Good Card Design

Recently I introduced my team to the concept of #goodcarddesign. I want to teach them to start designing and creating their own cards. Designing your own cards develops creative confidence and helps you start to develop your own stampin’ style. The social media world is full of inspiration (Hello Artisan Design Team) but there is nothing like the feeling of creating a card you love to share with others!

So what makes up a GOOD CARD DESIGN?

I think there are several factors, the most being that the design must be repeatable—meaning you can make this card with any color card stock, Designer Series Paper, embellishment and punches/dies. It is also important to consider what you are using on your card. If you use Designer Series Paper and embellishments then your own customers are more likely to order and use them too.

A #goodcarddesign also only uses one or two stamp sets. This makes the design easy to replicate as it doesn’t need a variety of stamp sets. We all create those cards sometimes too (that use 12 different stamp sets) but in our virtual teaching world, minimizing the stamp set requirements goes a long way in developing #goodcarddesign!

I started by giving my team a picture of these card pieces. Similar to a Mystery Card concept, which is also fun and something we have done a few times this past Covid year.

I also shared my finished project so they had an idea of where I was going with my design.

I love so many things about this #goodcarddesign! I created this card with a Blushing Bride base and first layer. I stamped the starfish on the layering piece in the coordinating ink color.

Background stamping is also a criteria of #goodcarddesign. Afterall, we sell STAMPS, and we want to use them in a variety of ways on our projects. Background stamping is one of the easiest, especially using the tone on tone method.

I then added 3 strips of Sand & Sea Designer Series paper that is cut 3/4 x 3. Imagine how many cards you could make from one sheet of 12x12? The strips are also slightly offset. I find this style is also great for beginner stampers because they don’t need to worry about lining this up perfectly. Let’s take away that stampin’ stress!

I layered my sentiment on a circle and scallop circle from the Layering Circles Dies. In between the layers I added Braided Linen Trim (that I pulled apart at the edges as if felt like something nautical) and a retired ribbon.

I also added some Opal Rounds too! If you don’t show people how amazing they look, how are they going to know they need them?

And finally I flicked my Blushing Bride marker across the front of the card. This is a simple favorite technique of mine that just adds a little something!

How can you resist this adorable Weiner Dog? I absolutely LOVE the Hot Dog stamp set!

This adorable Hot Dog stamp set was perfect to illustrate how this #goodcarddesign can work with a completely different stamp set.

I swapped out the Sand & Sea DSP for the Fine Art Floral DSP and the base of my card is Soft Seafoam. You can see how I replicated the background stamping by using the little heart from the Hot Dog stamp set and added in some Basic Sequins.

I stamped out the weiner dog in Momento Ink and colored him with a light Cinnamon Cider wash with my Water Painter. I added in ‘Hi’ in the word bubble from the same stamp set. The little tiny bowtie is from the Birthday Chick Dies.

So that is #goodcarddesign sample number two…let me share another with you so you can see how fantastic this method works!

This is my third example of how #goodcarddesign works! You can see how different this card looks, but it has all of the same elements!

I started with a base of Smoky Slate and stamped some cute hearts from the Hearts & Kisses stamp set in the coordinating ink color. The DSP strips are from the True Love paper (I love a good black and white paper). This time I punched a 1 1/2 circle from Flirty Flamingo and layered a tag from the Lovely Labels Pick a Punch. I cut my 1 inch Basic Black strip to 2 1/2 long to end up with my final length.

Between the two tag layers I added some retired ribbon (I think it was from the Geared Up Garage collection) as I figure I need to quit ribbon hoarding! And its fun to think I used a masculine ribbon with some girly pink lips!

The lips are stamped in Flirty Flamingo ink and punched from the Hearts & Kisses bundle and the ‘Thank You’ sentiment is from another retired set, Take Out Treats.

All three of these cards are different and can appeal to a simple to avid stamper and are perfect example of how a #goodcarddesign can help you achieve three completely different cards!

I am excited to continue to educate my team on #goodcarddesign and plan to share future good card design concepts with them! I hope you are inspired to create something too!