Your first souvenir project should be simple enough to get done, but also teach you something important. Many people jump straight into a complete coordinating collection that requires several materials, layered decoration, and packaging. It’s easier for many to get stuck at the starting line of this approach because they haven’t yet discovered which base material, which type of adhesive, how thick the trim line should be, and how the design will size up. A more effective first choice is to pick one simple souvenir format that lets you learn the process of planning and execution, without requiring it to be a complex project.
Decide on the souvenir product first, not the decoration. A souvenir magnet, gift tag, postcard, sticker, keychain blank or small display card is a well-defined area to apply your decoration. Once you have a defined area, you can determine the type of decoration best suited for the task. Will it get handled a lot? Hung up? Placed in an envelope? Lay flat? For example, a keychain blank needs more sturdy assembly and neater edges, because it will be constantly moved. A postcard needs legible lettering and a visually balanced layout. A souvenir magnet needs clear contrast so it will be noticed in a crowded refrigerator. Every format demands a specific design approach.
Your first souvenir product should have a simple shape, be fairly flat and have minimal decoration. Cardstock, wooden or acrylic blanks, or a printed sticker is a great way to practice the process without complicated tools. The first step in design is deciding size. What looks like just the right amount of decoration on your computer screen could end up looking overdone on a small tag or souvenir magnet. Lettering that seemed perfectly legible on your printed page could be too small to read inside a small area on a finished product. Before making any cuts or printing a sample, arrange the text and image in the final size and step back from your work to judge whether the scale is right for the product.
A good exercise is to draw three designs for the same souvenir product. First create the simplest design with only a small motif and brief text. The second design is somewhat fancy, with a line or strip, some ribbons or other decoration and a bit of color. The third design is fully dressed up. Then lay out your designs at the actual size of your souvenir item. As you review each of the three design ideas, you will likely realize that the first or second design is actually the easiest design to read and to complete. This doesn’t mean you aren’t being creative. It means you’re learning how to design a small area to work effectively in.
Consider your materials. If you’re not sure whether a glue, vinyl, laminate coating, or paper will work well together, don’t attempt a project with all those materials. Instead, practice by making a few smaller samples. Before making a full-sized project, test gluing a small strip of cardstock, using a scrap of your souvenir product, or using a corner of paper hidden behind the finished souvenir, to practice adhesion. Let the glue dry, and then evaluate how it feels and look to see how much lifting occurred or whether the finish has changed color. This small test will help you prevent an over-done souvenir product, whether it requires a clear coating, laminating, or other protective measures.
Another factor to consider is how you’ll display your souvenir. A small envelope, card back, label or bow will add a touch of elegance, but over-packaging can distract from a finished souvenir product. Before making your finished souvenir, display it on a blank card back to see how the finished item looks. If you find that you are spending more time designing packaging than the souvenir itself, you might need to simplify your project. The key is a presentation that complements your design, not a product with packaging that is more complicated than the item.
A good first souvenir product gives you practice in a variety of skills such as design layout, cutting or trimming, adhesive selection and drying, and product checking, all at one time. Choose a souvenir product that will allow you to review your work carefully. After making your first product, take a close look at the size of the design, the neatness of the edges, the spacing on the layout, the amount of contrast between colors, the neatness of any adhesion, or other details that you may need to address when you make your next souvenir product. The best souvenir product is not the one with the most decoration, but the one that helps you notice the things that you will want to do differently when creating another keepsake.