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So for the past 3 years I have made all my Christmas cards. Well, I am thinking about not doing it this year. It's always a lot of stress because I invariably wait til the last minute. No stamp is jumping out at me this year and I haven't been inspired at all by the ones in the catty. I have some other irons in the fire (pre-sold Christmas gifts) that I will be working on. And I would really like to concentrate on making some gifts this year instead of buying them all. I've never really given gifts of stamped cards or stamped gifts for Christmas at all. I'd like to do that this year.
Is that bad to send a photo card instead of stamping my Christmas cards this year?
Nope, not bad at all. I like getting the photo cards, It's usually the only picture of some of my family that I will see in the year. And really if it's less stress for you, don't worry about it, sounds like you have enough on your plate.
__________________ Amy, mom to a very active little boy My Gallery member # 17390 My blog
Nothin' wrong with that! I always LOVE to get photo cards, especially when there are kids that change so much from one year to the next. Concentrate on what you want to do! I've been making Christmas gifts for over 20 years, and it's always gratifying. While I do like stamping my Christmas cards, it almost always ends up feeling like a hassle at some point.
I don't think so. We are planning on doing photo cards this year to send out. I think only close family will get a card from me in addition to the picture.
I dont think its wrong at all. If nothing is inspiring you AND it is stressful because you leave it until the last minute, DONT do it. I wouldnt do something that stresses me out, just because you think maybe you should. Yes, a few people will be disappointed not to get a beautiful handmade card from you, but that's life, we all have disappointments! I say dont worry about it at all, if its not right for you this year, dont do it. Maybe next year you will be more inspired again. I always start my cards early so I dont find it stressful ... and I dont make cards for everyone, just those that I know will truly appreciate them. Whatever you work on for gifts, enjoy yourself and have fun!
If you really want to stamp but don't have the time, how about cutting a quarter sheet of red, mount a family photo on Glorious green, attach it and stamp a Holiday greeting under the photo and sign it. Then, you've got a combo photo/stamped card that you could make about 20, in a half hour or so. Or, go ahead and do the photo card. Never feel guilty about what you don't stamp, just have fun with what you do stamp!! Besides, everyone knows you're awesome anyway! I love your stuff!
Gina K.
__________________ Be polite to those who are rude to you. Not because they are nice, but because you are.
Owner- Gina K. Designs
Whatever makes the season less stressful! Besides, like the others have said, photo cards are nice to get. You can't do everything every year, so you have to pick and choose where to spend your energy ... otherwise you go crazy and it becomes merely a source of extra stress, rather than something that brings you joy. So, bring the photo cards on!
__________________ Darci "Awww, you guys made me Ink!"
"Creativity is a continual surprise" (Ray Bradbury)
I don't think there is anything wrong with it at all - I'm still on the fence as to whether or not I will actually stamp cards this year or not. Last year I ended up planning a Christmas card stamp camp at the last minute and that totally got in the way of my own card making. I ended up doing 10 special cards for family and close friends, but for the rest of the 30+ people on my list I did my usual open letter and stamped up a border on it cute, and then stamped whole back of the addressed envelopes to match - using the Merry! set. They turned out really cute, like matched stationary, and it was a LOT less work, but still special I thought. A couple people I have seen since Christmas last year actually said...your letter was great last year, loved the stamping on it!
I always do photo cards (cheaper, and quicker, plus everyone loves to see the kiddos).....I hand stamp my thank you's though.
No one will ever say anything about them not being "handmade".
So for the past 3 years I have made all my Christmas cards. Well, I am thinking about not doing it this year. It's always a lot of stress because I invariably wait til the last minute. No stamp is jumping out at me this year and I haven't been inspired at all by the ones in the catty. I have some other irons in the fire (pre-sold Christmas gifts) that I will be working on. And I would really like to concentrate on making some gifts this year instead of buying them all. I've never really given gifts of stamped cards or stamped gifts for Christmas at all. I'd like to do that this year.
Is that bad to send a photo card instead of stamping my Christmas cards this year?
No way!! I say if you don't enjoy it don't do it. Last year I sent out a Christmas letter and just stamped a border around it. It was very simple and quick. I love to stamp, but hate to mass produce. I haven't stamped Christmas cards in at least 3 years.
I say go for it if it releaves stress for you. I just wanted to tell you what I did for my cards last year that was super easy and fast. I made a pocket card with a bear that had a santa hat on a tag on the front of pocket. (Alaskan themed) and then the pull out part stamped holiday greetings at top and then had picture glued to the pull out.
I always just have some one come over and take a picture of my family in front of tree and then take to Walmart and have wallets made. Much less expensive. The hardest part is getting family together and a friend to come over to take the picture.
I have done the photo card a couple years ago and to be honest next year may do the same since we will be moving in September and I just don't want to have to think about it with a new house to settle into!
Not a problem at all - stamping is supposed to be fun, so why stress over it? I gave up making all my own Christmas cards years ago - now they are reserved for close family and "A list" friends! :mrgreen: Although, I'm pretty sure most of my family members would actually prefer a photo card. Go for it!
Emily, I think if you've got a bunch of other stuff to work on for the holidays and no particular inspiration for Christmas cards this year, don't feel guilty about sending out photo cards! Don't drive yourself crazy -- we all have so much stress already in our lives, don't we?
I make a basic card to send out to everyone and then special cards for family and close friends. However, I do have a reserve of cards from Current that I don't at all feel guilty about sending out as necessary.
To me, it's most important to send out stamped cards to my family and close friends, but that's not a large group. If stamping was my business, I guess I would think it's important to send out as many hand-stamped things as possible to promote my business but thank goodness I don't have to worry about that!
My friend scrapped 6x6 photo cards for her immediate family. The idea is that they can cut the card in half and then stick it in a 6x6 album. She is not the type to make cards but she does scrap, slowly, and wanted to try doing it for her family as well. She used SU!'s Simply Scrappin' kit and it went very, very quickly!
__________________ --Anne
Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.
--Henry Van Dyke
Emily, I'm with you. In years past, my eldest dd would draw a picture and I would scan it and print it and make our cards from it. Two years ago we did the thumbprint reindeer, and last year switched to sending a photo. How liberating! I would much rather spend time making gifts or cards for friends and family than spend time making a ton of cards that will likely end up in the circular file.
i look forward to my photo cards from my family and friends every year.
the holiday is not about stress, it's about love and friends and family.
their aren't any rules so i say - do what works best for you this year.
jan
__________________ "grandma squared" janice aka *favorites stalker* MY BLOG
Do whatever you have to do to make the holidays enjoyable for you and your family! I, for one, love to get photo cards from friends and family!
Years ago, when the stresses of preparing for the holidays was really getting to me, I decided not to send cards at all, and felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders! Once the kids were all on their own, and things were easier for me, I started sending them out again, but I had cut my list down considerably. I love doing it now...no stress at all. [IMG]//www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif[/IMG]
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
Gosh do I ever know this dilemma! It's like, once you send a handmade card to someone, can you ever NOT send them a handmade card? UGH!
I, too, am considering not sending handmade cards to family/friends this year. I'm so busy with other commitments, like you and frankly, after making the 300+ for customer, I don't want to SEE another Christmas card! LOL. Well, except for the beauties here on SCS...
I like the photo idea... maybe you could just "embellish" them a bit? Hmmm.....
I'm with HH.. do whatever makes you happy and relaxed.. that's what the season is about!
I am with everyone else. Photo cards are great and people would enjoy them.
My family has done a lot of homemade gifts. I have already started for Christmas. For Christmas I will stamp, can, and bake.
I would rather my friend or family gave me a gift of love than one of obligation. The cards and gifts I remember of from people who gave from their heart. It is not what they gave but the love they shared.
__________________ Sherri
I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.
If you really want to stamp but don't have the time, how about cutting a quarter sheet of red, mount a family photo on Glorious green, attach it and stamp a Holiday greeting under the photo and sign it. Then, you've got a combo photo/stamped card that you could make about 20, in a half hour or so. Or, go ahead and do the photo card. Never feel guilty about what you don't stamp, just have fun with what you do stamp!! Besides, everyone knows you're awesome anyway! I love your stuff!
Gina K.
Hey, my husband's cousin did the same thing last year! She just put a stamped phrase at the side, and she was done! They were stamped, she made them, and they were fabulous! Oh, she also wrapped cord around the photo and added a small tag.
She said it only took 3 minutes a card, and they looked fabulous!!!
I sent photo cards last year as we had just moved in Nov and there was no way I was going to stamp 100 cards so I did that and i got so many compliments on the photo . I say do it, its much less stressful plus its something different!
I do photo cards every year too. I don't have the time to stamp around 100 christmas cards. I don't see anything wrong with it. We live far from our families, so I know that they enjoy getting pics of my DD and dog, and if they don't...too bad! I really don't care what they think!
So for the past 3 years I have made all my Christmas cards. Well, I am thinking about not doing it this year. It's always a lot of stress because I invariably wait til the last minute. No stamp is jumping out at me this year and I haven't been inspired at all by the ones in the catty. I have some other irons in the fire (pre-sold Christmas gifts) that I will be working on. And I would really like to concentrate on making some gifts this year instead of buying them all. I've never really given gifts of stamped cards or stamped gifts for Christmas at all. I'd like to do that this year.
Is that bad to send a photo card instead of stamping my Christmas cards this year?
Everyone loves to see how your boys have changed. Loose that guilt and photograph away! You will have more time to devote to those beautiful handmade gifts.
Thank you! I was feeling so much pressure to do one better than last year (when I stupidly made tons of shaker cards!) and I don't really want to have to top it. We've always sent a family photo, but more of a wallet size. I thought I'd get mamak to make us a cool photo card since she's technically inclined and all. Thanks ladies! I'll release my guilt and concentrate on some really cute gift sets!
Oh the pressure we put on ourselves! At convention this year, Brent Steele(the guy in charge of our awesome Stampin' Up! catalogue!) was showing Christmas cards they send out every year. He and his wife have two boys and they dress them up in Halloween costumes and send a card with a photo of the two boys with a hilarious play on words for the holiday season. I can't remember them all but one of them had the two boys dressed up like Supermen. The older boy was holding up the younger boy and the saying said something like, "Happy Holidays from the men of Steele". He was talking about the pressure of coming up with a new idea every year to top the last one. I think we can all relate to this!
Kathleen
__________________ I LOVE being a SU demonstrator! my gallery my blog
Photo cards are great! Everyone likes to see your family, especially if you don't see them often. If you feel the need to have it handmade in some way, stamp a little Christmas stamp on the outside of the envelope and call it good.
When my now husband and I went to Cancun 3 years ago, we liked a certain photo taken of us, so we used it for our Christmas cards. People said they liked it. Now, if they really didn't-who cares! We liked it and it worked for us that year. If that's they way you'd like to go with your cards this year, go for it! :0)
__________________ Gina Lazerus
Happily Married since 10/5/05!
Had my 1st child-a boy-on 5/8/07!
This is what I told my fellow stamping friend..............it's nice to get cards no matter if they are handstamped or purchased ......it's nice to be remembered and to think on others...
We put the pressure on ourselves to think that we can do it all..........and this is not the "reason for the season"......so by all means............
sending a photo card is wonderful......and thinking of friends and family is always wonderful........
so don't feel guilty........just enjoy the holiday season!!
plus people are ALWAYS delighted to get valentines... (for those who are not so good at meeting december deadlines...)
they are lucky to get any card is my theory.....
my parents(well my father really ) wouldnt send cards to "anybody they saw the month of december" figuring they had exchanged holiday greetings in person. now they send fewer cards than that. they do love to read the christmas letters from their classmates of fifty years ago (guess it is the vicarious thrill factor) and i did catch Heck for sending the great aunts cards and the elderly neighbor and NOT my parents.(but SUBTLE "aunt nette got a BEAUTIFUL card from betsy" with the underlyin translated by my sister "and I didn't.."
oops
so do what works for you
if the kids have homemade from storebought cookie dough it wil still be baked at home(or eaten raw) cookies..
So for the past 3 years I have made all my Christmas cards. Well, I am thinking about not doing it this year. It's always a lot of stress because I invariably wait til the last minute. No stamp is jumping out at me this year and I haven't been inspired at all by the ones in the catty. I have some other irons in the fire (pre-sold Christmas gifts) that I will be working on. And I would really like to concentrate on making some gifts this year instead of buying them all. I've never really given gifts of stamped cards or stamped gifts for Christmas at all. I'd like to do that this year.
Is that bad to send a photo card instead of stamping my Christmas cards this year?
Not at all!!
I *love* getting family photo cards at Christmas time. I like to look back on the past years' photo cards to see how much my nieces/nephew and friends kids have grown.
Your family and friends will enjoy seeing your sweet family photo.
Location: Loading up all my B's and headed to the best gathering evah!
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Originally Posted by Melissa 8791
Not at all!!
I *love* getting family photo cards at Christmas time. I like to look back on the past years' photo cards to see how much my nieces/nephew and friends kids have grown.
Your family and friends will enjoy seeing your sweet family photo.
Exactly-- do what you want and enjoy the holidays! There's already too much pressure.
__________________ Tracy aka:
"Hello, my name is Julie. I will be your cruise director!"
Christmas cards - is this wrong?!?!
