Mass Production Nightmare

I was asked by Eddy's co-worker to make her some Christmas cards. I was hesitant because I'm just not a fan of doing multiple cards and doing things en mass. I really don't have the space for it and I almost ALWAYS wind up designing things that are too complicated and take me forever to do.

I started having nightmares about paper, glue, and glitter all over the house. Dreams of the cats running off with pieces of the cards were dancing in my head. Not pretty. Did I really want to do this? Is the aggravation going to be worth it? My back started spasming in anticipation.

I started the prep work. Got the card bases cut & embossed (cardstock in Real Red & Always Artichoke by Stampin Up!) & embossed background is Snowflakes (Provocraft)). Got my little snowbanks all cut, punched & stamped. I was ROCKIN'! Started getting the ovals going...hmmm... Cuttlebug or Big Shot? Tried both. Less slippage in the Cuttlebug so I cut & embossed all the Nestie Petite Ovals for the Verve (Christmas In the Air) sentiment in my Cuttlebug. This wasn't going to be that hard! HAHAHAH!! Stamped my sentiment using Walnut Stain Distress Inks by Ranger. Then I sponged the edges (Bashful Blue - SU!) and glitterized them (with Frosted Lace Stickles - Ranger). Easy peasy, right? Boy, was I wrong. Day 2 was yet to come.

Day 2 - started early, well, for me. I had to put more Frosted Lace on the Snowbanks, let those dry then stamp snowflakes, more Frosted Lace... in the meantime the cats decided to pay a visit. AND, they wanted up on my craft desk. UH-OHHH!! NOOOO!!!!!! The Stickles are still wet!!!! You know what that means, right? Oh, yes. Stickle-y Frosted Lace kitty paws. Grrr.... Just shocked that nothing was ruined. And the cats were banished from the craft room/office and very unhappy.

So, I thought I really don't have THAT much left to do, right? Just round off the corners for the paper for the inside of the cards, stamp that sentiment, adhere the insides, the snowbanks, the outside sentiments, then HAND CUT the little trees...all 60 (yes, SIXTY) of them, then adhere those and tie on silver elastic cord. How long could that take? HAHHAHAAHAH!! Let me just say I will never paper-piece a card for anyone other than myself to give ever again. My fingers still hurt. I'm crazy. I finally finished them all around 9-something PM, yes...PM last night.

Here, my dear friends, are the finished cards:



Other things went wrong, like running out of adhesive for my Glue Glider, I had the wrong adhesive in my Xyron (which I used to adhere all the trees) so 9 trees got "eaten" and I had to redo those. I cut a bunch of the cord the wrong length...fun stuff like that. It was a rough project, but from what I hear she loves the cards. :)

Now...what to do for my OWN Christmas cards?


All my best,