If you have come from the uber talented Galina Filippenko, then you are in the right place! If you happened by chance, then I hope you hop along with us for a chance to win some exciting prizes! To check out the full list of prizes and more information on the hop, head over to the Altenew blog linked here.
To celebrate their anniversay, Altenew is giving over $1,400 in total prizes! Altenew is giving away a $70 gift certificate to 5 lucky winners and one Altenew Academy class to 15 lucky winners. There are also 19 awesome companies/crafty friends who are celebrating with us, and they are offering the following prizes:
- Altenew: 5 $70 Altenew gift certificates
- Jennifer McGuire Ink: $100 Altenew gift certificate
- Gina K. Designs: $100 gift certificate
- My Sweet Petunia: $100 gift certificate
- Spellbinders Paper Arts: $100 gift certificate
- CiLi in Papers: €75 gift certificate
- Lawn Fawn: $75 gift certificate
- Online Card Classes: 3 online class spots
- Altenew Academy: 15 online class spots
- Auzz Trinklets N Krafts: $50 gift certificate
- Concord & 9th: $50 gift certificate
- Hero Arts: $50 gift certificate
- My Little Attic: $50 gift certificate
- Scrapbook.com: $50 certificate
- Simon Says Stamp: $50 gift certificate
- Pinkfresh Studio: $50 gift certificate
- Bumbleberry Papercrafts: £25 gift certificate
- Waffle Flower: 1 prize bundle valued at $32
- Butterfly Reflections Ink: $25 gift certificate
- Ellen Hutson LLC: $25 gift certificate
- Scrapbook & Cards Today: 1 copy of Scrapbook & Cards Today Spring 2021 issue
In celebration of their anniversary, I would like to share my Altenew story with you. Ever since I can remember I have always been a crafter. As a kid I would sew my own Barbie clothes using scraps from my mom’s dressmaking business. I would crawl under her sewing machine and pick up whatever fabric scraps I could find. Then I would “steal” some needle and thread and sew clothes for my Barbie’s. In the 70’s, Barbie doll accessories were quite expensive so I would have to resort to making my own — I would turn shoe boxes into beds, bookshelves, books, etc for my Barbie. Then I graduated into other crafts like origami, papier mache, decoupage. When I got married and had my kids, I started scrapbooking. Four years ago, I discovered card making and have been hooked ever since. I am telling this story because Altenew was one of the first stamp sets I ever bought! Before I discovered Altenew, I was using ephemera on my cards, I did not know any other way to make them.
One day as I was browsing through the internet, I chanced upon a local online store selling cardmaking stamps. I was immediately drawn to the floral stamps they carried. So I ordered one called Spring Daisy – and it was Altenew! I entered my home address for delivery then shortly recieved an email from the store saying that it would be hand delivered — the owner of the store was my neighbor. She lived right next door! Nenette of @mylittleattic, if you are reading this – I blame you for my addiction to Altenew! Haha!
Here is the very first stamped card I created. Notice how I didn’t vary the colors in my stamp layering? I didn’t have many inks at that time to do that. I also did not use the coordinating dies because at that time I didn’t even own a die-cutting machine. And the leaves – I hand colored them with markers!
In honor of Altenew’s 7th Anniversary, I will C.A.S.E. (Copy And Selectively Edit) my very first card using the same stamp set. The difference will be how my skills have changed over the four years! If you would like to know more about how I C.A.S.E. other crafters projects as inspiration, you can check it here.
My original card was fairly clean and simple. I used an embossing folder for the background and some baker’s twine as accent. The color palette was also quite traditional, yellow for the daisy and green for the leaves and stem. It’s not an ugly card by any means, but it looks very one-dimensional.
Here is my “updated” card design using my original card as inspiration.
I used the same Spring Daisy stamp set for my card. I stamped the flowers on watercolor cardstock with Obsidian Ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I painted the flowers, leaves and the stems with watercolor brush markers from the Spring Garden set.
After I watercolored them, I used my Prismacolor pencils to enhance the areas in the inner part of the flower and in the middle of the leaves.
For the background, I used my all-time favorite embossing forder, Angled Mosaic, and embossed it on white cardstock. I used the Jet Blank Ink spray for the splatters.
I arranged and adhered my floral elements to the middle of the embossed panel. I used foam tape on the bottom flower and the small bud to add some dimension.
The sentiment “Sending Love & Hugs” is from the Best Sentiments stamp set, stamped with Obsidian Ink and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I added it to the bottom of the stems with foam tape.
I would like to give Altenew a big thank you for their wonderful products and for inspiring me everyday! I’ve come so far and learned so much in my crafting journey and I credit them for that! I am also so grateful for their invitation to celebrate this wonderful milestone with them!
Special Offer
Enjoy FREE U.S. shipping with code HAPPY7TH or $5 OFF international shipping with code ANNIV21 at checkout. Offer valid from 4/8/2021 at 12:01 am EDT through 4/11/2021 at 11:59 pm EDT. Shop here: Altenew Not valid on prior purchases. Cannot be combined with other promo codes.
I am the last stop in DAY 2, you can start over at the Altenew blog linked here!
‘Til next time!
Anna
Thank you for visiting my blog. I truly appreciate it! You can also find me on Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and Facebook.
BLOG HOP LIST:
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Note: I am affiliated with some online stores including Altenew, Hero Arts, Brutus Monroe, Concord & 9th and Trinity Stamps. If you use any of the links above, I get a small commission from these wonderful shops at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Craftyanna Studio 
Hi from Georgia USA!! I loved your story about ordering your first stamp set. Adorable!! Your cards are fabulous!!
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Hi From Wisconsin Love these cards the background texture is perfect – thanks for sharing
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Hello from Portland Oregon! Spring Daisy was one of my first purchases also! Your talent has grown! Thanks for sharing your early card design too, Altenew has items that all talent levels can use 🙂
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Hi from Bradley, Illinois! Loved your orange daisies! Very pretty!
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Hi from Pennsylvania, Wow what a difference between the 2 cards. Having the right supplies can make a big difference. Thanks for sharing. Happy Anniversary Altenew!
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Hi from Northern Kentucky!! Beautiful card! As the saying goes….”you’ve come a long way baby” from your first card! Fun story about how you got into stamping! I also fell in love with all the beautiful Altenew florals! Unlike you I never improved in my coloring, but I am addicted to all the flower layering stencils available that makes it look like I am a coloring champ lol!!
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Hi from Illinois!!! Gorgeous cards!!!
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Hello from Charlotte, North Carolina. Love your “CASE” card.
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Hi from Dallas Texas! Beautiful card, both! I loved reading about your journey! I would be happy with the first card but the last shows how much you’ve grown! Thanks for sharing!
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What a very cool idea! Don’t you feel like you’ve come miles from that first card?
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Hello from Indiana! Thank you for sharing your pretty card creations and congrats to Altenew on their anniversary.
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Hi from the sunny beaches of Goa! Lovely card. And very cute story!
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Both your original card and the updated card are awesome! Love them both!
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Hello, from Sacramento, California. You have grown. A Lot. I look back at some of my beginning cards and just laugh. You made that stamp shine. Loved it. Best wishes to Altenew for continued success. We love your projects and products.
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Hi from Canada. Great card! Love to make my own ephemera.
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Hi from Ohio! It’s so cool that you showed us your first ever card/stamp, then your “now” card. Beautiful job coloring it, I love it!
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Hey from Florida. Your 1st card cracks me up. It reminds me of some of mine. Limited supplies, not really knowing what to do, and still thinking it was beautiful. To look back now I cringe and try to get my relatives who saved them all to throw out some earlier ones. Ugh!
Thanks for the hop.
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Hi from Delaware. Love the orange daisies and the embossing folder. Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
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Hello from southern Indiana, USA. Thanks for sharing your story. It’s awesome to hear how Altenew has been such an important part of your journey, as they have for many of us. Happy to be celebrating their 7th anniversary and wishing them many more!
BTW – love both cards!
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Hi from the Chicago suburbs! Thanks for sharing your crafting story. I love your updated card – the colors and coloring are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.
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Hello from Ontario,Canada
You`ve obviously made a huge improve from the 4 years that have past with your skills. I think the most important thing is that you never gave up. Practice makes progress.
You`re sunflowers are so pretty. And yes I think most of us like dimension.It brings just a little bit more to the card.
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Hi from wv
Beautiful and cheerful!
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Hello from Montana. Thank you for sharing both cards, they are lovely. The colors on the second card are beautiful!
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Hello from Oregon! Love the story. Beautiful sunflowers. Makes me realize I need to use them embossing folders more!
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Great color shares. I like the look at your first card and how your skills have grown for the updated version. Thanks for the story share.
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Hello from Huntsville, Alabama! What a gorgeous card!! The coloring is stunning!!
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Hi from Arlington, VA! What a fun post, love seeing the difference/transformation in your cardmaking!
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Hi from Wisconsin! I love that you have your first card 😀. Gives me hope that my creative skills will improve, but both cards are beautiful.
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Hi from South Carolina. Thanks for sharing the journey from then to now. So cool to see both and understand how much an artist improves and grows over time. Just lovely!
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Hi from Wisconsin! I love that you still have your first card. Both cards are beautiful. It gives me hope that my skills will improve.
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Hi, I’m from from Cape Cod, ‘living on the elbow’ Happy Anniversary, Altenew! What a FUN way to create! Love your CASED card, sooooo beautiful!
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Hi from Dublin, Ireland! Whoa, what a change! I am in love with your card, it’s absolutely gorgeous! And what a great & fun way to CASE yourself, to see how your work & skills have changed/evolved!
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Greetings fro beautiful Lake Norman, just north of Charlotte, NC. So interesting to see how your cards have evolved.
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Hi From Amite, LA. Happy Anniversary AltEnew. Thanks for 7 years of amazing inspiration and products.
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Hello from the sunflower state, Kansas. So enjoyed the “updating” from an early effort. What a great idea! First card was fine and the update is a wow. Thanks for sharing.
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Hi, from Sandy in Frankfort, KY. Such a lovely card! Thanks for participating and inspiring us all!
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Hello from the central west coast of Florida. Great cards. I love the coloring on the sunflower card. thank you
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Hi from San Diego! I especially love your orange daisies! ❤️
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Hello from Merritt Island, I love your work. Gorgeous cards!
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Hello from Merritt Island, I love your work. Wonderful card
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Hi from California! cute card.
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Hi from Elk Grove, CA!! Thank you for making beautiful products for us to enjoy!!! Congratulations Altenew on your anniversary!
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Hi from Tel-Aviv!
Beautiful cards, thank you for sharing.
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Hi from Lititz, PA! I love your first card, Anna! I think many of us can think back to our first cards made with Altenew stamps, and your story is so sweet! Of course, the new card is just spectacular. A great way to celebrate Altenew’s 7th Anniversary!
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Hello from Minnesota! You have made beautiful cards! I love the spring daisy stamp set! Thank you for sharing.
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Hi from NC ! What a great idea to re-do a card with new skills and materials.
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Hi from Waukesha, Wisconsin! I love all of the sweet projects I am seeing. Altenew is also one of my favorite companies for sweet images! Thanks for the opportunity to win some awesome prizes
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Hi from FL, beautiful card & love how you showed your growth over time.
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Hello from NC! Although I like the techniques you used on the updated card, I still really like the first one!
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The daisy cards are adorable 🥰
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