Creative Process of Making Cards

We have mentioned this subject before in other posts but have since found a new, more in depth angle to the subject. As we have stated previously, each card usually has the same steps to it but yet vastly different at times. For this card,  K was making a sympathy card for a co-worker but was having a difficult time with getting the 'right' colors and look for the card. K wanted 'royal blue' as the main focus but wanted to add secondary colors. K decided to take pictures of the card, with different colors in the background. Pictures are great to use to get a different perspective then just staring at them with the naked eye. Because of the pictures, K ended up finding the right color combination (thankfully).
However, it clicked with K afterwards that these pictures show EXACTLY how the process of making cards is. Yea, our 'behind the card' post showed step by step. But that process is only true when you know exactly what paper and colors you want to incorporate. And then they look perfect on the card, just not in your head. These pictures show just HOW many times a card can be changed before the final product is agreed upon. See captions below for the story.

Original idea for the card. Realized it needed 'more'. LOVED the idea of the saying in the middle of the flower.

To add 'more', the idea came to add more color inside the petals. Ended up being a good idea. You will also see blue flowers in the picture. At the time, K thought she wanted the flower in the middle. Deleted that idea and decided it still needed 'more'. Smaller petals were also added to this version.

K was convinced that brown was the way to go for the background. Taking the picture changed that idea REAL fast! The pearl was also added to this version. This pearl just happen to be lying around on the table. Was never even a thought for the original vision. Lastly, another petal was added. The pearl was what made that happen.

The brown was deleted and thought only the blue strips might work. They worked but still needed 'more'. Also, notice the little petals have changed. Still there but different paper. 

A white specialty paper was added...and then deleted. Did absolutely nothing for the card. 

Finally! K was so set on having only 'royal blue' that originally another shade of blue wasn't even an option. The little petals were completed deleted from card. Now it is time to glue! K is so glad she waited to glue.

Obviously not the finished product but that was not this post's objective. The process was. Either way, the front is definitely done and not going to be changed. Not to worried about the inside since it needs LOTS of room for all of K's co-workers to sign.

Handmade Paper

We know we have plenty to do since finishing our Teapot Projects buttttt it was definitely time to celebrate a little... at the craft store. And not just at any craft store. But at our favorite one that is not anywhere near where we live. But.It.Is.Worth.It. Seriously. This store has all kinds of crafts obviously but what we love is their huge selection of different sized (and cheap) envelopes, selection of cardstock and of course their handmade paper that K just dies over every single time. They are a 'Paper Craft' store so of course they have specialty items you either can't find elsewhere or it is very difficult to find. Basically they take their paper Very Seriously. Who knew cardstock paper has different weight and thickness? We certainly didn't before this store.

http://hollospapercraft.net/hmp.html

 

 However, we don't want to bore you with all kind of facts about paper. Unless requested of course. But for the time being, we want to show off our new handmade paper we bought! And show that there are more options for paper to use out there than just cardstock and scrapbook paper. Be creative!

 

 

 

 

 As you can see, we blew up the pictures pretty BIG, but for good reason. As you can see, handmade has a different look and feel to them then what you find with say, notebook or printer paper. You can tell these weren't made in a factory. You can't really tell with these pictures but they are also a thicker paper and therefore can be difficult to cut correctly. Definitely need very sharp scissors to cut or you will have jagged edges.

 

But for today, lets end with the 'wall of handmade paper'. The wall that K falls in love with every time. (Not the best picture. Real life is much better!).

 

 

 

 

 



Breaking News! Teapot Projects cards are now for sale!

Yes, you read right. Our teapots from the Teapot Projects are finally for sale at our Etsy shop. Did you think we forgot? LOL. Huge relief to be able to get them up for sale...and be able to move on to other projects.

 

 

'Behind the Card' of the Teapot Projects. Special Edition!

If you are familiar with us and our Facebook page then you know 'behind the card' is something we've been doing for quite a while now over on Facebook. In fact, we got the idea to start our blog because our 'behind the card' posts are so popular.

For this 'Behind the Card' we have decided to feature our 'Teapot Projects' cards since we have been blogging a lot about them lately. However take note, this story is only about our 'Etsy Teapots'. Nothing against our teapot cards we are donating. We just don't have any pictures to show of the cards 'during the process' of making them. And to be honest, we have never done a feature of showing pictures 'during the process' let alone take pictures. So we ask to bare with us and give us plenty of feedback if needed. Hence the 'Special Edition'!

The beginning of this story starts over a year ago with 'K's childhood friend's bridal shower. As children K and said friend loved going to local tea houses for special occasions like birthday parties, ect. So when it came time for said friend to have her bridal shower, of course it was at a tea house. This is where the 'teapot' card idea came from. K decided that the card HAD to be a teapot since there would be a lot of meaning behind the card (childhood and bridal shower).  K got help from M and her dad (yes dad) to decide on the size and overall appearance. A pattern was made (for future reference) and the card generally wasn't all the difficult to complete. BTW, the card was a hit.

Fast forward to March 2015 when M&K decided to start making teapot cards to sell on our new Etsy shop. One problem with this. K could only find bits and pieces of the previously mentioned pattern, that you know, was made for future reference. M&K were back at the drawing board (literally). K tried making new patterns without help. But honestly, K cannot draw to save her life. M for that matter too. This is where dad comes into play once again since drawing can save his life. By the time, dad came in, two different patterns were already made, also known as the cards we are donating to Card Care Connection. Like we have stated previously, these patterns are not bad look-wise but AFTER dad stepped in and saved the day. Once these patterns were altered, K and dad made a third pattern that is shown below. And no worries, this pattern is in a safe spot and being taken care of much better than the original pattern.

Honestly, making the pattern was the hardest, most time consuming, most frustrating part of creating these cards. There are so many different design options and looks of teapots to consider. Then we have to consider what will be the easiest to draw, cut out and decide what was within our skill level. As you can see, when dad is involved, the pattern is very detailed and measured to the EXACT detail. Also, having the card fold at the top and have the teapot lid not attached was very much deliberate in our design. BTW, we want to add that dad insists that he 'doesn't do teapots'. Too girly for him, we guess? We had to hear this continually throughout the pattern process, but yet the proof is in the pictures.

Like we stated, once the pattern is made the hard part is over. We move on to drawing and cutting it out on to cardstock paper. We use cardstock for the base of all our cards because simply, it is thick. If you use 'printer paper' or scrapbook paper it is too thin and the card will most like flop around and fall apart sooner rather than later.

Now to the fun part! This is where we pick out paper to use (if we haven't already decided before the pattern was even made). This also known as picking out our 'theme' for the card. Once this is decided we of course start measuring (again) and cut/paste the paper onto the cardstock. Usual issues with this step are of course cutting the paper correctly (takes us back to kindergarten, lol) and making sure the scrapbook paper glues correctly. Sometimes after drying, the scrapbook paper and the cardstock come undone if not done correctly initially. Also, as you can see, the teapot has tight corners and curves which also make everything listed above more difficult. To ensure we wouldn't have any issues, we used 'concrete glue' on the tea lid, handle and spout which we knew would be 'problem areas'. As a side note, the smell of the glue is memorable to say the least but it did its job and that is what is important.

 As you can see, not only did we have to measure (again) correctly for the outside of the card, but ALSO the inside of the card. It's like this obviously for every card we make, but this card made it a little more tedious. You will also notice that the spout and the handle are actually the outside AND the inside of the card depending if it is open or closed. You see cards like this all the time in stores, but this was a new concept for us to create. Also, as you can see in the picture below, the lid was covered in the same paper pattern as the inside. However, it is not seen when opened. It is just glued (with the smelly concrete glue) on to the outside. Originally we wanted the handle to show when the card was opened but it became too much to handle design-wise. Maybe our next pattern adventure we will figure it out!

 But back to the present card. As you can see, it is finished! However, this is where we make sure we like every part of the card and nothing is sticking out, not sticking, needs cut, ect. Basically it is either now or never! For these cards, obviously they will be up for sale on Etsy as previously stated. So the creative part of the card is finished. However, the business part is just starting. We need to take (hopefully good) pictures that will help the card sell, find a price point, figure out the shipping nonsense and of course create its profile on Etsy. And of course each step takes time. Definitely not the fun part of the business. But it comes with the territory so there be it.

Of course when we have custom orders or giving the cards to someone, this last part is a little different. But those are stories for another day! So until then, have a great rest of the holiday weekend and if anyone is willing to give constructive feedback or has questions, let us know.

Teapot Projects




Source: Pinterest

Happy 4th of July!

 

Hope everyone is having a great 4th of July! We are trying to have a relaxing holiday but of course holidays (and extra days off) are a great time to catch up on projects around here. However, it is nice once and awhile to not have to squeeze in our card business with everything else going on, including full time jobs.

 

Speaking of projects, we have an update on our 'Teapot Project' we were talking about last time. We have finished a set of tea pot cards that we will be donating to an organization called, Card Care Connection. This organization collects handmade sympathy and motivational cards and distributes them to cancer patients free of charge. This is actually the first time CreativeJuicesofM&K have donated cards to them but we have heard great things about them. You can find them by clinking the link below or find them on Facebook.

http://www.cardcareconnection.com/default.aspx

 

Teapot Project cards for Card Care Connection
 

Our 'Teapot Project' actually has two parts to it. Part 2 of our project includes making tea pot cards to sell on our Etsy store. They are not listed on the site yet, but we are happy to say that they are FINALLY FINISHED! We have been working on them since March and originally wanted them for sale for Spring 2015. Obviously this didn't happen but hey, life happens.

We just have to finish some of the 'business side' of things before they will be ready to sell. They will be displayed separately (not as a set). However, if someone is interested in buying all three, we are more than happy to work with them on a discount. When they are up on Etsy we will let everyone know. Until then, see below for a sneak peek at our new cards!

 

Preview of Teapot Project cards to be sold on Etsy
 

 

Current Projects

We always have a couple different projects going on at one time depending on what interests us and the time of year. Like most people, Fall through Christmas time is the busiest time of year for us not only because of the holidays, but it seems everyone in our family has a birthday. O, and we need to make cards for them and O, then there are the Christmas cards to make for everyone and their mother. Every year, we always try to start making our Christmas cards around June or July because the amount of cards we send out and the detail we put into the cards. And remember, these are just the cards we send out to family, friends, co-workers, ect. Not the cards we are selling. Minus this year, this time of year is usually our slowest as well. We usually make around 30+ cards depending on how much time we give ourselves and our level of creativity. Last year, we admit was a bad year for creativity. It just was not happening in large dosages. Now this year, we are ready to hit the ground running. We just have to make time and we are ready to go!

Another project we are working on is our 'secret project'. We have been hinting about this project on our Facebook page. I'm sure if you look at the pictures and (hint) look at previous cards we have made, you will figure out what we are making. And the good news, these cards are for our Etsy shop!

Speaking of selling cards, we are getting some of our cards ready to sell at local shops in our area!! People keep asking us if we have our cards in stores and hopefully sometime this summer the answer will be YES! When we have all the details worked out, we will be sure to tell the world. Yes, we are that excited about it.

Lastly, selling cards is great, but giving them away is even better. We started making our cards to just give to people we like, love, care about. In fact we loved it so much that we didn't want to sell our cards initially. So in the spirit of keeping to our roots, we are working on a special set of cards to give away to a couple local charities that have asked for them. One of these sets is called the 'tea pot' project.We also hope to finish these cards sometime this summer and will definitely be sharing them here on why this set is worth mentioning.

As you can tell, we are busy busy busy. But in a very good and exciting way. We will keep everyone posted as projects are finished and new ones are added.

Etsy Shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CreativeJuicesofMK?ref=hdr_shop_menu

As we have said from the beginning, we are very proud to have an Esty shop. It is something we have been thinking about doing for awhile now even though it is completely out of our comfort zone. Prior this new adventure, M had email and was just learning to text. K only had a Facebook account and was set on having NO MORE. On to present day, we not only have a shop, we have business accounts with Facebook, Instragram and Pinterest. It has been a huge learning curve, and still is, but has presented a new range of possibilities. In short, it has been the rollercoaster ride of a lifetime.

Like we have stated before, we are not taking custom orders currently for a range of reasons but we still have plenty to choose from. We have birthday, thinking of you, sympathy, praying for you, get well soon and blank cards for any occasions.

Here are some background stories on our cards.

This card is very memorable to us because the paper used is a design we actually made ourselves. Until this card, we always just brought our paper and never thought to do anything different. Making this card was an experience with good and bad parts. We mixed water and spray paint together, which has a cool effect but can turn flaky after drying and cutting the paper. Once cut though, it fine, promise! If you look closely, we cut the paper into strips and matched them up, or you could say, not matched them to make the effect shown.

This card looks and feels, yes feels, different. We say feel because the front of the card has felt fabric on it instead of paper. We sometimes use what we have left over from other custom card projects or miscellaneous craft projects. We had the felt left over from a baby card we made a year or so ago for a friend. However, using materials besides paper is a pain.in.the.butt. But in the end, it looks good, so that's all that matters, right? ( Right now we are trying not think about what we had to do to get the felt to stick properly). Another point to mention is the size of the card. As you can tell, its size is not what you normally would find with handmade cards. But, just like left over material, we do the same with envelopes. For some reason, but good reason, no complaints, people give us random envelopes they have laying around. So of course, we use them since they are free! And that is why the card is this size. I know, nothing major behind that story, but still important to mention. On using materials we already have, it not only saves us money, but makes us push our creativity to another level. And that we would say, is never a bad thing!

This card looks pretty and more 'simple' for our style of cards. However, one word that reminds of us of this card: STRESS! We love making cards partially for the stress relief and the fun of it. This card did not fit either one of those descriptions, lol! For such a simple card, we thought we would never finish this card. We can't remember how many times we added and then deleted items and debating if we had too much going on color wise. It’s the perfect example of needing to walk away from a card for a while and come back later with a fresh mind. Thankfully, the end result is something we like and are proud of. Believe us when we say, there have been cards that ended up in the trash. Another issue we always have to keep in mind, and definitely came up in the process of making this card, is making sure the front of the card matches or goes along with the inside. It needs to look like one card, one style instead of two. You would think this isn’t a big deal but it comes up regularly for us. In the end, even though the process was stressful with this card, (and others), we always learn something from it and come away from it proud and…you could say more creative and inspired.

These are just a few but clink the link below to see more of our cards.


https://www.etsy.com/shop/CreativeJuicesofMK?ref=hdr_shop_menu