Card Rescues

 I love to make cards. But, they don’t always turn out; they look – blah. Those go in my bin of blah cards. When I need a challenge, but don’t want to design something new; I rescue cards.

one of the rescued cards

I will post the process for each of the three cards I rescued today separately and link back here. This is a description of my general process:

Step one: Choose a card.

Step one: find snack of choice.  

Step two: Choose a card.
Like most artists, I flip through until something catches my eye (or fills a need). For this series I chose three. All of which really need help and one that really need to get out of the bin.

Step three: research. 

This is one of my favorite parts of rescue. I spend time on Pinterest perusing my card boards to get some idea of what is missing/fixable. For most cards, there are some common culprits: 

A successful card of mine. It has three layers, one of which is 3-D. All three are inked.
It has a minimal color palate.The quilling is asymmetrically balanced and provides"glitz."

                1 - Layers – Popular cards online have 3-5 layers including a 3-D element. In addition, edges are can be inked or distressed to provide more interest. If rescuing, layers can help you mask an issue. My rescues are single layer cards.

                2 - Colors – You want a cohesive color palette chosen with the sentiment in mind. If you don’t understand this, read up on color wheels and color theory. It really helps. Top problems to watch for:
     Clashing colors: Blue and orange can be great, but can also kill a card.  
     Too much contrast: do the colors make your eyes squint because they glow next to each other?
      …Or too little contrast: white on white on white– umm… you just lost your layers and your stamped  image isn’t standing out.
     Fighting patterns: yes, I know you like polka dots and stripes and chevrons. If you put them all on one card, it gets to be too much. Solid color is a good thing. It allows the eyes to rest.

                3 – Bland vs. Glitz: Cards need something to make them special (just like you!) A single small image may not be enough. Options include embossing, die cuts, jewels, brads, etc. They all add a little something to the card. Use these with care. If overdone, it will leave the card looking like a summer camp reject.

                4 – Imbalance: Do you remember Symmetry and Asymmetry? Symmetrical balance is when one side mirrors the other. If your symmetry is good, perhaps you are finding that arrangement boring (our minds often do). Asymmetrical balance is harder to achieve, but is generally done through a design triangle (which is why so many beginning designers rely on the rule of three).

Look at your card. Are any of these your culprit? If not, keep researching until you find what the problem is.

Step four: choose color palette then possible papers/ink then possible glitz

Choosing a color palette for cards is just like choosing them for a room. You start with a neutral color, usually white or cream. This is your card base and envelope color. Then add accent color(s). The accent color is usually found in your patterned paper, your mat layers and your central image.

For me, this step means sitting in front of my paper and glitz bins and pulling out a dozen possibilities and returning to my workspace where I have really good light and making a final choice

possible papers for the "mother" card rescue

Step five: design

This can be the hardest part. I’ve already missed once with these cards so I’m always nervous. But if I’ve done my research, I usually have a basic plan. For me designing involves physically layering the papers in different ways, squinting and then switching things out until I’m happy. If I’m not sure, I take a picture and look at that. It’s amazing how different things look on a camera.

Step six: assembly

Once I’m happy with the design and have all the elements, I’ll put it together, then take another picture. If I like it, YAY! If not, I will go back to step three and make sure I didn’t develop a new problem, while trying to solve the original.

Step seven: give it away (or sell it, or put it in a box…)

Cards are made to be used. Make someone’s day and give the card away with an uplifting message inside.

Final Thought: Creativity is looking at many different ways to solve the same problem and then choosing one. Rescuing cards is one great way to develop it.