Mass Production, Again

Today was Mass Production Day, Part First. I mentioned yesterday I wanted to make some more Milestone Birthday cards, and today I got started on that effort. This is what I was going for:

To get to this point, I started by selecting some retired Manchester DSP from my stash, and I pulled out 4 pieces - 2 each of the patterns you see here. This is SU matchy-matchy at its finest. Two of the colors that coordinate with this paper are Kraft and Baja Breeze, both of which I have in embarrassingly copious amounts. I sliced and diced and made & assembled 20 card bases + layers for "manly" birthday cards. I also used my hoarded Baja Breeze ribbon. Yay, me! :)

Next up I needed the numbers. I knew I'd eventually need to figure out what to put the numbers ON, but that could wait. So I pulled out my SU Big Deal Numbers set (never giving this up) and stamped a bazillion of each number in Artichoke Craft (pigment) ink and clear-embossed them.


Then they needed to be cut out. Since I've done this before, let me share a trick with you to keep you from getting too stabby at the thought of hand-cutting all of these numbers:

Punches. A lot of these numbers can be helped along by punching out spots with circle punches. I employed the 1/2" and 1" circles. Look how perfectly they punched out that zero! Sweet!

The 1/2" was also used to help me with the 8s and the 6s (or 9s, depending on how you turn them):

I later went back and punched out the tops of the 8s with my eyelet punch (1/8" ??) Hint: Do this before you cut it out. Much easier.

Here's the help with the 5s:

... and the 3s:


With that as my starting point, I set in to cut out the numbers. All those rounded sections are not too bad as long as you hold the scissors still and turn the paper.

Here is where I gave up for the evening:

... and decided to think about the layers to hold the numbers. I opted for the other color in the striped paper: Artichoke, which also matched the numbers.

Here is version 1 of the manly card:

... and because I was indecisive, I made some with the patterned papers switched:

I actually have 16 of these, which seems like a lot, but once I do one for each decade up through 90, plus 55 and 65, that leaves me with a bunch of blanks for customization. Inevitably someone buys the 50, then the next person says, "Oh, darn, no 50?" I was a Girl Scout. Those blank cards + the extra numbers = whatever year you want!

And because I can't count, I ended up with three pieces of that subtle plaid paper with no remaining striped pieces. What to do ... what to do ... Well, it IS double-sided paper, right? So I made 3 of this version :

Those two patterns are opposite sides of the same piece of paper. I used Mellow Moss for the layer between the DSP and the Kraft card base, but I still used the Artichoke layer & numbers. I think it works. The ribbon is (I think) So Saffron from a few SAB ago.

While I was slicing and dicing the Manchester papers, I also sacrificed 4 sheets of retired Parisian Summer papers for the girlie cards. Once I finish with these manly versions, I'll work on the girlie ones and show them off to you.

Once I have them all done, it will be 40 cards total. Wow. 8 sheets of DSP = 40 cards. That means with all the remaining papers ... times 6 ... carry the 1 ... yep, it's SABLE.

In other news, not only did I finish up the three remaining cards for my custom order this morning before coffee, I also took a break and had a pedicure. I almost never have pedicures, but I felt it was time, and I'm worth it. I have a friend who is a retired manicurist (but still licensed & legal), and she came over this morning and gave me watermelon nails:

Yeah, please get past the short and stubby toes and just admire the paint job, okay? How fun is this?!?! Let's see if anyone notices.

Thanks for stopping by!