USA Catalog Expands Cardstock Paper Selection With Three New Designer Colors
Last month, we debuted three new cardstock paper colors (pink, grey and navy blue) in the USA catalog. We got such a great response; you guys loved them! So, we’re at it again this month with another three designer colors—aqua, azure blue and lilac—perfect for making one-of-a-kind stationery products that are professionally laser cut to precision and perfect to sell for a profit.
Get Inspired: What You Can Make With Cardstock Paper
Sure, printed stationery is nice. But the graphic impact of cut paper is much more striking. And while you can create paper cut artwork by hand, it takes painstaking hours of work and massive attention to detail. Ugh. Here’s a better idea: Skip all that hard work and let the lasers cut the cardstock paper perfectly, with precision, every time.
This consistency is especially important if you are selling your designs on sites such as Etsy or you’re creating multiple designs to promote brands and agencies. Competitive differentiation + more visual interest + uniformity of product = #win.
And while we love black and white cardstock paper as a design staple, sometimes these colors (or lack thereof) just don’t cut it. (Oh, the puns!) With the debut of pink, grey and navy blue cardstock paper last month and the addition of aqua, azure blue and lilac this month, the designer inside you can go crazy laser cutting anything from the simple to the sublime.
So how do these three new cardstock paper colors stack up? To find out, we made some of our fave stationery designs. Check it out.
Aqua Cardstock Paper
We dig designs using negative space. And nature. So it should be no surprise that we L.O.V.E. this laser cut tree greeting card. It’s beautiful to sell as-is, or add some typography and you’ve got a logo design perfect for any restaurant, B&B or souvenir shop in a mountain town.
As much as we adore the card above, we might just love this envelope a teeny bit more. Not that we’re playing favorites or anything. The combo of a floral motif with geometric shapes is fun and flirty—perfect for birthdays, weddings and baby showers as well as salons and retail brands.
Letter board designs are so on-trend right now, so we used that theme as an inspiration for this save-the-date card. The decorative flourishes make it wedding ready, but you could strip down the embellishments and add a logo design to create catchy customer communication pieces for corporate events.
If Aqua Cardstock Paper floats your boat, ride the wave by reeling in the details here and catching a sample here.
Azure Blue Cardstock Paper
Is this design mermaid scales, sea waves or a series of overlapping shells? You decide. The geometric pattern adds a sense of depth to this card while showcasing the precision of laser cutting that creates an interesting oceanic optical illusion.
Remember when we said how much we love this envelope? <Grin> Since cardstock holds a fold oh-so well, just a bit of line engraving to score the surface and control the fold is all you need to make the foundation of beauties like these.
Creating one-of-a-kind business cards are actually more memorable than the traditional printed pieces. Put your own spin on this traditional introductory leave-behind and create a stand out that won’t be forgotten.
If you think Azure Blue Cardstock Paper is right up your alley, get all the details about it here and pick up a sample here to see it for yourself.
Lilac Cardstock Paper
Here’s another example of how to incorporate negative space into an eye-catching design. Notice the fairy’s body is laser cut while the wings are laser engraved. What’s cool is that this kind of piece could easily be framed and turned into a pretty work of art as a keepsake after the occasion on which it was given.
We know you were dying to see what this envelope looks like in lilac. (OK, that was us.) With such a decorative design, you know invitations (and love notes!) will get noticed.
Add depth and texture to a printed invitation by designing a gatefold enclosure. This one has a delicate floral theme, but you customize it to just about anything—including using a logo to apply the concept to corporate collateral.
If you think Lilac Cardstock Paper is lovely, learn more here and pick up a sample here.
Now Available: Aqua, Azure Blue And Lilac Cardstock Paper
Perfect for projects that range from paper sculpture and modeling to decorative arts and crafts, this thick paper stock is 140lb weight (300gsm), laser and ink jet compatible, and acid free. Cardstock paper is also easy to curve, crease and emboss to create a three-dimensional work of art.
Additionally, cardstock is an economical material, and since it is relatively thin (when compared to other substrates) it laser cuts quickly—saving you cold hard cash.
Maker Tips: Each cardstock paper has a slightly different finish when laser engraved. The aqua and azure blue cardstock papers etch to a buttery tan color with some yellow undertones, while the lilac has more of a grey undertone. Thus, pick the best one for your purpose and take advantage of the finish when you do.
To achieve the contrast, use area engraving. But a little area engraving goes a long way. Dense area engraving can leave a brown residue around the engraved area, so design accordingly.
Additionally, if your design contains lots of little cut outs (such as our fave decorative envelopes), get the most out of your cutting time and materials by using these tiny pieces as confetti. Since small parts can be lost in the laser cutting process, tab them in if you need them. Tabbing leaves a gap in the cutting line so that the small part stays attached to the sheet of material. Once the entire piece is laser cut, use a utility knife to hand cut the tab (so be sure to make the tab quite small).
What Will You Laser Cut With Cardstock Paper?
After seeing all these ideas, you must be inspired to start making, right?! What design ideas do you have in mind? Bookmarks are ideal teacher gifts or birthday party favors (while encouraging reading!), and they also make inexpensive promotional products. Along those lines, what about creating custom collateral for corporate events? Or perhaps you’ll pursue prototyping or package design? We’d love to see some awesome architectural models, too.
If you’re still unsure, these seven craft and design ideas for cardstock paper will boost your creativity. And if you really want to be inspired, don’t miss the laser cut paper illustrated Macbeth. One word: WOW.
Whatever your laser cutter project ideas, give us a shout in the comment box and let us know what you can’t wait to make. We’d love to hear all about it!
