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I really hope this does not sound like I am ungrateful or picky but I would like other people's opinion. In the past I have made packs of cards for my non-stamping friends for them to use for various occasions. They all seem to enjoy them and I really like making them as sometimes I do not know what to do with all of the cards I make.
Recently, I gave a set of 4 homemade cards with envelopes along with a nice candle to a close friend of mind for her birthday (the cards were just a little something extra as I know she likes it when I make her the cards - especially gift card holders - for her to use). Today I received one of my own cards back in the mail as a thank you for the nice birthday lunch and gift. I so much appreciate the thank you which was not necessary but it bothered me a little that she used one of the cards I made. This only gives her 3 cards to use.
I sure hope I am not sounding picky because it was very nice of her and she probably figured I would be happy to see her use one of my own cards. I wanted to know if I was the only one who would feel this way. Maybe someone can put a different spin on this and point out to me that this is okay and I shouldn't feel disappointed that she used one of my own cards on me!!!
Thanks in advance for listening and for your thoughts...
Well, there are two ways to look at it. True you gave them to her to use, but she may feel like if she sent you a thank you not as lovely as the ones you made her, you might think she doesn't appreciate your cards and are not making use of them. Just another way to look at it. It does feel a little strange getting your own card back, but it's happened to me before too.
__________________ LizThe joy of the LORD is my strength.Right Brain Madness --My blogProud member of the redDivasKSS certified multi-step stamperFan Club member since 2004
I wouldn't be upset. My mother taught me to always send a thank you note. Even if the gift giver says not to, you write a thank you. Amen Amy Vanderbilt.
So she really needed the notes, and she sent one to you. Miss Manners would be satisfied, and your gift was truly appreciated
I totally agree - thank you notes should be sent. I send them and so does my son (he doesn't even complain because he knows it is the proper thing to do). Apparently she did need them and I guess I should look at it as a compliment.
I knew I would feel better once I received some feedback.
:lol: happened to me today as well but with a gift I sent my neice - the funny thing is she asked me if I would be able to make her some more! :lol: Might just take that one apart and re-assemble to start with ;)
I think it's nice......one of my friends went into the co-op where I sell my cards and bought one of mine to give to me- it was so cool! I would take it as a compliment!
__________________ -Paige, "Mummy" to Bubba and Baxter, the Boston Terriers- -My Gallery- -Fan Club Member-yeah!-
What I do when that happens is cut off the front and reuse it for someone else!
In my case it would be difficult as I personalized it with the Monogram stamper! :lol: I think that is Why she would like more - I am going to quiz her if she wants variations on a theme so to speak.:mrgreen:
I have a friend that often asks me for card sets for gifts. She also purchases them from me to give to others as gifts. From the ones I give her, she always sends me one as a thank you, telling me how much she loves them. I have heard her tell other people that she saves them for special people and special occassions. I take it as a compliment.
I know it may seem like a waste to send the card back to you. But imagine you had sent her a pack of cards purchased from Hallmark. Then it would make sense that she would send the giver a thank you card from the pack.
I was thinking right along the lines of DaisyBoo. My daughter had surgery earlier in the summer and received a box of blank note cards (store bought). Later on I told her she needed to write thank you notes to everyone who sent her gifts, but she said she didn't have any. I said, "Sure you do, your Aunt bought you a box." So she used them for her thank yous, and also sent one to the Aunt. I didn't think it was inappropriate at all. In fact, I told her to do it.
I would take it as a compliment. She loved your cards so much she used one to thank you with. I think I would have been a little insulted if she purchased a thank you card... I'd think she prefers store bought to home made. lol
i have sent cards to people for birthdays, thank yous, etc. and they have told me that they were going to cut the front off and put it on another piece of cardstock to send to another person! at first my feelings were hurt that THEY weren't going to keep it, but then i realized that they must really like my card if they are sending it to someone else!!!
__________________ Amy
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"Life is just a scrapbook waiting for us to put it on acid free paper."
i have sent cards to people for birthdays, thank yous, etc. and they have told me that they were going to cut the front off and put it on another piece of cardstock to send to another person! at first my feelings were hurt that THEY weren't going to keep it, but then i realized that they must really like my card if they are sending it to someone else!!!
I've given card sets to friends, and have no idea if they've ever used them. At least now you know that at least one of your cards got used.
My BFF pulled out the inside of the birthday card I made for her, stuck a new sentiment inside, and then gave the card to her mother for HER birthday! At first I was a little peeved, because I don't mass-produce cards and I thought that card was especially nice and was made only for her. But I decided to be flattered and I got over it. LOL. She told me the card was so lovely that she wanted to share it with her mom. I just wonder what her mom thought?!
i think recipients of cards are afraid we'd be offended with store-bought cards. i agree with others; she obviously needed the cards you gave her, and she USED one for her special friend, you!
If someone gave me handmade cards as a gift, I might feel uncomfortable about sending back a store-bought thank you. It was probably meant as a compliment.
Maybe a little OT... but when I give something in an altered container I always find a way to encourage the person to reuse/regift it. A friend regifted my valentine one to her sister with some things for her new baby and her sister loved it... BUT... this is coming from a RAK addict... ;)
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Better than what my mother-in-law did a few years ago....
I made a really nice anniversary card for them, and 6 months later on OUR anniversary, I open the envelope to find that she'd chopped up the card I sent to THEM and re-mounted all the pieces on a crappily cut piece of white paper. I was sitting there with my jaw on the ground.....then again, I don't know WHY I was so shocked, I always knew she hated me! :-)
My mom bought a card from me and then gave it to me with my present for mother's day. I thought it was kind of funny because she stamps herself, but she was busy and I guess she thought it would be easier to buy one instead of making one.
I think that if I gave it to someone as a gift it would be odd to get it back though.
I've had the same thing happen - the last time was when I had made about 30 'thank you' cards as part of my nieces wedding shower gift. I was surprised she sent me one of my own...she wanted to be certain I had one for myself.
I think your friend probably loved the cards so much, she was thrilled to have an occasion to use it so quickly!
Also, the world is full of people who are "easily offended". I try so hard not to be one of those people and look for that same quality in others. This really is a situation where your glass could be half full or half empty. To be so generous with your time and talents by making hand made cards for others, you must certainly be a glass half full kind of gal!
I would take it as a compliment. I've had a couple of my own cards back from my sis who buys them from me!
And your friend gets extra marks as well for sending a thank-you, whether a card from your gift or another source.
Better than what my mother-in-law did a few years ago....
I made a really nice anniversary card for them, and 6 months later on OUR anniversary, I open the envelope to find that she'd chopped up the card I sent to THEM and re-mounted all the pieces on a crappily cut piece of white paper. I was sitting there with my jaw on the ground.....then again, I don't know WHY I was so shocked, I always knew she hated me! :-)
i wouldn't feel bad about that - my MIL is a real pill and i could tell you stories... oh, i digress. back to you.
i have a friend who often 're-gifts' cards. we all joke about it. on her last birthday, she says "i'm running out of birthday cards -these will come in SO handy" when she opened her hand-stamped cards from friends.
your MIL must have loved that card to have kept it for six months!
I love getting mine back! I do give cards as gifts, mostly to family members, and I try to make some of these really special (not just mass produced). I know in the past when I gave a set of 10 to all my nieces and my sister at Christmas they all took the time to look at each card individually and Oooh and Ahhh over them which made me feel great. Sometimes they tell me they hate to send some of the cards I've made them cuz they're not sure the recipient would appreciate it. Obviously I appreciate it so they have often sent them back to me (usually with a handwritten thank you letter). I love seeing my "old" cards..lets me know how far I've come in my art or just reminds me of a different style I liked.
Polly
I agree with the majority, I would feel flattered to get one of my hand-made cards back. I like to send my "creations" to special people who appreciate them & maybe she felt the same. The only thing better is my SIL who keeps EVERY hand-made card I have ever sent her!
I have a friend, too, who has kept all the cards I've ever sent her and she has even brought them to her work or up at her cabin to show all her buddies there. When she told me that I was overwhelmed.
The way I understand it, the set of cards were given to the woman to use to send out. So it stands to reason that to send a thank-you for a gift, the person would send one of the cards given to her for that purpose.
Personally, if it were me receiving the thank-you, I would rather get one of my own cards than a store bought one. But in this case, if I were the sender, I think I would have just written a note on nice paper as the thank-you. (Yes, I know I just contradicted myself.)
In any case, the receiver was nice enough to send a thank-you for the gift in whatever fashion she sent it.
Sounds like the receiver could use a big set of cards for her correspondence.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cat your MIL must have loved that card to have kept it for six months!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momofoneson
I agree with that. If they keep it for a long time, then they really like it, otherwise in the trash it would go.
Hee, hee.....oh THAT is where you're wrong! You think YOU could tell ME some stories, I can guarantee you that I will win EVERY time! You would be depressed FOR me with all that we've gone through with the in-laws. Thankfully, we don't see them anymore, even though they live 10 minutes away. It makes our lives SOOOOO much better! And the only reason she kept that card would BE to cut it up and send it back to me....so that I'd be confused as to how to take that "gesture"!
I have heard her tell other people that she saves them for special people and special occassions. I take it as a compliment.
In our family we call that 'card worthy'
I'd be flattered if I received one in return. I look at it this way. When you give a gift, you GIVE it away to the recipient to use as they see fit. Sometimes it's hard (such as a scrapbook that sits empty) but it's just one of those things in life.
At least you got a thank you!
__________________ Liz
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless ~ Mother Teresa
My MIL sent me a thank-you note from a little set of cards that I had made for her about 15 years ago! It was quite the blast from the past...I won't say it was a horribly bad card, but it was when I was still learning...I'm kind of glad it came back to me and someone else didn't see it! LOL!
Getting your own cards back!?!?
