Make-It + Mail-It Challenge #1: Tag, you’re it!
I’ve been the recipient of a bunch of cards lately. Words fail to describe how much it meant to know that someone cared enough to make a card and mail it to me. It was like getting a big huge hug, all across the miles. They really brightened my day!
Then I found a box of cards that my Grandma saved. Still can’t believe that she saved all the cards I ever made her. I found out that my Dad, sister, and J have all saved all the cards I’ve made them, too. Wow.
Cards aren’t just paper — they’re a smile in an envelope! :)
Then I got to thinking some more about how there are all these cardmaking challenges out there, and I wondered what happens to all of those cards. Do they get a chance to make someone smile? I have some cards sitting here in a box that I’ve made for challenges that I’ve never mailed. Made me sad. :(
Then I thought: why not start a new challenge? A challenge to make a card (or anything else) and then mail it. I’m going to call it “Make-It + Mail-It”. Yeah! :) J even drew a logo for me, yay!
So, this is the very first Make-It and Mail-It challenge: make a card (or anything else!), mail it, and leave a link to your card below. I’ll post my card here too, to challenge myself and to keep things real. And! To make it even more interesting, in one week I’ll randomly draw one person to make a card for! Now, how’s that for a challenge?
Thought I’d do a little step-by-step tutorial to show you how I made a whole batch of cards, lickety split.
I started with plain shipping tags from the office supply store.
Then I distressed them. Here’s a mini how-to: first I crumpled them up, then rubbed them with Distress Inks (don’t ask me what colors, I just grabbed a bunch!), misted them with water, and then ironed them flat.
Whenever I get stuck in a creative rut I love to do a whole bunch of tags like this. You can never have too many tags, you know?
Next I stamped all over them with some new Hero Arts flowers and more distress inks.
Then I broke out some washi tape. (Love this packaging!)
I went to town adding washi tape all over them! The only trick here is to not try to think too much — just tape away!
Next, I stamped this thanks message on white copy paper with walnut stain Distress ink. Love how it looks — well, yeah, distressed.
I thought these tags would make great bookmarks, so I wanted to adhere them to the card front in such a way that they could easily be removed. So I got out the glue dots and put one towards the bottom of the tag.
Then I punched a hole at the top and tied the tag on with twine. (Love this grey twine so much.)
And that’s it! Seven cards ready for mailing. (I’m not saying who these are for, in case they are reading this. Ha!)
(Supplies: The white painted board that I took the photos on is an idea I got from reading Ishtar Olivera’s wonderful photography tutorials. Thanks again, Ishtar! Why didn’t I do this sooner? All stamps by Hero Arts: flowers are from the Sweet Threads set and the message is from Big Hugs. The notecards are also by Hero — they’re oldies but goodies that I’ve been hoarding — time to break them out. I used too many Distress inks to keep track of, but I’m pretty sure that there’s rusty hinge, tattered rose, pumice stone, and tea dye. Probably lots more! Shipping tags are from the office supply store. The grey and white twine is by Divine Twine.)
Now it’s your turn: make a card (or anything else!) and mail it. Leave your link below so that we can all see. In one week I’ll randomly select a winner to mail a card to. Yay!
This is gonna be good.
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Howdy from Austin, TX! My name is Lisa Spangler and I like to make crafty stuff, eat donuts, and take photos. (Not necessarily in that order.) More about me.
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Wow! LOVE these, Lisa! So creative and inspiring!
I’m sure it’s true that many of us cardmakers have lots of cards that never get mailed. I’ve been making a card for a friend of mine, once a week for almost two years now. (She’s been very sick for a long time.) I usually make it on Monday and mail it to her on Tuesday, so I will definitely be joining in your challenge! Love your gorgeous bookmark cards! Fab idea, the way you’ve attached them! Thanks for this fun challenge, Lisa and hope you had a wonderful Easter! :)
Barb recently posted..Busy- Happy and Missing Everyone!
Oh Barb, you are such a great friend! I had a great Easter, hope you did too. Hugs! :)
Love this idea so much Lisa, I’m glad you posted it! AND – the bookmarks are awesome, totally love your random taping. I’d never be able to do it without overthinking. :-) AND – I want to paint a board now for photos. :-)
Libby recently posted..The Play Date Cafe Challenge 78
Gorgeous tags Lisa…sounds Luke a great challenge! I’m so guilty of not mailing my cards have like 5 photo boxes full! happy Easter sweet girl….Xoxo!
Wow…So inspiring,Lisa! love those bookmark! You are so creative!!!
vera rhuhay recently posted..Lily pad sketch challenge
Thanks so much, Sarah, Kelly, Libby, and Vera! Hugs! :)
These are amazing … they make me want to go play with ink & tape. I’m off to make a card to include with a “just because” package I’m sending to my sister. Thanks for the great idea.
SmilynStef recently posted..Easter at the Farm
[...] at Lisa’s blog she is having a Make-it and Mail it challenge. So I made this card a few weeks ago and decided to [...]
Hope you had a wonderful holiday. Love your post. I have been trying to mail cards more often and this will give me more inspiration to do so. Thanks!
I didn’t know you could buy those sorts of tags at an office supply store. That would make my life WAY easier! :> I love this make it and mail it idea! I have a list I need to do first than hopefully I will be able to do it! Love the way you did the washi tape!
AnitaRex recently posted..Girls Just Wanna Have fun!
WOW, Lisa.. your tags are gorgeous and I LOVE the idea to just create a card with them.. so simple and easy, yet so beautiful!
Thanks for the challenge! I think it’s a great idea to not only create but also mail the card instantly.. I have a huge stash of cards at home and I think it’s soooo much lovelier to just MAIL them to someone who will be surprised and happy to get it :)
Greetings from Germany
Sylvia xx
Sylvia recently posted..Wishes of a Happy Birthday
Lisa your photos look great : )
I´ve run out of white foam board since I moved to the uk, need to buy one too!! : )
oh and your tags.amazing!!! loved them!
ISHTAR OLIVERA recently posted..Weekend wishes ♥ Deseos fin de semana
Love your bookmark tags Lisa! I’m not so confident with that collagey-distressed style, but you’ve inspired me to give it another try.
Can’t wait to have a go with this challenge too. Sounds fun! I can tell your little fawn is impressed too ;)
Hugs, Ruth S
Ruth S recently posted..Happy Easter everyone!
Your tags are stunning. I love the texture, the colors and the design, i.e. everything!!! Love. Love. Love.
Avital recently posted..Friday Freebie – Spring Flowers Journaling Labels
LoVe your tags Lisa! I have a bizillion office tags too so I will have to try the crumpling them up method and inking w/ distress inks.
can’t wait to get home (from Hawaii) to play along your fun challenge!
Oh Lisa, what a great challenge! I’ll definitely be joining in on the fun! I usually either send or give my cards to family or friends so don’t keep many unless there is some special reason for holding on to one. Your cards are absolutely gorgeous! The tags look amazing – love the distressing, colours, stamping and use of washi tape (everything really, lol)!
Heather Maria recently posted..Inspired by Anita – Hero Hostess Inspired By Challenge
These look terrific!!!
More brilliance….your fabulous tags and the challenge! How wonderful!
blessings~
NancyK recently posted..Easter Blessings
LOVE these tags-amazing!!
Wow these tags are so pretty Lisa, great challenge, I have made a card and will mail it tomorrow!!
sally Sherfield recently posted..Make it – Mail it challenge
Yay, Sally! Thanks so much. :)
I feel so good to know that all these cards are getting mailed! YEAH! :)
Lisa, I saw your thread over on the Flickr gallery and just love to see such initiative. Love joining in something like this – we can ALL give something away! Your cards are so cheerful!
Just saw this in the HA discussion thread!! I absolutely love your tags! You may know that I have the exact same Washi tape….I LOVE them!! Thanks for the inspiration! I love to play tag and now you are IT! I know I should mail more cards…this challenge will make me mail some more :)
Super cute bookmarks, Lisa – fantastic distressing and collages! I love that they’re cute AND useful too! Terrific challenge – I’ll be back with to link up! :)
This is a super challenge – I do try to mail cards on a regular basis, but there are still a lot of cards that are just sitting in a box here. Will try to make one and mail one tomorrow! Thanks for the inspiration with those gorgeous tags – what a great idea for bookmarks, too.
joy recently posted..MASCULINE 50TH BIRTHDAY CARD
WOW, Lisa, those tags are SO cool! Now that I know I can buy washi tape on-line, I’m loving the look! I, too, make cards for a sick friend during the week, so I should be posting mine shortly. Thanks for a great challenge!
Marcy K recently posted..Joys 100 Followers Giveaway!
Your challenge is exactly what I needed! Since diving back into photography, I’ve struggled to keep up with my cardmaking. Since my dear friend from college days was diagnosed with cancer, I’ve been sending her a card every Monday, so I had a similar personal challenge going on. Thank you for this new one!
Evelyn in Oregon recently posted..A new challenge and a new purpose
Hey Lisa! Great idea…my problem is usually that I don’t have any cards to send because I always give them away! Love your mass production technique–I’ve got to find some washi tape! Must dash to make something special for my friend, Jen who sent me a surprise card over the weekend. Thanks for the fun challenge–love the name too!
Great challenge Lisa…its so important to mail a card too. I still have some written but unmailed Christmas cards(not good at all). Love your great Tags, they are all gorgeous. Looking forward for more challenges:)) TFS.
Isha recently posted..Enjoy
Thanks so much for this terrific challenge, Lisa! Such a good reminder to actually send our cards and not just have them collect dust in our craft spaces!
GREAT idea for a challenge, Lisa – I too can say how very much a hand-made card means to receive. Love what you did here! I hope to play, too!
Lin recently posted..Lily Pad Card Digital Die Cut Challenge
such awesome tag cards!
True works of art! Love the washi tape on these! Thanks for the tutorial! HUGS!
Jill Foster recently posted..Giveaway Winner
Yowzahs! Love these tags, Lisa!
roberta
[...] you’re having a great week so far, and hope you’ll have time to play in the very first Make-It + Mail-It challenge! I’ve really loved all the cards that have been submitted so far — there’s going [...]
fabulous tags, Lisa! thanks for the tutorial. really love the idea, too. i do have boxes of cards, too… =)
Alice W. recently posted..Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge 40
Love your logo “make-it, mail-it”, Lisa! The tags are beautiful and thanks for this fun challenge!
WOW!! Amazing step-by-step process on these tags! Love the end result!
Tiffany recently posted..A trip down memory lane
Just read about this in our Hero Arts thread in our Flickr Group! What a great idea! Been thinking of you lately and praying that time is helping in the healing of missing your special Grandma. Loved looking at these quick cards of yours. They are beautiful. I have never used that tape before but would love to try. Will have to find out where to purchase it. Thanks so much for this challenge. So often as cardmakers we often make them and keep them. I think that this idea of yours will really help us to send some love and care someones’ way. Hopefully sending some cheer and sunshine. Love your hubby’s logo for this challenge. He is a brilliant man, so ya better keep him! Lol! Have a great day sweetie! Hugs.
This is a SUPER cool idea!!! I was just thinking about how handmade cards really do make some people’s days.
My neighbor just turned 76. I spend a lot of time with her. She’s like a grandma to me. i love her to pieces. I had had an exceptionally busy month and when I went over the other day there were a ton of flowers on her table. I didn’t know it was her birthday….she never told me. So I apologized profusely (I’ll make it up to her on Mother’s Day) and she said…”STOP! you already do so much for me. If you want to do something make me a card. Your cards always make my day”
So I shall make her another card (I made her one for Easter) and mail it to her! LOVE this idea!!! Love your tags too. Someday I will get some of that very cool tape! :)
Michelle Liimatainen recently posted..Mothers & Daughters
Woohah! Love those cards, so simple yet so elegant!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
[...] Mine’s had some ups and downs, but seeing all of the entries coming in for the first ever Make-It & Mail It challenge have really made me smile! There’s gonna be some mighty happy mailboxes, yeah! (There’s [...]
Whst a great idea! hope I can have a card done by Monday.
Great tutorial, Lisa-I love those tags! And now I want washi tape even more, lol! ;)
Sherri Thompson recently posted..Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog Hop
[...] finally painted a board to use as a backdrop for photos! I first tried it out on the Make-It and Mail-It challenge – loved how it came [...]
Those tags are fabulous!!! I got to get some washi tape too!
Love your taps! Picked out an old card I hadn’t sent to anyone yet & now it’s addressed & in my purse to mail on Monday to my first college roommate. I’ve always felt a special connection to her since we shared a room in a house off campus (dorms were full) our first semester of college & we both were in the nursing program & it turned out in the whole school our last names were alphabetically next to each other! It’s been 37 years since we graduated & we live far apart, but it’s wonderful to keep in touch & hopefully have a reunion one of these days! Thanks for the challenge!
[...] with a bit of encouragement from dear miss Lisa and her new challenge, Make-it + Mail-it… I’m dropping this card into the mail [...]
[...] of contests, I’ll be back with the winner of the first ever Make-It + Mail-It challenge later [...]
I am just the opposite, I seem to make cards as I need them….I really need a stash to have on hand. I am so happy you are on HA this week!!! I love your work :-)
Thanks so much, Julie! See you over there. :)
Woops! Missed the cut off… Nevertheless, I was inspired by you, miss Lisa, to create AND SEND this card. :)
http://sarahmartina.com/blog/2011/05/02/embellish-color-trends-square-cards/
Oh Sarah, that card is just amazingly gorgeous! Wow! :)
[...] speaking of winners….! The winner of the first ever Make-It and Mail-It challenge [...]
Here is a card I made for a challenge and I did mail it to a loved one back in March. I love sending cards to folks. You are right it is like getting a smile in an envelope. http://ksimonedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-first-design-team-card.html
[...] those new to Make-It + Mail-It Challenges, it all got started here when I was the recipient of a bunch of cards that really touched my heart. It was like getting a [...]
Hi, these are so pretty! And so creative. Your work is inspiring me to try something like this. Thank you for posting the steps & the photos. I appreciate it.