My Range for M&P

Well although I no longer work for Mamas and Papas its still nice to duck in and have a nosey at my ranges on the website, heres a little selection of some of the goodies I designed for M&P :) I think I shall quite miss designing Welcome to the world xxx

Bauble Mania- Its a wrap!

Photo 1: NOTHS double page spread, eeek. Photo 2: Our house turns into a feather fest- printed feathers everywhere. Photo 3: Personalised baubles galore. Photo 4: Marley keeps an eye on the
work force through the giant bubble wrap tube. Photo 5: Many, many visits to my lovely local post
office with parcels galore, I gave santa a run for his money. Photo 6: The end is in sight, clink clink!

What a busy few months its been, Bauble mania has finally drawn to a close, and I have just placed my very own Dad feather bauble on my own Tree :) Its safe to say the baubles went down very well and I had allot of lovely follow up emails and even a thank-you card from my NOTHS customers. If you had asked me a week ago if I was going to be doing them again next xmas I would have maybe said no 

after seeing so many of them, but I am already having enquiries for people wanting to order for next christmas so I think they will be back again next year after all!

I just want to say a quick thank-you to my friends and family for all there help, and to Marley my british blue cat who managed to only consume 3 feathers out of at-least 2,000.

Well Heres wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous new year xxxx

Festive Times and missing loved ones

Well the festive season is well and truly upon us and I am officially drowning in bauble orders, Eeek!

Some of the stories that have come in with the bauble orders are truly touching and sad.
I have had an overwhelming amount come through as Memorial baubles, still born babies, lost twins,
mums, dads, grandmas, grandads. Its certainly made me think about the loss of my own dad and tears have been present when doing lots of dad baubles for lots of customers. My own feather Dad bauble will certainly be donning my tree this year, I will never forget the little white feather I found the day after he died laid on my doorstep :)

Sorry this post has taken a somber note, but Its this time of year (as well as others) that we think of the people that cant be with us anymore. It has been a privilege to make these baubles in memory of special people.

xxx

My Dad 

My baubles are back!

Hello lovely bloggers.

You may have seen these little beauties last christmas when I first launched them, but for those of you that haven't...introducing my glass personalised feather baubles!
They are now available in my NOTHS shop:
http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/buttonboxcards/product/personalised-printed-feather-bauble

(copyright Button Box Cards 2011-2012)

The bauble has a white feather inside which is personalised with hand rubber stamping in the name or word of your choice up to 7 characters. They are great to put a loved ones name on, mum, dad etc.
Last year a few people put the names of people they may have lost on there feather, its a nice way to remember someone special :) 

Have a great weekend folks x

New items in my Etsy shop

Just swooping in to tell you all I have just added a few more items to my Etsy shop.
Pop in and have a nosey :)

Elise x

Letterpress Love

Hello.

This weekend myself the husband went off to learn the beautiful art of letterpress at the West Yorkshire print studio! What a fabulous weekend, we had two days there learning how to letterpress with old wooden type and teeny tiny metal type. Well strictly speaking I didn't have a go at the teeny tiny type, I didn't have the patience where as my other half loved the detail involved. I spent my two days with the wooden type and loved every minute, perfecting my technique as I went.

 (wooden printing blocks)

( My first go)

( My hubby inking up his creation)

 ( some of the posters I made, experimenting on different card stock)

I also made a letter press poster to hang in Pea studio (button box HQ) above is the type before printing.

Another added bonus about the course was meeting other lovely designers and a fab teacher- new friends where definitely made :) We all had a swop off at the end of day two, sharing out and swopping the posters we had made, its safe to say our house is going to be Letterpress central, I just want to frame them all!

New items in my Etsy shop....

Hello all, just a quick blog update to tell you that I have just uploaded new christmas card designs to my

Etsy shop, please pop over and have a look. I know its only October but theres nothing like being organised :)

 ( copyright Button Box Cards 2012 )

 ( copyright Button Box Cards 2012 )

( copyright Button Box Cards 2012 )

Christmas is on its way...

Hello

Christmas is well and truly on its way, well its certainly hit the shops anyway!

..and I have been working on a few christmas goodies for my NOTHS shop

Here is one of my christmas card designs with a little 3d nordic wooden button,

im offering personalisation so you can add who its to!

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/buttonboxcards/product/personalised-christmas-tree-card

 copyright Button Box Cards 2012

 copyright Button Box Cards 2012

 copyright Button Box Cards 2012

I have also been working on personalised voucher pouches for all those people that give money and vouchers at christmas, this is a good way to pretty up your gift :)

They are available in green and red.

http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/buttonboxcards/product/personalised-christmas-money-or-voucher-pouch

Im going to get cracking on some more ideas now, Itching to do another xmas card design.

Ta ta for now x

You are always on my mind

2 years today was the sad day my dad was taken away.

Never has a day passed since that day that I haven't thought of him, laughed at funny memories we shared and cried at the fact there wont be any new ones.

I dont know if they can access blogs on the spiritual plane but heres hoping...

My salty sailer Dad, Miss you more than words can say, I hope your sailing around where ever

you are with sea air in your face, the place you loved the most!

I took your advice that "life's for the living", "grab it with both hands", "this isn't a rehearsal ", I took the plunge, I hope I make you proud. MM xxxx

New posters available

Ooops how could I forget, I had been designing some new personalised posters before my holiday.

They have a vintage map background and say "LOVE" in bold chunky aubergine text.

The posters read "all you need is love, all you need is love, love, love is all you need"

and are personalised with the names and wedding dates of the recipient. I thought these would

make great wedding prezzies. I have also designed a HOME version with the Wizard of OZ quote

"theres no place like home underneath" 

(copyright button box cards 2012)

A little BB Update..

Hello lovely bloggers.

I am just back from a week off, the hubby and I went to Portugal for a week for sun and rest, we got the rest but sadly the sun was only present on two days :( Ahh well it was good to recharge the batteries and read a couple of books.

I read the NOTHS book while I was away- Build your business from your kitchen table, and I must say it was such an inspiring read and was packed full of great tips, I would recommend reading it to anyone who is starting there own business.

Yesterday was the first day back in BB HQ and it felt nice to get back to my cards with Marley for company. I have been getting started with my new christmas card designs and products, which I will show you as soon as there ready.

( Studio buddy Marley- Taking a snooze under the blanket )

Free giveaway...

Hello everyone, just wanted to nip into blog land and let you know I'm having a free giveaway on my Facebook page (button box cards) so come on over and enter, there is a lovely "love" or "home" poster up for grabs ;)

Twitter....feels like my first day at school

Oops also thought I should also mention me joining twitter!

So last week I joined twitter with the help of my hubby......and it feels like the first day of school.
Stood at the school gates with my Button Box Lunch box feeling shy! I have gathered a few new
school friends but have a long way to go. So if you are on twitter and see me in the playground please come over and say hello: @buttonboxcards

Back to work.....

Well its 8am and I am up ready to start my day.

This week I am working for M&P on a freelance basis, I was working in house on Tuesdays and god did it feel weird to be wearing a visitors badge and to be refered to as freelance, eeek I like it!
I got a lot of double takes, and "oooh cant you stay away"
It was great to see my old team again. I was also given a belated leaving present from a friend of mine Louise and its amazing!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63820778/serene-kitty-in-gray-hand-printed-flour?ref=v1_other_1
Its a Marley tea towel, it looks just like my cat but a little less fluffy! So this is now hung in the kitchen, never to be used, no mucky food hands are allowed anywhere near it!

Oh so much to share with you.

It was my last week at M&P last week, and after 9 years with the company as you can image it was an emotional goodbye. I was fully spoilt by my team, to start with they decorated my desk in a whole manner of things...

The postage stamp bunting they bought me was fantastic, that was a little joke as ever since my 

NOTHS launch I have spent every lunchtime at the post office :)

They had this little badge made for me to, it said "Just done 9 years", Apparently they had to explain to the maker and seller of these personalised badges that i was in fact leaving a company and hadn't just got out of prison-ha ha! 

 When the afternoon came I was showered with loads of lovely prezzies and given a fantastic leaving presentation which I blubbed my way through. It was utterly embarrassing crying in front of that many people but it was sad to think of leaving everyone behind.

One of my best friends from work (the talented Nicola Pea) Went on to read me a poem she had written all about moi- that tipped me over the edge into serious crying mode! Here's a tiny little snippet...(it was long and some of it is to personal to share)

Designer extraordinaire with a creative flare,

the buttons go here and the ribbons go there,

what will we do without you to arrange the supply,

looking for trims might be a lucky surprise.

We've enjoyed many nights out and of course the regular fuddle

trips to Paris and London and through a massive Scottish puddle!

In a hotel overnight then usually how it went was

I cant sleep in my room the walls are thinner than a tent!

a snorer, a cult, a noisy neighbour or two, knock knock, "oh hello can I please share with you."

So Elise we do love you,we know you do like, I perfect friendship that we all did strike.

You have been great to work with and so much fun, we just want you to know we will all miss you a tonne xx

I will really treasure this poem.

So I have flown the nest and Its time to give Button Box my all, I'm so excited about the future and so grateful to all the great friends and customers I have for there support and encouragement. 

Goodbye m&p and years of "Welcome to the world" its been emotional :) xxx

Exciting times.....

Hello Blog land, its been a while!

Ooh so much to share with you. As of 2 weeks ago...drum roll please......I handed my notice in at my day job where I have been working as a designer for 9 years! Im going to be heading out into the big wide world of self employment so that I can focus on Button Box Cards and freelancing for lots of lovely companies. Im so excited!

Im really enjoying selling on NOTHS and cant wait to upload a load of new products in autumn. There just haven't been enough hours in the day recently and I have been sporting match sticks in my eyes to keep them open :)

So watch this space, exciting times ahead I hope.

xxx

Happy fathers day to my dad

Well I couldn't let today pass without recognising what a great dad I had, so to you my salty sailor dad, I miss you so much and cherish the memories I have of you. You where funny, adventurous, kind and so loving. This ones for you Dad xxx


The ship of life - by John T Baker

Along the shore I spy a ship 
As she sets out to sea; 
She spreads her sails and sniffs the breeze 
And slips away from me. 

I watch her fading image shrink, 
As she moves on and on, 
Until at last she's but a speck, 
Then someone says, She's gone.

Gone where? Gone only from our sight 
And from our farewell cries; 
That ship will somewhere reappear 
To other eager eyes. 

Beyond the dim horizon's rim 
Resound the welcome drums, 
And while we're crying, There she goes!
They're shouting, Here she comes!

We're built to cruise for but a while 
Upon this trackless sea 
Until one day we sail away 
Into infinity.

Hi All,
Just had to pop into blog land to say I am sooooo excited to be featured in the NOTHS Fathers day brochure...yay me! It will be winging its way to 550,000 customers next week.

Please look out for Button Box Cards on page 5 of the brochure where my fathers day medal card is featured, its so near the front page, I'm so thrilled!

(Such a happy bunny!)

Button box update....

Hello blog land.
At last we have had some long awaited sunshine and the opportunity to step outside without a coat on, wahoo!

This weekend me and the hubby went off to tropical world in Leeds, what a bargain for £3 entry, lots to see including the butterfly room where I was privaliged to have a giant tropical butterfly land on my hand.... I'm such a girl but it was sooo pretty!

Today I have been sorting out button box studio as it had got quite overloaded to say the least. So now I am feeling cleansed, tidy and ready to get cracking with some new card designs.

NOTHS continues to go well with my best sellers being my personalised weddings cards.

Hope you all had a great weekend.:)

Not On The High street Launch!

OOOh its exciting times at Button Box headquarters, last Friday I launched on NOTHS!
http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/buttonboxcards

I am so excited to be on there having loved there website for ages!
At the moment I have 9 products on uploaded, mostly cards and then wooden gift tags/favours and a selection of cupcake flags.

I have stacks of ideas for products in the pipeline alot of which are all ready to be photographed but I just can never seem to get a nice sunny day to photograph my goodies :(

So watch this space, lots of more products to come, eeek I'm excited!!

xxx

Oooh thank you, I have won a Liebster blog award

Thanks so much to "the life and times of minky P noo" http://minkypnoo.blogspot.co.uk/
blog for nominating me for the Liebster blog award! Im am muchos happy and very flattered.

I now need to chose 5 brilliant blogs with under 200 followers to pass the award on to....
Tick...tock...Tick...tock, I need to have a little think xx

Time for a catch up!

Oh dear, I havent posted since February, sorry!

Its been very busy at Button Box Cards head quarters making lots of cards, gift tags and cupcake flags to name but a few! My Etsy shop is now ticking over nicely which is great ( I do love Etsy) and I have even had orders for Australia which is very exciting.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ButtonBoxcards

We are also under going a new kitchen so our house so it is upside down, messy and full of dust...boo! Its half way there now but we had a blooper with the paint, we where going for Farrow & Balls "Blackend" which turned out more like "baby blue" which was a massive clash with the units, opps. So last night was a mad dash to choose another shade, fingers crossed the new ones looks ok! Marley is hating the upheaval and can often be found hiding in the bath away from the kitchen noise of drilling and banging!

Well thats all for now, I hope you all have a fabulous Easter weekend full of lots of eggy goodness.

xxx

My Salty sailor dad...

about 1 week ago I was sent a box of old photos that used to belong to my dad that had been in storage.

It was such a joy to open up the box full of old photos of dad, you could certainly "smell" there age and history as I lifted them out of the box! The main treasure of this box was a beautiful photo of dad on one of his first boats when his love of sailing began.

I am yet to find a worthy frame but as soon as I do this beauty is going on the wall! I feel so proud to have had such a talented dad.
Also in the box was his old sailing charts from when he made his journey from the Channel Islands over to Barbados. They are so beautiful, tea stained and creased with all the pencil markings dotted along the journey he made from island to island..complete with a doodle here and there!

Hello

Good morning bloggers, I sit here writing this post with bright sunshine blasting through the window!
Spring is on its way..yay!

I have been such a busy bee recently making cards, morning noon and night. My Valentines designs went down really well, here are a few to show you...

 ( love is in the air- copyright Button Box Cards 2012)

 ( PS i love you- copyright Button Box Cards 2012)

I have been such a busy bee recently making cards, morning noon and night. My Valentines designs went down well, here are a few pics to show you.

Today my mum is here to Visit me from the Cotswolds so i'm taking her out for a little treat of tea and cake at The Vintage Cupcake Kitchen in Saddleworth! http://www.thevintagecupcakekitchen.co.uk/ Its so lovely in there drinking tea out of beautiful vintage china and obviously eating the cakes- I think she is going to love it!

My Etsy shop is open!!

Wahoooo, My Etsy shop is finally open, yay!!

Please pop over and have a look. Many more items to come!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ButtonBoxcards?ref=si_shop

( Copyright Button Box Cards 2012 )

Happy new year Blog land!

Hello blog land, wishing everyone a happy new year!!

Well i have been busy beavering away since my last post. Most recently I have been making and designing some cute little cupcake flags which will be on sale in The Vintage Cupcake Kitchen, Uppermill, very soon. I have covered wedding flags which read "i do" and "Mr & Mrs", "Love" for Valentines and some vintage florals. Im really pleased with them, here they are all packaged up ready to go!

( all flags and packaging copyright of Button Box Cards 2012)

Lots of new goodies to upload over the next few weeks so watch this space xxxx