Cards Out of Chaos: Card Making

Last year's birthday card to my husband from us girls

Card making has been a long time interest I've had. It started decades ago when, in the early 90's, when I bought my first computer. It came with Hallmark Greeting Card Maker software. Does anyone else remember that software from the 90's? I thought I'd be able to write what I wanted and print out colored cards with my new printer. Save some money, right? Then I bought my first ink refill kit. Yikes! Eye opener there!! I was frustrated with the whole process, not only with how quirky Windows 3.11 was and how unstable my Packard Bell computer was, crashing every couple of weeks/days, but also that my cards didn't come close to looking like I wanted them to look. They were printed on printer paper, with silly clip art and fast fading ink.

Well times change. After decades of buying cards, about a year ago, I bought a beautiful card for my wonderful sister that said just what I was feeling about her...and that cost 6 dollars. Yikes and double Yikes! I decided it was time to make my own cards. I really wanted a hobby I could do in winter since furniture refinishing was a summer only hobby for me. And summers were already getting pretty busy. I started out by cutting up old card fronts I'd saved to make new cards. Recycling these cards felt good. I could write my own insides and print that out on the computer. I wanted outside sentiments that I could make on thicker cardstock but couldn't figure out how to do that. Then in February, my daughter showed me a birthday invitation her daughter had just received for a birthday party. I fell instantly in love. It had two layers, one was bumpy with little dots. It had colored stamped images and a stamped inside message. I found out from the mom, who made the invitations, that she'd been putting together scrapbooks over the years. She told me she used those supplies to make her invitations. She'd used dye ink, stamps and a machine with a crank handle. All new craft tools to me and I was off to my computer to investigate. I quickly discovered a whole new world of crafting I'd never known existed. I was intrigued.

My first purchase was a big shot and some embossing folders. My grandson's birthday was coming up so I bought some cardstock quality paper from a local crafting store, some wooden "You're invited to a party" stamps, and some ink pads. Then I realized I needed something to help my wonky paper cutting look smoother. So back to the computer I went to research paper trimmers. I bought a Fiskars Procision Rotary Bypass Trimmer, set up a space on my office desk, and found a spot for my new papers and cardstock. I was good to go.

First I made party invitations and decorated them with stickers from the dollar store. Then I made party bags, Then I moved on to party room decorations.

After my grandson's party, I moved on to making Easter cards. I was on a roll and spring was hiding well in the future....I bought a few more stamps (Penny Black Mimi stamps) and my first dies, which were circles and rectangles. I was really glad I'd signed up for Amazon prime earlier in the year because the shipping was fast and free. It was at this time I discovered Copic markers and YouTube became my favorite entertainment.


Easter cards 2014

This is when I came up with my most ridiculous idea. I decided this hobby would help me loose the extra pounds my job had helped me gain with all the sitting, late, crazy hours, and late dinners. I'd watch YouTube while on the spin bike, then instead of snacking all evening, I'd learn to color stamps with Copic markers. This worked through the late spring and through fall. I continued to learn, make cards and buy supplies. But of course winter is a challenge here in the mid-west and weight lost is easily added back on. I learned to eat while crafting of course! Just a matter of time! I do NOT advise paper crafting as a diet plan....Just saying....

I had a real shock this year when totaling up my untaxed online purchases. I realized I'd spent almost 3,000 dollars on various untaxed craft sites for many and varied paper crafting products. Of course what comes into a home must be organized and placed.

My office, one year later, is now a craft room.


Gotta love boxes, bins and label makers!

It's gone through various transitions to get to it's current deliciousness but, without adding shelves and holes to the walls, or requiring painting the walls, all requests by my husband, the office is now one efficient craft room. Everything I need regularly is well within reach. I did benefit greatly in the office organization process from our local Michael's Store, who was kind enough to have a grand opening for their new store, with huge discounts on crafting organization items. Thank goodness I didn't actually loose any weight because I'd never be able to buy new clothes! Nor did I save any money by making my own cards. Oh well, I am learning a new craft which I love, sending out cards that say what I want them to say, and have a stress reliever craft I can enjoy as I shake off the work days. I call that a successful venture!

Now that I've dabbled in learning to use the tools of the trade I'm on my second year and wanting to learn the techniques. This year, 2015, I've given over to this process

and have taken a few independent and interactive Online Card Classes. I'm also starting this blog. The blog is to help me chronicle the process better with techniques learned, discovered, and practiced. Along with providing a place to display my cards. I wish I was a better photographer. I've never learned the trick of focusing long enough to make sure the lighting is good, the angle is right and the camera isn't shaking. Hmmm, I guess this may be another learning experience in the future?

Easter Card 2015

To tell the absolute truth, I'm driven to keep learning because of a concern that, if I don't keep my brain busy, it may slip into that dreaded genetic disease that has hit my family for two generations now; Lewy body dementia, (a form of Alzheimer's).
So on to learning more things and exercising my brain!

Here are some recent cards I've made...Spinner Cards!