Card made digitally using ArtPlay Palette Wicked
Saturday October 1, 2011 was World Card Making Day and I did my part by designing a Halloween invite for Ella and Luke's upcoming Halloween party.
I am really interested in re-purposing and re-using where I can, and in terms of digital scrapbooking supplies, I think card making is an easy and natural progression. Cards are so expensive to purchase, so much more meaningful when they are hand-made and the process of creating them can be a simple extension of your current scrapbooking preferences. If you like to digital scrapbook then they can be created digitally and printed, but if you also like to dabble in paper you can add some hybrid flair to your cards.
Here are a couple of great examples of a hybrid card from one of my CT members, Deb Rymer:
Designed with ArtPlay Palette Smooch
Designed with ArtPlay Palette Find My Way No. 2
The Card-Making Process
1. Decide how the finished will be printed | The first consideration should be whether the card will be printed at a lab, either locally or on-line, or whether you will print at home. The decision you make will be determined by your preference and will effect the choices you have available to you in step 2.
2. Establish the size or dimensions of the card | If you choose to pint at a lab or on-line you will select one of the size options available to you, however, if you choose to print at home you will have a lot more flexibility over the size and shape of your card. I usually go with the latter because I tend to leave my card-making until the last minute. It also affords me the freedom of being more creative with my cards.
The Halloween card was originally designed at 3 X 5 3/4 inches to be matted with a 1/2 inch border on cream card stock and fit the 3 1/2 X 6 1/4 inch envelopes I currently have on hand. I usually make my cards hybrid as this allows Ella and Luke to participate in the process.
3. Design the card | The canvas size for designing a card is much smaller than a 12 X 12 inch layout so I tend to re-size my digital papers and elements accordingly in order to pay attention to scale.
4. Print Card | Arrange as many cards as possible on the 8 1/2 X 11 inch canvas and print border-less according to your printer specifications.
I reduced the size of my original design slightly to fit 6 cards almost perfectly on one sheet of 8 1/2 X 11 inch photo paper.
5. Trim and Assemble | Trim the designs, create a folded card or postcard style mat for the design to allow for a 1/4 inch border around the design. Adhere the design to the card and and either write, print or stamp the greeting or details for the card as appropriate.
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NEW Mid-Week Release
There are still many digital products that have not yet made it into the store and these will be added periodically over the coming months in the form of a special mid-week release. I have had requests to add some of my older Halloween kits. I spent a little time earlier in the week revising these and they are now available in the store and are offered at a 20% discount for a limited time. Please note that the thumbnails are directly linked to each product in the store.
