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So I've been looking through this forum, catching up from months and months of missed posts, and I just have to give a universal WOW to everyone who posts their cards here. They're stunning! Every thread I open just makes me want to stay up all night and make stuff!

But here's my question. Those of you who belong to stamp kit clubs, and you make loads of cards each month, what do you do with them? I mean, I would assume you belong to a birthday card club (or 6), but do you send out all of the cards you make? I ask because I have hundreds (no lie) of cards made from the years I belonged to Club Stamp, and from all of the other random cards I've made. But I never send them, because dealing with mail is just not something I'm great at. It's why I had to quit the card club here - it wasn't fair to anyone how late I was getting those cards out. But then there are all of the others! Whenever I make cards I always have that "what in the world am I going to do with this" conversation with myself. I guess the best answer is to just try to get in the habit of sending them out. But I always worry that if I send an anniversary card, for example, to a friend, that they'll look at the handmade card and think it's weird. Anyone in my family that I'd send a handmade card to would look at it, maybe keep it for a week, and then toss it. And I can't bear the thought! I have every single handmade card that anyone has ever sent to me.

So, do you send them as fast as you make them? Ship them off to an "Operation Write Home" kind of thing? Sell them at craft fairs? I'm trying to figure out a way to justify continuing to make cards. Making cards makes me happy, but then having to find a place to store them all stresses me out.

I have a PILE of CS cards from years of that dang PSL. I love to make cards. I get great satisfaction from stamps and inks. As for using them, I do get cards out to some degree. I make little card sets for gifts for family but that doesn't begin to use what I have. Charley will go shopping in my stash for cards when needed. I miss Operation Write Home and would love to find an outlet that could use cards.

Anyone should be delighted to receive one of your cards! To me a handmade card is a sign of thoughtfulness showing the effort you made in making something for someone you care enough to give a card to.

I keep making cards and the pile keeps growing.

So glad to know I'm not the only one with an ever-growing stash of cards! Rob and the kids do occasionally "shop" my stash for cards, but the rare occasion doesn't put a dent in the massive collection. I've taken the entire collection to craft fairs on two separate occasions (I was perfectly happy to donate the cards to my girl scout troop for the proceeds), but not a single card ever sold.

I totally agree with what you said about receiving handmade cards. That's totally how I feel and why I have kept every one I've received. And my family is actually pretty crafty and they all appreciate handmade things, but not with paper. They appreciate textile crafts, but don't really feel the same way about paper, unfortunately. So the lack of appreciation, coupled with my inability to stay on top of mailing deadlines means that I still have most of the cards I've ever created. I did set out a bunch of cards for sale for the benefit of United Way at work one year, and I think a few cards sold, but most came home after the campaign.

I need to find some cause to donate them too. I think I would ultimately feel good about that, if I thought they were actually being utilized, and not just pitched.

I make a lot of cards, I have found this to be the thing I like best. I've been through the ATC swaps, the altered art and art journals and everything in between but have found card making is my sweet spot!

I found this place for donating http://cardcareconnection.com/makecards.aspx and I know Jennifer McGuire does a card drive each year ( I'll have to research that more). I used to send a lot to OWH.

I no longer subscribe to card kit clubs, for some of the reasons you mention. So many cards/supplies and either not enough time to work on them or they weren't always my style. So now I buy what I like/ need! I do sometimes buy the Club Scrap Stamp kit IF I really like it and when it goes on sale. I don't buy them when they aren't on sale.

I keep my Mom and sisters supplied with packs of cards. They usually ask for them. I have a few girlfriends who like getting them too to have on hand. One sometimes trades me... cards for Nut Goodie Bars ( cause I can't get them here!)

I think people appreciate our cards more than we know. Many people tell me they save them. Some save for awhile and if they toss them after awhile I don't mind.

I do some swaps - but now it's more of the one on one swap or a Birthday club type deal. My other big thing is I try and send out Happy Mail cards to all my family. I think people like getting a surprise in the mail! To help me in that I am taking a class this year that's kind of fun - it's kind of geared towards letter writing but she has good ideas and fun dates/holidays etc. she's going to do it next year too.http://lovejac.teachable.com/

I think teachers might like packs of cards as a gift too. I'm sure there are more donation places, so I'm going to research that some more!

I say send them anyway. Once they are out of your hands, it is out of your control. The point is you send a card, your stash depletes. Win, win.

I believe Card Maker magazine always has a cause/group to send cards to.

What about nursing homes / assisted living places, etc.?

Great ideas, ladies! I'll be checking out those links. I did give a pack of cards to a teacher as a gift one time, but it's so hard to know whether or not they're the type to send cards, and our PTO actually goes so far as to suggest that we give teachers gift cards to restaurants or coffee shops. I think the teachers all do a big gift card swap after the holidays so they can all swap for their favorites. So much for "the thought that counts".

In our Las Alegras Community that I live in (86 homes) we get a monthly calendar and most everyone participates in exchanging cards for birthday, anniversary, sympathy etc. That's where I use most of my cards. When Rod passed away I received over 50 sympathy cards from the community alone. It's a great group of people who live here.

Nancy thanks, that is a great link and just what I've been looking for to replace OWH.

Back with questions for Nancy...

I just looked at Love Jac and I am intrigued though there isn't a ton of info on what you're getting each month other than a few videos. Have you found it keeps you organized and prepared to have cards ready and to actually send out on time? That is where I really fail. I so agree with you about sending out happy mail. It can make someone's day just to get a handmade card with a brief sentiment. My mom was wonderful about letter writing to everyone she ever met plus some she hadn't. They were always appreciated. I doubt I will ever reach her degree of writing letters and that's fine. I only have so much time, LOL. But I do get frustrated with myself for not being more on top of USING my cards.


See Julie what you started!

Yes, it's all Julie's fault!

So for the class there are new lessons each month which include:
3-4 short videos
A worksheet to download/print each month (calendar with fun holidays noted, and an area to list cards to send etc. Also has a spot to note what you would want to remember for next year).

A new creative challenge each month. August was using washi tape to decorate envelopes. She walks you through making one herself in the video.

There is a group FB page, but I swear I'm the only one who actually posts my stuff each month. Sometimes others do, but not often. However I did win a nice prize package one month.

The January lesson is really about setting yourself up, gathering names/addresses. Making a master list. Planning ahead.

Here are a couple more ideas. I've read about the kids one. But just came across this other site. Going to do some more reading.

http://www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com


https://opgrat.wordpress.com/2013/07/12 ... -you-care/

Hey - I'll happily take the blame for this thread! Just look at all of the great links that are coming out of it! I hadn't heard of any of these things, so I really appreciate all of the suggestions. Keep them coming. I'm checking out all of it!

I do sell some at the market each Friday. In fact, I have one lady who buys 6 every time and gets a free one because I give away a free card if someone spends $10. She says she sends them all out every week, just loves to send handmade cards out. I also keep my mom and some of her friends in her retirement community supplied with cards, but even all of that hasn't made a big dent.

Thanks for all the links. After OWH quit, I called around local nursing homes and they weren't interested in card donations for their residents. I think they thought it was weird.

And, remember, instead of the Birthday Club here, we were going to send RAK cards when needed. I like it when someone suggests we send cards to a friend/relative they know who is in need of cheering up.

I thought teachers always needed thank you cards but maybe that custom is long gone.

I think you touched on my point Marianne - I think people either really love the idea of handmade cards, or they think it's weird. I don't think there's a whole lot of in-between.

I'm going to pack up some cards and send them to the place Nancy posted. That will cut down on some of my stash and give me some room to create more.