The Card Chain's Maiden Voyage

Okay, here we go!

This is a Card Chain Challenge (aka "CCC"). The basic idea is that you receive a fellow cardmaker's snail mail address, make her a card, and mail it to her. Everybody gets a hand-crafted card so everybody wins!

You will also post the cards you receive in the online gallery of your choice, and I will post these blog/gallery addresses on my blog. Everybody gets increased visibility and/or blog traffic, so everybody wins!

The whole process is fairly straightforward, so the chances of my screwing up are minimal. Everybody avoids administrative duties, so everybody wins!

Since this is the first time I'm hosting this event, I'm going to limit it to 12 participants. (This will give me a chance to learn what I overlooked, tweak as necessary, etc for future CCC's.) If more than 12 people sign up, only the first 12 people will be eligible. However, if anyone has to drop out, is removed, or is not otherwise eligible, the next person down the line will move up. 

Each person will make a card for the person immediately below her in the chain. The last person in the chain will make a card for the first person in the chain.

Card Eligibility

• Cards can be any shape or size. (Just understand that postage may be higher for cards that are considered larger/smaller than the standard card size or do not fit the established norm in the receiver's country.)

• Cards do not have to be original designs - you can send a card from another challenge, etc as long as it meets at least ONE of the challenge options.

• Cards have to meet at least ONE of the three challenge options provided. (You can use all three if you want, but only one is required.)

• Cards are not required to employ any specific materials or mediums, nor are you limited to products by specific manufacturers - unless a specific challenge requires it. (Stamping, for instance, is not required, despite the author's addiction to rubber and ink, and materials can be made by any manufacturer.) However, all materials and mediums must be legal. (Making a card out of paper manufactured from hemp, alas, is a no-no.) Again, be aware that anything that adds thickness past the acceptable norm will result in higher postage.

The Challenge

Your card must employ ONE (or more, if you like) of the following three options:

This template:

(You do not have to follow this template slavishly - just make sure we can see some sort of resemblance to it. Also feel free to flip it, etc as you see fit.)

OR

This color scheme:

(Please don't be like me and go batty trying to match these colors exactly - just get in the same vicinity. And, no, you don't have to use all the colors if you choose this challenge option.) 

OR

This theme: Get Well Soon OR Encouragement

Instructions

• To participate in this CCC, you must have posted at least twenty (20) cards at an online gallery (like your blog, Flickr photostream, 2Peas gallery, Splitcoaster's gallery, etc).

• Only one entry per person per CCC.

• This CCC is open to participants in ALL countries.  

• You will need to post a link to one of your cards in an online gallery (see examples above) on Mr. Linky below.

• You will also need to send me an email with 3 pieces of information (see below) so I can pass them on to the person who is making you a card. (If you do not send me this information within two hours of signing up with Mr. Linky, I will have to remove you from the chain and give your spot to someone else.)

• your email address, and
• your SNAIL MAIL address, and
• the cost of postage and any special rules that may apply to mail in your country.

• You will need to mail your card to the assigned person postmarked no later than the deadline provided below. 

• Once you receive your card, you will need to post it on one of your online galleries and email me a link to it. Please credit the person appropriately. I will post all the links sent to me here on my blog.

• Failure to comply with the rules will result in your not being eligible for the next two CCC's. If you fail to comply in the next CCC, I reserve the right to permanently ban you from participating. (I don't think anyone would stiff anybody out of her card, but I need to have a way to protect both the participants and future chain challenges... wrote the lawyer.)

• I reserve the right to amend these rules as needed. 

Deadlines

Mr. Linky sign-up: Midnight, EST, Monday, September 14, 2009. Make sure you also send your email and snail mail addresses with postal prices and any special instructions to: 

Mail your card: postmarked no later than Tuesday, September 29, 2009, in your area of the world, to the person you've been assigned. Send that individual an email telling her to be on the lookout! 

Upload and send me a link to received card: email me the link no later than Midnight, EST, Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

If you have any questions, please email me or leave a comment.

I really hope people will hop on the bandwagon here! I think this could be a lot of fun!

Comments

[Lin]

Sounds like a fun thing to do, Deborah! I'll pass this time, since I'm on vacation, but look forward to playing when we get home. Since we are in the business of making cards, it only makes sense that we actually mail some of our masterpieces!! Looking forward to following what I hope becomes a regular thing.

[Hannah Nicole F]

Hi Deborah. Are the cards we submit to you, also supposed the ones we send out? and should it be blank so the recipient can use it however they like?
sorry I ask so many questions, I justed wanted to be sure of what I was supposed to do, and by the way Thank's for doing this I know it will be extremly fun.

[Heather Maria]

Sounds like good fun Deborah! I'd love to give it a try.

[Deborah Nolan]

Hannah,

Good questions!

I don't receive a copy of any of the cards.

I email you with the address of the person immediately below you on the list along with any (if applicable) special mailing restrictions, etc. You make her a card and send it to her. And you're finished until you receive the card sent to you by the person immediately ABOVE you on the list.

I don't get a copy of any of the cards. I just would like for people to post their cards when they receive them, and then send me a link so I can then put them in a blog entry.

This way, others can see what lovely cards are being received and will join in the fun next time!

As to whether it should be blank, that's a very good question! Here's what I would do. I would write a note to the person on a separate piece of paper and leave the card blank. This way, she can do with it as she likes. But make sure you put on the back of the card "Made by Hannah _____" because you should always sign your creations.

[Paula]

Hi Deborah :D, I am certainly interested in playing along. I just have one question for you about the postage. What do you mean by the cost of postage? Do I have to go to my post office & find out what the prices will be for someone in another country? Or do they do that at their Post Office? I'm a little thick when it comes to these things :(. Thank you xoxoxoxoxo

[Deborah]

Paula, I believe you go to your post office and ask them how much it costs to send something to the country in question. I'm going to go see if I can find anything online about this....

[Deborah]

Go to the link below if you live in the United States and need to see what basic postage rates apply for domestic and foreign mail.

http://www.stamps.com/usps/postage-rate-increase/

or

http://ircalc.usps.gov/

If you live in another country, Google something like "[your country's postal office] + postage rates for foreign delivery." (It worked for me!)

For Australia, I got this: http://www1.auspost.com.au/pac/int_letter.asp

And then I found this - which seems to be a good guide that covers all the major countries, but I'd double check with your local post office to make sure.

http://www.k4hb.com/postage.html

[Dawn T]

Hi Deborah... I stuffed up... and put my flickr URL instead of my name and don't know how to delete it. It is #7. I redid it correctly as #8 - so can you delete it? Talk about a blond moment!!! I am away from 18/9/09 but back on 28/09/09 so will have just enough time to participate

[Tomo H.]

Hi, Deborah!
You started the fantastic project, didn't you? Your plannings and your works amaze me every time.
Love the sketch and the color scheme! :)
(I've just e-mailed you. Sorry it was delayed by some reason.)
Have a beautiful weekend!

[Cassi]

i signed up to join, hopefully i follow all the directions correctly so i don't get booted! this is a great idea Deborah :)

[Tomo H.]

Hi, Deborah! I signed up to join your fabulous planning 'CCC'. And just sent you an e-mail. :)

[Arlene]

I assumed we were sending the card we made for this challenge. Let me know. Thanks.