But I have to share these with you because, dang, they make me happy!
First up, subtle Christmas.
How silvery and soft and white and pretty!!!! You know, looking at this now, I think the design and colors would make a lovely wedding card.
Supplies
stamps: Papertrey Silent Night, Winterberry
ink: Memories soft silver
paper: PTI white
accessories: flower punch, Icicle Stickles, tag punch, small circle punch, craft floss, dimensionals, corner rounder
Next up, colorful Christmas.
How festive and fun and pretty and colorful! This card screams Christmas.
Supplies as above, except
ink: Memento cottage green
paper: PTI white, SU real red
accessories: Gold Stickles
Now, think about it. To whom would you send each of these? The first might be more appropriate for someone whose Christmas is ambivalent...say, someone who lost a loved one recently or is struggling through a tough time in life. It's serene, soft, pretty, and the sentiment isn't in-your-face BE MERRY, but it acknowledges the holiday and lets them know you're thinking of them.
The second card is more appropriate for people who are happy it's Christmas. It's a bit formal, so you might send it to someone whose personal style is elegant. I wouldn't send this to my friend Rhonda, for example, because she would enjoy a House-Mouse-stamped card more.
Of course, most people can't make individualized Christmas cards for everyone on their list. But sometimes, cards just beg to be sent to a particular person. I have specific people in mind for these two cards.
How much customizing do you do for Christmas? How many cards to you expect to make this year? Have you started yet?
Inquiring minds, and all that....
Love both your cards, Susan. I especially like the first card just for the occasion you mentioned. I agree it is not "screaming Christmas" and would be appropriate for that special person. I make about 120 cards and probably have 12 to 15 designs. I try to make all sorts of designs -- formal, elegant, CAS, cute, etc. although I am not good at funny. I also make some Warm Winter Wishes cards to send to those who do not celebrate Christmas. When I address my Christmas cards I try to select just the right one for the person. Who knows though. I don't know how successful I am at it.
ReplyDeleteLove both these cards. Elegant and the little pop of color is just perfect.
ReplyDeleteMyrna
Gorgeous! I love both versions! You're reminding me that I need to start thinking about the end of the school year (November) and Christmas! Last year I THOUGHT I was organised and most people missed out on receiving cards from me! LOL!
ReplyDeleteLove them both!!! I make 30+ cards for the office- all the same, each year choosing a picture my boss has taken. Sometimes the picture is used, 'as is'..the Macy's cross atop their store, a mountain with snow. This year I've used colorful pictures..tulip fields,fallen leaves, fall trees, and used dies to cut them into ornaments that will hang from a fir branch. then I have my own cards...25-30, usually several different styles since my family and friends are all different styles! Have started on the office cards...this is the earliest yet!
ReplyDeleteLu C
Funny, Susan, as soon as I scrolled to your lovely first card, I thought the same thing about using it as a wedding card. It's so elegant.
ReplyDeleteThe colored Christmas card is IT for me! Or a mouse. I like a Christmas mouse, too. Or a moose ...
Both cards are lovely and elegant. That first one could definitely work for a wedding card. I made my first Christmas card yesterday for a challenge, but otherwise I'm not in Christmas mode yet. Mine are randomly created in that there is no theme (apart from Christmas!). CAS, fussy, funny, elegant, monochrome, colourful, I do the lot. Not on the same card. And special effort for the special people in my life.
ReplyDeleteBoth of your cards are nice. I like the first one because it is simply sophisticated. The second one is elegant and the color adds the "merry." :) I only mail or give out about 15 Christmas cards. I participate in challenges and pick and choose which cards I give to who (or is it whom; I always get that wrong.) I do personalize Christmas cards for my parents and a couple of friends. I make them a week before I send them, usually mid-Dec. In mid January, I send out about 20 winter cards. I started doing that several yrs ago because I thought it would be fun to receive an unexpected, "after-the-holiday-rush" card. My favorite season is fall and my favorite holiday is Halloween. I personalize all 25 Halloween cards that I mail or give out. Just this week, I started designing my fall cards and will start crafting them next week. I have one store order for fall cards, and one store order for fall and winter cards. So those all have to be made, as well. You never mentioned how much customizing you do for Christmas, nor how many cards you expect to make this year. Do tell.
ReplyDeleteGabby, you're right! I didn't say. I make 200+ Christmas cards and send about 120. The rest go to the troops.
ReplyDeleteAs far as customizing, I try to use all my many Christmas stamps every year, so I make cards and then decide who gets which. Occasionally, though, in December, I won't have "the perfect card" for extra-special people like my mom or in-laws, so I'll make cards specifically for them.
Thanks for making both - when I saw the first one, I was thinking that I wouldn't have been able to resist making the poinsettias red, but then you did it. Equally beautiful, but evoking completely different feelings!
ReplyDeleteI try to keep up with my personal Christmas and my Church Christmas (150 cards, 10 each of 15 designs) throughout the year (I should do some today!) but I still end up with a good chunk of them to do in November/December!
Both are beautiful but I definitely thought "wedding" when I saw the first one, and then was glad to see you did it again in Christmas colours (I'm quite a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas colours!).
ReplyDeleteI get my Christmas cards made throughout the year - I do 6 different designs a month to post in the SCS Christmas Card Challenge, and then make some duplicates. I need about 60 cards for myself, then my Mum and sister each buy 20 cards from me, and then in November I'm having an open house where I'll sell cards and shortbread cookies to raise money for the therapeutic horse riding program I volunteer with - lots of those cards will have horses or stars (the acronym for the program is STaRS) on them. So far I only have one Christmas horse stamp, but I just found another so I'm pretty excited!
As for customizing - I do some of that. For example, my sister is a real minimalist so I make a very simple card to send to her. Whereas my Mum loves birds and pretty dp so hers always has some layers and a bird image. My best friend loves blue and peace doves. In other words, if I have a good idea of what would appeal to someone, I customize it.
The cards are beautiful, and I am so glad you showed both color schemes.
ReplyDeleteLast winter I bought a fat quarter of a beautiful piece of winter fabric with tiny cardinals on it. Then I found a digital stamp of a birdhouse all decorated for Christmas. I scanned the fabric onto cardstock for the background, and then added the cut out birdhouse. The birdhouse has "lights" and icy eaves thanks to sparkly glitter glue.
Since I don't sell cards, I don't think I would be infringing on the copyright of the fabric company. I got lots of positive comments on the cards and I love them!
Love them both! I customize a few cards for special family and friends who appreciate hand made cards and the rest get a "mass produced" card which won't break my heart when I think of them round filing it!
ReplyDeleteYour cards are so lovely! I love silver and white on white, but I also really like the more colorful one. As you said, each has a different feel and fits a different situation or personality.
ReplyDeleteAs for Christmas cards, I don't know how many I'll make. Last year I didn't get any made but hope to do better this year. I don't do individual cards for different people. Not that any friends or relatives would be comparing the cards they received from me, but I just prefer to keep everyone's Christmas cards the same so no one could say I made a better card for someone else. I save the individuality for birthday cards and other specific occasion cards. I do think about starting a blog, though and if I ever do that, I know I'd be making more cards and they would have to all be different so I'd have enough to share on a blog. But, that will probably never happen anyway.
Oh Please, Susan!!!! Haven't had a summer holiday yet LOL.
ReplyDeleteSeriously they are both utterly stunning. I love the first one...love the second one too and they are both elegant.....I would send this card to everyone..cute is not for me
I just so love your style. As I was strolling through your blog I found this one. Oh my that is gorgeous. I had to pin it to my board -
ReplyDeletehttp://pinterest.com/carole_sweeney1/cards-i-want-to-recreate/
Thanks for the inspiration:)