I have said before that getting special requests for cards scares me. I have a whole closet full of papers but I keep thinking I won't find just the right colour to go with just the right sticker or embellishment or I won't have a stamp in quite the right size. A myriad of things rushes through my head whenever a custom request comes in. I never want to say no but I'm always afraid I'll lack the materials, skill or time to say yes.
Well, I said yes (again!) and I'm happy with the results (again!). A request came in for masculine birthday cards and sympathy cards. I do make masculine birthday cards, but they are so hard to come up with that I use all the ideas I get for myself and lack the materials to make duplicates for the shop. This time, it's the other way around. I made a sample for my customer and I'm going to use it for myself later. So... you will get to see that one later.
For the sympathy card, I've had an idea brewing for a while. I saw a way to do this online but I don't have the same markers. So, I figured I would try it two different ways with what I do have. Once I had that figured out (months ago) the lack of "the right" silhouette images was holding me back. I've considered using my die cuts in all black, but I just haven't had time to create a single layer one out of my existing designs.
When this request came in, I dug deep into my stamp bin and found this nice flower. It's from a Stampin' Up! set. So, here are my results!
For this first card, I coloured my Copic markers directly on to the card front while masking off the "tunnel". Unfortunately, that bled all under the tape and through the card and looked awful from the inside. So, I coloured on a separate strip and attached it to the front. The sentiment is just hand-written and kept simple.
On the second one, I used my dye-based Memento ink pads and inked up a piece of acetate. I then spritzed the acetate with water in a mini-mister and then smooshed it on to a small piece of cardstock. (Sure, "smooshing" is an artistic term!) Then I trimmed around the transferred gradient and added that to my card and stamped the flower on it. It's kind of spotty, but much softer looking than the copics. I might try adding more water next time for more ink flow during the smooshing part.
On both, the sentiment is popped up on foam tape. I hope the customer likes at least one of them!
An update on my mini album in progress... All the pages and done and the covers are on. I just have to decorate the front cover and then I can show it! I dont' know how I'm going to decorate it yet, so it might be a little while longer.
Well, I said yes (again!) and I'm happy with the results (again!). A request came in for masculine birthday cards and sympathy cards. I do make masculine birthday cards, but they are so hard to come up with that I use all the ideas I get for myself and lack the materials to make duplicates for the shop. This time, it's the other way around. I made a sample for my customer and I'm going to use it for myself later. So... you will get to see that one later.
For the sympathy card, I've had an idea brewing for a while. I saw a way to do this online but I don't have the same markers. So, I figured I would try it two different ways with what I do have. Once I had that figured out (months ago) the lack of "the right" silhouette images was holding me back. I've considered using my die cuts in all black, but I just haven't had time to create a single layer one out of my existing designs.
When this request came in, I dug deep into my stamp bin and found this nice flower. It's from a Stampin' Up! set. So, here are my results!
For this first card, I coloured my Copic markers directly on to the card front while masking off the "tunnel". Unfortunately, that bled all under the tape and through the card and looked awful from the inside. So, I coloured on a separate strip and attached it to the front. The sentiment is just hand-written and kept simple.
On the second one, I used my dye-based Memento ink pads and inked up a piece of acetate. I then spritzed the acetate with water in a mini-mister and then smooshed it on to a small piece of cardstock. (Sure, "smooshing" is an artistic term!) Then I trimmed around the transferred gradient and added that to my card and stamped the flower on it. It's kind of spotty, but much softer looking than the copics. I might try adding more water next time for more ink flow during the smooshing part.
On both, the sentiment is popped up on foam tape. I hope the customer likes at least one of them!
An update on my mini album in progress... All the pages and done and the covers are on. I just have to decorate the front cover and then I can show it! I dont' know how I'm going to decorate it yet, so it might be a little while longer.
Both cards are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love the brightness of the first one, but for a sympathy card, I like the softness of the second one.
Again both are very pretty.
Ohhh I can't wait to see your mini album, I do love my mini's :)
I really like how they both look, very nice!!!!
ReplyDeletePaula
Beautiful cards, especially the second design - I like the spongey texture.
ReplyDeleteBoth look fabulous to me. I agree with you though, I don't particularly like custom requests...you never know how crazy picky people will be about what you've created.
ReplyDeleteRuth