Card-making group marks World Card Making Day

By Sean Barron

news@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

A certain number of youngsters at Akron Children’s Hospital won’t have to wait for the holidays before receiving cards containing plenty of good cheer and well wishes.

“I keep looking for ways to make it more of a ministry,” Sharyn Fees said. “One morning I thought, ‘What could we do to reach out to some group in the community?’”

Fees was referring to one of her card-making group’s main ambitions, as well as the decision to make get-well cards for patients at the hospital — something she and others took part in Saturday at St. James Episcopal Church, 7640 Glenwood Ave.

The five-hour effort was part of Saturday’s World Card Making Day.

Fees, a St. James member who teaches such techniques, said she initially cut the raw material for the cards. Before adding their signatures, participants stamped, then embossed them with a hand-held machine that transfers patterns from small, rectangular folders to the cardstock, she explained.

On Saturday, more than 20 were created, most with butterfly, flower or other cheerful designs.

Attendees also took time to shop for handmade cards and crafts, along with stamping tools and supplies, many of which Jeannie Donie of Boardman was selling.

“I find that a lot of people appreciate getting something handmade,” said Donie, who was selling roughly 50 rubber stampers in a variety of sizes and shapes for $6 to $14 and, by her own estimate, has about 150 more at home.

Donie, who’s also a member of the card-making group, noted that she enjoys tailoring the stampers, many of which also contain various sayings, to people’s interests and hobbies. For example, if someone is interested in gardening or golf, she will design rubber stampers with those themes, she continued.

In addition to allowing creativity to flow, the hobby also leaves a positive effect on her and other members, Donie said.

“It’s very gratifying and relaxing when working on stamping,” she said. “You forget about anything else going on in your life at the moment.”

Also on sale during the gathering were packs of two-sided designer paper for scrapbooks and for designing cards.

Before being delivered to Akron Children’s Hospital, the cards are to be blessed during today’s service at St. James, Fees said.