How long does it take to make a card?

People often ask, "How long does it take to make a card?"

That's a hard question to answer. Rarely do I start making one card and finish it and that's it. I usually work them in batches - sometimes up to 100 at once. Some cards take a loooong time, if you consider how I acquire the materials to make them.

I started making "Kitte Kimono" cards years ago when I found I had inadvertently started a stamp collection from all the letters I sent and received in Japan. I love Japanese stamps, but do not consider myself a collector. My interest is purely aesthetic. I also love that these stamps came from somewhere far away, some time long ago and was the link between people.

When friends and acquaintences found out that I make these cards, they started giving me more stamps. Some are very old. I imagine they came on letters from Japan, like the ones my grandmother used to send to my mother in the days before email and when phone calls were only for emergencies. This was the only connection between them. Letter-writing used to be an artform, not to be taken lightly. People used to think carefully before they would write things down, penmanship was valued. As much as I love the convenience of email, I miss getting letters from friends.

Anyway, back to cards... Each card is unique, each stamp chosen carefully. And I haven't even talked about the "kimono" part of the card - each stamp is mounted on silk fabric from vintage kimono from Japan... Maybe an even longer story there.

Maybe it is a lot of work for just a card. But someone will buy this card to send a message to someone else, and that makes me happy.