9 Years of Altenew: A Journey of Creativity and Inspiration

Welcome to our celebration of 9 years of Altenew - a journey of creativity and inspiration! It's hard to believe that it's been almost a decade since we started this journey, and yet it feels like only yesterday that we were just a small online store selling stamps and paper crafting supplies in a basement. 

Over the years, we've grown and evolved, expanding our product line and partnering with incredibly talented designers and artists worldwide. But one thing has remained constant throughout our journey - our passion for creativity and the joy that it brings to crafters.

In this blog post, we're taking a look back at some of the highlights of our journey so far. From our earliest days to our most recent collaborations, we'll share some of the stories, memories, and milestones that have made Altenew what it is today. We'll also talk about the crafty activities, events, and other exciting deals we have in store for you crafters.

So grab a cup of tea, get cozy, and join us on this journey of creativity, inspiration, and celebration!

Altenew’s Story of Growth Through the Years

Stampwheel

2023 was a wild ride for Altenew. From the launch of our Stampwheel to the release of our new product category, ensembles, this year was the year that we pushed through creative boundaries. We successfully launched new types of products, such as gouache, and introduced exciting subscription plans, such as the Spark Joy and Dynamic Duo - all for the sake of making crafting more convenient and enjoyable for our customers. 

“Reaching 9 years itself is a big moment and a milestone!! I take personal pride in us switching gears quickly during the pandemic years to service our customers who were stuck at home by providing virtual workshops, online classes, and more so they could continue to have a creative outlet during difficult times.

We continued to come up with innovative products, from layering floral stamps to layering/coloring stencils, ink color families that go perfectly with our layering products, wonderful blending tools in various sizes/needs, and Stampwheel; these are all big milestones and wonderful products that we came out for our valued customers.” - Nicole, Operations Director

Internally, we are also proud of the growth of our Altenew family, including our pool of virtual team members, now around 30, with employees spanning from different parts of the globe. Along with this growth, externally, we have also successfully launched the sister company of Altenew, Artistry by Altenew, aiming to cater to a wider range of artists and creative enthusiasts with new products.  

“I think the proudest moment or milestone of Altenew is that it has been giving great help not just to its employees but also by giving out to other people who are in need. Working with Altenew makes you feel like you are part of a family who really cares about your well-being as a person!” - Roxanne, Operations Team Lead

Spark Joy Monthly Subscription Plan: Hot Foil Plates for Crafting

We are so proud of many accomplishments, and we are so humbled by the overwhelming support of our fans that led us to this point. The success of Altenew is your success, and we will always strive our best to fulfill our brand's promise and goal. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, you can view Altenew's growth by the numbers in our infographic e-book:

 

"I believe my crafting style has evolved. Lots more florals. I'm also a little more self-assertive and plan ahead more." - Lydia, Creative Ambassador

“5 years ago, I didn't know anything about digital marketing, SEM, or paper crafting, in general. Working with Altenew has taught me so many things (including some valuable life hacks), helped me learn new skills, and introduced me to the wonderful paper crafting community.” - Irick, Digital Marketing Team Lead

“In the last 8 yrs I've been with Altenew, my passion for crafting grew from being a personal hobby to a career that will bring joy to others by bringing products to life, providing educational content, and helping customers through support in their crafting needs. It was no longer a personal enjoyment; rather it has become a proud life project of creating a community enjoyment.” - Nicole, Operations Director

“As a co-founder, I have been with Altenew from the beginning. Personally, I have grown a lot with regard to product design - from ideas and innovation to my improved skill in using digital designing tools. I am also proud to say that my hobby has grown into a job that I am so passionate about and that this company has been able to do the same for others!” - Jennifer, VP of Product Development & Co-Founder

“I joined Altenew when I was very young- I had not much experience in the work world, but I was a crafter already, so I was over the moon to be working with a paper crafting company- a total dream come true. I have learned so much working here, and I continue to do so every day.” - Maryam, Graphic Design Team Lead

“I started as an Operations Associate back in August 2021, and with my director's nurturing & guidance, I got promoted to team lead last July 2022. My skills have been enhanced and improved over the last few years I've been with Altenew. I am not really much of a crafter, or a creative person, I am more of an analytical and methodological type of person, but because of Altenew, I learned how to craft & create different projects. I actually now enjoy doing some crafts as a stress-reliever.” - Roxanne, Operations Team Lead

Altenew’s Fun Anniversary Celebrations You Can Join In

Now that you know the sunlight of our past, here's to looking toward a brighter future! Celebrate the present with us by joining in the various activities we have planned for you!

From free shipping promotions to giveaways, there's a lot of crafty fun in store for our beloved customers because we wouldn’t have gotten this far without you. Check out some of these main highlights you can look forward to: 

NEW Altenew Academy Class

Daring Dimension Class

Do you enjoy our Altenew Academy crafty classes? Well, you're just in luck because this year, for our 9th anniversary, we held a Daring Dimension class with Lydia! If you've been looking for new ways to amp up the dimension and texture of your cards and other projects, then settle in your favorite crafty corner and take this class today! 

Spread Some #AltenewLove

This year, we sent some thank-you postcards and FREE personalized stamps to lucky crafters as a token of our appreciation. You have all been with us from the beginning, and we're using this time to give you back the love and support you have given us. If you're one of the crafters who have received such a package, share a photo on social media with the hashtag #AltenewLove and get a chance to be one of the ten crafters to receive a $20 Altenew gift certificate. 

The winners will be announced on May 5, 2023, on the Altenew Blog, so keep an eye out - you just might get picked! 

Launch of a Brand-New, Large Stamp Set

Have you ever wished for a stamp set that could do more? Well, we got something HUGE for you -literally! Alongside the beautiful ensembles for our April release, we are kicking our 9th year as a company by giving you a classic Altenew trademark - a floral stamp set sized 8"x10.5"!

Billowing Peonies

We just love flowers so much, so we decided to make one that's extra special and extra big - the Billowing Peonies bundle! The Billowing Peonies will produce stunning backgrounds and focal points, perfect for quickly covering an A2 or A4-sized card, scrapbook layout, or journal page. 

If you're looking for a stamp set that can give you a different look each time, then these large peonies will do the job! You can experiment with different stamping angles and corners and have fun coloring the lush petals with your favorite markers or paint! 

Anniversary Treasure Hunt 

It's time to put your detective skills to work! Earn the chance to participate in secret giveaways on our social media by watching the weekly-released videos on the Altenew Youtube channel for the entire month of April. Per week, you can get a chance to win a $50 gift card, plus get a shot at taking home a full May 2023 Subscription Release at the end of the month.

Now isn't that a steal? So get your popcorn game on because it's time to binge-watch some crafty tutorials and videos! 

Things You Can Look Forward to From Altenew

Spoiler alert - we still have a lot of crafty surprises in store for you! From a fun collaboration with Amy Tangerine to even more new products in your favorite categories (new fresh dye inks?), many more innovative and high-quality products are ready to be released. But apart from these exciting releases, what do we hope next for Altenew?

“I hope we can continue to grow as a company, bring more innovative products to the industry, and continue to help people bring their creative side out.” - Maryam, Graphic Design Team Lead

“Since our motto is "Craft Your Life" - I hope we can continue to inspire people to do just that! As with any company, there are ups and downs, but I know that as long as we can help people to create, learn, and grow, we have succeeded in something.” - Jennifer, VP of Product Development & Co-Founder

“I hope we can continue to grow and stay as a trendsetting company for the industry with unique/timeless designs and fresh new products! And be a company that serves a wide range of crafters/artists/planners/diarists for many years to come!” - Nicole, Operations Director

All in all, you can look forward to even more inspiring ideas and tutorials, interactive classes and workshops, a supportive and engaged community, and a commitment to endless creativity from Altenew. We thank you for crafting your life with us, and here’s to more years!

With all the love, Altenew.