Tons of cards!

[sunstamper]

I need help. I have been a card maker and swapper for many years. Since I've been lucky enough to get a new craft room (courtesy of Son #1 moving out), I am trying to organize (or get rid of) my collection (aka hoard) of swap cards.

Usually, when I am sending a card to someone I know, I feel like I should create the card myself so I can customize it a bit. Thus the four shoe boxes full of really nice (but not my creation) cards.

In this electronic world we live in, I have less of a need for examples than in years past.

Any ideas for what I can do with them?

[2busyscrappin]

I hear you on that front. I'm a hoarder also and feel the same as you.

I had cards from literally 10 years ago when cards were still using eyelets.
I now have learned to keep cards from the past year. Keep the ones I fell in love with, keep the ones CAS for inspiration that sort of thing.

[specialkstamps]

I know that you could donate kid cards to the Ronald McDonald foundation.
If you have any get well cards could you send one to me for my finance who is battlling a cancerous brain tumor. He likes receiving cards. My address is: Ralph Dudley(his name), or Kristin Forrester (me), P.O. Box 692, Schroon Lake, NY 12870. Thanks.

[jennik]

There is also "operation write home". Don't know the details, but I'm sure you could google it.


Jennik

[tessaduck]

Check out local rest homes. My stash gets culled regularly by our little hospital's auxiliary. I donate them, and the volunteers sell them to staff and patients. It helps support their projects for the hospital.

[marymoilanen]

Check out the Ronald McDonald house swap and Cards for a Cause (links in my signature below). Both are great causes and appreciate donations!

[KayInFL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennik

There is also "operation write home". Don't know the details, but I'm sure you could google it.


Jennik

Operation Write Home closed down last year. All the details of why are on the website, Operation Write Home | Helping heroes keep in touch with home

[Joan B]

a lot of hospitals have gift shops that sell cards. if you are willing to include envelopes and put in clear containers, they might take them and sell them for the hospital's charitable works.

I decided to just deconstruct my cards. I save as much of the embellishments and cardstock as makes sense and toss the rest. I haven't died!! My pleasure is now in the making. I do mail out a bunch, but really, there are so many!!!

[specialkstamps]

Hi Joan, I would take any of the cardstock and dsp scraps that you are tossing. I would use them with my punches for cards. I would pay for the postage of course.

[sunstamper]

Thanks - all good suggestions! I may do a combo of donation and deconstruction. I plan to regularly check the RAK and BRAK boards on SCS also. Speckiakstamps - I'm so sorry to hear about your fiancé. I'll check my stash for a card for Ralph also.

[specialkstamps]

Thanks so much Kelly. He would love to receive a card. Something to look forward to.
The rest of his tumor they can't operate on seeing it is the frontal lobe. We are hoping that the chemo treatments will shrink the rest.
Anyway good luck with your cards. Kristin.

[ttemby]

I'll put a card in the mail also for Ralph. Coming from California! My thoughts and prayers go out to you two!

[specialkstamps]

Thanks mad swapper! He will enjoy that.

[ttemby]

This is Tricia from ttemby. My friend makes cards and will send one also!

[specialkstamps]

Thanks Tricia.

[Stampinmom57]

I donate lots of cards to our hospital. I am sure they find good uses for them.

[lesliespringer]

hotwheels-linda littlepage will take card donations. She makes and donations cards to lots of charity's

[wavejumper]

While I appreciate you feel you want to make your own cards...I think you should use them. Maybe for people in the office, etc-non family and close friends. Maybe put 6-12 together as a stationary gift to someone. Make enough of those and the boxes will be gone-you can say "one time deal" to people. As in, dont expect you to make them.

My cousin and I send cards back and forth...I use hers. I expect her to use mine.

Just a thought.

If you have a charity thrift around you, you could donate them to them and they could sell them and make some money for the cause. When I do that I would put them in the cello envies just because so many times I wanted to buy a card at a charity and the mailing envie it was supposed to have got lost or damaged.

[Allistamps123]

I end up with a ton from SU card classes I go to. I use many of them, save some for samples but have gone through ones I know I'll never use. I put them in a quart ziplock, label "homemade cards" and donate to a local thrift store.

[grateful2bsaved]

You can check these threads. Also, I bet if you PM caterinafmig and ask her if she'd like some she could use them.

Forums at Splitcoaststampers

And you could PM va.sunshine (she handles the "Cards for a Cause" threads)
Cards for a Cause - Splitcoaststampers

And Craf-T-Bear could use some I bet.
Purging & De-Stashing??? by Craf-T-Bear at Splitcoaststampers

There is another lady on here , RhondaTX, who sends cards to a Ronald McDonald house. She's trying to get some ladies together to help her, since making the cards is a lot for her. I bet she's love some already all made to send.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[STYXROCKSME]

If you have birthday cards my Mom's 80th b-day is coming up. You can pm me for her address.

[JoBear2]

My 12 yo daughter set up a small box at the Reception Office counter of her school and put cards in it (that she made) with a money box where people (obviously) put in money to buy a card. The prices are very reasonable - 50 cents to $1 - and the money goes to the children's hospital where she had treatment for a life-threatening illness (she is OK now but has disabilities from the illness/treatment). It's amazing how quickly the money adds up & with what she raised last year as well, she has raised nearly $600!

Maybe this could be an option for you? I think if the prices are very reasonable, people will buy them because cards are so expensive at the stores.

[Ocean County Stamper]

I'd like to make a suggestion. If you have cards and are looking for a place that might use them, please consider your local VA. If you know someone who works at a VA hospital, ask them if they have a library cart or activity cart that you could donate cards to. You'll be glad you did!

[deeth1]

Here's 3 wonderful charities where you can send your excess cards

I send cards to Cards For Hospitalized Kids.

There's also Send A Smile For Kids.

Also, Jennifer McGuire does a card drive in Oct and Nov called Caring Hearts. They send holiday cards to nursing homes.

HTH,

Deloris