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How About A Little Monday Giveaway To Cheer Us All Up?

lady-card

You are looking at a card Bossy’s mom sent to Bossy years ago, and when she did, she didn’t write on the inside so Bossy could reuse it because everything Bossy knows about poverty she learned from her mother.

Bossy can’t even glance at this card without falling into fits of hysteria, mostly because it reminds Bossy of her great-aunt Jenny. Still, Bossy is willing to part with it — except there never seems to be the exact appropriate situation to send someone an octogenarian with her leg up a pole.

Bossy can’t tell you how many cards she’s failed to send in her lifetime while waiting to utilize this one. For instance, Bossy has a friend, and his mother recently passed away. Bossy has another friend who recently cooked the Bossy family an amazing dinner. Two occasions definitely deserving of cards from Bossy, one a sympathy card and one a thank you card, and yet days turn into weeks turn into months and worse, and still Bossy hasn’t mailed any cards because a grandmom with her foot up a pole is inappropriate for both, and Bossy doesn’t have any other appropriate cards in the house, and although many people suggest there’s a whole world out there on the other side of Bossy’s red front door, Bossy thinks they’re just suckers! Like those people who think the world isn’t flat. Suckers!

That’s why Bossy was so thrilled when her friends at Paperspring offered Bossy a stack of customized cards. Here’s the deal: Paperspring has many templates in categories like holiday, baby, birthday, invite — and you get to customize the outside and inside.

So Bossy perused their website and decided she liked the following design:

customized-card-paperspring

Bossy loves the flower design that isn’t too flowery, and she loves the sophisticated chocolate and sea foam color combination — the only problem: who is Anna Sophia Brown?

meteor-falls

But then Bossy remembered the bit about customizing! And so Bossy thought long and hard about what the most appropriate, versatile message for the outside might be considering her lifestyle, and soon she had her answer:

customized-card-paperspring2

Bossy loves her high-quality cards — and that’s why she’s so delighted that her friends at Paperspring would like to offer one Bossy reader a $60 gift certificate, which is more than enough to order a stack of customized cards of your own.

Just leave a comment below, one per person please. Tell Bossy and her council what you would put on the outside of your cards, and tomorrow Bossy will utilize her friend the Random Number Generator to select a winner.

Good luck, council!

Contest closed, thanks for playing along.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. “Something reminded me of you today…”

    I think it would be great to let people know all the times through the day that we think of them. A small note, the lost art of letter writing, or at least a personalized card, would be a great way to do it.

    Not to mention I am obssessed with stationary, paper products and can still remember the smell of the paper supply room in grade school. Fancy paper would be great – pick me!

  3. RECYCLE – PUT YOUR INSIDE MESSAGE ON A POST-IT NOTE WHICH CAN BE REMOVED BY THE RECIPIENT SO THE CARD CAN BE RE-USED

    not very poetic but poverty party correct:)

  4. I can’t think of something witty enough yet for the front of my cards, but I do know I would have Nooooo problem spending 60 bucks at Paperspring! yay!

  10. I would either keep it simple and have “thinking of you” or go fancy with “You’re blue roses to me.”

    Thank you for the contest, Bossy.

  15. and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make

    or if that wont fit, how about

    people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

  16. At first I thought this post was a money-saving tip from Poverty Party! You know, I think I’ve sent that Granny card, but I can’t remember the occassion. I think the front of my cards should just say “Thinking of you”, as that covers every card-related event.

  17. “Thank You” – I write thank you cards more than anything, so thay would get the most use!

  18. I would get customized correspondence cards with my name in a sassy yet elegant font, so I could feel like Grace Kelly as I thought about writing notes — but then I wouldn’t write them and I could feel guilty in a Grace Kelly way which would be classier.

  19. “Gratitude is the memory of the heart. ~Jean Baptiste Massieu”

    Great contest, Bossy… and super duper cute cards =). Thanks for the offerings!!

  20. I would leave the inside blank so I could not write about any occasion that I might forget to send a card.

    I am such a lazy freak.

  21. I’m most likely to use a card that’s blank everywhere, because then I could use it for anything. In fact, I was just racing around yesterday trying to find a blank card for a wedding present. I’m arrogant enough to believe I can come up with something witty and appropriate on my own for every occasion.

  24. Happy/Merry _________ insert your chosen holiday here… not really but I can’t think of anything to put on them. Like everyone else I can always use some sorry I forgot your birthday cards, lol.

  29. Bossy, my mom is the perfect recipient of the grandma with leg up pole card. Now we just need to think of a reason why you should send my mom a card…

  30. I love getting and sending cards…it’s really unhealthy how many I have! I even buy some and keep them for myself or make a photocopy b/c I love the picture or saying….see unhealthy!

  31. I actually buy belated birthday cards in bulk. That is how organized I am about being disorganized! I would put something catchy on the outside like, “Open Me, if you dare…” I’m all about hooking them in.

  33. Perfect! I’m getting married next month and I have some thank yous to send. Given the quality of my friends, customized thank yous would certainly be in order. 🙂

  35. Bossy’s message would be perfect for my stationary. Which reminds me . . . .

    I am still using leftover thank-you notes from our wedding, 22+ years ago!! Lots more postage, though.

    Thanks, p.j.

  36. Mine would have to say –

    “From Jennifer, yes Jennifer. I know you’ve never gotten a card from me before but that’s because I didn’t have any snazzy custom ones or because I bought you one and then it fell under the seat of my car before I could find a stamp”

    Thanks Bossy!

  37. For the front: Thinking of You

    And there would be a little brain next to the text, with a thought bubble coming out of it. Because pictures of organs are funny. To me.

  40. Mine would just say: Thinking of you….

    Then I could hand write the occassion and a personalized note on the inside. I love me some versatility!

  42. Everyone has such funny comments…. I would come back here and steel one of the above. Now, pretty please RNG pick me!!!

  43. “here we go again”

    It’s really perfect for most occasions with the possible exception of bereavement.

  45. My granddad used to do the same thing with cards. Not write in them so you could reuse them. I think that is a riot.

    I like the wording you used on your card. I am the worst with cards. I love them but never go and buy them and send them. Need to get better at that.

  46. “Hey Girl, it’s about time you wrote. It’s been over two years you know, my old friend. Take me back to the days of the foreign telegrams and the all-night rock and rolling…hey, we was wild then.”

    (apologies to Michelle Shocked)

  49. The West Family Expansion Project <– This is what we used when we were raising money to fund the adoptions to expand our family.

  51. Mine would have to be pink & green, Lilly Pulitzeresqe. Then just my name on the front. Although I do love Harper’s,”Here is a folded piece of paper to show my appreciation”. Just the right amount of snark. Sadly it would probably sail over their heads.

  52. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas Edison

    Love the give away. Thanks Bossy!

  57. Look! A pretty card JUST FOR YOU that I won from iambossy.com because I’m too cheap to buy cards. Pretty or otherwise.

  58. Probably something along the lines of:
    Betcha never thought you would get this Thank You.
    I am HORRIBLE at send thank you cards and am trying to get better!

  59. Hey sweetie!

    This has been my opening greeting on any answering machine/voicemail message to my husband for our entire relationship (married 13 yrs so far). My husband loves to tease me about it but makes me promise to never stop! We like to mail each other love notes from the house to his office – now we could have our own stationary!

  60. Mine would be
    “Thank God you’re not high maintenance ! ” because km too is usually very tardy with the cards

  61. “Amanda and Tyler”

    Only granddaughter just got engaged! Would make a great gift for her to use for announcements, thank yous, etc.

  62. Momish — you buy belated birthday cards in bulk? That’s hysterical. And very organizational, you go girl.

  63. Sorry this is so late . . . I have 4 kids

    Because since the 4th child arrived, I haven’t managed to send a single thank you or birthday card on time.

  66. I am utterly deficient in the card-sending dept, so I’d put something along the lines of “Best Wishes From [insert name of my one friend who regularly sends cards here ] and give them to her and then probably get a couple back some time

  68. I’m a stickler for sending cards, so my requested text would be:

    “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Nauseatingly Polite”

  69. I know, I’m late, but… I am grateful!

    (Getting married soon. Stressing in advance about the thank you cards.)

  71. My favorite card was a gingerbread cookie on the front. Inside it read: When they made you they…A)Broke the Mold B)Broke the Law C)Broke the bed….Happy Birthday! So, yeah, I probably could use some new material!

  76. “It seemed like a good idea at the time”

    Sometimes my “thank you” cards need to double as “I’m sorry” cards if I hope to receive another dinner party/overnight guest invite

  80. and here i was just saying to myself that it is time to get some new notecards to send in the mail so my lovely young mailman gets to keep his job! thanks BOSSY!

  81. oh, for the love of … hit the button too soon! my cards would say something goofy, like “does this notecard make my butt look big?”

  83. Happy Birthday, Anniversay, St. Paddy’s Day, etc. You know how I am with dates and I know I missed SOMETHING!

  88. It would probably be something like “Ha! You can’t stop me!” or something equally confusing and wrong. It would be fun to send those for Christmas. :0)

  94. How about:
    “look, i know you gave me a gift with the expectation that i would in turn send you a little card telling you just how much i appreciate such a gift and just how lovely it is. and, had i not sent you a card you would call me socially uncoothe and ungrateful behind my back. so, here it is.”

  95. I’d love to get them for my daughter to give out. Trying to impress on her the importance of sending out a thank you note or just a note. E-mail, facebook, my space is taking over our lives, people. Let’s step back and slow down. (Gets down from soap box.)

  98. I would put something like “A note from Angelina Jolie”. Then at least they’d open it, just out of curiousity.

    Because if it says, “A note from Julie” my friends would be all, “Oh here she goes again, apologizing for forgetting something…”

  100. Take a slap at life! Sadly, two people I am close to have cancer and are in chemo/radiation. Happily, they refuse to let it get them down. This is what we say when we mean, ‘Who cares how I look, I’m doing it anyway.

  103. “It is only with the heart that one sees rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye” My favorite from The Little Prince.
    I’m too stuffed up with a cold to think of anything witty right now.

  107. Very cool idea – I’m reading the suggestions on the comments above. I really think I’d just pretty much copy what you did cuz that’s me to a “T”.

    mia

  109. Well, while we’re being practical, I’d have to say that I’d put my full name on the card so I could use it to write a note for any occasion.

  115. LOLOL! I love the spunk of that lady. May we all be that energetic at that age!

    And I like your tagline for the card. That describes me to a T (my own mother is about to have to come to visit ME so she can, among other things, pick up her birthday pressent, which has languished since Labor Day…sigh!)

  118. So many great lines, I would borrow one (and share the cards with the author!). Nice to know I’m not the only one who frets at the decline of real mail and yet does little to change it!

  120. just my initials:

    JCW — hey, they are hubbies initials, too. Not that he would EVER send someone something besides an e-mail!

  121. We’re moving in a month and I need to send out holiday cards. I’ll spend that $60 in no time.

  124. Mine would probably say something like “You should probably hang on to this card as likely it will be the only one you will ever receive from me in this lifetime.” (I am not good at sending cards, but I am good at calling!)

  126. My daughter’s teacher always uses the prettiest cards for notes home, and my replies are always on notebook paper, so my cards would say “Look! I finally got some cards!”

  129. I was thinking about you today . . . .

    That covers it all. I’ll take care of why i specifically thought of you myself, on the inside.

  132. I’m boring – Just “Thinking of You”. That way I could use it for any occasion.

  133. “Okay okay! I’m sorry and thankful and thinking of you! All simultaneously. Now open up and read what I really want to say to you!”

  137. I’d put my name.
    I’m one of those old fashioned thank-you, letter writing types, so it would be perfect for notes and such.

  139. Ah Bossy, a girl after my own heart. I’m trying so hard to teach my kid the importance of saying thank you…and yet I’m horrible at sending out the cards.

    I’d probably put “Thank You” or something else equally simple. Because Kid #2 is due to arrive in 3 weeks and lord knows I’ll be writing plenty of thank you’s in my sleep-loss induced stupor.

  141. Supporting The Postal Service, One Stamp At A Time.

    Because it’s weird to send snail mail in this day and age, but I still love to do it. Fingers crossed and good luck to everyone!

  142. I would love these and maybe they would help me end my affliction of dashing off e-mails and not sending cards! Everyone loves to get a note on real paper in the real mail.

  146. Nothing is as witty as your concoction, Bossy. I would have to settle for my name, which is almost as catchy as “Anna Sophia Brown”, but not really. Thanks for the giveaway!

  147. I have the same problem, creepy because I just wrote about it in my last post. My drawer is full of cards – all filled out and never sent. I love your solution.

  151. I would put “Today is the Day” because 1) it sums up my philosophy to try to live every day to the fullest and 2) it can appropriate for any occaision.

  153. “Today is your lucky day – I sent you this card.” Not really but it would be funny. I once had a box of very nice various occassion cards and used almost all of them! Love the idea.

  155. “Helen wishes you everything of the best,” even though my name’s not Helen. Then the recipient’d be all “Wha??”

  156. Mine would have my maiden name plastered all over them since my married name makes me BONKERS!

  159. I too NEVER send cards, because i can NEVER remember to by a stamp. My cards would say something like “You are so special I made a trip to get stamps”

  160. I would probably pick a pretty design and then use my letter stamps to add a message. That way I can use the cards for anything. I would also love some personalized stationary from paperspring!

  161. Would it be terrible if I plagarized what you put on your cards? Because it’s Monday and I can’t think of anything equally clever. I’ll keep thinking of something but it will likely take until next week. 🙂

  163. “And you thought I was a rude ass and you weren’t getting a card….”
    That’s what I put. That’s all I’ve got on a Monday.

  164. I would leave the front blank, like at least one other commenter suggested, and use a metallic marker to write on the front, if such a whim came over me. I think they’d look pretty classy with no text on the front at all, though.

  166. Your customization was pretty spot-on for me. Maybe something like “See! I told you I wasn’t dead!”

  175. “Hello babies. Welcome to Earth.”

    It’s from a Kurt Vonnegut book.

    We’re having twins.

    God help us.

  176. I would put my initials, since I got married, and my old stationary in no longer accurate. And? I no longer work for the Dr, who’s wife bought the coolest gifts for the employees. That’s how I came to own a large set of embossed, monogramed note cards in three sizes. And? I’m loving that my fav blogs are having give-aways on my birthday. Happy Birthday to me! Thanks for the chance Bossy

  177. “Happy 30th Birthday! Also – happy 29th, 28th, 27th, and 26th!”

    Because that’s probably how long it’s been since I remember to send a card.

  186. I am addicted to paper products, so much so that even if I don’t win the gift card I will probably order a gazillion personalized paper products that will sit and collect dust with my growing collection. But I do enjoy admiring them before I put them away.

  189. I love stationary! I was beginning to think I was the only person left who send thanks and/or Christmas cards. I’m certain I would be able to think of something wonderful to put on them.

  195. what you wrote is PERFECT for me. I never send crap on time – EVER! It’s like a rule. So I’d go with “No doubt this is later than it should be.”
    Unless you don’t like being copied, of course, then I’d come up with something else. 🙂

  197. Mine would say, “Don’t believe everything you think.” (because it’s probably horse shit most of the time.)

  200. I love your saying for belated cards. My cards would probably say something along the lines of: “thinking of you” on the front and “just not enough to actually mail this on time” on the inside, since I always mean to send a card but usually don’t get around to it in enough time to get it there for the actual holiday/event etc.

  204. Front of Card: “Definition of Insanity; Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome”-Unknown.

    Inside of card: Happy Birthday. Again.

    Although I love Bossy’s Mom’s money saving tip of no message on the inside of the card so the gifted can reuse it (another hint; in my family, if we receive a card and someone was dumb enough to write on it, we tear off the back half of the card and write on the reverse side of the inside of the picture side, assuming said card was not sent by some distant relative and the “Yearly Letter” chronicling the last 365 days we’ve missed for people we dont know….I digress). Anyway, there is a message in the card only because it’s FREE!!!

  211. Mine would be saying…

    “It seems that not every occasion can be covered with a wall post on Facebook”

  215. I’d put “Funky Kim” on it because I’d love to have stationery with my internet name imprinted on it!

  217. At first I thought I would just enter the message you put on your card because it is so fitting for me, too. Then, after reading some wonderful comments, I remembered a card I bought but love so much I still haven’t sent it to anyone because I don’t want to part with it:

    “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Hellen Keller

  219. “Introducing our triplets! They are now 6 years old. Sorry we didn’t have time to send out announcements earlier.”

  220. I am pretty sure I would just steal your sentiment. Maybe I would order it in a different design, just so it wouldn’t be all awkward when we both use them.

  223. I have no problem writing cards, but I’ll find them tucked in books and boxes years later, never having been mailed. So I guess an appropriate message for the front of a card from me would say, “Hey, I found something for you in a time capsule.”

  224. i read all the above comments and cannot come up with anything that beats #211. Coco, that would be some kind of occasion!!

  226. I would put “Congrats on your new baby!” so that I could either A. leave everyone confused
    B. have a card every time someone I knew popped out a kid
    or C. Write HAHAHAHAHHA! inside

  227. That picture is hilarious! I would use the gift certificate for baby announcements. Thanks for the chance to win!

  230. It’s never too late ………

    and then the inside would be “to say Happy BIrthday, to congratulate, to express my condolences, to thank you,” whatever makes it appropriate.

  232. Something simple so cards could be used for any occasion. Maybe my name or just a single word in a contemporary, stretched-out, script-type of font.

  235. Life does not cease to be funny when people die
    any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.
    -George Bernard Shaw

  238. “Amigo y vino, el mas antiguo”…which is Spanish for “Friends and wine – the older, the better.” 🙂

  244. Sadly enough, I would TOTALLY steal BOSSY’s sentiment for my card because it is perfect for me. Although I am also partial to the suggestion up top for ‘A folded piece of paper to show how much I care.’ Heh. BOSSY’s other readers are cleverer than Ranchgirl is tonight. I need me those notecards, though – I just moved across the country less than a week ago!

  246. I think I like them blank (I’m kind of boring that way). But if I had to pick some text I might pick one of my favorite quotes like:
    “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” Scott Adams

  247. BOSSY, BOSSY, BOSSY!
    I’m not entering the contest.
    Instead, my 19th birthday is on the 15th
    and I would LOVE more than anything
    to receive that Granny card from you.
    It would make my year!
    😀

  248. I resemble these remarks. I have cards I bought my sister over 10 years ago in a drawer.

    I would use this for my wedding thank you’s which would include a picture of my engagement ring zombie puppet and probably text saying something like “Love means never having to say you are sorry but Thank You is still in order”

  249. “This Belated Card For An Uncertain Event Is Courtesy Of A Bossy Give Away!”

    But, seriously, I could spend the crap out of $60 at a customizable stationary store!

  252. I think blank would be the way to go – very Poverty-Party-esque. Would Bossy’s Mom approve??

  253. ‘Who are you again?’

    Does your mother know my mother? Because my mother never writes on hand-delivered envelopes so they can be used again. And as a child I had to open my presents SO CAREFULLY so as not to tear the paper.

  256. Is it too late to enter? I hope not! I would probably be lame and put my initials on the card. Or I might have a fit of whimsy and put “Yer Mama.”

  257. From Me. To You.

    Succinct and very ALL OCCASION. Doncha think?
    I am a hoarder of special cards… but the ones that HAVE been written it. Nothing more special in the world that a personal note in actual handwriting. And so say all of us!!
    🙂
    BB

  259. Not that creative in the early morning..but I’m sure I could come up with something whitty in a few hours…

  261. I love customized stationary and paper cards and bossy!

    Since I am from Boston mine would say:

    It’s schmeee.

    ‘Cause thats how Bostonians say it.