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Lately I've been feeling kind of defeated about my card making and wonder how others keep up their will to create. It seems most people barely look at the cards I give them in person. I have no doubt they are thrown in the trash in a few days but I've learned to accept that. I Mail most of them out of state anyways so luckily I don't see those reactions. I don't need someone to fawn over the card but I hoped they would at least recognize the effort and personalization. The other thing I didn't realize when I started this hobby was how few people I had to send cards to. I have a box full of cards already waiting to be used. Every time I go to create another one just to have fun or try a new technique I wonder why I'm doing it. I already have so many birthday and thank you cards and probably wouldn't run out for years. I Feel most of these cards will never be sent out so how can I justify making more? I try to tell myself thAt its okay as long as I enjoy the process, that it's my hobby and gives me pleasure, but it's nice to have something to show for it. I guess that's the one difference in scrapbooking...I was at least creating something that I felt would be valued by others after I am gone. I had no illusions that they will care about the embellishments or color paper I use...those were for me, but since my focus was always on the pictures I feel they will be valued because of this. I am having trouble justifying spending money on a hobby that I don't have much to show for it but a box full of unused cards. Just wondered if others ever feel any of these things and how you deal with it.
Hi!
My brothers never even acknowledge my cards, neither do my folks but the way I look at it is that I love to make them.It brings ME joy so sending them off brings me joy. I also donate them to a few churches where they sell them. The people at my church always buy them. My church has made over $10,000.00 on my cards! That figure is actually from a year ago! Also I send boxes of about 250 a few times a year to MD Anderson Cancer center for the patients and their families to use. There is great joy in donating for the benefit of others. I know that there is a thread here somewhere about different places you can send your handmade beauties and they are happy to get them. Perhaps someone else will have a link for that thread.
I always find that my crafty friends are the ones most likely to be pleased with happy mail and they let me know it!
Lately I've been feeling kind of defeated about my card making and wonder how others keep up their will to create. It seems most people barely look at the cards I give them in person. I have no doubt they are thrown in the trash in a few days but I've learned to accept that. I Mail most of them out of state anyways so luckily I don't see those reactions. I don't need someone to fawn over the card but I hoped they would at least recognize the effort and personalization. The other thing I didn't realize when I started this hobby was how few people I had to send cards to. I have a box full of cards already waiting to be used. Every time I go to create another one just to have fun or try a new technique I wonder why I'm doing it. I already have so many birthday and thank you cards and probably wouldn't run out for years. I Feel most of these cards will never be sent out so how can I justify making more? I try to tell myself thAt its okay as long as I enjoy the process, that it's my hobby and gives me pleasure, but it's nice to have something to show for it. I guess that's the one difference in scrapbooking...I was at least creating something that I felt would be valued by others after I am gone. I had no illusions that they will care about the embellishments or color paper I use...those were for me, but since my focus was always on the pictures I feel they will be valued because of this. I am having trouble justifying spending money on a hobby that I don't have much to show for it but a box full of unused cards. Just wondered if others ever feel any of these things and how you deal with it.
You are definitely not alone in your thinking, feelings...
Hi!
There is great joy in donating for the benefit of others. I know that there is a thread here somewhere about different places you can send your handmade beauties and they are happy to get them. Perhaps someone else will have a link for that thread.
Give a card to someone who does not get many visitors
I know the title sounds weird but...stay with me
I like making cards too. My husband is big on writing people cards, for any occasion. I do not write many cards but I do love making them.
1- Sometimes a make a set and give them to someone who is a card writer for their birthday or Christmas.
2- I make a card and write a little note and give it to someone like my dad who lives alone but many of his friends have passed before him. I know he loves getting surprises in the mail.
3- I make cards and write little notes that someone is thinking of them and go to a nursing home and ask who needs a little love
4- People in the hospital with chronic diseases would probably appreciate a card that says something like " I hope you have brighter days ahead." I can usually pick out who has a chronic illness and has been hospitalized many times vs who just became ill or is having a procedure done. The latter groups usually have walls plastered in cards. Sometimes those with chronic health problems get lost in the everyday. They don't get "used to" being sick and don't get "used to" people forgetting they are in the hospital. I think having one bright card on their board brings a little bit of happiness.
These are just some other thoughts about what to do with cards you make and feel they have no home. HTH
;-)
PS- I have had people open my card, look for money and then just toss the card in the bin right in front of me. When that happens I think "Note to self: Next time I will give them a SIMPLE card, one stamp, a sentiment and of course the envelope to hold the cheque
I got lucky and found a local nursing home that is very receptive, very appreciative of my cards. There's a resident there who makes sure everyone has a birthday card on their birthday, so I'm supplying her with cards each month. They have a rehab unit and wanted a handmade card to cheer up and encourage people when they come in. They have welcome baskets for people as they move into the nursing home and now have a cheerful handmade card as a part of the basket. They would love holiday cards (just not Christmas where they're already overwhelmed with cards) for the residents (about 200) ... so if you're looking for somewhere where people appreciate your creations, I know a place! lol!
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Thanks everyone, glad to know I'm not alone. I've accumulated quite a stash as buying has been my therapy the last two very difficult years in my personal life. I do not need one more thing and frankly am overwhelmed some days with the options I do have (which I know from my sbing days pales in comparisom to others). How many flowers stamps did I think I needed, how many different thank you sets...I must have at least 5 of those. My new goal is absolutely no more buying for at least 3 months. Maybe if I'm not buying I won't feel as torn about the hobby. I know the financial aspect is different than my original question but it adds to it for me. No I didn't spend my rent money , but as a young senior, there are always other things I could use that money for also. I love the idea of sending them to a nursing home...I have several near to me. Did you just call them up, and who did you speak with? I don't need to charge for my cards...I just want to know they are being used. I realize the giver or recipient may not appreciate the effort or extra supplies I used ...I can live with that and justify by saying that's part of the hobby. But to see this box full of cards not being used makes me not want to make more. I also work for one of the largest children's hospitals in the country and thought they might be an option, but they only are interested in very specific cards and understandably have a lot of restrictions on what can be on the cards...no glitter or bling. As for people not appreciating the cards I give them, I guess I have to live with that. If I decide it's not worth it id have a lot of work purging to do which I don't want yo do. I love to look at my supplies .
If you decide to go the nursing home route, yes, contact them (I asked to speak to the activities director/dept. and got routed to an art therapy dept and the volunteer coordinator, but asking for the activities dept is a good first step, they'll know where to send you if they're not the place.) And also know, some places are very receptive, some not so much, so don't waste your time with a lukewarm response. (It's a pity for the residents who stay in such places, but if the folk in charge don't care for your cards, there are plenty who do, so go where the love is!)
ETA: In my old community, there was an assisted living place who appreciated cards. I'm now in Milwaukee, and needed to make a few inquiries before I found this place. A shame, because the first nursing home I contacted was within walking distance and it would have been nice to get to know people there, maybe do some volunteer work there. But that activities director couldn't have been less interested in getting a batch of cards and made it very clear. Soooo ... go where the love is and everybody wins.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
Last edited by jeaniebean55; 07-02-2016 at 04:44 AM..
I have people that tell me they save every card I've ever sent them and put them out as Christmas decorations. My favorite reaction was a card of the Blessed Mother I sent to a very special lady and she told me she has it next to her when she prays the rosary. Makes my heart happy! But, of course, there are those who I know don't really care and probably throw them away. It's all good; I just love making cards
Card making is great therapy. I take my extras each week to church. I have a box in the foyer for people to take a card. I even supply the envelopes. Its my ministry so I don't mind the expense. And I know they are being used because each week I check to see what might be needed most (get well, birthday, sympathy, thank you). I do have two or three people who said they have every card I ever sent them, and I tell them I don't expect to keep them forever! I have been making cards since 2009 and I'm a much better shopper now. I think things through now rather than buy one of every color! LOL
I'm with Amber - if it brings YOU joy - do it! Everyone loves happy snail mail - whether they keep it for an hour or a lifetime, you've spread kindness and art!
If you liked scrapbooking though, have you thought about trying art journaling? You can try your techniques, take notes, and have a sort of a diary of your creativity - it's sort of the best of both of those worlds!
I'd take that box of cards and send a quick hello or thinking of you to everyone you have an address for this weekend - I bet it will bring you joy .
Rnrns60
I too sometimes wish people would just acknowledge that they got the card, but people are different now. What I do with many of my cards is to give them to nursing homes. Some of those people never get cards & it brightens their day. I also make them for our pastoral care team at church. They give me lots of good feedback. I sometimes wonder too if people really understand that we make these cards, actually make them. We stamp, we color, we make all kinds of backgrounds, & I don't think most people get it. They don't understand that it might take hours to make one card. Anyway, don't give up. Many of the people on this board have lots of suggestions on where to give your cards.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
So many good responses and ideas! No point in rewording what has been said, but I do have another suggestion.
Along with taking a basket to set out at the church foyer table, I have added this: (people respond well to a specific need) all proceeds will go to (name charity here) and put a little collection box beside. Then send a cheque off to said charity. It is greatly appreciated
Rnrns60 - I could have written your post myself. I have had periods where I didn't even want to make cards, I felt so conflicted about the issues you bring up. There are a few people I send to who appreciate my cards and display them - my son, my sisters, a friend or two. But even then, cards can seem very ephemeral and even trivial, in the larger scheme of things, if you're in the mood to think that way. (If you're not, they can be seen as a physical manifestation of your personal creative energy, which you then can gift to someone with whom you have a connection.)
I've told myself I was going to stop papercrafting three or four times in the years I've been doing it because of this conflict, and I did stop once for an entire year (and saved myself a lot of money because I wasn't buying supplies!), but I always return to it.
I, like you, make many more cards than I send. But I figure one day I'll be gone and those cards will be discovered and be my posthumus "body of work". Who knows what will be said about them?
For me, though, the biggest step forward I've made with this struggle is in realizing that what I really want papercrafting to be is my "play-time." Everyone has play-time, even if they call it by the more popular and acceptable term: hobby. And everyone spends both time and money on their hobbies. A person buys a boat and fishing equipment, goes out and catches a fish, eats it and then the fish is gone. What's left for the person out of that? The psychological and emotional experience of "playing" that he or she experienced while they were out on the water fishing. (And perhaps the sustenence the fish gives to the body of the eater.)
I think all the suggestions about how and where to send your cards are great. If finding some appreciative outlets for your work gives the whole process the meaning you seek, great. But you might also want to ask yourself whether you are allowing yourself to have your play-time, without requiring that it be "useful" or "appreciated" or "worthwhile." Nurturing yourself is always useful (for you and others around you) and appreciated (by your own best self) and emminently worthwhile (for your emotional and spiritual well-being).
Thanks for posting this. I really resonated with it.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Rnrns60 - I could have written your post myself. I have had periods where I didn't even want to make cards, I felt so conflicted about the issues you bring up. There are a few people I send to who appreciate my cards and display them - my son, my sisters, a friend or two. But even then, cards can seem very ephemeral and even trivial, in the larger scheme of things, if you're in the mood to think that way. (If you're not, they can be seen as a physical manifestation of your personal creative energy, which you then can gift to someone with whom you have a connection.)
I've told myself I was going to stop papercrafting three or four times in the years I've been doing it because of this conflict, and I did stop once for an entire year (and saved myself a lot of money because I wasn't buying supplies!), but I always return to it.
I, like you, make many more cards than I send. But I figure one day I'll be gone and those cards will be discovered and be my posthumus "body of work". Who knows what will be said about them?
For me, though, the biggest step forward I've made with this struggle is in realizing that what I really want papercrafting to be is my "play-time." Everyone has play-time, even if they call it by the more popular and acceptable term: hobby. And everyone spends both time and money on their hobbies. A person buys a boat and fishing equipment, goes out and catches a fish, eats it and then the fish is gone. What's left for the person out of that? The psychological and emotional experience of "playing" that he or she experienced while they were out on the water fishing. (And perhaps the sustenence the fish gives to the body of the eater.)
I think all the suggestions about how and where to send your cards are great. If finding some appreciative outlets for your work gives the whole process the meaning you seek, great. But you might also want to ask yourself whether you are allowing yourself to have your play-time, without requiring that it be "useful" or "appreciated" or "worthwhile." Nurturing yourself is always useful (for you and others around you) and appreciated (by your own best self) and emminently worthwhile (for your emotional and spiritual well-being).
Thanks for posting this. I really resonated with it.
Thanks, Rachel, for such a thoughtful post. I know many can relate to what you said. I can for sure. Especially about allowing yourself some "play-time" without requirements that it be useful.
I'm fortunate to have lots of grandchildren, and I love to watch the little ones when they are playing. They are purely in the moment, just having a good time, and not worrying about what anyone thinks, or if what they are doing is worthwhile. They are just enjoying doing it.
I don't often have any negative thoughts about this hobby at all, but sometimes have a slight twinge when buying something new. My talking point to myself is "Well, at least I have something to show for my investment. I'm not just sitting in front of a slot machine at a casino, mindlessly feeding quarters in!":mrgreen:
We have several gaming places in my city, and the parking lots are always packed. I park my car at Hobby Lobby and Joanns!
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
Hello
My name is kim aka pinkblack. I work at a huge retiret community and i send cards all the time.the residents also appreciate getting them.i have worked in the activities dept for five years..some residents get no visitors at all.
I feel like im the only person who likes making cards but i keep doing it..
It makes me happy..
Keep up the good work..
Empty nester....
Ttyl
I just enjoy the making and the mailing but I was flattered recently to learn that four different friends and family members have saved every card I ever sent them! My SIL has a "shrine" of the cards in her home library. Last Valentine's Day a good friend emailed a photo of her, "Love Place of Worship." Pictured there was a arrangement of every V Day card I had sent her over the years.
I endorse Jennifer McGuire's Handmade Kindness ethos.
I make cards because it makes me happy to make cards. I am fortunate in that several folks that I send cards to every year have told me that they have kept every card I ever made them. (And, let me tell you, when I look back at some of those cards, they were NOT the beautiful/adorable cards I thought they were at the time.) On the other hand, there are folks that I "know" don't value the cards I make any more than they would value a card I bought at the dollar store. Sometimes I grumble to myself when I try to make a super quick card for them and end up spending several hours to figure it out (CAS refers to the appearance of the card - not the time it takes to come up with it - LOL!) But then I realize that I like the card I made and I let it go.
This year I sparked my motivation by making the decision to purchase most of my birthday/anniversary/Christmas cards this year so that I could dedicate my limited stamping time to making cards for shut-ins at my church and for folks in skilled nursing care at the retirement community where my step-dad moved last year. It is a double blessing - making all these "happy mail" cards, has lifted my spirits, and I know that the recipients (and the nurses/social workers distributing the cards) are really touched to get the cards.
So make cards for yourself - to fulfill that creative spirit inside of you. And understand that it is a gift you give yourself. If the recipient appreciates the extra effort of a handmade card, that is icing on the cake.
Have no expectations re: appreciation and you'll be happy.......
Create for the joy that it brings to you. Period.
And there are lots of things to create and ways to be creative outside of cardmaking.
Art journaling is one great way to express yourself creatively and to get to play with lots of products and tools and techniques and to experiment......at the risk of sounding trite, with art journaling the possibilities ARE endless. I enjoy seeing how my style and skills evolve and progress as I traverse the art journaling journey. I have some really good laughs at some of my creations (what was I thinking???) and I have some really good 'back pats' with others (makes me happy!!!!).
There are lots of creative venues and kindred spirits out there - check out youtube for examples. One example is ICAD (index card a day) where you create a piece of art on an index card and lots of folks 'play along' doing this.
I don't worry about utilizing anything that I create that was not created for a specific purpose. I don't feel that I have to 'do something' with everything that I create.
__________________ "May your mind whirl joyful cartwheels of creativity." - Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
Last edited by QueenOfInkland; 07-03-2016 at 05:18 AM..
Rnruns60, I so admire your openness. I'm newer to paper crafts - cards/boxes/mini books/mm - and often ask myself what's the point, and get down sometimes.
But what's the point of my husband hitting balls at the driving range? Or of reading? Or of playing the piano? Or of watching a movie?
Not to belly flop into existentialism, but aside from working for shelter/food/clothing, what's the point of anything we choose to do with our spare time? Why do it?
Well, why not do it? We have to fill our time; we're not going to sit and stare blankly into space when not doing essential tasks. So it might as well be something we enjoy. And if it gives others pleasure, even for a moment - like the lovely cards you make - that's icing on the cake of existence.
Even our animals fill their time. I figure a main difference between our cats (and dog, Hayley, though she passed away when quite old), is they do stuff too, but don't question it. Plus they don't have opposable thumbs so can't do crafts.
(Hayley used to try by altering stuffed animals, but didn't make anything new out of them. Like me when I've ripped pages out of an old, damaged book but don't finish the project.)
I totally agree that adults lose their sense of fun over time...like "I dont care about my birthday". Um, why? I love birthdays! It lets me celebrate the day someone I care about was born! And there's cake! Yay! Dont focus on getting older-focus on having fun!
Doing something that makes you laugh/smile/feel good is VERY good for you personally. So much of life sucks out our "happy". It's good to put deposits back in the spiritual bank!
As others said-YOU, all by yourself, are WORTH it. Finding something to do with them is a great bonus, but dont lose sight of the core thing here imho. Feeding your soul with joy. That sounds hokey but it is really is true. Just like dancing/singing by yourself in the house to the radio.
And you dont have to get up at the crack of dawn to go to some golf course, get all stinky fishing, etc etc. You can do it in your PJs if you feel like it no matter what the weather is!
I agree people really dont get what Handmade means...so dont hesitate to talk about it. I do all the time. "I colored that detailed image by hand:" or "I really liked making this-isnt that die cut pretty?" Then I suggest they take it up! Also a back stamp that says "Handmade by X" is a good idea to me. Or signing it.
Or you can bring it up when people say "what you are up to?" I may answer "I am learning a new coloring technique! So fun!" I dont have to get into details unless they ask, but it keeps them aware that we dont just "whip this out of our back pockets"-there is a learning curve etc. I see it the same way people talk about a book they read or a movie they saw. I dont wonk on about it, but it is a convo topic to me.
People dont react to cards like actual gifts but you might be suprised to find out how much they do appreciate them. Like others, I have heard it years down the road. So dont assume they dont appreciate them!! I know I am happy if I get anything from anyone!
I am wondering if disaster relief might be another choice. Sure when your house has been taken out by a tornado you are not interested in "let's have tea", but a parent might like to have a nice bday card for the kids at hand...I have to think events like that so overwhelm the adults and stuff like that gets forced to the side just when a kid could use a boost. I have no idea how to make that happen though.
Thanks so much everyone for your thougtful posts. I sometimes had a similar feeling about scrapbooking but at least I was making an album which , as I said, if not appreciated for the artistry , would hopefully be appreciated for the pictures when I am gone. (Or do I convinced myself) Rachelrose, you expressed exactly how I feel. It's not even that I don't think people appreciate my elaborate very expensive homemade cards...I wonder if people care about cards at all if the don't come with gifts. I know people like my mom (who's 83) and her sisters appreciate them and I know my daughter who lives out of state keeps some of them... And some days that's enough...except that I could not make any more cards ever and probably have enough for them. I certainly endorse the play for me mantra and somehow I can justify the buying in that way... Why can't I then justify the actual product? I guess I've always had hobbies that were about making things...cross stitching ., macrame, basket making, so to say I am doing something just for the sake of my pleasure, is hard. Oh well...this is a first world problem for sure.
Not sure if this makes sense, but I think it's a matter of finding your zone.
The whole idea is what brings you joy, right? For some creating those lovelies is plenty full of joy and happy with that. For others, there's more to it. They're wanting others to share in that joy ... and that's where it gets complicated.
My zone is a hot mess, for sure. I love, love, love the process of creating my little pieces of art. The discovery of what works, the frustration of things not coming together the way I thought they would, the setting things aside for a time and the magic of having things fall into place when I try a new angle. I love it! But I also want to share that joy and magic. BUT ... I'm a middling card creator at best, so sending cards to my card making friends is fraught with angst and while I know in my head they're the best appreciators, my critical self gets in the way of the creating process and I never think I can send something good enough. Of my non-card making friends and family, some enjoy my cards and that's fun, and some think I'm being cheap by not going the Hallmark route (and that's fine. guess what they get?) Soooo ... I want to share my joy, I'm a middling card creator and I want to have fun with this. So for me, finding a place that can use and appreciates hand made cards is perfect. For me, the icing on the cake is that mine is local and I get to see some of the smiles, some of the shared joy. I found my zone.
__________________ If you don't want your tax dollars to help the poor, then stop saying you want a country based on Christian values, because you don't. ~ Jimmy Carter
I've been stamping for 15+ years and I have made so many life long stamping friends!! That being said, ALOT of my stamping friends have found other hobbies and quit making cards. I still make them cards but it makes me sad I no longer get handmade cards in the mail. I guess I just have to enjoy what i am doing and not worry about getting cards back but I sadly do :(.
I think the question isn't whether people appreciate cards, but whether you feel that they appreciate them enough.
Creating something hand-made (whether it's a card, a batch of cookies or a new quilt) is a creative labor of love. What's difficult about this isn't that it takes time - watching a movie takes time, too, but people do it every day. And it's not that it's thoughtful and selfless - you can get the same kind of thoughtfulness out of buying a perfect gift for a loved one. What's difficult is that we put a little part of ourselves into each creation.
Whether it's experience with a new technique, using our favorite tried-and-true stamp or just having a specific person in mind when we create, we're putting ourselves out there with each creation and leaving ourselves vulnerable. How that recipient treats our creation becomes a reflection of how they treat us. So, when they bin the card or stuff the quilt in some box in the attic, it's like they're saying our effort doesn't matter.
But, in reality, they just have a different perspective. Maybe they're focusing on the importance of the gesture itself - that you thought of them and made something for them. Or maybe they just don't know how important that creation was to you - because they simply can't imagine how many hours went into creating it. Not just the time to put the card together, but also all the hours practicing techniques, reading and watching tutorials and so on.
I think there are parts of the hand-made and creative process that most people just won't understand - and you won't be able to explain easily. But this is true of any hobby, job or skill, really. There's always parts that only make sense to someone with experience. And it's really easy to forget this when you're in the thick of things. It's easy to assume that people don't appreciate your time and effort when they don't react to your work the same way that you would.
The truth is... There's going to always be a person or two in our lives that doesn't appreciate us. They take what we do for granted. So, yes, they would throw away that card. But it wouldn't be isolated to just the card. They'd have other thoughtless actions and other ways of communicating to you that you're not important. And once you know about it, it's ok to not put time and effort into your relationship with them. Cross them off your special card list.
If they do care about you, but don't treat the card the same way you would, then just take a step back and try to see it from a different perspective. Sometimes it's a question of presentation. Maybe the card had a really simple "happy birthday" and a signature in it and it felt like a casual creation. Other times, it's a question of theme. Maybe they would appreciate a card about their unique hobby more than a general cute birthday card. Or maybe they'd appreciate an interactive card instead. How about a box with treats?
If you still feel that they don't appreciate your cards enough, it's ok to look for places that will. Schools, nursing homes, hospitals, churches, shelters, community centers - there are a lot of places that would love cards or card-making supplies.
We each have our own way of figuring out what makes us happy. Whether you find joy in the process of creating or in sharing your creations with others, you're not alone. There's someone else out there feeling the same way you are. So, keep reaching out and sharing.
I've been stamping for 15+ years and I have made so many life long stamping friends!! That being said, ALOT of my stamping friends have found other hobbies and quit making cards. I still make them cards but it makes me sad I no longer get handmade cards in the mail. I guess I just have to enjoy what i am doing and not worry about getting cards back but I sadly do :(.
Love, love, love making cards. I do it because I love it and get great joy from making and sending cards. It stops there. IF the recipients enjoy them, it's a bonus! Fortunately I get lots of support from those who do. It's the process for me. I agree with an earlier post, send a card to everyone in your address book. Even if they don't appreciate it, your box will have more room for the new cards you make. Then look for places to send them for a cause. I know some of the family think I'm cheep, but I'm OK with that. It's my joy and I don't let them take it from me. So if you enjoy it, relax. Now go make a card. Remember, it doesn't have to be for a special occasion, just a note to say hi is good too.
I don't think I'm that great or talented, so it makes me super proud of myself when people appreciate my cards and even collect them. I have some really sweet older neighbors who have kept every single card I've made them throughout the years in a special box. When I get presents or someone does something thoughtful for me, I send thank-you cards, and always get a call with praise and gratitude. Lots of people tell me to sell my cards. I wish I had the time to make cards to sell, but I only create cards when I need them.
That being said, like you, I love to look at my things. Owning my paper crafting supplies makes me very happy. And I take pride in being able to make something pretty that people admire. It makes me feel good about myself, like I have this talent that not everyone does. Maybe focus on that as well? Being grateful that you have the means to make a card whenever you feel like, that you have the supplies to make whatever you want?
Something that adds a little more motivation to make cards is entering them into blog challenges for the opportunity to win prices. A few years back I would create cards for each challenge (you can combine several challenges in a single card too if you want), and since the winner is chosen randomly and not by how elaborate the card is, everyone has a chance to win. I won several prizes this way, from digital stamps to actual goody bags with supplies, and even several gift certificates to online stores. My Favorite Things has challenges like this, and so does The Greeting Farm. You can win gift certificates to their store to buy anything you'd like.
You want to send a card to someone who will appreciate it? Send one to a fellow card-maker! I commented on a card here in the gallery, and jokingly added that my birthday was coming up. Carla (Covington Crafter) PM'ed me, saying that was one of the nicest compliments she had received, asked for my address and sent me that card! I treasure it!
A friend on another forum sent me a card which I rec'd this past Friday. Just because. It was gorgeous and I let her know I loved it. She said she was nervous sending a card to another card maker because she thought it had to be perfect. Not at all! Even though it was. But it gave me joy. I have it hanging in my space , along with the one from Carla, along with others from other card makers: I look at them and smile, and feel special that someone took time to do these for me.
So brighten a card maker's day!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Thanks for posting this OP. This runs through my head every once in a while when I consider the cost of these supplies. I've quit the hobby a couple of times and packed it all up and put it away. The good thing about doing that is I quit spending so much money on supplies. The bad thing about doing that was I simply moved onto another hobby and started spending money on that.
It is hard for me to continue with card making because most people do not really value the effort or cost I invest in it. For that reason alone, it's better for me to donate the cards to a 501C charity and take a tax deduction on the cost of the supplies. I don't see what happens to the cards, I had fun making them, and my base costs are deducted.
But I so know what you mean on this... And staying away from the monthly spending habit helps relieve some of the feeling of spending so much money, making all these cards that sit in a basket, and is this really what I want to spend my free time doing... Stop the retail therapy. I know it's hard, but you will view this hobby in a much better light if you stop chasing sales.
You want to send a card to someone who will appreciate it? Send one to a fellow card-maker! I commented on a card here in the gallery, and jokingly added that my birthday was coming up. Carla (Covington Crafter) PM'ed me, saying that was one of the nicest compliments she had received, asked for my address and sent me that card! I treasure it!
A friend on another forum sent me a card which I rec'd this past Friday. Just because. It was gorgeous and I let her know I loved it. She said she was nervous sending a card to another card maker because she thought it had to be perfect. Not at all! Even though it was. But it gave me joy. I have it hanging in my space , along with the one from Carla, along with others from other card makers: I look at them and smile, and feel special that someone took time to do these for me.
So brighten a card maker's day!
Linda, you brightened my day with your original comment and did it again with this one
Lots of great places to send cards have been posted. Check out Tuesday's Teapot challenge for another one. "Teapot Tuesday: create a card for someone who needs a lift, based on a colorful story posted each week." If you know someone in need of support, here's the link to nominate someone for a Teaparty. And just for fun, once a month we send our card to another Teapotter, which brings me full circle to Linda's comment. I love getting cards from other crafters. Every card I've received is on a bulletin board in my craftroom.
... Even our animals fill their time. I figure a main difference between our cats (and dog, Hayley, though she passed away when quite old), is they do stuff too, but don't question it. Plus they don't have opposable thumbs so can't do crafts.
(Hayley used to try by altering stuffed animals, but didn't make anything new out of them. Like me when I've ripped pages out of an old, damaged book but don't finish the project.) Beth
LOL I'm trying to convince my cats they don't need to upcycle my new chair by carving hieroglyphics into it.
Dea
Besides ... No rule states that we have to send our hand-made-art {i.e. a little piece of us} to people who have been rude or impossibly-ugly-to-the-point-of-shrugging at what we love to do. ;)
I make Christmas cards all year long because I love it! I donate most to Jennifer McQuire' s card drive that she does every year in November. I say do what makes you happy. This thread has been very interesting reading
I belong to a crafting forum where many of us are card makers. We have card swaps and are given a partner. Sharing cards with other card makers is a lot of fun. I send each forum member a birthday card each year which they enjoy. I make all of my own Christmas cards. My sister has quite a collection of my cards which she saves, as does a dear friend. I send cards to people I know who are battling cancer or other illnesses. If a card I make and send brightens someone's day, just for that day, it is worth it to me.
You might want to join a craft group of card makers and share with them. The forum I belong to is called Hugsisters. You have to apply for membership. We do expect our members to take an active part and not just be lurkers.
I have a term for people to whom I give my creations. They are "card worthy". I give them my very best efforts. Others I will give a less elaborate project. I have people also who use my things as decorations for various holidays. I make a lot of 3D items. I have a group of neighbors to whom I also give my creations. If I don't hear from the neighbor for after several little creations sent... I stop giving them things. Well, after a year one neighbor called me up and asked why I didn't make her things? I said well when I didn't hear from you I thought you didn't care if you got things. She felt bad and begged me to put her back into my creative loop.
I was making 4th of July things using my Cameo. I got a phone call that my husband had broken his hip at our mountain home. So needless to say the unfinished cards & star boxes are sitting on my work table. I'll just put them away and finish them next year. I do love making stuff and that is where my heart is.
Do you think people appreciate cards?
