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I'm finding that I can't seam to make cards for specific people and occasions. If I make a card and after it makes me think of someone I'll put it somewhere special and send it to them when is appropriate. But if I think about having to make it for a specific person or occasion when I start I just get frustrated and it isn't fun anymore. Does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?
I find that when someone requests a special type of card from me I begin to get really nervous. I think I'm having a hard time believing that someone would really pay for something that I can create! I have absolutely no self esteem at all! If I already have a card as a sample and I have to recreate in, say a different color combo, then it's not quite so bad. If I have to start from scratch, forget it! I do a lot of CASE cards. I'm pretty good at copying. Just give yourself plenty of time, deadlines kill me!
Most of the time I can make cards for specific people. But this is because for the past three years I've been making cards specifically for three people: my niece and two nephews. Making girlie cards for my niece is easy peasy, but my nephews were a different story! I bought lots of car and animal stamp sets, with a couple of robot and generic "boy" sets thrown in. So now when someone asks me to make a specific card and starts describing it, I usually have a stamp image that I think of immediately that I can use on the card.
But there are times when someone asks for a card that I know I would not enjoy making, and for those, I just say no, or I say, how about if I just make a card, and if you don't like it, buy your own card.
Just two days ago, a co-worker asked if I could make a card for her six-year-old granddaughter. I happily said SURE because I love making girlie cards. But then she asked if I could draw her if she gave me a photo - I said uh, NO. I said that I could make a card, and if she liked it then she could have it, and if not, she could buy her own card and I would send the card to my niece. She agreed.
Four years ago, a co-worker asked me to make a special Christmas card for his new baby son. I happily brought in a couple of cards. My co-worker rejected both of them, saying he was hoping for a card with Superman on it. I went back home and made a Christmas card with Superman on it, but I wasted a WHOLE WEEKEND of my treasured leisure time working on a card that I found to be totally UGLY (really?? Who puts Superman on a card??? YUCK). From that experience, I learned to just say NO (or "I'll just make a card that I enjoy making and if you don't like it, fine, but I'm not making another one").
Wow, sorry for the novel!
Edited to add:
I forgot to mention that whenever someone requests a card for a certain person, I start asking questions: what is the person's favourite colour? Hobbies? Does he/she like cars, dogs, cats (stamp images that I have)? Etc. From those questions I start forming a mental picture of a card I could make.
Last edited by SophieLaFontaine; 06-20-2012 at 04:18 PM..
I'm usually good about making specific cards for specific people, but sometimes I don't know enough about the person to make something truly special. That's when I get frustrated.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
It feels so good to know I'm not alone! in my case I'm making a wedding card for a family friends daughter that is getting married on Saturday. I don't think I've seen this girl in the last 5 to 10 years but briefly. Part of it's my fault I've been sitting on this card for about a month and had grand plans for it... Then I sat down to start working on and realized I didn't even know where to start! I'm working on plan C right now but it's far simpler then plan A or B so hopefully it all comes together.
What I find difficult to handle is when I ask people what kind of card they want and they answer with "Well, what do you have". I try to keep samples of my favorites on hand, but I don't really have a sample book. Does anyone keep a sample book?
What I find difficult to handle is when I ask people what kind of card they want and they answer with "Well, what do you have". I try to keep samples of my favorites on hand, but I don't really have a sample book. Does anyone keep a sample book?
No, but I keep a gallery here. But I still don't refer people to my gallery because inevitably, they will choose a card where I used SOMEONE ELSE's stamp set with which to make it, or a card with patterned paper on it that I would no longer have. If anyone asks me what I have, I usually just list the kinds of stamps I have.
...she asked if I could draw her if she gave me a photo...
I happily brought in a couple of cards. My co-worker rejected both of them...
I wasted a WHOLE WEEKEND of my treasured leisure time...
Issues like this is why I tell people I do not sell my cards. I will make a special card for a friend if they request one and I am up to the challenge. As far as really designing for a specific person or event, I usually enjoy the task if I have an idea right away. If I don't, then it is torture because I am a perfectionist even though my style is simple.
__________________ *Alice* All science is either physics or stamp collecting. -Lord Kelvin
Location: along the bluffs of the Upper Mississippi River
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I understand where you are coming from, because I'm the exact opposite. I can't make cards ahead just to be creating. I have to have a specific person or occasion to be able to make cards. The few I've made ahead I never used.
I think we all create in different ways and it's all good.
__________________ All I want is the chance to prove money won't make me happy!
No, I can't do it. I just freeze and my MoJo leaves for a long vacation. I have a nervous breakdown too. I kid you not I have been making cards and actually crying about it because of the pressure. I can do swaps easily so I really don't get why I am like that.
I got the outside of the card finished last night and hope to finish the inside later today. I left it sitting out on my table last night and my mom saw it this morning and said it looked good although I don't totally agree with It will do and hopefully they won't notice some of the mistakes...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allistamps123
I understand where you are coming from, because I'm the exact opposite. I can't make cards ahead just to be creating. I have to have a specific person or occasion to be able to make cards. The few I've made ahead I never used.
I think we all create in different ways and it's all good.
That is the way my mom works unless she has a specific reason to make something she just can't seam to make anything she just gets stuck.
I seem to do more cards directly made for people lately. I usually ask the person requesting the card some questions like : favorite colors, what they don't like, interests or what do you have in mind. Most just tell me to do what I like. Some go a bit nuts and have funny requests (one lady wanted oatmeal, a giraffe and food shows somehow incorporated into a card for her granddaughter and they cook oatmeal while watching tv and she loves giraffes. I thought on it and stamped a stampin' up giraffe and put a chef hat on him and stacked chairs topsy turvy along with a clip art of a Quaker oat container with a tv and an image from my cooking magazine. It was crazy, but fun and she loved it. That was a wacky example, but thought you might like to use the questions. Sometimes cards are easy, and other times, I sit and sit while I try and think of something... I think it is part of the process....
I always feel pressure when making a specific card for a specific person. I've never had anyone REQUEST a card for a third party; but if I sit down to make one for a relative I get very stressed. Making one "just because" for a personal friend is not SO bad; but I still get frustrated because I want it to be special and reflect what I know about them and never feel as if I get it exactly right.
The most fun I had making cards was when I decided to send some off for Operation Write Home. I pulled a bunch of card fronts out of my stash and turned them into complete cards if I could; or just copied the look on a whole new card. I made a bunch of Birthday, Miss You, and some Anniversary cards. It was great!! No pressure, just a fun time creating. I didn't know who they would go to specifically, and I made a variety of styles so I had a great weekend of stamping! Wish I could do that when I KNOW the recipient...
For me there's quite a difference between making a card myself with someone particular in mind (easy, normally), and making a card that has been commissioned by someone else, which I don't find easy and don't enjoy.
I'm finding that I can't seam to make cards for specific people and occasions. If I make a card and after it makes me think of someone I'll put it somewhere special and send it to them when is appropriate. But if I think about having to make it for a specific person or occasion when I start I just get frustrated and it isn't fun anymore. Does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?
I haven't read thru the whole thread yet, but I wanted to say I have the opposite problem!
Designing with someone specific in mind is always so much easier for me and I often get stumped when I don't have that to guide me!
But, everybody's brains work differently, so it's all good! Whatever does work for you, just roll with it! ;)
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I'm exactly like you Sami! My mood totally dictates what I make...the best I can do is try to make a masculine card and end up with one. Can't go further than that! If I think that I need to make a birthday card for my brother, sure I can make it but I need 6 months! LOL!
Anyone else like this?
