When do you start making your Christmas Cards?

[stampcrazygirl]

Last year I waited until about a month before Christmas to start! I barely finished by Christmas! I think I'm going to start next month...but it's so hard to get into the Christmas spirit in Summer!

When do you start and how do you get yourself in the 'winter mode'?

[edith199]

Why don't you host a Christmas swap... it'd give you a start & receiving the cards might provide extra inspiration...
or put on some Christmas music!! :shock: My kids started playing Christmas CD's in August last year... (drove me absolutely crazy) & then cranked the volume so I'm sure eveyone in the neighbourhood could hear & were positive that we are a very crazy family!!!

[Stampin SandyH]

I was just for the zillionith time, going through my new catty and I am going to buy at my next HOM workshop the Changing Seasons set and use the winter scene as my Christmas card. That means that I will start in August and hopefully be done by the time they should be mailed. Last year I was working on Christmas cards practically a week before Christmas. Just get an early enough start and you should be finished in plenty of time.

Sandy

[camsmom]

I can only make like 4 of the same card and then I get a new idea, so although I start in October, I barely make them all to be done in time. I just love playing with different sets and sending ones I think wil match the recipient. I also send out special ones from my son to his toddler buddies b/c all kids like to get mail!

[Kymbers_Stampin]

Last year! I never got my holiday cards finished last year so I'm all prepped and ready to go for this year. This year being that everyone is in CA and I'm in NC, I actually HAVE to send something out. Mine are just Winter cards so I'm limited in my selection ~ Tree for all Seasons is what I'm using. I should probably start assembling now with the way I procrastinate.

[Lori_G]

I've already started... I make each one different and try to make it look as if it were the only one I hade to make!

5 down, 60 to go!!!

[Alaskastamper]

I'm probably going to start in October.


Jenn

[Jen Stevenson]

NOW!!!!!!

My card for this year is already posted. I just have to make 50. I did 325 swaps for convention. Now 50 seems like a piece of cake.

[afancycat]

My circle of Stamp Campers is meeting this weekend for Christmas Card Stamp Camp. We will leave with about 12 cards made and I will finish mine by August 31! We are dressing in (summer) green and red, playing christmas music and the hostess special ordered green, red & white M&Ms to keep us in the holiday spirit! It is a blast!

[qcbetty]

I have already started - probably about 25 complete, with another 12 ready to be trimmed up and mounted!

Still have quite a few more to go. Yes, I send out a lot....

[Speedystamper]

I always get my Christmas cards done in the summer/early fall. While my hubby and kids are out fishing, I stamp. We go to the lake almost every weekend all summer long so that's when I get it done. Sooo relaxing!

[heart]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edith199

Why don't you host a Christmas swap...

Whoee! A new idea for me!
How do you organize it?
This must be my 10,000 newbie question!
Thanks!
Michelle

[FloInCA]

Last year, I started late November. This year... I think I'll have to start in October!! Having a baby changes EVERYTHING... especially my use of time!!! :P

[Charlee]

Hi, I'm attending a Stamp Camp this weekend, and the theme is Christmas in July. Each person brings 2 projects (enough for everyone
to make) and we all come home with about 16 cards or tags or gift bags or ideas for this coming season. Just coming up with my projects has given the design I want to use this year.

Happy Stampin'
Charlee

[Furph's wife]

I usually start in Sept/Oct, but this year I just don't have any ideas on what to do. I need some inspiration too!

[JanTInk]

I used to make them all alike and started in November. Now that I'm a demonstrator, I do it differently. This past year I had so many samples made that I was able to take those and use them for my family/friends cards. Then I made some all alike for my customers!

This year I was sorting through card fronts that had retired sets on them, removing them from my samples and putting them all in a box when I realized that this years cards are already started! I can mount up all these retired samples for my family/friends. Which still leaves me with around 50 that I will have to make for my customers. Now that the catalog is out, I can start thing of which set to use.

I fool around until I get a prototype, then I break the stamping down into steps and do them assembly line fashion. I've done my Christmas cards myself since 1996, when I started stamping. That year, I was pregnant with my second child and got the stomach flu in the middle of production! I'd stupidly chosen a stamp that I embossed and colored in. The coloring gave me such a headache that I ended up making only about 15, and the other 20 people got commercial cards! After that I have been able to keep up making cards for everyone on my list.

[Paige]

I start in June when school lets out, otherwise during the school year/holidays I am too busy. I make about 150-200 cards (most of which go to stamping friends I've met online over the years!) and am almost done, less than 50 to go. I started doing this a few years ago and it is such a great feeling to have them done when the holiday rush sets in.

[baronsmom]

Last year's are still waiting to be finished! :oops: I'm having Stamp Camp in Sept be Christmas cards.....$1/card. Hopefully I will be able to get some done too.
Suzanne

[Geribeari]

I started last Jan and Feb and just finished my last one of 100 several days ago. They are easier to do early in the year and you have no pressure to finish them in the holiday rush.

[angeldoxie]

Doesn't everyone start on the 24th of December like me? That gives me 24 hours to get them done right! And everyone like to receive a Christmas card in January! (Some of my friends just pretend it's early for the next Christmas!) Anyway, good luck to all of you with your cards. You can think of me stampin away on Christmas eve!

[Pegasong]

I need to start my cards. I actually made cards to mail last year and never mailed them. I think they are in a box in the back of my van written in and everything!

The most I ever made was in 1999. I used fusible webbing to assemble snowman cards. Over 200 of them by the time I was finished. I gave that stamp away! lol

[JKinAK]

Last year I only made a few cards and started in early December. This year I have many more to make. I'm like a lot of you other ladies: I get bored making more than a few of the same card design. Being a part of a Christmas card front swap last month was GREAT! So many new ideas for me to try! In fact, now that I have read this post, I think that my Holiday cards will be my next project!

[bonniejo]

My best friend (she's also my customer) hosts a huge card making party. This started before I became a demo. A whole group of us get together at her house and stamp. We bring our own paper, ink and embellishments. We share stamps, etc. Everyone but me usually gets their cards done. I am too busy using everyone's stamps and creating different cards than I had planned or helping with their's. I love it. We also have a "snack" potluck and listen to Christmas music. It is a blast. I love the camaraderie and spirit of that day. :lol:

Bonnie

[Jami]

My goal is always to start in August, but I usually end up starting in November :P I usually make 3 designs - 25-30 of each design. I just can't stand to do more than that of any one design (I don't know how some of you did so many for convention swaps!!!). I sometimes make about 10 of an extra special design for really close friends/family. This year I'll need to make more to include customers. I'm hoping to get started sometime in the next couple of weeks - wish me luck! :o I'm thinking it would be fun to organize a day for customers to come and work on their Christmas cards as well - and maybe offer to help them come up with a design. Any suggestions about what you do are welcome!

[greeneyes9999]

Last year I bought so many sets to make a variety of cards...I made over 25 of 10 varieties then got really sick with mono and never sent out any cards....So my dilema this year do I make more since I love all the new sets in the xmas mini or resist and send out the ones that I made last year in my first year of stamping?????

[qcbetty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by greeneyes9999

Last year I bought so many sets to make a variety of cards...I made over 25 of 10 varieties then got really sick with mono and never sent out any cards....So my dilema this year do I make more since I love all the new sets in the xmas mini or resist and send out the ones that I made last year in my first year of stamping?????

LOL. I hear ya. I bought a couple myself...when they retired some earlier this year (or was that late last year?!) I'm "gettin' busy" now, making enough for family and friends to start, and have aspirations (and I'm prayin' they're not out of reach!) to make enough to host a table at a craft sale. Hopefully time is on my side!!

[letsstamp]

The first year I did all the same card. That got very boring after a while. Last year, I did maybe 15-20 of each card and did over 100 total. It started in October and actually got them mailed I believe the 2nd week of December. Hubby was so proud .. I finally got something out early!!! I also have my Christmas workshop in October so I try to get as many samples done before that for my customers to look at. I don't think you can ever start too soon!

[iwasborn2stamp]

I probably won't start until Oct. or early Nov.
Just not inspired this early in the year.
Besides, I need to wait until I get some of the new sets out of the Holiday mini!
NY Nan

[Happy Heart]

I only own one 'real' Christmas set, Holiday Minis, and I got that one for nothing! I like the challenge of using my other stamps to get a holiday look.
Last year I started early designing a Christmas card that I could mass produce, (which I never do, by the way)! Well, I'd get an idea, make one card, then get another idea.....! Before I knew it I had enough one-of-a-kind cards to send to everyone on my list! I've started doing the same thing this year, and the Christmas in July contest has spurred me to get busy earlier.
Those of you who are stuck for ideas should check out the contest entries and the special Christmas Gallery.

[buttons2]

Last year, I had mine done by mid-November. We were in the middle of building a house and living in another state so I didn't know what the schedule would be and wanted to get them done. This year, when we moved to our summer home, I didn't even bring my Christmas stamps with me. We'll return to our winter home the first of November so I'll really get busy then. In the meantime, I CASE all I can. I love the idea of a Christmas stamp party. May have to do that.

Wanda

[Kar]

I started stamping mine last month when kids started their fair project cards... I do about 43 a year so need to do them when I can because I always get side tracked with another idea and move over to a different birthday or other stamp set..

[nightscrapper]

Hehehe, I usually wait till a few days before Christmas! Last year I had them all planned out, placed a huge order from an online store, and started them around Thanksgiving time. LOL, they never did get sent out!! I don't even thing I addressed them. So, for this year, I have them all ready. Guess I'm ahead of the game this year. hehehe!

marlo

[GavynnsMom]

I just ordered Yule bits and borders. I'm going to start as soon as it arrives! No procrastination for me this year!

Joy

[schrades]

Too funny! Last year I had them done in June, and I am just finishing 150 for this year! I do them in groups of ten or twenty at a time so I don't get tired of doing the same card that many times and yet get them all done before Thanksgiving! Silly I know, but I have alot of Birthdays and stuff at the end of the year!

Schrades

[karixma]

I usually start getting ideas Dec. 26! But I try to have them all finished by Thanksgiving (made & addressed!) to send out. Then I have about 2 dozen more for cousins & neices that are just starting to send them out since moving away from home. I usually wait so I can make sure their adress is correct before sending those out. So far I have about 15 made of 3 designs. Just made a new card CASED from those gorgeous photos Tracy took at Convention. It's my hubbies favorite so far this year.

[joleenieweenie]

The first stamp set I purchased (before I was a demo) was a Christmas set. I saw a sample in the catalog and bought everything to make it. Of course it wasn't an easy one! It took me an hour to make the first card! By the time I did the first few steps on 30 cards I got bored, put them away, and never took them out agian. LOL. I gave out no Christmas cards! :shock: The funny thing is I finally took those unfished cards out, made them, and an additional 45 or so cards (not all Christmas) for Stamp Your Heart Out tonight! lol.. DH and I did pick out a holiday set for our cards this year. I am hoping to actually make them this next month. We'll see how it goes! ;)

[Jenmouer]

I am done.....

I particpated in a few Holiday card swaps on another site and I am currently hosting one now here at SCS...(I have already recieved stuff from 5 of the participants and WOW they are all so great)

At the end of this swap I should have about 50 Holiday cards...all handmade...

They are all different but it will be fun to go thru and match the cards with my friends and families personalities.

[tesschap]

I try to start planning my Christmas card by mid August but last year I never finished them until the first week of December! My goal this year is to have them done by November first. I have signed up for a few swaps that have given me some ideas - I just need to discipline myself - ya, right!

Teresa