Workshop with Aditi: Playing With Color and lay out | Altenew

We started with the Build a Garden Blossoming Trio and created the beautiful flowers and leaves using layered inks. I decided to work with the new purples from Altenew and combine it with pinks to create more variation and depth in the flowers.

Instead of keeping each layer in just one color, I blended the colors together in different areas. I also deliberately kept some of the outer areas lighter. Those lighter areas give the darker colors somewhere to breathe and, I think, make the flowers feel much more dimensional.

For the background, I used the Paper Echoes Stencil and kept the colors very soft. I didn't want the background to compete with the flowers, but I did want it to add some interest. The handwritten text creates a lovely little story behind the flowers.

Creating a Floral Frame

One of the things I really love about this design is the way the flowers are arranged around the edges of the card.

We often put our flowers together in a bouquet somewhere in the middle of a card. Here, the flowers create almost a frame around the central area instead. I really like how different that feels.

The flowers also needed to close off the corners a little. The idea was that the text in the background would sit inside this floral frame, rather than simply having flowers placed randomly around it.

I added a few Crystal Moonlight Stellar Sequins for some sparkle. And yes, this time I definitely believe the embellishments belong here! 😂 The little touches of shine add something to the design without taking away from the flowers.

Final Thoughts

There is always something to learn when I look at a finished card.

When I took the photos, I suddenly noticed that the sentiment was sitting a little too high. During the workshop, Aditi had shown us how she placed the sentiment in a more open area of the design. At the very end, when we were showing our finished cards, I realized I had forgotten to add mine.

So I saw an open space and quickly put the sentiment there.

Looking back, I would have placed it a little lower, just underneath the center of the card. It would have given the composition a little more balance and allowed the flowers to frame the sentiment more naturally.

It is such a small thing, but these are exactly the details I am learning to notice.

And perhaps that is one of the biggest changes I notice in my cards lately. I am thinking much more about why something belongs on a card, rather than simply thinking about everything I would like to put on it.

I am still learning, but I am enjoying every step of it.

Thank you, Aditi, for another wonderful and inspiring workshop! ❤️