Managing March Maddness

Does your desk or table look like this one?

 Well, this isn't my desk but I'd be happy if my desk only looked half this good! What was the phrase I read the other day---oh yes, " Soooo many cards to make and sooooo little time!" Oh my! How very true that is.

 

We seem to have a card making crunch in March... who knew?
 In this month we have some holiday deadlines: St. Patrick's Day and Easter. We have our OWH  Operation Write Home www.operationwritehome.org)  deadline for Mother's Day cards due by the end of March. In addition to those I have some personal deadlines for birthdays and so forth...there are other community events, spring school events, gardening events, all to do as well.

 With this said, how can we keep the maddness of March  or for that matter any other month from taking over our lives and feeling overwhelmed?
 

One Giant step toward sanity is going on-line and view various card ideas and  tutorials:

Let me  tell you that the OWH website has many good ideas for us, so let me refer you to their website for some organizational tutorials and how you might keep your supplies organized so they simply don't overwhelming you when you get busy like this. Sandy Allock (OWH and CEO) has more than ten ideas for organizing your supplies but I can share at least ten that helped me. Go to her website for more.
 

These are my top ten organizational cues:

1. Make sure  you go over your equipment and supply list. Some times the best way to begin is just to start fresh. Look into those cabinets and drawers and see what you have. Throw away anything broken, remove what is dried up, or otherwise unusable.
2.  Have a paper place-- one place for 81/2" x 11", as well as 12"x12" card stock. Look on Martha Steward's website organizational tips by Darci Miller. She posted a neat paper idea you can get at the local office supply.

3. I  keep this idea of a color wheel in mind when I organize the plain card stock and my scraps too. Keep -------------------------------------------------->
one of these in front of you for paper storage and design planning at all times, they are very helpful.

4. Collect all your dies in one place, paper punches for edges and shaped punches all in seperate bins.  Think of your design, then you can go the right bin to find the right tool. 

5. Clear flat pencil boxes help me find the right pair of scissors; straight cuts, or decorative edge cutters. I also use clear  boxes for different brands of inking pens.
There is nothing more distrubing than to reach for the exact color you need, only to use it and see the ink ran through the paper onto the inside of the card. To prevent that, store the pens in different marked boxes.
 

 6. I use clear large flat boxes ( at least 12"x12") to store certain holiday stamps and holiday papers such as, Christmas, Easter, Valentines, Spring, Fall, and other.

 Stamps that are more topically, like steampunk, vintage, or subjects I don't use them all the time are stores like this too.
 

7. The one thing I 'm still neglectful in doing, not very good at doing this, is labeling. Usually, that's the first thing most of you do. What can I say---label, label, label.  It really helps save time.   I have a sign saying, " Label, it's for your own good!" I should take my own advice.

8.Use a file folder for general colors of card stock scraps.( I usually toss them all in a little shoe box and then shuffle trying to find the small scrap of pink I need for the center of a flower.) By using this file folder scrap system and a color wheel, you might locate what your looking for sooner.
 

9.Keep projects and supplies together in a  plastic 12"x12" project box. This keeps glue at hand, the right glue for the right project make a difference.Gather your supplies accord ing to your designer information and you'll know where everthing is when your ready to pack up for the next card making party. 
 

10. When you are finished with the box, the bins, the file folder, pens and scissors---clear off your desk. Looking at a clean desk is inspriational if not divine.
 

 

 

"March is maddness"  around here, but with so many beautiful cards to make begin with your favorite website for inspiration. Select a new card plan or design format and then, get some  colors ready for your own interpretations. Go for it.

and as they say " I'm wishin' you good luck for this month of maddness !"  Happy Card Making---Gloria

 

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The Warm Winter Fuzzies

 This little bird reminds me of the warmth we find within the chill of the winter.

I find the picture gives me a sense of hope for spring. 

So get yourself a cup of hot chocolate or warm tea and get inspired for a New Year    ( 2012) of card making.
       I've been exploring beyond the card stamping supplies in our box stores with their generic papers, patterns and "embellies." Some of the trademark papers, Bo-Bunny and Graphic 45 ,may not be new to everyone, but they were new to me.  I was told about  Stampin' Up, their products and their home demonstrators from a friend. The catalogue and their supplies can be down loaded from their website. Click onto their web site and click "USA"--then, to see product--- next, click the page to find their 2011-2012 catalogue (www.stampinup.com) This will get you started. Also, I have explored the Archiver's website (www.archivers.com), they also  have a nice website with ideas and they also sell on-line products. These are just two great "go-to" places to learn some new card making skills.

                  I took some time off during the holidays, although I haven't stopped working on cards. I recently worked with a very young designer in the Sixth grade. Her name is Marie. She has a designer mind. Brilliant! Marie.  She did some outstanding card designs during her Christmas break.
          She helped me see with new eyes. Do you know what I mean... we begin to look at the same old projects in a new way and it gives us a new perspective. As we shared together,  I gave her some tips I've learned and she shared her ideas with me. Ooooh my... what I have learned from all of you is awesome. Working with Marie refreshed my desire to expand my skill level and include new techniques for the coming year.  Marie agreed, "change is good." I hope you like our suggestions for this New Year.

Here are a few variations to an old theme.

One idea we used was the idea of multiples.
#1--If one graphic element will work, why not try it in multiples. ( In this card we were inspired by the hearts in different colors.)

#2---Use different color schemes, in traditional and non-traditional patterns to give you a WOW! factor.It does bring your cards alive.

#3--- Use your scraps. Through a few of those cut pieces of paper, trim a different color, and begin to adhere them onto a card. "What's New?" is a way to use up the scraps and develop new ideas.

I've forgotten where I got this card pattern, but it is excellent to use your scraps of paper, left over embellies, gems, card stock and die-cuts. Use a different color theme ( that is: tans and browns,or black, greys and red). And I'm sure you have enough scraps to make this an awesome card.

#4---The one we all need to embrace everyday---get organized. Whether we organize ideas by the month, by project boxes, by color or in baskets. Get your ideas organized. For other ideas and trends, go to www.handmadebyJulie by the way, Julie has a card on her website that is shown on page 72 in the Stampin Up catalogue.
     For our group of Card Makin' Cuties, this year we've made our own calendar---so we can keep up with our card making ready at hand for Operation Write Home.( www.operationwritehome.org/stars and stripes). We plan our card making with the organized dates for shipping the cards to deployed troops. Our planning dates and projects reflect OWH timing.
             #5---Try a new style in your card making. Some times we get stuck on doing a card a certain way and never change our style. The new steampunk genre is new to me, but not vintage. I understood what it means to do a vintage design.

This is a vintage print called "Mrs. Winter"

The elements of design are fairly straight forward:  use of the vintage figure cut from a pattern or design, a tree stamped background, the use of a frame with the embellishment added to the left-top corner and the vintage figure added to the right-bottom corner of the card. The pop of red on this diagonal plane makes the subject even more dramatic, wouldn't you say? 

So what is "Steampunk?" Is it vintage? Or, a use for  old stuff  on card stock?  (I found these two designs to compare and contrast.) The stamp on the steampunk is the woman's face and the embellishment is the additional interests. Steampunk uses the gears, tones and metal effects in a 1890's idealized machine-run world. Tim Holtz is specializing his line of products to help card makers reproduce a feel for this style. While nothing will ever take the place of the old vintage prints on a hand made card... you can see there is room for all in this medium. If you want to look at more of Tim's products go to his web site. (www.timholtz.com)

                Well, I hope this sounds exciting to you. I enjoy our  visits so much and hope we can visit more often this year.

Please add your name to the follower's listing by clicking on the side bar to the right. If you are new at card making so are we... let us know if you have some  interests, hints or a special web site you follow. Have a Happy New Year and great carding!