Bearly Mama

Here's a brand new stamp from artist Sandra Caldwell of Babycakes DND on Etsy.  This new image is called Bearly Mama Day #1404.  I just love these cute bear stamps.  Check out this fun image and all the other brand new stamps today on her Etsy site.

Been packing up things, here's what has gone out in the mail already:

The following items went out on Thursday
Ktfitkitty, Glennis,  Birgitta, Marjeta  (item 1of 2), Kaye, Kaija,  Karin (item 1 of 2)
Lucie,  Jean M, Beverly, Shelley, Shell, DJ, Shannon, Sammi, Sue W

The following items went out on Friday
Papersmiles, Barbara, Robin,  Mel C, Stamp NK, Teresa G, Vicki, Marjeta (item 2of 2), Karin (item 2 of 2), Candy, Rhonda, Donna

Whew, that's 28 packages down....I have a huge set of packages that are all wrapped up now and have their labels on them so they will be going out tomorrow.

so yesterday I was asked a couple questions that I thought I would share as I am sure it's not just one person's curiosity (if you have a question, send it to me);

Hi Holley,
I am also a card maker and, as my cards seem to pile up faster than I send them out, I always wonder what others do with their completed cards? You posted one or two cards for every day in February, which really impressed me...and are often posting throughout the year. I would love to see more info on your blog about your process, how you color you digis and what you use for coloring. Also, do you donate your cards, or send them to family and friends? Do you sell them? Knowing a bit about the process makes seeing projects even more fun for me...and I might even pick up a tip or two. Thanks again for a fabulous February celebration...and hello to March!
Karen Ladd

Karen, I do a card everyday for my blog.  So at least 365 a year.  Now that's a LOT of cards.  Like you said, I also find I have cards piling up in my house faster than I can send them out (or go broke with postage doing so).  I do a combination of gifting cards to certain people, those who I know appreciate something handmade and will also USE the cards (as opposed to stockpiling them in their own home).  I also donate them to several places.  My primary location is the local church which I attend. We have a bazaar each year and I sell them there very inexpensively.  Most of my cards are created as part of a design team work and thus I received free papers, free stamps and other supplies to make them.  I am not trying to re-coup the money I spent on them.  I am just happy that they cards find a new home and the charity which the church is sponsoring gets some much needed financial assistance.

I don't sell, necessarily, but when I teach card-making classes I will take lots of sample cards with me that might sell.  When I say that I don't sell, what I mean is that I don't MAKE cards with the idea of selling.  That to me can take the fun away from making cards if I always have to keep in mind the idea "is this going to sell?" with every stamp I get, every supply I buy, every topic I enjoy, every embellishment I add on.  I want to make what I love, I don't want to make what I have to make that sells.  I have done it before, a museum wanted 10 copies of a set of seashell cards.  So 70 cards.  UGH, I wanted to poke my eyes out after that.  I hate making the same card over and over again.  So in short, I make what I love for pleasure first, not for what I think I can sell.  Just my own preference.

I use Copic Markers for coloring.  That's been my preference for the last 8 years or so.  I am an engineer by trade but I did take art in both high school and college.  I will have to set up a tutorial type project sometime to share more details on a project if that interests people.

Hope this answers your questions today

Cheers, Holley