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Posted on 10 February 202210 February 2022 by Lou Longworth

What is Galentines Day?

If you’re wondering to yourself “What IS Galentines Day?” then you’re about to find out about something fabulous! Because, despite selling greeting cards (and Valentine’s Day being my busiest time of year) I think Galentine’s Day is even better 😍

Valentine’s Day can be a difficult time for some, whether you’ve struggled to find someone special, just broken up with your other half or even decided that you’d rather be single. It’s all a bit ‘coupley’ and implies that if you’re not involved in a romantic relationship you’re missing out. And that’s where Galentine’s Day comes in…

So what is Galentines Day?

I’m sure you’ve already guessed that it’s a blend of Valentine’s Day and Gal – and it’s a chance to celebrate friendships with your gal pals. Specifically those pals that have stuck with you as romantic relationships have come and gone…

It all started with an episode of Parks and Recreation. Leslie, the Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department in the series, explained:

What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas.
“Galentine’s Day”, Parks and Recreation, 2010.

Parks And Recreation Happy Galentines Day GIF by NBC - Find & Share on GIPHY — Galentine’s Day from Giphy

It’s such a great idea that it didn’t take long for it to advance beyond its fictional roots and hit the real world. It’s not an official holiday but who cares! You can even buy Galentine’s cards now, but it’s more about spending time with your besties.

One of the reasons it’s become popular (aside from the fact that celebrating friendship is always a good idea) is that it’s a much more inclusive celebration. Valentine’s Day can feel a bit grating if you’re not in a relationship with someone. Although you can send a Valentine to anyone you fancy, it has kind of become the domain of smug couples. Galentine’s Day on the other hand is for anyone. You don’t even have to be single!

Although Galentine’s Day did start out as a celebration of ladies celebrating each other, it has started to be accepted as an occasion that honours any type of friendship, so is becoming even more inclusive as a result.

Are you going to celebrate Galentine’s Day with your besties? Come on over to Instagram and let me know how…

_{Credit: Main photo by Uby Yanes on Unsplash}

Posted on 27 January 202227 January 2022 by Lou Longworth

How to choose a Valentine card

Are you wondering how to choose a Valentine card for someone new? Whether you’ve just started seeing each other or you want to make your intentions clear to someone you fancy, it can be nerve-racking picking the right card.

Sending a Valentine when you’re not together yet

OK so you really fancy this person and you think they might like you that way too, so you’ve decided to send them a Valentine. But what if you scare them off by giving the wrong impression or you’ve misread the situation altogether?

If you’re at the point where you want to make your intentions clear, then I say go for it. If it turns out that it’s not going to happen then at least you know and you won’t waste any more time pining for them… But here are some tips to hopefully reduce the angst a little 😆

Choosing a funny card that you know will make them laugh is a great way to keep things light and avoid that “I’m desperate, please love me” vibe. And who isn’t attracted to a sense of humour?!

Alternatively a card that highlights a shared interest you have or reminds them of an in joke between you can be a great option. The right card might just make them realise how perfect you are for each other 😁

Choosing a valentine card when you’re a new couple

This can be tricky as you’ve only just started going out and you might not be quite sure yet how serious it is. After all if you go in with fully soppy mode and they don’t even get you a card (or vice versa!) it could feel a little awkward.

Again, humour is always a great way to avoid any awkwardness. How about a card that jokes about how lucky they are to have you?

Another reasonably safe bet is choosing a sexy / naughty card. (I’m assuming that you’re still having pretty great sex in these early days!) It’s hard to go wrong with this unless you’re a very repressed couple or have taken a vow of celibacy…

If you’ve known each other a long time but have only just started getting romantically involved, then you can always choose a card that highlights this. You can probably afford to get a bit more mushy in this situation too, though you’ll know best whether that feels appropriate or not!

naughty valentine card — Your Pace or Mine

I hope this helps you with how to choose a Valentine card for someone new! I’d love hear your thoughts on this post, so come on over to Instagram or Facebook to have a chat. And why not check out my range of Valentine cards right now to see if you can find the perfect card for your new squeeze? They cover a range of interests and there’s usually a bad pun or two thrown in for good measure 😁

Posted on 13 January 202213 January 2022 by Lou Longworth

Children’s Birthday Cards

Happy New Year! I’m very excited to let you know that I’ve now added children’s birthday cards to my shop. It’s been a big gap in my selection and I’m happy that this is no longer the case 😃

I had sold a few kids’ cards previously but I always felt like the designs didn’t really fit in with the style of the rest of my greeting cards. I’ve now reused some of those illustrations as well as drawn some new ones and come up with brand new designs that I think are more in keeping with my brand.

This is still a work in progress and I’ll be adding more designs along the way. At the moment just the ballet or football cards are activity related, and I’d definitely like to include more sports and hobbies for kids. So if there are any subjects that you’d like me to include in the collection, please get in touch and let me know. I’m always open to your ideas.

Age Birthday Cards

The majority of the children’s birthday cards are available for all ages from 1 to 12. I’ll have to work on some teenage friendly designs in the future 😁 and fill that gap too!

Here are a few examples of the age cards for kids…

Personalised Cards for Kids

I’ve also added a couple of personalisable options… The Triceratops card is age-less 😁 and the Tractor one is age specific. Kids love to see their own name on a card, so I’ll probably add this option to some other cards too in the future. Here are two examples…

personalised triceratops children's birthday card

You can look at the full range in my shop here: Children’s Birthday Card Collection

And don’t forget to send me a DM on Instagram if you want me to add other sports or subjects to the range!

Posted on 9 December 20219 December 2021 by Lou Longworth

Personalised Stocking Filler Ideas

It’s always lovely receiving something that has been made especially for you. Whether or not you’ve already done the majority of your Christmas shopping, these personalised stocking filler ideas will make your favourite people feel extra special!

Personalised Christmas biscuits

How adorable are these personalised Christmas biscuits?! I’ve bought biscuits from The Kitch Hen before and they are gorgeous. I’ve heard they’re tasty too, though I’m still waiting for someone to get me some to try myself 😄

I especially love these personalised Christmas jumpers (also available in pink)…

Personalised stocking filler socks

I know getting socks for Christmas can be a bit of a standing joke, but these funny personalised socks have your choice of photo on them, so it’s clear that you put a bit more effort into it… You can put your face, their face or even a pet’s face onto them!

Personalised card holder stocking filler

A stocking filler that’s good looking, practical and personalised… What more could you ask for? And this personalised leather card holder is great for those guys in your life that are a little difficult to buy for. Though I’d be just as happy to get one myself!

Personalised Mug

It’s always nice to drink out of a mug that has a special memory or person associated with it. These personalised name mugs are really pretty, come in a range of colours and there’ll be no doubt who each one belongs to either!

I hope this has given you a few more ideas or inspired some ideas of your own for great stocking fillers. Don’t forget to get your Christmas cards too – I’ve got a range to suit all sorts of sports, hobbies and interests! You also have the option of personalising the text inside each card too.

Credit: Main Photo by Donna Spearman on Unsplash

Posted on 25 November 202125 November 2021 by Lou Longworth

Wrapping paper alternatives

With Christmas just a month away, I thought I’d share some wrapping paper alternatives to help you create less waste this year. And these ideas will not only help you be more environmentally friendly and leave more space in your bin, they’ll also make your gifts look gorgeous!

Use fabric gifts to wrap the rest

If you’re giving gifts like scarves, tea towels or any other fabric based items, you can use the fabric to wrap the rest of the gift up. Once wrapped, tie it up with a beautiful ribbon or some lovely twine or string and it’ll look fabulous when you hand it over.

Start a furoshiki wrapping tradition

Furoshiki cloths were originally used in Japan to wrap up treasures, store belongings and transport gifts, but are now a popular way to wrap gifts worldwide. There are lots of different ways to use a Furoshiki cloth to wrap gifts of all shapes and sizes. Take a look at my blog post on Furoshiki Techniques for some ideas.

When you receive a gift in a Furoshiki cloth the recipient can then reuse the cloth to wrap gifts in the future, so it doesn’t end up in landfill. And the more you do it the more likely you are to encourage other people to do the same – especially when they see how gorgeous it makes gifts look!

Seed papers

Using seed papers is another gift wrapping alternative that not only looks beautiful but can be planted afterwards to grow wildflowers. You can find a good variety of seed papers on Etsy. If you’re going to use it for wrapping paper it’s best to choose one that’s not too thick, so it’s easy to fold nicely.

Other wrapping paper alternatives

For even more eco-friendly wrapping paper alternatives, check out this blog post: Eco Friendly Gift Wrapping Ideas. You’ll never need to buy ordinary wrapping paper again 😃

Author: Lou Longworth