Rediscovering the Love of Card Making in Retirement

When people talk about retirement, they usually focus on the big things.  The travel plans.  The freedom from meetings and deadlines.  The ability to sleep in on a Monday morning without setting an alarm.

And don’t get me wrong…all those things are awesome, but I’ve discovered that some of the greatest joys of retirement are much smaller.  For me, one of those joys has been rediscovering my love of card making.

For 3 years, all my craft supplies were in storage while I temporarily moved into my little condo in Houston.  2 years ago I found a house and moved back to Arizona.  I unpacked all my supplies but somehow they still sat lonely and neglected for another 2 years.

Then retirement happened!

On my very first day into retirement I sat down at my craft table to see if I have any creative juice left and the flood gates opened!  I now spend probably too much time sitting at my table every day and I’m loving every minute of it.  How did I ever have time to work!?

There’s something incredibly satisfying about starting with a few pieces of cardstock, some ink, stamps, colored pencils, dies, and embellishments and ending up with a finished card that didn’t exist a few hours earlier.  It’s creative, relaxing, and surprisingly therapeutic.

But what truly reignited my enthusiasm wasn’t just having more time.  It was discovering a charity called Creative Kindness.

A Purpose Beyond the Craft Room

As much as I enjoy making cards, I also know there are only so many birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays in my own life.  At some point, every card maker wonders what to do with all the cards they create! 

Since scrapbook.com was one of my first stops in seeing what the latest products and trends are, it was through them I learned about Creative Kindness.  Their mission is simple: provide handmade cards to people who need a little encouragement, comfort, support, or joy.  Through the generosity of card makers around the country, they help spread kindness one card at a time.

I always knew part of retirement for me would be finding ways to give back.  I’m already a volunteer cookie baker at Ronald McDonald house a couple of weekends a month and knew I had more to give. 

That’s why finding Creative Kindness got me excited.  It became another way to give back.

I will still make my sassy, sometimes inappropriate cards just for fun, but now I can also focus on creating cards that have the potential to brighten the day of someone I’ve never met.

The Cards I’ve Created So Far

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been happily putting my craft supplies back to work…and buying more. (yikes!)

As I look at the collection growing on my craft table, I realize these cards represent more than cardstock and ink.  They represent a new chapter.

After decades of schedules, projects, conference calls, and responsibilities, I finally have the opportunity to spend time doing things simply because they bring me joy.  And when those activities can also make a positive difference in someone else’s life, what more can you ask for.

Here are some cards I’ve created the last couple of weeks.  You can find the products used on my Facebook or Instagram page.  I’ll add a link to the photo.

What Retirement Is Teaching Me

One of the biggest surprises of retirement has been learning that happiness doesn’t always come from doing more.  Sometimes it comes from returning to something you loved all along.

For me, card making has become a reminder that creativity doesn’t have use it or lose it date.  If anything, retirement has given me the freedom to explore it more deeply than ever before.

I’ll still be traveling and soaking in all aspects of my new life, but when I’m home you’ll probably find me at my craft table or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Looking Ahead

I don’t know exactly how many cards I’ll make this year.  If the past few weeks are any indication, it will be quite a few.  In fact, I just counted them.  62 cards in just a few weeks!   😮 

As I continue this journey, I’ll be sharing more of the cards I create along the way.  You can find all of them on Facebook and Instagram, where I share the supplies I used, but some of them will eventually make their way here to the blog with tutorials and how-to instructions.

Some will be donated through Creative Kindness.  Others may find homes with friends and family.  But every one of them will be made with the same intention—to spread a little kindness, one handmade card at a time.

And honestly, that’s not a bad way to spend retirement.

Happy tinkering,

Susan