Friday 28 August 2015

Handbag Birthday Card (40th Birthday Card)

This card is A5 in size and made using a white linen effect, hand cut card blank.
Aghhhhhh this card! Made to order (and no, I won’t ever do it again, my making cards to order days are well and truly over!!!). Would it come together?  Would it my Aunt Fanny!!!!!!
I cut the card blank (A5) and then added the mat and layered gingham background ….. then, I made the sentiment and embellished panels with no real plan as to how they would come together!! Big mistake!
The self adhesive, 3D handbags came from Papercellar, so I reckon I’d had them for a least five years, they were made of silk and all I added were a few tiny faux pearls and matching clear flat backed gems for extra bling.
The self adhesive letters were from a Christmas range from Papermania. and had a touch of glitter about them.
When I started to put the card all together it soon became obvious that both mat and layered panels would have to go on the card at a “jaunty” angle to fit on the card …. and that was the problem, and yes…… in the end I did have to do them again to make them fit ….. and I HATE doing that!
Once the jaunty angle was sorted, I thought that there was too much empty space, some empty space on a card is good, but no every little space needs to be filled in, it’s a balancing act and in this case the two panels balance or come “together” …….. aghhhh
In the end I punched tiny flowers first for the background panel …. and then saw that a few more were needed on the sentiment panel ….. with added tiny flat backed gems ……… and finally faux stitching!
As I said I will never, ever, ever make another card to order ……. the time and angst just aren’t worth what I tend to charge!  If I took into consideration time, materials and effort you’d be looking at a £20 card and no one would ever pay that!!!!

4 comments:

Susan said...

I feel your pain Helen!!! Even when a 'commission' is well received it never quite makes up for all the time and angst. Unfortunately I shall just have to keep calm and carry on, at least as long as I have a connection to the school I make 'leavers' cards for.

Carol said...

I feel your pain too. Especially over what to charge. I make parchment cards and most take hours, sometimes days but no one would pay what the work is really worth. You just have to tell yourself that you do it because you love doing it.
Carol
x

Cheryl W said...

I've never made a commission card, but I can imagine the stress of trying to get it right when you don't know what "right" really is. This one turned out beautifully, though. Bet your customer was thrilled!

Roni said...

Your card turned out lovely! :D

Big hugs
Roni xox