Chatty Sunday: Card Sets and Stash Cards

It's time for another chatty Sunday! This week I want to talk about card sets and stash cards.

When I sit down to make cards, I generally make one-of-a-kind cards. This makes cards great to share and write about on my blog, as each card is different and unique. I also often send batches of these unique cards to friends and family for everyday use (and from what I can tell, it's appreciated!).

But sometimes I'd like to gift someone a small set of cards - maybe a set using their favorite colors, or a special theme that's meaningful to them. And that's where "one-of-a-kind" type of card that takes too long to create -- and multiples are just not feasible.

I think a key to card sets is to have a lot of unifying elements -- things like same color palette, similar stamps and similar card design/layout. In addition, I think it's important to plan everything out in advance. That way, the process can be broken into steps that are easier to manage.

One of my biggest inspirations for card sets is Kristie Marcotte's 6x6 paper pad tutorials. If you're not familiar with Kristie, she has several tutorials for making cards out of a complete 6x6 paper pad. I love her concept! Not only does it use up supplies, but she provides readers with measured sketches and a video of the whole process.

Another thing I've noticed is that my "card" stash is dwindling and in serious need of replenishment. I've got no sympathy and no birthday cards left - which is a bit alarming! And my "thank you" card batch is down to 3 cards...

Since I've been bit by the organizing bug, I'm going to spend a little time coming up with a "card stash basics" plan - things like "birthday boy" cards or "elegant thanks" cards will be very useful and I can tailor them to fit with my circle of family and friends. For example, there's a lot of boys in my husband's side of the family, so having a good stash of masculine cards will be great.

I'm super excited about both of these projects, as it should get me to really make use of my stamps. I'm going to aim to create several cards with each stamp set - something I tried with Mama Elephant's Charmed set recently.

Thanks for reading!
~Elle~