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ETA: I ordered one of those personalized stamps from SU and had it made to say "This better not go in the trash!" I stamp that on the back of the envelope of every handmade card I send!
I think most of my cards are appreciated. One obviously wasn't though. . . I had tucked one of my hand-made Christmas cards in with the present for a family in our Krist Kindle gift exchange at church. The following Sunday, there it was on the craft table for the Sunday Schoolers to cut up. Ouch!!! They didn't even bother to keep it until Christmas. Needless to say, I didn't include any more cards in with their gifts. Everyone else who received the same card really liked it and complimented it.
I have a friend to whom I give hand made cards, both sets for gifts and individual cards for occasions. She tells me that she keeps every one that I send because they are just too pretty to toss out. Then she tells me that I am not helping as she is trying to pare down her possessions, and just can't part with the special cards I send...
I have a few people in my family who I don't think would appreciate hand-made cards....though they have never really seen the work I do. After hearing that I spend time making cards my SIL said "You have too much time on your hands" and another time my niece (who is in her 20's) said "What are you 12?" OOOO!!! I was so mad! Needless to say I usually don't send them handmade cards!!
As others have stated, I think there will always be those people who don't appreciate handmade cards. I often get the "You have too much time or your hands" or "You can do this because you don't have kids" type of response from them. If they want to think that, so be it.
Thankfully, I have had many more people ooh and ahh over my cards. A friend at work buys cards from me, then displays them in her office until she's ready to mail them! Recently one of our students was in the hospital, and she sent him one of my cards. When he returned to school, he made a point of telling me that my handmade card was awesome! That made me feel so good, especially coming from a teenage boy! They usually don't notice or care about something like a handmade card.
Don't be discouraged by the negative Nellies. Ignore them and keep doing what you love. Most people DO appreciate it!!!!
Most people love my cards (or say they do). My brother-in-law, however, is NOT card-worthy. I was making invitations to my annual Christmas party and my 7 year-old niece was watching. I got some stuff out so she could do a simple card. He came by and made some smart-aleck comment about my "little arts and crafts" project.
He is a pseudo-intellectual and has no appreciation for the arts of any kind.
I have 2 lists too the ones I will make a card for & those that are lucky to get a Dollar store card from me if that!
The worst for me was when I gave a Handmade card to my stepsons girlfriend. I spent hours the night before trying to make her the perfect card. We gave her a nice gift & the card & after they left I found the card crumbled up in my trash in the kitchen! She didn't even bring it home. And yes she knew I made it. My stepson said something about me making it when she opened it.
Needless to say she'll never get another handmade card
Most of the people I know love them expecially my father who ask me to make his cards when he need one for a special occasion to give to someone.
But I also found a card that I made at a SU Demo who have been retrieve un my garden. Someone after leaving the demo just throw away the card on my yard and I retreived it couple days after. Maybe not accidently but I will never know
You know, I think in this day and age, homemade isn't quite as appreciated as shop bought, even though handmade is usually better quality and more thought out. I find my friends don't always appreciate my 'craft', they always kind of say - "Oh yeah, M makes cards, isn't it nice?" in a kind of sarcastic way. But I love doing it and it makes me happy, so that's all that counts. And the fact that I don't spend my money at Hallmark or my time browsing for the perfect card is very satisfying.
I find my friends don't always appreciate my 'craft', they always kind of say - "Oh yeah, M makes cards, isn't it nice?" in a kind of sarcastic way.
I get that a lot with the various things I sew or make. First they say something like, "I suppose you made this, too." and then "You're so crafty," but they say it in a snide, derogatory tone. Then the usual, "must be nice to have all that extra time," (this being said by someone who doesn't work to me, who works two jobs and volunteers regularly). Of course these comments are far outweighed by the more complimentary and appreciative ones.
Oh well, can't please them all. We create because we love it and that's what matters.
I've had converstations with stamping buddies about people being "card worthy" and we send the unworthy the cards that have minimum work and supplies.
I have to admit, sadly, that I don't care for "some" homemmade gifts. Its not that I don't truly appreciate their time, the thought, materials, and creativity, but what am I to do with the lovely gift. The only place where I could display their handicraft is in my stamp room and that is getting pretty full. I'm not a snob, really, but I've spent time to decorate my home and some of the homemade goodies are just not me. But, if they send me a card I can display it for a while and then put in my binder so I can enjoy it in the future whereas the afghan that my aunt made from left over yarn in really wild colors is stored in a trunk. I feel bad, but not bad enough to put in on my bed. I think that at some time I may be able to send it a needy organization, but for now, I keep it stored away.
I think that sometimes people just give what they like and don't think about if the person likes it. I'd rather have a $1 packet of seeds that I can plant and enjoy the flowers instead of a $10 trinket box that will eventually go to goodwill.
I'd rather have a $1 packet of seeds that I can plant and enjoy the flowers instead of a $10 trinket box that will eventually go to goodwill.
I'm not horticulturally inclined, but I hear you. When it comes to giving handmade gifts, I'll often ask the person if what I plan on making them will be useful. I LOVE altered lunch boxes for storing things, and my mother wanted one for cards. My sister didn't. That's fine by me. Mom got one, sis didn't. I "get" not wanting more junk in your house, seeing as I am trying to purge as much junk as I can.
That said, if someone sent me a handmade gift, I'd do all I could to make it work for me in some way. People do work hard on things, and I do appreciate that effort.
I love to make and give my hand made cards to friends and family, but I think it's unfair to expect them to save them (not throw them away). I HATE clutter so I tend to toss stuff I'm "done" with.
I think that sometimes people just give what they like and don't think about if the person likes it. I'd rather have a $1 packet of seeds that I can plant and enjoy the flowers instead of a $10 trinket box that will eventually go to goodwill.
I'm with you on this one. I think this particulary applies to things like weddings or other special occasions. I've been in a few weddings and as a Bridesmaid you sometimes get a gift - it's usually some trinket boxed engraved with my name or date of their wedding. Although nice to look at, what on earth am I going to do with it? Sort of off the topic. Sorry.
I am just now fighting the dilemma of giving someone at work a small album I hand crafted for them. It's cute and will allow them to slip about 10 photos into it - but I'm not quite sure that handmade is 100% her style. Hmmm...I'm going to have to think about it some more!
I think it's funny that your aunt collects pigs, considering her *snort* rude behavior! That said, I plan to be an outspoken old fart one day, so I probably shouldn't take it too hard when others ahead of me take advantage of the priviledge!
My family appreciates the cards I give them. They know that their cards are made just for them.
I *think* most of the people at work do, too. I make birthday cards for my coworkers & send the cards around so that everyone can sign them. One day, I sent around a card for one of the people who work for our customer. It was a storebought card that had a pop-up cake in the center. When one of my coworkers signed it, he said' Oh, they get big cards!" I responded and said, "Yeah, but theirs aren't handmade." I don't think he meant anything by it, but I was a bit hurt when he said that.
I also have popped in unexpectedly at friends homes and found my cards on display -- in one home a friend has cards from me in several rooms and from as long ago as 6 years!! And family told me they enjoyed the cards. But...at a family gathering for a different reason, I took along a card for my older sister and gave it to her there. She looked at it, said nothing, then card in hand walked to the kitchen but came back only holding a cup of coffee. Hmmm, her purse was on the floor by her chair. Urge for some coffee hit me -- so I went to kitchen too. Coffee pot sits in corner spot of counter with wastebasket close by -- and face up staring at me. She didn't even bother to push it down in attempt to hide it. That was in Sept. Guess who did NOT get a handmade Christmas card?
MNcarol and collporter...........
That is just so rude what they did with your cards!! If they didn't want it or didn't like it, they could get rid of it at their home...NOT where you could see it and not right after you gave it to them!!! But I guess now you know not to waste your time making cards for them. I just think that is so very rude and speaks volumns about those two ladies. :(
Doncha fantasize sometimes about getting back at people that treat you like that? You could take the card out of the trash and hand it to her saying "Wow, you probably didn't realize you dropped my handmade card that I spent so much time on, with you in mind, when you got that cuppa coffee. Here you go sweetie!" One time, I was getting out of my car in a store parking lot when a man that was waiting in the car next to mine rolled down his window and threw out some papers. I picked them up without thinking and said "here, you dropped these". He looked surprised but took them back. I didn't see them on the ground when I came out of the store, so I like to think that he took them home and put them in the recycling bin. <cough> Well, that's what I'd like to think anyway.
Some people like HM cards, others don't. I've decided that the fun part for me is in the creation of the card and I consider it a bonus if the recipient faints from sheer delight. Well, admittedly, that's only happened a few times.
My SIL always says "it must be from Jen" as someone opens a homemade card but always with the tone. I hate that because I love to make them. My other SIL likes them but always has to throw in "the must be nice to have the time". Then I feel like I have to justify it and that is frustrating I don't ask her how she has time to watch Survivor!!
I am going to still make the cards because that is what I like to do!
Buddy, if I had hackles, they'd be raised by some of the icky comments "friends and family" have made to y'all. Then I get to wondering about some of the comments that pass my lips.... Like the time I told a particularly heinous adult student of mine when she said that she didn't think that she could learn the math concept that I was trying, without success, to teach her because she was blonde. I told her that I thought that she would surely get it because her blonde-ness was not a natural condition. I might add that the difficult math concept was long division and that the main reason this student seemed to be coming to class was to flirt with the men. Oy! :oops:
I love to make and give my hand made cards to friends and family, but I think it's unfair to expect them to save them (not throw them away). I HATE clutter so I tend to toss stuff I'm "done" with.
I don't think anyone here expects people to save their cards FOREVER, but if someone tossed my card in the trash 5 minutes after I gave it to them, I'd say that's a little excessive. I think that's the feeling many of us understand and are frustrated with.
My mom died almost two years ago, and my sis has been giving me stuff from Mom's house that is pertinent to me in some way. Just last weekend I got up the nerve to go through a box, and it was full of EVERY card I made for her over the last eight years. Mom put all my cards in the same spot she had things like programs from my junior high graduation (I'm 44.) I had NO IDEA Mom had kept them. I think our cards can mean a lot more than we realize.
I want to share what just happened today. A little background first...
I send cards pretty often to my DIL's parents, and had recently sent them an Easter card. We live in Oklahoma. They are elderly and live in Honolulu, so I have probably not seen them since their last visit here several years ago.
Anyway, they are very nice people, but very formal, a little distant, and undemonstrative.
I received a lovely store-bought card from them today, and here is what it said inside:
"Dear Annette,
Thank you for all the lovely cards. They show the love and care that's put into making them. We often think of you.
Love, Richard and Herta"
So yes, I would say handmade cards are appreciated.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
I think it is 50/50 like anything else handmade..I made several quilts as qifts, took 3-4 months to make, the non sewers said oh so pretty, but my quilting friend paid $350 for one of my quilts, noone else could understand the work..same holds true with cards and gift items I think.
I have a stamp from Michaels for the backs of my cards (most of them)
"this card was made by hand. If you throw out this card those same 2 hands will make a tiny doll in your likeness and stick tiny pins in its butt"
I think people get the message..I made my sons birthday invites last year, and my MIL still has it on her shelf she can't part with it, so that makes me feel like it is worth it.
I just spoke today with a friend who has been dealing with some serious depression issues. She thanked me for the b'day card I sent her (back in December!) and asked me if I "had fun" making cards. I assured her I did.
Hopefully, one day she'll join me and have some fun for herself.
I have a stamp from Michaels for the backs of my cards (most of them) "this card was made by hand. If you throw out this card those same 2 hands will make a tiny doll in your likeness and stick tiny pins in its butt"
