Hey peeps! I have a best practices kind of tip for you today. This is common sense and I’m sure many of you already do this, but I thought I would just publish this while I had it on my mind. Today I’m sending out packages and inevitably when I am sending out packages I always long for a little card, that has a little bit of my style but not too overdone to go into the package. So, consider this:
- Not everything we all make has to be a masterpiece (oh the pressure, right?!). Quick cards still show your personal style while not breaking the time bank.
- After you’ve made your last masterpiece, sit down with the scraps and make enclosure cards!! That way, you are getting a bonus of all those brain cells you invested into that other card. If you came up with a magical color combination and just the right embellies – don’t let all that creativity go to waste!
- Do it before you put all your supplies away. I know a lot of times my "gonna do" never gets done. I save extra cut shapes and ribbons and when I’ve finished a big card it only takes a couple of minutes to throw the leftovers together for a little card.
- Keep it simple!!
Here are a couple of my quick cards. . . . no definitely not my prettiest but I’m putting them into boxes and I know the person on the other end will appreciate a quick word on my quick cards. I’m a slow stamper in real life so when I can sit down and crank out a couple of these lickety split, it makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. I actually made these about a year ago and did not write down a supply list – while I was doing these quick cards I was practicing going around all four corners with a border punch. Well since that time we have new things on the market that automatically do that :-) ETA: These are all 4" x 4", a size I consider perfect!!
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Say, thanks so much for vaulting my blog up over 6 million page hits. These milestones mean so much to me…I never in a million years imagined I’d have a number of guests. I know that we’ve done some blog candy recently, but another one is on the way to thank you all who come back day after day. Deets to come!
Even the “mini” cards showcaase your incredible talent–thanks so much for sharing!
These are beautiful Becca even if they are smaller they still convey your big heart!
Wonderful cards, Becca. My workspace looks like it exploded after doing one card, so I might as well take advantage and make some mini cards before taking 2 days to put everything away!
All of your work is beautiful and inspirational! thanks for sharing your talent and tips with us!
These are awesome & what a fabulous idea to actually use those left-over pieces. I often put them away & promptly forget about them — better to actually put them together into a card that will surely get used!
Wanted to ask if you’ll still have time to give us the directions for the basket/box from your Valentine video. I’ve got my woven pieces done & am hoping for help in understanding just how you created the box. Thanks for all your wonderful creations & your sweet willingness to share with us less talented crafters! I come by every day, but often don’t leave a comment though I tell everyone I meet who crafts to not miss your amazing blog!!!
Somehow even your “quick cards” are masterpieces, Becca! You amaze me… <3
Even your quick cards are wonderful-like them all. Love those little blue flowers. Did you punch them or are they some you bought? tfs
Ze zijn prachtig Becca, Heel mooie kleuren
groet anneke
Becca, These are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your wonderful inspirations with us!
Even your quick cards are fabulous! Becca, you truly are one talented woman!! Thanks for sharing with us!
Becca…that millions of blog posts have nothing to do with your blog candy but with the beautiful, talented person YOU are! I love to check out your blog every morning during my coffee break – you are truly inspirational in every sense of the word! God Bless :)
Becca,
Thank you for the bit.
As well as the continued inspiration.
Blesssings,
~~Diane~~
Becca –
I’m laughing my head off! Why? Because your “simple” cards ARE masterpieces – LOL! I don’t think you could make a bad card if you tried!
Thank you for the tip, I will have to try making a “simple” card before I put away the scraps – smart idea!
Thanks Becca!!
Elaine Allen
Thank you for sharing your lovely cards. All of my cards are simple! That is just me–no frills kind of gal. Never wear make up or had a mani or a pedi. I spend more time on my scrapbook layouts for some reason!
What a beautiful job with these and a great idea. I have thought about this for a while myself but hadn’t started with doing so. So glad you shared!
Dear Becca,
Your creations always leave me speechless. They are so incredibly beautiful! Thank you for providing us with the inspiration to make gorgeous creations from paper and embellishments. Oh to be just a bit more like you is my dream. Thanks again. You even make the “scraps” look so delicious.
Sincerely,
Nancy K in WI
Cute, cute, cute. Great reminder to all of us!
Beautiful !
Beautiful, indeed. Quick? I don’t think so. I would slave over one all day.
How funny you say not everything has to be a masterpiece but yours are always so beautiful even the quick ones…LOL thanks for the tips
Wonderful suggestion! I agree, even your quick cards look like masterpieces. I always look forward to your blog and your wonderful inspirations. tfs
Becca,
Are you kidding? These are gorgeous…but I think I can handle something like them. Thanks for the inspiration…eli
I too am a slow stamper, but if my cards could even come close to one of yours I’d think it was soooo worth it. Your quick cards are more in line with my regular stamping (even though mine aren’t quick) but they are all still unique and beautiful. I think a successful card is one I enjoyed doing and the receiver enjoys getting.
Thanks for sharing the idea with us. My brain cells must be very tired because this idea never crossed my mind. Love your blog.
I echo the thoughts of others here. You make left over scrap cards look like masterpieces!! You are my inspiration
I am a slow stamper too. I start out with one idea and then change it numerous times until I am satisfied.
But this isn’t a race. I become totally immersed in a project and just enjoy the process
Even your quick cards are BEAUTIFUL!! Thanks for giving us some ideas for making cards pretty and not so difficult.
Congratulations on 6 million hits on your blog. Wait until the rest of the card making world finds your site You will need a dedicated server LOL
Once people stumble onto your site they come back again and again!!
Even your quick and simple cards are gorgeous :)
what a wonderful idea.Your cards are always lovely and inspiring however they are made.
Blessings to you and yours.
Love being a subscriber to your blog and coming back each time you post. Congrats on all the hits. Great cards today–your “simple” cards ARE masterpieces too!
These are so pretty, as always. Your cards made with “leftovers” are prettier than mine made with the “main ingredients”….I want to be just like you when I grow up…LOL
I have a friend who says she’s notorious for buying gifts, but forgetting to pick up a card, so she asks me periodically to make her a batch of small cards/tags that work well with gift bags. I make them for all ages and kinds of occasions and when I’m finished, I put them in a pretty tin (sometimes I buy plain tins and decorate them with alcohol inks, bows, paper/silk flowers, etc. and sometimes I buy ready made ones that are suited to her decor) and tie them up with a pretty bow and it’s my gift to her. She loves them. Now I don’t wait for her to ask…I just anticipate about when she should be out and surprise her. It’s a great way to use all those little scraps of paper that we all save. I say, waste not, want not.
Hi
I think that even your simple cards are amazing! Thank you for sharing them with us. You have talent!!
So true! Thank you for the reminder. Your examples are lovely.
Thanks for the tip! I love this idea and will try it this weekend when I’m creating. :)
These are very beautiful. I like making little cards!
Becca, I love these cards. Thank you for all you do. You are so talented.
great idea and I think these are all wonderful too!
They might be quick, but they are gorgeous! TFS!
Becca, I love these! You do wonderful work!
What adorable mini cards…Your talent can never be simple Becca…that is because everything you create is elegant! Heck, it is your style after all :)
I would love to see your scraps box.. lol….beautiful……
Hee hee, why am I not surprised that even your “quick cards” are masterpieces ;) Lovely work as always Becca!!
but yours are all masterpieces!
Sandra
These are great, and a great reminder to repurpose all those scraps. Thanks for sharing, and thanks so much for your frequent posts of late. Visiting your blog is a little oasis in my hectic day!
dmc
love these quick and easy ones I especially like the second colour combination of green and brown I wouldn’t think to put those two colours together but you’ve made it look adorable.
Those “quick” cards are brilliant and you are so very right when you said not all cards have to be big and elaborate :)
Jen
x
I can still see you style even in your “quick” cards! They are so pretty! TFS
You have inspired me again! I think I will make some gift enclosures with the scraps on my desk. Thank you and congratulations on six million hits!
Gosh Becca! Even your simple cards are beautiful! Thanks for sharing them. You have given me inspiration. Hugs Lori
Wow… even your mini cards are great! Thanks for the inspiration. :)
Sylvia
Y
Your “mini” cards are beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
These are all soooo gorgeous!!! Thanks for all the hints,very helpful!!!
Now it’s just to do it,lol!!!
Thanks for the tip. I do say that and I do not get to it. The scraps that are good go into my scrap drawer and that is where they stay. I like you cards very much. Sometimes simple is the best way to go.
God Bless
Pam
Even your “scrap” cards are fantastic. Whomever gets these will be one lucky person. Congratulations on the milestone for your blog.
Your are always such an inspiration. I always have practice runs on my corner and border punches. I usually just put them in my sample drawer. I think I’ll make those mini cards. TFS!
Fun tip today Becca! These are all lovely. I suppose these are 3 x3 size enclosure cards?
Hi Becca,
Great tip today and thank you for it.
Sigh* even your left overs look beautiful *grin…….
Hugs, Candy
These tiny cards are gems and I love them to bits because they are achievable by those of us who are not quite so Amazing with paper.
My day isn’t complete without stopping by and getting my “Becca hit,” though I’ve never expressed till now how much happiness you have passed my way. Your imagination, co-ordination and sheer craftsmanship is so inspirational. I have not seen such consistently high quality work from anyone else. Thankyou.
Wow! They may not be masterpieces to you, Becca, but these cards sure are to me! Gorgeous! Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Fabulous as usual. I was just looking through my box of odds & ends and thinking about throwing them out, now you have inspired me. I think that I can come up with a couple of very cute cards if I just sit down and give it a try. After all I have punches, the nestabilities, lots of stamps, lots of paper and a computer. What else can I ask for? I have to just do it!!! Thanks for your inspiraton.
Even your “quick” cards outdo most people’s “masterpieces.” What a simple idea, but a good one to just make a few easy cards with the leftovers at the time to take advantage while things are still fresh in your mind. Thanks for another “bit”!
just adorable! I love all the mix of colours.
Oh and BTW…I HAVE to stop by your page every day! I would hate the thought of missing something new you created. They are all so beautiful!!! Thank you for sharing them! :o)
Wow, that’s what you throw together in a few minutes from scraps?? Wish my masterpieces were that good, let alone the quick cards! Thanks for sharing!
Love, Alex
What a wonderful idea! I often store away all those leftover bits & never get around to using them. I, too, take forever to choose all the components of a card. Reusing them quickly on a little card would work so well. Thanks!
Your cards are still Masterpieces in my book.
No matter size of card, I feel any homemade card comes from the heart and that is what matters.
Thanks 4 the great inspiration Becca
ColleeB
Everything you do is a masterpiece and a delight to the eye. These cards are lovely Becca. I call this size quaint. TFS!!! Becca. :-D
Becca
Thanks for the Bits and the small card ideas is great. The thought to do them while having the materials out is a geat idea as well. Thanks for reminding me to think ahead make some now and have them when I need them. (smiles) you are so talented thanks for sharing!
Your ‘non masterpieces’ would be a masterpiece to me if I had made it, lol.
I do appreciate your point though, I often save bits and pieces left over from a project and mean to use them up at some later date which never seems to arrive.
Love the tips and I must say your enclosures are wonderful ! I try to remind myself when I make one card why not do a second one identical I wish I could remember that!
Even the little cards show your flair! Making the cards as soon as you finish a larger project is great advice.
What cute cards. Great idea to do these when it’s so handy and ideas are fresh. I’ll surely keep that idea in my to do list. Thank you for all your great ideas and sharing your fantastic creations. I get so much inspiration from your blog!
Gosh, Becca…wish I had just a smidgen of your talent. NOT masterpieces? You’ve got to kidding…these are gorgeous!
Becca – you are hysterical! Even though these cards are smaller than your normal size, they are just as exquisite and beautiful. On my best days, I can’t make my ‘masterpieces’ look half as good as your ‘simple’ ones!
PLEASE let me come live with you!!!
You might not think of these as “masterpieces”, but they are def. Becca’s. Even in a smaller size your style and creativity shine through!
Thanks for sharing them. Congrats on 6 million!!! hits!
R/
Your simple cards are beautiful!!! I agree with the pressures of every card being outstanding- although yours are…..I like your blog messages too! Bee yourself and every card does not have to be fantastic! (Although I do think yours are…..) TFS
Thank YOU for sharing your talent with us every day and continuing to inspire us to do things we would never have thought of on our own.
Becca,
Your “simple” cards beat my best ones! You are too modest. May I ask what set the sayings are from? These are beautiful sayings that can be used for so many cards. I’d love to buy these.
Thanks for all you do.
Thanks for sharing these quick cards! I just made some cards tonight and have some tiny pieces of DSP leftover, so I might just try my hand at some quickies.
Even though I don’t comment, I love your blog. You are my stamping hero! Your cards are always so beautiful; I never grow tired of looking at them for inspiration.
you must be an amazing person IRL because you always put that little extra into everythig you do love your work big or small
What a great idea! Not that your mini cards aren’t masterpieces too! Thanks for sharing!
Hugs
Marisa
Becca – I think we must have a different definition of ‘simple’!! Even your simple cards made from scraps are mini masterpieces, but what a good idea it is to carry on and use up your left-over pieces straight away instead of putting them in a ‘scrap box’ and never going back to them. I must cultivate this idea….TFS
Hugs
HW(UK)
x
That was my thought too this last Christmas..I sent out a bunch of Christmas cards that were simply layered and stamped only once. :) It looked good..like yours..and not a lot of trouble.
Even your quick cards are works of art. My quick cards wouldn’t be quick if I had to tie a bow like you have on your cards. Have a great day. God bless.
Every morning brings a blessing by looking @ your cards, Truly a gift from God.
I e-mailed you. How do you make the pretty bows that are on your
beautiful cards? Would you please share this with me?
Thank you for all you do share!
Hugs, Dawn
Beautiful cards, Becca! Simple sometimes is breathe-taking in itself. Thanks for sharing:)
Becca, I have been resisting commenting while you have been offering blog candy as I was a recent recipient of your generosity and wanted others to have the same chance. But I do visit every day. Today was neat – what great tips. It seems common-sensical but the most I have done is just file the leftover smaller cardstock strips to make gift cards “one day.” Like everything else you do, you’ve taken the concept to a whole new level! Very pretty gift cards, that really don’t look quick!
Hi Becca
Thanks for the advise – especially the keep it simple bit! I have loads of work in progress and not much to show for it!
I know that you said that you did these awhile back, but if you could tell me how you did the 2 blue five star daisies on the second from last card I would be over the moon, I just love them!!!
Thank you so much for bringing inspiration in to my life every day.
Brenda
What a great idea. I always throw my scraps in a container with the intent that I will use them later. I will deffiently be making gift cards following a project from now on.
I have no idea why I never thought of this. But i sure am glad that you did and you shared it with us.
Thank you, Judy
Beautifull cards Becca…Just amazing how you can put this together
in a perfect way, wich i can do the same….
Thank you.
Becca,
So pretty, all of them! What do you mean about them not being masterpieces. Simple, or intricate, all of your creations are masterpieces! Absolutely beautiful.
Hugs,
Lisa Atha
Great tips. It is wise to suggest that we use those scraps right away to make enclosure cards, because I am one to file them away, never to be seen again. It keeps the creativity going just a little longer, and reduces the clutter of excess scraps at the same time. Gorgeous little enclosure cards. Isn’t it something how the industry has progressed in such a short time with the punch-around-the-page punches that are out now? It amazes me.
Look like masterpieces to me! Smiles! sUSAn
Brilliant idea!!!! I love using up scraps….these are stunning!!
Wow. Even your “scrap” cards are fabulous.
thats a great idea. i will have to put it to use.
kay
Wow, Becca-even your ‘left-over’ creations are beautiful!
Thanks for sharing and I am now inspired to try to do what you said.
Patricia