Learning to use Spectrum Noir - First Trys

So far in my sets of Spectrum Noir, I've only encountered one pen, BG1, that seems like it doesn't have enough ink! I haven't decided if I'll complain or just buy an ink refill. I find the pens a little difficult to use. Most of my mistakes (that I recognize as mistakes) are from picking up the wrong pen at the wrong time or not figuring out out what's what on the image. Those aren't issues in PS as a color can easily be switched with another color. Not on paper!!!
I'm not getting the blending very well either although it looks much better five minutes after I quit than immediately after I quit. I made two cards - one a Christmas card for my friend Pam and one a birthday card for my DIL - missed her birthday early in December.

I think I'll have as much trouble getting saturated tones with this media as I have getting the paler tones in Photoshop. Oh, I made the stencil on the second card just to see how hard that was. It was hard!