Sets, we want sets!

You know one phrase I've heard over and over again is "Make sets of cards", "Do you have sets of cards?". My response is the same, "Not at this time."

I don't have anything against card sets. I actually like the idea... a lot! My mother-in-law can create sets of sets in no time at all and if she can do it I can do it too, right?

I tried. I really did try to make a few sets of cards for my booth on Saturday. It was just hilarious how hard it was for me to start.

See this card I posted last week (to the right)?  I created enough parts of this card for a total of 6 cards. The only part that I was left to do was the ribbon ensemble and color the poinsettia. I was on my way to making a set of cards!!!! Who-hoo!

Sadly, I wasn't looking forward to the long process of laying the ribbon out on a sticky note to hold their position and dry - stitching, stitching without thread, through the note... hand stitching and gathering and gluing the bead to each end of the knotted thread. So I tried to come up with a paper version...nothing looked quite right. I didn't want those extra pieces go to waste, so I started to position them around and grabbed some of those crocheted flowers I made a few months ago and voila a different card was born.

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve
Bloom and Grow, Glad Tidings and Love Story

I only had one of those flowers made so I needed to do something else. I tried using my cherry cobbler striped ribbon before but now it was looking good next to the circle and leaf I tossed it onto my pile of parts. So another card was made. Does it bother you that the background panel is sideways? It does a bit, but then I like how it runs perpendicular to the ribbon stripes. I left it. I was on a roll.

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve Bloom and Grow,
Richly Blessed and Elegant Leaves Die

Now how about some gold accent? Hmmmmm, liking it.

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve Bloom and Grow,
Glad Tidings, Love Story and Elegant Leaves Die

 So what if I might have cut the background paper too big and don't have any A6 envelopes to go with it? Go without the background paper!

SU! Leafy Glade BG and Verve Poinsettia Christmas, Bloom and Grow,
Glad Tidings and Elegant Leaves Die

What if I'm just tired of the parts and want to enjoy another background paper I found? Nicely simple.

Stampin' Up Supersize Snowflake

I think it was a great exercise for me. I laugh at the thought I couldn't just reproduce a card six times, but now I know how easy it is to make a "collection" of cards that can be sold as a set! Fantastic twist on a classic request! I know I'm not the first one to think of this, but it was all in the process I needed to take. I'm still learning after making so many cards!

These cards were all based off of the inspiration challenge by Verve's December Diva Dare: A Handmade Christmas! There are only a few days left to enter ANY of your handmade creations. Go to Day 1 post and link it up!


Details:
Stamps: Stampin Up! Leafy Glade BG and Supersize Snowflake, Verve Poinsettia Christmas, Love Story, Bloom and Grow, Glad Tidings and Richly Blessed
Paper: DCWV Text Prints, SU! Crumb Cake, Certainly Celery or Kiwi Kiss (?) and Basic Black, Wausau Cream, Hobby Lobby Holiday pack red cardstock
Ink: Tuxedo Black, CTMH Brown Bag, Real Red, Versamark, Copic Markers, multiliner pen
Accessories: DMC embroidery thread, Verve Elegant Leaves and Lovely Marquee Dies, Nestabilities circle die, Walmart lace ribbon, handmade crochet poppy, handmade porcelain heart pin, SU! iridescent ice embossing powder, polished hemp twine, SU! cherry cobbler striped ribbon, Hobby Lobby gold metallic ribbon