Thursday, January 27, 2011

My Annual Birthday Cards

Hello there! Birthdays!
I have a love/hate relationship with birthdays. I love having a birthday because I love birthday cake and ice cream and presents BUT I hate birthdays because it means getting a year older--uggggg.
Since about 2003, I've been sending out birthday cards to my Red Hots and non-stamping friends.
Here's what I do: I come up ONE birthday card design. ONE design. . . just one! Everybody gets the same card. Yes, you read that correctly! EVERYBODY gets the same card. Are you gasping at this? Wondering if I've lost my mind?
Ha!
To me, anybody who thinks they have to come up with a different birthday card for each person--THAT person has lost their mind.
Tell me something--how many birthdays does each person have a year? That's right. . . only one! Is there even a remote chance that a person would get two birthday cards in one year? I don't think so. One birthday. . . one card.
So I come up with ONE birthday card design, and I send that card to everybody on my birthday list.
The yellow card above was my birthday card for 2010. I did make some in green too but the design is basically the same.

I have a box that I call my "birthday box." All my envelopes, postage stamps, and cards are in that box, along with a printout of my Red Hot birthday reminder list AND my perpetual calendar with nonstamping friends' birthdays.
I also keep the supplies I need to make more birthday cards in that box too. I don't want to go looking for the stamps I used or the embellishments I need to make more so it's all in the box--ready for me to make more as I need them.
I think in 2009, I was feeling like hugging trees or something because I wanted to USE store-bought cards I already had. I tore off the pre-printed sentiment on the bottom of the cards and added various TAC labels to the front. Of course, I had to bling up the cards because that's what I do!
On the back, I printed this on each card, explaining what I had done.
Here's another version.
In 2008, this was my birthday card design.
Oh wait, this is my card design for the latter half of 2008.
This is what I started with in 2008. After the new Angel Company catalog came out in June 2008, I changed stamp sets. I usually don't do this. What I come up with in the beginning of the year is what I stay with throughout the year. I probably forgot to take my "remember" pills.
My card for 2007--love all the blingie hats, don't you? I think I received a card from a fellow angel and I CASE'd it. :}
My card for 2006. This was a fun one. I had to corrugate a bunch of squares for this one.
My card for 2005. Don't know if you can tell or not but I stickled her skirt.
Here's the same card but I used different words. This was my card for 2004. I really miss the shadow stamps we used to have. It was a fast and easy way to make a background.
This was my card for 2003. I really like this card.
It opens up to reveal another message!
I thinks there is one more "annual" birthday card (for 2002) but can't find it--gasp! I know.
I try to be organized but some things slip through the cracks I'm afraid. I'll share if I find it.
Soooooo, did you enjoy walking down memory lane with me? Are you motivated to start working on YOUR annual birthday card design? No? Don't make me take out my ball peen hammer!
And, yes, I have started my 2011 birthday cards. Now, to mail out January's! Hopefully this week. . .
Do you want one of my 2011 birthday cards? Email me with your birthday and mailing information.
Red Hot Question: Are you a Red Hot who has kept ALL the birthday cards I've ever sent you? If yes, let me know who you are!

2 comments:

Sharon said...

I have those cards!! Yeah :) I love memory lane. I always enjoy getting your cards. Maybe someday I'll send you some :) Ha ha

Cindy said...

I love your birthday cards!!! I have all those!!! I love opening them and thinking about all the fun I have with you, and now Am chimes in "My friend Yuki" Love you!!!