Hi everyone! A little while ago, I shared a card I made for Al’s birthday using the Hip Hip Hooray set by Concord & 9th. It was a fun, fast project, designed by a C9 artist, created under pressure, and a great reminder that done is better than perfect.
But once the rush was over, I decided to go back and try again — not to chase perfection, but to build on the idea and practise my skills.
Same Design, A Few Tweaks
I created three more cards based on that original layout, making a few tweaks for each of the cards:
- New Colour Combos: I played with a couple of different ink colours. I also sponged coordinating ink onto the card bases for a couple of the cards to tie it all together.
- Different Embellishments: One card has glitter glue instead of pearls to highlight the lights — I love the sparkle! Plus, it is a little more budget-friendly. You could also use a gold glitter glue if you wanted to highlight the lights some more
- Added Dimension: I popped up the card front for more interest.
- Straighter Stamping: I mounted most of the stamps onto my Stamparatus this time all in one go — it made a big difference in getting things pretty straight!
I loved seeing how small changes can have a big impact. More than that, it felt great to revisit an idea and practise improving on it, rather than always starting from scratch. They still might not be perfect, but I do feel that for each revision, I get a little better!
Here’s the first card…
Here’s the second card…
Here’s the third card…
Which version do you prefer? What colour combo would you use with this design? I think I prefer the last one. I also wish I used used an orange colour in the second card rather than the yellow.
As crafters, we invest a lot of time and money into this hobby — inks, stamps, tools, papers, and more. It makes perfect sense to get the most out of what we already have by creating duplicates or near-duplicates of our designs. Of course, you can make as many varied designs as you like, but don’t forget, there’s real value in repetition. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel every time you sit down to craft. Just tweak the colours, try a new embellishment, or change the base — it still counts as being creative! You’ve probably heard the saying “practice makes perfect,” but I like to think of it as practice builds confidence and skill. With every project, even a repeat, we grow — and that’s worth celebrating.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you have a great day!
Supplies
(DISCLAIMER: I am a member of various affiliate programs. However, I purchased all the items used in my projects myself. I only link to products I personally use, love, and recommend (though I may link to different sizes). If you click on my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!)
