AECP Final Workshop - Follow your Rainbow

 Hello and welcome! I am thrilled to be sharing my final task in my Altenew Educator Certification Program. Yesterday I hosted 6 crafty friends at my house - yes, we are very fortunate to not have Covid-19 in New Zealand - and I really enjoyed finally getting to teach again. My biggest passion is to teach paper crafts and over the years I have had many opportunities as I used to own a Scrapbook Shop and designed and taught many different classes. Yesterday just rekindled that passion and I really look forward to many more opportunities to teach for Altenew.

PLANNING:

The planning started about 6 weeks ago when I received an email from Virginia Lu giving me all the info I needed to start preparing. I had already asked 6 crafty friends if they would like to do the class and once we had the date set for 31st July, I started to plan. I have to say that the hardest thing for me was deciding what techniques I would teach as there are SO many wonderful techniques which I love using myself. I finally decided that as my group were mostly beginners to card making but certainly not beginners to paper crafting and scrapbooking, I would focus on various types of inks, ink blending, 3D embossing folders and using ink as watercolours to create patterned papers which could be die cut to use to create pretty backgrounds. 

Who doesn't love a good rainbow? Rainbows make me happy so this is the theme I chose. I called my class "Follow your Rainbow". Here is the invitation I sent to my friends, Virginia and Erum. 

INVITATION:

Hello Crafty Friends!

You are invited to my house to enjoy a 2-hour class on

Saturday 31^st July 2021 at 1pm

(start of class but please be there by the latest 12h30)

“FOLLOW YOUR RAINBOW”

Is the final step in my journey to become a Certified Altenew Educator.

We will be joined by 2 lovely ladies from Altenew – Virginia and Erum – they will join the class via Zoom.

I will show you how to use various techniques to create 3 beautiful cards using Altenew products. All Altenew supplies will be provided for your use on the day, and you will be sent a list of essential crafting supplies to bring with you.

I look forward to having a fun time with you and I hope you will learn lots of tips and tricks for easy card-making along the way!

Smiles, Annemarie 

I really enjoyed creating 3 cards for my workshop. I had to send them to Virginia for approval about 4 weeks before the class.

THE DAY BEFORE:

I spent the day setting up the extra tables in my dining room, making sure that all the supplies for each card were clearly marked for each person and an instruction sheet typed and printed out so that everyone would easily know what they would need to do. Below are a few photos of my demo space and how I set up for each person - I decided to have the ladies work in pairs and each pair had a different starting card so that no supplies were required by all 6 at once!

This is my demo station

Two views of how I set up for each person.

Below are photos of each card with details on how I created each one.

CARD #1:

I began by explaining the difference between dye inks, pigment inks and hybrid ink like oxide inks, how they work, how long they take to dry and how they blend. 

I specifically chose to use a panel of Bristol Smooth cardstock as this is the smoothest and easiest to ink blend on and as the ladies were mostly beginners, I felt that their first experience with ink blending would be a good one! I added some tips and tricks along the way.

Using I then demonstrated how to use a stamp positioning tool, how to prepare the surface with an anti-static powder then ink up the stamp and stamp for a clear result. I demonstrated the best way to heat emboss the stamped image. 

The sentiment comes from the Altenew Simple Greetings Die Set https://altenew.com/products/simple-greetings-die-set - the top later was cut from silver metallic cardstock and the shadow from vellum. A few pearls added the finishing touches.

CARD #2:

One of my favourite products from Altenew are their stunning 3D embossing folders so it was an obvious choice to include this in my class!

I used the Decorate Florals 3D Embossing Folder https://altenew.com/products/decorative-florals-3d-embossing-folder and using my Altenew mini cube inks, I demonstrated how to ink up the folder using a blend of rainbow colours and it was so lovely to hear the excitement when they could open and reveal their dimensional creations! They were really amazed at how easy it was. I also taught the "rule of thirds" and how odd numbers are always more pleasing to the eye.

They were guided to stamp and heat emboss a sentiment and add some bling for a final touch.

CARD #3:

For this rainbow card, the ladies were shown how to create their own backgrounds using the Altenew dye inks as watercolours, what colours to blend to create new colours and which ones to avoid painting too close together. The panel was then used to die cut the leaves using Altenew Just Leaves die set https://altenew.com/products/just-leaves-die-set and I demonstrated how to puzzle piece the images onto the panel and cut off the excess to fill in little gaps. 

A vellum strip with gold heat embossing for the sentiment added the finishing touches along with a few iridescent sequins.

I was really excited to coach everyone through their own creative process and it was so good to see them try new things and learn new techniques. I took photos of each person's beautiful results.

SANDY:

BRIGID:

ADELE:

RACHEL:

SYBIL:

RHOANE:

What a fun afternoon we had together! I am very impressed with all the wonderful, colourful cards which were created and I really hope I have inspired them to continue exploring the wonderful world of card making. 

BONUS CARD EXAMPLES:

I just couldn't stop making rainbow cards while I was planning my class! Here are 6 more examples I created just to give the ladies in my class more ideas and inspiration. 

Well, that's a wrap! I have completed the final step in my journey to become an Altenew Certified Educator and I would really like to thank Erum Tasneem for all her guidance, advice, tips and encouragement throughout the various levels of the program. 

To Virginia, thank you for being able to watch virtually and be part of my fun class. It was lovely to meet you and I look forward to "seeing" you again soon.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this journey over the past 8 months or so. I am proud to have achieved my goal and I cannot wait to find more opportunities to create with Altenew products and share my passion for teaching all types of paper craft. 

Thank you for visiting my blog.