A Decade of Creativity: Celebrating Altenew's 10th Anniversary

Are you ready to celebrate a decade of creativity, innovation, and inspiration with Altenew? From humble beginnings to becoming a powerhouse in the paper crafting industry, Altenew has continuously amazed crafters with stunning floral layering stamps, dye ink families, layering stencils, and the game-changing Stampwheel.

Let's take a trip down memory lane and explore the remarkable journey of Altenew.

“Altenew is turning 10! I still remember our humble beginning where it was just Jen and I starting a 'stamp' company to feature designs that we wanted to use, and hoping others would like them too. And here we are ten years later, still designing products that we love to use! I feel so grateful for our team and for each and every one of our fans who has supported us through this incredible journey! I look forward to many more years of Altenew awesomeness!” - Tasnim Ahmed, Altenew President and Co-Founder

Altenew at 10: Honoring Tradition, Embracing Innovation

How It All Began: The Story of Altenew

A decade ago, Altenew was founded with a simple yet powerful vision - to bring joy, creativity, and innovation to the world of paper crafting. Inspired by the beauty of flowers and different cultures around the world, Altenew set out to create innovative products that would elevate the crafting experience.

In this very first blog post by Altenew President Tasnim Ahmed shared how it all began. 

“I have been thinking of designing stamps ever since I first became a customer. The idea was always in the back of my mind, but I didn't give it too much thought until sometime in June 2013, when I decided it was time to start designing stamps and to open a store. Little did I know then that I would be collaborating with someone down the line!”

And what about her co-founder and Altenew VP of Product Development Jen Rzasa?

“For Jennifer, designing stamps has also been in her mind for some time,” Tasnim shared. “She just needed a little push, and that is where I came in. By December 2013, Jennifer was on board, and ever since then, we have been working hard designing stamp sets and getting ready for our first release.”

Our creative Ambassador, Lydia Evans, looked back on her fondest Altenew moments.

“(Joining Altenew) has changed my life completely! I'm able to share my creativity and the team is like a second family. My favorite Altenew moment was the first time I went on live TV showcasing Altenew products. I remember watching Create and Craft for years and it was so surreal that I was actually on it!”

Do you remember when you first heard about Altenew? Were you already a fan when Tasnim and Jen started the company back in April 2014? Comment below!

A Quick Stroll Down Memory Lane

Our anniversary month is always a time of reminiscing and reflecting on everything we have accomplished since Altenew first launched. On April 7, 2014, our co-founders Tasnim and Jen opened the Altenew doors to the world (we even had a virtual ribbon-cutting ‘ceremony' on the website). Our store had 14 stamp sets, which Jen and Tasnim had designed with a lot of thought and care.

Then came Nabil, Nicole, May, and Lydia… and the rest is history!

Fun Fact! May Park was a fan of Altenew products but wondered why the company didn’t have a presence on social media. She messaged Tasnim and was then offered to handle Altenew’s social media channels. May has been working as Altenew’s Marketing Director (and was part of our design team, too!) since then and has never looked back.

Fast forward 10 years, we have grown from a team of 2 to a team of 30+ and from 14 to 1,269 stamps! We continue to work hard to create beautiful designs, develop complementary products, and, most importantly, inspire you to create heartfelt handmade projects.

How does May feel about Altenew turning 10?

“It's incredible to see Altenew turn 10! It feels like just yesterday I joined the team (in 2015). It's been an amazing journey to witness the company's growth alongside my own. We've faced challenges and celebrated successes together, and both Altenew and I have learned so much along the way. Here's to many more years of creativity and innovation!"

We have launched lots of exciting new products and product categories over the years. From trendy round ink pads and beginner-friendly watercolors to ergonomic ink blending tools to the amazing Stampwheel – these new products were created to help inspire YOU to make beautiful papercraft projects and take your crafting to the next level.

Our goal is to bring ease and convenience while giving you high-quality products and versatile designs.

Watch our dynamic duo answer Altenew fans’ burning questions in this video!

Highlights of Altenew's 10 Years in the Paper Crafting Industry

Over the past ten years, Altenew has achieved remarkable growth and success, solidifying our position as a leader in the paper crafting industry. Each year has been marked by significant achievements, from expanding our reach to new markets to forging exciting collaborations with like-minded creatives.

Did You Know? Iwona Palamountain and Laura Bassen were our first two guest designers on the Altenew blog! They shared their creativity and made amazing projects with Altenew products to help inspire our customers!

If you’re new to Altenew, here’s a 1-minute video to catch you up!

Working with different crafting companies and influencers has helped our team in so many ways. We loved collaborating with other creatives in designing new products, hosting crafting workshops, and sharing our passion with the world.

May is proud of establishing Altenew's anniversary celebration tradition.

“Since our second anniversary, we've been inviting industry friends – other brands, design partners, and crafters – to join our celebrations,” she shared. “This includes sponsoring giveaways, and sharing creative projects online while we are offering exciting deals and gifts to our valued customers. This collaborative approach has fostered a strong sense of community within the paper crafting industry and significantly increased participation in our anniversary festivities.”

Celebrate with us and join in the fun!

Here are some of the most exciting ones we’ve had in recent years!

1. Secret Garden Retreat (with Jennifer McGuire, Laura Bassen, Carissa Wiley, Kelly Taylor, Dawn Woleslagle. and Jaycee Gaspar) 
2. Altenew x Amy Tangerine
3. Altenew x PinkFresh
4. The Stamping Village
5. Altenew x Spellbinders
6. Altenew x Simon Hurley
7. Altenew x Kelly Taylor
8. Altenew x Lindsay Weirich (aka The Frugal Crafter)

We’ve also collaborated with Simon Says Stamp, Scrapbook.com, Hero Arts, and Ellen Hutson. There are MORE exciting collaborations with companies and crafters coming soon, so keep an eye out!

You might have seen the iconic slogan “Craft Your Life” in a lot of Altenew products, blogs, videos, etc. Do you ever wonder what it means and how it came about? Watch our leadership team talk about the true meaning of “Craft Your Life” not just in Altenew, but in their daily lives.

Most Popular Altenew Products

It is no secret that Altenew is known for floral layering stamps - or anything “floral,” for that matter. Ask any crafter and they’d say something like, “Nobody does florals like Altenew!”

As our company evolved, we’ve expanded our offerings to coordinating and layering dies, stencils, dye inks, cardstock, washi tapes, coloring mediums, embellishments, embossing folders, hot foil plates, press plates, and more.

Fun Fact! Painted Flowers was one of the very first Altenew floral layering stamp sets. With this floral stamp set, you can achieve a painted rose garden look easily! A decade later, we’re still coming up with beautiful and elegant floral stamps that can make everyone feel like an artist!

Our product lineup boasts an array of top-selling items that have captured the hearts of crafters worldwide. Altenew floral layering stamps have become iconic for their exquisite and realistic details and versatility, allowing crafters to create stunning floral arrangements with ease.

Additionally, our layering stencils have revolutionized the way we approach the art of stenciling, offering endless possibilities for creating captivating textures and patterns. The dye ink color families took the guesswork out of color coordinating and matching, helping crafters easily stamp and layer images. We are proud to be one of the first companies to offer our inks in color families too!

And let's not forget about the Stampwheel - a true game-changer that has simplified the stamping, stenciling, and ink blending processes, making them more efficient and enjoyable than ever before.

Did You Know? May’s favorite Altenew moment caught her by surprise! “During a regular team meeting, my team threw a virtual birthday party for me. They played a video of birthday messages from everyone on the team, which was incredibly touching and brought tears to my eyes. I'm so grateful for my incredibly talented and supportive team.”

Old and New!

Let’s take a quick look at some of our beloved old and new products and innovations.

Vintage Roses was another one of Altenew’s incredibly popular floral layering stamp sets. This classic set is still a fan favorite to this day! If you are in a room full of cardmakers, it won’t be hard to find someone who owns the Vintage Roses Stamp Set. 

In fact, the very talented card designer Kristina Pokazanieva made her first card with this stamp set! “Thanks, Altenew for inspiring me to make my first card in 2016 with their gorgeous Vintage Roses,” she commented.

Fun Fact! Along with Vintage Roses, our top 3 floral stamps back in 2018 include the Peony Bouquet Stamp Set and Beautiful Day Stamp Set!

What are some of the first stamp sets that Altenew released back in 2014? Glad you asked! Let’s take a trip down memory lane.

• Label Love Stamp Set - Can you believe this well-loved sentiment set is 10 years old?! We couldn’t believe it too! Since its release, we’ve added a few “spin-offs” in different languages and different sizes! 
• Label Love Spanish
• Label Love Arabic
• Label Love German
• Label Love Add-on
• Mega Label Love

• Sohcahtoa Stamp Set - This oldie but goodie is, unfortunately, retired but we still want to highlight its versatility and uniqueness! The lovely Laura Bassen even admitted in her blog that it is one of her all-time favorite stamp sets. Comment below if you have this set in your stash!

• Magnolias for Her Stamp Set - Simple yet stunning! This was one of Altenew’s first outline stamps, allowing crafters to practice their coloring skills!

• Hennah Elements Stamp Set - The swirls and florals in this stamp set were inspired by the Hennah designs across South Asia, also known as Mehndi. Even then, Tasnim and Jen loved incorporating designs from various cultures into Altenew stamps.

• Simple Shapes Stamp Set - The basic shapes in this set were inspired by Tangrams, a Chinese game containing wooden shapes that you use to solve picture puzzles. The seven traditional Tangram pieces, along with a few other basic shapes, make this an extremely versatile set.

Collect some of Altenew’s most iconic designs! Get the Best of 2024 Stamp Bundle and get creative with these versatile sets.

Old	New
The Watercolor 36 Pan Set was our first watercolor set. This has been one of our bestselling products since its release in August 2018.	Watercolor Tubes are the latest additions to our growing watercolor collection. Read more about them here.
March 2017 was the month we introduced the revolutionary Build-A-Flower Layering Stamps to the crafting world! Build-A-Flower: Camellia was the first set and it sold out quickly!	Our Build-A-Flowers sets have since evolved and turned into Build-A-Garden! Because why stick with a few flowers, when you can build a FULL garden?! The newest set to join the Build-A-Garden family is the Elegant Tulips!
To make cardmaking a breeze, we introduced the well-loved Craft Your Life Project Kits! Each kit includes a stamp set, a die set, a stencil, and an embossing folder so all you’ll need are inks and cardstock, and you’re good to go! Our first-ever Project Kit, Seasonal Blooms, was such a big hit that it’s been sold out a few times now!	Like every other Altenew product, these kits had a bit of an “update”! The latest Project Kit has products that are both coordinated and complementary. With the Splendid Bouquet Kit, anyone can whip up beautiful cards without breaking a sweat!

Innovations That Set Altenew Apart

What sets Altenew apart? The relentless pursuit of creativity and innovation. We have introduced groundbreaking techniques and game-changing crafting tools that have redefined the paper crafting landscape.  

Former design team member Laurie Willison had this to say about Altenew products, “One of my favorite things, after all this time, is that I can find things in every release that work well with my style.”

The lovely Virginia Lu (a beloved former design team member as well) added this: “I am not a natural-born artist, yet your beautiful and artistic designs make me feel like a natural artist!”

Altenew has continuously pushed the boundaries of creativity, inspiring crafters to explore new possibilities and unleash their artistic potential. Whether you’re into simple stamping and die-cutting or coloring and mixed media, Altenew has something for everyone!

Here are some unique and game-changing Altenew products over the years.

• Layering Stamps
• Fabric (If you think you don’t need to add fabric to your crafting stash, think again! Here are 26 EASY Fabric Crafts you can try today!)

• Realistic 3D Floral Layering Dies (Does anyone have the Fantasy Floral or Peony Dream 3D Dies? Comment below!) 

• Craft-A-Flower Sets feat. the Key-Hole System

• Zero Waste Dies
• One-Go Stamps and Dies

• Cross Stitch Flower and Needlework Motif (Stamp sets you can stitch on!)  

• Mini Blossom Die Cutting Machine (Cute, travel-friendly, and does the job!)

• Obsidian Pigment Ink (There’s a reason this essential black ink is almost always sold out! It’s also a staple in Jennifer McGuire’s craft desk!)

• Layering Stencils (We also need to highlight our innovative Builder Stencils!)
• 3D Embossing Folders (If you haven’t tried our embossing folders yet, you’re totally missing out!)

• Ink Blending Tools (These aren’t Jennifer McGuire’s favorite tools for no reason!)
• Mini Stamps and Dies (Perfect for beginner crafters and crafters on the go! Read more.) 
• Stampwheel (No introduction needed for this one!)

• Stamp & Paint (You sold them out, so we brought them back! Grab yours now before they’re gone again!)
• Paint by Numbers and Coloring Books (For the aspiring artist in you!)

• Washi Tapes (Our versatile washi tapes remain popular among scrapbookers, planners, and journaling enthusiasts!)
• 8” x 11” Stamp Sets (These huge floral stamp sets are only released once a year - during our anniversary month!)

We could go on and on and list all the amazing and innovative Altenew products released over the past 10 years, but we’d be here forever. Which Altenew product is the most innovative and game-changing for you? Let us know in the comment section below!

Looking Ahead: Altenew's Future in the Crafting World

As we look to the future, it's exciting to think about what the next decade holds for Altenew. With our unwavering commitment to excellence and a finger on the pulse of emerging trends, you can anticipate even more groundbreaking products and techniques that will shape the future of paper crafting. From embracing new technologies to exploring fresh design aesthetics, Altenew is poised to lead the way in shaping the crafting world for years to come.

How has Altenew changed your life? 

"Altenew isn't just a company, it's a dream come true for a crafter like me!” Marketing Director May Park shared. “Working here has fueled both my professional and personal growth. Altenew has taught me the importance of creativity, community, and kindness. It's been amazing to learn and grow alongside such a talented team."

Design team member Erum Tasneem added, “I still pinch myself at times that I am part of this incredible company.”

Aga Malyszek has been with Altenew since 2015 and we absolutely adore everything she creates with our products. “It’s been wonderful to watch how this company grows and evolves. Their beautiful stamps and dies are a joy to work with, they are always beautifully designed, easy to use, and keep inspiring my creative juices to flow. It’s also a real privilege to work with such a talented, kind, and committed team of people who stand behind Altenew.”

Our 10th-anniversary celebrations are just the beginning of what promises to be an exhilarating future filled with creativity, community, and endless inspiration. Cheers to old and new beginnings in the world of paper crafting!