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Do you make your own Christmas cards or buy premade cards? I love making onsie/twosie cards, but the idea of making them enmasse doesn't interest me at all. So I buy boxed cards - does that make me terrible. But this year I'm thinking of making handmade cards for my closest friends...
I just started stamping a year ago; Last year, I made all the family Christmas cards, but used store-bought ones for the rest; I send about 40 to 50 cards; I am hoping to make them all this year (better get started soon)! I bought Holiday Prints last year (too late for last Christmas) and hope to make most of mine using this (based on a card my demonstrator made at a workshop).
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I just started stamping last September. I made ALL of my Christmas cards, and like a dork I made only one of each. I made 60 I believe. Now I have come to realize that most people make multiples of a single card. I will be doing that this year FOR SURE!
I always try to make my cards early, but end up pulling an all-nighter in December trying to finish. So I have a few store-bought on hand when I give up. I MUST push myself to finish by this fall, along with the same number of baby announcement. Good thing I've been stamping all day!
As for repetition, I can't stand making tons of the same card, even if it's easy. I usually make 5 of each design - 4 to send and 1 for posterity.
I have only been stamping for a year. Last year I hurriedly made my Christmas cards. After five different styles, I settled on one, made around 30 of the same design, clock ticking, the girls came in from out of town (One I had not seen for a few months), and completely forgot to mail them out! Hopefully everyone still has the same address cuz them babies are going out the first week in Dec. One more reason I'm a Dork! LOL
I have made my own for the last three years. The first year I only made about 10 and they were all different. The last two years I have made between 40 and 50 and yes I mass produce. They are all just a like except one, for my aunt who doesn't celebrate Christmas, so she just gets a winter one.
Store bought and I just signed up to be a demo, but voted that I wasn't one.
Dh bought 200 Christmas cards 3 years ago to give to his employees but the company ended up providing holiday cards for him. So we're still using those cards...I think this is the last year.
I just started making card about a month and a half ago but am planning on making all my Christmas cards this year! Handmade cards are a gift in themselves I think!!! Just gotta pick a couple holiday sets and i'll be good to go!
I've been making all my cards for the past several years (even before I became a demo). I usually send 60-70 and I usually make 2 or 3 designs. I really don't care for making multples either, but I manage 25 or 30 each of 2 designs and 10-15 of a more time-consuming one. The thing I hate the most is working on them under pressure in December. That's why we started the Christmas Card Challenge. Check it out Forums at SplitcoaststampersThe idea is to make 10 per month and be finished by the end of October. So this year I'm making 10 or 20 of each design. I haven't managed to complete every month, but I'm still way ahead of where I was this time last year!
Well, I've been making my own Christmas cards for 12 years now. Sometimes I do the same design, sometimes I do several different designs.
Funny side note... I was at my SIL's house last Christmas and noticed a really cute card on display. I knew that it was SU!, so I just had to see who made it for her... it was me! I had given it to them a year or so before, and had forgotten about it. Guess that was one of those years that I made several different designs!
Kim
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Life is full of surprises... take time to enjoy all of them!
I do make all of my cards and everyone elses cards, because I have a small greeting cards business.....I go to craft fairs in the spring and fall and sell thousands of cards...so for me repetion is the way to go...Assembly line. IF you want them all to be the same...I hope this helps..Iv'e been known to make 100 of same design in a day....cards end up being a little different some how.
__________________ Thanks, ~*~*~*~ Julyn~*~*~*~ My Gallery
I have to admit, I make my own and they are all made specially for the individual I send them to. That said, my list is very short. I have moved so many times in my life that I have several very close friends, not lots of acquaintances (well, I do, but we do not send cards). I also have a very small family. Last year I made 15 family cards and about 7 or 8 for friends. I made "group" cards for the department I worked in at the time and for each dept I have worked in for the last 5 years. It is nice to keep in touch, and I am able to make it very personalized to the department. I do mass print a "newsletter" complete with photos of where I have been, what I have been doing, and various things about my daughter and the rest of the family. This works very well for me. One year I tried buying cards and really offended a few people who thought I didn't care about them anymore since I didn't make a card. I won't do that again!
__________________ "A little thing is a little thing, but faith in a little thing is a very great thing." Mother Theresa
I make them all and I send out about 100 cards. None of them are extremely difficult or time consuming though. Two or three layers and basic techniques. Nothing elaborate (usually).
__________________ Jess Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big your God is!
Very interesting answers... Maybe I'll start this year with cards for special friends and work up the courage for everyone in 2006. I'm very nervous about folks not appreciating the "creations" and not making something worthy of this special holiday. But I just did invites for my DD's birthday party - if there are decent reactions it may boost my self-confidence.
I have made all my cards for the last 4 or 5 years - usually about 70-75. Last year a got a little behind and only sent out about 60, which was followed by several phone calls and emails from people wondering if I was ok (because they didn't get a handmade card) and expressing their disappointment. It was nice to hear that people appreciated the work I did on them...
I would love to get started NOW and have them all done and ready to mail by October, but I say that every year and it never happens! Right now I'm waiting to see the Winter Mini catty to see if I need anything new, and will try to at least get started in September.
I make my own cards, somewhere between 60 and 70 and then I make my mom's cards too and last year her list grew to 35. It seems both of our lists grow a bit each year. I make her help me, lol,,, I usually make all one design for me and one different for her, but i think I will do several designs for myself,, that sounds like more fun and maybe i wont be so inclined to wait until december..... thanks for the suggestion, gals..
good idea for a poll.... I just cant bring myself to buy a ready made card since I have all this stuff,,, lol,
__________________ Sherlie..... aka Surelyyoustalktoo? Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower,and a few stamps, of course, www.splitcoaststampers.com/go/Sherlie
I have made almost 300 for the past two years. My husband is a squadron commander in the Air Force, and I make cards for everyone in the squadron, other commander families, and then all our family and friends. This is our last year as commander family. I have already bought the paper, and have a rough idea for what I will be making this year. Last year I had a ribbon on my card, and after 50 of them, the ribbon got taken off! lol it was just too time consuming. I am starting in August this year instead of November too, so that will help.
__________________ Proud Air Force Wife Andi Wrenn
I started stamping last October and sent out 75 Christmas cards. It's funny that you posted this because I started on my Christmas cards for this year last night. Last year my cards were pretty basic (2 layers with classic ink and no embelishments), but this year I am embossing in red and green and using fibers. Some people don't enjoy mass production, and if that's the case, I say don't do it. I have a harder time creating things and find mass production to be very therapeutic.
Not to hijack, but do you guys write on your Christmas cards? After making them last year, I didn't have time to write, but I felt bad when I got other cards with personalized messages.
I make all my Xmas cards too. I get started over the summer since, being a teacher, I have a little free time then I make several different cards many times over. I keep track of who got what card so if I really liked it, I can repeat it the next year with a different group - I group cards into US family, international family(i like to keep these cards light), friends/neighbors and work. This year I am also going to give some card sets as gifts (thank you cards). Given the fact that I am due to have my first child on November 29th, I am really looking forward to being done with them all by the end of the summer!
I make all my Xmas cards too. I get started over the summer since, being a teacher, I have a little free time then I make several different cards many times over. I keep track of who got what card so if I really liked it, I can repeat it the next year with a different group - I group cards into US family, international family(i like to keep these cards light), friends/neighbors and work. This year I am also going to give some card sets as gifts (thank you cards). Given the fact that I am due to have my first child on November 29th, I am really looking forward to being done with them all by the end of the summer!
Wow! That is really amazing that you are finished by the end of the summer! You are so organized! I am thinking about giving thank you notes as gifts too. I'll have to see how that works out with time though. Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I've been stamping for about 4 years now (not a demo) and made my own cards last Christmas... 140 cards, all the same design. It was easier in my mind to pick one design and make them all the same... that way I could cut everything at the same time, etc. If I was doing a smaller amount, I could see how it would be more fun to make a few different designs.
I did a very simple design on the outside with several layers (one of the layers I was able to punch out, though), had a family picture on the inside, and a greeting printed on the inside using my computer. It was a birth announcement/Christmas card so it also included a matching computer printed insert with the birth announcement part and baby picture. I did the addresses by hand as I like to receive cards with the address handwritten (no offense to those who use labels... this is just my personal preference!).
To me, the keys to doing a LOT of Christmas cards are to a) choose a truly simple, yet striking design, b) to print the greeting out on your computer and copy it onto all the cardstock at Kinko's BEFORE you cut the cardstock (so that you're copying TWO cards at once), and c) start early!
I've only been stamping since February.
I have not bought a card since.
I will make my cards this year. It'll make me narrow down my card list this year too. I'll probably *only* have to make about 40.
I can't imagine buying cards now.
I design my main Christmas card around a family picture - about 50-60 of these. Then I make a ton of non-photo cards that I send to stamper-friends. I've been doing this since I started stamping, 4 or 5 years ago.
I have made all my Christmas cards every year even before I became a demo. I usually end up with close to 100 that get sent out. I usually have at least 5 different designs. I'm going to start working on them in September/October so that i'll be able to send them out at the beginning of December. I just have to decide which sets I want to buy this year, I will always use some of them from other but I like 1 or 2 new ones each year
I am pretty much obligated to make handstamped cards....I sent a few box cards out at the last minute and my aunt send a card back asking where her stamped card was. I do keep them in one design and mass produce....put in a good movie one night and do all the cutting....another night during a tv show, stamp out, on and on till it's done. I do recommend starting early!!!!!!
I am a demo and what I am doing this year is holding a "Christmas in July" card class and am planning a "work day" in November for everyone to come over and bring their card stuff to work on. I'm making it a potluck thing and we will be watching movies.....I hope it will be a rainy day when I do this.
I just started stamping last September. I made ALL of my Christmas cards, and like a dork I made only one of each. I made 60 I believe. Now I have come to realize that most people make multiples of a single card. I will be doing that this year FOR SURE!
I did that the first year too. I swore I wouldn't make all my christmas cards, but I have every year since I started stamping (only 2 years ago). So the first year I made them all different. Last year most were different, but there were some that I had like 4 or 5 of. I honestly don't like making lots of the same. I am going to attempt to this year. Use one stamp set and a few designs and just make a bunch of each. We'll see how that goes!!
I am pretty much obligated to make handstamped cards....I sent a few box cards out at the last minute and my aunt send a card back asking where her stamped card was. I do keep them in one design and mass produce....put in a good movie one night and do all the cutting....another night during a tv show, stamp out, on and on till it's done. I do recommend starting early!!!!!!
I am a demo and what I am doing this year is holding a "Christmas in July" card class and am planning a "work day" in November for everyone to come over and bring their card stuff to work on. I'm making it a potluck thing and we will be watching movies.....I hope it will be a rainy day when I do this.
Good luck with what you decide to do!!!
Great idea to have a work day in November,,, I am not a demo but maybe our stamp club would like to do something like that,,,,,
good for your aunt for getting after you about not sending her a hand stamped card,,, i love it,,,,,,
__________________ Sherlie..... aka Surelyyoustalktoo? Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower,and a few stamps, of course, www.splitcoaststampers.com/go/Sherlie
I send out 70-80 every year and I make them all. I usually do about 5 or 6 of each so that I have a really good variety, and then for really close family, I do individual ones.
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"It would be crazy to choose this world over Eternity."
I've been stamping for 8 years and have only recently made our Christmas cards.
2 years in a row now.
I don't mind the repetition - I do them in stages so I don't get bored - but I'm only making about 60.
Though I'm thinking I have a lot of new SCS friends so I think I'll be making more this year!!
I've been making our Christmas cards for 7 or 8 years now and didn't think much of whether or not it was a good thing to do or not. My brothers and sisters don't seem to care one way or another if they get a handmade card or store bought. I found it really matters to me if I make them or not....after having forgot a card I made for my aunt when my uncle passed away a couple years ago. I had to go buy a sympathy card. That bugger was over $6. Granted it was very pretty and had a very nice sentiment in it, but I almost fell over in the store when it was rung up and I had to pay that for a card!!!!!
After all, isn't it just a card when it's store bought???????? Not as special as a handmade card is, since we make them specifically for the person we are giving it to?????? Just my opinion.
__________________ LeAne SCS#2819 & Grandma to Lindsey! [email protected]
My first few years I made them all alike (usually 80-100).
Last year was much more fun! I played with a set or technique until I was tired of it - making usually between 3-12 of the same one. Then I moved on to another set. Much more enjoyable!
Anyway, if I did not send out made cards my family would begin to wonder about me ... having all of these supplies and buying cards. ;)
I have been making mine every year for the last 4 years. I make 2 designs: 1 Christmas/Religious, 1 Gen. Holiday/Snow for friends who do not celebrate. I make about 25-30 of each and send out. I have to admit that I put the ones with slight mistakes in the back of the pile and give those to great aunts who don't see very well or those people who don't appreciate them and think I am nuts for making them. I absolutely cannot buy my Christmas cards - I promised DH to never buy another store bought card again after spending $xxxx on stamps over the years!
Oh, I just became a demo this April, so I voted as a non-demo since my first demo Christmas hasn't come yet...
I just became a demo in April, but have been stamping since the summer of 2003. I've made my Christmas cards since I started stamping (for the past 2 years). I usually make about 70 cards.
Big dilemma this year: I don't care for any of the Christmas sets in the holiday mini or IB&C! I'm looking for the retired set 'Nativity Silhouette' if anyone has it to sell!
)
Does everyone make Xmas Cards?
