Author: Cari

Our first market of 2025 is in just over a week. I can’t wait, it has felt like such a long time of reduced income (my business bank account is very depleted!). I am excited to show the new card designs to my market customers as not all of them follow us on social media. I wonder which designs will be popular?

We have managed to get all the new greetings cards priced up and packed, so I am ready for Hovingham Market on 1 st of March. I will just triple check I have everything I need as it all got a bit muddled up from the Christmas fairs. I dread arriving with no cash float or missing my card machine (or any other very important item). We have run out of paper bags before because I didn’t check, so it won’t hurt.

Events coming up

Aside from the all important birthdays, we have Mother’s Day (or Mothering Sunday as I’ve always known it) coming up. My next stock order will include appropriate cards but in the meantime we do have quite a few floral ‘blank inside’ cards that will be well received on this special day. It’s on 30th of March so make a note in your diary now. I should have the new cards for Sheriff Hutton on the 16th.

We are also heading into peak wedding season as the weather improves (hopefully!) and the days get longer. We will have a good selection of celebratory cards for you to choose from.

I hope to see some of you at markets soon, in the meantime please use my ‘emporium’ online for any birthday or occasion cards you need. As always, 5 or more cards are just £2 each plus flat rate postage.

Cari xx

I know for some January feels like the longest month, but it never has done for me. The early part of any new year sees the majority of our family birthdays, so each month is filled with celebrations and card giving.

February of course is best known for Valentine’s Day, and now we are getting a little sunshine here in the UK it feels like Spring is on the way. The mornings are getting lighter, it’s only just got dark when I drive home and I’m planning ahead for when I eventually get my greenhouse cleared.

I don’t have an allotment like the characters on this greetings card, but the raised beds and planters in my small garden give me enough space to grow a few vegetables and berries. This year I’ve even bought a patio orange plant, although I think it will be a few years before it’s big enough to fruit!

I would love to keep chickens like in this retirement card, but I think my Jack Russell would be too much of a threat for them. This year I’m going to grow cucumbers and tomatoes again, plus try a few other plants – any suggestions?

Cari xx

I ummed and aahhed about whether to order so early, particularly with my first market not running until March, but I wanted to get some Valentines Day card designs available for you all.

These are all in limited quantities so now is the time to order if there’s one you like, as I have free shipping until the end of January (as it’s my birthday month).

I also restocked some of our best sellers including the humour range, and added a retirement card and some wedding cards too. I’m trying to have a broad selection without having too much stock sitting with me for a long time, a bit of a juggling act but I love choosing cards for my shop.

I’m so excited to be booked into all three local markets again this year, we were so well supported last year and the other stall holders were so lovely it’s like we’ve built a little market family. You can see us at Hovingham Village Market first at the beginning of March, then Sheriff Hutton and Crayke later on that month. I’m desperate to get out with the cards again!

Cari xx

but none the wiser!

It’s my birthday this month, and while I don’t feel like celebrating this, I do ‘happy dance’ with every order, so decided to offer free shipping for a limited time.

If you need to restock your birthday card box, have a browse of my store and you will benefit from free shipping (UK only, shipping cost of £3.50 refunded).

Cari xx

so if you don’t know, my name is Cari and I’m a married mum of two now adult daughters. We live with our two cats and dog in beautiful North Yorkshire, UK. I started my greetings card business with Phoenix Trading many moons ago, transferring to Flamingo Paperie when Phoenix closed. Since the closure of Flamingo I have been stocking a wider range of greetings cards and stationery which I sell in person at local markets and events, and online to customers in the United Kingdom. I’m very proud of my business and love choosing which birthday cards to stock for my customers.

My personal favourites are the humour range, I always chose humorous cards to give for birthdays when I was growing up so this is very much in my blood! However I do also stock floral and scenery style cards as well as artist designed cards. You can find our stall at a few monthly markets in North Yorkshire and I’m always looking for more events to attend.

Future plans include increasing our notebook range and stocking other stationery products alongside our birthday and anniversary cards etc. Over Christmas many of our packs of cards are sold in support of charities which is something I would like to expand on in other ways too.

So, that’s a little introduction from me, if you visit any of the markets please say hi, otherwise I look forward to happy dancing when I hear your online order ping!