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My DH and I will be retiring. We will split our time between our homes in Michigan and Florida. In Michigan I have a craft room in the basement and can be as messy as I want. Our Florida home doesn't have a place for me to craft.
I would like advice from those of you that go somewhere else for part of the year and still make cards.
I have thought about card kits but don't really know where to start.
If you make card kits to take with you how do you make them.
Thanks!!!
Bev
__________________ Bev
Organized People are just too lazy to hunt for things!!!
For years I had to use the kitchen table for crafting/card making. Just had to make one project at a time and clean up for dinner time.
When we moved to a real house,(we were living in Air Force housing) I used the dining room table, this way I did not have to clean up every time I crafted. Once it warmed up, I was able to work in the basement (unfinished).
I have not done card kits so I can't give you any help there. I am a "wing it" kind of person. I would just pack the necessities, card stock, pattern paper and stamps for your transition. Unless you can plan ahead and know what kinds of projects you would be doing, for example birthday cards, anniversary cards, get well, thinking of you or Christmas cards.
__________________ The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable. Practice safe eating always use condiments
When I go away I always take a project to work on. I plan specific cards before I leave and pack the materials into a 12 x 12 scrapbook box. Just did this last weekend and I took my Christmas cards to work on. I also do this with bday, valentines, Halloween, and thanksgiving cards.
Some companies have card kits to buy. I bought a box of 20 cards to make from SU with everything included. It is fun and you don't have to drag along anything extra if you don't want to. I think CTMH has also.
When I go away I always take a project to work on. I plan specific cards before I leave and pack the materials into a 12 x 12 scrapbook box. Just did this last weekend and I took my Christmas cards to work on. I also do this with bday, valentines, Halloween, and thanksgiving cards.
I do this, too! It's just part of my packing for a trip. There is always that down time and without my stamping - I'm bored!
You didn't specify how long you plan to be in each location, which could make a difference. If it it was me, and I was planning to be in Florida for more than a month or two and the budget allowed it, I would purchase duplicates of the essentials (Big Shot, paper trimmer, MISTI and ATG), along with neutral cardstock and my favorite black inks, so I wouldn't have to haul them back and forth. I would also make or buy ink "spots" so I could carry them back and forth more easily (much more compact than full-size pads). I don't know that I would make "kits", but I would take a look at what occasions I might need cards for before I return to Michigan, and take stamps and papers that would work for those, as well as a few "just because". Where I could see myself running into trouble on the back-and-forth thing would be embossing folders, dies and punches. I don't know what to tell you on that, except maybe to dedicate one box or toolbox or something to your favorites so they're portable...? Good luck with that, and enjoy your retirement!
I will be In each place 6 months. I cant afford to duplicate every thing but will take my essentials with me. I do have an ATG Gun and colored pencils there already.
__________________ Bev
Organized People are just too lazy to hunt for things!!!
When I go on my crafting week's vacation - driving to the destination - I pack my gear! I think ahead of time which projects I will focus on, but always know where an LSS is located. I found that some even have their classrooms where they permit you to use their tools as long as you purchase something in the store. I pack more for crafting than I do for clothes!
My friend uses this giant scrap case on wheels - we bring one cuttlebug, folders, plates and dies, trimmer, ink pads and markers, and lots of cardstock, adhesives, refills, and paper. My cricut expression always travels with me, as do extra mats, several classic cartridges and those related to the projects. Sometimes I will cut out some things ahead of time. I don't have a one-pack case, but that might be useful in FL as your space is limited.
As serious crafters, we take over a dining room table - we can eat at the breakfast area!!!
I think the key may well be thinking about your own intent - cards, scrapbooking, other paper crafts - and packing your essentials and some more. Perhaps with each trip, you leave something there (if you own the property and don't expect renters), like cardstock, pencils, scissors, a trimmer or two. These don't take up much space. Isn't retirement wonderful for its options? Safe travels, Diane
I know lots of demos in the Orlando area, so I never lack for places to make cards in "class" , which only requires that I bring adhesive and scissors. However I always pack a project kit for use in the hotel.
This year I packed a LOT of stuff in a rolling cooler for ease in handling - really didn't need that much space - including my ATG and it's stand, some basic punches, my stampin' scrub and mist, paper trimmer (which also has a scoring blade) a couple "all pupose" stamp sets, envelopes, and my tool kit in a full size SU woodmount stamp case. An Iris box of paper. 5 rolls of coordinating color ribbon. LOTS of room leftover, which I filled on the way home with small storage pieces bought on sale.
Tool kit - sharp scissors, short pencil with good eraser, 6 inch ruler, piercing tool and 4" mats (from SU about 10 years ago), extra cutter blades, pencil sharpener, glue pen, liquid adhesive, wink of stella pen, dimensionals, rhinestones & pearls. sponge dauber (s)
Iris 12 x 12 box - A "color family" of 81/2 x 11 paper (this year I took the 2014-2016 "in-colors"), a stack of whisper white and very vanilla, and the coordinating designer series paper stack. The coordinating inks and black memento. (If I was a 'colorer' I would also have taken Blendabilities)
Stamp sets - This year "Bloom with hope" which contains both images and words, "Gorgeous Grunge" which changes the look of anything, and maybe a sentiment set that covers more greetings - like "Something to say" or "Teeny Tiny Wishes".
Punches - word window, 2 inch circle, Itty Bitty accents punch pack
I made a plethora of cards easily, because everything coordinated, including 75 swap cards for Leadership. My hotel room stayed tidy because everything fit back in the cooler.
Hi Bev,
When I go South to spend a week or so with my Mother I take easy projects and supplies i.e. enough card stock, designer paper, a black ink pad, a few stamps. You don't want security to confiscate your best scissors. You can pick up a pair anywhere. I made 60 Christmas cards in a week one of those trips. My mother has Alzheimer's disease and she sleeps a lot. Cutting card bases and fussy cutting stamped images and be cathartic. All of this happened at a tray table.
Love All the suggestions. My Florida home is in the Orlando area. Good to know there are lots of SU Demos around!!!
When you get there, keep an eye on Craigslist for replacement/duplicate stuff. Sometimes you can get amazingly good deals when people are cleaning out their craft room. If you have a friend there that wouldn't mind picking stuff up for you, you could even start looking now.
Oh-this is a little like going to a desert island and what 10 things would you take?
What do you like to do?
Glitter? Ribbons? Emboss? Die cut?
I got a heavy weight folding table at an office supply place-it does not jiggle but it is also too heavy in my mind to open and close constantly. If you can work on the dining table in FL then this is moot.
6 months is a good chunk of time. And it sounds like you will be there for some years. I know you dont want to duplicate everything but I would think about:
1) manual big shot on sale...around $60. does so many things.
2) heat gun
3) a black ink you can color over, a good white ink, and versamark
4) clear, gold and silver emboss powder
5) Some basic die shapes. Maybe one set ea of circles, squares, rect and ovals.
6) Paper cutter, craft sheet, acrylic block for cling stamps and a clear plastic t-square ruler...I got mine for $3 at an art store.
You can get cardstock as you need it down there along with embellies.
You can pack some cling stamps to take each year, depending on what you feel like doing and maybe a couple of specialty dies.
Another choice: do you runs of cards like for the holidays? Come up with the design and just take those supplies. You can precut what you want. Christmas will be done early I suspect this may pull you to CAS designs lol.
I love to color with my Copics so when we go camping in the mountains for 3 mos each summer, I stamp pages of Copic paper before leaving home. I take the box of pre-stamped images, my pens, the ink refills and I'm off to a colorfest vacation. When we return in the Fall, I focus on the assembly phase. I have a dandy time and our summer friends love to see the fun images come to life.
Think storage under a bed. There are plastic bins on wheel designed for under the bed! I go back and forth to my mtn. cabin and city home. I have a scrapbook tote back with essential tools. I put my Silhouette Cameo in its wheeled tote along with my laptop. I take paper in Iris box. I have an old Bigshot and paper trimmer I leave at cabin. I have a gateleg table that folds down when not in use at cabin. So get a portable table you can put up when you need it! Enjoy your time of retirement.
I always pack my craft when I go on vacation. As I am flying to warmer climes I plan, stamp and precut my diecuts. This way on vacation I only have to colour and combine my cards. I am limited to weight due to the flight but always seem to have plenty of cards to complete - even for two weeks at the beach
This is a very welcome subject for me as we are working into a 3 month snowbirding stay in FL. Can't be without my card making for that long! Typically, when I make cards I make four of each kind. Lately I've been so rushed I have time for only one card but make a kit for the other three. All supplies, cardstock, dies, embellies, etc are in that kit. I can refer to the card on Dropbox, print a copy, or have a made card sample, whichever works best at the time. Again, since I seem to be always rushed for a particular card, this makes for many "kits" to take with me. Takes the stress off of what supplies to gather. I have more time to decide what tools to take: paper cutter, Big Shot, and the "small" stuff, can be gathered in a short amount of time. Works for me!
Just a thought but you might want to check our Connie Stewart on YouTube. She is a SU demo who came up with the idea of a kit of card stock to quickly use for card making. A shoe box sized container would probably hold all the card stock supplies you could possibly use for several months.
I just returned from 2 months of Snowbirding in a 24 foot Class C camper. I took a SU card kit that makes 20 cards. I also took supplies. I'm not fully satisfied with either option. A place for supplies was not the issue. Being able to be creative was the challenge. Too chilly and breezy outside. I have made a list of what I took for consideration. I wrote notes in all 20 kit cards and gave all of them out while I was there.
"Snow Bird " Cardmaking
RETIREMENT!!!!!! LOVE IT!!! My DH and I have been retired now for 3 years. We have a little beach house in Door County right on Lake Michigan and absolutely love it there for 5 months out of the year. I have absolutely no space there though. When I say little beach house I mean little about 950sq ft. My card making has to be limited. I craft on the left side of the table looking out at the lake and we eat on the right side!:lol: I had to get creative. I have one of those organizer bags with dividers and I have a small stash of ink pads, glue sticks, stamp blocks, corner rounder, just a couple gel pens, tape runner and my markers and a pack of color pencils. I had an extra trimmer and small scoreboard so I leave that there tucked away in a bench seat by the table. During the year I do make card kits. When doing so I make a demo card, duplicate every single piece at least 5 times and place all pieces and sample into one of those clear cello bags from the dollar store. Then all of these are placed in a shoe box and I take those with me to our summer place. Then I have a ton of cards ready to color and put together. Anything I buy (supply wise) I leave up at the beach house in another shoe box and store it under that bench seat. If I want to make something totally new I get the basic's from the craft store but get creative with my detailing. 
