Thursday, December 23, 2010


Tis the Season!
Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings or Happy Holidays - however you'd like to say it my friends! I wish you all the best for a wonderful weekend with family and friends. We'll be spending it with my parents this weekend - I hope you all enjoy yourselves and I'll see you back here on Tuesday. Much love, Fiona and Doug xoxoxo

Cartolina Collection XI

Hello everyone - sorry for my absence for the last couple of days - I definitely did not anticipate how busy we would be this week. But, I have it all under control, and after another super busy week next week we will be back on track - phew!

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Cartolina Collection XI. Yay!
I'm very excited about these new designs. I am absolutely loving the new imagery and the bright colours for spring. These new cards will be in stores in the next few weeks . . . . .

This first card with the red birds was actually a request from our UK distributors - they asked for a design with bright colours and the word LOVE prominently displayed on the front - as signage for their trade show booth. But it turned out so nicely we turned it into a card. I know it's going to be a hit with the buyers because on the 1st day of release this week we sold 3/4 of the entire production run! That's never happened before!


The cards with the cakes are very exciting for me - I work with a few people around the world who source imagery for me and we looked high and low for these very rare prints. I only work with original antique prints so when my favourite image expert called to say she had managed to find originals I was thrilled. I hope you like them too.

The background on this poppy card is a 17th century, copperplate engraving that I bought from a dealer a long time ago. It's amazing how big that poppy grew when I planted it on that lawn!

This Horse Chestnut card is interesting to me because this tree is actually on the back of one of last year's cards. I got so many comments on that tree that it has been promoted to the front!

More Cakes - luv em!


A new feature that we have on all new cards(and reprints) this year is QR codes. A QR code is that tiny checker board icon that is popping up everywhere these days. Now some of you will know about QR codes but, if like me, they are a new feature for you, here's what Wikipedia says(better than I could):

"QR Codes storing addresses and URLs may appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards, or on just about any object about which users might need information. Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader applicationcan scan the image of the QR Code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network, or open a web page in the phone's browser."

So every card we print will have a QR code on the back. To scan the code you just need any smart phone and a scanner app like Quick Mark. Our codes, when scanned, could link to a multitude of things - depending on how we've set it up. This code, above, for instance, leads to our iPhone app page at the iTunes store. Other codes might lead to our website or our blog or a fun giveaway or a promo code! Each code is a fun surprise to enhance the experience of buying or receiving one of our cards! I hope you try it out some time :-)

If you are interested to know more about QR codes for your business this is a good video to watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYDbFTai0iE&feature=player_embedded#!




Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Festive stitchin'

I have featured the work of Water Rose here before so I was delighted to see some very festive designs appearing in her shop this holiday season. So talented and original. Lovely!


Found - carved wooden owl with attitude

I love this carved owl. Doesn't he look like he's going to say something and then waddle off. I think he's very funny. When we were kids we had a piggy bank on the mantlepiece that was a big ceramic owl - he reminded of that. Must ask my mum what happened to that. This charming owl is available at Henry Road :-)




Monday, December 20, 2010

Found - vintage asian ceramics

I'm always drawn to Asian character ceramics - whether they are real vintage or reproductions. I especially love these lamps(and I know my friend 'Linda the lamp shade maker' will be drooling over these.) I think they bring an interesting and colourful detail into your home even if it's decorated in a modern style! Available here.






Vintage chalkware bust

I was looking for something else at Henry Road and I spotted this chalkware bust - luv luv luv this - everything about it - speechless! Paula, WHERE did you get this?



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