AECP Level 1 All About Layering 3

Hi Everyone!

I'm so excited to share my very first project for the Altenew Educator Certifcation Program (AECP)!

When I applied, I hoped this program would help take my cardmaking to the next level - and I was beyond thrilled to be accepted.

Some of my goals for this journey include:

• Expanding my skills and trying new techniques—or rediscovering old favorites.

• Use more of my (ever-growing!) collection of products—because let's be honest, we all buy more than we have time to use!

• Finally putting some of my many backgrounds to good use. I have countless gel plate prints—I just love playing with my plate.

For this project, I created a card inspired by the lessons in the "All About Layering 3" course. I can't wait to hear what you think.

A few of my many gel prints

True to my goals, I reached for the Grateful Heart Stamp Set—a gorgeous floral stamp that’s been waiting patiently in my stash for some love! I stamped the flower multiple times in a variety of colors on different papers, which turned out to be a great practice exercise. It also helped me discover that my Altenew Crisp Dye Inks stamp best on Neena Solar White —a handy tip for future projects. Plus, now I have a stash of beautiful flowers ready to go for future cards!

A few of my stamped flowers

For the background, I chose a cream and purple gel print, which paired beautifully with a purple flower stamped in Shades of Purple Crisp Dye Inks. Since die-cut stamped images often leave a white border, I fussy-cut around the flower to ensure it blended seamlessly with the background.

To take it a step further, I used my Soft Lilac  Artist Marker to color the edges of the die-cut flower. This little trick helps hide small imperfections and makes the image pop against the background.

Because I love adding dimension to my floral designs, I carefully cut into the flower to separate the petals slightly (see the next picture). This simple step adds movement and depth. Before making the final cut, I practiced on a flower that wasn’t stamped perfectly—just to be safe!

Instead of using the coordinating stamped leaves, I decided to mix things up by die-cutting leaves and branches from paper, which I had watercolored in different green shades. I used a variety of die sets, including: Just Leaves Die Set, Berries and Branches Die Set, Itty Bitty Flowers Die Set and Itty Bitty Branches Die Set.

I won’t admit how long I played around with the placement (we’ve all been there!), but I wanted to balance my floral focal point with enough open space to let my background shine. I just love that peeled-paint look!

For the sentiment, I die-cut a small scripted “hello” three times—twice from white cardstock and once from glossy black—to create a dimensional stacked effect. (I used the add-on dies from the Watercolor Roses Layering Stencil Set for this.) This delicate touch was the perfect finishing detail, and I adhered it right next to the flower.

I decided to skip additional embellishments so the design wouldn’t feel too busy.

I hope you like my first AECP project! Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy crafting!