Studio Calico

maile's challenge

Challenge: One-layer cards

You'll need to pull out your stamps and inks for this one! A one-layer card is essentially a card composed of a single layer, the card base, without any additional layers of cardstock or pattern paper. Embellishments can be added, but they typically do not add a lot of bulk or height to the card. The goal is to achieve a dimensional look with out the use of actual layers, keeping the card as flat as possible.

Techniques to give your card some visual dimension...

• Stamping
• Heat Embossing
• Dry Embossing
• Misting
• Masking
• Coloring with markers, pencils, etc.
• Just to name a few.

Perfect embellishments that won't add too much bulk...

• Glitter
• Glossy Accents
• Pen/Marker
• Washi Tape
• Ribbon
• Twine
• Rhinestones
• Enamel Dots
• Buttons
• Stickers
• Just to name a few.

(Supplies: Studio Calico Roller Rink Card Kit, Crack the Whip Add-on, Hero Arts Inks: Tide Pool, Orange Soda & Raspberry Jam, StazOn Ink Black)

The card I've chosen to base this challenge off of was created using the stamp set from the Roller Rink card kit. I've overlapped the stamped bubbles to make them appear as if they are stacked one on top of the other, therefor, creating the look of layers.

 

I hope I haven't made it too challenging for some of you.  But then again... this wouldn't be a challenge if it was easy.  Right?!  Hope you'll give it a go!

 

To be entered to win a $5 GC to the Studio Calico Shop, just complete a card based on Maile's challenge, then upload it to the Studio Calico gallery. Leave us a link to your project by October 15th in the comments here. We can't wait to see what you make!

from layout to card

Inspiration for a card design can come from pretty much anywhere, and one that I’ve played around with for today’s card is using scrapbook layouts as a starting point.  Layouts are obviously made on a much larger scale.  But when looked at with the right point of view you can pinpoint many inspiring ideas, which are perfect for jumpstarting a card.  Take for example Tina Aszmus' simple but striking page…

What appealed to me the most was the amount of white space and the flow of the design through the placement of the photo and additional elements.  I knew I could scale this entire layout down and make it work on the smaller canvas of a card.  Other times, it’s also possible to take just a portion of a layout and us it as the basis of a card.

By taking cues from Tina’s amazing layout, here’s what I was able to come up with…

I loved how the photo, embellishments and sentiment were all grouped horizontally at an angle.  To mimic this look, I trimmed a cardstock strip and placed it onto a card base in the same direction.  I then chose to place my sentiment in almost the exact same position as in the layout.

To give my card a bit of movement, I took note of the grouped embellishments in Tina’s design and carefully arranged mine.  A strip of chevron washi tape, a row of tiny stamped triangles and a few well-placed mistable arrows help to lead your eye directly to the sentiment.

When using a scrapbook layout as a jumping off point for designing a card, make sure to take cues from the colors used, basic shape placement, embellishment placement, shrinking the entire design or a portion of the design, basically… capturing the essence of the layout on a smaller scale.  I hope I’ve encouraged all of you to take a closer look at your favorite layouts and see the potential they holds for a card or two.

(supplies: cardstock - PTI rustic white; ink - Hero Arts Shadow Ink soft pool; stamps & mistable arrows - Central High card kit; washi tape & alpha letter stickers - Style Guide add-on)