Some Thank You Cards

It’s been too long since Ive been at the craft table!   

My jewellery biz has kept me at the bench instead but I purposely slow down for winter so that I get a break and I can design for spring without the rush.  So I took the opportunity yesterday to plan a mini card making session – a challenge to myself to use a few stamps I haven’t used before in new layouts.

When I was thinking what sort of cards should I make I realised we’ve already had most of the birthdays in the family and I’m atrocious at remembering to send birthday cards to people… however I still like to send thankyou cards and having got down to my last couple they seemed a good choice.

Now a thankyou card could go to either female or male (although they usually end up with a female) so I tried not to get too girly!

First step – picking the stamps I wanted to use.  I went for the thanks/thank you stamps from Stampin Up Vintage Verses, Little Hellos and So Many Thanks.   Some of these are almost vintage stamps… the Little Hellos has 2003 on it! 

Next decision – card bases, patterned paper and coloured cardstock.   I decided to go with a plain white card base as it would go with whatever I picked out - an easy choice!   Next I picked some patterned paper.  Whilst I haven’t been MAKING, I’ve still been BUYING pretty papers :)  So I picked a recent pad that I believed I found at the supermarket for $5 and found three sheets within it that had similar tonings.   Then I picked 2 colours of card stock for matting that went with all three papers.  Fortunately the patterned papers were a close match for Stampin Up’s Rich Razzleberry and Bermuda Bay of which I had both cardstock and ink pads.

Finally – design …. x 3

I had received a Mother’s Day card (in a swap) that featured a stamped tag on the front on a stamped background.  I liked the idea of the tag so that was the basis of the first design.   Its simple but fresh :)  See pic at top of post

I liked the idea of half-half, so for the second design having it half coloured cardstock and half patterned paper but I found it needed some ribbon to define the separation.   The sentiment was stamped and partially coloured using the same tonings in the paper with Stampin Up markers.  I also used the decorative label punch for the sentiment and 2 of them in the cardstock to frame it.

Finally I had seen a cool design of strips of patterned paper that had been embossed then with layers that went all the across for a sentiment.  As the Big Shot is packed away I decided against embossing and the three strips sounded fiddly, so I went for a single sheet, but the pattern was busy so it looks fine.   I placed multiple layers on top to frame the sentiment.

The inside of 2 cards have 2 matted layers – coloured and white cardstock and the other is a single matt of white cardstock with a strip of the patterned paper along one side.   

Note:   When using patterned paper inside and out or in different positions on the card, make sure they’re facing the same way… I almost adhered it upside down ^ ^

Finally, a note to newbie card makers… I can’t express enough the importance of matting enhancing the quality of a card.   I didn’t know this when I first started but it’s something I learned rather quickly after I received a few cards from experienced crafters and the difference was amazing.     I have received a few swaps recently that either haven’t been matted at all or only the front.   If you aren’t going to matt at all, you must use a sturdy cardstock that will stand up by itself – test it, add some humidity and test it again  - if it bends or warps, go for a heavier GSM and test again.     If you matt the front, add at least one layer to the inside where you write otherwise the card is likely to bend at the back and/or fall over.

Till next

Annette