Card and Gift Blog

Card & Gift Network is Almost Here

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 13:10:00 +0000

Hi Everyone,

As you may know, last year I announced that Card & Gift Blog would be moving to a new home in 2014. In an attempt to offer more potential to all my lovely readers as well as providing more options for designers, makers and retailers in the industry. So right now I am in the process of building the blog a new home at www.cardandgiftnetwork.com.

Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that I have missed the switching date of 6th January. I can only apologise, as this is my first time building a website from scratch I really want to get everything right. With this in mind I have decided to give myself a little extra time before I unveil the new website. I am hoping to be only a week late in launching Card & Gift Network but I will keep you in the loop as soon as the new site is ready. You can also get updates to your inbox by entering your email at www.cardandgiftnetwork.com. One last note, anyone who signed up for an email update before the New Year - huge, huge apologies there was a technical hitch and your email was accidentally deleted from the mailing list (so sorry) - please sign up again to receive the email update.

Charlotte

P.S. You can also get updates via Twitter and Facebook.

Top Ten Gifts of 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Following on from the Top Ten Greeting Cards of 2013, now we're looking at my pick for the Top Ten Gifts of the year.

1. Bite Me Apron and Tea Towel Gift Set by SewLomax, £38.00

2. Gardening Gift Set by Victoria Eggs, £45.95.

3. Diving Rabbit Mug by HAM, £12.00.

4. Peep Tote Bag by Herdy, £24.00.

5. Rocky Desk Butler by J-Me, £12.50.

6. Cupcake Decorating Party Kit from Meri Meri, $29.95.

7. Flourish Canvas Zip Wallet from Poketo, $38.00

8. Soft Rabbit Toy by Rufus Rabbit, £22.00.

9. Frangipan Luxury Candle by Urban Apothecary, £30.

10. The Alley Cats Plates by We Love Kaoru, £ 20.00 each.

Top Ten Greeting Cards of 2013 UPDATED

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Before we break for the Christmas holidays it's time for a quick annual round up. First up is my Top Ten greeting cards of 2013. *Please note - after this post was originally published the lovely Sarah Ray pointed out the design I had picked from her collection wasn't actually a greeting card ... yet, so I have revised the post to include a new number 10 from The Cow & the Moon, which is fab because I love it. Please forgive my error, it's been a long year and I seriously need a holiday!* Here's the Top Ten ...

1. Happy Birthday Card from Alice Palace, £2.25.

2. Deerstalker Card from The Avant-Card Company, £2.40.

3. Glitter Ball Card from Five Dollar Shake, £2.99.

4. All You Need is Cake Card from Gemma Silk, £2.25.

5. Mother's Day Card from Laura Sherratt Design, £3.50.

6. Retirement Card from Olive & Belle, £2.45.

7. Hedgehog Card from Rocket 68, £2.50.

8. Engaged Greeting Card from Stooshie Design, £2.50.

9. Bonjour Monsieur Card from Studio Seed, £2.50.

10. Let's Be Real Greeting Card by The Cow and the Moon, $4.50.

& the honorary number 11 not yet a greeting card (so sorry I misunderstod)

Magic Carpet Print from Sarah Ray.

See the blog's Top Ten Gifts of 2013.

A Dozen Christmas Wrapping Products

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Once you've got the presents sorted it's time to consider how to make them look tempting and pretty under the Christmas tree. Today's blog post is a top twelve; pouches, wrap and gift bags to help you gift wrap in style.

1. Christmas Gift Pouches from Caroline Gardner, £5.50 (set of three).

2. Merry Christmas Polka Dot Gift Bag by Caroline Gardner, from £3.00.

3. Christmas Easy Wrap Kit from Dots and Spots, £15.00.

4. Christmas Easy Wrap Bags from Dots and Spots, £6.50.

5. Christmas Gift Wrap collection from Nancy and Betty, £7.95 (for five sheet packs).

6. Christmas House Gift Boxes from Hunkydory Home, £2.75.

7. Special Delivery Christmas Gift Box from The Oak Room, £2.25.

8. 'Not to be Opened till Christmas Day' Gift Sack from The Contemporary Home, £4.00.

9. Delivered by Reindeer Jute Gift Sack from The Contemporary Home, £8.50.

10. 50's Gift Wrap by Petra Boase, £1.75.

11. Blue Tits Christmas Gift Wrap by Emily Burningham, £1.50.

12. White Berries Christmas Gift Wrap by Emily Burningham, £1.50.

Christmas Cards of Wise Words & Pretty Patterns

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Today's Christmas card pick are contemporary designs of festive words, stylish typography and pretty perfect patterns. See what you think ...

1. Merry Christmas Card from Betsy Benn, £3.50 (pack of two).

2. 'Christmas without James Bond' Card from Betsy Benn, £3.50 (pack of two).

3. Jingle Bells Christmas Card by Caroline Gardner, £3.00 (for a pack of five cards).

4. Ho Ho Ho Card by BigJon, £3.50.

5. Jingle Bells Card by BigJon, £3.50.

6. Jolly Christmas Card by Love, Faith and Hope, £2.95.

7. Let it Snow Christmas Card by Love, Faith and Hope, £2.95.

8. Personalised Typography Christmas Card by Megan Claire, £6.00.

9. Mini Christmas Card Pack from Megan Claire,

10. Merry Christmas Card Pack from Hen Pen Designs, £12.54 for ten cards.

Ten Stocking Filler Gifts Under £25

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

All priced under £25, today's gift pick are ten small and fabulous stocking filler gifts for grown-ups ...

1. Treatment Candle by JustBe Botanicals, £24.95.

2. Personalised Engraved Love Pebble from Letterfest, £15.00.

3. Bright Side Paperweights by Really Good UK, £10.00.

4. Personalised Wooden Heart Decoration by Grace and Favour, £10.00.

5. Loot Money Bag by J-Me, £12.50.

6. La Vie En Rose Mini Bath Bake by Miss Patisserie, £4.50.

7. Confetti Wallet by Poketo, $28.00.

8. Double Pearl Earrings by Poppy Sparkles, £17.00.

9. Pocket Mirrors by Soul UK, £8.00.

10. Guardian Angel Keyring by Spaceform, £14.95.

10 Super Cute Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Time for a little festive cuteness, ten adorable greeting cards from publishers and designer-makers.

1. Best Daddy Card from Liz and Pip, £2.50.

2. Best Mummy Christmas Card by Liz and Pip, £2.50.

3. Snowman Card by Lou Mills, £2.25

4. Robin Christmas Card from We Laugh Indoors, £2.70.

5. Snowman Christmas Card from We Laugh Indoors, £2.70.

6.Winter Walk Christmas Card from The Kid Who, £2.50.

7. Real Wooden Jolly Reindeer Christmas Card from Cardtorial, $10.00.

8. Personalised Cat in Jumper Christmas Card from Honey Tree Cards, £2.30.

9. Snow Globe Christmas Card from Fox and Star, £3.50.

10. Cute Christmas Reindeer Card from The Little Illustrator, $3.50.

Behind the Design: Rosie and Radish

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Say hello to ...

Amy Clarke and Helen Turner from Rosie and Radish.

Tell us a little about yourself and your company?
Rosie and Radish is a charming children's lifestyle brand dreamt up by Illustrator Helen Turner and Graphic Designer Amy Clarke. Helen and Amy met in 1999 whilst studying Art at Newcastle College and have been great friends ever since. They went on to study at The Nottingham Trent University and both graduated in 2003 with a degree in Graphic Design. After university Helen found her fame illustrating a number of books for Bloomsbury, Scholastic and Egmont whilst Amy worked as a graphic designer in London. In June 2013, after 10 years living at opposite ends of the country, they both found themselves back in the North East and longing for a new creative venture. After weeks of tea drinking, brainstorming and doodling, two little characters emerged from their sketchbooks and turned their lives upside down. Rosie, their pink cheeked little heroine, and her naughty pet mouse Radish have finally found their way onto a range of beautifully designed greeting cards and prints and that is only the beginning. With lots of delightful new gifts and products in the pipeline the future sure is looking Rosie!

Describe your typical working day ...
When we are not doing our day jobs (Helen lectures in Illustration and Amy is a freelance graphic designer) we dedicate our time to Rosie and Radish. We meet up at least once a week to brainstorm ideas, work out costings, research potential stockists, drink hot chocolate and work out what to do next! We always leave each other with a massive ‘to do list’ and whatsapp each other throughout the week updating each other with illustrations, designs and brainwaves etc!

What is the best thing about your job?
Working together doing something we LOVE! We’ve been great friends since we first met at Art College in 2003, and this was cemented when we studied Graphic Design at Nottingham Trent University together. For years we have joked and speculated about setting up a business together with a blend of Amy’s design, branding and marketing skills and Helen’s illustrations so to finally see all of our crazy ideas becoming real life products is amazing!

Do you use any specialist techniques or equipment to create your products?
Good old fashioned drawing skills and Amy’s computer wizardry. Plus an extremely technical badge making machine!

What would you like to do next with the business?
We would like to focus on the greeting card section of our business over the next year and develop a few new ranges covering the adventures of Rosie and Radish, with the potential of expanding into other stationery items such as party invitations, calendars, notebooks and more paper dolls.

What 'top tip' would you give to someone wanting to start their own business?
Our motto from the start has been ‘Go big or go home’ … it’s become a bit of a mantra for us! We have been really focused and dedicated from day one and Rosie and Radish has become our little baby! One of the areas we really deliberated long and hard about has been our branding. We really wanted our products to have a narrative feel to them and I think that is very important in our sector as we want people to have affection for our characters and so want to follow their adventures!

Your Products …

What is your personal favourite product in your collection?
Amy: Without a doubt our ‘Twinkle Toes’ greeting card and print. If I was a little girl I would definitely aspire to be as cool as Twinkle Toes!

Helen: The personalised New Baby prints. What better way to introduce our cute little characters to the world.

What are the most popular products in your range?
Our best selling cards are ‘make a wish’ and ‘Thanks a bunch’

Are you working on any new products at the moment?
We have just launched our Paper dolls in time for Christmas. We are hoping to bring out different seasonal outfits over the next year.

What products do you want to introduce in the next year?
Over the next year we want to design a few new ranges of greeting cards featuring Rosie and Radish and their buddies Sam and Spud.

Your Inspiration …

What inspired you to start your business?
The light bulb moment was at a craft fair where we were both selling our products independently. It was a quiet day which gave us the opportunity to chat to other stallholders who, very usefully pointed out that we were missing a trick – Helen’s illustrations (Rosie Blue) were missing a strong lead character and branding and Amy’s cards (Radish Designs) had a strong brand but not enough illustration… Rosie and Radish was born!

What inspires your products?
Vintage children’s illustrators like Mary Blair, the strong characterisation show by Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson. Beautiful surface pattern by designers like Orla Kiely and Marimekko.

What other card and gift designers / brands do you admire?
Paper Salad, I Drew This, Rifle Paper Co and Darling Clementine.

What business figures / brands inspire your business?
Marianne Cantwell (Free Range Humans) and the ladies who set up Paper Salad.

Quick Questions ...

What is your favourite book?
Helen: I adore children’s picture books and my current favourite at the moment is ‘Lost and Found’ by Oliver Jeffers – it has everything you could want in a picture book; beautiful illustrations, a fantastic story and of course a super cute penguin! We also both love Be A Free Range Human by Marianne Cantwell – It really inspired us to set up Rosie and Radish.

What is your favourite film?
Dirty Dancing.

What is your favourite album / band or song?
If we’re being honest it is probably one of the NOW albums from the 90s but if we are being ‘cool’ we love the new Lumineers album!

What is your favourite food?
Fish finger sandwiches, Kit Kats and flapjacks

What is your favourite card or gift brand?
Amy: Darling Clementine.
Helen: I Drew This.

What is your favourite website or blog?
Can we say Pinterest? (note from Charlotte: yes you can.) There is no better place for inspiration!

What can't you live without?
Our iPhones and Whatsapp (and Ralph the studio dog).

What is your guilty pleasure?
Our love affair with cheesy 80s music and films!

Thank you Amy and Helen. Visit the Rosie and Radish website.

Top Ten Stationery Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Today's top ten gift pick is dedicated to stylish stationery; contemporary printed notebooks, elegant writing sets and much more ...

1. Awesome Stationery Gift Set by doodlelove, £20.00.

2. Writing Set by Belle and Boo, £12.99.

3. Notecard and Pen Set by Caroline Gardner, £16.00.

4. Write It Yourself Notecards by Cole of London, £2.20 each.

5. Flora and Fauna Stationery Set by Deborah Ballinger, £8.00.

6. Perfect Pear Notecard Set by Gemma Silk, £6.50.

7. Owl Writing Set by Kate Broughton, £8.00.

8. Penguin Post Stationery Set by KateFete, £15.00.

9. Pretty Patterned Notebooks by Liz and Pip, £2.75 - £4.00.

10. Woodland Owl Stationery Set from Becky & Lolo, £7.99.

10 Fabulously Funny Christmas Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Today's Christmas card showcase is a gallery of ten wonderfully funny card designs from publishers and independent designers.

1. Christmas Dinner by David Fawcett for Holy Mackerel, £2.15.

2. Mince Pies Christmas Card by David Fawcett for Holy Mackerel, £2.15.

3. Knitted iPod Christmas Card from Dog As Pony, £6.00 for five cards.

4. 'Let's Indulge' Cheap and Miserable Card from Splimple, £2.10.

5. 'Here we Go' Cheap and Miserable Christmas Card from Splimple, £2.10.

6. 'Anti Xmas Frosty the Snowman' Card from Ellie Ellie, £3.50.

7. 'Anti Xmas Forget the Mistletoe' Christmas Card from Ellie Ellie, £3.50.

8. 'Elfy Deer' Christmas Card from The Kid Who, £2.50.

9. 'Elfy Lifestyle' Christmas Card from The Kid Who, £2.50.

10. Christmas Lights Card from Hen Pen Designs, £12.54 for ten cards.

10 Fabulous Christmas Card Packs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Perfect for mass card writing to friends and colleagues today's blog post is 10 gorgeous Christmas cards packs. Take a look ...

1. Boxed Set of Ten Christmas Cards from Studio Seed, £10.00.

2. Pack of ten 'Whimsical Tree' Christmas Cards by Studio Seed, £8.50.

3. Purple Merry Christmas Mini Card Pack from Blueberry Street, £3.95 for six.

4. Green Merry Christmas Mini Card Pack from Blueberry Street, £3.95 for six.

5. Decidedly Different Christmas Card Pack from doodlelove, from £6.50 for four cards.

6. Excited Christmas Card Pack from doodlelove, from £6.50 for four cards.

7. Mini Snowmen Christmas Card Pack from Caroline Gardner, £3.00 for five cards.

8. Charity Christmas Card Pack from Caroline Gardner, £5.50 for five cards.

9. Christmas Mini Pack from Megan Claire, £4.50 for five cards.

10. Cats in Hats Christmas Card Pack from Jo Clark Design, £12.00 for six cards.

Ten Gift Ideas for Gorgeous Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

For pampering and decorating today's top ten present pick are gift ideas for gorgeous girls ...

1. Luxury Scented Candle & Charm Bracelet Gift Set from Black Rose Love, £59.00.

2. Natural Collection from BLEND Collective, starting from £9.50.

3. Circle of Floral Dots by Bombus, £45.00.

4. Heart Print Photo Album from Caroline Gardner, £26.00.

5. Facial Mini Gift Set by JustBe Botanicals, £35.00.

6. Decorative Fox Screenprint from Wetpaint Art, £29.95.

7. Madam Bubbles Gift Tin from Miss Patisserie, £15.00.

8. Limited Edition Snow White Embroidered Lipstick Pouch by SewLomax, £25.00

9. Strawberries & Cream Luxury Candle from Urban Apothecary, £30.00.

10. Chunky Rope Print Cup from Yellowhouse Art, £33.00.

Christmas Cards: The Animals the Star

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Perfect for animal-lovers everywhere today's blog post is a collection of Christmas cards with an animal theme; from regal Reindeers to terrific Turkeys.

1. Absolutely Magnificent Christmas Card from Alice Palace, £2.25.

2. Pop Out Reindeer card from The Kid Who, £3.50.

3. Reindeer Christmas Card from Caroline Gardner, £5.50 for a pack of five cards.

4. Turkey Christmas Card from BigJon, £3.50.

5. Puppy Christmas Card by From Frank, $3.25.

6. Kitten Christmas Card by From Frank, $3.25.

7. Bear Meets Cat Christmas Card from Sarah Lovell Art, £2.00.

8. Sleeping Bear and Cat Christmas Card from Sarah Lovell Art, £2.00.

9. Alison's Animals Christmas Card from Splimple, £2.35. Buy online at ISHey.com

10. Alison's Animals Christmas Card from Splimple, £2.35. Buy online at ISHey.com

A Delightful Dozen Gifts for Him

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Sleek and stylish, today's present pick is a selection of great gift ideas for men from a fabulous array of independent designers and makers ...

1. 'My Dad's Better than Your Dad' Print by Wordplay Design, £24.00.

2. Typography Apron by Urban Graphic, £18.00.

3. Science Tie Clip by SciArt Images, £11.50.

4. Men's Washbag by SewLomax, £32.00.

5. 'The Name's ...' James Bond Typography Print by Typaprint, £32.00.

6. iPhone Cover from Ohh Deer, £19.95.

7. Fried Egg Cup by Luckies of London, £8.95.

8. Zen Cyclist T-Shirt by Love Yellow, £20.00.

9. Cactus Wine Rack by J-Me, £95.00.

10. King Henry VIII Tea Towel by Cole of London, £10.00.

11. Smiley Face Music Card Holder by Cardelicious, £3.00.

12. Retro Man Patchwork Art Print by Bombus, £1690.00.

Award-Winning Christmas Cards from Five Dollar Shake

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Today's greeting card showcase is a closer look at the award-winning Christmas cards of Five Dollar Shake. The 2013 Christmas collection contains six stunning, hand-finished collections: 'Starlight and Snowfall', The Snowball, Neige D'Or, Roody & Friends, 34th Street and Snow Stories. On top of being awarded the year's prestigious Honorary Achievement Award at this year's Henries (the greeting card industry awards), Five Dollar Shake also won 'Best Christmas Counter Range' for 'Starlight and Snowfall. The collection uses an exclusive 'cracked-ice' effect board, lashings of gold glitter and rainbow-coloured crystals to decorate the beautiful illustrations. Today's pick is a few of my favourite Christmas cards from across all the new ranges, see what you think.

Available from stockists nationwide Five Dollar Shake Christmas cards retail from £3.99 for single cards and £7.99 for boxed sets of six cards (one design per box). A selection of Christmas cards is also available direct from the Five Dollar Shake website.

The Christmas collection is also available to be personalised from the Five Dollar Shake Personalise website. Cards are available in two sizes: standard (16cm x 16cm) and large (21cm x 21cm), retailing at £7.99 and £11.99 respectively.

Top Ten Christmas Decorations

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Today's present pick are a few pre-Christmas gift ideas ... advent calendars, stockings and decorations just in case you weren't yet in the festive mood!

1. Lavender Robin Decorations from The Black Rabbit, £11.50.

2. Nativity Advent Calendar from Caroline Gardner, £4.95.

3. Paint Your Own Christmas Tree from Letterfest, £20.00.

4. Gingerbread House Crackers from Nancy and Betty, £32.00.

Stag Christmas Stocking from Sophie Allport, £12.00.

Baby's First Christmas Robin Decoration by Spaceform, £24.95.

Robin Christmas Decoration from We Laugh Indoors, £5.00.

Card & Gift Blog: A New Site

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Dec 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Think this picture may be a bit of a spoiler ...

As mentioned in yesterday's birthday post I do like to keep improving the blog and I have been hatching a few plans of how to move forward in the coming year. The good news is that all of the basics will be staying the same. The blog will still be providing totally free promotion of fabulous greeting cards, gifts and brands. This will be done however from a brand-new, self-hosted site at: www.cardandgiftnetwork.com. Over the Christmas break I will be (fingers-crossed) be moving the site away from our lovely blogger home to a shiny new website, full of possibilities. It's a little scary but after four years we've got a little big and need something that will offer a few more options and give room for some new features.

One of the features that will be added to the new site is a trade directory for you to showcase your card and gift businesses. Retailers will be able to find great card and gift companies, and those companies will in turn be able to find suppliers to help their business grow. This will be an open space for anyone in or connected to the industry and I hope you will find it valuable ... you can never have enough promotion right!

Now you could hardly have failed to notice the mentions of a new name 'Card & Gift Network' - after seemingly endless pondering this new name seemed a good fit for this next phase. Combining all the goodness of the blog, with a brand new trade directory and a few other bits and pieces that will be launched in 2014.

If all goes to plan the new site will be unveiled on 6th January 2014, but to be sure you are kept in the loop and can claim your spot in the directory join the mailing list at www.cardandgiftnetwork.com now.

Thank you for your support and I look forward to seeing you at our new website.

Charlotte

Card & Gift Blog is Four!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Dec 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Well as you can probably guess from the title, today is Card & Gift Blog's fourth birthday or anniversary if you prefer. To mark the occasion I have gathered together a few lovely 'Age 4' greeting cards. Rather than just text it's always nice to have a few pretty pictures! Humble thanks to all my greeting card designer pals who have shared their designs for this occasion.

To date the blog has published over 850 posts and been viewed almost a quarter of a million times. It's also resulted in some pretty amazing non-blog things: speaking at The Paper Girls event, writing for America's Independent Retailer magazine and next year I will be speaking at Spring Fair (eek!). For me, all of this is just extraordinary and I wanted to say a HUGE thank you. Thank you to everyone who visits the blog, submits their cards and gifts to be featured, takes part in an interview and helps share and spread the word.

So everything is going swimmingly, but I'm not one to rest on my laurels and I do want to keep improving the blog. With this in mind I have been hatching a few plans and will be making a few changes over the Christmas break. I promise to tell you more about that tomorrow, but today we're celebrating ... Happy 4th Birthday to us! Let's take a look at some pretty pictures, starting with a fabulous 'Fab You're Four' Dib Dab design from the lovely Pennychoo (shown above).

A super cute age four birthday card from Oh My Studio.

Stripy and spotty age four birthday card from Dots and Spots.

Traditional Kraft meets gorgeous sparkly glitter in this age four birthday girl card from Five Dollar Shake.

A fabulous age 4 game card from from Splimple.

2+2 card complete with funky lime green badge from The Think Bubble.

Thank you again for supporting Card & Gift Blog ~ Charlotte.

Behind the Design: Pen on Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Say hello to ...

Lucy and Millie from Pen On Paper

Tell us a little about yourself and your company?
Pen On Paper is made up of Lucy Kirk and Millie Popovic, who met whilst studying at Brighton University. Lucy was studying Illustration and Millie was studying printmaking. Soon after graduating, they embarked on separate projects but soon realised there were many similarities between their work and decided to test out working collaboratively. The first project was based on British Lidos and lead them to create notebooks illustrated with their drawings. From here the collection grew to include cards and wrapping paper.

Describe your typical working day ...
Having the studio on a farm means no matter what time you get up, someone or something has already beaten you to it! The short walk to the barn is usually a cold and sometimes muddy one, so arriving to the warm studio space is a lovely welcome. We usually reply to emails, go on twitter and sort out the tasks for the day in the morning. By lunch time the farm is in full swing with lots of people about and so we like to go and make ourselves busy in the print room. Using our semi automatic printing machine makes the job a little easier, although we still have to wear full overalls which by now are covered in our inks.

What is the best thing about your job?
We get to spend hours drawing what we like, and then use them to create great products. The satisfaction of creating something from scratch is wonderful, and even better when they are then appreciated by others too.

Do you use any specialist techniques or equipment to create your products?
All of our products are printed in the UK with most of them screen-printed in our very own print rooms. Millie’s degree would have been a fantastic foundation in screen-printing, had she listened in her tutorials, but thankfully remembered just enough to get us through our first 6 months! Having any new machinery is always a learning curve however, and we have been very grateful to have help from industry experts.

What would you like to do next with the business?
We are currently working on new projects to expand our range with a few exciting new arrivals for Christmas. We will hopefully be extending into furniture at some point in 2014 but stationery and paper goods will always be our passion.

What 'top tip' would you give to someone wanting to start their own business?
It is really difficult to start out on your own but if you have already decided to do so, it doesn’t really matter how many times someone else says it, you will go ahead anyway and good on you! The most important thing for us has been the support of our family and friends. They have been completely behind us and have encouraged us when we wanted to give it all up. Surround yourself with your biggest fans - doubters should be dumped.

Your Products …

What is your personal favourite product in your collection?
Millie: My personal favourite product is our notebooks. It is where it all began and I still love them to this day. They are of exceptional quality and wonderfully tactile.

Lucy: My favourite is the Dancehall Card Set. The drawings we made to produce this set were really fun to research and I think the humour of those images comes through in our illustrations.

What inspires your products?
A large part of our products begin with a need for a new piece of stationery. We usually keep a bank of illustrations behind that we work on all year round. When we decide to embark on a new product, the manufacturing process and quality of product comes first. This is core to our values as we feel usually the older techniques and projects hold quality whilst modern alternatives can produce the kind of volume we need.

What other card and gift designers / brands do you admire?
We love Marimekko for their amazing use of colour and pattern. We would love to one day look back on our career and have created so many design classics.

Quick Questions ...

What is your favourite film?
The Wedding Singer.

What is your favourite food?
Bread.

What is your favourite website or blog?
Letters of Note

What can't you live without?
Paper.

Thank you Lucy & Millie. Visit the Pen on Paper website.

Kickstarter ...

Pen on Paper are currently running a kickstarter campaign to launch their fabulous new Lido Desk Tidy. Go take a look and support the campaign now.

Top Five Calendars and Planners for 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 15:00:00 +0000

A new year essential, calendars and planners are a great stocking filler or Secret Santa gift. Today's post is a 'Top Five' of my favourite calendar and planner designs.

1. Perpetual Calendar from Block Design, £16.50.

2. Family Calendar from KTWO Products, £10.00.

3. 2014 'Fashionista' Calendar from Studio Seed, £10.00.

4. 2014 Good Things Wall Planner from doodlelove, £12.50.

5. Little Foxes 2014 Calendar by Gingiber, $22.00.

Alternative Stockings: Top Ten Tote Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:00:00 +0000

The tote bag has been big this year with lots of designers and makers adding unique, decorative designs to the humble shopping must-have. Today gift pick are ten designer tote bags that will make ideal 'alternative stockings' for grown up girls. Fill with mini presents for an exciting Christmas gift.

1. Christmas Typography Tote Bag by Megan Claire, £8.50.

2. Penguin Tote Bag by Anna Wright, £12.00.

3. Hummingbird Tote Bag by Gemimalou, £12.00.

4. Peep Tote Bag by Herdy, £24.00.

5. Beach Huts Tote Bag by Jin Designs, £15.00.

6. Bag O' Bones Tote Bag by Polar Shop, £15.00.

7. Blue Fuchsia Tote Bag by Bee & Tea, £17.00.

8. Mr Darcy Tote Bag by Berry Red, £12.00.

9. Gym Tote Bag from The Lost Lanes, £14.00.

10. Fill Me With Sunshine Tote Bag from Very Nice Things, £22.00.

Gift Ideas for Great British Bakers & MasterChefs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:00:00 +0000

With the popularity of the Great British Bake Off and MasterChef never far away I thought it would be nice to take a look at what gifts our favourite designers and makers have in mind for our favourite chefs and domestic goddesses. Today's gift pick are a few of my favourites ...

Bite Me! Apron Gift Set by SewLomax, £38.00.

Owl Ceramics from Hannah Turner, from £13.99.

Nibble Coaster by J-Me, £10.00.

Stag Aprons by Sophie Allport, from £9.00.

Cupcake Baking Kit by Meri Meri, $30.00.

Aubergines and Chillies Apron by Bee and Tea, £18.00.

Pop Up Shop: Abigail Warner

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 12:45:00 +0000

I've just received the news that the designer-extraordinaire and friend of the blog Abigail Warner will be hosting a pop up shop at Ink & Thread in Derby until Friday the 29th November.

This is a great opportunity to peruse and purchase from Abigail's gorgeous collection of designer greeting cards and luxury stationery. I'm a little sad that I won't be able to make it myself so I hope anyone in the neighbourhood who can make it will pop by, say hello and stock up on some stationery for Christmas and the New Year.

Event: Abigail Warner Pop Up Shop.
Where: Ink and Thread ~ The Strand, Derby.
When: Until Friday 29th November.
Find out more: Email hello@abigailwarner.com or visit Abigail's blog Pretty Lovely Paper.

Christmas Cards: Terrific Trees

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 14:30:00 +0000

From Eco-friendly wonders to luxury cards, today's Christmas card pick are a 'top ten' of greetings cards decorated with fabulous Christmas trees and a few other festive treats.

1. Star Tree Christmas Card by Blueberry Street, £5.95 for a pack of six.

2. Christmas Trees Card by Blueberry Street, £5.95 for a pack of six cards.

3. Christmas Tree Extravaganza Card by Ananya Cards, £2.50.

4. Large Print Christmas Triangle, Plaid and Rudolph Card from Anomis, from £3.42.

5. Small Print Christmas Triangle, Plaid and Rudolph Card from Anomis, from £3.42.

6. Gold Christmas Tree Card by Caroline Gardner, £2.75.

7. Luxury Christmas Tree Card by Caroline Gardner, £2.75.

8. Merry Christmas Tree Card by BigJon, £3.50.

9. Festive Family Argument Christmas Card by David Fawcett from Holy Mackerel, £2.15.

10. Season's Greetings Card by Lou Mills, £2.25.

Ten Gifts to Team with a Good Book

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Christmas is a great time for new books, whether it's the latest real-life biographies or wonderful fiction to take you to a make-believe place. While books are a little outside the Card & Gift Blog remit, I can show you a few wonderful gifts that you can team with a good book. Here are a few of my favourites ...

1. Buddy Bookend by J-Me, £14.00.

2. Engraved Initial Bookend by Letterfest, £38.00.

3. The Sketch Collection Books Tote Bag by Megan Claire, £8.50.

4. Tea for One Gift Set by JustBe Botanicals, £15.00.

5. Book-Tails Bookmarks by That Company Called If, £5.99.

6. Reading Glasses Case by Which Glasses Are Which?, £12.95.

7. Jane Austen Mug by Cole of London, £10.00.

8. Oscar Wilde Mug by Cole of London, £10.00

9. 1984 Pouch by The Literary Gift Company, £12.95.

10. Kiss a Frog Book End from Shop on Your Doorstep, £24.00.