14 Cent Cards! Here we go again!

Every so often I go on a card-making rampage. It is usually triggered by an over-abundance of blank envelopes. Thanks to my garage-saling friend Edith and several other friends, I have a stash of blank envelopes almost as tall as the Eiffel tower. Well not quite-- but I have a lot. Sometimes it just seems like 'time' to get busy and so I do!

I was inspired this time by a 7 color set of pastel envelopes and funny blank one sheet cardstock notes from Edith. I decided to gather up a lot of my recent pastel odds and ends and put them all to good use on the cards seen here. I also grabbed a stack of brown embellies too as some of my sayings were in the brown and tan family. Of course once I got going I kept on going for two days at a local VIP store crop. (We have a Spring retreat coming up so join us!)

The result was a whopping 150 cards with envelopes. Some were done with my new COPIC markers which I will talk about in a minute in another card-making post. Most were done with odds and ends and plain cardstock, the Sizzix embossing folders, and Bazzill Basics chipboard and toppers. I had purchased the $76 worth of Bazzill items at a store garage sale event from another crafter for only $3.50 total.

You can see how this 'green' aspect makes cardmaking in bulk very economical. And it saves the planet by the other gal not tossing them out! She decided she just hates chipboard (What SACRILEGE! I love chipboard!) ;)

I made 150 cards in about 15 hours so that totals about 6 minutes per card. By repeating the same basic layout on each card, I could focus my time on coordinating colors and embellishments within the pastel scheme or the brown scheme. Here is a sketch like the format I used. You may be able to see if you click on the photo above it enlarges. I did a larger embossed or a pattern paper piece on each card. Then I added a coordinating ribbon or pattern paper strip in center card. Last, I added an accent over top of that. Some got ribbon and some got brads. I have to have some dimension on each card. Simple and basic. They all look great --and very coordinated!

Cost per card is only about 14 cents each because I used bargains like my own paper stash and ribbon stash and freebie envies from Edith. Total project cost was about $21 because I had to use a pack of 8.5x11 paper, several tape runners and some glue dots to assemble. It feels great to use my stash up and make thirty-seven 4 packs of cards for gifts! Plus I tied the bundles up with MORE stash from my ribbon pile! And yes, our buddy Edith will get a nice pack of cards as my thank you to her. :)

Make some cards! Pick a color scheme and mass produce them! I plan to set many of these aside as gifts for next Christmas and others to use as the year goes on for my own friends. Why spend $4.50 at Hallmark when I can give a handmade card for 14 cents that looks so darn cute?!??

Love it! USE IT UP!