Help with christmas cards

[Katiecoughdrop]

I bought a HOTP cardmakers kit for inspiration for some christmas cards which I need for Wednesday. I am taking some cards to sell at a friends school, and thought I would take along some Christmas ones. Bought the kit thinking I would get loads rattled out in the few days that I have left and then.......................nothing. Stuck, no ideas springing to mind. Keep playing around with the papers and tags etc but nothing looks right.
I have come away from the mess (or should I say workspace!) had a glass of wine, but still nothing.

I know this happens to most of us but I just feel totally lost, and frustrated that I need some cards pretty quick...

[efexor]

If i was making a batch lot of cards and found some ideas that worked, I would stick to the them. It's very hard to keep coming up with different designs in such a short space of time.

[tinkypen]

i subbed to HOTP kit for a couple of months but found the same thing once you had done the projects there was no inspiration left - i find HOTP card making style rather odd sometimes (not to offend anyone!) but i found the style which would best for me is like creating your own toppers - i.e matted card, xmas die cut and then maybe some ribbon - something you make in batches make up all the toppers and attach to all the cards -obvoisouly this is just my opinion!!

[Katiecoughdrop]

Know what you mean but been trying to keep them similar but different if you get my drift. Changing background papers and tags but based on same theme, but still nothing eye catching springs to mind, and thats what I want....eye catching, so they will sell.

I seem to be a bit down on myself of late, you know, nothing seems good enough. Sure I will snap out of it soon, maybe on Thursday!!

LOL xx

[Katiecoughdrop]

Tinkypen, know what you mean there. They are all geared towards a certain style, only bought them cause I thought it would be easy, and ended up with headache (or was that the wine!)..

Better off sticking to my own ideas I think.

xxx

[tinkypen]

how about making the cards and selling them in sets of 5 say - each a different design?? - try tieing ribbon round the spine always looks lush!!

and maybe the wine in regards to headache!!

[Josieanne]

Find yourself a nice simple stamp set like the Hero Arts sets, they do sets of 4 or 6 stamps. Then just stamp them in black on white/cream card, colour in (or emboss in Gold or Silver) then mat on silver or gold mirri card and mount as a topper on colored cards, Red, Green and Navy, add a peel off for Merry christmas and your done. If you keep your topper quite long you can stamp a greeting underneath your image and tie ribbon around the topper before you stick it on the main card, thats really effective.

That way you can do plenty of the same style just varying the designs and colours of the toppers and cards, you can even mat on mirri and then coloured card and then put the toppers on white cards.

You can use the HOTP papers as ripped mats as well to vary your matting, I do that a lot.

I find this type of card very sophisticated and its usually very popular.

[juliebee]

Well, Kath, how did the sale go then? The one's you showed me were absolutely fab, and I know you can do Christmas!

[Lorraine]

I just uploaded a few into our christmas gallery yesterday. Hopefully you may find some inspiration.

[Hils]

I bought that kit last year for the same reasons, and had exactly the same problems with it! I think the HOTP cards are quite different from many of the card styles we are moe used to - perhaps more American? - and maybe that's why some of us struggle with them.
I'm using two well-chosen stamps this year with my own backgrounds, and feel much happier about them