Hello crafty friends, Claire Apostoloff is on the blog to introduce the August 2024 Inspiration Challenge and share 2 quick but gorgeous cards with basic supplies you probably already have in your craft room!

August 2024 Inspiration Challenge

Each month, a member of the Altenew Design Team selects a photo they have created themselves and uses that as inspiration for a project. As a guest designer for the August 2024 Challenge, I'm excited to share my own inspiration photo and project with you!

Inspiration Photo

 I’m so lucky to live on the outskirts of Sydney, Australia, in a suburb known as ‘the Bushland Shire.’ There's an abundance of green space and within a short drive of home there’s Muogamarra Nature Reserve, a huge area of natural beauty with a rich history of Aboriginal heritage. The reserve is only open for 6 weeks each year, in Spring, when the native wildflowers are at their blooming best – this particular native is called Silky Grevillea.

First Card Inspiration: Add Shimmer to Your Stenciled Background

For my first card, I used Wispy Joy – it’s a particular favourite due to it’s arty, sketchy style. It means that if you don’t manage to layer those stamps exactly, it really doesn’t matter! 

I’m a sucker for a white background – clean, white space but with some subtle detail. For this I used the Beach Towel Stripes Stencil. I’ve used this stencil with Altenew Embossing Paste and glitter before but this time I used holographic embossing powder, the advantage being that, once heat embossed, it doesn’t shed. The paste doesn’t have to be perfectly smooth when you lay it down because you smother the top of it with the powder. I find it’s best to use a piece of card stock which is larger than the panel of your card. That way you can cut the panel down and cut off any bits that are less than perfect. There are lots of tools you can use to lay down the paste but I use an expired credit card – it’s perfect as it’s flexible plastic. Once you’ve laid down the paste and covered it with the powder leave it at least an hour before heat setting with a heat gun. 

Because I like a clean and simple style, I stamped and embossed the flowers with white embossing powder, then used a combination of Blush and Grapevine dye inks to colour them. The beauty of using layering stamps is that you don't have to stamp every single layer, depending on the look you’d like to achieve. For two of the blooms I only stamped one of the layers in Blush so that they sit subtly in the background and allow the more dominant blooms to stand out. I made a couple of blooms ‘pop’ by adding Instant Dimensional Foam Tape. Once I’d decided on the placement of the blooms I took a photo. How many times have you placed all the elements on your card, only for someone to nudge the card and move them all? (Or is that only my household?) I find this so helpful – there’s nothing worse than having a great layout, only to find you’ve forgotten what went where! Finally, I added a simple greeting from Sentiment Strips 1– because I wanted a softer look I used gold embossing powder instead of black and added a few gold sequins to pull it all together. 

Second Card Inspiration: Make the Most Out of Patterned Paper!

For my second card, I used one of Altenew’s 6 x 6 paper packs – Celebrate. Tip: I find patterned paper is great for quick cards as the hard work’s already been done for me! Using the Mini Instant Camera Frame Die I cut a frame from the vine-covered paper, removed the centre panel, then cut a few more from some scrap card stock and glued them all together. I then nestled the centre panel back in the frame – in this way I created some more depth. Using a second piece of the same patterned paper, I lined the vines up with the frame, and die cut a second panel. Because I’ve used a different patterned paper for the background I matted both the frame and the panel with contrasting cardstock. 

As the the Mini Instant Camera Frame Die is quite small, the Mini Delight Stamp and Die Sets are the perfect size – I used Mini Magnolia, coloured with alcohol inks. The sentiment is also from Sentiment Strips 1, stamped in Grapevine Dye Ink. I hope these cards have given you some inspiration! Link up your project using the button below to be in with the chance of winning one of five $30 Altenew gift certificates to use in the store! ~Claire 

What do you think about Claire's quick & stunning cards? Now, it’s your turn! We can’t wait to see what you create!

Play along with our Inspiration Challenge

• Altenew products should be the focus, but other companies' products can be used.
• Make sure to use our challenge image above in your blog post.
• Include a link back to the ALTENEW INSPIRATION CHALLENGE POST.
• When uploading your project, make sure you link your entry post, not your entire blog.
• You may enter the challenge as many times as you wish!
• The challenge ends on August 31st, 2024, at 11:55 pm EDT.

FREE Coloring Pages!Nothing from Altenew in your crafting stash? Not a problem!

Introducing our FREE Coloring Pages, a collection of printable coloring sheets that you can use for the Inspiration Challenge. Color them with your favorite medium or combine them with other designs in your stash – the creative possibilities are endless! Get more designs here.

After the challenge ends, FOUR WINNERS will be selected. Each will receive a $30 gift certificate to spend at www.altenew.com. Winners will be announced on September 10, 2024.

More Prizes!

If you use #AltenewChallenge when you share your challenge entry on social media, you are instantly entered into a raffle to win a $15 gift certificate to our online store. Feel free to use the badge above and let everyone know you are a participant in our Inspiration Challenge! Good luck and happy crafting!