My Stress-Free Spot: Happy World Card Making Day

Today is a holiday dedicated to us, people that like to make handmade cards and make them. This day is always celebrated on the first Saturday in October. I can't remember how long it has been since the first day it was celebrated but probably at least 10 years, time just fly on me :0) If I don't recall wrong it was Card Making Magazine either Paper Craft or CardMaker that were the magazines I used to get back then that came up with the celebration. For the businesses that remember the day some do sales but mostly they do events to work on cards and the most important those cards are to give away. Some even provide the supplies all you have to do is show up to have fun making cards and at the end of the day you have help piled a bunch of cards to send to a place that has either been designated from the beginning of after but they always go for a good cause.

A lot of card makers make cards and do give them away but there are much more that for one thing or another with all the supplies they have if they do make card their cards sit in boxes/drawers waiting for them to have time to mail to someone. Time, they have as we all have 5 minutes to send a card it's procrastination that wins, or maybe they don't want to spend on postage or I don't know their excuse but I think they rather do other things than find someone to send cards as there are plenty of people that would appreciate a handmade card :0)

I love to cheer people so one of my goals is always donating cards I have my favorite places to donate...due to my health haven't done much since my last box in August but I always look forward to filling my box and send to either the places that need cards all the time or try to find other places especially so I can donate ALL the different cards I make.

For the most part, the cards I make are intended as a general card that can be used for thinking of you, thank you, birthday or anniversary but sometimes I feel like doing something else and if I can't use them for my personal use they have to go somewhere as I don't want to just keep them so my donation box is their destination as long as it fits their needs...

I have two boxes one is kid friendly which is anything for kids up to 18 years old that doesn't have too many embellishments, glitter and get well messages that can be donated to Send A Smile 4 Kids. They have several volunteers in US and Canada that you can send cards to and as long as there are no holiday cards you can send anytime.

The other box is more general but mostly thank you & thinking of you. More adult friendly both men and women, anything goes else except get well cards. When this box is full, it goes to whoever needs from the normal places or if I found a new place.

CardMaker Magazine has a charity every two months but since I don't get their magazine anymore don't know how to check what they need :0( the other place I also check is Split Coast Stampers card for a cause to see if their charity of the month is not a picky organization. Yes, I don't like picky places. So as long as it meets my requirements I donate :0) I don't have many requirements...I just send blank cards...no personal messages of any kind and I do whatever size card I want after all I always include envelopes and hopefully having my stamp on back shouldn't matter as sometimes I forget and stamp on back as habit and there is no way I'm redoing a card just to take off my personal stamp :0)

Since my doctor is trying to make me quit card making I decided to stop holiday cards so I can continue donating cards, almost same effort but less stress :0) I just have to work on my box and fill as I can and mail when ready without worrying on a date like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's, Christmas, etc.

I also belong to some Yahoo groups which are international groups and they host one on one mingles (aka swaps) I try to participate as much as possible and all the cards I get after I get the idea the card goes to my donation box depending on which one it applies. If the card doesn't apply to either it goes to a third box that hopefully someday I will find a place to give for a good cause.

Enough blabbing :0) for today's share I have some cards that I made from the January 2016 Paper Pumpkin Cute Conversations, yes finally got to play with it. I decided to cancel my subscription for now so hopefully, I will catch up and finish all my boxes before I changed my mind to start getting it back :0)

The first card was done after I saw Patty Bennett's alternative ideas. I don't have SU's papers so had to work with what I had...the watermelon wonder edge was cut from the negative part of the papers where I cut off the hearts from, I used gorgeous grunge set with watermelon wonder and mint macaron inks for the background, the words stamped with tuxedo black are from the hello stamp set by Hero Arts, the banner was part of the kit, the enamel dots are by Recollections colored with Copic Marker

For this card, the idea came from Angela McKay. She used a different folder, embellishments, and heart size. The folder I use is love language by Cuttlebug, again the same enamel dots by Recollections, the heart was punched from the negative part with an EK Success punch, the twine was from stash as the one from kit was way too thick for a small bow :0) the message is from petite pairs stamp set by SU with tuxedo black ink

For this last card for now, the card layout was from Dawn Griffith can't remember the card fold name if it has one but is like a gatefold but the panels are short on both sides, then I used Rachel Tessman's idea of the mouse to put on my card. The message is from the brushed stamp set by Avery Elle stamped with London fog ink, Copic multi-liner for the eye and since you see both sides of the mouse when you open the card I decided to add the other eye to the mouse but the opposite...I made some as boy mouse and others girl mouse. At first it was just either boy or girl but since I could see most of the mouse inside decided to add the other eye and did the opposite on the inside :0)

This is the girl on the outside