February 2026 Guest Designer of the Month

Hello everyone!

I am Ishani, also known as Quillish. Being here today as a Guest Designer feels incredibly special and a bit emotional. Exactly one year ago, I completed my Level 3 of the Altenew Educator’s Certification Program (AECP) and officially became an Altenew Educator. That milestone changed so much for me creatively and personally. So, to now be guest designing for Altenew one year later truly means the world to me. It feels like a full-circle moment and I am so grateful to celebrate this anniversary with a community that loves Altenew just as much as I do.

I absolutely love birds for my cards, cushions, curtains, dresses-everything! Birds were the central focus of my Level 3 final class and the response to that workshop was overwhelming in the most heartwarming way. The encouragement, the participation, the messages, the kindness, it all stayed with me long after the class ended. That experience shaped my confidence as an Educator.

This year, as my anniversary month as an Altenew Educator was approaching, I had already been thinking - should I celebrate this with a card, a class? How do I pay homage to birds again? And then this Guest Designer opportunity came along. It honestly felt like a little God-sent moment. In many ways, I feel like Altenew has been the wind beneath my wings - encouraging, nurturing and lifting me higher than I ever imagined. So, including a bird on this card felt symbolic - almost like a quiet tribute to that chapter. This time, the perched bird soars!

I used the following products on my card today:

• Craft Your Life Project Kit: Whispers in the Canopy
• Creative Labels Stamp and Die Set

Cardstock:

• White Cardstock
• Galactic Stream
• Brushed Gold
• Pink Diamond
• Rubellite
• Lemon Yellow

Inks:

• Pinkalicious
• Rubellite
• Just Green
• Hunter Green
• Toasted Mauve

Embellishment:

• Ivory Pearl Dots

For this project, I wanted to create something vibrant yet sophisticated, a card that feels luxurious but still heartfelt. I started with a beautifully detailed embossed background using the Whispers in the Canopy Kit’s embossing folder. Instead of keeping it subtle, I leaned into rich, saturated tones to create drama, using Galactic Stream cardstock. By blending and layering shades of green over the embossed leaves, using the coordinating leaf stencils and dye inks in Just Green, Hunter Green and Toasted Mauve, I was able to create depth and dimension while still letting the florals shine. The monochromatic foliage allows the brighter elements to truly pop.

For the large pink blooms, which are the stars of this card, I layered Pinkalicious and Rubellite with the stencils on a separate white cardstock. With Toasted Mauve, I added darker details toward the center of the flowers. Then I fussy-cut my flowers and buds. To balance the composition, I trimmed my panel so that I have one bloom prominently in one corner and another partially peeking in from the upper left. This diagonal flow guides the eye naturally across the card.

And then it was time to add the sweet, layered bird, from the kit. The soft yellow and pink tones complement the florals beautifully while adding a playful element to the design. It brings life to the card, as if the bird has just fluttered in to deliver the message, “THANK YOU.” It is stamped and cut from the Creative Labels set. I stamped it with Rubellite ink and added a slight shadow effect by layering a die-cut label from Brushed Gold cardstock. I added Ivory pearl embellishments for just the right amount of elegance and texture without overpowering the design.

Thank you so much for stopping by and to everyone who has blessed me, encouraged me and cheered me on with so much love, I truly feel fortunate and grateful. I hope this card inspires you to play with rich color, textured backgrounds and meaningful focal elements that tell your own story.

With love,

Ishani | Quillish