PERSONALISING YOUR STATIONERY

Options range from text paper through to card stock; text paper is lighter and comes in a variety of colours, whilst card stock is heavier and less flexible but can have added texture and also comes in a wide variety of colours. Felt weave and linen paper is also an option to add a luxurious feel. A4 paper is commonly used for personal or business letters; whilst A5 is more suitable for fold-over cards. A6 can be used for correspondence cards like invitations and thank you notes.

Ensure that you have selected the correct size envelope for the stationery that is being used. You can decorate or embellish the fold where the address is normally written on the back of the envelope.

If you are printing the stationery, check that you have selected a paper that your printer is capable of handling. Most commonly, the back feed of most printers will be able to process slightly thicker paper.

You may want to design a monogram. Monograms are a classic timeless design of one or several initials interlaced or very stylised. Experiment and see what fonts work best for your project .

Another option would be to create a collage – this is very distinctive. You can showcase your pets, friends or family photographs. You can try using a resource like Canva to create your designs online.

A huge selection of stamps is available from art and craft stores as well as scrapbooking stores. There is a wide variety of inks that can also be purchased and you can mix and match the same stamp in different colours.

Things to remember when stamping: don’t press down hard on the stamp when collecting ink as too much ink can be transferred which will make the image blurry or possibly bleed. When applying your stamp, only light but steady pressure is required.

Always do a test stamp. Some paper is not ideal for stamping, especially those with a heavy texture or fibres. The textured paper may give an uneven appearance and paper with material fibre in it may bleed the ink.

The dye used in the ink pad will also limit which can be used on which paper. Dye-based ink will dry in a few minutes, while pigment ink can take several minutes to several hours to dry. Ink that is pigment based will not dry on glossy paper.

You can print line art on to your stationery and colour it in with coloured pencils or markers. This is a fun project for all ages.

Before printing on your stationery or paper of choice, it is best to do a test print as the colour may vary from screen to print. It will also give you a better idea of the final printed product.

After each application, remember to clean the stamp either in warm soapy water or with a baby wipe. This will ensure that your stamp stays in good condition. �