Cardmaking guidance please.

[Edens Poison]

Hi everyone, I'm Serenity *criiiiinges* but most people call me Sen, I'm 22 and I'm new here *waves*. For some reason, I don't think I'm going to be making many friends on here for greeting you all with a nightmare post like this one, lol. Ok, so here goes... *deep breath*

I've always been into arty things, but it's only just recently that I've really turned all of my focus and attention to card making. So, I bought myself a few magazines for inspiration, but now it's got me all kerfuddled as it's given me TOO MUCH inspiration and now I don't know where to start! Stamping, wire, fancy papers, embellishments, ribbons, metal, felt.... the list of ways to not only make cards but ways to use each individual medium, like stamps, is endless, and not to mention all the tools to go with them as well!! It's too much. How am I meant to focus on just one idea of the hundreds of ideas that I have floating around in my head? I tried to sit down today and design Christmas cards, but there's just too many ideas in my head now. It really sounds stupid, but I can't just focus on just one design because there's so many different ways to do it!

To be quite honest, I feel like I've jumped in the deep end of the pool and I'm drowning in cardmaking things! I'm going mad.

And now after seeing everyones amazing cards on here, I'm beginning to wonder if maybe I should just forget about doing it myself as I'll never be able to make my cards to the same standard those.

So, I guess, what I'm seeking here is some help as to where to start out. What are the basic items that I need to start making good, professional-looking cards and how on earth do I choose just one or two mediums that I want to use to decorate my cards? How do I focus my ideas and designs? I'm on a bit of a shoestring budget, so I'm guessing stamps aren't going to be the any good for me as they're expensive... but then I guess I need them to do wording, don't I? *bangs head against the wall*

So, I know I seem a bit of a hopeless case but if anyone can help me at all in any way, shape or form, I'd be forever grateful. I am so sorry for being a nightmare.

Many thanks in advance,

Sen x

[Debbygiraffe]

Don't panic! Ive been making cards for years and have loads of tools and equipment, paper, fibres, ribbons, stamps etc etc and still sit there wondering where to start. As you say, you have a design in your head but the ways and means to 'get it down on paper' - literally - are endless.

Have you thought about getting to grips with one particular technique eg stamping, and using it in different ways? There are classes and books/mags etc to teach you and obviously inspiration on here to try different variations.

Often, one technique will lead to another and combining one or two or more on one project. Some techiniques lend themselves to particular designs and ideas than others, which you will learn as you experiment.

2 tips....try anything ie, play around with equipment and 'stash' to see what you can make it do (I'm not very good at this!), and secondly, don't worry about the quality of other people's work and think you can't do as well. Don't forget everyone starts somewhere and even in crafting practice is still needed. I'm not the least bit artistic and can't even draw a stick man! Persevere and don't even think about failure...it doesn't exist in crafting!

x Debby

[Debbygiraffe]

Don't think I read all your message! Stamping isn't the be all and end all....use the computer for lettering. There are loads of free fonts available - check out the library here
which can either be printed directly onto your base card or onto a smaller piece of card then mounted wherever you want it.

As far as getting a professional finish goes...you don't need loads of things on a card, sometimes less is best. The important thing is to make sure that the 'finish' is top quality....good cards and envelopes, making sure things are straight on the card, if they are supposed to be! that glue/tape isn't showing, paper/card isn't creased etc etc. Its all relatively common sense.

I'm sure you'll do find, just have a go with a few things and take it from there.

x Debby

[Hysteri-CAL]

I would start with the basic tool kit and then maybe buy a couple of cardmaking kits just to get you started, and give you an idea of what you like to do ... techniques can be learnt as you go along.

Basic Tool Kit

2/3 different types of adhesive (double sided tape, glue pen, diamond glaze)
Good quality scissors
Good quality paper trimmer
Use your PC and printer for titles (Happy Birthday etc.) and/or
Permanent marker pen (for doodling, or writing your own titles)
Pencil and ruler

Think thats it for basics for cards .... if you need more info, then shout out !!

[Kell]

I don't uy any of the stuff available in the shops as I feel it might hinder my creative flow. I know what you mean when you say you can have too much inspiration. I've made hundreds of things that i don't like and just binned in the end but that is part of the creative process.


I collect bits and bobs and save things all the time for that 'one day' usage. I have also found that making ATC's (artist trading cards) helps to inspire me as most of these make great card toppers.

You do not need to spend a fortune on things to make things look good. In fact some cards that have loads of pre made toppers and things stuck on them would look better without it. Thats only my opinion though.

Add to your tool kit a scalpel too if your planning on hand cutting anything. And mybe a small cutting mat, these days most pound shops sell them so be warned about spending a fortune on a cutting mat from an art shop.

[Samm]

Great advice girls, I'd also suggest maybe some great patterned paper and some basic scissors or scalpel as you can cut out designs and words etc from some fab paper and maybe get 4 cards out of one sheet.

[honeypip]

Hey Sen and welcome to the board. I could have written half your post myself!

Some good advice already given. One thing I would add is to find an example of a card that you can lift and make your own and just concentrate on that one for starters. If you get side tracked, then, again, that is part of the creative process and don't worry.

Even when my mojo has left me, I have a few basic designs that I know work well and that I can put together at short notice if necessary.

Let go and enjoy!

[passionflower]

Hi Sen and welcome, oh dear I know exactely what you mean been there myself, but I have to tell you dont concentrate on how good other peoples cards are your style will improve with time, my first ever made card makes me cringe now but at the time I thought it was fantastic. The advice the girls have given you so far is spot on, at first I looked everywhere for bits to use, I would keep pretty wrapping paper and backed it with cardstock and ribbons from chocolate, pretty silk flowers that you can get in every pound shop,really you don t need that much to get you starting. However if you pm me your address I ve got quite a few stamps that I ve got duplicates of and I would be more that happy for you to have, I ll throw some ink pads as well as a few other bits and bobs. Take care

[getcrafty]

Hi Sen

I have to say that i found it easier making cards when i only had a bit of craft stash. Now it's grown 10 fold i don't know where to start or what to use.

As mentioned you'll need the basic tool set.

You can craft on a budget and these are my tips/things i've found:

Dovecraft value stamps - they have sentiments and pictures and they only cost £1 each.
Poundland - i bought a large sheet of coloured glitter rub-ons, scrapbook sets (6 12 x 12 patterned paper, stickers and die cuts), printed birthday ribbon (6 metres in total) all for £1 each.
Instead of buying ready folded cards and envelope packs just buy sheets of A4 card and envelopes seperately as it works out cheaper.
Blossoms - these are really effective but can be expensive, but you can buy a bunch of 'fake' flowers, pull them apart and use the blossoms from them.

Once you've got a few things, put them in front of you and let your inspiration take over.

Hope some of this may be of use to you.

[RachelB]

There are lots of places to get less expensive things from and the main thing is practice. Before now I have been stuck somewhere with a pair of (curved) scissors) a bit of PVA a card blank and errrr whatever I could find to make something for the front! I used a magazine and cut shapes from pretty pictures and folded papers and such like and it was a lovely card!

Things to raid:

The kitchen - food stuffs, seeds, things to make stamps with (foam/sponge) textured things like rubber gloves, cut up shapes from milk cartons and colour with permanent pens
Sewing and button boxes - pretty threads and trims, buttons, poppers and other similar curios (also scissors, pinking shears and needle and threads!!!)
Stationery cupboards - masses of things in these.
Nature and "found" objects - leaves, twigs, pressed flowers and such like
Paint is good - acrylics you can use to dry brush, paint items, create background papers, use instead of ink to stamp things

If you decide to use some stamps - ask yourself if you can think of three styles of card to make with it before buying it. I found that this helps you choose versatile things. I would start with the clear stamps and a couple of acrylic blocks - you can even use other things instead of the blocks years ago i used to use books with covers on (- from errr the library but we won't go there!) With the clear stamps have a look at some of the smaller sets - Impression Obsession do nice versatile ones, so do woodware - the larger of the sets in woodware are around £10 so not beyond a bit of birthday money for e.g.

Start saving pretty paper bags, pictures and wrapping papers, ribbons and laces or even buttons and trims off old clothes. Raid your junk jewellery for embellishments - haunt the kiddies jewellery store (you know which one i mean) in the sale.

My personal basic kit for card making would be:

Cutting mat (Poundland or the works)
Cutting knife/scalpel - scalpels are cheap as are the blades to put in them - I use an 11 blade but many use a 10A I believe - they will be in good art shops even at the cheaper price.
Decent paper scissors - I have a small fiskars pair with a blade about 2.5 inches
Metal Ruler (so you don't cut into it with your scalpel when cutting against it) apparently Tesco's are doing pink ones at the Mo
Glue, foam pads and DST (Double sided tape). Glue well I use pritt power gel these days as it is good for paper and embellishments but not that cheap. Poundland is good for foam pads and foam tape.

In terms of supplies, I would go with

Card and envelopes (if you are not confident cutting your own card blanks then buy them for a bit till you get used - again The Works does some good ones as do WHSMITH these days - packs of 50 by Royal and Langernickle should keep you going for a while)
Papers and Ribbons - but think about scavenging these as above
I really like brads and coloured paperclips to add interest
I would also get two or three small inkpads - an inch square or some of the cats eyes. Black, Brown and maybe a few colours you use alot or Gold and Silver. Try and get a waterproof black as then it won't run if you are watercolouring etc.
Water colour pencils or cheap water colour paints and acrylics - also I think it is the Works that do a cheap H2Os version (sparkly watercolour) about 2.99 for a pallette. All of these are good from the works - with the pencils - check you are getting plenty of pigment n the pencil. Have to say may be worth only buying a few basic colours from an art shop and going for a good make as they will last longer and you will use them more. You will need a small paintbrush as well - again the works do nice little sets with nylon brushes.
A few basic stamps (which you can think of several ideas to use them for!)

HTH

Rachel

Also Dunelm are good for blooms - get some of their geberas at 35p each and pull apart!

[Samm]

Oh yeah, great idea on the gift bags and wrapping paper, Paperchase also do a fab line in wrapping paper and it works out alot cheaper than scrapbook paper.

[willowdesigns]

Hi Sen,

Your post did make me chuckle, I have been designing cards for 10 years and my head is still the same as yours...soooo many ideas floating around what should I buy..etc..etc...but you have what a lot of people struggle with, and that is the ideas!!

Crafting need not cost a fortune..I don't know how artistic you are?? try drawing some images onto patterned backing paper..(say basic flower shapes in black pen)..cut the out ...straight onto a card..saves buying any stamps..(shouldn't really be saying that as my business is selling stamps..lol..lol..lol..)

I also do a lot of my wording in card making by hand, granted it may take a bit of practise..but if you don't try you will never know. I always advise people to start off cardmaking by making small 10x10cm cards, sometimes a larger card is more difficult for a beginner to fill (if that makes sense).

Hope some of that has helped, let us know how you get on.

Wishes
Sharon

[Mole]

LOL! I am exactly the same - I have so much stuff weaving around my brain, when it comes to sitting down and doing something, I get stuck!

I find that what can be helpful is to choose just one design of card you like from a mag and have a go at doing your own 'take' on it. If you're like me, as you're going along, you then gettin gideas to maybe stick an embellishment there, or tear a bit of paper here, or howabout using those rub-ons, they'd go really well with this colour scheme.

From there, too, you will probably find you have an idea for a second, and maybe a third card.

Good luck, and don't feel so daunted that you give up - we've all been there!

[renniwano]

Hi and welcome to the site... these are a great bunch for inspiration and more..

When I first started making cards almost 6yrs ago.. I was the same.. so I limited myself to a few stamps, blank cards/envelopes, some embossing powders and a few papers (although back then there wasn't much available anyways)... with my PC for fonts/clip arts (copyright free) etc..

But one thing I did do.. was had a book that if an idea popped in my head.. I drew it.. and then eventually I had a few pages of card ideas.. and off I went and made them..

Eventually I was then able to just make them as I sat at my craft table.. but my head like yours used to be full of so much I couldn't get on without throwing a lot of my cards in the bin..

All I can say from experience, is always look around.. never buy the first thing you see.. you'll 90% of the time find it cheaper elsewhere.. and for some craft items.. look in your local poundshops etc as mentioned before.. they are a great place for craft knives and mats..

Other than that.. enjoy yourself with your card making.. that's the main thing..

Have fun..

Nikki x

[HOPEJACK]

Sounds like you have loads of advice on here!!! So, I think it's all covered - just try to enjoy it - it doesn't matter if the end product isn't what you had in your head to start with - you will get there! Enjoy xx