The secret to the perfect card? Sue Wilson reveals all…

You’re renowned for your fabulous dies, where do you find fresh inspiration?
That’s the easy part, I’m a crafter through and through so I design things that I would like to play with! Ultimately I want to use dies that will work in virtually any scenario, so there are plenty of areas to explore and add to my crafting arsenal.

From cheeky monkeys to dainty borders, you’ve created all sorts! What has been your favourite design so far?
It’s incredibly difficult to pick out a favourite, but I still love using the decorative shaped dies from my Country Collection and Frames & Tags range. ‘Maggie’ has been one of my all-time favourite dies to use, too.

When you’re creating a card, what are the main elements that you focus on?
Sometimes I have a clear idea in my head, and sometimes it just evolves. I will always look at four main things when making a card: colour, dimension, texture and balance. Usually, the first thing I do is decide on what colours to use, then it will just evolve depending on the dies I am working with or the products I would like to showcase. If a card isn’t working, I always go back and look at each of the four elements individually to see what might be amiss. I find that really helps me turn a card that I may not be crazy about into one that sings to me!

You post daily on your blog PartiCraft. How has this online community shaped your work?
I love to get feedback from crafters and the comments that are left on my blog really help me in my designing too. When I have a bit of extra time, I will look through the cards shared on my Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see what sort of comments they are receiving. I’ve found that social media is a great way to get in touch with crafters everywhere and find out what they are interested in.

I need a versatile die that I can use for all occasions this spring. What would you recommend?
The new Springtime Frame would be my go-to die for any occasion. You can make a really quick and easy card with it, if time is an issue, or you can use pieces of it to accent other dies you might have. I just love it! You are going to see so many samples made with it on my blog in the coming weeks and months – I could barely put it down! I’m also planning more releases in April, then Christmas will be on its way sometime in June.