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Okay, this is going to be a little long so I'm sorry in advance! But I need to explain the whole story. Here it goes: I have not done any stamping in about a year and a half. Prior to this, I was a very active stamper and was even a Stampin Up demonstrator. I made wedding invitations for numerous family and friends, baby shower and wedding thank you cards as shower gifts, xmas gifts, and greeting cards. I was told by so many people that I should start my own invitation, card, and gift business.
Then my middle daughter was getting married and I offered to make her invitations as I had done for my other two daughters. Instead, she chose to order her invites saying that everyone just throws the invites away anyway. Then I had been making special cards for my fianc� for 6 years when one day he said he didn't really like or care about receiving cards because he ended up throwing them away anyway (except for the ones I made him. He has kept all of them). After that I just stopped stamping completely. The thought of all of the feeling and hard work I put into making my creations just to have people just throw them away totally depressed me!
Well, I just recently lost my job and I now have the time and opportunity to start stamping again. Everyone I talk to thinks I should try to start a business with my stamping. I could feel the excitement of starting again but I am afraid. Do any of you have any advice or thoughts on this situation? I am feeling very conflicted right now. I have not bought any supplies in years but I do have a lot invested from previous years. Thanks for listening and for your patience regarding my situation!
Hi Carrie! My best advice is to just jump in! It seems like lots of people DO appreciate your work! Make beautiful things for those people and don't worry about the rest!
When my husband turned 40, I made him a birthday card a day in the week leading up to his big day. Three of those cards are in the piano bench. I don't know where the others went after they were abandoned on the end table for a solid month. I know he loves me and there are other things I do for him that he appreciates, I just don't make him handmade cards anymore. I make them for the people I love who love my creations!
Also, post your stuff here in your gallery. You will get LOTS of positive feedback! The statement of the heart is share what you love and love what you do, right? If it makes you happy, pass on that love and don't worry about what happens after you give it away!
Wendy
__________________ Yeah, I'm a mom with 4 kids but that only means I'm a little crazy!
I made a little gallery!
If making cards makes you happy then make them, sell them and don't worry about what happens to them. Making cards makes me happy, sharing them with people who think they are wonderful makes me really happy. I just chose to not think about what happens to them after I give them. Good luck in your new business and don't sell yourself short!
__________________ Barbara SU! Demo with a Blog
Procrastinators of the world unite... tomorrow!
Hi Carrie, I agree with the other replies. Jump in and enjoy the process and don't let past events or comments stop you from being creative. I think there are many of us here who don't receive alot of (if any) feedback on cards that we make especially for family or friends - and sometimes those who do comment, say something negative and it is that negativity that it is often dwelled on or makes us just stop in our tracks. I stopped creating at one stage too for that reason as some comments from a particular relative made me feel guilty like I was almost committing a crime for buying a stamp set or some papers! After much thought, I decided that it was OK for me to be creative whether they approved or disapproved because it was, in fact, none of their business. I had never actually asked for their opinion yet it was freely given at any opportunistic moment: it was like they sucked my creativity dry! It is wonderful that your partner has kept the cards you made for him and I hope that encourages you Carrie. Maybe you could try playing along with some of the challenges here on SCS to kick-start your creativity? And of course, you know that there are lots of us here who LOVE our cardmaking - we "get" it and that's why we are here on SCS
Last edited by JoBear2; 10-02-2013 at 10:59 PM..
Reason: typo
I saw a magazine article once that has since become something of a mantra for me. The title? "Your Opinion of Me is None of My Business". I didn't even read the article - the title was all I needed.
I feel the same way about the cards I send out into the world as I do about the dollar I give the "homeless, please help" guy on the corner. Whether he buys a burger or a beer, it's none of my concern. I did what my heart told me to...
Do what you love and don't worry about anything else. You'll be better than fine...
I completely agree with what everyone else has said. If you enjoy what you do, it really doesn't matter what the recipients do with the end result. You got the joy and satisfaction in the creation. Its like any art form- no piece of artwork, whatever it is, is loved by everyone.
As for making a business out of it, why not give it a go? Many people DO want the individuality of a handmade, bespoke product, and I know a lot of invitees to weddings etc who have kept their invite for many years afterwards. Not everyone throws them in the bin.
Also, you don't always know what peoples true feelings were- not everyone stores memorabilia. Sometimes, its because storage is an issue, sometimes they are just not the 'keeping' sort! Doesn't mean they did not appreciate the card.
My Mom has never, in 12 years commented on the fact that all my cards to her are handmade by me. Not once.
However, she asked me to get her something from a cupboard recently, and what did I see in a box in there? EVERY card I have ever made her! Not a single shop bought card from others amongst them. The only ones she has ever kept have been my handmade ones. And I had always thought she hadn't noticed/ didn't appreciate them. So follow your heart, not others opinions.
Carrie-
I agree with all the other wonderful ladies' responses. Do what makes you happy. I, too, quit making cards for my husband because he never really said much about them. However, anyone else that I make cards for, either making them just a simple "happy birthday" card or making them a set of cards for a gift seems to love them. My mom, sister, daughters, friends, they all appreciate it. I think it is more of a girl thing, to be honest. Most men just don't appreciate stuff like that. I love my husband, but he just doesn't care about getting a "pretty" or "heartfelt" card. That's just him. Girls/women appreciate it more.
Do what your heart leads you, too. I think you already know the answer.
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Yep, get going! I could care less what "you" do with my card after I make it. Honestly I know that people can't save everything and if you do fine, if not fine. I get enjoyment out of making and giving them! I'm sorry that they made you feel so bad that you stopped doing something you love! No one should ever make you feel bad about something that brings you joy! Stamp away I say!!!!!!!!!
I wouldn't go so far as to say that women appreciate hand made things more. I know a LOT of o women who do not appreciate my efforts and a lot of men who do. I had a friend who passed and he had saved every one of my cards and would tell me all the time how he loved them. I just talked to his brother a few weeks ago after not hearing from him in a long time and one of the first things he asked me is if I was still making my awesome (his words not mine) cards! And my hubby proposed by making me cards with my stuff and saves all of the ones I make him (even though I don't care if he throws them away) which surprises me because he is a thrower-a-wayer :-)
I have family (and friends) who do appreciate my cards. If you don't, I know there are lots of folks who do. Find someplace to donate your cards.
Play in the Hope You Can Cling To challenges this month and donate your cards to M D Anderson Cancer center. They LOVE our cards! Actually I think they would appreciate them other times too.
I give many of my cards to the mission team at our church. They use them to write notes to our missionaries, and to encourage people who need encouragement. (I make lots of "thinking of you" and "praying for you" cards for them!)
One of our missionaries is the head of a college in St Vincent and I send his wife a box of cards occasionally. Of course she thanks me with one of my own creations ;) but she just "oohs and ahhhs" over having a box of "such special cards".
There. Some good places to get some "love" for your creations!
And as for starting to make cards "for sale"...I'd get going and get your excitement up and running and then see where it takes you. Begin to build a name for yourself...here...on a blog...on a website...for the type of work you do. Then offer custom work. People will check you out if they know what you do and they love it.
Thank you to all of you wonderful ladies for your kind and encouraging words. They literally brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart. I have missed my stamping like you would miss an old friend. And I have missed SCS and all of the talented and exceptional people here. Thank you, too, for sharing your own personal experiences with me. You have truly helped me to finally come to terms with my feelings about this issue. I am excited to get restarted!
The first thing on my list is to take the Cuttlebug out of it's box as I had just bought it right before I quit. It's been in the box never used!
Thank you to all of you wonderful ladies for your kind and encouraging words. They literally brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart. I have missed my stamping like you would miss an old friend. And I have missed SCS and all of the talented and exceptional people here. Thank you, too, for sharing your own personal experiences with me. You have truly helped me to finally come to terms with my feelings about this issue. I am excited to get restarted!
The first thing on my list is to take the Cuttlebug out of it's box as I had just bought it right before I quit. It's been in the box never used!
There is a stampin up 25 dollar special starting October 7th for two weeks. It is the most inexpensive time ever to sign up. You can pick out some new things you want to play with to get your mojo going! Take your time picking someone for an upline. Good luck!!
What is the 25 dollar special? What are you signing up for? And what is an upline? I have a feeling this might be something that I'm interested in. Thanks in advance for any info to explain what this is about....
__________________ "May your mind whirl joyful cartwheels of creativity." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
What is the 25 dollar special? What are you signing up for? And what is an upline? I have a feeling this might be something that I'm interested in. Thanks in advance for any info to explain what this is about....
Between October 7 and 21, you can sign up to be a Stampin' Up! demo for $25.00. You pick a starter kit that is between $25 and $26.95. This price is only good for that time period and during that time the regular $99 starter kit will not be available.
I saw a magazine article once that has since become something of a mantra for me. The title? "Your Opinion of Me is None of My Business" . I didn't even read the article - the title was all I needed.
I feel the same way about the cards I send out into the world as I do about the dollar I give the "homeless, please help" guy on the corner. Whether he buys a burger or a beer, it's none of my concern. I did what my heart told me to...
Do what you love and don't worry about anything else. You'll be better than fine...
Carrie come over to the get it together threads here. There are 3 or 4 going right now.
There are 2 gatherings still open to join.
We get together. Stamp, chat, eat
Even if neither event suits you. Come chat. Just jump in. Let everyone know where you live. You might just find a new stamping friends. You can see what's new from SU or other companies.
We would love for you to join us!
Between October 7 and 21, you can sign up to be a Stampin' Up! demo for $25.00. You pick a starter kit that is between $25 and $26.95. This price is only good for that time period and during that time the regular $99 starter kit will not be available.
An upline is the person you sign up under.
AWESOME!! Thanks SO MUCH for explaining this and so fasssst, too \
I just placed a stampin up order earlier this evening and I was thinking about the $99 deal, so this is incredibly great news........
__________________ "May your mind whirl joyful cartwheels of creativity." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
I saw a magazine article once that has since become something of a mantra for me. The title? " Your Opinion of Me is None of My Business ". I didn't even read the article - the title was all I needed.
I feel the same way about the cards I send out into the world as I do about the dollar I give the "homeless, please help" guy on the corner. Whether he buys a burger or a beer, it's none of my concern. I did what my heart told me to...
Do what you love and don't worry about anything else. You'll be better than fine...
Seeing as you have completed making invitations for entire weddings and other large amounts of same types things that just boggles my mind.
and I think WOW! hats off to you!
I think I would get to playing again before I worried about making it become a career because, sometimes when you take your fun time and turn it into a job...
it becomes a chore.
and on the other hand, you may just really enjoy it and end up with a job you love.
good luck with this! and be sure to post some stuffs in the gallery, so we can see it later.
Carrie come over to the get it together threads here. There are 3 or 4 going right now.
There are 2 gatherings still open to join.
We get together. Stamp, chat, eat
Even if neither event suits you. Come chat. Just jump in. Let everyone know where you live. You might just find a new stamping friends. You can see what's new from SU or other companies.
We would love for you to join us!
I agree with Gayla! I'm going to the one on November 2 in East Syracuse - my first time! I'm really looking forward to putting real-life faces (and names, lol) to SCS friends! You should come, too! (I think I need more !!!!!!! in this post :p)
I just have to agree with what all the others said, and give a shout-out to Fionna and thank her for telling everyone about Operation Write Home. I've been an SU demo for 9 years and I make cards almost every day, but I don't SEND many of them. So I had hundreds and hundred of cards here and my customers and stamping friends have seen them all and have enjoyed them. I decided it was time that someone else got to enjoy them, so I started sending them to Operation Write Home.
I just LOVE OWH, which is an organization that sends cards to our troops for them to send back to their families. When I send cards to OWH, I pray that each card will bring a smile and a long-distance hug to someone here in the US who has a friend or family member who is deployed overseas, defending our freedom. You can be SURE that your cards will be appreciated when you send them to OWH!
I was totally shocked and surprised to get an email from Sandy, the Founder and CEO of OWH asking if I'd be a Featured Friday Stamper - they loved my cards and wanted to do an interview and show some of my cards - here's the link - it went live a week ago:
I'm not doing this to toot my own horn, but to add that CASE'ing cards from the galleries here, blogs, etc, is a perfectly good way to enjoy creating cards! The inspiration here is amazing!
__________________ ~ Susan - Celebrating 19 years as an SU demo! Grammy to Anna 15, Elizabeth 14, Nora 12, Abigail 12, Kendall 10 , Isaac 10, Evan 7, and Hudson 3 with me in my avatar Proud to be SCS Fan Club Member since the beginning!
Last edited by Jeanne S; 10-06-2013 at 10:44 AM..
Reason: SPR
Gayla, thank you so much for telling me about the get it together forum! I will definitely check it out! I am in upstate NY and I would love to meet new friends who love stamping also.
Sue, I will look into the Nov 2nd one also as it is only 2 hours away from me. Where in upstate NY are you from?
Again, thank all of you so much for your encouragement and positive attitudes! You are all such a wonderful caring group and it means so much to me. I am so glad that I finally got up the courage to reach out to you!
There is a stampin up 25 dollar special starting October 7th for two weeks. It is the most inexpensive time ever to sign up. You can pick out some new things you want to play with to get your mojo going! Take your time picking someone for an upline. Good luck!!
About a year after I started stamping I discovered Swarovski crystals - the flat kind that you could put onto a card for some fabulous bling. Once I realized that not everyone kept my cards I soon figured out there were only a few friends/family who were "Swarovski worthy". I would still make cards for everyone but the really detailed ones only went to those who I knew would keep and appreciate them. It makes me feel good to give a handmade card and that is what is important. We all make cards that sometimes don't turn out the way we had hoped and instead of just throwing them away I use them for those who appreciate the sentiment but I know are not going to keep them. The ones that turn out beautiful go to my "Swarovski worthy" people.
I had to laugh one day when one of my customers said she did the same thing. There are always going to be people who appreciate the effort more than others. It should never take away the joy of what we do. Cardmaking is so much more than just paper, stamps and ink. It is relaxation, a way to express your creative side, a getaway from your sometimes hectic life and so much more. Enjoy it and do it because you enjoy it.
About a year after I started stamping I discovered Swarovski crystals - the flat kind that you could put onto a card for some fabulous bling. Once I realized that not everyone kept my cards I soon figured out there were only a few friends/family who were "Swarovski worthy". I would still make cards for everyone but the really detailed ones only went to those who I knew would keep and appreciate them. It makes me feel good to give a handmade card and that is what is important. We all make cards that sometimes don't turn out the way we had hoped and instead of just throwing them away I use them for those who appreciate the sentiment but I know are not going to keep them. The ones that turn out beautiful go to my "Swarovski worthy" people.
I had to laugh one day when one of my customers said she did the same thing. There are always going to be people who appreciate the effort more than others. It should never take away the joy of what we do. Cardmaking is so much more than just paper, stamps and ink. It is relaxation, a way to express your creative side, a getaway from your sometimes hectic life and so much more. Enjoy it and do it because you enjoy it.
Love what you said. I do the same thing with my cards. I try to make all of them appealing, but some are more so, and I've taken more time and used more "stuff" to make them. I tend to send them to people that I know genuinely appreciate hand made items.
Last Christmas I made quite a few sets of very elaborate, embellished gift tags to give to special friends. My family teased me about which of my friends were "Tag Worthy."
I was so tickled to hear that one friend felt the same way when she was putting my tags on her Christmas gifts. She was using the term "Tag Worthy" as to who got a fancy gift tag on their present.
I also crochet quite a bit, and keep this in mind when gifting my crocheted items. Some folks would rather have a scarf from a discount store than a handmade one. Others just love the idea of hand made, one of a kind.
I truly enjoy making cards and other things and sharing them with others. If someone really likes it - that is icing on the cake!
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
carrie I'm between syracuse and utica. But myself and many others travel and stamp. We carpool.
By jumping in on the NY thread and stating your location or region. You will be amazed with those fellow stampers you might just live just minutes from!
Tomorrow 40 of us are getting together in/near rochester.
So pop on over.
I'm right in Syracuse! Only for another year, though - I'm moving back west to be closer to family (we've been in New York for A LONG TIME to help Greg's parents, but they've both passed now, so it's my turn to be by family).
Yes, choose any products from the holiday catalog, annual catalog, or online-only items not featured in a catalog and start your business. The $25 price means you can spend more on that first order at 30% off (and set yourself up as hostess and you get an extra $25 in hostess rewards during October).
Like my blog and facebook page say - Jump Into Stamping! Do it if it's what you love!
I'm right in Syracuse! Only for another year, though - I'm moving back west to be closer to family (we've been in New York for A LONG TIME to help Greg's parents, but they've both passed now, so it's my turn to be by family).
Right now the strongest contender is Las Vegas. We lived there for a year before we had to come back to New York, and my husband LOVED it! He's one of those affected by SADD, so the eternal sunshine was perfect for him. I appreciate a variety of weathers - especially a thrilling thunderstorm - so I was less impressed. I've also really enjoyed my garden here, and that's not even a remote possibility in the desert. It's sort of central to my family, though - they're in California, Utah and Texas. We plan to rent a place in Vegas for a few months and look around at other places - farther north and possibly into California or Southern Utah, where snow is sparse - we're both over it. I know that's blasphemy to you, but hey - I was raised on beaches and I want to be WARM!!!
this is a great thread and comes at a good time for me as well. I have been conflicted. Negative feedback is so unnecessary and the folks who say this stuff rarely have a clue how much it bothers us.
It's our life. We only live it once. If you like to shovel sand in a bucket and dump it out again, DO IT. It's your sand and your bucket!
Enjoy
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I got into stamping as a hobby for me because I enjoyed it and it was a sort of therapy at the time. I love creating cards and giving them to others. I don't do it for the accolades or praise, and that's just me. What the person I give it to does with it, is up to them, because everyone is different, and not everyone has room to save things, nor does it mean the same to them. Does it make them less or more in my eyes - absolutely not, and do I worry about what they think of my "home made" card? - absolutely not!!
So create to your heart's content and enjoy, and when your send it, let it go........
this is a great thread and comes at a good time for me as well. I have been conflicted. Negative feedback is so unnecessary and the folks who say this stuff rarely have a clue how much it bothers us.
It's our life. We only live it once. If you like to shovel sand in a bucket and dump it out again, DO IT. It's your sand and your bucket!
Enjoy
Joan, Love what you said so much. If you don't mind, I would love to borrow your saying and make some little inspirational plaques for gifts.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
This thread is great and reading it now is good timing for me, it helps.
I've made cards for years and I end up keeping the ones that really make me happy. That always made me feel kind of funny, like I should be doing some other kind of artwork that makes more sense to hold on to.
I've also wondered about my cards being thrown away, but I know which family members love them and which don't care as much so that helps. I'm going to be trying to sell some cards soon and as long as I'm making a bit of money, I don't care what happens to them.
But I'm still going to keep the ones I truly love. : )
This thread is great and reading it now is good timing for me, it helps.
I've made cards for years and I end up keeping the ones that really make me happy. That always made me feel kind of funny, like I should be doing some other kind of artwork that makes more sense to hold on to.
I've also wondered about my cards being thrown away, but I know which family members love them and which don't care as much so that helps. I'm going to be trying to sell some cards soon and as long as I'm making a bit of money, I don't care what happens to them.
But I'm still going to keep the ones I truly love. : )
It makes perfect sense to hang onto your artwork, whether it's a painting or a sculpture or a card! Before I started creating my own cards I used to browse the card aisles for hours, and often bought a card with the intention of framing it and putting it somewhere in my home - VERY affordable decorating! I have a section of an envelope from a Marjolein Bastin card (she was one of my favorite card artists) in a small frame on the shelf in my bathroom right now, as a matter of fact!
My "conflicted feelings" about stamping are along the lines of "is there something less ephemeral I could do with all of these fun toys?" One of the blogs I used to follow had a feature where the blogger (no clue who it was, now) made Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas and created a wall display with them. I also saw a thing somewhere else (pre-Pinterest) where a girl put a grid of clipboards up on the wall (3 across and 3 down - not finished or anything) where she put a constantly-changing, rotating display of whatever made her happy in the moment. I plan to incorporate the clipboard idea into my current stamp/craft/work room re-do...
I finally gifted a couple of my favorite cards to friends and family recently for some occasion or other, but it was painful, and I plan to re-create at least one of them and put it on one of the clipboards. I guess all of this is a REALLY REALLY LONG way to say - whatever blows your hair back - go for it! (After all, as Joan would say, "It's your hair, etc..." )
You've made my day!! Of course it's ok. Now that I think about it I would love a stamp that says this!
There are many places that will make you a single stamp.
I know you can do so through SU. I believe you will find information on the page you order personalized stamps. Most people think only "address" stamps.
Like others have said, do what makes you happy because you are the only one who gets to decide where your happiness is. For me, it's creating with paper, ink, and all my fun toys. I used to worry about did the recipient like it, but I no longer care. It gave me joy to share and that's all I need.
A couple of years ago I tried production work (craft fairs, wedding invitations, etc.) and I found that the pressure to create that many "perfect" items took away the joy of creating. I didn't like having to make a 100 of the same thing and even though I was making money, it wasn't fun. Once I stopped, my joy returned.
I have friends & family that keep everything I make and that is really nice, but I let them know I don't have that expectation because even I don't keep everything. Every now and then I do a purge and give my cards to OWH. I even donate the cards that do not fit the OWH criteria (glitter, metal, etc.) and the group sells them to buy more supplies for cards they make.
Bottom line - do what makes you happy by listening to your heart. You know what you want to do - so go for it.
Conflicted Feelings Regarding Stamping
