The process of sorting through paper craft stuff has begun, but it has not been nearly as straightforward as I imagined it might be. More on that in another post, perhaps, but for now I will talk about some success I've had.
I decided to start with cards, and card-making supplies. And here enters the character of my fantasy self. I trust by now everyone has heard of this concept of a fantasy self - a version of ourselves that we, perhaps, aspire to, or just wish we were. One facet of my fantasy self is that I am a card maker, and sender of cards for any and all occasions - birthdays, holidays, get well, thinking of you... This fantasy self pats herself on the back for being thoughtful and timely with good wishes. And everyone who is fortunate to receive a card from her is in awe.
The truth is, I am a terrible sender of cards. Except for my immediate family, and my sisters, I don't even TRY to remember peoples' birthdays, and long ago, we stopped sending out holiday cards. I also got honest with myself, and admitted that while I love the idea of beautifully hand-decorated cards, I don't actually have the desire to make them. I do sometimes like to make simple or funny or quirky cards for certain people. Not everyone. Just the lucky few who I trust will get my sense of humor or who have no choice but to indulge my other fantasy self who likes to imagine herself as a sort of artist (note the emphasis on sort of).
Long before I ever collected the first card-making item, I had a small stash of store bought cards. My original card collection started innocently enough with Current cards and a little spiral bound book that had a pocketed page for each month. Inside the pocket I could put birthday or anniversary cards, and there was space on the front of each pocket to write special dates and names of anyone I wanted to send a card to that month. For the longest time, this was a very handy and sufficient system. Until it wasn't.
At some point, I collected enough cards (admittedly many were blank cards purchased for thank you notes) that I needed something larger to put them in. This pretty box was purchased for the purpose, and for another decade or so, this was a perfect container of cards.
When my MIL passed in 2020, and we were clearing her house, we uncovered a massive collection of cards she had been storing. Unlike me, she was probably a true sender of cards, even if she had too many. Corralling them from their various hiding places, I sorted them into categories into a dozen or more boxes. Before donating them, everyone took what they wanted. I thought I was being selective, and not taking all that many, but when I got them home and tried to figure out where to put them, I began to realize I had more cards than I could use in what's left of my lifetime.
I'm happy to say, this week, using the container concept, I decided to get back to only having as many cards as will fit in my perfect-sized card box. And I (mostly) succeeded.
Sorting through them all, I packaged up a bunch of cards to donate to a thrift store in town, and a large box of Christmas cards are going to wait to be sorted through and most of them donated next winter. The only other cards I've kept are a photograph box full of blank cards for whatever crafty card making I might be inspired to do. It's all still too many cards, but at least they're whittled down, and more space is made in the office. Most importantly, the cards I've kept fit us, and the scenarios we might actually send a card for.
Most of the cards below have a new home in a local happy-to-have-them thrift store.
The card monster has been tamed. The other paper-crafting supplies will be addressed another day
Congratulations on a well done effort!
ReplyDeleteYou all be safe and God bless.
It is a small victory, Linda, but it's a beginning in countering the me I imagine myself to be.
DeleteI think most of us are familiar with that aspirational self who will emerge once we provide supplies! I couldn't actually read most of this post, just got the gist, because the font created an optical disturbance for me and I had to stop. Just fyi.
ReplyDeleteLiz, I wonder what's going on. I definitely want to know if the font I use is ever difficult to read. I'm wondering if this is a new thing for you on my blog. I've used this font for... I don't even know how long. Maybe a year? I hope you'll come back and see this and let me know if this has been going on for a while.
DeleteYay for taming the card monster! I have a similar box that I keep mine in and in recent years it seems I am buying more and more just blank cards that are suitable for any occasion. I used to send a lot of cards (and RAOK's too, but postage costs have put a stop to that) but finally subscribed to Jacquie Lawson online and now I pretty much only send virtual cards. I still want to send an acknowledgement of the person's special occasion but sending virtually means they know I'm thinking of them, but they don't have to deal with a paper card. I have a note on the calendar for the first of every month to go through and schedule the ones I want to send for that month. Seems to work for me.
ReplyDeleteMary Anne, I don't know when I last bought an actual greeting card. 1) I've had this stash from my MIL for at least three years now, and 2) I also prefer to use blank cards and write my own sentiment anymore. I wish I were a natural artist. I think I'd enjoy making real art to adorn a card. I think...
DeleteLike you, I've had to tame my cards, too. They will never get sent if they are not organized by category and easy to grab when a special occasion comes up!
ReplyDeleteYes, Barbara. Making the task of sending a card easy and enjoyable felt like a worthwhile reason to spend a little time whittling them down.
DeleteI am trying to catch up with my reading. I went back to the previous post too. I thought about you during my winter cleaning out and decluttering. At some point, I thought I should have counted things like you did once AND I certainly thought about your book decluttering posts when y'all were preparing to move. I have been on a mission to bring the numbers down in many categories here. After going back to your posts, I counted my books once more and I am down significantly over last year this time. I seem to be one that over time can let things go a little at a time. I am continually going back over things and letting more go, but the key to all of this decluttering has to stay away from adding anything back. So far so good. I do have a box of cards too. I have let a large number go this past year. It is good to have a little stash for a quick send when needed.
ReplyDeleteSandy, I have had to let stuff go in layers. I'm sure you can relate as a teacher... as a homeschooling mom, it was quite a process to decide to get rid of the educational materials we bought over the years. Doing it over several years was the only way I could emotionally let it go.
DeleteHello, my friend. That was a project, and look at you! You are all organized and blessed others as well. I have a basket of cards, but seem to use the same ones over and over. I am trying to send more handwritten cards in the mail. Have a cozy afternoon!
ReplyDeleteI think handwritten notes are special and are a rare treat. I received several last year when I was recuperating. I loved reading them, and was touched, imagining the time people took to write a personal note.
DeleteI have done fairly well winnowing out my own card stash and have donated many. But oh, my mother's stash of vintage cards is another story. I've sold many -- they are quite valuable, even the used ones -- but it's quite a process. Kudos to you for taming your card monster! 😀
ReplyDeleteMrs. T. I have thought of you as I was sorting through my cards and saw that I have several vintage ones. I know you sell them. The ones I have aren't especially attractive or I would use them, but being vintage, I'm a little unsure about just getting rid of them. Vintage stuff can feel like such a dilemma sometimes.
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