an overall picture of the four cards I will be discussing in this post:

The main components I followed to make the four cards are as follows:

1)  All About Layering 3 (using vellum behind die cuts, add images to edge of card and trim excess)

2)  All About Layering 4 (snip die cuts to create various pieces, cut large die cut in half, add bold sentiments)

3)  Easy Ink Blending Techniques (ink blended background)

4)  Let It Shine (metallic cardstock, embossing powder)

5)  Seasonal Scene Building (create beautiful backgrounds, framed scene)

To begin creating this set, I first looked through my supplies to find a product that can be versatile in four different cards.  I decided to use my favorite plumeria stamp/die/stencil set from Altenew called Exotic Plumeria.

Next, I needed to decide the color palette.  I wanted bright, pretty colors for the flowers so I chose a pink and yellow for the plumerias and greens for the leaves.

I used this same set in each of the cards but used them in different ways and will give details on how I used them.

Card #1:

For this card, I wanted to make a top-folding one layer card.  I used an 8 1/2" x 11" white cardstock and cut that in half at 4 1/4".  This will give you two sheets measuring  4 1/4" by 11".  Then, using my scoring bored, I scored those in half at the 5 1/2" mark.  I set one aside for future use.

I then took a sheet of masking paper and placed that along the scored line because I didn't want any ink to appear on the back of the card.  I then placed them onto my Altenew Stampwheel 2.0.

I then laid the stamp onto the cardstock where I wanted the first image to appear and stamped that in place using black ink.

I then took another sheet of masking paper and restamped that image onto the masking paper so that I can fussy cut that image out.  I fussy cut the image instead of using the coordinating die because I didn't want to have a white border around any of the images.

After fussy cutting the whole image, I now have the image that I can reuse as I make this card or any cards in the future.

I removed the backing from the masking paper and placed that onto the stamped image on the card making sure that it is lined up completely around the image.  Next, I placed the stamp in the top left corner and stamped that using a light gray ink.

I repeated this process going around the card to cover up as much space that I can and also moved the masked plumeria image to cover up previously stamped images so that I can stamp over them.

When I've filled in the whole card, I removed the plumeria masking paper and the panel from the platform to get a good look at the whole panel.  I left the masking paper that is at the score line in place in case I needed to touch up any areas.

I then needed to add color to the black inked plumeria image and decided to color that using colored pencils.

I used Prisma Color pencils for the flowers and the leaves (914-Cream, 916-Canary Yellow, 928-Blush Pink, 939-Peach, 930-Magenta, 994-Process Red, 913-Spring Green, 908-Dark Green, 909-Grass Green, 935-Black).  I went from light to dark and back and forth blending the colors for a soft look.  I went back in with the darkest colors to add more dimension to the image.  I took a white gel pen to add some bright white onto the flowers as well.  I used a black fine line marker to outline the flowers and inside the flowers since the colored pencils lightened up those lines.

I used a light gray alcohol marker to outline the colored image to add a little bit of shading and make it stand out a little more from the other images.  I then added a little sparkle onto the flowers using a glitter brush pen.  Between the wax from the pencils and the glitter brush pen, there's a nice sheen on the card but only on the colored plumeria.

So, this is the point when I realized that I forgot to add the sentiment in the beginning when I stamped the first plumeria.  Since, I still wanted this to be a one layer card, I needed to stamp this directly onto the card and my mistake not be noticeable.  I have a sentiment stamp set from Altenew called Bold Sentiments which is a solid black image.  If it didn't work out, I would have to die cut the sentiment and add it to the card instead.  Thankfully, it did work and the lines from the plumeria stamp underneath are not noticeable!

Products used from Altenew:

• Exotic Plumeria stamp set
• Bold Sentiments
• Fresh Die Ink - Limestone

Here again is Card #1:

Card #2:

For this card, I used the same set but I stamped, colored, and then die cut four images.

For the coloring, I used the coordinating stencil set.  I lined up the stencil and started coloring the image using yellow ink and a blending brush but only towards the center of the stencils.  Without removing the stencil, I used pink ink to color in the ends of the flowers.  I continued this process using the rest of the stencils for the flowers.

For the leaves, I used a light green ink for the first stencil, and then a darker green for the second stencil.

After die cutting the four images out, I laid them onto the card panel, deciding how to place them before adhering them.  Once I liked the placement. I took one at a time and placed foam tape behind them, removing the protective backing on the foam tape, and placed them back in their original spot.

I then cut off the excess that was hanging over the card panel.  Using those extra pieces, I filled in some of the blank spots around the edge of the card.

For the sentiment, I used velum for the shadow layer and glitter cardstock for the top layer.  I also used foam tape behind some of the letters so that they will not get crushed and used glue to adhere the other letters that lay on top of the image so that the sentiment is completely secured to the card.

I also used the glitter brush pen to add a little sparkle to the flowers.  I then adhered this panel to a side folding white cardbase.

Products used from Altenew:

• Exotic Plumeria Stamp, Dies, Stencils
• Fresh Die Inks: Citrus Burst, Pink Diamond, Just Green Hunter Green
• Timeless Sentiments 2 Die Set
• Glitter Gradient Card Stock Set-Milky Way:  Black Diamond

Here again is Card #2:

Card #3:

For this next card, I wanted to make a colorful scene builder card.

Using an A2 white cardstock panel, I laid down masking paper almost a third of the way down.  I then used Distress Oxide inks to ink blend a sunset starting first with Squeezed Lemonade, then Wild Honey, then Abandoned Coral, then Seedless Preserves and ending with Blueprint Sketch.  I blended the inks together to get a nice blend and continually added color until I liked the saturation and the blend.  I set that aside to let it dry for a bit before doing the bottom.

While that was drying, I worked on the plumeria images again using the same set  but changing the colors to next darkest in the set.  I used a black fine line marker again to go over the lines to darken them more and added glitter brush pen onto the flowers.  I made two images for this card.

I checked the inked the panel to make sure it was dry so that I can lay the masking paper onto the part I inked earlier in order to the water scene.  I used Distress Oxides again in Salty Ocean and Blueprint Sketch.  I started with the Salty Ocean in the middle and the Blueprint Sketch on the sides, continually blending each to get a nice blend.

Now that I had the background panel and the flowers done, next I had to figure out how to put it all together.  The background panel was so pretty I hated to cover it up so I decided to make a window and pop that up for dimension.

I used an oval die to cut out the middle of a white A2 panel cardstock. I then used a brick stencil that I had from my collection to dry emboss the panel.  I noticed that the white panel was too white so I used a blending brush and light gray ink to apply some ink to the bricks to give them a weathered look.

I then used the same oval die and a larger oval die to die cut out a gray metallic cardstock border for the inside of the window.  I glued the border and the brick panel together and let that dry while I worked on the sentiment.

I die cut the shadow layer in vellum and the word from glitter cardstock.  I then glued them together and set them aside to adhere completely.

I put foam tape behind the window panel and laid that on top of the sunset scene.  I felt it needed a little character so I stamped two small bird images onto the sky.

Next, I placed the plumeria die cuts onto the window panel and fidgeted them until I found the right placement.  I then glued them down and trimmed off the excess.  I also cut off three additional leaves and tucked them into some spots that were missing to fill in the bottom of the panel.

I then removed the backing from the foam tape that I used for the back of the window and placed that onto the sunset panel.

I then added some foam on some of the letters in the sentiment and added that to the card to finish it off.  I then adhered the whole panel to a white top folding cardbase.

Products used from Altenew:

• Exotic Plumeria Stamp, Die and Stencils
• Fresh Die Inks: Fresh Lemon, Pinkalicious, Sweet Leaft, Hunter Green
• Timeless Sentiments Die Set
• Glitter Gradient Cardstock Set-Milky Way:  Moonstone

Here again is Card #3:

Card #4:

Since I've done enough coloring with the other cards, I wanted to make a simple yet elegant card.

I placed black cardstock in A2 size into my stamping platform and then brushed antistatic powder over the whole panel.  Using VersaMark ink, I stamped the image several times onto black cardstock, making sure that they didn't overlap since I wasn't using any masking paper this time.

I then added gold embossing powder to the ink and heat set that and set it aside to cool a little.

As that was cooling, I cut another A2 panel in black cardstock and one A2 panel in gold metallic cardstock.

Next, I glued the heat embossed panel onto the gold metallic cardstock offsetting it a little so that there is a gold metallic border.

Then, I took the embossed panel and angled it on top of the black panel that I cut previously.  Once I liked how it looked, I laid both of them down onto my stamping platform so that I can add the sentiment.

After finding the right sentiment, I lined that up against the long side of the embossed panel.  I then removed that panel so that I can use antistatic powder and VersaMark ink again to stamp the sentiment.  I then added the same gold embossing powder to the sentiment and then heat embossed.

I then glued the plumeria panel onto the other panel lining it up above the sentiment I just heat embossed.  I let that dry for a bit before I trimmed off the excess.

I then glued that panel onto a black side folding cardbase.  Since this is a black cardbase, I trimmed white cardstock and glued that to the inside so that there will be somewhere to write inside the card. Finally, I gently rubbed a soft cloth over the entire card to remove any excess antistatic powder that may have been left behind.  I then used the same glitter brush pen over the flowers for a subtle shine.

Products used from Altenew:

• Exotic Plumeria stamp set
• Sentiment Strips 2

Here again is Card #4:

Packaging

Now that I have completed all four cards, I need to do the packaging as well.  Since I had the template already done from the 'His' Cards Set, I was able to cut out another one from the same paper bag.

I followed the same steps and made sure that these cards fit just as good since these have more dimension along with the envelopes.

After checking several times that they can easily be removed or put back in, I added double sided sticky tape to the bottom flap and the two side flaps and adhered them together.

For decorating the outside, I wanted it similar to the 'His' card set as well.  I had an extra colored plumeria already die cut so all I needed was to die cut another white tag.  I then lined them up together and put a whole through them and added a pink heart eyelet.

I then used pink and white twine to add the tags and wrapped that around a few times and tying a bow to keep it held together.

That concludes my cards for the "Her Cards Set" for the final challenge.  I have thoroughly enjoyed learning new techniques from all of the Level 1 classes and even though I may not have incorporated them all into these cards, rest assured that I will use those techniques in my future card creations.

I hope you have enjoyed learning the process behind each of these cards.  If you haven't already, be sure to check my other post to see my 'His' cards creations! https://craftybo.blogspot.com/2025/06/level-1-final-challenge-his-cards-set.html