Written In Ink

Tag: blunders

  • Make a Mistake? Turn Card Design Errors into Design Features

    Make a Mistake? Turn Card Design Errors into Design Features

    Would you like to experiment with a design like this? You’ll find a supply list below, including a link to the stencil I used from A Colorful Life Designs.  Follow the link and use the discount code ChrisFan10 to save 10% on your entire order! (Master Creator Bundles are excluded as they already have a 20% discount built in.)

    Let’s get Started:

    Card Base: 5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25

    Border Layer: 5.25 x 4

    Card Face:  5 x 3.75

    Card Face:

    • I placed the card face in my stamp positioner and stamped the image with Memento ink.
    • I coloured the image with alcohol markers. 

     I made an error colouring her eyes/glasses:- while adding the fllesh tones behind her glasses I touched the green, and it was transferred to her skin. I couldn’t fix it entirely, so I made the best of the situation by turning them into sunglasses.

    When I was almost done colouring, I noticed a couple of spots of yellow ink on the card face, above the girl.  Rather than toss it – wasting materials and time –  I added more yellow dots,  turning the boo boo into a design detail.

    • I moved the card face to my grip mat and positioned the stencil.  I avoided inking over the stamped and coloured image, but used light aqua ink on all other exposed areas on the stencil.
    • I traced around the girl with a light grey marker –  this made her stand out more from the background.
    • I used a corner chomper on each corner.

    Other:

    • I used the same chomper on the border layer.

    Assembly

    • I glued the border layer to the card base and added the card face on top centering both layers carefully.
    • I added a small round embellishment to each corner,  as well as one over the clasp on the purse.

    Final Thoughts:

    This is such a happy pairing –  the stencil and stamp work really well together. 

    I will add a sentiment when it’s time to send the card –  right now I don’t know how I want to use it.

    I’m glad I was able to fix the errors on the fly and salvage the card.

    Supplies: (and links where possible)

       I have listed the products I have used and where they can be purchased. It’s a huge marketplace, and in most instances, there are multiple sources and many alternatives to choose from.

    Stencil: Lines and Dots,  A Colorful Life Designs

    Stamps: Hello Sunshine Girl,  Unity Stamps

    Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Blending Brushes: Stampin’ Up! 

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon 

    Do you have any comments or thoughts on this design?  Drop me a line in the Comments Section below –  I’d love to hear from you!

    You can also use the Comments Section to be notified when I release new work.

    Lines and Dots

  • How to Rescue Your Card Designs from Mistakes

    How to Rescue Your Card Designs from Mistakes

    If you’re new, or experienced, or anything like me (!) you have run into situations where you need to rescue your card from a blunder.

    Let’s get Started:

    Card Base: 5.5 x 8.5, scored and folded at 4.25

    Border Layer: 5.5 x 4.25

    Card Face:  5.5 x 4

    Card Face:

    I stamped the images in black Momento ink and coloured them with alcohol markers.

      Then I put this aside for a period of time,  trying to decide how to finish the piece. When I picked it back up again I realized it had been sitting too close to something messy –  there was a fine blue spatter in the upper right.  (Probably from cleaning a stencil, and simple carelessness with my work!). How to salvage the time and materials…. ???

    I added both large and small drops of paint above the brush.  I used a fine liner to outline the drops and a blue alcohol marker to fill them in.  I also added small dots of blue marker here and there to bridge between the fine spatter and the larger drops.   It worked –  I had successfully camouflaged my error!

    I carried this one step further by creating puddles of paint under the brush. (There were puddles around the paint pot,  but not under this paintbrush).

    I used a white gel pen to add accents here and there in the scene.

    I put the card face into my stamp positioner and added the sentiment.

    I cut the card face into three panels,  1 ⅓” each.

    Assembly

    I glued the border layer to the card base.

    I glued the three pieces of the card face onto this, spacing evenly.

    Final Thoughts:

    I love Anita Jeram’s work,  and was so happy with the images as placed and coloured. (I don’t pretend to be an expert with any form of colouring, so when I get something that I’m satisfied with, I’m happy!).   

    Then I was dismayed to notice the spatter,  and finally, happy again when the problem was resolved.

    Happy – dismayed – happy.  Sounds like a movie theme!  

    I’m so happy that I decided to rescue this card.😆

    Supplies: (and links where possible)

       I have listed which products I have used, and where they may be purchased. It’s a huge marketplace; in most instances, there are multiple sources and many alternatives.

    Stamps: Paint the Town, Colorado Craft Co., 

    Versafine Onyx, Simon Says Stamp

    Memento Ink: Stampin’ Up!

    Alcohol Markers:

         Stampin’ Blends: Stampin’ Up!

         Copics:  Wallacks

    Fineliners: Amazon

    White Gel Pen: Arteza,  Amazon

    Adhesive: Tombow Aqua, Michaels

    Card Base & Card Face: Accent 100 lb., Amazon