This post is a part of a series on improving my card making by studying other designers' cards. If you're unfamiliar with this series, you can learn more about it here.
Today I'm continuing my study of the super talented Kate Shudrova. By the way, Kate's has been posting a bunch of new cards on her Instagram feed. You don't have to join IG to see them. Check them out here!
KATE'S CARD
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT KATE'S CARD
- Using a kraft card base with the popped-up burst of flowers is a fantastic combination.
- Placing the sentiment in the lower corner is unexpected and it works. I wouldn't have thought of that.
- Adding white to a kraft card always brightens up the kraft.
- See the stitching on the left of the card? It's another unexpected detail that adds visual interest without detracting from the clean and "simple" look. I also like how Kate only stitched over edge of the floral arrangement but kept the rest of the arrangement popped up.
- It's gorgeous!!
MY CARD
WHAT I LEARNED
- Haven't used a kraft card base in awhile and I think I'll use them more often. It's a nice change from white.
- Love the placement of the sentiment. Kate's works a bit better because her main image is larger and almost points to the sentiment. But I like mine too. I'll use this layout again.
- My focal image is smaller than Kate's and when I placed the hydrangea against the kraft panel it looked a little lost. It needed something to tie it to the sentiment. So I added some white gouache paint speckles and I think that worked well.
- Kate's card has a beautiful selection of reds and blues. I decided to mimic that by varying the colors of the petals. It's not a particularly "realistic" rendering of a hydrangea, but this is me, and I'm not Hallmark!
- Keep reading....
MOOD WHEN DONE: Well, this was quite the process. I started out studying this gorgeous card that Kate recently posted:

Everything about this card speaks to me -- the shine, the one layer, no embellishments. You could walk into an upscale boutique and find this.
Despite numerous attempts, using different sentiments, papers, watercolors, metallic paints, and ink pads, I just couldn't make anything that I would send to anyone or share online. A lot of paper died in the effort.
I learned that to make a card like this, you need the perfect sentiment, the ability to paint in just the right spot, and the right combination of paper and metallic paints. Kudos to Kate, but it will be awhile before I'll try this again!
EDITED TO ADD: Breaking news on Kate's card. Turns out she used foil to add that gorgeous shine. Kate told me that she used a digital brush or image, printed out on a laser printer, and then foiled. Genius.