Not Just A Card
If you’re anything like me, your email inbox and social media feeds will have been full of adverts for Black Friday offers and sales since at least the beginning of November. As a small independent business it just isn’t possible for me to drop my prices in the same way, not least because I don’t particularly want to encourage the trend of overconsumption but also because my prices are what they are because I only use ethical and environmentally-responsible suppliers for my range of Art Prints and Gifts and I also need to account for my creative time and overheads (and packing and postage) within this.
The good news is that there’s an alternative to the Black Friday/Cyber Monday madness - Indie Friday and Small Business Saturday (Friday 29th November and Saturday 7th December this year, if you’re based in the UK).
The Just A Card campaign
Indie Friday is part of The Just A Card campaign - set up by artist and designer Sarah Hamilton to shout loud and proud about the benefits of shopping independent and shopping small. It has now been running for almost 10 years. The Campaign’s mission has been to make the public aware that when they buy from an artist, maker, independent shop or small business, you aren't 'just' buying a thing. You are buying the time, effort and skill that went into the creation of the piece and its curation and display. It is so important to support independent businesses if you want:
a thriving high street
to ensure your money circulates in and benefits the local community
more choice
personal touches and actual conversation with a real human being
Every sale - even just a card - can mean the world to a small business, whilst it won’t be felt by a national or multi-national chain. With that in mind, I thought it might be fun to provide some suggestions for how one of my Large Square Note Cards can be more than ‘just’ a card, with a little time and a few supplies…
A lovely letter to friends or family
My Large Square Note Cards are blank inside, so there’s plenty of space for you to include a hand-written note to share your news, or just let someone know that you were thinking of them. All this will cost you is the price of the stamp!
Who could you write to and what would you say?
A framed picture
All of the designs on my Large Square Note Cards would look great hanging on a wall, so why not add a frame for a low-cost way to gift someone a piece of art?
You can pick up frames in charity shops, or you could have a go at making your own with found materials. If you’re feeling brave, why not try this twig/branch frame DIY or there’s plenty of online tutorials for simple cardboard frames, like this one from Let’s Do Something Crafty.
Notebooks/Sketchbooks
If you’re looking for a great gift for someone who loves stationery, how about making them a simple notebook (or a sketchbook for a budding artist), using the card as the cover?
I followed this online tutorial from Craft Knife to put this small sketchbook together, using different types of paper for added interest.
Buy a Card (or two)
You can find my range of Large Square Cards in my shop. All printed in the UK onto heavy recycled card stock, they come with a recycled Kraft envelope.
