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I have too many completed card projects and not enough ways to use them! Especially some of the ones that are less than stellar - either from back when I was first learning, or just projects that were not my favorite. So much of our communication is online these days - much more so than when I started stamping - and so these days, if I am going to send someone a handmade card, I want it to be one of my nicer ones. Is there a way to make use of the ones I'm not as proud of?
~Cindy
__________________ Cindy
"Just when I think I have all the stamps I need... I get a new catalog in the mail!"
Unless they're awful (???), check out Cards for a Cause, under the monthly challenges on SCS home page. The guidelines for each group tells you what kind of cards they're looking for, and since your donation represents SCS, they can be plain and simple but still meaningful...
I have mailed cards that I didn't care for and have received rave reviews. One I made (from a kit) that I really didn't care for at all - just not my style mostly. Mailed it to some college kids from our church. One young lady said it was her favorite card ever! You just never know!
I have mailed cards that I didn't care for and have received rave reviews. One I made (from a kit) that I really didn't care for at all - just not my style mostly. Mailed it to some college kids from our church. One young lady said it was her favorite card ever! You just never know!
***So true---beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes it's just not our particular style, but someone else thinks it was designed just for them!***
I think we all have those cards that are just not the way we imagined they would be, back when we made them. Many of those cards are donated to local nursing homes, or various charities throughout the year. There are two retirement villages in my immediate area, and they just love the cards. Kid themed cards are great to donate to shelters or church groups.
There have been a few cards that were just disasters, and so I've either removed the embellishments to re-use, or cut parts of the card out to use on another project. I had a really ugly card base that was made with paint and foam stamps, for a challenge. The result was a big, yucky mess! Rather than toss out the whole thing, I die-cut flower shapes from it and layered them on a different base. Ended up loving the artsy look...and I got several compliments from recipients of those cards.
Everyone has different tastes, and I'm sure someone will love receiving one of your less-favorite cards.
Karen
Reading through the responses made me think it would be cool to have a group of say, 10 crafters, who brought some of their “unloved cards” together in a pile. Each person grabs one out and does something different to it, removes, adds something, etc. It would be a challenge for the person and also give the card a second chance by “ a different set of eyes” looking at it, as the saying goes. It would be fun to see how a different person would change it.
Reading through the responses made me think it would be cool to have a group of say, 10 crafters, who brought some of their “unloved cards” together in a pile. Each person grabs one out and does something different to it, removes, adds something, etc. It would be a challenge for the person and also give the card a second chance by “ a different set of eyes” looking at it, as the saying goes. It would be fun to see how a different person would change it.
I love this idea!
__________________ Cindy
"Just when I think I have all the stamps I need... I get a new catalog in the mail!"
I put out a box in the lobby of my office building. Almost all kit cards go in there, practice cards, and any that I like but probably wouldn't send to my usual recipients, for any number of reasons. They are generally gone by the end of the day. I've gotten a few thank you notes and I have a note that "donations are appreciated by not required." Every now and then a get a couple of bucks.
__________________ By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. Confucius
I put out a box in the lobby of my office building. Almost all kit cards go in there, practice cards, and any that I like but probably wouldn't send to my usual recipients, for any number of reasons. They are generally gone by the end of the day. I've gotten a few thank you notes and I have a note that "donations are appreciated by not required." Every now and then a get a couple of bucks.
Another possibility is to ask your local school if they would like a box to put out in the main office, for school employees etc. to take if they wish. I'll bet teachers would love having a selection of cards, especially encouragement themes for school aged children. I used to donate cards to the senior center, for people to take if they liked, but the senior centers are still not open after COVID. Once they open again, I plan to do that. Seniors, in particular, are often on fixed incomes and would love to have a free card or two to give to family and friends. They often love the designs that I normally wouldn't send out.
Karen
I am planning on giving an envelope of cards to one of our local nursing homes, so they can share them with the residents. Sometimes the cards I like the least, are the ones I get compliments on.
I just sent a box to Cards For A Cause, they were early cards and cards received in swaps that I had saved for just "because" and finally decided to put them to use so other could enjoy.
My guess is, the cards you don't care for are really lovely. But I understand your hesitancy to send out a card you don't like. Donate them. There are many organizations that would love them, or as mentioned before, sit them on the counter of the school office, the narthex of your church or the reception desk at a nursing home.
I'm in the donate camp - in fact the majority of cards I make are donated - to a charity - a dog rescue. The charity I volunteer with (www.cairnrescue.com) sends out cards to our adoptive homes and volunteers and even relatives of volunteers and we go through hundreds of cards a year having rescued over 4,800 terriers in the last 20 years. People really appreciate the thought - they won't care what it looks like - it's more what is written inside. I'm lucky I only have to make the cards, I don't write the sentiments. We actually have volunteers who love doing that (it's my least favorite part of sending a card!). Sometimes the card ladies get pictures of someone holding their card and smiling and that is great incentive to encourage you want to make more. You might know of a local charity or an online one that could use your less than stellar cards.
This was actually a timely topic because I have a slew of card bases made up from patterned paper that I cut and folded years ago but now probably wouldn't use. I was thinking what I could do with all of them and I decided to die cut out a heart from matching paper (there was a leftover piece of each paper) and maybe a sentiment. If the paper is busy, I'll die cut an inside white panel. Then I'm going to put each card base with the die cut pieces in a clear bag and donate the whole bunch of them to a church group and let them "create" the card with the raw materials I'll provide. That will also save me from doing another chore I hate, gluing the finished product on a card base. I figure they can embellish them with hand-written sentiments or stickers - I'll just provide the raw materials. Of course I need time not spent making cards for the dog rescue to finish this project and sadly, dogs keep passing away - we send out untold number of dog sympathy cards. :-(
I have too many completed card projects and not enough ways to use them! Especially some of the ones that are less than stellar - either from back when I was first learning, or just projects that were not my favorite. So much of our communication is online these days - much more so than when I started stamping - and so these days, if I am going to send someone a handmade card, I want it to be one of my nicer ones. Is there a way to make use of the ones I'm not as proud of?
~Cindy
If I know —or suspect—- that a person is just going to toss my card —-that’s who gets my less than stellar cards! Then I don’t feel bad if I card I liked or worked hard on isn’t a keeper. Just my thoughts ...
It have taken cards that turned out too plain and cut the front smaller, then mounted it on a small black border, then mounted it on coordinating card stock. Sometimes I add gems. Those frames make all the difference and places more importance on your focal point.
How to use my less-than-stellar cards?
