General Chat

I usually make about 50 Christmas cards and have just started this years batch. When i first started making them not many people did it and it was difficult to get trimmings, card blanks etc. Now they are everywhere and we are spoilt for choice. The problem is, where and how do you store all your bits and pieces. I have just retrieved mine from various drawers, boxes etc and I am snowed under. Any good ideas on storage. Ann Glos

i dont but my mum does she has a fileing cabinet for all her bits/bob's she keep's it in her dinning room

My mum runs a sideline making handmade cards/wedding invites etc. She picks up cheap tool boxes in homebase for her fiddly bits - not the big one for hammers and drills but the ones with little drawers for screws etc. She sticks on the front of the drawer whats inside so it looks quite pretty Big gardening places sometimes stock seed holders which are along the same lines

Is it not possible to load all your gear onto the puter Anne,and then use it ,and your scanner and printer to make the cards,that way there will be no bits and pieces to store.Fred.ptfg.

Fred, I do use the computer to make cards from photos, but a lot of them are made with bits and pieces that are stuck on. Thanks for all your suggestions, I think I need another 'office'. i use one of the spare bedrooms and, of course, most of the filing space is taken up with Family research. I do have several drawers devoted to craft but I think I need a few of the boxes people have suggested. it is only this time of year i get swamped, the rest of the year it is mostly birthday cards. I would be interested to know what sort of cards people make. I use a lot of photos, outline stickers, craft paper, sometimes I use stamps but that is not my favourite medium. I have a friend who paints her cards, but then she is clever. Ann glos Ann Glos

Started mine a month ago. I have a large box with all the sewing equipment in - threads and material, and the xmas patterns. The I have a draw unit for other bits and pieces, including card blanks. Rebecca

Lakeland Limited have lots of useful storage ideas. Try their online site. nell

I, like Jean, have also plastic chest of drawers on wheels. Actually I have two - one on top of the other. I have coloured card, also specially cut-out cards, coloured envelopes in various sizes, 3D pictures, ribbons, beads, various rolls of double-sided tape, glue, numerous pairs of scissors, knives, rulers, stickers in all colours. I have another set of plastic boxes on wheels with all my cross stitch work in it. I've finished my Xmas cards - 87 in all. Sylvia xxx

Whilst all the card makers are on one thread.... Has anyone done any embossing at all? I was thinking of getting my mum an embossing kit for christmas and I just wondered how complex it is and whether the resulst are worth the cost Zoe

Zoe I have embossed stamped cards. I don't think she would find it too difficult as she already makes cards. What does the set consist of? i think you need a heat source to melt the embossing powder. Nell I have got some lovely bits and pieces from lakeland, bought when we were in the Lake District in June. they have a really good selection now, although not as good as Hobbeycraft if you have one in your area. I prefer to look at things before I buy so tend not to buy on line. Ann Glos

Its the beginners embossing kit from lakeland I was thinking of. Just so she can get a taste for it. I was hoping it could be done with a hairdryer tho as spending 20 quid to find out she doesnt like it would be a waste Zoe

Hello, my friend Donna is right! What a good idea to start this thread, it seems there are quite a few of us on here. I have ME and manage to work part-time but that's it so I wanted to do something 'arty' from home. First of all I got an A level in interior design which I really loved doing, then I moved onto making cards. I get a lot of stuff from Lakeland - if you look at their website they have a much bigger range than in their catalogue. In fact, I found they had a better range than my local hobbycraft (depends where you are I suppose!). I noticed this week that they have loads of lovely Christmas stuff in. In the 'girls' section of the Argos catalogue, I got a nice set of two mini drawers (£9.99) and they take quite a few small bits and pieces. I've also got a few small nice storage boxes from Ikea. I got a nice little lidded tray from Lakeland that has very small compartments, ideal for beads etc. I do a bit of glass painting and quilling as well; I've got an embossing kit that you do with a stencil and tool, but I've wondered about getting the starter kit from Lakeland. They reckon it's easy so maybe I will put it on my Christmas list too! Oh, by the way, another card maker is Maisie from Wales. It would be nice if we kept this thread to swop notes and ideas! Mandy :)

Mandy Do you sell your cards? I mostly do mine for my own pleasure and use but my daughter has sold them in the past by taking a stall at a school fair. The problem these days is that so many people are doing it that selling is not viable. I suppose if you have an outlet in the right place they would sell. I have made 10 this afternoon, the first of my Christmas batch. Zoe, it will probably tell you whether you can use a hair drier. i think you can as long as it gets hot enough. Ann Glos

Hi Ann I was in a bit of a quandary, I wanted to sell my cards but was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep up with a commercial demand. So after a chat with my boss, I now sell them in the school staff room; I only need to make a few a week to keep them supplied but I also make 'special requests'. I keep 40% of the selling price, which just about covers my costs, and the other 60% goes to my local hospice. Mandy :)

Hello to all you artists!! Have started also a while ago to make my christmas cards in quilting also a new idea for me I saw whilst in England fold pieces of paper and then buying the cards with the opening at the front until now they look quite presentable and here locally is a boy who blows christmas decorations they are lovely all lopsided as well the balls so thats lots of presents accounted for as they are so lovely that they are hand made Would also like to keep this line open for any quilters or painters etc xxx Gillian

Hi Gillian, I think the craft you are talking about is Lace (with a thingy over the 'e' but there isn't one on my keyboard). It's paper folding but it's all interwoven and looks beautiful when you open the design out. Mandy :)

There is a new magazine out called Quick cards made easy. That has quite a lot of good ideas in it. The ones I have made today have had either shapes stuck on the front or pices cut out of last years Christmas cards. i am pleased with the effect. I have used different coloured cards this year too, i usually stick to white, red an green but i have also used mauve and blue and they look very modern with silver embellishments on them. Ann Glos

Hi Another card maker here! I haven't started making my christmas cards yet so must get a move on! I keep all my 'stuff' in a plastic wheeled drawer chest thingy like others have mentioned. I have plastic envelopes for all my embellishments/stickers/etc to keep them all together. I wonder if Gillian was talking about Iris paper folding? I like rubber stamping, heat embossing, dry embossing (with lightbox), using stickers, embellishments. Anything!! I'm a real craftaholic, in fact sometimes I think I get more fun out of buying supplies rather than using them, lol!! Joanne

Hi Joanne, so is embossing with the heat tool easy? Worth the money? Thanks for any advice, Mandy :)

Mandy - it's really easy. I don't class myself as an artistic person - i can't draw for toffee! but i can make really classy, professional looking cards (according to my husband!) using all different methods. Heat embossing is so simple. All you do is ink up your stamp and stamp onto your card, then sprinkle with the embossing powder. Then heat it with your heat gun. Easy peasy! The only problem with trying to use a hairdryer is that the hairdryer blows the embossing powder away! As mentioned 'do crafts' have a sale on at the moment and I their heat gun is reduced from 19.99 to 12.99! that's such a great bargain. I've never seen any that cheap before. To find out your nearest stockists check out their website www(.)docrafts(.)co(.)uk On the left handside of their homepage is a link to stockists. Hope this is of some help to you! Joanne