Finally! Amy's been asking for these pictures for weeks now. I swear, we really did make the cards on December 1! I'm just slow getting the pictures up.
Our card-making process usually involves two get-togethers. The first time we gather to consider ideas and try them out, and pick one design to actually use. Unfortunately, we can never agree on one design so we always end up making more work for ourselves by making two or even three completely separate cards.
This year, we made two. But I only took pictures of one, because the rest of the cards were already in their envelopes. For our second get-together, we try to prepare some of the parts ahead of time (have everything stamped out and paper cut) so it's really just an assembly line. This year, that didn't happen. But we always have the best intentions!
To make this card, we cut scrapbooking paper to a size slightly smaller than the front of the card. Then we took the scraps of that decorative paper and used a punch to make a few matching snowflakes for the inside of the card.
After that, we stamped the trees for the front of the card and the "joy" stamp for the inside, trimmed them up, and then cut colored paper to go behind the "joy" stamp.
Finally, it was the assembly line, actually attaching all of the various elements. Additionally, when we put the decorative paper on the front of the card, we attached a ribbon toward the bottom for a little more visual interest.
In one long marathon session and another hour or so the next morning, my Mom, two sisters, and I made 75 cards total. (We also had some much-needed help from my friend Halle—who doesn't even celebrate Christmas!— and yet she still suffered through the process with us.) Amy didn't take any cards with her, so Mom, Erin and I got 25 cards each.
I never have enough handmade cards to go to all of my Christmas list, but I try to spread the love around and mix up who gets handmade cards and who gets store-bought ones. But if someone sends me handmade cards, I try to return the favor. And if someone helps make the cards, they're assured to receive one of the best results—even if they don't celebrate Christmas!
2 comments:
Yay! My curiosity is sated! Bonus: I like both designs you picked this year.
Did I tell you that my Christmas cards are turning into Happy New Year's cards? Good thing I'd already picked a generic winter/snow theme, as opposed to the Christmas tree/poinsettia idea I'd originally had . . . and then scrapped after I stamped, cut out, and colored sixteen poinsettia images. Grr! But sometimes — as you know — something you think is going to work just . . . doesn't. I still have the pieces. Maybe I'll be able to use them next year.
At any rate, I was up until two this morning packing my stuff for a lengthy stay at the 'rents. From 11:30 until 2 I was paring down my stamping stuff to just the essentials (which still turned out to be four plastic bins of various shapes and sizes, plus a totebag of paper punches and other tools, two binders of paper, and a partridge in a pear tree [Okay, maybe not that last one, but just about.]) so I can work on stuff while I'm down there. (I also decided that I need to get on the stick with my "stationery sets" gift packs for my Mom, Grandma, etc.)
I swear I'm actually going to do it this time, and not just think about it, which is what I did for the last eight weeks. I have a photo of my prototype, but I don't think I can post it in the comments section. I might tweak it a bit when I actually start to assemble the cards en masse anyway, so maybe I'll do a post about it in January. I'm sure you can't wait . . . not! : )
So, how are those New Year's cards coming? I'm looking forward to getting one in the post and reading your post!;)
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