Christmas Cards do you work with a theme?

[Mystik Nat]

Hi

Do you set off with an overall design and adapt for each card, do you use up your old stash or get something new each year?

I am making up to 5 of a design I really like but I feel I am not putting any soul into it and even rope DH into getting a production line going with me.

I do make about ten special ones but even then I wonder if the recipients 'get it' certainly my older relatives would not have any idea of the work or thought that goes into them. I do try to adapt the card to the receiver but I think I am almost saying I wonder if it is worth it for me or should I buy next year and just make a smaller number. I know, I know only I can answer that.

x

I never really have anything in mind until I start pulling stash out that I want to work with. However if I am really stuck I get on board with a challenge or sketch as it just takes the agonizing over what to do out of the equation.

Many of the people I give handmade to do appreciate it, always comment on the card, etc. and now a few have started sending me handmade that they have bought, although I'm not quite as taken with peel-offs as they might think. Eeek that makes me sound awful but I really love the fact that they have gone out and bought a hand made card for me because they know I love making them.

As for what stash - I would find it nigh on impossible not to add to my Christmas/Winter stash each year with new releases because I have a serious weakness for this sort of thing. However I am still using stash that is a few years old, mixed in with the new, and even some papers that are not from a winter line but just fit the colours.

I also have Vintage KI from 2004 that comes out and gets snipped at a little then put back.

It's all good - and buying new papers because of the excuse of "needing them for my Christmas journal" is great. I use up a good part of them for pages and the off-cuts are perfect for cards.

[Hysteri-CAL]

What Nat said !!!

ETA: I do four of the same design ... and then move on to the next design ..........

[Kellmorris]

I make about 100 and have about 5 designs, I make them in an assembly line fashion. Doing it this way they all get made quickly at the end and you dont have to keep taking out the equipment, clear the desk and do the next stage. I mostly use stash that I have collected over the years, especially bought in the January sales!! I love sending the cards.

[Alibri]

I use scraps and freebie mag papers, or old Christmas papers that I've also bought on sale the year before. I also stamp, or use die cuts. I tend to make a production out of the same paper, but varying slightly, according to the paper/embellishments that are left. Some are very arty, and some are quite graphic, depending on the base materials. Each card is different, but there could be 5 or 6 that are very similar. I find you can incorporate every day stash into your Christmas card making quite easily! At the moment, I have a orange and black range of Christmas cards shown on my blog if you're interested.

[Dee100]

When we sent loads, I used to buy for the work ones and only make for friends and family. I make around 20 now and will be starting any day soon. During the summer I make for a friend of mine's fair, loads and loads of anything I fancy making and this tends to focus me on what I want to do for my own cards i will probably do 2 or 3 themes or colour schemes but each one would be slightly different. I am totally selfish i make the cards for fun for me so if any part of it would be no fun, i don't do it. that rules out production lines, bulk makes and so on

Very sensible, I wish I could get in that frame of mind it just daunts me.

[Dee100]

I tend to use expandable envelopes if I can get them. Making envelopes a second resort and boxes a final resort. I do all of my cards throughout the year (quite literally in december if the mood strikes me I'll make next years cards), I couldn't come close if I started now.

This years regular cards are really simple, and were made using embellishment kits from lakeland which I paid 25p per pack for in a clearance sale one time. I got 10 cards out of each pack, comprising 3 different designs.

This years special cards are made from MME papers from last year (I've seen a few bits from Nat). Such cute papers.

I miss Lakelands craft department, there were always good for a few bargains. OK I know I should know but is MME Making Memories and what is Nat please?

[Dee100]

I never really have anything in mind until I start pulling stash out that I want to work with. However if I am really stuck I get on board with a challenge or sketch as it just takes the agonizing over what to do out of the equation.

Many of the people I give handmade to do appreciate it, always comment on the card, etc. and now a few have started sending me handmade that they have bought, although I'm not quite as taken with peel-offs as they might think. Eeek that makes me sound awful but I really love the fact that they have gone out and bought a hand made card for me because they know I love making them.

As for what stash - I would find it nigh on impossible not to add to my Christmas/Winter stash each year with new releases because I have a serious weakness for this sort of thing. However I am still using stash that is a few years old, mixed in with the new, and even some papers that are not from a winter line but just fit the colours.

I also have Vintage KI from 2004 that comes out and gets snipped at a little then put back.

It's all good - and buying new papers because of the excuse of "needing them for my Christmas journal" is great. I use up a good part of them for pages and the off-cuts are perfect for cards.

Yes I have a couple of friends who send me 'Dee' cards (that's their name for handmade shop bought cards) so they must take note of what I make from them. Peel-offs are not my big thing but I do have some and when really pushed they come out, then I spend more time than I should trying to get them straight

[Dee100]

What Nat said !!!

ETA: I do four of the same design ... and then move on to the next design ..........

Thanks hun.

[Dee100]

I make about 100 and have about 5 designs, I make them in an assembly line fashion. Doing it this way they all get made quickly at the end and you dont have to keep taking out the equipment, clear the desk and do the next stage. I mostly use stash that I have collected over the years, especially bought in the January sales!! I love sending the cards.

Another assembly line girl that makes me feel better.

[Dee100]

I use scraps and freebie mag papers, or old Christmas papers that I've also bought on sale the year before. I also stamp, or use die cuts. I tend to make a production out of the same paper, but varying slightly, according to the paper/embellishments that are left. Some are very arty, and some are quite graphic, depending on the base materials. Each card is different, but there could be 5 or 6 that are very similar. I find you can incorporate every day stash into your Christmas card making quite easily! At the moment, I have a orange and black range of Christmas cards shown on my blog if you're interested.

I love your cards, are the sentiments shop bought or have you printed them?

[Fifi-T]

I miss Lakelands craft department, there were always good for a few bargains. OK I know I should know but is MME Making Memories and what is Nat please?

MME is my minds eye. It's their 'colourful christmas range' which I simply love
http://www.mymindseye.com/ColorfulChristmas.asp

Nat is our sweet mod on here 'Mystic Nat'. We have similar tastes and she has inspired or enabled me on many occasions.

[Dee100]

MME is my minds eye. It's their 'colourful christmas range' which I simply love
http://www.mymindseye.com/ColorfulChristmas.asp

Nat is our sweet mod on here 'Mystic Nat'. We have similar tastes and she has inspired or enabled me on many occasions.

Oh dear I got that wrong Great range, really like.

[Mystik Nat]

LOL No worries Dee. Thanks Fi for the compliment!

And as for enabling... well... I have ordered a few things to play with in the hopes of getting more Christmas cards made - can't wait for them to arrive!

[Alibri]

I love your cards, are the sentiments shop bought or have you printed them?

Thank you very much, Dee! The orange and black cards have shop bought sentiments. I also really like Craftwork Cards sentiments too - I find having a die-cut sentiment really cuts down the time to make the card. For special cards though, I would always stamp a sentiment and have some lovely message Christmas stamps.

[beanpole]

I usually do about 200 for OH's business, but using one of his photos and then just adding a dash of glitter and a bow or a stamped image, so keep it simple and speedy.

Last year I robo'd a NOEL a bit bigger than an inchie, so I could glitter it and stick it onto a square of backing paper. V simple but it does use up paper I've already got. For the specials, I did a robo'd santa sleigh last year, on a glittery night background, but so far this year no inspiration. Really want to use the papers I've already got, and some of the fabric and ribbon I bought to do the Christmas scrapbook covers. It's amazing how small snippets of fabric and paper are often just enough to make a card.