This time of year I'm the best at confusing my children over which holiday comes first over the next few months. I start stamping Fall, Halloween, Christmas, Winter, and Valentines Day all at the same time. I also work on Home Decor items for the different holidays so they tend to be totally confused. Can you relate to this?
Today I thought I would have a Holiday Mix Up here. I've been showing you Fall and Halloween, it's time to open the Christmas vault. If you are like me and you hand stamp your Christmas cards you should by now have at least an idea of WHAT you would like to stamp. Make a plan and figure out how many you need. If you can pick ONE day per week from now until the first week of December to work on your cards you will save yourself from PSS. PSS in the stamping community means Procrastination Stamping Syndrome. I've had it for 8 years. I am the girl who starts *thinking* about her Christmas Card design around the second week of December. I stamp them all the way up to Christmas. They are sent out around January 1st or so. PLEASE someone tell me YOU have this syndrome! Surely I'm not the only one? I am bound to STOP PSS and show my family I can be a good stamping girl and get my Christmas cards out on time. Possibly with a picture of my kids too. YEAH!!
Here is my first Christmas card design of the year and it's more of a Winter card than Christmas. Give me a few props… I'm trying. *Hee Hee*
Holy Cow! I love these felt little Snowflakes. Here is what I did:
This card started off simple and then became over the top. I pulled out my sewing machine and sewed all the Snowflakes onto the Pool Party cardstock. I took the prongs off of each of the Antique Brads and hot glued them onto the snowflakes. I wrapped and tied a bow with Whisper White ribbon around the bottom of the Pool Party. I then used a sentiment "Let it Snow" from the Punch Pals stamp set. I mounted this onto Night of Navy Cardstock. My card base is Pool Party cardstock again. On the front of the card I used the Delicate Doilies stamp set with Whisper White Craft ink. I mounted Night of Navy cardstock onto my card base using dimensionals. I used my favorite Spritzer Tool that every stamper should have with a Soft Suede marker. I lightly sponged around the entire card using Soft Suede ink. Lastly, I used my Crystal Effects and Mica Flakes very lightly around the Felt Snowflakes.
It may be a little over the top and I may not make 100 of them, but someone will be receiving this card! It could be YOU! This card could even tip the scales over 5lb's in wt. *hee hee*
Here's how:
I want to know when YOU start making your Christmas/Holiday Cards and HOW MANY do you make? Leave your comment by Sunday, September 11th Midnight EST. I'll be choosing a name using the Random Number Generator thingy. I'll mail this card along with another on the following Tuesday!
Hope your day is FABULOUS!
XOXOXO
60 thoughts on “Holiday Mix Up & PSS!”
Hey Kimberly,
Not sure I would want to make 100 of those either its a beauty and your attention to detail is AMAZING!!! But I can only imagine how much time went into just the ONE card let alone 100!
I usually make 100 cards also and I try to start them in November. That way by mid December they can be in the mail. Well, thats the plan atleast! 😉
Sabriena
I ususally send out about 100 or so, I have gotten better since I do SAS, but I have some from a couple of years ago that are sealed and never got sent… go figure! Good luck with your decision… so many goodies.. so many stamps , so much paper… eck so little time!
I start right after Halloween. I make a variety of cards–such as 10 of one kind before I get bored and move on to another. I usually design 3 to 5 designs. I try to make about 60 mass cards and about 15 special one of a kind cards for my special friends.
Your card is adorable. Looking forward to seeing more of your holiday items.
I LOVE this card and sometimes i don't get mine done in time. Howerver I make 150 for the elderly in the city I work in as so many of those folks are neglected and I feel for them. So I hand make the cards and hand write in each one wishing them a happy holiday and sign them but just with my innitials as I have no clue who they are either. This is the third year i've done it. My Nana was in a home in Mass (before she passed at 103) and I know that some of those people are also ignored so I still send cards to the home but only 35 residents, They still don't know it's me and that is fine, it makes me happy…….as for family and friends, they get started after the others but I try to get them ready to mail the day after thanksgiving….we will see how it goes this year.
You know "I" would be MORE THAN HONORED to own this card! LOVE IT!
This card is beautiful!! I usually send out about 100 cards as well, an last year I did MDS. Thinking I will do that this year, too. Although, I do hand stamp about 20 for family and friends.
One year, while I was frantically trying to finish my Christmas cards and get them in the mail, my husband said to me "You do realize that Christmas comes at the same time every year?" Thanks honey. So helpful!
Last year I created my own photo card in My Digital Studio and cards were in the mail the first week of December!
LOVE this card, so pretty yet simple…each year i try to get about 150 cards doen just for family…(Both my parents come from big families), and another 75 or so for the seniours home. It is truly a gift of ones heart to give hand made cards i think.
Absolutely beautiful! I USUALLY start my cards the day after Thanksgiving because I only make about 50 of them. Last year my poor husband was put to work dabbing champagne mist shimmer paint on all our cards on December 12th. Hee-hee! This year I am a *bit* ahead of the game and have already made a few.
Kimberly, I love it! I start my card prototype in October and start working on them in November. I send out around 60 cards.
Your card is beautiful. I wish I did not suffer from PSS either, but there it is from a fellow sufferer. Each year I promise to do better. But alas….smile. Thank you for your work. I am inspired.
Hi Kimberly!!
What a beautiful card! I adore all the little details! You are so creative!
I start thinking of my Christmas cards during the Christmas before they go out! I know…that's crazy!! But, I want them to be completely different from the year before. Last years cards were "ornaments", this year they will be easels. They always have a picture of our boys (now 2 and 4). I do however, wait until the Holiday Mini comes out for the rest! I try to get them in the mail on December 1st…or close to it. I will have 75 to make. 🙂
Thank you for sharing your creations!!
I start making Christmas Cards in January. Crazy huh? Well I do 10 cards a month until December then I have 100+ cards to mail. Of course before being organized I used to do the cards in December and i would totally freak out since I didn't have them in the mail yet.
Hey Girlie! Well, since I know I should be getting one in the mail (smile:) you don't have to enter me in the draw!!! I am with you on the PSS!!! I told all my peeps last year that they would just get two this year….oops:) I'll do my best to get one done ON TIME:) Hope you're doing well:) Miss you!!!
Hi Kimberly,
Love that card! The details are simply amazing. I usually do about 50 cards and often start in August or September. I also make my mom's cards and she sends out about 100. This year, I'm have a tiny bit of PSS and only a vague idea of what I want to do. My mom's cards are almost done though.
Maybe you can get the kids to help this year. Set up a little assembly line! Bet they'd be great!
Linda
I stamp 80 Christmas cards each year. I tend to start "thinking" about what stamp set I'm going to use once the Holiday Mini comes out so that I can compare those holiday stamps to the ones in the IB&C. By early November I'll settle on the stamps and begin to think about the design. In late November I order the rest of my supplies: cardstock, ribbon, etc. Then I actually begin to stamp and assemble my cards the first or second week of December.
What a beautiful card! I love the brown sponging on Pool Party – very unique but I love the look of it. I too suffer from PSS and don't usually start my cards until the 1st or 2nd week of Dec. But I only make around 40 so it's not so bad.
Thanks for sharing your creativity,
Mary
I start making my cards now (September)!! I usually make about 60 and about 5 designs. Sometimes I sell some cards at my sister-in-laws coffee shop. Last year I made 100 cards for selling plus 60 for me!! Whew, that was a lot of cards!
Oh gosh, I would love to have one of your cards. I usually start my Christmas cards in September or October and I make around 50-60. One thing different this year, though, is that I already know what I want to make and I knew last year (while making last year's Christmas cards). That's half the challenge….figuring out what you want to do. Your cards are beautiful and I love your stories. Hope your son's iPod is okay!
I am starting soon as well. I usually do about 80 cards. Shamefully I admit that I always have a box of store-bought cards on hand – just in case!
This is a beautiful card. The only reason I wouldn't neccessarily send these to everyone is the cost of the snowflakes! But what the heck – it's Christmas!
Thank you as always for sharing your talents and your life with us!
Your card is fabulous. I'd love to receive it. I make about 70 cards, and I start around the first of October. Most of my cards are for locals, but I have relatives in Oregon, Kentucky and New York. Theirs are not so detailed beause of the mailing.
Babe
youiesmom@att.net
My Christmas cards do get sent out before Christmas. I make a bunch of samples for workshops and use those and put together all the extras I cut for make 'n takes. So I start in September and I don't have PSS–I just don't do a "special" one each year. My husband is in charge of the Christmas letter and I just add a note to the bottom as I go through my address book!!! I've lived too long to stress–so I make it easy on myself! I have no idea how many it works out to each year–I don't count and I send them out in batches over a few days in December. Like I said–I refuse to stress. And I really don't want to know the postage total either! 😉
Oh, do I ever have PSS! A few of the past years I had it so bad no one received a card! I even looked at the cards on sale in the store! (gasp!) Not this year! Today was my day and I got 4 of my 100+ cards made! Yipee! Oh, and what could be better than to receive one of your cards! Nothing I can think of (except maybe your prince coming home early :).
Keep them coming! Maybe we'll all get our cards done on time with your inspiration!
I LOVE your little stories. You can make the most common thing sound so much fun.
This card is beautiful. LOVE the color. Plus those antique brads have been my favorite since they came out and still remain top of my list.
I usually start stamping Christmas cards in October and do about 80. I try to mail mine out right after Thanksgiving. Last year did not go so well but I already have most all of my product and will be starting soon.
Well…my hubby likes to make photo cards and send them out. But first, he insists that we find snow to take a picture with! Long story short, we compromised last year and I made 100 paper cards for him to put a photo of our family in. Um… I sent mine out, and the other 75 are relaxing in the box I put them in last year! LOL!
This year…I'm making them, but I don't know what they will look like. I'll take his list and address the envies so all he has to do is write the notes he likes to write in each one! Teamwork!
Love your cards and your stories! Keep 'em coming!
Hi, Kimberly. First, I LOVE reading your postings! I have Christmas stamp-a-stacks starting in July and ending in November. Everybody makes five of the same card each month. Every year, I say "I'm going to make mine while everybody makes theirs." Somehow, I alway fall behind and end up finishing mine around December 20–and that's only sending out about 35!
I normally start mine mid October and I send out 60-75. Haven't even started thinking about mine yet but I better get on the ball. Thanks
Pfffff…I really, earnestly tried about 8 years in a row to make Christmas cards and I think the closest I got to mailing them before Cmas was one year when I mailed them on the 24th!
I LOVE to design cards, and will make them onesey-twosey and hand them to certain special people in person, but I don't keep track from year to year how many I've done. I almost think I should give up and just send Valentine's cards, but I have a billion Christmas stamp sets because I just love them so much!!! So, this year I think I'm going to try to get them done by maybe December 8th (that's 90 days from now, I'm telling myself out loud). I end up making 35-50 cards, usually, when I mail them. I get terribly bored doing multiples, though, so there will be a handful of unique froo-froo ones, and then smaller multiples of 3-5 more designs that aren't quite so involved.
BTW, those antique brads are FABULOUS on this card. I keep forgetting to order them because I keep thinking I ordered them the last time. How silly am I?? Lol.
You are just too funny! This is a lovely card, and I'd be very grateful if it came to live with me. I make about 30 cards for church people and have that card mostly designed. It will have embossing so I'll do that all in one sitting. Then I'll need about 30 more to send to others that will be random ones that I make as I see a design I like. So far, none have actually been made, but I am doing some sketching and looking at stamps. That's a start!
I started making mine in July! We send out between 200-250 each year! We include a family update & photo…it use to be a real photo but to save money it is printed on the letter now & it saves w/the weight of the card as well! My goal is to have my cards mailed the first week of December – 12/1 would be my first choice!!
The card you designed is so pretty; I love the brown shading on the pool CS!
well I usually start thinking of what I want to do early. but then I don't get started so I end up deciding how many I need to do which means the special people only and do those and then send the rest whether homemade or not as I get some through the mail. that way I send to who sends to me except the older people and shut ins. Linda Gerig
I hope it's lucky #31!! I would *love* to have a Kimberly card!!! If I'm being *real* good, I start mid-November…usually on a fall road trip. I have two ideas in my head so I feel like I'm aleady ahead of the game…hehe! I make about 80, but end up wishing I'd made more. LOVE your card today!
Wow! What a beauty! I have made Christmas cards for family and friends for the past five years. I make about 40 of them, usually the same design. This year I mixed it up with several different cards. My cards were started and finished in September.
Well… reading that many people make 100 or more cards, not so sure I should even admit my degree of PSS…..I don't make that many cards, 25+. But I usually make only one of each., which I realize takes much more time..so may have to work on that this year. I may start to "think" about some ideas now but the actual doing not likely until December, and then hope to get them done and mailed at least by Jan 1st, ha, ha. Who knows… maybe this year will be better 🙂 and at least I'm not the only one ???> Love your card Kimberly, love your work and blog and you're doing so great at the most important job.. being a mom… Blessings to you, your beautiful children and your prince.
Kimberly, that is the cutest, sweetest Christmas card. Love it…. I usually start when I have my classes each month right after the new catalog comes out. Probably make 100 cards or more. I love doing different ones, because I love all the sets.
Love reading all your stuff. Such a beautiful family.
I always "plan" on making over 50 cards, then PSS sets in and its usually around 25 cards-late into trhe night, two days before the 25th!!!! Argh!
I so relate to you and I think this card is fabulous! Love it love it!
All these posts in a row – what a treat! It so much easier for me to stalk you effectively when you are posting regularly!
As a fellow demo I start Christmas in July (or June if the cutest snowman ever is part of the pre-order!) so although I have good intentions by the time Christmas actually gets here – I am sooo tired of it that I never actually send any. I make lots though! Love those stitched felt elements — crossing my fingers for the win!
Your card is soo pretty!! Love the soft blue and distressing. I TRY to make my own cards sometime in Nov… and send them out.. but am usually doing last min classes and projects or something else in "life" gets in the way..:) I'm sure you know how that is being a military wife!! I was one too!
I normally make around 100 cards, my record is 450 (for charity) and I was fed up with Christmas by the time it arrived!
Love your card, the details are gorgeous.
Most of the time I'm late too! But on "good" years…..I start making them beginning of November, and usually make about 50 of them. The very first year, all 50 of them were the same, and it was kind of boring at the end. Now I usually have 3 or 4 different steches.
Beautiful card!
i know i have the pss. maybe worse than that. is it wrong that i still have a drawer of last years christmas cards, that i never sent because i lagged on getting the correct addresses? they are signed and sealed and all that is missing is the correct street or zip code. yeah…that's pretty bad. i end up making my own cards the week of christmas because i usually do a holiday show and do those things first and run out of time for my own cards. maybe i send 60 or so….well maybe its more like 40…considering the stack left unsent. thanks for the reminder to start early. hopefully i can get my butt in gear this year. i doubt it. 🙂 love your card!
BEAUTIFUL…..
I laughed about the last minute mailing because I take my children's photo during our August vacation; they decide in October that the dog "must" be included & a new photo is required. Then I order the supplies (yeah, did that last week from holiday mini), stamp at sporting events, cut paper at other practices they attend, address envelopes while waiting in school pick-up lines, assemble into the wee hours and still miss a few people in the mailing. Every year I swear I will NOT be the "card lady" encouraging people to come craft with me & then have my cards go out late! Here's to doing that in 2011. Love your card…..
well its different every year. i'm not talking about my intentions (i intend to start around october) BUT then of course what usually happens is i end up in panic stamping mode and start roughly the begininng of december when they start coming in the mail to us. after stamping a few, they trickle out to my mailbox until i get them all finished.
not only another post in a row … but a project you are gifting!!! your card is gorgeous!! 🙂
For the last two Christmases, I've wanted to make this one card and I've never been able to accomplish it until this year. This card has some complexity to it and when December came last year, I just made a real simple card to send out. But … I already have my cards done! I got them done in May. I just need to attach a picture of my kids and I'll be ready to mail 40 of them when December 1 rolls around. I'm soooo excited.
Your card and all your work is beautiful.
Your card is just beautiful but way too detailed for the 100 or so I make each year. I've got my stamp set and colors and am playing with the layout now (all are the same design). My goal each year is to get them out in early December but am not above having my husband help me finish up a couple of days before Christmas.
Every year is different. Usually I do cards only for family – that means brother, mom and dad, and each of my kids, a couple of good friends, then have to do one each for my director and manager at work, then I do some kind of ornament which I attach a picture of my kids to, and that goes to the whole family .. so I do maybe 10 of those plus 10 'specialty' cards. Last year I ended up doing my immediate family's cards on Dec 26th!! I suffer badly from PSS and I need a cure! I swear every year I'm going to be relaxing in December but it hasn't happened yet! LOVE your card too and anyone who receives it is one lucky person!
Hi Kimberly, I absolutely love this card! This is my first comment, but I have been following your blog for a long time and you have really inspired me. I love your style! I am planning on starting my Christmas cards at a 12 hr. crop that I signed up for next month. It's the only way they are going to get done in time for mailing before Christmas.
LOVE< LOVE your style! I plan to around 100 this year…and probably won't start until December 15 or so…my usual mode of operation! ha!
I too suffer from this disease for tooooooooo many years, especially now that I also prepare and send my parents' 100 Christmas cards. (thankfully they are still married or the quantity would be doubled! LOL) I love my friends, etc. and I found myself shorting them and myself each year at Christmas. GUILT! Finally a several years ago, I changed the situation for the good. Since my parents are more bound to tradition than me and my friends, my solution is the following: I create Thanksgiving cards ("I am thankful for your friendship . . .") and send them instead of Chrsitmas cards. People don't get many cards that time of year ,and so each one received is memorable. If realllllllly desperate, I use the "Happy New Years" cards I purchased and had engraved. Yup, had to use them a couple of years!!!
I love this card, very beautiful!
I have a mailing list of about 30 people that we do not get to see over the Holidays….
My PSS problem is that I get into the spirit early and make my cards in September, then I put them away and forget about sending them out! I have 3-4 years worth of cards made, sealed in envelopes, and addressed, waiting to be sent out. This year I'm going to open the envelopes and pick my favs to send out, and then donate the rest to the nursing home near our house so the folks there can send them to their families. Instead of signing the actual cards, I usually print greeting squares on white cardstock and sign those before inserting in each card, that way the recipient can reuse the card if they want to. So, for any I don't use this year, all I'll have to do is remove those inserts and re-envelope the cards before taking to the nursing home. That's the plan, anyways!
Hi Kimberley! Beautiful card!!! I too suffer from PSS and, like you, am determined to make and actually send out my Christmas cards on time this year…wish me luck!!!
Hi Kimberly, I also suffer from PSS. Every year I select Red for my cards, so that I can keep making cards through January (Cherry colors for Washington's birthday), February (Valentines day), and so on clear through June (Flag day). As a result the count varies greatly!
Won't they be surprised when I follow your good advice and follow your plan , and mail the cards in December!
Love that card!
I usually make 35-60. It becomes more every year too! I love the new felt pieces! The mittens are my favorite! I love your creations! Thanks for all your inspiration!!
Hi Kimberley, this is a beautiful card! It would be quite the feat to make a large multiple of this lovely design!
I normally make about 75-100 cards between work, friends, family and neighbors. Some years I have started in September but last year I think it was early November and it was a race to get them done!! I hope to be more organized and timely this year!! Sure, we'll see! ; – )
Thanks for sharing!
I usually start in July and then when December comes I get frustrated because I didn't get done and I end up not sending them out. This year….my birthday month is September so I am ordering the stamps and going to do what you suggest….designate a day and stamp as many as I can up until the first week in December….I am determined to get them out this year! Thanks Kiimberly!!
My name is Lorena and I'm definitely a PSSer! like you and many other stampers, I get bored doing the same card. My solution is to do as many cards as I can stand it from the same design and then I start a new one. This of course takes time and since I never know what I'm going to make until December is actually here, I don't really get to do that many. I also make (yes, you read this correctly, I MAKE) my husband address them as I continue to do them. He uses our address book beginning with the letter A, and every year we make it to about the middle of the alphabet. If Christmas seems to be getting close (like the week of) I just start picking the names in the address book that MUST get a card from us, skipping names, which it never turns out to be a good idea, since I have relatives and friends that compare the cards they get (or not) from me….. not good. So determined to not have the same debacle, every year I start with the best intentions, however when I least expect it, PSS strikes again 🙁 arghhh!!!
Thanks Kimberly for sharing your work, you truly inspire me. Blessings to you and your family!
I start in the fall. I try to find about 5 or 6 different stamp sets that I want to use. I make around 125 – 150. I do about 20 of each design. I don't usually get them finished till a few days before Christmas. I figure most of my friends don't have time to read them till after Christmas day. My husband always does the newsletter that goes inside. Last yr was the 1st time I did it because he was deployed. He does a much better job with the photos and layout. He has a great sense of humor too! I always say I'm going to have them done sooner, but at least they get them! This yr I'm trying to have cards made for the troops at my husband's camp. Guess I had better make the simpler this yr and get moving!! Always love your ideas, Kimberly. Thanks for sharing!!
I totally suffer from PSS. Usually start making cards late November and have a great run, then get bored and leave the last few, most important individual cards until they really do end up getting given or posted too late.
You are not alone x
I usually start my cards now so I can take my time and enjoy the process. I only make about 30 cards, but it takes me until Thanksgiving to finish them! I'm a slow stamper.:)
WOW! What a beautiful card!! Love,Love it!! I usually start making my holiday cards starting in October. And it takes me until a week or two before Christmas to finish them. Thank you for the chance to win!!
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