My Card-Making Formula: Steps to Creating a Stamped Card
Today I’m going to show you My Card-Making Formula: Steps to Creating a Stamped Card. All levels of crafters read and visit my blog so I thought it would be interesting to describe my choosing how to put together my card and what I do first, second, third etc.
Choosing Stamps
The first step is choosing the stamps, which I’m using the new Clearly Besotted Stamp Set, ‘Bake Off’. You have to decide if you are going to only use this stamp set or a different sentiment, background etc. This Bake Off Stamp Set comes with everything, so now we are ready to stamp.
Card Design
The next part is figuring out what style card. Normally I only make 4 1/4 x 11 scored at 5 1/2. Today I’m sharing a slimline card, which is 8 1/2 x 3 1/2 scored at 7. Occasionally I’ll make 3×3 or 4×4 cards. The next part to decide in the card designing process is if you’re going to use any dies or papers. You’ll want to get the papers out so that way it will help you determine what colors you want to use when coloring your images. Since there’s so much going on, on my card I opted out on the paper. I decided to Create my own Kitchen Background with my Copics. Instead of patterned paper another option you could use is creating your own backgrounds with Distress Oxide inks.
Choosing a Color Scheme
There’s 3 different ways I choose my color schemes. The one I use the most is Google. So, for this card I looked up cute kitchen cartoons, cute kitchen paintings, etc. The 2nd way I choose colors is the Design-Seeds website. This is a great tool to use when you are looking for inspiration or if you have an idea of what color to use but maybe want to see what other colors look good with it. It always seems like I pick up the same colors — so this helps break that up a bit. The last way is actually when I’m just stuck — I can’t get inspired so I’ll ask my hubby, kids or whoever is right here to pick a color or I’ll ask them to close their eyes.. I’ll describe the scene in detail without saying colors. So, you’re watching a cartoon and there’s all these cute little critters in there backing a cake for their friend’s birthday party. What color is the pot on the stove?
Stamping and Coloring
The next thing to figure out is what are you going to be using to color your images and scene with? I’m using Copics so I stamped my images in Memento Black ink and stamped onto my Copic Xpress it Blending card using my Misti. I know this scene looks like it’s Masked but I actually Fussy Cut and used a 3D technique on them. I chose to do it this way because I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to create my scene’s layout.
Copic Colors Used:
- Light Bear – E42, E43, E44, R30, R32
- Dark Bear – E23, E25, E29, R30, R32, E41, E40, E42, N0, N1,
- Hamster with Hat – YR12, YR14, E30, E33, R30, R32, E04, B000, N0, N1, N3
- Hamster with spoon – E30, E31, E33, E35, E37, B14, B12, B00, E23, E25, E29
- Bunny with Eggs – W00, W1, W3, R30, R32, N0, N1, N3
- Bunny with cupcake – N0, N1, N3, R30, R32, R35, E04, E23, E25, E29
- Kitchen – B14, B12, B00, RV14, RV11, RV10, Y21, Y26, BG11, BG13, YG11, YG13, YG17, E30, E31, E33
- Background – N0, N1, N3, RV11
Card Assembling
I decided to create “windows” to look inside at my scene. Once I finished creating my background, the tile floor and a pink backsplash, I then positioned my critters and kitchen appliances. Before you adhere your images hold the window up so you can check the positioning. When everything is lined up how I want I attached all the little critters with pop dots for some extra dimension. The full kitchen scene in the center, is stamped to the background and extra cabinets were stamped and cut separate, to make the scene longer. This is a great way to make stamps look different especially background and accessory stamps. I used foam tape to mount the cardstock with the “windows” to the card.
Extras & Embellishments
I decided to just go with some hand drawn stitching using my micron pen right around the windows, because this scene is so busy I wanted the white border to break it up a little. If I were to add any more embellishments to this would be too much in my opinion. If I wanted more on the card I would accent the images more, for example adding some ‘white fluff’ like snow or flower soft to the flour, stickles or glossy accents to the cupcake, eggs or chocolate. One thing to remember when adding embellishments is you want it to be balanced — it doesn’t have to be evenly balanced but if you add a bow in in one corner then wrap the ribbon around the opposite corner. Or if you put 5 flowers in a cluster on one side — add 3 to the other side.
Free Copic Marker Budget Planner
I’m so happy you have stumbled across my site and onto this page so you can grab my Free Copic Workbook and Guide! This guide will help you; decide what Copic Markers to buy, figure out a Copic budget and create your own coloring style!
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