AECP Level 2 Final Challenge

Welcome to my blog, my crafty friends! Today I am sharing my project for the AECP Level 2 Final Challenge. 

I had to select any 3 components from the classes in Level 1 or 2 and so I followed tips and tricks from the Easy Ink Blending Techniques, Masking Unleashed and Let It Shine courses. 

Let me quickly explain the 3 components I chose.
Easy Ink Blending Techniques – Using ink blending to add amazing backgrounds to your cards.
Masking Unleashed – Creating one layer scenes on your cards using masking sheet or other masking tools.
Let It Shine – Adding shine to your project using embossing powders, foil, embellishments, washi tape, etc.
I made 4 masculine cards and each card has additional techniques that I had learnt in 1 of the courses. I will explain the process of each card separately.

Birthday Card:

My dad has a sweet tooth. He can eat n number of chocolates and ice creams, and never get bored of them. He is especially fond of cupcakes, and so I decided this was the best birthday card for him. Unfortunately, since we are in self-quarantine, I couldn’t send him the card, but I showed it to him on a video call and he loved it. He was in awe, and couldn’t stop staring at it. He said it was the best gift and of course I was on top of the world.

For this card, I followed the below courses:
Easy Ink Blending Techniques – Background with details
Masking Unleashed – One layer scene
Let It Shine – Embossed sentiment
All About Layering 1 and 2 – Cupcake
Beautiful Details – Details on the images

I wanted to make this a blueberry cupcake, so I stamped the little solid circles from the Layered Cupcake Stamp Set using Eastern Sky Crisp Ink on an A2 Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock. I stamped the images in the foreground first, masked them, and then stamped the images in the background. Once I was done stamping the circles, I stamped the leaves from the Sunflower Daisy Stamp Set using Evergreen Crisp Ink.

Then I placed the cupcake mask on the card panel to determine the area I wanted to stamp the leaves and blueberry on the cupcake. Then I removed the mask, stamped the blueberry using Eastern Sky Crisp ink, masked it and stamped the leaves from the Rose Bouquet Stamp Set using Evergreen Crisp ink.

Next, I stamped the first layer of the cupcake using Memento Black Ink. Below are the rest of the layers:

Second layer
Cupcake – Vanilla Cream and Hazelnut
Frosting – Mocha
Wrapper – Dusk

Third layer
Frosting – Mocha
Wrapper – Desert Night

Fourth layer
Frosting – Espresso

After that, I masked the cupcake and stamped the blueberries on the right side of the cupcake. Then I masked them, and stamped the leaves in the background from the Sunflower Daisy Stamp Set using Evergreen and Hunter Green Crisp Inks and masked them too.

To create the ink blended bokeh background, I started by inking an A2 Altenew watercolour cardstock using Squeezed Lemonade, Mustard Seed, Abandoned Coral, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries, and Carved Pumpkin Distress Inks along with my blender brushes. Next, I used the Card-Sized Confetti and Card-Sized Star Confetti Stencil Set by My Favorite Things along with Unicorn pigment Ink by Hero Arts and a sponge dauber to create the bokeh. For the larger circles, I inked the sponge dauber, placed it on the card panel and gently twisted it. I also inked the card panel using Abandoned Coral, Ripe Persimmon, Festive Berries and Carved Pumpkin Distress Inks along with the above stencils to create dimension.

I then unmasked the images and used my Copic Markers to colour the Blueberries and to add details to the Cupcake and Leaves.

Below are the colours I used:
Cupcake – E53, E50
Frosting – E23, E33
Wrapper – BG57, B93
Leaves – G29, G17, G28
Blueberries – B93, BV04, BV02, BV000, V12, V01
Shadows – C3, C1, C00, 0

To create the embossed sentiment, I used the die from the Script Words 2 Die Set and die cut the word “Happy” thrice from a piece of black cardstock and stuck them together using art glitter glue. Then I masked half of the word using memo tape, inked the other half using Versamark Ink, sprinkled Antique Gold Embossing Powder on it, dusted off the excess and heat set it with my heat gun. I repeated this process one more time to add more dimension. Then I unmasked the sentiment and stuck it on the card panel. I also stamped the word birthday from the Label Love Stamp Set on a piece of Neenah 80lb cardstock using Obsidian Pigment Ink. I then used my trimmer to cut it to a thin strip.

Lastly, I stuck this card panel to an A2 card base.

Love/Thinking of You Card

It’s been almost three years since we visited our family in India. We had planned to visit last year but due to the situation, things didn’t work out. I have been missing my family a lot, and so I made this card for my father. He loves gardening and has a lot of plants on the balcony of our house, so this felt like a perfect card for him. Oh and as we all know, a gardener usually has visitors, and so I had to include the tiny yellow bird that jumps from one plant to the other each morning, and the snails that walk around in their own sweet time, reminding us to do things at our own pace.

For this card, I followed the below courses:
Easy Ink Blending Techniques – 2 toned Background
Masking Unleashed – One layer scene
Let It Shine – Embossed sentiment
Beautiful Details – Details on the images

I started by stamping the images from the Garden Grow Stamp Set on an A2 Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock using Memento Black Ink. First, I stamped the images in the foreground, masked them and then stamped the images in the background.

I wanted to create a greenhouse background for this card. So I drew the window panels using Black Copic Multiliner pen and a steel ruler. I used this as a guide to stick memo tape at a diagonal and inked the lower side of the tape using Mermaid Lagoon Distress ink along with my blender brush. Once I was done with one side, I masked that side and inked the other portion using Shaded Lilac Distress ink.

After that, I unmasked the images and coloured them using my Copic Markers.

Below are the colours I used:
Pot on the left – YG99, YG63, E37, E35, E33, E44, E43, E42, E41
Snail – E31, E27, YG67, YG63, YG99
Bench – E59, E57, E55, E53, E49
Bottle – R89, R39, R27, R24, R22, R20, C9, C7, C5, C3, C1, C00, E11, E13, E19
Pot on the bench – E27, E37, E35, E33, E31, G29, G17, G14, YG13, YG11
Bird – Y38, Y17, Y15, Y13, Y11
Pot below the bench – E33, E31, E30 YG03, E55, E57, E59
Pot behind the bench – E15, E13, E11
Boots – 100, C9, C7, C5, C3, C2, B99, B97, B93
Pot behind the boots -E44, E43, E42, E41, G28, G19, G14, YG13, YG11
Pot besides the boots – G94, G99, G24, C9, C7, C5, C3, C2, C00, E33, E31, E30
Small pot to the right – G19, G14, E59, E57, YG99, YG67, YG63
Pot on the extreme right – V17, V15, V01, E15, E13, E11
Ground – N1
Shadows – N3

Next, I placed the Miss You Word Die on black cardstock and ran it through my die cutting machine. I die cut it two more times and stuck the pieces together using art glitter glue. After that, I masked half of the word using memo tape, inked the other half using Versamark Ink, sprinkled Antique Gold Embossing Powder on it, dusted off the excess and heat set it with my heat gun. I repeated this process one more time to add more dimension. I then unmasked the sentiment and stuck it on the card panel.

As the last step, I stuck this card panel to an A2 card base.

Anniversary Card

This year was our 11th anniversary, and we have been together for 17 years. When I look down the memory lane, I have so many amazing memories with my husband, and so I made this card to depict our journey till now and the journey ahead that I look forward too. Each day with him has been a blessing and I am so grateful to be married to such a fabulous person.

For this card, I followed the below courses:
Easy Ink Blending Techniques – Galaxy Background
Masking Unleashed – One layer scene
Let It Shine – Embossed sentiment and splatter of Perfect Pearls in the background
Impressive Heat Embossing – Heat Embossing with clear powder
Beautiful Details – Details on the trees and ground

I started by stamping the tree from the Birch Land Stamp Set on an A2 Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock using Memento Black Ink. Then I masked it, and stamped the tree behind it, and stamped one more tree on the other side of the card panel. After masking the trees, I stamped the image from the Winter Cottage Stamp and masked it. Next, I stamped the branches of the trees and masked them. I then used the solid moon stamp from the To The Moon Stamp Set, stamped it on a masking sheet, fussy cut it, and masked the panel. Then I masked the ground and inked the sky using Seedless Preserves, Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon, Chipped Sapphire and Black Soot Distress Inks. Next, I splatted white liquid watercolour and Perfect Pearls in the colour Perfect Pearl on the background.

After that, I unmasked the moon and stamped the third layer of the To the Moon Stamp Set using Sea Glass and Morning Frost Crisp Inks. Then I unmasked all the images and coloured them with my Copic Markers. Below are the colours I used:
Trees – N9, N5, N3, N0, 0
Stones – E47, E44, E43, E42, E41, YG63; Polychromos – 178, 179
Grass – G17, ; Polychromos – 278, 266
Greenery – YG13, YG11, G19; Polychromos – 266, 166
Road – E30, E31 E33, E35, E37, E39; Polychromos – 169
House – BV04, BV02, BV00, BV0000, 0, Y02, E39, E37, E29, E33, Y15
Tree behind the house – G17, YG13
Bird 1 – B18, B24, B02
Bird 2 – R89, R27, R21, R000

Next, I stamped the sentiment from the Camp Life Stamp Set on a piece of Neenah 80lb cardstock using Obsidian Pigment Ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder on it and heat set it. Then I fussy cut the sentiment and stuck it to the card panel. Lastly, I stuck this panel to an A2 card base.

Encouragement Card

One of my cousins has been going through a difficult time due to the current situation, and he had been feeling that there is no ray of light ahead. I made this card for him as a reminder that though things may seem tough right now, they sure will get better with each passing day

For this card, I followed the below courses: 
Easy Ink Blending Techniques – Background
Masking Unleashed – One layer scene
Let It Shine – White Embossed sentiment on a black banner
Beautiful Details – Details on the images
Seasonal Scene Building – Framed scene

First, I stamped the lighthouse from the Be A Lighthouse Stamp Set using Memento Black Ink on a piece of Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock and masked it. Then I masked the lower portion of the card panel and stamped the mountains from the All Things Orange Stamp Set. To create the rising sun, I stamped the solid moon image from the Mini Moon Stamp Set on a masking sheet, fussy cut it and stuck it to the panel. For the two light rays coming out from the lighthouse, I placed the Illusion Spiral Stencil on a masking sheet, traced it, fussy cut it and stuck it to the panel. After that, I inked the panel using Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick and Seedless Preserves Distress Inks along with my blender brushes. I unmasked the lower portion of the card panel and inked the sea using the same Distress Inks to create a reflection of the sky. Next, I used the stamp from the Be A Lighthouse Stamp Set and stamped the highlights on the sea using Unicorn Pigment ink. Then I added more highlights on it using Sakura White Gelly Roll Pen.

After that, I unmasked all the images and inked the sun and the light rays using Mustard Seed Distress ink. Then I used a rough brush, dabbed it in Spiced Marmalade Distress ink and applied it on the sun to give it texture. I then stamped the bird from the All Things Orange Stamp Set on it using Obsidian Pigment Ink.

Then I used my Copic Markers to colour the rest of the images.

Below are the colours I used:
Lighthouse – Y02, N7, N5, N3, N0, R89, R39, R27, R24, R22, R20
Mountains – B95, B32, C2, Y02, Y00
Trees and shrubs – G29, G17, YG13, YG11
Road – E29, E39, E37, E35, E33, E30
Sea – Y02, Y15, YR16, Y17, YR18, R22, RV55, RV66

Next, I placed the frame from the Pretty Frames Die Set by PinkFresh Studios on a piece of black cardstock and ran it through my die cutting machine. I repeated this process one more time and stuck the two panels together using art glitter glue. 

I decided to emboss the frame to make it look more dimensional and give it a metallic look. I started by inking the panel with VersaMark Ink, sprinkled clear embossing powder on it, and heat set it with my heat gun. To give the panel a smooth finish, embossed it one more time with clear embossing powder.

Then I stamped the sentiment from the All Things Orange Stamp Set on black cardstock using VersaMark Ink, sprinkled white embossing powder on it and heat set it with my heat gun. After that, I trimmed it to a thin strip using my trimmer and stuck it on the frame using art glitter glue.

Lastly, I rounded off the edges of the card base and stuck the above panel on it.

Altered Item/Upcycled Project

I love reading affirmative quotes, they make me feel positive and charge me up for the day. In the new year, I decided to make it a habit to at least read one each day, that’s when I thought wouldn’t it be better if I could have a daily quote displayed on my craft table. I thought the best way to do this was to make a magnetic board where I can shuffle the letters and have a new quote each day. And since I had to make an upcycled project this was the perfect opportunity to use the magnetic whiteboard that I had brought 5 years back and hadn’t used much.

I started by cleaning the board using 99% rubbing alcohol. Then I stuck the Gold String Washi Tape on it. After that, I stuck glitter gold tape from my stash around the edges of the board to give it some sparkle.

Next, I stuck the Gilded Ombre Washi Tape on the Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock and placed the Caps Bold Alphabet Die Set and ran it through the die cutting machine. I repeated this process a few times. Then I die cut the alphabets from plain Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock. To make the alphabets more stable, I stacked 3 die cut pieces together (1 die cut of washi tape alphabet and 2 die cuts of plain Neenah Solar white cardstock alphabets) and stuck them using art glitter glue. I then stuck tiny magnets behind each alphabet.

After that, I stuck Botanical Rhapsody and Misty Meadows Washi Tapes on Neenah Solar White 80lb cardstock and fussy cut the pieces that I wanted to use to decorate the board. I used magnets to stick the flowers and leaves to the background so that in addition to the quotes, I can even change the decor of the board whenever I feel like it.

I am so happy with how it turned out and I now have my own affirmative quote board! Yaaay!!

I am linking this project to the Altenew Home Decor Contest 2020.

Thank you so much for reading my super long post. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed making the projects.

Supplies:

Birthday Card:

Love/Thinking of You Card:

Anniversary Card:

Encouragement Card:

Altered Item/Upcycled Project:

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