Card making for Christmas

I spent a bit of time “killing time” at Michaels Craft Store and Tuesday Morning last week.  Anybody who knows me, knows that I am “NOT” a shopper.  

But, it is the Christmas season, and I had an idea for a gift  that took me to Michaels. (Those daily deal emails got me into the store.)  After I put the 3 items in my cart, I decided to “browse”.  Oh boy, do I get myself into trouble when I shop.  

I discovered that their “CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAY” stamps were  60% off.   And I had the great 20% off total purchase including sale coupon – so I had myself a fine time!  With my cart loaded up with card making items; like a 50 pack of card/envelopes; stamps;  packs of pretty paper, and the all important “gifts”; I ran the gauntlet of the “impulse line” at the checkout. Very efficiently they had a gal with a scanner and a card who scanned and bagged your items while you waited in line for the cashier to pay.

 Once I got out to the car, loaded the trunk, I looked at my receipt.  I found 2 items that I didn’t get the 60 % off on; and my other coupon (a 40% off a full price item) was applied to one of those sale items, not the most expensive non-sale item in the cart.  So…..I plodded back into the store, went to the display where the stamps were located and had someone “verify” that the item I purchased should have been discounted. Thankfully she skipped the line and got a supervisor at the cashier area to work with me and “re-ring” the offending items.   (I know those other people standing in line for the checkout were glaring at me….but hey, I had already done my time in that line!)  Computers – coupon codes – sales – discounts…..what a pain in the neck.  45 minutes later….I finally got the “right prices” and was able to leave. So, with great patience, 2 employees at Michaels were able to get it sorted out and I saved another $20 or so.  Not sure if my time was worth that, but I stand on principals sometimes.

I was now “too late” to get home and go out again for another engagement, so I killed a little time in Tuesday Morning. I found MORE stamps, ink,  paper and another gift, so it was time well spent. I don’t like the local Tuesday Morning, as it is very dreary.  Poor lighting and lousy display racks (dark grey) make it a hard place to shop. Golly if they invested in some LED lighting, it would be a brighter shopping experience. If you had stopped by that day, you would have seen me cross legged on the floor in front of their “stamps”, looking through them one at a time. Really, the bottom shelf…..and not organized at all.  

Well, anyway, this is how we get to this blog post.  Towards the end of last week, I opened up all the goodies and got busy!  I stamped about 22 cards (2 for birthdays) (20 for Christmas) and then got a little nuts with “embellishing” etc.  I finished them up this morning.  Now, remember, I am a NOVICE card maker.  I took 1 class a year ago, and joined a group at the local library.  Anyway, I stamped, and colored and embellished.  I have a box of cards given to us over previous years that are just too pretty to put in the recycle bin, and I cut them up and used some of the images .  Gosh, I have learned about tape runners, and “dimensionals” etc.  (Oh, by the way, I am having a great time watching You-Tube videos of crafty card making people!) 

I decided the insides needed a spot of color and a verse. (These are lessons I learned on you-tube).  I opened up that stack of holiday papers and pulled the red, some plaid, some green polka dots, some red with snowflakes.  A little time at the paper trimmer, and 3 “tape runners” later….  

Pretty basic in the card making world, but I think they turned out nicely.  

Better than “good enough”………….So, I decided to give them my own identity on the back as the maker of the card.  

Not a HALLMARK gold crown…..  All this stamping makes me want more colors of ink for stamp pads! (Really that desire comes from too much you-tube watching of crafty card makers)

 With only a few days left before Christmas, the few cards I made are addressed and ready to go to the Post Office.  No doubt they will be “overweight” with the extra paper etc that made them so fun to make. Oh well…..  And, not everyone is getting a hand crafted card this year.  I am about out of time, so we will go to the cupboard and get out a box of “store” cards.  Dear family/friends – if you don’t get a card, don’t be sad……Know that I just ran out of time.    I now know why my card making friend from the Library was working on Christmas cards in AUGUST!!!   🙂 

Do you still send greeting cards by “snail mail” ??  What do you do with your cards after the holidays are over?  Do you display the cards you receive?  How do you do it?

Back to sewing!  Merry Christmas!  May all your projects be loved by the recipients! 

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