Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I'm not being facetious or sarcastic here - just wondering if many of you actually can bear to part with your creations!! I went to my first SU event only a year ago and got seriously hooked during SAB and became a demo in July. But I'm still a SLOW stamper - creating many of the samples I see here on SCS takes me a good hour each. And I love looking at them. So I don't send many of them and I feel bad about that!
That's gonna change when I send out Christmas cards this year!!
I was NEVER a crafty person and the thought of my going to Michael's to look for glass ornaments and fake snow is just hilarious to me! God has a real sense of humor! I scrapbooked for a few years prior to stamping, and but only managed to finish about 12 pages total. I agonized way too much over every little thing. Cards aren't as much of an investment time-wise and emotion-wise, but still very much a labor of love!
Just wondering how often you actually *send* one of your pretties??
Creative Director - My Favorite Things Dirty Dozen Alumni
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Florida - MFT Land
Posts: 39,414
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
sending cards
At 1st, I was also protective over my cards. BUT, after stamping so many cards... (I probably have about 400 right now...lol). I send a card for every major occasion. I am happily sending handmade Birthday, Christmas, Halloween, Valentines Day, Empathy, Sympathy, Congrats... you name it, I have a card ready! Keep in mind that I rarely make just one of a card, so I do still have my "master" and can still admire it. That's what's keeping you from sending it right? LOL
Have fun make them in 2's or 3's and soon enough you will be able to send one without feeling a loss! :lol: I can.... NOW! lol
Some of my non-stamping friends & family love to receive my cards! I eventually decided to always try to make more than one of whatever card is on the 'table'. That helped. Now that I stamp in a little larger quantities at times, I do send more cards. (Our SCS RAK list has really been instrumental in that change.) Share a couple & see how good it makes you feel! ;)
I part with the ones I make but never with the ones I receive that are handmade.
If I make something that I feel is special, I will save it and show at workshops for that month. Then I will make two or more (depending on how long it took me) and put these duplicates in my box to sell (I have neighbors & friends that do not and will not stamp and do not make cards - can you imagine??).
There is nothing like receiving a RAK that you fell in love with, commented on and put in your 'favorites' file. It is like eating CHOCOLATE.
Some cards I make knowing they are never leaving me - those go into the basket that I take to shows. Others, even some time-intensive ones, you have to commit to making more than one so you can save one for yourself. The other thing I make myself do is scan every single card when I'm done making it. Then if I find I'm short for a card and have no time to make another one, I at least have it on the computer so I can recreate it again.
You know, I wish I had made duplicates of all the cards I've made... I dont even remember half the cards I've made and I actually give them away, send them, whatever. I made some as a gift for my friend and she gave me one... I said, I LOVE your card. You did such a good job. She said "you should like it, it's one of yours"... boy was I embarrassed ;o) And the ones that I dont like the most seem to be the ones that everyone else loves... I wish I had more time to stamp (dont we all) so I could build up my supply of cards... MAYBE one of these days ;o)
Blessings
Kristy
What a funny thread! I just finished stamping a birthday card for my dad, and of course I couldn't stamp just one, I made 5 cards. The sad thing is, those extras I made will probably just sit in the same basket, drawer, shelf, as all of the other extras I made! I always make extras thinking to save myself time later, but then when it comes time for an occasion, I always just want to make something new, different. I have HUNDREDS of cards. I really need to part with some.... I just have so many that I don't know what to do with them all. After all, once you put in the time and $$ in making cards, you don't want to just throw them away!
When I make a card, I also make a duplicate card front and keep it in a 3-ring binder. I bought page dividers from Century Office Products for the binder and the card fronts fit perfectly into them. I also write on the back of the card front what I used in case I want to duplicate it again at a later date.
Good Lord no! Don't throw them away! If you find you're not using them, they are the perfect thing for RAK's [Random Acts of Kindness]. There is an entire forum on here for that!
Or you could donate them., I know lots of people donate their cards to charities or churches or retirement homes.
Or you could send them to Keri [I can't even begin to spell her id -- it's late here] and she could send them to the troops!
You know, this is why I started scrapping, well part of the reason anyway. At least then when I make something cool or do a neat technique I can somehow incorporate it in a page and keep it forever, lol!! Seriously though, I totally know how you feel! Now that I have found time to stamp almost every day I make more stuff and am not quite as attached to my cards as I once was.
I used to hoard mine. Then, I collected alot, got tired of the looking at the same cardfronts, and made them all into cards and gave them as gifts to my sister to send out and mail. Then I make more, hoard them for a while, then do it again. She loves them! She writes a lot of letters so I spread the joy everywhere, (it really affects people).
That seams to be my habit, (since I am not good at sending letters frequently), I do this so that they are being used. I felt it was silly to make these cards and not share the joy. But, I always keep a few on hand for those last minute birthdays we all forget, or that sudden party our kids are invited to (you know the invitations that are left in backpacks for a good week before we find out the party is that Saturday, etc.)
The extra birthday cards are great, especially when you are already scrounging $ for the present and the wrapping paper. It actually saves me time shopping.
I do try to use the cards I create. I always keep a picture on my computer of the ones I make so I can recreate them easily. However, I have been stamping more than sending because I am still in the "honeymoon" phase with stamping. I'm also trying to make at least one duplicate as I go now.
I used to keep all the ones I had made as samples but now with my digital camera I just take a picture and then load them into my StampinUp folder on my computer. Sure saves a lot of space! Also if I messed up it is a SAMPLE. That darn perfectionism!
If you click on Usergroups [It's in the menu above that begins with FAQ] RAK is a group you can join. Sometimes it takes about a day but then you can get put on a list to receive and send out RAK's to other members of the website. There is also a monthly BRAK [birthday RAK] list too! It's a great way to spread the joy amond people you know are going to appreciate a hand made card.
If you get stuck, put a HELP message out to the administrators and they can help you.
I've found that, since I've started uploading my cards to my gallery here on SCS, that it's easier for me to part with my little gems. I send them out to family, friends, RAKs, etc. Then, if I want to reproduce a card I've made, I can go back to my gallery, and I even have the recipe listed. Of course, I still have boxes and baskets of samples that I display at my shows and workshops But it has made it easier to part with them!
JanTink - You always make me smile!!!
__________________ Tina R.
Stamping Happy! Member #4604
You crack me up! Some of your beauties, I definitely couldn't part with! I once made 8 of your hats for my group and my own got ruined so I still have the copy paper first test that I made! My daughter has handled it so many times that it's not even glued together!
It may be hard to part with them, but remember, every card you send is an advertisement for your demonstratorship and the beautiful things you can do with stamps! I also scan mine before sending out.
I send a lot of cards out, but I always make two so I have an inventory to choose from when my DH says, "Oh, by the way, it's my sisters b-day tomorrow and I need to send her a card!"
Since I don't think his sisters need a $5 card I let him pick from some I already have made up.
Of course, I send my Dad very special cards. I don't need to write as long of a letter that way either!
I have been very bad about saving cards, actual, scan or otherwise. I have several non-stamping friends that I give card sets to and they love using them. Now my friend is actually commissioning me to make sets for her to give as Christmas gifts. I think I have convinced her to make them WITH me and maybe she'll catch the bug!! I actually rarely send them myself although that is one of the main reasons I started stamping. I had hoped sending cards would become my new ministry of encouraging others. It is still a goal. Stamping is more therapy than anything else and they go fast when you group them into sets to give away. For now my satisfaction comes from hearing my friends are sending them out and getting nice responses.
I know people have mentioned sending cards to the troops. You might also consider sending blank cards to the troops, or to wounded soldiers at your local military hospital, so they have something to send to their loved ones. I listen to talk radio and a lady called in on Veteran's Day suggesting this. I thought it was a great idea.
Unfortunately I usually only get time to work on one card at a time just before it needs to be mailed. I can't seem to get a stack of them going. I scan the front in when I'm done and put it in a binder with the information on it (colors, inks, etc. since they don't always print out true to color from the computer). I also write down who I gave it to so if I do decide to duplicate it, I don't send it to the same person again ! I love to look through the binder to see what I've created. I hope the recipients are as happy with my creations as I am !
I do keep all my make and takes and swap cards though. I just recreate those if I like them.
It may be hard to part with them, but remember, every card you send is an advertisement for your demonstratorship and the beautiful things you can do with stamps! I also scan mine before sending out.
What a great idea! I never even thought about sending cards in that way, as advertisements! I'm going to go think of some people to send a card to right away!
I scan almost everything i make, and keep CDs of them. I have a picture box FULL of cards all sorted according to the occasion. I just recently started parting with mine...and after you get the OOOOHHHs and AAHHHHHs from people, you WANT to send them out!!! LOL :lol:
I started out not sending what I thought were my BEST ones but I eventually learned to make two at a time so I could keep one. Pretty soon I ended up with a HUGE basket of cards ready to send out, many of them duplicates of each other. I started sending them out and even gave some to friends/downline/family, etc and was left with less than 100.
THEN, I logged onto SCS to see the message Cards for the troops, and yesterday I packaged up about 60/70 cards to send to Kerri.
I have about 5 cards left in my basket that are ready to send out but the cool part is...
Hi everyone, I also had a hard time giving away cards until my demonstrator started giving me 2 of everything we made so I could save one and send out the other. When I make at home now, I usually do a few of each and also scan onto my computer just in case I want to do the same one again. Also I donate cards for silent auction gifts-I usually put an assortment of 12 cards, and then I send to friends and family for no reason and they are always thrilled. My sister keeps her collection of cards in one section of her stereo cabinet and everyone has to have a look. I've sent a couple cards to an elderly couple I met at the cottage, just to keep in touch and she wrote back to say they were keepers, so it makes it more fun to send them out.
Thanks so much for all the wonderful responses to my question! It's great to know that I'm not alone in having a hard time parting with my creations. The trouble is that when I create a card, it takes awhile, then I don't want to make another identical one - I want to make a new one! So I really need to make more than one and then SEND THEM!!
My oldest DD (age 25 and married) has asked me for some cards for Christmas - she does music ministry at her church and she sends a lot of cards. But I need to make some quick ones, or I'll never finish!
I send mine out all the time. If I really like a card that I have made I will make two so I can have one as a sample but I have no problem giving them away!
My hubby has a large extended family. They are scattered across the U.S.
I send handmade cards for Bday, Anniv., and All Holidays. I get together with my co-workers at our Administation bldg. once a month to stamp. Each month I work on a specific type of card. In Jan. I do Bday and Valentine's day. Feb. I do St. Pats and Anniversary cards. I try to have a stash on hand all the time. I did pretty well last year. We usually spend at least 8 hrs Stamping. It is a lot of fun. I get the chance to see what others are doing, I have gotten a few of my co-workers addicted to stamping.
At this time I am making Baby Shower invitations for one of my co-workers. I am also making a baby scrapbook for her. I will also make the xmas cards that we send to the other departments.
I admit it is hard to part with my creations, but that is how I justify my habit. After all, I AM SAVING MONEY BY MAKING MY OWN CARDS! :lol:
robinlynk
I used to hold on to mine until I changed how I make them. I will design a card and it will take me an hour to decide what I like. Then, when I have the design, I now make about another 10 of the same card. So instead of spending 1 hour on one card I am spending 2 hours on 11 cards. Then I send them out or better yet, give them as gifts. My mother and an elderly friend from church just love sending them out.
Sometimes I make an effort to send out at least one card a week. It might be a thank you or a thinking of you. It can be really fun, because people usually aren't thinking of them.
There have been a few times that I have sent out cards to family & friends for untraditional card holidays (like St. Patrick's Day and Halloween). Everyone has LOVED them, it has been a fun surprise for them to find things like that in their mailboxes.
Susan, funny you should ask this question. My DH just asked me last week "Are you ever going to use those cards?" I've been making new cards when I need one to send out. I really think I need to start using some of the swap ones I've gotten, but it just so hard to part with them. My goal for thsi week is to organize the cards I do have. How do you store all the ones you have? Gail (new grandson is one week old today!) :lol:
Does anyone actually *send* the cards they make??
