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As i was preparing to make some birthday cards this morning for some friends, I was thinking about the fact that I am the type of person who just makes a card or cards when I need them for a specific person, usually someone i know, then i try to design something that would suit that person. Then i was thinking about having a handy stash, for when i don't have time, but then thinking that was a little impersonal...as you can see...too much thinking and not enough card making here! :rolleyes:
What do you do? Do you make a whole pile for when you need them, or do you make them only when needed? Or a mix?
I like to make a bunch of base cards and decorate them as I need them, that way they are handy and personal
I too am a lot like bugga I have quiet a large stash of cards. I have them categorized by "birthday", "baby", "sympathy", or "misc", etc. This way I always have cards on hand for every event or occasion.
I do both as a habit. For holidays, birthdays and anniversaries everyone gets an individual card---not always easy when I send out 75 Christmas cards, 40 Valentine's Day cards etc., but that's how I need to do it if I am ever going to come close to using the ideas I have floating around, or try all the techniques I want to do. The month before, I do all the cards for the next month. I finished February the middle of January. I have 15 birthdays in February (go figure), so every one gets their own (I pick a theme for the month--it was suns for the grown-ups and balloons for the kids) and when I'm making the grown up birthday card, I will make 2 or 3 extra the same/similar and change the greeting to a get well, thinking of you, thank you, etc. or leave blank for those occasions that come up suddenly. These I put in photo boxes by occasion to use as needed, or donate, or give as gift. When one of the boxes gets low, then most of the extras the next month will be made with that greeting. I used to keep a sample of each card in binders with a note inside on how it was made and who got it. It not only became cumbersome, but the storage of all these cards was a huge problem. I am now in the process of scanning in/photographing these cards along with the directions and a note as to who got it and the date. Digital is not as satisfying for a tactile person like me, but fulfills the organizer in me and makes storage and retrieval far easier. The only kind of card I don't have on hand are birthday and holiday cards as they are made and sent as the occasion comes up. So while I make something with the person in mind for birthdays and holidays, there is always something appropriate for those other times in my stash.
When I have a card class I usually cut extra cardstock so that after the class I can make up the extras before putting all the supplies away. This way I have cards on hand and months later, I'm not looking at all kinds of different sizes and colors of cardstock and wondering what it was originally cut for.
Usually I have made cards and/or gifty-type projects on demand as needed. Mostly that has been because for the past 3 1/2 years, up until just a couple of weeks ago(!!!), my art room since moving into this house was a holy terror of an unusable MESS. I would have to drag supplies up to another room to use them and not much was unpacked or organized yet so making anything was just a pain.
Before we moved, for a couple of years I was in charge of doing the birthday cards for the ladies at church. In order to preserve my sanity from too much mass-production I did them in weekly batches; to keep from getting bored to death making too many of the same design I did a new design every week. I would do anywhere from 2 to I think 8 or 10, depending on how many birthdays there were that week. Sometimes I made extras and saved them for later weeks. (I also kept one of each for my archives and eventually I'll get them photographed and shared online!) I never customized the designs to the recipients-- mostly my design choices were driven by what time of the year it was and what fun little idea or technique I wanted to play with. Like: the week of St. Patrick's day I took little pressed 4-leaf clovers I had found in my lawn (it was an awesome lucky lawn, I should have harvested more before we moved) and glued them to tags and said "lucky to know you" on them. Near Easter I made little fuzzy felt bunnies and taught myself how to tie a french knot for the eyes. (Thank you, YouTube tutorials!) In the fall I used silk autumn leaves and flowers. Ack, all this reminiscing of the fun I had back then is making me want to go play! hee hee
Now that my art room is finally cleaned out and usable again (even though I still have a lot of organizing left to do) I am going to start doing lots of weekly/monthly challenges and build myself up a nice stash of cards to use whenever the occasion presents itself. Just the idea of such an eye-candilicious file to flip through gives me the grins. :mrgreen: But I'm sure I will still wind up making things on demand for individual people, too.
I normally mass produce all my cards. I keep a few for my private stash, take some to the church bookstore to sell, supply one other church with cards to sell (I donate all of them to the churches) give some to the troops, supply a few ladies I know who have been going through rough financial times with a pile every week to sell at work. These I donate to the ladies too. I love to make cards...I love to spend time in my stamp room. I feel like it is a gift given by God to make others smile or to help financially if possible.
blessings.
This has to be one of the most kindhearted, uplifting posts I have ever read. So very, very unselfish and a wonderful display of generosity of talent and spirit. Blessings to YOU!!!!
I make some "generic" cards to sell, although they are usually all different. I like to do custom cards for family & my mom's friends (birthday, some Christmas, Easter, etc.). I did make a bunch of similar Easter cards. When I was doing postcards, I'd make them all the same. I did reuse a card design from a birthday for a calendar page. I'm planning on reusing a blank card my mom used for my brother's birthday because she really liked it.
I've done several of the challenges, and recently CASED a card for my Uncle's birthday. I use the person's interests as inspiration if it's for someone I know, and the challenges or CASE if it's not.
If you make multiples put a scrap of paper in who you have sent the cards to in the past, pulling out valentines cards and was going to send one to the same person again....
I usually make multiples of cards to have on hand, but if have time will make individual cards as needed.
I do have the calendar of birthdays with a pocket for each month - have I ever planned ahead? Not so much IT is a really good idea.
A couple weeks ago I went through all of my cards, divided them out between friends, silent auctions donations, church and keep. It was awesome getting rid of several shoe boxes of cards, the people who received them loved them and I have the silent auction ones bagged and ready to go for the next few fund raisers.
__________________ Kyloe
The lesson from Charlie Brown: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.
Mostly, I like to make personalized cards. But if I'm too pressed for time, I will just grab one from my stash I think the person will like and send them that. Like my 8 yo nephew's birthday just passed and I have always made him a personalized card but unfortunately this year I just did not have the time to make him one and had to look through my stash. Luckily, I found a carnival birthday card I had made a few months back and he loved it, so it worked out!
I know this is kind of old, but found interesting comments. I cannot believe it is possible to accumulate a stash! I do challenges a lot, and I guess I am really slow. Therefore, mine are all one of a kind. I sell at craft shows, send a few to the troops and send out RAK's on occasion - and never have enough!
I have made cards for my stash, but as time goes on, I find that I love to make cards to suit the person receiving it. People in my immediate fam ALWAYS get a special card for the birthday, but for holidays like Christmas or Easter, I design one "over-the-top" card, then spend hours and hours duplicating it for everyone. The card itself often doesn't take much time to put together, but the embellishments sometimes go on forever! I LOVE my embellishments and that's part of why I like personalized cards so much. The card I made for my DIL's 30th birthday took several days working on and off. It was so heavy, I had to make a box to send it in. I added 2 secret compartments to tuck the $$$ in and made several others for special messages. She loved it so much she put it in her keepsake box! How do you spell "love"? T-I-M-E If I ever get to retire, I might decide to make in bulk and market my creations, but for now, I like it one at a time! (I always take a picture, just in case)
I design a card with that specific person in mind only when I know they will appreciate that card. For others that I just make cards for, I make something that represents the occasion. I always make as many identical cards so I don't waste any paper that would be left over from one card. The extras I put in a box and send it to an organization that uses them for the troops. So, win win for everyone.
For family - like others they are personalized. I make cards for our church homebound/care facility members - currenty 28 so those I make in bulk and send out monthly, kind-of-seasonal (snowy for Jan., valentine for Feb, St. Pat - March, Easter . . .
Anniversaries, birthdays, get well cards for friends and church - depends on time though usually specialized for the recipient.
My favorite thing to do is make a card with someone in mind. It usually turns out pretty cool. But lately I have run out of time!!! At work, it's just become rather crazy busy, and I find I am working extra hours and bringing work home. Luckily I did make some extra for some swaps, and I am certainly glad I did! I needed them! Now I like to keep a stash at work in my drawer so in case an occasion comes up quickly, I do have something on hand. People like to come by my desk and ask if I have anything they can use! How can I refuse? Comes in handy to have a few extra on hand for when I simply run out of time!
A bit of both. I will make cards 2x/month on Friday (I meet a friend every Friday - 2 are for cardmaking, 2 for srapbooking). On those days, I'll think of what is coming up and make cards for specific people. If there are no birthdays, anniversaries, etc., coming up, I make general ones.
