If you are planning on having a winter wedding, then why not consider having a Christmas themed wedding?
By choosing to have a Christmas themed wedding, would make the whole planning process that much easier as you will have plenty of seasonal crafts & embellishments to use on your wedding stationery and reception decoration. Wow...look at all the themed decoration products that are now available.
Most people would normally associate the popular Red & Green colours with Christmas, but you don’t have to limit your decorative palette to just these two colours. There are many colours that will sit perfect for a Christmas or Winter Wedding.
Burgundy & Gold, Lilac & Silver, Red & Gold, Chocolate Browns & Gold, Light Blue & White, Lilac & White, Pink & White, various shades of Greens & Gold, all these colours would look equally as good as the Traditional Colours, and all will capture the essence of Christmas.
When designing and choosing to make your own wedding stationery, the world is your oyster. With hundreds of lovely embellishments now available in a variety of colours, you will have no end of pleasure in making beautiful wedding invites, there are many gorgeous embossed papers, christmas themed embellishments, and a huge array of ribbons now available.
Wednesday 30 September 2009
Tuesday 29 September 2009
Making A Table Seating Plan
1) All table plans are different, it is best to work from the floor plan.
2) Firstly draw it out on a piece of scrap paper.
3) Set this out on a word document using shapes to format/represent tables on an A5 size of card: don’t worry about adding any names initially. Just work out how many tables will be used, and roughly how many seats per table, once you know the number of tables, you can print it out in numbered format or name the tables.
4) Use a printed sheet just to show your guests where the tables are in the room. The A5 size sheet is ideal for this, but the choice is yours. If you use two large A2 seating plan boards, print one for each board.
5) Once this has been done, you can print this out on A5 overlay paper. Use scrap to set it first.
6) When you have completed the layout format. You can now group your guests as you feel will be suited. Again, using scrap paper, jot down names first, whilst working them out.
7) You can print this out on A6 size of overlay paper.
8) Print your names & date of wedding on long narrow overlay papers, again if you use two boards, print one for each board.
9) Now you can place overlay papers on to backing cards, using the tape runner pen. Before sticking them to the Mount board, you will need to decide, how you are going to lay them out.
10) If you have more than 5 tables, it is best to use two mount boards, placing the table number format in the centre, and placing the names around this.
11) To make things easier we now have a seating plan kit available to purchase.
2) Firstly draw it out on a piece of scrap paper.
3) Set this out on a word document using shapes to format/represent tables on an A5 size of card: don’t worry about adding any names initially. Just work out how many tables will be used, and roughly how many seats per table, once you know the number of tables, you can print it out in numbered format or name the tables.
4) Use a printed sheet just to show your guests where the tables are in the room. The A5 size sheet is ideal for this, but the choice is yours. If you use two large A2 seating plan boards, print one for each board.
5) Once this has been done, you can print this out on A5 overlay paper. Use scrap to set it first.
6) When you have completed the layout format. You can now group your guests as you feel will be suited. Again, using scrap paper, jot down names first, whilst working them out.
7) You can print this out on A6 size of overlay paper.
8) Print your names & date of wedding on long narrow overlay papers, again if you use two boards, print one for each board.
9) Now you can place overlay papers on to backing cards, using the tape runner pen. Before sticking them to the Mount board, you will need to decide, how you are going to lay them out.
10) If you have more than 5 tables, it is best to use two mount boards, placing the table number format in the centre, and placing the names around this.
11) To make things easier we now have a seating plan kit available to purchase.
Monday 28 September 2009
Rubber Stamping On Your Wedding Invites
Rubber Stamping is great fun, and can make your wedding invitations look fantastic. There are many wedding and romantic rubber stamps available, which will help you produce great looking results. Once you have chosen your design, take time out to practise your rubber stamping technique, before going straight into stamping on your blank cards! Here are a few simple tips and rules, to help guide you through rubber-stamping your wedding invitations.
Toppers: Use a blank topper or piece of blank layer card, instead of stamping directly onto the card, this will allow you room for errors, if you do make a mistake, at least you have not ruined a blank card. You can then stick the topper onto your chosen blank card.
Inking the stamp: You will get a better image if you tap the surface of your rubber stamp with the ink pad, rather than pushing the stamp onto the pad. Foam ink pads will "give" too much and you will get ink on the portions of the stamp which are not raised, and too much ink on the raised parts which could transfer smudges onto your project.
Check the ink has covered the stamp evenly: With both large and small pads, you should be able to see that the surface of the stamp is well covered without being too "gloppy." When ready, press the stamp with even pressure onto your blank card or topper (do not rock the stamp) down onto the card/paper, then remove quickly. Always replace the lids on the inks to prevent drying out.
Direct to Paper techniques: Going direct to paper with your stamp pads and then using make up foam applicators to smudge/spread the ink creates a nice, multi-colored background. You can also pick up ink with the foam pad or with a stipple brush directly from the pad and then apply to the paper.
Using portions of your stamp: Sometimes you may want to use just a portion of a stamp. You can ink just that portion, or use a paper mask to protect any other stamped images. Use paper masks or low tack stencil tape to mask off the area not needed, this can also help you create background and foreground effects.
Embossing with Clear Embossing Powder : When you want to preserve the color of the pigment ink you have selected, use a clear embossing powder. As soon as you have stamped your image, cover it with clear embossing powder, use a spare clean sheet of paper to catch the excess powder & pour the excess back into bottle and tap the paper to remove any excess grains. Use a heat gun to melt the embossing powder, in a slow movement, being careful not to over heat the image. A large folded piece of paper can catch any excess and you can then funnel the remainder into the bottle.
Toppers: Use a blank topper or piece of blank layer card, instead of stamping directly onto the card, this will allow you room for errors, if you do make a mistake, at least you have not ruined a blank card. You can then stick the topper onto your chosen blank card.
Inking the stamp: You will get a better image if you tap the surface of your rubber stamp with the ink pad, rather than pushing the stamp onto the pad. Foam ink pads will "give" too much and you will get ink on the portions of the stamp which are not raised, and too much ink on the raised parts which could transfer smudges onto your project.
Check the ink has covered the stamp evenly: With both large and small pads, you should be able to see that the surface of the stamp is well covered without being too "gloppy." When ready, press the stamp with even pressure onto your blank card or topper (do not rock the stamp) down onto the card/paper, then remove quickly. Always replace the lids on the inks to prevent drying out.
Direct to Paper techniques: Going direct to paper with your stamp pads and then using make up foam applicators to smudge/spread the ink creates a nice, multi-colored background. You can also pick up ink with the foam pad or with a stipple brush directly from the pad and then apply to the paper.
Using portions of your stamp: Sometimes you may want to use just a portion of a stamp. You can ink just that portion, or use a paper mask to protect any other stamped images. Use paper masks or low tack stencil tape to mask off the area not needed, this can also help you create background and foreground effects.
Embossing with Clear Embossing Powder : When you want to preserve the color of the pigment ink you have selected, use a clear embossing powder. As soon as you have stamped your image, cover it with clear embossing powder, use a spare clean sheet of paper to catch the excess powder & pour the excess back into bottle and tap the paper to remove any excess grains. Use a heat gun to melt the embossing powder, in a slow movement, being careful not to over heat the image. A large folded piece of paper can catch any excess and you can then funnel the remainder into the bottle.
Friday 25 September 2009
Making & Tying Embellishment Bows
Bows are beautiful embellishments and with a little practice you can create gorgeous little or big bows in a range of stylish decorative styles, these will give your DIY Wedding Invitation a beautiful look. Here are some instructions on making that perfect bow.
Simple Single Bow:
To tie a small single bow. Leaving a length of about 4-6cm loose to your left side make a loop in your left hand
I find it easier to leave the ribbon length on the roll, then cut afterwards. This gives you a lot more control on feeding the loops into a knot.
Now make a loop of approx the same size next to it with your right hand.
You should now have a loop in each hand.
Tie these two loops together in a knot.
Pull the loops to create the size of bow you want.
Then gently pull the ends of the ribbon, to adjust the size where necessary.
Tighten the knot to secure the bow.
Trim the ends on diagonally at your preferred length to stop the ends fraying.
Buckle Bow:
Wrap a length of ribbon around your chosen card.
Tie a single knot by taking the ribbon left over right and under.
Now tie a second knot on top again taking the ribbon left over right and under.
Cut a V into the ends of the ribbon or trim on the diagonal to stop fraying.
Simple Single Bow:
To tie a small single bow. Leaving a length of about 4-6cm loose to your left side make a loop in your left handI find it easier to leave the ribbon length on the roll, then cut afterwards. This gives you a lot more control on feeding the loops into a knot.
Now make a loop of approx the same size next to it with your right hand.
You should now have a loop in each hand.
Tie these two loops together in a knot.
Pull the loops to create the size of bow you want.
Then gently pull the ends of the ribbon, to adjust the size where necessary.
Tighten the knot to secure the bow.
Trim the ends on diagonally at your preferred length to stop the ends fraying.
Buckle Bow:
The buckle bow is elegant and looks beautiful when applied to stationery. It looks difficult but is surprisingly very easy to make! It is made from 3 separate lengths of ribbon. To make a medium bow with 10mm ribbon:
Take aprox 10cm length of ribbon (satin ribbon is best for buckle bows)
Place a mini glue dot halfway along it.
Fold in the ends in to stick to the glue dot.
Take a 3cm length of ribbon and wrap this around the middle of your first part to create the bow, again fixing with a mini glue dot.
Place a long strip of ribbon where required on your card and attach the flat ribbon with double sided tape, this works perfect with satin ribbon.
Now attatch buckle bow in the centre. Easy!!!
The Knot Bow:
The knot bow is not actually a bow, it is just a double knot, that looks so impressive it gives wedding stationery the look of a bow.Take aprox 10cm length of ribbon (satin ribbon is best for buckle bows)
Place a mini glue dot halfway along it.
Fold in the ends in to stick to the glue dot.
Take a 3cm length of ribbon and wrap this around the middle of your first part to create the bow, again fixing with a mini glue dot.
Place a long strip of ribbon where required on your card and attach the flat ribbon with double sided tape, this works perfect with satin ribbon.
Now attatch buckle bow in the centre. Easy!!!
The Knot Bow:
Wrap a length of ribbon around your chosen card.
Tie a single knot by taking the ribbon left over right and under.
Now tie a second knot on top again taking the ribbon left over right and under.
Cut a V into the ends of the ribbon or trim on the diagonal to stop fraying.
Thursday 24 September 2009
Extra Information With Invitations
When making your own Wedding Stationery, it will be of great help to your guests if you add some extra information. This will help your guests to enjoy your perfect day. A great idea, is to make an information booklet, you can theme this along the same design as your wedding invitations. Using the card and inserts will give a very professional look.
Here is an idea of list of additional things you may, or may not wish to include with your DIY wedding invitations!! It is not vital, but may be of help to some guests.
- Map with directions - to get to the church/wedding venue and reception venue, ideal for those who dont know the area.
- A list of local hotels/guesthouses/B&Bs - a great help for those people needing to stay over.
- Transport options - help for those who may need assistance in getting to the area - train, bus, other.
- An optional gift list for those attending the full wedding and reception.
- Information about Car Parking if required.
- Whether smoking areas are permitted.
- Disabled facilities.
- Whether confetti may be thrown at the church or not.
- Local Taxi numbers for the evening reception, nothing worse, than not being able to get a taxi home!!
Here is an idea of list of additional things you may, or may not wish to include with your DIY wedding invitations!! It is not vital, but may be of help to some guests.
- Map with directions - to get to the church/wedding venue and reception venue, ideal for those who dont know the area.
- A list of local hotels/guesthouses/B&Bs - a great help for those people needing to stay over.
- Transport options - help for those who may need assistance in getting to the area - train, bus, other.
- An optional gift list for those attending the full wedding and reception.
- Information about Car Parking if required.
- Whether smoking areas are permitted.
- Disabled facilities.
- Whether confetti may be thrown at the church or not.
- Local Taxi numbers for the evening reception, nothing worse, than not being able to get a taxi home!!
Wednesday 23 September 2009
Wallets & Pocketfold Cards
Wallet Cards:
A lovely distinctive choice, classy, yet a very simple design, these will look very professional. These cards are a wallet style cards, where an insert slides into the closed wallet.
1)Are you going to want to print on the outer wallet?
If yes, this is definately possible, our wallet cards are supplied flat packed and unglued, and pre- scored, so this will allow you to add your text to the front of the wallet. It will look fantastic to personlise them. If you are intending on using a home pc printer, you should check that your printer will accept the open flat sizes. But some stores only sell pre-glued wallets, so this is something that should be considered before purchasing. Buying un-glued wallets, gives a lot more flexibilty when making and designing your wedding invites.
2)Glueing the Wallet Cards
All our wallet cards, are supplied, unglued and flat packed, you will need to be very careful when glueing them. Make sure you use either a nozzle pva glue, and apply only thin amount so as not to warp the card, or a very strong double sided tape.
3) Printing on Card Wallet Inserts
Again, you need to check your printer will accept insert sizes, this makes sense, as the inserts for wallet cards will need to slide into the outer wallet card, so you will be printing on smaller inserts than standard sizes. Generally most printers can take various size cards, including square, DL, and smaller sizes. It is normally just a case of adjusting your printer tray guides. You might want to consider using overlay paper on the card wallet insert, this will definately make printing easier. You could even print on A4 paper, then trim to size, then adhere onto the card wallet insert. This will look very professional, especially if you leave a nice border edge to show the wallet insert card.
Pocketfold Cards:
Just Stunning, if you want that extra bit of WOW factor, these are definately worth thinking about. Our stunning blank invitation pocketfold cards, are made from double sided luxury pearlescent card. This beautiful stylish pocketfold incorporates a pocket for you to add more information. Ideal for making stunning, distinctive wedding invitations. We supply our range in two ways.
A) Sold in a complete matching set. Each pocketfold wallet set contains: x1 Outer Wallet (250gsm) x2 Pearl card inserts (250gsm) x2 Ivory or white overlay paper inserts (100gsm) x1 Ivory or white envelope (100gsm) (insert overlay paper & envelope colour are perfect matching)
B) Each pocketfold wallet contains: x1 Outer Wallet (250gsm) this is supplied flat packed, and unglued, with no inserts or envelopes, thus allowing you to be creative, mix and match and make your own design inserts. Available in 4 sizes: A6, DL, Lg Square & Small Square.
1) Are you going to want to print on the outer pocketfold?
If yes, this is definately possible, as all our pocketfold cards are supplied flat packed and unglued, and pre scored, this will allow you to add your text to the front of the wallet, but great care and patience is needed. They will look fantastic if you fancy personlising them. If you are intending on using a home pc printer, you should also check that your printer will accept the open flat sizes. Consider firstly purchasing just a couple to practise on, then when you are sure you are able to put them through your printer, then head out and purchase a large quantity.
2) How to Glue Pocketfolds?
All our pocketfolds do come supplied unglued and flat packed, so you will need to be very careful when glueing them. Make sure you use either a nozzle pva glue, and apply only thin amount so as not to warp the card, or a very strong double sided tape.
3) Using & Printing on Pocketfold Card Inserts
Again, you need to check your printer will accept the insert sizes, this makes sense, as the inserts for pocketfold cards will need to slide into the outer pocketfold card, so you will be printing on smaller inserts than standard sizes. Generally most printers can take square and smaller sizes, its normally just a case of adjusting your printer tray guides. If you purchase our pocketfold set, you will be supplied with the full set which incorporates the inserts, so you need to check you can print on the finished size. If you struggle to print on the smaller size inserts, you can buy the stand alone pocketfold and consider printing on A4 paper, then trim to size, then adhere onto a card insert. This will look very professional, especially if you leave a nice border edge to show on the insert card.
A lovely distinctive choice, classy, yet a very simple design, these will look very professional. These cards are a wallet style cards, where an insert slides into the closed wallet.
1)Are you going to want to print on the outer wallet?
If yes, this is definately possible, our wallet cards are supplied flat packed and unglued, and pre- scored, so this will allow you to add your text to the front of the wallet. It will look fantastic to personlise them. If you are intending on using a home pc printer, you should check that your printer will accept the open flat sizes. But some stores only sell pre-glued wallets, so this is something that should be considered before purchasing. Buying un-glued wallets, gives a lot more flexibilty when making and designing your wedding invites.
2)Glueing the Wallet Cards
All our wallet cards, are supplied, unglued and flat packed, you will need to be very careful when glueing them. Make sure you use either a nozzle pva glue, and apply only thin amount so as not to warp the card, or a very strong double sided tape.
3) Printing on Card Wallet Inserts
Again, you need to check your printer will accept insert sizes, this makes sense, as the inserts for wallet cards will need to slide into the outer wallet card, so you will be printing on smaller inserts than standard sizes. Generally most printers can take various size cards, including square, DL, and smaller sizes. It is normally just a case of adjusting your printer tray guides. You might want to consider using overlay paper on the card wallet insert, this will definately make printing easier. You could even print on A4 paper, then trim to size, then adhere onto the card wallet insert. This will look very professional, especially if you leave a nice border edge to show the wallet insert card.
Pocketfold Cards:
Just Stunning, if you want that extra bit of WOW factor, these are definately worth thinking about. Our stunning blank invitation pocketfold cards, are made from double sided luxury pearlescent card. This beautiful stylish pocketfold incorporates a pocket for you to add more information. Ideal for making stunning, distinctive wedding invitations. We supply our range in two ways.
A) Sold in a complete matching set. Each pocketfold wallet set contains: x1 Outer Wallet (250gsm) x2 Pearl card inserts (250gsm) x2 Ivory or white overlay paper inserts (100gsm) x1 Ivory or white envelope (100gsm) (insert overlay paper & envelope colour are perfect matching)
B) Each pocketfold wallet contains: x1 Outer Wallet (250gsm) this is supplied flat packed, and unglued, with no inserts or envelopes, thus allowing you to be creative, mix and match and make your own design inserts. Available in 4 sizes: A6, DL, Lg Square & Small Square.
1) Are you going to want to print on the outer pocketfold?
If yes, this is definately possible, as all our pocketfold cards are supplied flat packed and unglued, and pre scored, this will allow you to add your text to the front of the wallet, but great care and patience is needed. They will look fantastic if you fancy personlising them. If you are intending on using a home pc printer, you should also check that your printer will accept the open flat sizes. Consider firstly purchasing just a couple to practise on, then when you are sure you are able to put them through your printer, then head out and purchase a large quantity.
2) How to Glue Pocketfolds?
All our pocketfolds do come supplied unglued and flat packed, so you will need to be very careful when glueing them. Make sure you use either a nozzle pva glue, and apply only thin amount so as not to warp the card, or a very strong double sided tape.
3) Using & Printing on Pocketfold Card Inserts
Again, you need to check your printer will accept the insert sizes, this makes sense, as the inserts for pocketfold cards will need to slide into the outer pocketfold card, so you will be printing on smaller inserts than standard sizes. Generally most printers can take square and smaller sizes, its normally just a case of adjusting your printer tray guides. If you purchase our pocketfold set, you will be supplied with the full set which incorporates the inserts, so you need to check you can print on the finished size. If you struggle to print on the smaller size inserts, you can buy the stand alone pocketfold and consider printing on A4 paper, then trim to size, then adhere onto a card insert. This will look very professional, especially if you leave a nice border edge to show on the insert card.
Tuesday 22 September 2009
Making Autumn Themed Wedding Invitations
The smell of blazing bonfires with roasted chestnuts all add to the wonderful magical time of Autumn.
Getting married in autumn with the glorious burst of colours in the trees, the view of dried leaves across the lands, with a crisp crunch underfoot adds to the excitement of arranging an autumn wedding! The cool nip of the fresh air adds to the abudance of choices you have with this season!
More and more colours are now added to many papers and wedding craft embellishments, allowing you to choose a perfect autumn colour choice for DIY wedding invites!
A beautiful assortment of craft papers in an array of colours ranging from: rustic reds, deep reds, beautiful burgundy, platinum silvers, pale yellows & pumpkin orange sitting alonside beautiful shimmer cards; available in Warm Whites, Ivory, Opal Ivory, Champagne and Shimmering Golds! There are lots of exciting colours to choose from in this glorious autumn season, from beautiful glowing gold’s, shimmering silky oranges, dark, milky & rich chocolate browns, hunter & sage greens, rich burgundy reds along with an array of rich colourful spices.
Mix your ideas with collected twigs, berries, paper flowers and beautiful ribbons - you will be amazed at the fantastic results! These lovely embellishments will give a truly magical harvest type design. Making an autumn themed wedding invitation has never been easier.
Getting married in autumn with the glorious burst of colours in the trees, the view of dried leaves across the lands, with a crisp crunch underfoot adds to the excitement of arranging an autumn wedding! The cool nip of the fresh air adds to the abudance of choices you have with this season!
More and more colours are now added to many papers and wedding craft embellishments, allowing you to choose a perfect autumn colour choice for DIY wedding invites!
A beautiful assortment of craft papers in an array of colours ranging from: rustic reds, deep reds, beautiful burgundy, platinum silvers, pale yellows & pumpkin orange sitting alonside beautiful shimmer cards; available in Warm Whites, Ivory, Opal Ivory, Champagne and Shimmering Golds! There are lots of exciting colours to choose from in this glorious autumn season, from beautiful glowing gold’s, shimmering silky oranges, dark, milky & rich chocolate browns, hunter & sage greens, rich burgundy reds along with an array of rich colourful spices.
Mix your ideas with collected twigs, berries, paper flowers and beautiful ribbons - you will be amazed at the fantastic results! These lovely embellishments will give a truly magical harvest type design. Making an autumn themed wedding invitation has never been easier.
Making Place Cards
If you are having a traditional Wedding with a sit down reception, you will probably want to allocate your guests to seats with a place card. Most brides choose to use a traditional tent place card. These are small place cards with a single fold.
If you are lucky enough to have great neat handwriting, you can write directly onto the cards, with a nice calligraphy or gel pen. However, most of us are not this fortunate, and so will probably want to print on them. Our own unique pre-scored place cards, have been cut to a specific size 90x90mm, they are supplied flat packed, allowing you to put through a printer quit easily, all you will need to do is adjust the gage in the printer tray.
Alternatively you can print the names of your guests on a sheet of vellum, insert paper, or pearlescent paper then cut to smaller size, you can either use the printed guest name as a wrap around the place card, or cut into strips where the guest name is printed, then adhere to the pre-scored place cards.
Purchasing blank place cards, will allow you to decorate accordingly. You can follow your theme throughout your diy wedding stationery and embellish with your chosen design to match your invitations, so your reception tables will look perfect, with matching items.
We have created templates for printing on our place cards, so feel free to download this and use accordingly.
Place Card Templates: Place Card Template 90x90mm
If you are lucky enough to have great neat handwriting, you can write directly onto the cards, with a nice calligraphy or gel pen. However, most of us are not this fortunate, and so will probably want to print on them. Our own unique pre-scored place cards, have been cut to a specific size 90x90mm, they are supplied flat packed, allowing you to put through a printer quit easily, all you will need to do is adjust the gage in the printer tray.
Alternatively you can print the names of your guests on a sheet of vellum, insert paper, or pearlescent paper then cut to smaller size, you can either use the printed guest name as a wrap around the place card, or cut into strips where the guest name is printed, then adhere to the pre-scored place cards.
Purchasing blank place cards, will allow you to decorate accordingly. You can follow your theme throughout your diy wedding stationery and embellish with your chosen design to match your invitations, so your reception tables will look perfect, with matching items.
We have created templates for printing on our place cards, so feel free to download this and use accordingly.
Place Card Templates: Place Card Template 90x90mm
How to Make An Order Of Service or Mass Booklet
1) First thing to decide, is how many sheets your Order of Service will need. To work out how many pages you will use, you need to write a rough draught, so you will know how many sheets of insert paper to purchase. The longer the service, the bigger the order of service will be. Many brides now also choose to add lots of extra information within the booklet. eg: Naming the bridesmaids, page boys and ushers and thanking family members for thier help, etc.
2) To help determine the size required so you can decide on the layout, it is best to speak to your priest for some information regarding the way order of service is conducted. He may be able to give you some examples of previous services.
3) You can use various sizes of cards, but the most common size is to use is an A5 single fold card. This gives plenty of room to also add that extra info if needed. If you use one sheet of insert paper folded to A5, you have a greater choice of adhering this to the card, but if you need to print on the back page of the insert this may give you difficulty when glueing the insert inside the card, as the text be on the back page, thus making this difficult to adhere. So if you can get away with not printing on the back page it may help you in the long run.
4) Printing tips; most of our cards are suitable for home pc printing, but please bear in mind, this does largely depend on which PC printer you use, as the overall finish can vary. We recommend you try the card to ensure it is to the quality you expect.
To glue insert sheets into the folded card:
We have a a selection of cards and inserts available to purchase to make the order of service easily.
a) Use double sided tape; run the tape near the crease on back page, allowing the page to turn easily, this is ideal if you dont print on the back page of the insert.
b) PVA glue; run a thin line down the crease of the card, this is ok to use if you have printed on the back page, but the page dont quite turn so easily.
c) Use a tape runner pen; run the glue tape alongside the crease on back page, allowing the page to turn easily, this is ideal if you dont print on the back page of the insert. This is a really useful, clean way to adhere the inserts.
d) Ribbon or cord; tie around the spine of the card to hold the insert/inserts in place, this is ideal if your order of service has a few paper inserts.
e) Hole Punch; use a two hole punch, to punch through the paper and card, tie with ribbon or cord and tie into a knot or bow, allowing you to hold a large mass booklet together.
e) Staples; this is not the most appealing way to bind a booklet or order of service together, but it is ideal for large services. You will need to purchase a long arm stapler, available from most large office stationery stores.
2) To help determine the size required so you can decide on the layout, it is best to speak to your priest for some information regarding the way order of service is conducted. He may be able to give you some examples of previous services.
3) You can use various sizes of cards, but the most common size is to use is an A5 single fold card. This gives plenty of room to also add that extra info if needed. If you use one sheet of insert paper folded to A5, you have a greater choice of adhering this to the card, but if you need to print on the back page of the insert this may give you difficulty when glueing the insert inside the card, as the text be on the back page, thus making this difficult to adhere. So if you can get away with not printing on the back page it may help you in the long run.
4) Printing tips; most of our cards are suitable for home pc printing, but please bear in mind, this does largely depend on which PC printer you use, as the overall finish can vary. We recommend you try the card to ensure it is to the quality you expect.
To glue insert sheets into the folded card:
We have a a selection of cards and inserts available to purchase to make the order of service easily.
a) Use double sided tape; run the tape near the crease on back page, allowing the page to turn easily, this is ideal if you dont print on the back page of the insert.
b) PVA glue; run a thin line down the crease of the card, this is ok to use if you have printed on the back page, but the page dont quite turn so easily.
c) Use a tape runner pen; run the glue tape alongside the crease on back page, allowing the page to turn easily, this is ideal if you dont print on the back page of the insert. This is a really useful, clean way to adhere the inserts.
d) Ribbon or cord; tie around the spine of the card to hold the insert/inserts in place, this is ideal if your order of service has a few paper inserts.
e) Hole Punch; use a two hole punch, to punch through the paper and card, tie with ribbon or cord and tie into a knot or bow, allowing you to hold a large mass booklet together.
e) Staples; this is not the most appealing way to bind a booklet or order of service together, but it is ideal for large services. You will need to purchase a long arm stapler, available from most large office stationery stores.
Monday 21 September 2009
Wedding Stationery Templates
Feel free to download these printable templates to use when designing your own Wedding Stationery.
We have designed these with the creative bride to be, all templates are made to fit our own range of paper inserts for the most popular card sizes used. We have also created table seating plan templates,to use with our own design DIY Table seating plan kit.
Single Fold Insert Templates:
A5 Order of Service Insert Template
A6 Single Fold Insert Template
Tall DL Insert Template
Square Fold Insert Template - 150mm
Gatefold & Postcard Insert & Overlay Templates:
Square Gatefold Insert Template - 150mm
A5 Gatefold Insert Template
Small Square Gatefold Insert Template - 125mm
A6 Flat Insert Template
Table Seating Plan Templates:
Hot Wedding Stationery Trends
Your wedding invitations are the first expression of your wedding theme.
Whether you go for traditional or non-traditional, classic or contemporary, the invitation is a teaser for your guests, so tantalize their taste buds and get them inspired as much as yourself for a truly magical day.
Although your wedding invitation selection comes down to your personal individual taste, knowing what the popular trends are now in 2009 might give you some new fresh ideas. Many of the trends encourage personalization, so you can create DIY wedding invitations that are uniquely “you.”
So, what’s hot in 2009?
Pinstripes and patterns are definitely in – vertical, horizontal, multi-colored, floral, swirls whatever. Use beautiful designs, in anyway: in a border on invitations, on table decor & stationery or throughout the entire wedding theme, use wraps, paper, vellum or pinstripe cardstock.
Get the wow factor with Gems
Jewelled embellishments are also becoming extremely popular, Swarovski crystals and gems are showing up on everything – from clothing accessories: eg: belts, bags & shoes to even the dog collar!! So adding some sparkle and glitz to your wedding theme will truly look a million dollars on your own handmade wedding invitations. You can sprinkle on some tiny rhinestones or mini pearl-toned accent beads, these will also look a million dollars!
Make a statement with Fabric & Flowers
Fabric and paper flower embellishments are making a huge statement, we now have a beautiful assortment of fabric blooms and wired stem flowers, all available in a variety of colour’s.
Definately a break away from the customary engraved floral print. Personalize your invitation with a flourish by adding your distinctive flower and finish with a diamonte gem in the centre, for a truly unique bit of sparkle.
Another interesting trend is the use of white. Not in card stock but in font colour. Choose a bright color card stock (hot pink, bright green or solid black looks great) then finish with your invitation text in white!! White prints beautifully on to pearlescent card stock!! Wow your guests, with something unique!
Use unique Cards & Inserts
Invitation design has become more user-friendly by providing pockets and folds to neatly hold and organize your invitation and cards. We have a fabulous range of Pocketfold Card Blanks, with coordinating inserts, that are perfect for making your own unique wedding stationery! So if you fancy something slightly different that the normal run of the blank single fold card, this could definately be the one for you!
Use unusual materials & embellishments
And that’s not the only new design trend; wedding invitations made of unusual materials such as fabric, stone, sand, shells, wood, plastic, and even acrylic will all give amazing results.
Bold Patterns
All-over patterns are also becoming a huge hit, giving a new twist to invitation design. For instance, if your wedding gown has an intricate pattern, why not try duplicating it on your wedding stationery, for a truly one-of-a-kind creation. The use of patterened printed vellums or textured printed papers will give amazing results, try wrapping your invites in an allover patterened design.
Whether you go for traditional or non-traditional, classic or contemporary, the invitation is a teaser for your guests, so tantalize their taste buds and get them inspired as much as yourself for a truly magical day.
Although your wedding invitation selection comes down to your personal individual taste, knowing what the popular trends are now in 2009 might give you some new fresh ideas. Many of the trends encourage personalization, so you can create DIY wedding invitations that are uniquely “you.”
So, what’s hot in 2009?
Pinstripes and patterns are definitely in – vertical, horizontal, multi-colored, floral, swirls whatever. Use beautiful designs, in anyway: in a border on invitations, on table decor & stationery or throughout the entire wedding theme, use wraps, paper, vellum or pinstripe cardstock.
Get the wow factor with Gems
Jewelled embellishments are also becoming extremely popular, Swarovski crystals and gems are showing up on everything – from clothing accessories: eg: belts, bags & shoes to even the dog collar!! So adding some sparkle and glitz to your wedding theme will truly look a million dollars on your own handmade wedding invitations. You can sprinkle on some tiny rhinestones or mini pearl-toned accent beads, these will also look a million dollars!
Make a statement with Fabric & Flowers
Fabric and paper flower embellishments are making a huge statement, we now have a beautiful assortment of fabric blooms and wired stem flowers, all available in a variety of colour’s.
Definately a break away from the customary engraved floral print. Personalize your invitation with a flourish by adding your distinctive flower and finish with a diamonte gem in the centre, for a truly unique bit of sparkle.
Another interesting trend is the use of white. Not in card stock but in font colour. Choose a bright color card stock (hot pink, bright green or solid black looks great) then finish with your invitation text in white!! White prints beautifully on to pearlescent card stock!! Wow your guests, with something unique!
Use unique Cards & Inserts
Invitation design has become more user-friendly by providing pockets and folds to neatly hold and organize your invitation and cards. We have a fabulous range of Pocketfold Card Blanks, with coordinating inserts, that are perfect for making your own unique wedding stationery! So if you fancy something slightly different that the normal run of the blank single fold card, this could definately be the one for you!
Use unusual materials & embellishments
And that’s not the only new design trend; wedding invitations made of unusual materials such as fabric, stone, sand, shells, wood, plastic, and even acrylic will all give amazing results.
Bold Patterns
All-over patterns are also becoming a huge hit, giving a new twist to invitation design. For instance, if your wedding gown has an intricate pattern, why not try duplicating it on your wedding stationery, for a truly one-of-a-kind creation. The use of patterened printed vellums or textured printed papers will give amazing results, try wrapping your invites in an allover patterened design.
Friday 18 September 2009
Using Mulberry, Silk or Handmade Paper
Printing On Mulberry Paper:
Neither Mulberry, Silk or Handmade paper is designed to be used on home pc printers, but with many crafters trying, this has been acheivable.
Silk mulberry paper is normally very thin and lightweight, it has fine fibres and strands which run through the paper, almost looking like threads. Mullberry paper is also sometimes known as handmade paper, it is normally quite thick and clumpy. Many designs are available, normally mulberry paper has patterns & designs with print and a coarse texture.
All handmade papers are made of unsealed fibres, so when printed on it could let the ink bleed slightly causing inconsistant printing and the varying textures may cause erratic printing finishes.
However it is possible to print onto them with some home printers & inkjets. It just takes a bit of trial and error. The only way to really find out if your printer is suitable is try it, being careful, maybe hand feeding 1 sheets at a time, wait and see. It is probably also best to use a bold font for the best results, and make sure you order a few extra sheets. (just in case!)
Tearing Mulberry, Silk or Handmade Paper:
Mulberry paper does indeed make a great accent to any Card Making and DIY Wedding Stationery project; however if you have never used it before here are some things you need to know before you go tearing away!!
Punching Out Shapes from Mulberry, Silk or Handmade Paper:
Because mulberry silk paper is a very thin paper with lots of fibre strands. Paper Punches tend to chew the paper rather than cut it neatly and cleanly. The best way to cut mulberry silk paper is to sandwich it between two sheets of normal printer copy paper, place the three layers between the punch and cut. You may find this will only work with large punches, as there is not much room for the paper to be sandwiched in a small paper punch. When punched in this way the mulberry paper will be cut cleanly and crisply and you will have the shapes needed to make your invitations punched out in no time. The thicker handmade paper might not go through a paper punch, again this is trial and error. Practise makes perfect.
Neither Mulberry, Silk or Handmade paper is designed to be used on home pc printers, but with many crafters trying, this has been acheivable.
Silk mulberry paper is normally very thin and lightweight, it has fine fibres and strands which run through the paper, almost looking like threads. Mullberry paper is also sometimes known as handmade paper, it is normally quite thick and clumpy. Many designs are available, normally mulberry paper has patterns & designs with print and a coarse texture.
All handmade papers are made of unsealed fibres, so when printed on it could let the ink bleed slightly causing inconsistant printing and the varying textures may cause erratic printing finishes.
However it is possible to print onto them with some home printers & inkjets. It just takes a bit of trial and error. The only way to really find out if your printer is suitable is try it, being careful, maybe hand feeding 1 sheets at a time, wait and see. It is probably also best to use a bold font for the best results, and make sure you order a few extra sheets. (just in case!)
Tearing Mulberry, Silk or Handmade Paper:
Mulberry paper does indeed make a great accent to any Card Making and DIY Wedding Stationery project; however if you have never used it before here are some things you need to know before you go tearing away!!
1) Mulberry, handmade or silk paper is not meant to be cut. It is best when it is torn. This tearing technique can be used for tearing straight lines, curves & shapes.
2) You simply use a cotton swab or a paint brush that has been dipped in water, then "draw" the shape onto the paper, wetting and loosening the fibers.
3) Either follow a template for simple shapes, or use a ruler for straight lines.
4) As you pull the paper apart along the wet tear line, you will need a small pair of sharp scissors to cut any thick fibers that do not want to break apart on their own.
5) Mulberry, handmade or silk paper can overwhelm a layout if not used in moderation. So be careful not to overload your design, this is definitely a product in which a little goes a long way. Use this paper to accent simple designs, but do not let this dominate your project.
Punching Out Shapes from Mulberry, Silk or Handmade Paper:
Because mulberry silk paper is a very thin paper with lots of fibre strands. Paper Punches tend to chew the paper rather than cut it neatly and cleanly. The best way to cut mulberry silk paper is to sandwich it between two sheets of normal printer copy paper, place the three layers between the punch and cut. You may find this will only work with large punches, as there is not much room for the paper to be sandwiched in a small paper punch. When punched in this way the mulberry paper will be cut cleanly and crisply and you will have the shapes needed to make your invitations punched out in no time. The thicker handmade paper might not go through a paper punch, again this is trial and error. Practise makes perfect.
Guide To How many Invitations to make?
Wedding Day & Evening Invitations:
To work out how many wedding invitations to make, it is probably best that you divide the total number of guests by 2 then add 10 this should hopefully provide you with enough invitations plus some spares, which are handy in case of last minute guests or if you make a mistake or two when writing them.
This rule of thumb will also apply to your Save the Date cards, Thank You cards, and reply cards.
Save the Date Cards:
To work out how many save the date cards to make, use the same rule as the if you were making wedding or evening invitations: divide the total number of guests by 2 then add 10 this should hopefully provide you with enough save the date's, again this will give some spares, which are handy in case of last minute guests or if you make a mistake or two when writing them.
Reply Cards:
These may seem unimportant and you may feel this is an unnecessary expense. RSVP cards are usually the first things to go when budgeting, but they do pay off in the long run. People are much more likely to reply when the card is supplied to them in an addressed envelope. But if you are on a tight budget, an alternative is to put an email address or phone number at the bottom of the invitation.
Order of Service:
You would need at least one between 2 guests plus extras for the bridal party, priest, musicians and of course the bride and groom. Always get your priest to agree on the contents before going a head with any printing. Making these yourself is a fantastic cost saver, print these yourself at home, these days even the card will go through most home pc printers. Using vellum, is luxurious, for that extra special insert.Place Card Names: You will only need place names if you are having a seating plan. You can save money by doing a 2in1 and make your place name a keepsake together,eg: a favour box with a place name tag and the bride & grooms name and date of wedding on the back.
Thankyou Cards:
A lovely personal touch to your thank you cards is to use one of your favourite photo’s from the wedding or even the Hen/Stag (if suitable!). On/after your big day or when opening gifts, remember to make a list of what gifts were received and who attended your special day, so when you come to write your thankyou cards, no errors will be made.
Seating plan:
You will only usually only need to make one seating plan, but depending on the venue and the number of guest attending, you may want to make two, especially if you do have a large venue and lots of guests, this will make it much easier for your guests to view the seating plan, if there are two. These can be made using our DIY seating plan. Easy to assemble, with clear easy to follow instructions.
Table Numbers:
It is also important that you make table numbers, or a nice touch is to name your tables. We think naming your tables is a great idea. This gives the venue a great personnal touch, why not name each table after family members, or names of places you have visited?
To work out how many wedding invitations to make, it is probably best that you divide the total number of guests by 2 then add 10 this should hopefully provide you with enough invitations plus some spares, which are handy in case of last minute guests or if you make a mistake or two when writing them.
This rule of thumb will also apply to your Save the Date cards, Thank You cards, and reply cards.
Save the Date Cards:
To work out how many save the date cards to make, use the same rule as the if you were making wedding or evening invitations: divide the total number of guests by 2 then add 10 this should hopefully provide you with enough save the date's, again this will give some spares, which are handy in case of last minute guests or if you make a mistake or two when writing them.
Reply Cards:
These may seem unimportant and you may feel this is an unnecessary expense. RSVP cards are usually the first things to go when budgeting, but they do pay off in the long run. People are much more likely to reply when the card is supplied to them in an addressed envelope. But if you are on a tight budget, an alternative is to put an email address or phone number at the bottom of the invitation.
Order of Service:
You would need at least one between 2 guests plus extras for the bridal party, priest, musicians and of course the bride and groom. Always get your priest to agree on the contents before going a head with any printing. Making these yourself is a fantastic cost saver, print these yourself at home, these days even the card will go through most home pc printers. Using vellum, is luxurious, for that extra special insert.Place Card Names: You will only need place names if you are having a seating plan. You can save money by doing a 2in1 and make your place name a keepsake together,eg: a favour box with a place name tag and the bride & grooms name and date of wedding on the back.
Thankyou Cards:
A lovely personal touch to your thank you cards is to use one of your favourite photo’s from the wedding or even the Hen/Stag (if suitable!). On/after your big day or when opening gifts, remember to make a list of what gifts were received and who attended your special day, so when you come to write your thankyou cards, no errors will be made.
Seating plan:
You will only usually only need to make one seating plan, but depending on the venue and the number of guest attending, you may want to make two, especially if you do have a large venue and lots of guests, this will make it much easier for your guests to view the seating plan, if there are two. These can be made using our DIY seating plan. Easy to assemble, with clear easy to follow instructions.
Table Numbers:
It is also important that you make table numbers, or a nice touch is to name your tables. We think naming your tables is a great idea. This gives the venue a great personnal touch, why not name each table after family members, or names of places you have visited?
Thursday 17 September 2009
What Glue To Use When Making Invites??
When making and designing your own cards or your very own designer wedding stationery, using the right glue, tapes and adhesives will ensure your results look professional and save you time. The last thing you want is the real “homemade” look, with bits or embellishments falling off!!
There are a wide of range of products available to ensure everything sticks firmly, giving your wedding inviations a truly professional look. Here you will find lots of tips for adhering your card-making projects perfectly.
PVA craft glue
You should only use pva only in small doses, as this is a waterbased adhesive and so it can warp paper & card easily. It is ideal for sticking gems, paper flowers, ribbon and bows etc. Most small embellishments will suit PVA adhesive perfectly, but there are a few which can be fiddley. You will find wire embellishments can be a little bit tricky, but these can adhere to invites easily with the right technique. The knack is not to rush, take your time, and be patient. Use a cocktail stick or straw to spread the glue gently onto the back of wire embellishment, lay embellishment flat onto your chosen card, and leave to dry. The PVA will dry clear so dont worry to much if you can see a little whilst it is wet. PVA is also good for using on mesh and angel hair or spiders web, using either a small paint brush, or a cocktail stick, spread the PVA across the back of the mesh, or gently across the back of angel hair, then press firmly into place on your chosen card, and leave to dry.
Double Sided Tape and Adhesive Tape pens
This is a dry glue, and therefore works well with all paper & card surfaces. Adhesive tape runners are perfect for using on flat surfaces, matting paper, and to use for the inserts. 3mm & 6mm double sided tape is fantastic for sticking satin ribbon flat to the card!! But it wont stick organza or voile ribbons. Such a professional look. Just remember to firstly stick the tape to the card, remove the fingerlift protective tape, then lay the ribbon over the top.
Sticky Foam Pads
Use to create a 3D effects. Ideal to raise small pieces of cards, to layer hearts and embellishments.
Glue Dots
Great little dots of adhesive, good for saving time and avoiding mess. Available in permanent or removable, we suggest permanent. These are ideal for a variety of embellishments: Gems, Flowers & Bows etc.
There are a wide of range of products available to ensure everything sticks firmly, giving your wedding inviations a truly professional look. Here you will find lots of tips for adhering your card-making projects perfectly.
PVA craft glue
You should only use pva only in small doses, as this is a waterbased adhesive and so it can warp paper & card easily. It is ideal for sticking gems, paper flowers, ribbon and bows etc. Most small embellishments will suit PVA adhesive perfectly, but there are a few which can be fiddley. You will find wire embellishments can be a little bit tricky, but these can adhere to invites easily with the right technique. The knack is not to rush, take your time, and be patient. Use a cocktail stick or straw to spread the glue gently onto the back of wire embellishment, lay embellishment flat onto your chosen card, and leave to dry. The PVA will dry clear so dont worry to much if you can see a little whilst it is wet. PVA is also good for using on mesh and angel hair or spiders web, using either a small paint brush, or a cocktail stick, spread the PVA across the back of the mesh, or gently across the back of angel hair, then press firmly into place on your chosen card, and leave to dry.
Double Sided Tape and Adhesive Tape pens
This is a dry glue, and therefore works well with all paper & card surfaces. Adhesive tape runners are perfect for using on flat surfaces, matting paper, and to use for the inserts. 3mm & 6mm double sided tape is fantastic for sticking satin ribbon flat to the card!! But it wont stick organza or voile ribbons. Such a professional look. Just remember to firstly stick the tape to the card, remove the fingerlift protective tape, then lay the ribbon over the top.
Sticky Foam Pads
Use to create a 3D effects. Ideal to raise small pieces of cards, to layer hearts and embellishments.
Glue Dots
Great little dots of adhesive, good for saving time and avoiding mess. Available in permanent or removable, we suggest permanent. These are ideal for a variety of embellishments: Gems, Flowers & Bows etc.
Using Vellum on Wedding Invitations
Ways To Use Vellum For Wedding Stationery:
This versatile paper comes in a variety of weights. The most commonly used is 130gsm. This is because it is easier to use for parchment embossing work. Clear, transcluscent vellum for embossing is better to be fairly thicker, as it will sustain heavy embossing tools.
There is so much you can do with vellum. You can now create stunning effects and designs. Using vellum for wedding stationery is a fabulous way to embellish and add unique definition to your invitation making projects.
Vellum is available in a variety of designs & prints including flowers, swirls and even pictures. You can use vellum to mat and layer, use as a wrap around an invitation. There are the most beautiful designs, that will suit wedding stationery.
How to adhere Vellum:
Because it is slightly see though you will need to be very careful when attaching it to your wedding stationery projects, as many adhesives will show through. There are varied vellum adhesives available but we have found the Tape runner pen works perfect for sticking vellum to your project without showing the adhesive. Just run the tape adhesive near the spine of the card when using as an insert. You may fancy to cover the whole front of a card then by adding some ribbon, turns a simple invitation into a fine beautiful piece of art and will look so professional. When making DIY Wedding Stationery this can be such a creative may of completing an amazing look, it is also ideal for using around scroll wedding invitations. You could even try your hand at making wedding Inviation Wraps. There are many ways to do this. Either completely wrap the Invitation with vellum paper, or cut the vellum into strips and use as a belly wrap around the centre of the invite. Again, using the Tape runner pen this will be perfect.
No need to use adhesive?
You can also attach vellum to your projects by means other than adhesives, we would also recommend using brads or eyelets where possible so that the vellum is secured and no glue is needed.
Printing on Vellum:
Printing on vellum is a really effective way of having a message on your hand made wedding invitation. You can really personalise your wedding invites so easily. View our tips and techniques for printing on vellum.
Heat embossing on Vellum:
You may also want to try your hand at heat embossing on vellum. We actually printed some wording from our printer then quickly sprinkled with embossing powder then used the heat gun. This looks fantastic! Get that real proffessional look with a nice gold or silver heat embossing powder. Remember when using a heat gun, use the lowest setting and be very careful as this can burn the vellum.
Other ways to use vellum:
If using vellum quotes you can simply cut the wording out, but I really like the torn finished look by tearing around the vellum words.
Punching out Vellum Shapes:
Vellum can also be used to punch out shapes, I find punching out flower & butterfly shapes and building them up on the front of a card gives it a truly stunning look, something very unique and different for wedding stationery!
Whether you are using quotes, printed patterned or plain vellum you will find that there is so much you can do with this very versatile crafting paper.
This versatile paper comes in a variety of weights. The most commonly used is 130gsm. This is because it is easier to use for parchment embossing work. Clear, transcluscent vellum for embossing is better to be fairly thicker, as it will sustain heavy embossing tools.
There is so much you can do with vellum. You can now create stunning effects and designs. Using vellum for wedding stationery is a fabulous way to embellish and add unique definition to your invitation making projects.
Vellum is available in a variety of designs & prints including flowers, swirls and even pictures. You can use vellum to mat and layer, use as a wrap around an invitation. There are the most beautiful designs, that will suit wedding stationery.
How to adhere Vellum:
Because it is slightly see though you will need to be very careful when attaching it to your wedding stationery projects, as many adhesives will show through. There are varied vellum adhesives available but we have found the Tape runner pen works perfect for sticking vellum to your project without showing the adhesive. Just run the tape adhesive near the spine of the card when using as an insert. You may fancy to cover the whole front of a card then by adding some ribbon, turns a simple invitation into a fine beautiful piece of art and will look so professional. When making DIY Wedding Stationery this can be such a creative may of completing an amazing look, it is also ideal for using around scroll wedding invitations. You could even try your hand at making wedding Inviation Wraps. There are many ways to do this. Either completely wrap the Invitation with vellum paper, or cut the vellum into strips and use as a belly wrap around the centre of the invite. Again, using the Tape runner pen this will be perfect.
No need to use adhesive?
You can also attach vellum to your projects by means other than adhesives, we would also recommend using brads or eyelets where possible so that the vellum is secured and no glue is needed.
Printing on Vellum:
Printing on vellum is a really effective way of having a message on your hand made wedding invitation. You can really personalise your wedding invites so easily. View our tips and techniques for printing on vellum.
Heat embossing on Vellum:
You may also want to try your hand at heat embossing on vellum. We actually printed some wording from our printer then quickly sprinkled with embossing powder then used the heat gun. This looks fantastic! Get that real proffessional look with a nice gold or silver heat embossing powder. Remember when using a heat gun, use the lowest setting and be very careful as this can burn the vellum.
Other ways to use vellum:
If using vellum quotes you can simply cut the wording out, but I really like the torn finished look by tearing around the vellum words.
Punching out Vellum Shapes:
Vellum can also be used to punch out shapes, I find punching out flower & butterfly shapes and building them up on the front of a card gives it a truly stunning look, something very unique and different for wedding stationery!
Whether you are using quotes, printed patterned or plain vellum you will find that there is so much you can do with this very versatile crafting paper.
Top 10 Tips When Making DIY Wedding Stationery
1. Purchase good quality supplies.
Matching cards, envelopes and inserts give a very professional look. Before leaping ahead and purchasing a bargain pack of cards and envelopes from your local market, first be sure you are happy with the quality, you may also want to consider if other sizes of matching cards are available, for when you make the rest of your stationery; place cards, order of service, menu's etc.
2. Sample Kits & Cards.
Purchasing sample kits & sample blank card sets are a wise choice. This will give a you a good idea of the quality of card & paper, and will also give you inspiration to help make your own designs.
3. Choose your envelopes first.
Or at least check the Size of envelopes are available.
Its usually not a problem if you are going for a nice Ivory envelope or White envelope and a standard size card, but if you want something a little different and more unusual, then check that you can get the envelopes you want in the right size before deciding on your card size. It is relatively easy to cut a singlefold card to fit an unusual size envelope, but envelopes are not so easy to make yourself and unusual envelopes tend to come in a small range of sizes.
4. Use the correct adhesives.
When making your own cards or wedding stationery, using the right adhesives will ensure your results look professional and save you time. The last thing you want is the real “homemade” look, with bits falling off!!
5. Decide How "Handmade" They Will Be?
How far do you want to go in your handmade wedding invitations? Do you want to go completely from scratch by making your own paper? Do you want to do your own calligraphy? Or are you just interested in saving money by printing the invitations on your home pc printer? Before you decide to make handmade wedding invitations & stationery, you need to decide just how "handmade" your wedding invitations will be and how much work you want to do yourself. Keeping them simple, if you have never really done any crafting before now.
6. Allow plenty of time.
To make your invitations, make it a special enjoyable time, invite some family & friends around to help out. Rule of Thumb!! Give Yourself Enough Time. You may think you are saving time and money by making your own wedding invitations, but these crafts are not always as time saving as you may think.
7. Test your chosen card on your pc printer.
It is wise to check your printer will print onto your chosen card & paper. Especially if using special papers & cards, eg: vellum or mulberry papers. Printer models vary tremendously, and it is a good idea to check a few sheets first before purchasing bulk quantities, only to find you cannot get them through your printer.
8. Use Simple Embellishments.
Rule of thumb. Keep your wedding invitation simple. If this is your first time turning your hand to crafting & you dont have all the tools needed to produce handmade wedding stationery it may be wise to purchase simple elegant embellishments. Some brides may want choose our DIY Wedding Stationery Kits so they can use luxury materials without paying top of the range designer prices.
9. Use The Correct Crafting Tools.
If you are going to make your own wedding invitations from scratch, you may want to consider purchasing some craft tools to get the job done correctly. Especially if you want to cut and score the cards yourself. This small investment, will make a better job in the long, and you will get that proffessional look.
10. Check it will post ok.
If you will be sending out the Invitations out through the post office, be sure they will arrive safely. First send a finished wedding invitation to yourself, this will determine how much the postage will cost, and will also help you see what condition it may be received.
Matching cards, envelopes and inserts give a very professional look. Before leaping ahead and purchasing a bargain pack of cards and envelopes from your local market, first be sure you are happy with the quality, you may also want to consider if other sizes of matching cards are available, for when you make the rest of your stationery; place cards, order of service, menu's etc.
2. Sample Kits & Cards.
Purchasing sample kits & sample blank card sets are a wise choice. This will give a you a good idea of the quality of card & paper, and will also give you inspiration to help make your own designs.
3. Choose your envelopes first.
Or at least check the Size of envelopes are available.
Its usually not a problem if you are going for a nice Ivory envelope or White envelope and a standard size card, but if you want something a little different and more unusual, then check that you can get the envelopes you want in the right size before deciding on your card size. It is relatively easy to cut a singlefold card to fit an unusual size envelope, but envelopes are not so easy to make yourself and unusual envelopes tend to come in a small range of sizes.
4. Use the correct adhesives.
When making your own cards or wedding stationery, using the right adhesives will ensure your results look professional and save you time. The last thing you want is the real “homemade” look, with bits falling off!!
5. Decide How "Handmade" They Will Be?
How far do you want to go in your handmade wedding invitations? Do you want to go completely from scratch by making your own paper? Do you want to do your own calligraphy? Or are you just interested in saving money by printing the invitations on your home pc printer? Before you decide to make handmade wedding invitations & stationery, you need to decide just how "handmade" your wedding invitations will be and how much work you want to do yourself. Keeping them simple, if you have never really done any crafting before now.
6. Allow plenty of time.
To make your invitations, make it a special enjoyable time, invite some family & friends around to help out. Rule of Thumb!! Give Yourself Enough Time. You may think you are saving time and money by making your own wedding invitations, but these crafts are not always as time saving as you may think.
7. Test your chosen card on your pc printer.
It is wise to check your printer will print onto your chosen card & paper. Especially if using special papers & cards, eg: vellum or mulberry papers. Printer models vary tremendously, and it is a good idea to check a few sheets first before purchasing bulk quantities, only to find you cannot get them through your printer.
8. Use Simple Embellishments.
Rule of thumb. Keep your wedding invitation simple. If this is your first time turning your hand to crafting & you dont have all the tools needed to produce handmade wedding stationery it may be wise to purchase simple elegant embellishments. Some brides may want choose our DIY Wedding Stationery Kits so they can use luxury materials without paying top of the range designer prices.
9. Use The Correct Crafting Tools.
If you are going to make your own wedding invitations from scratch, you may want to consider purchasing some craft tools to get the job done correctly. Especially if you want to cut and score the cards yourself. This small investment, will make a better job in the long, and you will get that proffessional look.
10. Check it will post ok.
If you will be sending out the Invitations out through the post office, be sure they will arrive safely. First send a finished wedding invitation to yourself, this will determine how much the postage will cost, and will also help you see what condition it may be received.
Wednesday 16 September 2009
How do I know which Inserts?
For most special occasion stationery an insert is used - this is simply a piece of paper on which the details are printed and is adhered inside the card and gives a more professional look than printing directly onto the card.
Apart from looking better, an insert has the advantage that it can be added at the last minute. So you can make your invitations well in advance, then print and add the inserts just before sending them out. Using insert paper, also allows you time to confirm final details, allowing you some time to also confirm your guestlist with your partner/family.
a) A smooth plain white or smooth ivory paper is usually used for inserts, but vellum (translucent paper) is also popular as are coloured, textured and pearlescent papers.
b) The paper should be good quality, but not too heavy as thick paper can make the card too bulky. 100gsm is an ideal weight for insert paper.
c) If using a special type of handmade paper, it’s a good idea to test it through your printer to make sure the ink doesn’t smudge.
d) Inserts are available in all the regular sizes, these are cut slightly smaller than the card size you use, making the overall look, very professional.
e) All our cards available in the DIY wedding stationery section have matching inserts available, we now also have available inserts gatefold cards.
f) Remember to work out the amount of space needed on the insert, this will help you to decide what size of card to use for the Wedding Invitations & Order of Service. ie:
g) when deciding the card size for the Order Of Service, you will need to determine if you will use one or two paper inserts for the text inside. Firstly this is so you will know how many sheets to purchase. And secondly, you need to decide in which way the inserts will stick on the inside of the order of service.
Apart from looking better, an insert has the advantage that it can be added at the last minute. So you can make your invitations well in advance, then print and add the inserts just before sending them out. Using insert paper, also allows you time to confirm final details, allowing you some time to also confirm your guestlist with your partner/family.
a) A smooth plain white or smooth ivory paper is usually used for inserts, but vellum (translucent paper) is also popular as are coloured, textured and pearlescent papers.
b) The paper should be good quality, but not too heavy as thick paper can make the card too bulky. 100gsm is an ideal weight for insert paper.
c) If using a special type of handmade paper, it’s a good idea to test it through your printer to make sure the ink doesn’t smudge.
d) Inserts are available in all the regular sizes, these are cut slightly smaller than the card size you use, making the overall look, very professional.
e) All our cards available in the DIY wedding stationery section have matching inserts available, we now also have available inserts gatefold cards.
f) Remember to work out the amount of space needed on the insert, this will help you to decide what size of card to use for the Wedding Invitations & Order of Service. ie:
g) when deciding the card size for the Order Of Service, you will need to determine if you will use one or two paper inserts for the text inside. Firstly this is so you will know how many sheets to purchase. And secondly, you need to decide in which way the inserts will stick on the inside of the order of service.
Which Card Sizes To Use For Invitations
Which size card should you choose for your Wedding Invitations?
This is very much down to personal choice - but there are a few pointers to consider & bear in mind.
1. Choose your envelopes first or at least check the Size of envelopes are available for your chosen card size.
Its usually not a problem if you are going for a nice Ivory or White envelope and a standard size card, but if you want something a little different and more unusual, then check that you can get the envelopes you want in the right size before deciding on your card size. It is relatively easy to cut a singlefold card to fit an unusual size envelope, but envelopes are not so easy to make yourself and unusual envelopes tend to come in a small range of sizes.
2. The difference in the card sizes A5 & A6...
Most people will recognise A4 as the size of paper you put in your printer. A5 is half the size of A4 and A6 half of A5 and so on. Card blanks are usually described in the same way. Remember that the size for card blanks refers to the FOLDED dimensions of the card.
For envelopes you need the corresponding C size - so a C6 envelope goes with an A6 card & a C5 envelopes goes with a A5 card, and so on... The envelopes will be slightly larger all round so they fit your folded card easily.
Which size card to use for Order of Service:
Most people choose a larger size card for an Order of Service so that there will be plenty of room for printing hymns and/or readings etc without using a tiny font size or lots of pages - A4 folded to A5 is the most common size.
Which size card to use for RSVP Cards:
If you are including RSVP cards, you should normally make these smaller than the invitation as you will need to fit the card (and reply envelope) into the main envelope. Or use an unfolded piece of card the same size, A6 postcard style or A7 Size cards are good for RSVP.
Our Suggestions:
Wedding Invitations - A6 single fold, A6 Gatefold, Square 155 x 155 single fold, Square 155 x 155 gatefold, or Tall(DL) Single fold, Tall(DL) Gatefold
Evening Invitations - A6 single fold, A6 Gatefold, A6 postcard style, or Small Square Single Fold (130x130), Small Square Gatefold (130x130)
RSVP - A6 postcard style, or A7 Singlefold.
Order of Service - A5 Singlefold.
Menu - A5 singlefold or Tall (DL)
Thank You - A6 single fold, A6 Gatefold, A6 postcard style, or Small Square Singlefold (130x130), Small Square Gatefold (130x130).
This is very much down to personal choice - but there are a few pointers to consider & bear in mind.
1. Choose your envelopes first or at least check the Size of envelopes are available for your chosen card size.
Its usually not a problem if you are going for a nice Ivory or White envelope and a standard size card, but if you want something a little different and more unusual, then check that you can get the envelopes you want in the right size before deciding on your card size. It is relatively easy to cut a singlefold card to fit an unusual size envelope, but envelopes are not so easy to make yourself and unusual envelopes tend to come in a small range of sizes.
2. The difference in the card sizes A5 & A6...
Most people will recognise A4 as the size of paper you put in your printer. A5 is half the size of A4 and A6 half of A5 and so on. Card blanks are usually described in the same way. Remember that the size for card blanks refers to the FOLDED dimensions of the card.
For envelopes you need the corresponding C size - so a C6 envelope goes with an A6 card & a C5 envelopes goes with a A5 card, and so on... The envelopes will be slightly larger all round so they fit your folded card easily.
Which size card to use for Order of Service:
Most people choose a larger size card for an Order of Service so that there will be plenty of room for printing hymns and/or readings etc without using a tiny font size or lots of pages - A4 folded to A5 is the most common size.
Which size card to use for RSVP Cards:
If you are including RSVP cards, you should normally make these smaller than the invitation as you will need to fit the card (and reply envelope) into the main envelope. Or use an unfolded piece of card the same size, A6 postcard style or A7 Size cards are good for RSVP.
Our Suggestions:
Wedding Invitations - A6 single fold, A6 Gatefold, Square 155 x 155 single fold, Square 155 x 155 gatefold, or Tall(DL) Single fold, Tall(DL) Gatefold
Evening Invitations - A6 single fold, A6 Gatefold, A6 postcard style, or Small Square Single Fold (130x130), Small Square Gatefold (130x130)
RSVP - A6 postcard style, or A7 Singlefold.
Order of Service - A5 Singlefold.
Menu - A5 singlefold or Tall (DL)
Thank You - A6 single fold, A6 Gatefold, A6 postcard style, or Small Square Singlefold (130x130), Small Square Gatefold (130x130).
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Allow Plenty of Time To Make Your Invites
But please do remember that you will need to allow plenty of time to make your wedding invitations, make it a special enjoyable time, invite some family & friends around to help out.
Rule of Thumb!! Give Yourself Enough Time. You may think you are saving time and money by making your own wedding invitations, but these crafts are not always as time saving as you may think. Especially if you have never made any before. If you are making your own paper and handwriting 200 invitations, then you need to start working on those invitations early. Make sure you determine how long it will take to make one invitation, then add 20 percent extra time, and decide if you have enough free time to get them completed before you have to mail out those wedding invitations.
Rule of Thumb!! Give Yourself Enough Time. You may think you are saving time and money by making your own wedding invitations, but these crafts are not always as time saving as you may think. Especially if you have never made any before. If you are making your own paper and handwriting 200 invitations, then you need to start working on those invitations early. Make sure you determine how long it will take to make one invitation, then add 20 percent extra time, and decide if you have enough free time to get them completed before you have to mail out those wedding invitations.
Decide How 'Handmade' Will My Invites Be?
Before you decide to make handmade wedding invitations & stationery, you need to decide just how "handmade" your wedding invitations will be and how much work you want to do yourself. Buying a DIY wedding kit, many are now available to purchase and will give you a sense of achievement, as lots of the work has been done for you, but you put it all together, this isnt the cheapest way, but still cheaper than buying pre-printed. And can work out cost effective, if you dont have all the tools needed to produce handmade wedding stationery.Some brides to be choose DIY wedding stationery so they can use luxury materials without paying top of the range designer prices.
a) Decide How "Handmade" They Will Be?
b) How far do you want to go in your handmade wedding invitations?
c) Do you want to go completely from scratch by making your own paper?
d) Do you want to do your own calligraphy? Or are you just interested in saving money by printing the invitations on your home pc printer?
a) Decide How "Handmade" They Will Be?
b) How far do you want to go in your handmade wedding invitations?
c) Do you want to go completely from scratch by making your own paper?
d) Do you want to do your own calligraphy? Or are you just interested in saving money by printing the invitations on your home pc printer?
Our Best Cost Cutting Tips
Here are our best cost cutting tips if you do fancy making your stationery for your wedding:
1) Print the words “Wedding Invitation” directly onto the card instead of using peel-off stickers or foil panels, using a template and a little practise this very easy to achieve.
2) If you have lots of Invitations to make, think about investing in a card bone folder or scorer and a paper or card trimmer, then purchase flat card to cut, score and fold yourself.
3) RSVP cards are not necessary - many people will reply by phone, buy a special card or reply by email.
4) Make your design easy to follow, remember the term ' less is more', dont make it all too difficult. Do a little research, and check the resources are readily available, nothing worse than setting your mind on something to find it is soon to be discontinued!!
1) Print the words “Wedding Invitation” directly onto the card instead of using peel-off stickers or foil panels, using a template and a little practise this very easy to achieve.
2) If you have lots of Invitations to make, think about investing in a card bone folder or scorer and a paper or card trimmer, then purchase flat card to cut, score and fold yourself.
3) RSVP cards are not necessary - many people will reply by phone, buy a special card or reply by email.
4) Make your design easy to follow, remember the term ' less is more', dont make it all too difficult. Do a little research, and check the resources are readily available, nothing worse than setting your mind on something to find it is soon to be discontinued!!
Make Your Own Invitations & Save Money
If you like the look of handcrafted cards, you can save a considerable amount money by making your own rather than purchasing from a professional designer. Many of these designers started in business because they made their own wedding stationery and enjoyed it so much they wanted to carry on - so you too can achieve fantastic professional results with just a little care and attention to detail.
Making your own Wedding Stationery gives you control over your spending and allows you to have special great looking designer stationery even on the tightest of budgets, what an achievement, and how great will you feel. Low price DIY wedding stationery can still look good - and there is no need to tell your guests how little they cost. Wedding Invitations are the first sneak preview into how your special day will look, so it is important to take your time.
Lots of brides these days want to add their own special touch to their wedding invitations, and creating handmade invitations can give a sense of individuality and flair to your special wedding day. However, before you head out to the craft store to start building your own handmade invitations, there are some tips and tricks of the trade that will keep you from getting frustrated as you make your own perfect wedding invites.
Using decorative papers and your own PC and printer you can create invites at minimum cost. There are the most beautiful papers now available. Floral papers are great for a summer wedding & Winter themed paper for a winter wedding etc.
Buy your cards, envelopes and inserts in bulk, this will definately save you money in the long run. Once you have decided what card, paper, embellishments you want. Purchase in bulk quantities, normally the more you buy, the less per card you will pay.
DO remember: Practice, Practice, Practice, this saying, practise makes perfect, really does work.. Some brides decide to make their wedding invitations, yet they have never really done any crafting before. Although you may think this is 'easy', stick a few bits here and there. It really is a good idea to try out your ideas before you order 500 fancy paper flowers or blooms to decorate your wedding invitations. Then find you cannot adhere them, or you have changed your mind on the look. By practicing, you will not only become more adept at making your own wedding invitations, but you will be able to perfect your design. It may seem cliché, but in this case practice really does make perfect, and will pay off in the end.
As with any other aspect of your wedding, set a budget and work to it. The good thing about making DIY wedding stationery is that it is easy to make adjustments if necessary.
Making your own Wedding Stationery gives you control over your spending and allows you to have special great looking designer stationery even on the tightest of budgets, what an achievement, and how great will you feel. Low price DIY wedding stationery can still look good - and there is no need to tell your guests how little they cost. Wedding Invitations are the first sneak preview into how your special day will look, so it is important to take your time.
Lots of brides these days want to add their own special touch to their wedding invitations, and creating handmade invitations can give a sense of individuality and flair to your special wedding day. However, before you head out to the craft store to start building your own handmade invitations, there are some tips and tricks of the trade that will keep you from getting frustrated as you make your own perfect wedding invites.
Using decorative papers and your own PC and printer you can create invites at minimum cost. There are the most beautiful papers now available. Floral papers are great for a summer wedding & Winter themed paper for a winter wedding etc.
Buy your cards, envelopes and inserts in bulk, this will definately save you money in the long run. Once you have decided what card, paper, embellishments you want. Purchase in bulk quantities, normally the more you buy, the less per card you will pay.
DO remember: Practice, Practice, Practice, this saying, practise makes perfect, really does work.. Some brides decide to make their wedding invitations, yet they have never really done any crafting before. Although you may think this is 'easy', stick a few bits here and there. It really is a good idea to try out your ideas before you order 500 fancy paper flowers or blooms to decorate your wedding invitations. Then find you cannot adhere them, or you have changed your mind on the look. By practicing, you will not only become more adept at making your own wedding invitations, but you will be able to perfect your design. It may seem cliché, but in this case practice really does make perfect, and will pay off in the end.
As with any other aspect of your wedding, set a budget and work to it. The good thing about making DIY wedding stationery is that it is easy to make adjustments if necessary.
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