It can be a daunting task trying to make multiple cards all at once. Making many cards at once can take hours out of your day and leave you feeling drained afterwards. You may be making a big stack of cards for a big swap, or invitations of some sort, wedding and baby announcements etc.. It can seem like forever. I have been in some really large swaps when it was near the due date and I was absolutely dreading making cards that I usually love to make! However, when all the cards are completed and you have lined them all up in a nice row, you are going to feel like a million bucks! Here are some tried and true steps that you can take that will help you to make stamping multiple cards easier and quicker.

1. Start early! This can take so much pressure off of you, it will make a big task like this all the more managable. If you have alot of time available, you have alot more freedom when it comes to breaking your steps into small chunks and taking your sweet time.

2. Figure out your time frame. How much time is left until your deadline? Think about how you can break up your tasks into discrete chunks. Perhaps you will spend one small session just cutting up your paper, then leave some glue tasks until tomorrow.

3. Create an assembly line and involve others! This is a lot of fun if you have friends who are into stamping and cardmaking or who would like to learn. You can bring your relatives or children in to help you! Be the manager and give everyone a station that matches their skill level.

4. Dont handwrite your messages. If you have a long message for the card, like for a large party, dont try to handwrite all of them. grab your computer and color printer and type out your message in a nice font and color that fits well with the card you are making. Then print out as many as you need, cut them down to size and slip one into each of the cards after you are finished.

5. Make use of technology. Paper trimmers, cricut machines, and other nice high level tools can really make things like papercutting go much faster than if you tried to do the task by hand. If you dont have your own or cant afford it, perhaps you have a friend who can let you borrow their tool.

6. Skip the tough stuff. Try to determine when you might be able to skip over a long and complicated windowpane technique or something that you are not a pro at. You may be able to replace some of your effects with a simpler version. Techniques that are quick like paper tearing are very fast.

7. Stamp all at once. If you have multiple stamps that will be needed for a cardmaking project, do all the cards at once for each of the stamps you are going to use. That way you dont have to fiddle with using different inkpads, cleaning the same stamp over and over etc..

8. Consider patterned paper. You may be able to use scrapbook paper, gift wrap paper, or other patterned paper as part of your background or on some part of your card. This will allow you to avoid having to use rollers or other even more complicated techniques.

In closing, even if you are short of time, take some time to think through what you are going to be doing. Plan out your cards and see where you may be able to cut corners or easily save a bit of time. You are going to feel so proud when you have a large table full of cards that you made, on time and on budget. Happy Stamping!