Just A Note – Clean And Simple Boutique Style Card

Hello again Friends!

I completed another class and I have another project to share, this time it is for AECP Level 1 Class – Clean and Simple Boutique Cards.  I enjoyed this class even though CAS is not my style at all lol.  However this class is not just CAS but CAS Boutique Cards meaning that these cards are elevated from the regular CAS cards to something that you might find in an upmarket card shop.  Links to all my class posts are at the bottom of the post.

Inspiration

When I first started making cards I used to think that the objective was to make the card look as much like something you would see in a store and as less like someone actually made it by hand hah! Of course my style has changed since then, and my cards definitely don’t look like something you would find in a card shop!  So I enjoyed this class as it made me think again about CAS cards and how to elevate them using specific ideas and techniques, and also make them look more elegant and refined.  I decided to focus on adding metallic details to my card design, whilst reminding myself to keep it clean and simple!

Overview of my card process

I wanted to use foil again as I really don’t use it enough and to use it with the laminator this time.  I did a few tests with the foil and the laminator and I was not getting good results – it just didn’t seem to be hot enough, so it could be I need a better laminator.  Now that foiling was off the table, I went back to my usual way of adding metallics, and that is heat embossing.  I stamped out the two entwined flowers from the Wonderland stamp set, using Versamark ink, and dusted it with Wow Gold Rush embossing powder, and heat set it.  Then I played around with various sentiments and ways of adding them – I tried heat embossing on vellum and heat embossing on black cardstock to make a banner ribbon.  I decided that I liked the gold embossing on the black cardstock better than the white on black, and also because it matched the gold embossed flowers.  I cut out the banner ribbon by hand and adhered it to the white card panel.  I considered stamping out a smaller sentiment underneath the black banner ribbon, but kept telling myself “less is more!”.

I cut the card panel down to 5.25 x 6.25 inches and rounded the corners with a corner rounder.  Then I chose some Gina K Gold Metallic cardstock and used it to make the card base which was 5.5 x 6.5 inches, and I rounded the corners on it too.  Then I adhered the white panel to the gold card base and the card was complete!

Thoughts

This was fun and quite a quick card to make, once I finally decided which elements to use.  I think it looks very elegant, clean and simple and exactly what I was aiming for. I need to try a different laminator for the foiling and see if that is more successful as it is a technique I would like to use more.  I know I had better results last year on a larger laminator so it could be that this one just doesn’t get hot enough.  I’m glad I had good old reliable heat embossing to fall back on – watching embossing powder melt is something I never get tired of.

PROJECT RECIPE:

Altenew – Wonderland Stamp set
Smooth white cardstock
Gina K Onyx Black, Gold Metallic cardstock
Versamark embossing ink
Wow – gold rush embossing powder
Nuvo – Deluxe Adhesive
From stash/other:

FYI Here’s a list of the Classes for Level 1:

.All About Layering 1
.All About Layering 2
.Clean & Simple Boutique Cards You are here
.Easy Ink Blending Techniques
.For The Guys
.Let It Shine
.Celebration: Stencil Techniques
.Seasonal Scene Building
.Easy Die Cutting Techniques
.Irresistible Inking Techniques