pretty notecards.................to say more

Birthday ~ Friendship ~ Thank You

If I hadn't had my iphone with me today at the POP Up shop, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. In between customers at the POP Up shop I generally re-stock and I happened to open a box of notecards, the type with a variety of photographic images . Then I started opening all the boxed notecards to see all the gorgeous images I may have missed in each set which got me to thinking..................which got me to snapping photos to illustrate their variety. Each of my photos shows a card found in my shop, this one behind a yellow friendship rose crystal paperweight.  I love that iphone, it gave me the whole evening off. 

Birthday ~ Congratulations ~ Thank You ~ Friendship

Hallmark isn't going to love what I am going to say but I am not too crazy about standard greeting cards. They make me lazy. They make me get away with just signing my name and I really like sitting down and writing something more meaningful, more personal. On any occasion, whether it be a birthday, an anniversary, a sympathy card, get well, thank you, or just plain hello, it seems to me to be infinitely more elegant, more civilized to write a lovely message. Blank cards make me think through my message more, think about how to convey my thoughts. Shown with scented lavender wands from Provence.

Housewarming ~ Thank You ~ Friendship

To me the point of any card is a greeting of some sort but I do like to make it more than that. To find some way to make the recipient feel special. Sometime this really is a humorous card via the funny people at Hallmark, but most of the time with friends it is speaking from the heart. When I have a blank card page it seems to work better. Almost like a short letter, something that sticks with that person all day long. Shown with bronze organza bows for gift wrapping.

Housewarming ~ Thank You ~

I like to think it is possible to keep the written word alive. I recently read that many kids under 20 had never received a written letter via postal mail. This struck me as incredibly sad. What I like about blank cards beside their message room and blank format is that they make me feel like I don't have to have a reason to send it. Have a good thought? Something wonderful to tell that person? Pop it in the mail and send it along. Shown with ribbon wreath wreaths.

Get Well ~ Sympathy ~ Thinking of You ~ Friendship

Practise does make perfect but perfect isn't the point. Write sincerely and it will be read as a gift of words. Some lovely quote ( keep a list) or book quote added to your message can go a long way in personalizing your message if words fail you at times. Sometimes the images are so beautiful, I use them to embellish a gift. All you need is a hole punch and narrow ribbon. Using a fabulous image in a larger dimension (instead of a small gift card) can elevate simple wrapping and make a stylish statement by being visually over sized. Shown with Green Tea Boxed Soaps and Tea Forte.

Friendship ~ Birthday ~ Just Because

The best cards are the one you don't expect. A handwritten card with words of support and caring can be uplifting when someone is ill, suffering,or bereaved, changing jobs or careers, going through a break up, or the opposite.................reached a personal or professional goal, met the guy, going on a wonderful trip, launching a business. Anything and everything. Shown with Shelley Kyle messenger sachets.

 

Get Well ~ Sympathy ~ Housewarming ~ Friendship

Now go find a pen and send someone a lovely card.
 Shown with lavender Linen Travel Candle.


Something gifted to do with blank cards, go here and here.

All photos by Sande Chase ~ A Gift Wrapped Life

Mother's Day ....every week or month

Taken at a local museum by Jane Heller at Etsy, this surreal and beautiful photograph depicts underwater life as it would have been a few thousand years ago. The 8" x 12" print is $35.00.

I got to thinking about Mother's Day this week and what it means to us as mothers. I have a 27 year-old son who is here for the next few months, he spends the days studying, I spend my days working, but every morning when he first sees me, he always says to me "come in for a hug Mom" and I think about how that is the best part of my day. I love his fun-loving and affectionate nature. We all love gifts, but truthfully all we want as a mother is to know our kids are happy. And to know when they are not. In other words, the more you talk to us the better we feel, we aren't fussy on whether it's good or bad, it's our job to help make either better. It's a year of low spending for lots of families, so I got to thinking about a less-expensive way to send your mom a gift (especially if you haven't taken care of it yet, or want to send a little extra) every week of the year. I posted about this product before {click here to read} and was reminded of it when I wrote this week about the mini books.....hmmm, how wonderful would it be to email your mom every week (or month) with a colourful reminder of how you feel about her. Simply go to the Iomoi website and sign up for a email stationery yearly subscription for $15.00. You will have dozens of templates to use and can change the design each time you send your mom her little e-note. For a total of $30.00 you can order her an email stationery subscription too. She can email her friends and family in style, giving her a bit of stylish hi-tech fun all year long. You might have to show her how to use it but she loves it when you teach her something too.

Translation ~I love my mom.

This touching image is a flat postcard but I would take this

and frame it with a wide white matt as a gift for a new mother.

A lovely nursery gift.

Available at Sarah Jane Studios at Etsy.

Have a wonderful Mother's Day with lots and lots of good hugs.

Top photo from Jane Heller at Etsy/Middle photo from Iomoi/Bottom photo from Sarah Jane Studios at Etsy.

Too Clever of a Gift

If I was as clever as I sometimes think I am, I would have thought of this idea myself. And I almost missed it when I was checking out of the Iomoi website after purchasing some of their paper (old-school) stationery. I just barely caught the line sign-up for free trial on e-stationery and off I went, right into email heaven. Within 5 minutes I had sent off my trial email- the Pagoda style- ordered my own subscription, another one for my friend Stephanie, and then spent 2 hours figuring out how many more emails I could send in such a stylish fashion. It's a great way to send off a thank you (the email kind, not the written ones that get mailed to a real mailbox), birthday greetings, little notes of support, and whenever else you want to be more personal in your email correspondence. You can do these all day if you want, and each one with a different design, I counted over 120 stationery designs in the everyday section alone. The font choices are an added bonus, I favour the handwritten style seen on top sample because it's better than my own. For a $15.00 US yearly subscription price, this is the kind of gift that just keeps giving and giving. Go through the site and when it registers how fabulous this is and how easy, you will be emailing your first thank you to me. When you do, please tell me how clever I really am.