Introduction to Cardmaking

Well I did say we would start afresh.

This is what your cards and envelopes will look like when they are delivered. The small ones are the envelopes and the larger the cards.

Take out the card blanks and look at the middle of them there should be a score line all the way down the middle of the card. Hold your card with the raised line before you and fold the card. Some do it the other way round also but I have found they fold neater like this. If you not have a bone folder you can use a clean 6" ruler to burnish(crease) the card in half. By doing this the card will stay folded while you work on it.

Now that's done lets get to the stamping. 

It is worth investing in some Stamping Blocks they come in many different sizes the smallest being just over an inch square the different sizes allow you to make sure the stamp fits comfortable onto the Block. In the annual catalogue they come under the title of Stampin Accessories on page 182. If the block is too small the stamp will overhang and you wont get an even stamped image. If the block is too big you will get a lot of rocking and the danger is that while inking you get ink onto the block or edge of the stamp which will ruin your card front. Stampin' Up! Blocks don't have lines like this one so you can you a piece of grid paper to line up the image.

 I have chosen the stamp set Free As A Bird catalogue number 149468 on page 92 of the annual catalogue. This stamp set offers lovely images and there are also sentiments in it.

Now you have the stamp on the right size block get out your black Memento ink, I like to ink mine while it is on the work surface this way you can see exactly what area of the stamp you are inking. If you do get a bit on the surround take a square of kitchen roll or a tissue and wipe it off making sure you don't take any off the image. Others take the stamp to the ink whichever you do like I say to my lovely Grand daughter make small bunny hops to ink up. You don't have to use a lot of pressure the more pressure you put on it the more chance of getting it all over and it will give the Splodge Monster a way of getting on to your card base.

This is what you should now see on your card front a lovely crisp image of the beautiful bird.

 Change to the small block and line it up so the "Thank You" is straight. You can use a piece of Graph paper or use a ruler.

 Now the front of your card is finished you can leave it just like that or you can colour it in. Stampin' Up! have a huge range of pens and pencils but until you are sure if you want to carry on the use any pencils you have. Later on I will go through the Stampin Blends with you. In my decades of stamping I have never come across such easy to use and blend pens.

The last thing to do is take one of the separate flowers in the stamp onto the small block and stamp on the bottom right of your envelope

I hope you have enjoyed your first stamping tutorial it is my first to write one so something new for us both to learn as we go.