Article of the Month

Sept. 2007 - Stamping a Card Focal

Every card needs a focal point. What's a focal point? It's the first element you notice when you look at the card.

A focal is sometimes (but not always) the largest or brightest element on the card. You might automatically think of a focal as a stamped image—but a card focal can also be a stamped sentiment, a silk flower or a monogram...or a combination of all three!

Here, designer LeNae Gerig distressed and stamped a monogram letter, then accented it with a flower attached with a stamped 22mm brad. The combination of elements creates a striking focal for this gorgeous card.

Thinking of U Card
By LeNae Gerig

LeNae first covered the front of the blank card with blue diamond paper, then heavily inked the edges of the card.

She cut a 2 1/2"x5" piece of textured brown paper and tore one short edge, then inked the edges and matted the piece on brown glimmer paper, tearing the bottom edge. A blue mini brad accents the top right and left corners.

"If you don't want the brad legs to show on the inside of the card, be sure to insert all the brads into the brown rectangle before gluing it to the front of the card—so don't attach the rectangle until after you've added the silk flower too!" LeNae advises.

The "U" monogram letter is lightly sanded on the edges and the surface, then stamped with only part of the "thinking of you" sentiment. "Using Staz—On® ink is necessary when stamping on metal," says LeNae, "And I find it also works on slick surfaces like the Pastel Monograms. It dries quickly and doesn't bleed."

"Ink only the words "thinking of" on the "thinking of you" stamp," says LeNae. "It's easy to do: Simply place a piece of tape over the word "you" to mask off the area before you ink, then remove the tape and stamp. I think it's a fun technique to use a portion of a sentiment, and to position it vertically instead of horizontally."

LeNae glued the altered monogram to the brown rectangle, positioning the letter toward the top. She sanded the edges of a blue big brad and secured the flower to the brown rectangle, placing the flower to slightly overlap the "U".

"This will keep the brad surface flat for a clear image," LeNae says. "Make sure the brad legs are firmly pressed flat, then stamp "Just a note" in the center of the brad. Don't press the stamp too firmly, or the image can easily slip. If the ink smudges, act quickly and use a touch of Staz On Remover® or a baby wipe to remove the words—then let the brad dry and stamp again."

After gluing the rectangle to the front of the card, LeNae overlapped the bottom portion with a knotted length of ribbon. "Cut two pieces of brown grosgrain ribbon: One 6" long, and the other 3"," she says. "Tie the ends of the ribbon in a knot, then use Zots™ to attach the ribbon horizontally across the card front. Trim the ribbon even with the card edges."

For the inside of the card, LeNae cut a 1 1/4"-wide strip of brown paper and inked one long edge. This piece is glued across the top of the card and trimmed even with the edges. "Stamp "Just Because" onto brown paper, then cut around the edges, or use a 3/4" circle punch," says LeNae. "Then secure it to the diamond tag with foam tape; add a brown mini brad at the top of the tag and glue the tag to the edge of the border strip." A "warm wishes" word fragment is the final touch at the right corner.

Supplies:

• Cardmaker's Earth's Palette Creative Pack
• Retro Embellish—abilities™): Brown grosgrain ribbon, brown flower, mini brads and big brad
• Pastel Monograms
• Expressions Acrylic Stamps
• Acrylic block
• Staz—On® Timber Brown ink pad
• Sanding block or emery board
• 3/4" circle punch
• foam tape
• small Zots™
• glue stick
• 5"x6 1/2" blank white card