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How do you keep track of which cards you sent to whom? Sometimes I make more than one of the same card. sometimes I don't. Either way, I'm having trouble remembering who I gave which creation to. This poses a real problem when I want to repeat a card style. I could sure use some ideas. Thanks ;)
__________________ Just keep breathing...that's the key.
This is something I definitely need to do!! I always make multiples and will come back to a card maybe years later because I like it. This didn't work so well when I sent the same birthday card to my grandson and he noticed and told me
What about taking a picture of the card, and recording the name of the person / date who you sent it to in the properties summary?
That's kind of what I do. Rather than adding info in the properties field, when I save the card to my computer I note the recipient's initials, occasion and year in the filename. For example, the Father's Day card sent to my father-in-law in 2009 would be saved as "MJH FD 2009".
I take a picture of the card and in the description write who it was for the year & occasion (DianneSBirthday2011). I have iphoto and it allows me to do this with all my photos. There is also a spot for more description if needed. I can also add key words so that I can sort cards according to occasions as well. My biggest problem is sometimes I put the card in the mailbox BEFORE taking the picture! LOL!!
__________________ Dianne Wine a bit....You'll feel better.
Other than Christmas, my cards are pretty much different in some shape, form or color. But I do keep track of what I send in a little notebook. This way I know who I sent cards out to and I can keep track of how many went out in a year. I do take photos also, but there is that remembering factor that often comes into play.
Better to send the same thing than to completely forget I'd say!
When I create and send a card to someone, I don't worry about recording the details of who, what, when and where. Each card I create is for that particular person so there wouldn't be any way I would be making the exact card again.
Yes, I'm sure I sent the same stamp image to the same person, but that is because I happen to like particular stamps for particular situations.
I don't see it as a big deal even if the same person did get a similar card on a different occasion.
Since I make one design for my Christmas cards I do keep one from each year, just so I know what I sent what year. But there is always something personalized on each one to that person.
I make individual cards for people. However, I don't want to use a similar layout for future cards for each one.
I take a picture ( or I scanned them before I recently got a digital camera) and I keep them in a file of "My sent cards" on my computer. I just title them as " Birthday card or Christmas card for ______ and the date .
I even entered a challenge with one of them and I didn't change the title.
It is "Birthday card for Nancy"
I know what you mean. I have some favorite designs (formulas) that I just love and some favorite stamp sets. Especially birds, bees, trees and owls. I was making my sister a thank you card about two weeks ago and I was wondering - did I send her one with the su owl punch yet? I was searching my brain so hard (lol) and then I remembered I had sent one with the su bird punch, but not the owl yet. That's when I asked myself the same exact question - how do I keep track of this. Especially since she is one of my favorite people to send cards to (she loves them so much).
I guess it depends on if you are a computer person or an old fashioned notebook person. I know Lydia is like a total Computer Ninja. (Did you know she can use Excel?) ( I kid her/she's such a great sport). I'm not into the camera thing but really admire you ladies for having such a high tech card library.
I think I'm going to alter a little mini notebook and put each person's name at the top of the page and start a log. For example:
MOM
4/5/2011 Easter SU Spring Embossing
4/20/'11 Get Well Little Nurse Fancy Label
5/7/'11 Mother's Day Flowerpot Rosette medallions
That way I can remember to do something a little different each time and show off my techniques (lol). (or lack of them).
I make a few individual cards for birthdays, but like to make at least 4 or so of any "all purpose, thinking of you" cards. Also make at least 4 at a time of generic birthday cards all the same to have on hand.
Well, my system is "Old School" because I'm old, LOL. I have a printed address list of friends and relatives that I use when I address my cards. The list is dated when I printed it, and I usually print another one about every six months or so.
When I send a card, I make a tiny handwritten note by the person's name as to which card I sent. Just a little description so I can remember until I send the other same style cards, which usually isn't long. i.e. "Pink kitty", "blue flower BD" etc.
When I run out of room to write the notes, I print another address list and start over. Not hi-tech at all, but it's quick and simple and works for me.
The computer-type lists sound neat, but I'm not near my computer when I address my cards, and I'm afraid I would forget which one I sent who by the time I found my way back to my computer.:mrgreen:
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I know what you mean. I have some favorite designs (formulas) that I just love and some favorite stamp sets. Especially birds, bees, trees and owls. I was making my sister a thank you card about two weeks ago and I was wondering - did I send her one with the su owl punch yet? I was searching my brain so hard (lol) and then I remembered I had sent one with the su bird punch, but not the owl yet. That's when I asked myself the same exact question - how do I keep track of this. Especially since she is one of my favorite people to send cards to (she loves them so much).
I guess it depends on if you are a computer person or an old fashioned notebook person. I know Lydia is like a total Computer Ninja. (Did you know she can use Excel?) ( I kid her/she's such a great sport). I'm not into the camera thing but really admire you ladies for having such a high tech card library.
I think I'm going to alter a little mini notebook and put each person's name at the top of the page and start a log. For example:
MOM
4/5/2011 Easter SU Spring Embossing
4/20/'11 Get Well Little Nurse Fancy Label
5/7/'11 Mother's Day Flowerpot Rosette medallions
That way I can remember to do something a little different each time and show off my techniques (lol). (or lack of them).
Please share with us what you decide.
I really like your notebook idea with each person's name on a page. Much better than my messy address list.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
The only cards I mass produce to send out from me are Christmas cards. I have an Excel spreadsheet with details like name, address, year card sent, if I got a card from them, etc. On that sheet, I put in a note as to which card I sent to what person because sometimes I'll have leftovers and I'll use them the following year. All birthdays and other cards I don't usually mass produce (I'm lucky if I get even one done on time) so the recipient is usually getting a personalized, one-of-a-kind card. I do take pictures of my cards just so I can have a record of what I've done. The other cards that I mass produce are given out as gift sets to teachers, my mom and MIL, and I don't keep of record of what I've given for those since I don't usually repeat an idea or design for those.
I kind of keep track in a Word document. Last year, after my grandma passed away suddenly (I was going to make her a card a week after she found out she had Cancer). We found out for sure on Friday and she passed on Sunday. Then in August, my great aunt (grandma's sis) had a stroke. So now, I send a card-a-month to both my only living grandma and my great aunt. It's become quite the topic of conversation. They each tell my mom what I sent, what I wrote, or that I must have been busy because I didn't write much. lol. Since I started doing this, I keep track of the cards I make and also post a pic here and my blog. I only make two, sometimes 3. In Feb, I used cards I made in the VSN challenges so I know who got which card. At Christmas, I make multiples of one card and only send to those who will keep them.
I second that I take digital photos and name them.
most of mine are MM-YYYY and a descriptor. I can keep them in "year" folders on the computer but you could easily create a folder for each of your regular recipients and ad the card to the computer folder as you send it.
I make a color copy of my cards, put them in binders by theme [birthday, holiday, etc] and write the person's name and year on the bottom of the card. I've been doing this for years and it's very easy to go through the binders to see what I've done.
I seldom make any card more than once unless I sell it as a set. For my personal use, they are always different. That way it is never a problem. I do 4 or 5 challenges a day sometimes, and I never make a card that I can't use or sell. Guess I didn't have a solution for you.
__________________ 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
My problem was using the same sentiment stamps for the inside. I now make copies of the card and also the inside on my copy machine. If I make several cards alike or similiar, I fold one open, placing the front of another similar card ontop the left side part of the inside. I write the person to whom the card is going to and the date on the copy. Then I put them in a file for future reference.
I have a Word document in which I place digi photos of each card (listing the recipient and the date sent). In addition to a photo of the front of the card, I take a photo of the envelop, which I always decorate with a stamped image or perhaps some dry embossing, as well as a photo of the inside message. This allows me to see exactly what I sent to each person as well as refreshing my memory about card designs I might want to use for someone else.
~ Rita
__________________ Rita
God demonstrated His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ... being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:8 & 9
Location: New Jersey....but born and raised in TEXAS originally.
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I try to take a picture of every card I make. The images are stored on a separate usb memory stick that I use just for cards (in case I want to take them somewhere to show them to someone w/o taking my whole computer).
I started filing them on the memory stick by just the category name: Birthday, Valentines, Thank You, Christmas, Halloween, etc.
But now I categorize them by year, then filed by category name: Birthday, Christmas, Halloween, etc, and the image is titled by the person's name.
I also make cards for soldiers and I categorize them by year. When I send out several cards at once, the file name is the date I sent the group of cards. The images of the cards are usually not categorized.
Let me ask you something? How many of you who receive hand-made cards remember what you received from one year to the next? I certainly don't so I don't bother with trying to remember what I made for that person last year. I have other things for which I need to use my brain. Sooooo, if you want to send ME the same birthday card each year, you can be sure I'll not remember and I won't care. It's just wonderful that you remembered me :>)
Let me ask you something? How many of you who receive hand-made cards remember what you received from one year to the next? I certainly don't so I don't bother with trying to remember what I made for that person last year. I have other things for which I need to use my brain. Sooooo, if you want to send ME the same birthday card each year, you can be sure I'll not remember and I won't care. It's just wonderful that you remembered me :>)
Wanda G.
This is a great comment! Of course, you're right Wanda. If WE can't remember, and WE are obsessive papercrafters, why do we think people who receive our cards will?
Note to self: Must lighten up! Yesterday I was agonizing over what color of thread to use to topstitch a "Cars" quilt for a 6-year old grandson, for Pete's sake. My sis kindly reminded me he would not notice or care.:mrgreen:
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I trace them through my blog. I just did that last week because I was making a birthday card for DMIL. I wasn't sure which sentiments and stamps I have already used for her, so I went through my old blog posts and I found out from there. Hth
Man! You guys do a lot of extra work on top of making cards!! I make only one card (i never duplicate, it's SO BORING for me...) and send it out and only think about it again if I see it on my blog or gallery.. I don't give it a second thought...
__________________
{Gallery}{Blog}
I design for: Stampendous!, There She Goes, Technique Tuesday,
SRM Stickers and Deconstructed Sketches.
The reason I keep a record of what stamps I use is that most of my family and friends keep the cards I make for them, often using them as seasonal decorations or on corkboards. I want to give them something different each time and since I have almost 20 years worth of stamps, this is the only way I can keep track of what I make.
Like DianeinSparks, I have family members who keep all the cards I make for them .... so I really try to make sure I don't repeat myself.
__________________ Rita
God demonstrated His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us ... being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Romans 5:8 & 9
I also have friends and family members who tell me they keep all of my cards, so...I have a pretty file box (like you would use for recipes) in whicch I have an index card for each person I routinely send cards to. I just jot a quick note of the image, and if it's a birthday, the inside sentiment I used. Works for me, and for me, much easier than doing something on the computer.
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
I know what you mean. ... I guess it depends on if you are a computer person or an old fashioned notebook person. ... I think I'm going to alter a little mini notebook and put each person's name at the top of the page and start a log. For example:
MOM
4/5/2011 Easter SU Spring Embossing
4/20/'11 Get Well Little Nurse Fancy Label
5/7/'11 Mother's Day Flowerpot Rosette medallions
That way I can remember to do something a little different each time and show off my techniques (lol). (or lack of them).
Please share with us what you decide.
I'm really leaning towards this method. I often make cards at places other than my home and I don't often take my laptop along so a notebook would be perfect.
A couple of you mentioned adding a sketch or short description of the card etc. That would work for me as well.
Thank you all for your comments. I really appreciate each one - they gave me something to think about and helped me decide what would work for me - yup it's the notebook - altered, of course ;)
__________________ Just keep breathing...that's the key.
People tell me that they save every card I send them. (Which makes me feel good so that is why I like to keep track of the inside) When I first started making cards I wrote little notes describing the card and the sentiment on an index card. Later I couldn't figure out my notes all that well. Senior Moment I am sure! So that is why I started making a copy of the inside as well as the outside. I don't have a whole lot of sentiment stamps and I didn't want to send the same saying the next year to the same person.
The other reason I keep track this way is that my computer and my craft area are on two different floors. Not very convenient.
Last edited by Texasrose; 04-22-2011 at 08:36 PM..
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Keeping Track
