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Oh how I love to see these on people's cards but they always bewilder me. How in the world do you give a card that has a gorgeous ribbon and flower that is 50 x wider the the card itself to people with out smashing it all down?
Do they actually mail cards like these? I can't see how they would even fit in an envelope. Maybe they just hand the card to a friend as is.
__________________ Gam zu l'tova...Everything happens for the good.
I'd like to know this too. I find that if I have to mail a card it really limits what I put on it because I don't want it too fat. Even if I'm hand delivering I have to smash it all into an envelope. Do people give a card with no envelope?
My friend's mom made her a gorgeous card with a bunch of big flowers on it and she made a kind of box/envelope for it since it wouldn't fit in a regular envelope. I haven't seen either of them in a few years or I would ask where she got the template. I'm assuming there has to be one out there and I hope someone here on SCS can help us out!
Not to mention, I have only have enough time to make the cards and stick them in a regular envie without having to make special envelopes too!! I suppose a pretty wedding card that would be hand delivered to the wedding in a box such as this would work......
good question!!
__________________ We cannot do great things, only small things with great love.
I have mailed cards right in the clear boxes, they come with clear tape to seal down the sides. I just put a label on it and mail it! It costs about $1 to send an A2 card.
If I have a bulky card that I'm hand delivering with a gift, I will make a box to present it in. It's very easy with the help of a Scor-Pal. Here's a recent blog post with details how to make a box; there is also room to place a small gift. Hope that helps!
I have thought to mail my heavily embellished cards with floral punch flowers on them in the clear boxes also. Then I though, someone might just like it and it would never get to the intended destination. Though I could be paranoid about it also. I then designed my own mailing box out of posterboard that accomodates my cards. I will mail one to my aunt in Dallas to see if it makes it ok, and how much it costs. Will let you know how it makes it.
This questions pops up from time to time. My answer would be for someone to design a padded envelope that is pleated on the sides. If anyone finds such a thing, let us know. Otherwise, I know that many people plan to hand these cards directly to the recipient. I have discovered that the extra wide SU striped ribbon actually goes flat pretty easily to fit into an envelope.
My answer would be for someone to design a padded envelope that is pleated on the sides.
I've actually done something very similar to this in the past, by making my own envelope between 1/4" and 5/8" larger than the card, depending on how deep the embellishments were, and lining it with bubble wrap, and it worked great.
Then, I realized I really only needed to line the inside of one side of the envelope, rather than both, as long as I placed the embellished side of the card next to the bubble wrap. (I make it so the front of the card faces the back of the envelope.)
In fact, I will often line the inside of the back of a pre-made envelope rather than making my own, and make the card slightly smaller than normal so it will fit. As long as I make the card small enough to fit comfortably in the envelope, place the embellished side of the card next to the bubble wrap, and add extra postage for special handling, it works great.
__________________ Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.
~~Walt Whitman
I've mailed cards with the delicate, large paper roses two ways.....either in a box with a gift and the card carefully on top or in a padded envelope for some of the smaller paper roses. It's true I don't mail those type often though! ;)
Oh my gosh, I just used the Papertrey Ink link from your post! I love that website! There's so much on it that I didn't have time to check it all out. Thanks!
If I'm going to hand deliver a card then I'll use big bulky embellishments. If I have to mail a card out then I make it as flat as possible.
AMEN sister! Even sending some in padded envelopes they have stuff not still attached (I send a lot to my DD) so if they are mailed, they fit in a regular envelope, and go for one stamp (well, ok once in a while it takes the extra postage ) No one really cares that it's not covered in flowers and ribbons.
over here in the UK a lot of these bulky cards are mailed in a handmade box (box and lid as made with something like the Crafter's Companion Ultimate Pro) and this can then either be wrapped in brown wrapping paper or just taped and the address added to the box. sometimes the boxes are also decorated - i think these are placed in a separate mailing box or wrapped.
__________________ Jeni in PA, proud SCS Fan Club member My BlogMy Gallery wife, mom, nurse case manager, crafter, SU! demo and Sr. Supervisor - Cross Country Crafty Chicks
"You're gonna need a bigger boat" ~ Chief Brody, Jaws
You can order mailing boxes from PAPER SOURCE.COM in A2 OR A7 SIZE FOR $2.25-$2.50 and they come in many colors. I try to keep several on hand for some of my special cards that I make. For most of my cards, I cut heavy card stock or light weight cardboard to size of my card and put card in a larger size envelope and have envelope hand stamped at post office. After having several of my cards torn apart at the post office--I found that even small brads on cards will not go through the machines at the post office. This all does cost more money to send cards but after spending time in creating something special---it's worth it.
I think these handmade flower cards are absolutely brilliant -- and since I know I'm all thumbs when it comes to this sort of thing, I don't have to think about the mailing aspect as I'd never be able to do it, LOL!!
I do love looking at them though and if I could make them I would maybe attach them to a decorative box or some such thing.
And probably if you put that much effort into it, then mailing in a box could be the easiest part of the whole process!!
I make highly embellished cards that I mail in the 6x9 bubble envelopes you can buy just about anywhere. I sometimes add a piece of cardboard over the card front and slide everything in carefully with the card front facing the back of the envelope. Not one of my recipients over the years has mentioned any damage when they received their cards. When presenting a bulky card in person, I make a box for it with my Crafter's Companion.
A suggestion for mailing cards with small ribbons and pearls or briiliants. Run cardstock cut to just smaller than your envelope through your crimper. Put it in front of the face of your card. I have sent and received cards like this for no extra postage and the the card came undamaged. Of course this would not work for the really heavily embellished cards with large bows....I end up putting mine in the small bubble envelopes with something heavier in the front of the card... it usually costs me just over a $1.
I have used the clear envelopes like SU! but a tad bigger. I walk them into the post office and have them stamped and they're not run through the machine. Cost = approx. $1.35 Haven't had any problems (yet). If the cards are too thick to fit in the clear envelopes I move up to a bigger bubble wrap lined or padded envelope.
Whether I'm hand delivering or mailing, I like to place them in the clear plastic boxes sold at PTI (Papertrey Ink) as Cathleen mentioned above. If I mail them, I place the box in a bubble-wrap lined envelope as added protection. PTI carries an A2 sized box as well as 2 different square sizes.
__________________
Wanda Cullen ~ Dirty Dozen Alumni, On design team for Papertrey Ink, Designer for Color Throwdown and Fusion Card Challenges Cullen-ary Creations[/URL]...my blogHERE'S MY GALLERY[/URL]
A couple of things I use that I did not see mentioned are:
1. Put packing tape on the outside of your envelope where a little brad or small bump is on your card. It does help get the card thru the machines.
2. Turn your card inside out, with outer sides touching each other, before putting in your envelope. For padding between the outside edges, I recycle the bubble wrap off mailers and also very thin foam in various packaging. Line your envelope for privacy. I usually include a little post-it that says the card is inside out for mailing.
I have tried the cardstock through the crimper routine, but the postmistress at my PO is very picky. She says anything hard (extra heavy cardstock on top) or squishy (crimped or bubble wrap) is considered a package (as it is usually thicker than 1/4") and I'm charged as such. I only do this for brands or bows that won't be hurt by being squished, but still get charged an extra 20 cents as it is bumpy. I like the idea of the plastic boxes. If I'm going to be charged for a package, I might as well have the card arrive in good un-smashed condition! Thanks for the link to the site where I can buy them.
When I weigh it with the cardstock through the crimper it isn't too heavy and doesn't require extra postage. I have just dropped mine in the mailbox and they have arrived with no extra postage required and not damaged. My friends also send them to me this way with the same result. BUT that being said this is just to protect small bows and embelishments like pearls and brilliants. If it is oversized or has massive embellishments I send it differently.
I think that sometimes you can get away with mailing something yourself as long as you have the right amount of postage and the card isn't too heavily embellished, as you said. And I'm still loving that suggestion about crimping. Going up to the counter at the P.O. and trying to figure out why the clerk is charging whatever he's charging can be a mind-numbing experience. Lately I've been using the 6x9 bubble envelopes and paying about $1.71 if I remember correctly.
Just checked at the PO for an update on costs of mailing. If it is a size that fits through the cancellation machine (nothing square or very large), 1 oz or less, 1/4" or less in thickness and is not bumpy it goes for the regular rate. Mine are seldom like that. If it is the right size, goes through the 1/4" slot, weighs an oz or less BUT is bumpy (brads, a bow, something popped up) it costs 20 cents more. If it is square but OK in all other respects--no bumps, not over 1 oz and 1/4" or less thick, it costs 20 cents more. In addition, you pay more if it is too heavy even if all else is OK (I've sent a magnet card that was flat, thin and A-2 size, but it was over an oz.) Also, once you go over the 1/4" thickness, it is considered a package even if it is less than an oz, A-2 size and has no bumps. If I get by with regular postage on a card or two each week, I feel pretty good. I try to keep it to requiring only the extra 20 cents, but often I end up paying over a dollar. I don't care about the bit extra as I consider the card as a small gift, but I do hate the fact that I have to take it in to be weighed and measured and "patted down" before I can send it off (all of this extra postage is dependent on actual weight, and parcel post rates, so you can't determine it for yourself), otherwise it will end up back in my box for more postage and then may arrive late to the recipient.
I think the sad part is at the PO, it depends on the person. Some will let something go, the next will want more postage. I saw a postwoman squish, push and force an envelope through once. When we made DD's wedding invites I took to post office before they were all done and had them weigh, and make sure they weren't to thick. Then I told him to ask someone else, just to be sure. I didn't want to get 150 invites back with "returned to extra postage" stamped on!
To get by with not paying extra for a square card, I make mine 5X5 and put in a 5X7 envelope. There is a template thing that tells you what size needs more and how thick needs more postage but I only have one at work, I've yet to have anyone at PO find one I can have.
I think the sad part is at the PO, it depends on the person. Some will let something go, the next will want more postage. I saw a postwoman squish, push and force an envelope through once. When we made DD's wedding invites I took to post office before they were all done and had them weigh, and make sure they weren't to thick. Then I told him to ask someone else, just to be sure. I didn't want to get 150 invites back with "returned to extra postage" stamped on!
To get by with not paying extra for a square card, I make mine 5X5 and put in a 5X7 envelope. )"]There is a template thing that tells you what size needs more and how thick needs more postage but I only have one at work, I've yet to have anyone at PO find one I can have.]
This is sooo true. When I took my Christmas cards (all different) to a shipping service, they let all sorts of things go by. The beauty of it is, if someone in the PO approves it, it goes--a second oppinion is not needed as they will hand cancel it right there.
I tried to get one of these, as well--especially for the 1/4" slot, so I wouldn't have to make my own, but since I couldn't I had them make me a paper copy which is somewhat helpful.
You can buy one of the templates for $1.00 at Green Sneakers in the Accessories section. I have several and they are quite helpful once I have a card sealed in an envelope to determine if it will go thru the post office machine. Here is the link: Paper Craft Accessories
Hope this helps!
You can buy one of the templates for $1.00 at Green Sneakers in the Accessories section. I have several and they are quite helpful once I have a card sealed in an envelope to determine if it will go thru the post office machine. Here is the link: Paper Craft Accessories
Hope this helps!
Wow, thanks! Does it also have the slot? I can't tell by the picture on the link.
for those of you sending cards as parcel packages, have you tried the "economy" rates? It may take an extra day to get there, but cheaper. And for regular cards that are just a tad bulky, but still fit in an "invitation" size envelope, have you tried "media mail"? Just write "economy" or "media mail" under the stamp(s). I have never had to put more than two stamps on a card before, even in a brown oversized office envelope padded.
It may be worth checking into. I mail out cards pretty regularly now for our ladies care group at church, but would not if I had to pay $1 each, on top of the expense of making cards.
My biggest consideration is cost. I live in Spain and my family are all in the UK.If a card is non standard the cost doubles and so I dont send bulky cards.I dont decorate my cards with large bows and other thick items and I do use bubble wrap and padded envelopes to cover brads and other hard decorations. There is so much to choose from for decorating cards that now I only use more bulky adornments for hand given cards.
OMG, I love you Jeanne3579 for posting this! I saw all their other products, but to my dismay, looks like they no longer offer the box templates, but I'm waiting for a reply to my email. All their other products seem awesome, especially the mailing template and envelope glue. Thanks for sharing!!!
Big, Bulky, Beautiful ribbon/flowers
