Welcome back to card week. I'm glad you're here! Today I want to share with you some of my go-to design tips for cards. I don't consider myself an expert, but I have picked up a few pointers over the years that help me to create cards I'm pleased with quickly and easily.
To be honest, translating my scrapbooking design habits onto a small card was awkward at first, but after some practice it became much more natural for me and now I really enjoy making cards. Here are a few tips that helped me get comfortable working with a small canvas:
1) less is more--when working with a small canvas, don't try to add too many elements or your card's design won't be as effective
2) pack one punch--on most of my cards I try to use one high impact element as my focus. That might be a cool embellishment, a large sentiment, a "wow" color combo, or an awesome technique.
3) three's company--a scrapbook page requires three basic things: photos, text, and embellishments. A card needs three basic things as well--just swap your high impact element for your photo(s), use your sentiment as your text, and choose your embellishments to compliment the previous two items.
Remember, sometimes your elements will overlap, i.e. your high impact element will be your sentiment, etc. Also, these tips are meant to be guidelines and all three won't apply to every single card. But they are a good place to start.
Here are a few cards that illustrate the above tips:
Less is more
Kimber McGray is the genius behind this simple and fabulous card. Some cardstock and a butterfly punch are all you need to create something with tons of "wow" factor.
Source: twopeasinabucket.com via Aly on Pinterest
I found this card on the Pebbles Inc blog by guest designer Kimberly Neddo. I love how all it takes is a couple patterned paper banners, a simple sentiment, and a few well-placed embellishments to make this stunning card.
Source: pebblesinc.blogspot.com via Aly on Pinterest
Pack one punch
The punch packed into this Doodlebug card I created is the cluster of buttons demonstrating the sentiment. Adding much more to this card would have given the buttons too much competition and detracted from the main focus.
The high impact element on this card I made with Creative Memories products is the paper loop tree. The remaining elements on the card all serve to compliment the focal point rather than compete with it.
Three's company
The card below by Kasia Curry is a great example of this tip. The trio of punched hearts is the high impact element, there's a simple sentiment, and a few button embellishments that compliment the hearts. Love it!
Source: natureofcraftythings.blogspot.com via Aly on Pinterest
This card I created using Jillibean Soup products demonstrates the three's company idea as well. The twine-wrapped button is the high impact element here, the mini tag includes a sentiment, and the paper, border stickers, and brad all compliment the focal point.
I hope these tips have inspired you in some way. Again, they're really just guidelines to use as a spring board for creating. What matter's most is creating what makes you happy in a way that works best for you. Tomorrow I'll share some thoughts on using sketches for cards--even sketches meant for scrapbook layouts. Until then!
