Do you sign the back of your cards?

[Motherof6]

I gave my sister a card the other day and the first thing she did was look at the back (reminded me of a Hallmark commercial). She knew I had made it. She is a stamper herself too. She scolded me for not signing or initialing the back of a homemeade card. She says it is like an artist not signing his/her work.

Is this a common pratice? If so what do you do?

[Pegasong]

I sign all mine with an interconnecting DK and the date I made it. I was fussed at the last time I made cards to send and didn't sign them.

[Carol Shafer]

Debbi, Yes I do sign all my cards. I have stamps that have sayings like "Handstamped by" and than I sign my name. Sometimes I even put the year. All my relatives and friends love getting hand-stamped cards and love having my name on the back. I buy all my stamps from SU as I am a demo and I love there "Hand-stamped" stamps. For cards that I sell I use the stamps that have the "Stampin' Up Angel Policy" as this is required by SU. Carol

[JKinAK]

I TRY to remember to sign the back of my cards, but for some reason that detail seems to escape me most every time. My mother-in-law commented one time about not signing the back. Until then, I really didn't think it was that important. I guess it is!

[JanineMOM2twins]

YES I stamp on with the hand made stamp, sign my name and also put a small clear label with my "stamping name" and web site address!

[kayinrd]

I always put "Handmade by Karen :]" on my cards!
I'm like your sister....I always check the back of the card!
Karen :]

[kendra]

I have a little stamp that says "Kendra's Card Company". I usually use that or a stamp from the set I used on the card and then put my initials. I always look too.

[greeneyes9999]

i always sign my cards ... too many times I have been fussed at for not signing them and twice they were given back until I did sign them (grandmother...ya can't disrespect a reques tlike that)....Believe it or not my 13 yr old daughter is the one who makes the most fuss over it...it is the first thing she does when making a card for someone and always checks mine to make sure I have done it....besides it is a great habit to get into to cover yourself with the angel policy if you sell one....it will already be done

[Jami]

Yep - I always sign the back. I have a bunch of different "hand made by" or "hand stamped by" stamps. I try to match the style to the card, then sign or initial and always write the year. I have one stamp that says "When you care enough you make it yourself" :lol:

[TexasGrammy]

Yes, yes! Sign 'em! You can always use a little stamp from the set used on the card or one that coordinates. Then sign your name or initials ... so they'll KNOW it isn't Hallmark ... it's hand created and it's better! (Of course, selling your SU cards does require our angel policy stamps, but giving is the most fun!)
Smiles, TexasGrammy

[Beate]

I bought our personalized handstamped stamp in the back of the catalog. Last year we had only one...now we have different designs. I still love the way mine looks. It says on a small tag handstamped by and under the tag it has your name in a really nice font.
I use it ....but sometimes I forget. Shame on me!

[stampin_melissa]

Yes, I stamp mine with a personalized stamp we sell. At my workshops I remind my customers to stamp and sign the back of their cards too. This was drilled into me when I was still a customer.

Melissa

[Hawaiistamper]

Yep, I'm in the same boat with the rest of those who responded...I've always signed the back of my cards at least with my initials and the year. Now I have the SU! Personalized stamp to put on the back.

I always look on the back to see if others "signed" theirs too!

HTH, Amy

I didn't know this was common! I don't normally sign my name. When I first got the "Hand stamped by" stamp set I would stamp that. But after a while I got out of practice of doing that. Then when I rec'd RRAK I saw that everyone signed the back. I realize now I'm missing a important step by not signing the back. Now I'm going to start! Thanks for opening my eyes with this thread!

[iwasborn2stamp]

Yup. I initial mine ND.
NY Nan

[stampcrazygirl]

I always sign mine. I stamp a 'hand stamped by' stamp on the back in a coordinating color (love the one from Daisy Crazy set) and sign in a marker or gel pen to match...I always put a heart for the dot on the 'I' in my name.

My family always looks at the back of cards...whether they are handmade or Hallmark! My grandparents used to own a Hallmark shop a long time ago and various family members worked there at one time. You have to flip it over to look at the price...so I think it became a habit in my family!

Michele

[Happy Heart]

I don't sign mine.... I don't like my hand writing. I've thought about buying the personalized stamp, but I already have so many "Hand Stamped" stamps that I can't justify the expense.

[iris]

I try to sign all of my cards and use the Hand Stamped By stamps, but I never thought of putting the year, good idea!!

[Shell]

I *always* sign mine with "Shell" and the year. People I give them to expect it.

~*Shell*~

[StampinSweeper]

My sister fussed at me just last night for not marking the back with some kind of insignia. I've never seen the need to do it because I didn't design the stamps and I haven't come up with any kind of new design for the cards. Maybe I should consider signing them.

[Furph's wife]

I try to remember! but sometimes forget. Especially when I have done a mass production. But I will fuss at anyone else! :oops:

[qcbetty]

When I make them (and I usually make about 8 or so in a day, more if I'm lucky!), when they're complete I set them up on my counter. I do an assembly line "back stamp" then sign and date them right after scanning, and before I put them in the envie. I also try to double check them before sending out to make sure I didn't forget. If it's for someone really special, or for a special occasion, I'll write a little something like under the "Handstamped by" part, like " Debbi, just for your 6th birthday" or whatever. People really seem to like that.

I usually put the year suffix ('04) on it as well. With a smilie face. Because I like to smile! And make others smile!!

See?!

[pjbstamper]

I have the same SU! handstamped by stamp that Beate mentioned because I don't like my handwriting either. I haven't put the year or date on the back and now I kind of wish I did - especially the ones I gave to people who save cards! Then there would be a record of sorts of my progress.

Last year I did a major clean out of my samples because I had so many from discontinued sets and I found my very first set sampler from Flutterbys. I can remember how proud of them I was and just had to laugh - there wasn't a curve or any angles less than 90 degrees - everything was lined up & squared off! Not that they were bad just when they were all together it was just that they all looked "stiff" and had no "ta-da!"

[alasku2stamp]

I have the same stamp as Beate. Well, with my name anyway. I would like to get the new one offered this yr. Sure beats having to sign my name. Hate my writing as well.

[Melissa 8791]

I do now! For a long time I didn't because I thought that it looked messy when I wrote my name under the "Stamped By" stamps. I finally ordered a stamp that says "Created with love especially for you by Melissa". It is professional looking so I enjoy using it.

[row4d]

I always stamp the back with one of the various "hand made" stamps. I have a few non-angel ones that I got from the incentive bucket. Occasionally I'll emboss the image.

[Stampin SandyH]

I do stamp the back of all of my cards with one of my Handstamped By, or Made Just For You stamps and then I sign my name and put the year on it as well. I know a lot of my family and friends keep the cards I made for them so they might as well know what year I made it in. My dh wants me to buy one of the SU personal stamps this year so I don't have to sign my name. I will be more than happy to oblige him.

Sandy

[TexasGrammy]

Oh Sandy! Definitely oblige the dh. Mine hasn't said that I NEED one of those, but I'm planning to order one just in case he realizes that I do!
~TexasGrammy

[nuttnhoney]

I always try to sign mine. I have both an SU and a non-SU stamp I had made just for that purpose.

[gretchensart]

I always sign mine too - I use the "Hand stamped by" stamp with the little tag most of the time - don't remember what the set is called.
I have on hand pages of address labels printed with my name, phone number, email address, and website address on them. I've moved all the text over a little bit so there's room on each label to stamp a little thing - the Bitty Bolds set works great for that, as does Good Times. I can personalize them by color, stamp, etc. One goes on the back of each card under "Hand stamped by". Makes it fast and easy!
Gretchen in SC

[Stampin Woman]

I ALWAYS sign my work.

I tell all my ladies - "This is art! Don't forget to sign your art"

I have a cute-sie little way with a capital S and a heart - that is my signature and I add the year '02,'03,'04 etc.

As hallmark says..."when you care enough to send the best".... well I care enough to stamp it myself -

I want the recipient to know they are important to me and that I didn't just buy this card at a sale somewhere.

[PH in VA]

I sign all of my cards, too. I have several different "stamped by" type stamps and I choose the one that I feel best suits the card. Then I add my initials and the year.

[jess_witty]

I sign mine as well. I don't always like the "Hand Stamped" stamps that I have (sometimes they just don't go with the artwork on the front!) so I usually try to find a smaller coordinating stamp to use on the back (center bottom) and sign beneath it.

If it's a baby card I might use the bib stamp from Good Times, if it's a floral card I might use one of the smaller leaves or blossoms, etc. It makes the back match the front... and if you are anal like me than you understand!

[SusanP]

Debbi ~ I have a stamp for the back of cards that I just love. Remember when Hallmark's slogan was "When you care enough to send the very best"? This one is a crown (like the Hallmark crown) and underneath it it says "When I care enough I make it myself." Then I sign my name and date it.

Susan

[Motherof6]

I need to find that stamp! I love it!!! Or order one like Beate was talking about where you can have your name put on it. I also hate my handwritting but from this thread I now feel it is important to sign my cards. I have now been convinced but I love hearing about the different ways people go about it.

[Kar]

I always sign the back too, I have to remember when my 4-H kids come now to do their cards for the fair that I tell them to stamp the back and sign too, forget sometimes!! I use the angel that stampin up had with their copyright, bought the set with friends and we divided them up. I always like that "personalized" addition to the cards!

[nightscrapper]

I usually initial mine and sometimes I include the date. I usually only put the date if it's for a family member. My family saves all the cards I make them. Which, hasn't been much this year.

marlo

[GavynnsMom]

I stamp it with my personalized stamp!

Joy

[baronsmom]

I stamp mine with my personalized tag stamp from last year's catty or one of the others I've accumulated. I also found one that says , "handstamped by Suzanne" at one of the local stores & use that one for the rare card that gets made without SU! stamps. I try to get my customers to stamp theirs with one of the copyright stamps, but some of them don't think it's neccessary.

I make a lot of cards for work. We send out cards to our clients when they euthanize their pets, when they have surgery, new babies, move, etc. & we all sign them. One of the drs looks at the back of every handmade card to see who made it. She can usually tell which ones are mine before she even looks, but it's just habit.

One of the other local stores here has one that says, "this ain't no hallmark". I may need to get that one, too.

Suzanne