Phoenix Trading Archives - Cards and Gift Wrap

Posted on December 21, 2016July 22, 2018 by janet — Leave a comment

Stocking Fillers

If you’re looking for some last minute stocking fillers then here are a few ideas. Or perhaps you need a couple of activities for that quieter period between Christmas and New Year before the children go back to school. These should keep everyone busy.

1 Notebooks

You can never have too many notebooks! What more can I say?

2 Happy Families

Happy Families is the classic game. I remember winning this as a child but somehow I never do anymore!

3 Paperchains

Despite being used as my lick-machines over the years it appears my children still enjoy making paperchains, either in the traditional way or to make decorations for the tree.

4 Christmas Activity Pack

Doodle your way to New Year with these sweet illustrations ready for you to add your own artistic flair to.

5 Colour in Tablecloth

Keep the whole family scribbling, doodling and colouring at mealtimes and in between. 1m by 1m is a lot of space to colour in!

These are just a few stocking fillers ideas, you’ll find more in my shop.

Posted on December 4, 2016 by janet — Leave a comment

The First Christmas Card

This week we received our first Christmas card. It always comes from the same family friend and is one of those things that lets us know Christmas is here.

It’s glittery (or flittery as we say in the card market), plain but very effective.

I do look at every card we receive, not just the first Christmas card, quite critically as I sell Christmas cards!

Every Christmas card that comes through our letterbox gets a good look over. Because I sell Christmas cards that are exclusively designed I am always on the look out for other cards of a similar appeal. Phoenix Trading asks us to submit Christmas cards each January in to a sort of competition to see who else is making popular or attractive designs. Therefore I am always on the look out for extra special cards (that obviously aren’t Phoenix ones!) to submit.

Are they charity Christmas cards?

Nearly every Christmas card that we receive is a charity card, but not all. I know some people just buy cheap cards then make a donation to a charity instead, I get that. However, if the card doesn’t say it’s a Christmas card then it does leave the impression that the sender just bought the cheapest pack of cards they could find because they felt they ought to send a card. Perhaps that’s just very judgemental on my part but that’s the impression I get that’s all. Personally I think every Christmas card could be a charity card, even some charity cards can be pretty cheap these days so there really is no excuse.

Does it stand up?

Most of our Christmas cards will end up hanging on a string in our hallway for everyone who visits to see. However a really special card may well get pride of place on the mantelpiece – but only if it can actually stand up! How many cheap, thin Christmas cards there are that come through the door that cannot stand without being sellotaped, glued or blu-tacked to the surface?!

I choose the cards I send making sure they look good, do good and are good quality. How do you choose yours?

Looking forward to seeing what Christmas cards drop on to the mat this week…

Posted on August 14, 2016July 24, 2023 by janet — Leave a comment

Charity Christmas Cards Supporting Local Charity

The Nativity Stable Phoenix Trading Charity Christmas Cards

I am proud to make a donation each year from a proportion of all Christmas cards sold to Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative (WICCI). A minimum of 10% is donated each year. Throughout the year I also support WICCI supplying them with stickers, paper tape and stationery items for their fabulous rainbow care boxes.

I also attend local craft fairs in the run up to Christmas and there is usually a fee or percentage donation from these sale to local charities and organisations.

Past Christmas donations

Every year Flamingo Paperie donated 1p for each of its charity Christmas cards it produced via the Phoenix International Charity. This in turn supported Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Research, Together for Short Lives and lots of local charities that we Flamingo Paperie Partners got to nominate.

In 2016 my nominated charity Hebrides Alpha Project received £150 from the Phoenix International Charity. The Hebrides Alpha Houseing project provides supported accommodation for people recovering from alcohol, drug, mental health or crimal justice related issues.

Over the past few years Laxdale Cubs and Beavers invited me several times to help them raise money for their nominated charities. Because of this, I thought it was time to give them something in return. So I nominated them as my local charity for 2017. I’ve already donated £100 from your Christmas card orders this year.

I was also really privileged in early December 2017 to support a coffee afternoon in memory of a family friend. From Christmas card sales that afternoon I gave £50 towards Cancer Research UK.

Flamingo Paperie charity Christmas cards – look good, are good and do good!

Click here to buy your cards now and support some great causes.

The 1p donation by Flamingo Paperie was unusual for card publishers. This is not the same as the usual charity donation on Christmas cards that retailers give. Flamingo Paperie are effectively the wholesaler in this case. It’s unusual for a wholesaler to make a charity donation on cards.

If you’d like to know why sending Christmas cards is a good idea then you might like 10 Reasons to send an actual Christmas card

Are you a business owner? If so then you might be interested in how to Increase Your Business By Sending Business Greeting Cards

Posted on February 18, 2016June 21, 2023 by janet — 4 Comments

Saying ‘Thank You’

For people who run small businesses, it can be hard sometimes to stand out from the crowd. Competing against big multi-nationals who may sell similar things to you, at a fraction of the price – how do you make yourself different?

Changing what you sell doesn’t make you stand out as much as making sure the service you offer is better than everyone else’s.

How often have you bought something from a multi-national and received a personal ‘thank you’?

I don’t mean an automatically generated message, which cleverly has your name on it to appear personal but you know is the same message they send to every customer – I mean a real personal ‘thank you’ written just for you.

Be different, offer that extra personal touch and send a personalised ‘thank you’, if possible hand written.

Take a look at 3 Ways to Make a Genuine Impact Simply by Saying Thanks to see what I mean.

PS If you think sending a thank you card would help you build better relationships with your customers you might want to consider contacting me for a bulk deal.

Posted on February 2, 2016February 9, 2024 by janet — Leave a comment

Valentines Card Messages

If you don’t know what words to write then check out my top 10 favourite love poems and verses for your Valentines Card.

1 ‘My Love is Like a Red Red Rose’ by Robert Burns

‘Red Heart’ card beautifully illustrated by Laura Stone. Furthermore it is a verse that I can’t write without singing it in my head!

2 ‘Silentium Amoris’ by Oscar Wilde

‘Painted Hearts’ is a new card that is illustrated by Louise Anglicas with pop out hearts too!

3 ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare

‘With Love Heart Tree’ card, probably one of my favourites for a Valentines card and illustrated by Karen Tye Bentley.

4 ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ by L. Frank Baum

‘Silver Heart’ card. A classic card that is suitable for so many occasions including weddings and anniversaries. Illustrated by Laura Stone.

5 ‘Sense and Sensibility’ by Jane Austen

‘Perfect Pair’ card. Another versatile card, illustrated by Sue James.

6 by Dr Suess

‘Love’ card. I love Dr. Suess and I love this card. If you love Alison Hullyer’s illustrations then this is the one for you.

7 by Aristotle

‘Fabulous You’ card. Got to have chocolates on Valentines Day haven’t you? If you think so too then this very tasty card is illustrated by Sophia Coleman.

8 ‘The Rose in the Deeps of His Heart’ by William Yeats

‘With Love Champagne’ card. Show your true passion by sending this card illustrated by Tim Mason.

9 ‘I Love Thee’ by Eliza Acton

‘Lovebirds on a Bicycle’ card. How adorable are these two lovebirds in this illustration by Sharon Blackman?

10 Valentines Verse and Valentines Card by you?

Still to be written!

If you need gift wrap, tags, ribbon for your present too then you’ll find a lovely selection along with the cards right here.

Posted on June 20, 2015July 22, 2018 by janet — Leave a comment

The Jackson Family

“Before I came I hadn’t heard of Rachel House. I think everyone has this image that you’re going to walk through the door into sadness and death and people crying in corners. It wasn’t until I walked through the front door that I thought “wow”. It’s smiles as soon as you enter.

Rachel House takes the stress away. I don’t have to be running around, cooking meals and sorting Mark out. It lets Morgan, Eden and Sky just be kids. When we’re here, I’m more relaxed and I know that my kids are very happy and safe. It’s just a home from home.”

Help families like the Jackson’s by buying our special butterfly basket products, or indeed anything from my shop as I’m donating 10% of all sales to CHAS

via The Jackson Family.