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<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">It depends on whether or not you are interested
in making money, or getting your name out as a card person. Fifty cards
does not make any money. Assuming you'd like to make something on them,
here is what I do:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">1. First, you need to have a
couple of paintings that will fit your card size -- I print cards on 5x7, so a
painting I do needs to be taken into a photo or art program; you crop as
necessary, and then reduce until your design fits your card; it should be almost
to the very edges, but not quite (so you avoid what is in printing called a
'bleed', which often costs more). Or, you can do it the other way, and
make your paintings in multiples: for 5x7 cards, you can paint in 10x20, for
instance, or larger in multiples of the 5x7 measure.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">2. The riskiest part of cards
is picking a card design. Anyone can join this contest: go to the Cards
section of my site at <A
href="http://www.ThreeMermaids.com">www.ThreeMermaids.com</A>, and pick which of
the cards is the worst seller, which is the best seller, and which is the most
consistent (people come back for more of the same design). Or, simply pick
the worst seller. Maybe you will be better than I am, but this is a way to
test!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">3. Black and white cards can
be done at a printer's and are not too expensive. Colour sells better, of
course, but is a lot more expensive (and what is watercolour in black and
white?). Art printers will send you a packet (Color Q, Colson Printing,
etc.) showing prices for different numbers of cards; if you are really good with
a computer and have a quality printer, you should print them yourself I suspect,
or check out a Kinko's. You will need to have at least two different
designs to print up. Even on a try-out basis, never have fewer than 100
cards made. [I get my "good" designs done at 8,000 a printing, to get the
price per card down, but you don't have to worry about that yet.] Don't
forget to allow for your name, the name you make up for the card company, your
address, etc., to be on the back outside cover of the card (Kinko's can help
with this kind of stuff if you get a good person).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Now, to envelopes: m</FONT><FONT
face="Comic Sans MS">y cards are 5x7, which take what is called a Lee
envelope. The easiest way to price envelopes is on a computer -- put
in "bright white envelope" to a search engine like Google, and your
State, and look at their prices, or go to a printers and see what
they need -- don't just say 'white' or you will be unhappy with what you get,
say 'bright white', or pick a colour envelope that will go with both
cards. Store them closed, as envelopes in colour or white get shopworn
from light.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">For the packaging, you need bags. I put 6
cards/6 envelopes in a resealable gusseted bag; I get mine from Clear Bags
because they are cheapest, but you have to purchase a heckuvalot of bags.
Again, put 'clear bags' into your search engine and see what you come up with
closest to you. Also, if you live near a city that has a company that
makes boxes or bags, call and ask. You'd be surprised at the deals you can
sometimes make.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Now, find a victim (mine was once my
4-year-old son). Someone has to fold all the cards, count them out in
sixes, and count six envelopes to go with them. You yourself will do the
bagging (if not all of it) because it is trickier. To bag the cards
properly, you need to have the front (picture) facing out the front, and the
back of another card showing at the rear of the package (the part with your name
and stuff). You might trick your husband into doing it once, but very few
husbands will do it more than that. It is not hard labour, just tiresome,
I guess, kind of like ironing.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">You only put one design in each package, not
two. If someone cannot make up their minds, they then can purchase a
package of each, because they won't be that expensive. You keep all your
bagged packages in clean, paperlined boxes (cardboard eats things), in the dark
when you are not filling orders.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">I wish I could finish this with somehting like
"then sit back and wait for the big bucks", but of course, it trickles back
instead of floods unless you get really lucky -- I have one company that buys a
particular card of mine in bulk every year because it has a product relation for
them, but mostly what you do then is go around to boutiques and gift shops, and
see if they will buy your cards wholesale (half of retail value). If
you have a 'theme' (mermaids, cats, local scenes, etc.) then you widen your
market -- local scenes might interest any local museum shops, sometimes the
municipality itself. Cat stores will look at cat cards, etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">pat chapin</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><A
href="http://www.patchapin.com">www.patchapin.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><A
href="http://www.ThreeMermaids.com">www.ThreeMermaids.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>--- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=341vch@suddenlink.net href="mailto:341vch@suddenlink.net">Virginia
Haines</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=patchapin@mindspring.com
href="mailto:patchapin@mindspring.com">patchapin@mindspring.com</A> ; <A
title=quilts@gis.net href="mailto:quilts@gis.net">Phyllis Mcdonough</A> ; <A
title=aquanet@thebyteboard.com
href="mailto:aquanet@thebyteboard.com">'aquanetart'</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 27, 2008 5:11
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Aquanet] any news
lately?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=4>I know one of my artist friends did several
versions of line drawings of several basic ideas of Christmas Card
scenes..she had 50 printed at a local 'print shop'. She then
painted each in watercolors to finish the cards. envelopes for 3"x5"
cards are available at Wal Mart stores, or order the watercolor card box sets
from art supply catalogs. the envelopes are included with these 4"x6" w/c
paper folded cards. <FONT color=#000000
size=3> </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>---- Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=patchapin@mindspring.com
href="mailto:patchapin@mindspring.com">patchapin@mindspring.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=quilts@gis.net href="mailto:quilts@gis.net">Phyllis
Mcdonough</A> ; <A title=341vch@suddenlink.net
href="mailto:341vch@suddenlink.net">'Virginia Haines'</A> ; <A
title=aquanet@thebyteboard.com
href="mailto:aquanet@thebyteboard.com">'aquanetart'</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 27, 2008 4:12 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Aquanet] any news lately?</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Bev, how many do you want to print? Or are you asking
which way is the best <BR>profit?<BR>pat chapin<BR><A
href="http://www.patchapin.com">www.patchapin.com</A><BR><A
href="http://www.ThreeMermaids.com">www.ThreeMermaids.com</A><BR><BR><BR>-----
Original Message ----- <BR>From: Phyllis Mcdonough<BR>To: 'Virginia Haines' ;
'aquanetart'<BR>Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 1:56 PM<BR>Subject: Re:
[Aquanet] any news lately?<BR><BR><BR><BR>Just busy Virginia. I have just
cleared my calendar for the next 10 weeks <BR>and I feel great, I get to
choose what I do each day. Happy Holidays <BR>everyone.<BR> Bye the
way does anyone have a suggestion as to the best and simplest <BR>manner in
which to print homemade cards?<BR>Go to staples, use a computer or hire a
photographer /printer to come in and <BR>“sell” to the clients?
Or….<BR><BR><A
href="http://geocities.com/pollyanna_18">http://geocities.com/pollyanna_18</A><BR><BR><BR><BR>From:
<A
href="mailto:aquanet-bounces@thedigitalbraintrust.net">aquanet-bounces@thedigitalbraintrust.net</A>
<BR>[mailto:aquanet-bounces@thedigitalbraintrust.net] On Behalf Of Virginia
<BR>Haines<BR>Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 12:45 PM<BR>To:
aquanetart<BR>Subject: [Aquanet] any news lately?<BR><BR>Just checking to see
if there has been any watercolor news and why it is <BR>quiet at this
end? Hope I am not disconnected again from aquanetters.<BR>Virginia
H.<BR>visit my site at:<BR><A
href="http://www.arkansasdirectories.com/vhaines.asp">www.arkansasdirectories.com/vhaines.asp</A><BR><A
href="http://www.hometownartgallery.com/art/vhaines">http://www.hometownartgallery.com/art/vhaines</A><BR><BR><BR><BR>No
virus found in this incoming message.<BR>Checked by AVG.<BR>Version: 7.5.549 /
Virus Database: 270.8.4/1749 - Release Date: 10/27/2008 <BR>7:57
AM<BR><BR><BR><BR>No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR>Checked by
AVG.<BR>Version: 7.5.549 / Virus Database: 270.8.4/1749 - Release Date:
10/27/2008 <BR>7:57 AM<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>Aquanet mailing list<BR><A
href="mailto:Aquanet@thedigitalbraintrust.net">Aquanet@thedigitalbraintrust.net</A><BR><A
href="http://lists.thedigitalbraintrust.net/mailman/listinfo/aquanet">http://lists.thedigitalbraintrust.net/mailman/listinfo/aquanet</A><BR><BR>Check
out the Aquanet web site:<BR><A
href="http://www.aquanetart.com">http://www.aquanetart.com</A>
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