Today’s post is a little different. While I am going to share a card with you, I really want to chat with you about the process of designing cards – especially designing specialty cards for someone else. Whoa! Don’t skip ahead to the card…there’s a buildup here…stick with me.
Have you ever designed a card for someone else? People who don’t stamp don’t always understand what it takes to make a card. Below is a typical conversation you might have with a specialty card customer:
YOU: Congratulations! I am so happy for the both of you. What style or theme are you looking for in your wedding invitations?
CUSTOMER: Well, we met on an Alaskan cruise. I love porcupines, and he loves to drink alcohol. We want an elegant card in all white and silver that has two porcupines standing on a ship’s bow (like Titanic) holding glasses of champagne. Do you have anything like that?
YOU: [never one to disappoint] Let me see what I can do.
It’s not easy! If Stampin’ Up! made a porcupines toasting on the bow of a cruise ship stamp set, I would probably buy three (just in case something happened to one of them). But they can’t think of everything.
Last week, my neighbor called to say that she is hosting a baby shower for her daughter’s best friend. On Saturday, I opened my fungeon to Naomi (my neighbor) and Dorothy (her daughter) to design and make some baby shower invitations. I love the question-and-answer phase of specialty designing. “What colors appeal most to you? Do you want it über-girly and baby-y, or do you want it classy? What images or shapes are most appropriate for this event?” Before the Q&A session, I didn’t know if the invitations would be cutesy or sophisticated. I didn’t know if they would be pink or blue. I didn’t know if they would be clean or distressed.
As it turns out, Naomi and Dorothy are throwing an ice cream themed shower for a woman who is having a baby girl. They wanted the invitation to be elegant and didn’t want it to literally reference the theme. They loved the pink and brown combination when I showed it to them (who doesn’t love pink and brown?!) and the look and sentiment of the stamp from Sketched Birthday, a set we received at Leadership and that will be available in the 2013-2014 Idea Book and Catalog. I think the stamp has an old-fashioned ice cream shop look to it – do you see what I’m talking about?
Stamp sets: Sketched Birthday, Everything Eleanor Papers: Soft Suede, Pretty in Pink, Very Vanilla Inks: Soft Suede, Pretty in Pink Accessories: Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Apothecary Accents Framelits, 3/8″ Taffeta Ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensionals
After a short time, Naomi and Dorothy left with a beautiful handful of invitations they will be proud to mail out to the invitees to the shower. It was a great feeling to send them off with such cool cards.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today!
Brian
Don’t forget about the Single Stamps! On Saturday, I showed you March’s anniversary stamps (see them here). Today, I want to remind you of the Single Stamps that are currently available. Lots of great ones here, so please check them out:
Terrific! Looks so much like Neapolitan colored ice cream anyway! You’re too darn funny with your above story. And yes, busted, I peaked at the card Way at the Bottom! First. 🙂
Well Brian, I had a hard time resisting the temptation to just scroll down and look but, your very entertaining story kept me from that. The colors are very Neapolitan ice creamy, you totally fullfilled your neighbor’s request for elegant. I’ve never been asked to make invitations for any event except for my grandchildrens birthday parties. I keep it simple (to be able to mass produce) and fun, I really enjoy doing this for the kids.
I really like the build up to the pretty card you made for your neighbor. The Neapolitan colors are soft & oh so pretty. It is important to ask questions & to set expectations when you have to improvise. Great job, & love the card. TFS
Your card is scrumpdillyicious!
Never one to disappoint ….. you are one creative and fun guy, Brian. I love the final invitation! That sentiment popped up over Everything Eleanor’s background stamp is genius!
Great story. I read your blog as much for the comedic way you say things as for the cards you make. This is a wonderful card to reproduce. Did they use the stamp-a-majig to center the pink stamp, or did they just eyeball it?
Hey Shannon! We assembly-lined 14 cards. Is that a verb? I cut all the paper and stamped the Pretty in Pink Everything Eleanor image in the background. They did all the rest. I just eyeballed it, but I’m a professional. Ha! Luckily, they all looked good. 🙂
I love the two layered images and I hope that this means SU may just keep Eleanor around another year because those two sets work well together. Woot Woot!
What a great way to spend a Saturday, helping your friends create the invitation for a special event. A simple and elegant invite, love it. I’m just guessing (okay I bet) you get more requests for your superb crafting greatness to help others in need. Through Naomi and Dorothy and their guests, the word will spread about your talent. I only wish I could come and play in your ‘fungeon’.
Would you consider moving up North? Eventually you’ll learn to deal with the cold snowy winters. Really, the snow is pretty and all glittery. Oops, I mentioned the ‘G’ word! I couldn’t resist! I would love to have you right out my back door so I could run for help when needed. Wishing you a great start on this bright and sunny day in Ohio. 🙂
I like it ! Love the colors …. and your cleverness once again emerged with the Everything Eleanor stamp as a bacground for the sentiment . I tell you though …it was hard for me to seriously look at your card after I got the image in my mind of two porcupines trying to hug !!
I absolutely loved the pink background behind the sentiment. Boy, that really made that card pop. I’ve found that the polka dots embossing folder is the most versatile of all the embossing folders I have. I’m with Lisa, you need to move up north so we are closer except I think if you are going north go all the way north and come to Maine! LOL
Oh Grace, can please somehow share? LOL
Lisa, I am in Ohio every other year. I got to Pataskala and Granville. Are you anywhere near there? If Brian goes to Ohio I would consider an extra drive out there. After all it’s only an 18 hour drive for me. LOL
It’s takes around 2 1/2 hrs to get to Columbus from my house. So to get to Granville & Pataskala on the East of Columbus maybe another 1/2 hr or so. That means for me to Maine would be 21 hrs. Whew.
Hi Brian! I love your blog! little bit of honesty first, I’ve been following your blog for a while, but at first I was guilty of just looking at your beautiful creations til me and my stampin buddy were talking about your blog and she said how she loved to read your blog, to which I replied I just jump to the good stuff. Fast forward to next morning when I opened my e-mail and actually read the blog, I was hooked I love waking up and reading your blog!
Count me as another fan of your blog! I feel as of I’m right there, talking with you. I have to say, I do not like pink, but on this card it’s perfect and just gorgeous.
Clean, simple, cute! Even the dots are perfectly aligned…..nice work, B!
Such a perfect design could only come from you! I have to admit I would loved to have seen your creation of the porcupines on the Titanic. :o)
You are such a riot….your blogs are normally so fun (exceptions being sad sympathy cards…hope you and your family are doing better after the loss of your beloved cousin!). You are so smart and sweet to have your neighbor and her daughter over to discuss and create the invites….but that is you! You three created a wonderful design, and yes, lovely color combo….which reminds me of a very recent trip to a fabulous local ice creamery and I had my most favorite Rocky Road ice cream made with walnuts, the only way it should be made!!!..oh how I could eat a big bowl of it right now..lol! Thanks, Brian!
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