Hello friends!
I am so excited to be part of the Altenew 11th Anniversary Blog Hop! 🎉 It’s such a joy to celebrate this incredible company and their dedication to creativity, innovation, and community. I hope you’ll hop along with us — not only for the inspiration, but also for a chance to win some amazing prizes (details at the end of this post!).
As I sat down to create a special project for this milestone celebration, I found myself overwhelmed — in the best possible way — by Altenew’s stunning selection of products. So many possibilities! But after much happy deliberation, I reached for two favorites that spark joy every time I use them: the Billowing Peonies Stamp Set and the Checkered Diamonds 3D Embossing Folder.
A Love Letter to Vintage Elegance
I have a soft spot for anything vintage, so I decided to craft a pair of cards that feel like they stepped out of an old-fashioned letterpress shop. My creative journey began with the background — watercolor paper paired with Lindy’s Gang Boho Dreams Magicals in Dreamy Desert Rose and Sandlewood Scents. These pigments added the perfect whisper of color and shimmer, like a faded memory come to life.
While the paper was still slightly damp, I ran it through my Big Shot with the Checkered Diamonds embossing folder. The result? Absolute texture heaven. To add a gentle wash of tone, I took my Silver Lake ink pad and lightly brushed it over the raised design. It was like the paper was whispering its own story.
Peonies, But Make Them Moody
For the floral focal point, I used the same Silver Lake ink to stamp the Billowing Peony onto watercolor paper. Then came the real fun — adding color with the Spring Garden Watercolor Brush Markers. I chose Rubellite, Dusk, Warm Sunshine, and a touch of Evening Gray to create a rich, moody palette with subtle dimension. The fine tips of these markers make it easy to build color exactly where you want it — even in the tiniest petal creases.
Once dry, I die cut the flower and (deep breath!) sliced it in half to create two coordinating cards. A bold move, but totally worth it — one bloom, two beauties. The sentiments from the Billowing Peonies set are just as elegant as the flowers, and I white heat embossed them for a crisp, classic finish. A bit of foam tape gave everything the lift it needed to pop off the page.
Let’s Celebrate Together!
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing this creative moment with me. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or just discovering the joy of stamping, I hope my project inspires you to embrace your style, try new techniques, and, most importantly, have fun.
Don’t forget to scroll down for all the giveaway details — Altenew is generously offering prizes you won’t want to miss!
Happy hopping, and happiest of birthdays to Altenew! Here’s to many more years of beauty and inspiration. 🌸✨
Giveaway info:
- Be sure to leave comments by April 29, 2025 for a chance to win one of 76 prizes! To make the hop more exciting, start your comment with “Hi from (city or country where you’re from)!” 76 winners will be chosen at random from the comments left on any of the blogs listed below and will be announced on the Altenew Blog on May 4, 2025.
- Over $3,600 in total prizes! Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 11 lucky winners. There are also 35 awesome companies/crafty friends who are celebrating with us, and they are offering the following prizes:
- Altenew: 11 x $50 Gift Certificate
- Altenew Academy: 17 x Online Card Class ($39.99 value each)
- Artistry by Altenew: 5x $20 Gift Certificate
- Glassboard Studio: 3 x $50 Gift Certificate
- Creative Scrapbooker Magazine: 3 x Creative Scrapbooker Magazine 1-Year Subscription ($44.9 value each)
- Stamp-n-Storage: 1 Ink Pad Carousel for Altenew Fresh Dye Inks ($129.75 value)
- Online Card Classes: 5 x Online Card Class ($25+ value each)
- Gina K. Designs: $100 Gift Certificate
- Lawn Fawn: $100 Gift Certificate
- Honey Bee Stamps: $100 Gift Certificate
- Pink and Main: $100 Gift Certificate
- Brutus Monroe: $100 Gift Certificate
- Scrapbook & Cards Today Magazine: $100 Gift Certificate
- My Favorite Things: $100 Gift Certificate
- Jennifer McGuire Ink: 1 Share Handemade Kindness Goodies Bag
- Amy Tangerine: 1 Sticker Assortment Pack ($75 value)
- Ranger Industries: $75 Gift Certificate
- Michelle’s Cards & Stamps: AUD $100 Gift Certificate
- LDRS Creative: 2x $30 Gift Certificate
- MarkerPop: 2x $25 Gift Certificate
- Trinity Stamps: $50 Gift Certificate
- A Cherry On Top: $50 Gift Certificate
- Simon Says Stamp: $50 Gift Certificate
- Alex Syberia Designs: $50 Gift Certificate
- Newton’s Nook Designs: $50 Gift Certificate
- Pretty Pink Posh: $50 Gift Certificate
- My Craft Room: $50 Gift Certificate
- Krafters Cart: $50 Gift Certificate
- Concord & 9th: $50 Gift Certificate
- Scrapbook.com: $50 Gift Certificate
- Pinkfresh Studio: $50 Gift Certificate
- Bumbleberry Papercrafts: £25 Gift Certificate
- Picket Fence Studios: $25 Gift Certificate
- Ink Blot Shop: $25 Discount Code
- Creative Chick Co.: $25 Gift Certificate
- Auzz Trinklets N Krafts: AUD $25 Gift Certificate
Blog Hop List:
Anniversary Special Offers:
- 04/14/2025 – 04/17/2025: Get a FREE brand-new Lace 3D Embossing Folder (worth $11.99) on orders over $89 from 04/14/2025 at 12:01 AM EDT until 04/17/2025 at 11:59 PM EDT. The free gift will be automatically added to eligible orders—while supplies last. Shop HERE
- 04/14/2025 – 04/18/2025: Get FREE U.S. Shipping on orders over $29 (no code needed) or $10 off International Shipping with code ALTENEW@11 at checkout from 04/14/2025 at 12:01 AM EDT until 04/18/2025 at 11:59 PM EDT. Shop HERE
Want to find the supplies I used? I have listed them below. (Compensated affiliate links used at no cost to you.) Thank you for your support!
 Altenew – Billowing Peonies Shop at: Alt | SC |
 Altenew – Embossing Ink Shop at: Alt |
 Altenew – Pure White Shop at: Alt |
 Altenew – Checkered Diamonds Shop at: Alt |
 Altenew – Watercolor Brushes Spring Garden Set Shop at: Alt |
 Lindy’s Gang – Magical Shakers – Boho Dreams Shop at: Lindys |
 Hero Arts – Wagner – HT400 Precision Heat Tool Shop at: AZ |
 Sizzix – Big Shot Machine Shop at: SC | Lindys | AZ |
Hello, From Enola, PA! Happy Anniversary!!! These are amazing! I LOVE the elegance and colors!
Your cards are beautiful and your watercoloring is so wonderful! The background embossing folder and your added touches really combine well with the florals. So very nice!
Hi from North Carolina. Great Cards.
So very pretty!
Beautiful cards and designs.
Beautiful cards! They have such a calm, vintage vibe. Thanks for the inspiration!
Your cards are absolutely stunning! I love how you used the embossing folder, so elegant and timeless. Vintage never goes out of style! Thanks for the inspiration!
Your gorgeous background really sets off the florals, I love this card!!
These are beautiful Ericka!
++ Hi, I’m from Washington State ++
Hi from Pennsylvania! Beautiful card!
These are stunning. Sweet color choices. Congrats on 11 years!
Hi from ON, Canada. Love the 3D diamond embossing folder
Hi from the sunny beaches of Goa! Both the cards are beautiful! I love the vintage vibe. The backgrounds look pretty, and I love the fabulous coloring!
Hi from Tampa, FL. Gorgeous cards ♥️.
Hi from Lillian, AL. Love this card using the Watercolor Brushes Spring Garden Set. I have not tried watercolor brushes before, so after see this card I will have to try this technique. Thank you for sharing.
hello from Ohio! Love how you used the embossing folder!!
Hi from South Carolina! Lovely cards!
Hi from California! Such stunning cards!
Hello from Seattle WA! I love your cards, and am especially impressed with the background. I have that EF but haven’t uses it yet. You inspire me to branch out with color!
Hi from northern California! Pretty backgrounds and beautiful flowers on your cards! Love the colors!
Your backgrounds look very cool. I like how you added colors.
Hi from Seattle. What stunning and beautiful cards. Splendid colors.
Hi from Pennsylvania! Beautiful card! You were brave to slice your floral design in half. Worked perfectly!
Hello from Texas. Stunning cards. Adding the highlight to the embossing folder is so clever
Stunning cards, love the backgrounds!
Hi from Florida. What a great cards. I love how you cut the die to use it on the side only! Beautiful watercoloring.
What a stunning card! Love them!
So beautiful!
Such a pretty card. Love that background.
Beautiful cards. I love those backgrounds.
Hello from sunny (but chilly) Cape Cod! Happy 11th Anniversary! Gorgeous creation! Love the pretty peonies and that fabulous textured background!
Hi from Texas! I love these cards! I have that stamp and am always looking for inspriation!
Hello from Blackfoot Idaho! Love these cards! Love the mirror image, colors, and background! thank you for sharing!
Lovely colors and great idea to make 2 cards from the stamped image!
Hello from Tampa, FL. I absolutely love your creations!
Hi from Colorado Springs. Your cards are beautiful! The backgrounds are so dreamy and make the florals stand out so beautifully!
wow – I love how you made the backgrounds – thanks for the ideas
Hi from Conklin, Michigan! Love both cards and the texture from that checkered embossing folder!
Hi from Portland, OR. Love the background. Pretty card.
Love 2-fee cards!!
“Vintage elegance” is fitting. Very pretty.
Fabulous MOODY two-fer!
Hi from PA! How absolutely lovely! I love how much attention and creativity you gave to each part of the card from that amazing background to the gorgeous sentiment detail. Fantastic!
Hi from Florida! So love the peonies!
Hello from Dayton, Ohio. Happy Anniversary, Altenew! Pretty cards. I love the idea of cutting the image in half for two cards.
Hi from Ft Wright KY! Beautiful cards! I love those amazing backgrounds as much as the gorgeous flowers!
Wow 😮 amazing card designs. I love that it’s a two piece set that goes together. Your flowers are spectacular!
Woo hoo Day 2! Hi from Pocahontas Arkansas! Such gorgeous cards! Great job! Happy Anniversary Altenew!
Hello from Indiana! Your cards are so lovely!
Hello from Indiana! Thank you for sharing your beautiful creations!
Hello from Maryland! Just gorgeous cards..love the texture on the background.
Ericka, these are absolutely magical – even your descriptive writing style, too! Its like reading a favorite novel – love the design, the colors, the dreaminess! Hello from Florida!
Hi from San Antonio, Texas! Gorgeous colors 😍
wow! I love how beautiful and cheery your cards are! So pretty!
Hi from South Dakota! Your cards are so beautiful!
Love 2/for cards! Very pretty!
Hello –
Hello from Pennsylvania! These are STUNNING!!! I love the texture you got from the Checkered Diamonds plate + Lindy’s products. The knockout floral from Altenew really “makes” both cards. Your talent is IMPRESSIVE!
Lori S in PA
Hi from Lake Balboa, CA. What a wonderful idea for a two-fer using the embossing folder in different directions for a different look.
Both of your cards are so pretty and I love that you included showing us your backgrounds and how you made them to complete your cards. Thanks for sharing with us! Happy 11th Anniversary ALTENEW!!!
Hi from Linda Choquette British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦
Love your colors 😍 ❤️ thank you for sharing
Hello from West Melbourne FL! Your cards are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing how you created the backgrounds! They are beautiful!
love the shimmery, textured backgrounds! So pretty!
Hi from the Florida Panhandle! Such beautiful cards.
Hello from NM, what a beautiful Card!
Hello from Arizona! Gorgeous cards! Love the pink!
Hello from South Carolina! Beautiful!
Hello from NH! Gorgeous cards! Love the coloring!
Hi from Colorado! That background is amazing! I really like your “moody” peonies!
Such gorgeous texture & dimension, and I love how you got a twofer project out of one floral!!
Stunning background on your cards–very pretty
Beautiful cards ♥️. Love this background.
Beautiful cards ♥️. I love the background 😍
Hello from Denver, CO. Love your cards!
Hello from Utah. Beautiful cards!
Hi from Arizona! Lovely peony cards–Altenew has the most wonderful floral stamps and dies!
Beautiful design! I like the flip to the background.
Hello from the Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia. Your two cards are stunning and the embossed backgrounds adds to the overall look.
Hi from Graham, Washington! Such a beautiful card! I love how you colored the flowers!
Hi from Graham, Washington! Such a beautiful card! I love how you’ve colored the flowers.
Hi from Texas – I’m loving all this creativity. great backgrounds texture
Howdy from Kentucky! One word to describe these cards is sensational
Hello from Denver, CO! Your cards are really pretty! The backgrounds are so fun 🙂
Hello from Western Washington! Congratulations, Altenew, on your 11th Anniversary and what a fun way to celebrate! Those peonies on that diamond background look fabulous!
Hi from New Jersey! Beautiful cars. Love the background!
Pretty card!
Beautiful watercolor!
Hello from NJ ! I love the background panels you created – beautiful vintage style!
Hi from Northwest Arkansas and congrats to Altenew!!! WOW – gorgeous cards! I love the silver “swipe” on the background.