Cool Cards

Giles Andreae - Edward Monkton - Purple Ronnie - Interview

2009-07-10T09:10:00.003Z

"Bottom burps, stinky feet and other poems

Old Etonian, friend of David Cameron, the (very) wealthy man behind the Purple Ronnie franchise ... there are numerous reasons not to like Giles Andreae. But, warns Jon Henley you should never judge a book by its cover...

Let us count the reasons not to like Giles Andreae. He went to Eton, and to Oxford. He shares a bright and airy office in Notting Hill with Richard Curtis. And with Mariella Frostrup. He's a very old, very good friend of David Cameron. And he must be worth (I'm guessing, but I can't be very far wrong) substantially in excess of £5m.

He makes that much money writing ditties such as this: "You're a very special person/And you mean a lot to me/When you're around you make the world/A better place to be." Or this: "I know that it sounds cheesy/But I'm telling you it's true/It's fab to have a Mum/Who is as marvellous as you." Then he illustrates them with stick-figures a five-year-old might be proud of, puts them on a greeting card or into a Little Book, and sells them. So far, he has sold 80m cards, and five million books".

Continue reading: The Guardian
Cool Cards: Edward Monkton Cards

Chocolate birthday card

2009-06-28T10:36:00.002Z

JOY LAUNCHES CHOCOL-ART, THE BIRTHDAY CARD GOOD
ENOUGH TO EAT

"The dream of creating an edible birthday card has finally become a reality for fine art illustrator Joy Cockle of Waddington based CreARTivity.

Joy came up with the concept a year ago and with the help of Longridge based Corper Deli has brought her idea to life and launched a range of fine illustration edible cards called Chocol-ART.

Commenting on the launch of the new range Joy said, “Like so many other people I love eating chocolate and whilst I’ve been illustrating greetings cards over the last few years I often wondered if I could transfer my creations onto chocolate and present it as an edible birthday card.

“I discussed the idea with Simon Edwards from the Corper Deli who completely bought into the idea, purchased the machinery and created a sample…and Chocol-ART was born!”

The chocolate birthday cards are available in milk, plain or white chocolate varieties in three designs, two featuring Joy’s signature Jester and the other a birthday cake design.

Joy continued, “We’re convinced these are the first truly illustrated chocolate birthday cards and initial sales have been very good. I’m currently working on a number of other card designs and would also welcome commissions, which would include an original piece of artwork as well as the birthday card…a real treat for that special birthday.

“The cards are only available at my workshop at Backridge Farm, but I’m currently talking to other gift retailers across Lancashire with a view to making the Chocol-ART range available to all.”

For more information about the Chocol-ART birthday cards, contact Joy on 01200 429337 or visit Joy’s workshop and gallery at Backridge Farm, Twitter Lane, Waddington which is open daily from 10am to 4pm".

Source: Backridge Farm

Good Luck

2009-06-26T16:01:00.004Z

Police officer, brother start greeting card business

"We share the same brain," he said.

"Cpl. Clarence "Buzz" Cornwell has issued plenty of speeding tickets and traffic citations during his 14 years with the county Police Department. Margeaux Corby — The Capital County police Cpl. Clarence “Buzz” Cornwell, left, and Douglas Sentz Jr. show off the first products of their new greeting card business, D & B Originals LLC.

The graduation card is currently available at the company’s Web site at www.myspace.com/dandboriginals. But in recent weeks he's been handing out a different kind of document - greeting cards.

Cornwell, along with his brother, Douglas Sentz Jr., recently announced the start of their boutique greeting card business, D & B Originals LLC. The company's first product, a graduation greeting card, is available for purchase on their Web site at www.myspace.com/dandboriginals. Cornwell, whose haircut mirrors his nickname, said he hasn't tried to use his experience on the force to create "license and registration, please" or "you're going downtown, pal" cards. "I can come up with some ideas," Cornwell said jokingly. "I only have about six years left. I'm hoping to get my pension and move on to bigger things."

Both Cornwell and his brother said they talked about starting a business for several years and wanted to create a company unique to the county and their talents. "If you can support a company that is local and that is putting the money right back into local sales people, local graphic designers and keeping everything else going, you should buy our card," Sentz said.

The brothers are not the only family members involved in the company. Cornwell's brother-in-law, Joe Gaeta, is the company's graphic designer and his wife, Kelly, will use her artistic ability to help design cards in the future. "My wife is excellent with drawing and art," Cornwell said. "We want to come up with different ideas for cards, and we might have her come up with the artwork."

The graduation card that is currently available for purchase contains a motivational and forward-thinking message taken from a poem Sentz wrote years ago. "He's always been a little bit more creative than me, but we've always thought of the big picture," Cornwell said, referring to his brother. "We didn't grow up with a lot of money and we just wanted a better life for ourselves, and we figured this is the best way to do it."

Cornwell will co-own the business in addition to his normal patrol duties and the occasional off-duty hours he spends working security jobs around the county. His brother is a retail manager for a small business in the county and a former freelance writer for local companies.

The brothers are currently in the process of contacting local stores to sell their cards. Sentz said they hope to have about 10 cards on the market by the end of the year, all of which will have original designs and messages not already on the market. "There are a million cards that say 'I love you, Mom' but can we say something that's different? If we can't then we're not going to do it," he said.

Neither Cornwell nor Sentz said they are worried about the potential strain of being brothers as well as business partners. Cornwell said he couldn't remember the last time the two quarreled and Sentz agreed. "We share the same brain," he said".

Source: Annapolis The Capital

Hallmark expand, go green

2009-06-26T15:25:00.004Z

Good news Hallmark

"Hallmark was recognised for using 100 per cent renewable electricity at its offices; printing 97 per cent of cards and 100 per cent of envelopes using certified sustainable or recycled materials and recycling 80 per cent of solid waste, reducing landfill by 200 tonnes in the past two years; donating £750,000 over three years to breast cancer research; and for its commitment to Bradford Cares, allowing employees to volunteer during work time."

"A new £12 million warehouse and distribution centre which puts Bradford at the forefront of the European greetings card industry has been opened.

David Hall, grandson of the founder of Hallmark Cards, flew in to cut the ribbon at the group’s largest single investment in the business on this side of the Atlantic.

The new 200,000 sq ft distribution centre uses computerised technology to pick, sort and pack up to 30,000 boxes of cards an hour for shops and major chains.

It replaces warehousing at Hallmark’s UK head office site on Bingley Road, Heaton, Bradford, part of which is to be developed for housing. Around 150 staff have been transferred to the new site and Hallmark employs 2,300 people in Bradford.

Mr Hall, president and chief executive of the group’s greeting cards business which next year will celebrate its centenary, said the new development demonstrated Hallmark’s commitment to its Bradford base.

It has been developed alongside the firm’s greeting cards printing plant on a 17-acre site on Dawson Lane, Dudley Hill, once occupied by Renold Gears.

Mr Hall said: “The investment, especially during these challenging economic times, demonstrates our eagerness to remain a leader in our industry. It also highlights our continued and significant commitment to Bradford.

“This new facility really will make a significant impact on several areas of our business, improving efficiencies and increasing capacity across the board. It was fantastic to be able to come here to see for myself these state-of-the-art facilities which will soon be making a huge difference to our business and that of our customers.”

Group operations director Richard Campbell said: “We are confident we have developed a unique system that allows us to pick and distribute orders efficiently, providing the best possible value and service for our customers.”

Hallmark has won a gold award from Business in the Community for its community and environmental policies. It also gained platinum status in the Yorkshire and Humber Environment Index.

Hallmark was recognised for using 100 per cent renewable electricity at its offices; printing 97 per cent of cards and 100 per cent of envelopes using certified sustainable or recycled materials and recycling 80 per cent of solid waste, reducing landfill by 200 tonnes in the past two years; donating £750,000 over three years to breast cancer research; and for its commitment to Bradford Cares, allowing employees to volunteer during work time".

Source: Bradford Telegraph & Argus

Unhappy Birthdays

2009-06-26T15:00:00.006Z

Unhappy Birthdays for 650 staff as card shops fold

“We got told last Wednesday that we were closing. They are keeping us open to Sunday because that’s Fathers Day but when we close the doors then that’s it.”

"Administrator Peter Saville, partner at Zolfo Cooper Europe, announced that 201 Birthdays branches had been saved. But sadly, the Graham Street branch didn’t make the cut.

Mr Saville said: “We are pleased to announce that an offer has been accepted and are hopeful that the contract will be finalised in a matter of days. No purchaser has been forthcoming for the remaining stores or the head office at Bury and we will be implementing a closure programme with immediate effect, with all stores scheduled to cease trading by close of business on Wednesday, June 24"

“Regrettably around 800 jobs will be made redundant across the group.

“All employees have been made aware of the situation and we are grateful for the understanding and support of staff, customers and suppliers throughout the administration process.

“We will also be writing to all landlords shortly to inform them fully of the situation.”

Source: Lanarkshire Airdie & Coatbridge Advertiser

Former owner Clintons buys back 196 stores of stricken card chain out of administration in £3.5m deal but a third of jobs will go.

"About 650 jobs have been lost after the administrators running the stricken Birthdays card chain sold part of it back to its former owner Clintons Cards.

Clintons has bought back 196 of Birthdays' 322 shops, saving 1,450 jobs. The remaining stores, which are all understood to be loss-making, are now closing or have already been shuttered.

It comes just a month after Clintons put the loss-making Birthdays into administration, saying it could no longer support the subsidiary, which it bought in December 2004 for £46m. The deal is valued at £3.5m, but Clintons is only paying £250,000, and agreeing to write off £3.25m still owed by Birthdays.

One retail analyst said today's deal "looked a bit like financial engineering", adding that Clintons had blundered by buying Birthdays in the first place.

Shares in Clintons jumped by 15% to 25.4p today".

Source: The Guardian

Design Idea - Word Clouds

2009-06-25T17:06:00.005Z

Design ideas: Wordle

"Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text".

Our first Cool Cards word cloud, the entire text of a 400 year old play... Have a guess.

Image link to original:

Wordle: Wo rdle
Text: Project Gutenburg - Romeo and Juliet
Wiki: Romeo and Juliet

--------------------------

Like that? Here's more... it just gets better. Hugely talented data-mining bloke called Jeff Clark of Neoformix tells us "I enjoy discovering the patterns in the apparent chaos of real life".

His creativity is apparent...
Source: Neoformix

Have a go... Word Hearts also from Neofomix: "This is a simple tool that automatically fills a heart shape with any words you like. Enter some words separated by commas in the text box and press the 'Enter' key. You can also choose one of three fonts or change the colors".

Our go...

Postman Pot...

2009-06-23T08:34:00.003Z

Jail for postman too stoned to deliver the mail

Rarely we receive an email : Subject - Order not received.
Blame the...

"A YORK postman has been jailed for burning stacks of mail in his garden after smoking so much cannabis he was too lazy to deliver it.
Neil Goddard, 32, was given a 12-month sentence after he set up a huge cannabis factory in his bedroom and managed to cultivate 8,000 pounds of the drug.

But he smoked so much of it over a year-old period that he was too high to bother delivering thousands of items of post.

Judge Stephen Ashurst told him at York Crown court: "All postmen know that those who interfere with the post in the course of their work face severe consequences. They are inevitably sacked and very often go to prison.

"You went to very considerable lengths to set up what I regard as a professional cannabis unit. I could not possibly justify passing a community sentence for what you did."

Alan Mitcheson, prosecuting, said police found sacks of undelivered mail at Goddard's house, a pit containing charred fragments of junk mail and a cannabis unit in his bedroom capable of growing many crops.

They also found 227 letters and parcels and 9,675 leaflets and other door-to-door items which should have been delivered between April 2007 and March 2008. After checking Royal Mail records, they found Goddard had claimed £170 for 13 postal rounds he had never even started.

David Dixon, defending, said: "This was laziness brought about by excessive cannabis use. He stopped delivering junk mail which some may say was a public service."

Goddard admitted growing cannabis and was convicted of a charge of intending to supply it to others after a trial in April. He also asked for ten more offences of claiming payment for undelivered junk mail to be taken into consideration".

Source: Yorkshire Post

Father's Day - Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy

2009-06-22T09:03:00.002Z

Bottles of beer will be given to fathers who attend church, in an alternative "blessing" for Father's Day.

Beer is proof that god loves us and wants us to be happy
(Urban Graphic greeting card)

"The plan to distribute ale has upset groups working to tackle alcohol abuse, but the Rt Rev John Inge, the Bishop of Worcester, said that it could help churches to attract more men.

He argued that the free beer was intended to be symbolic of "the generosity of God".

Men at St Stephen's church in Barbourne, Worcester, will be handed bottles of beer by children during the service. A prayer will be said for the fathers before the gifts are distributed.

The Ven Roger Morris, archdeacon of Worcester, who will be leading the service at St Stephen's today, said that it was a practical way of sending a message to fathers.

"I don't see any other time that we can stop and remember fathers, and this is a gesture saying 'Here's something that will bless you,'" he said.

"Posies of flowers are given to mums on Mothering Sunday and we wanted to give a laddish, blokeish gift to the men. A bottle of beer hits the mark. The whole of life is to be celebrated in church."

However, Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, criticised the Church, claiming that it was acting irresponsibly.

"Bearing in mind the country is facing rising health harms from its high level of alcohol consumption, anyone in a position of authority or respect should perhaps think twice about promoting alcohol to the public," he said.

Bishop Inge said that it was wrong to claim that the move would encourage alcoholism, and encouraged churches to use it as a way to reach out to men.

"Jesus created a lot more wine at a point in the party when some thought that there had already been enough drinking. He was all in favour of partying," the bishop said.

"We give wine away every Sunday, so giving away beer could be said to going downmarket a bit, but it's an attempt to speak of God's generosity.

"It's something that could be used as part of a service to encourage fathers to come. Once they are in church, hopefully they will be challenged by the deeper questions around fatherhood." "

Source : Telegraph

Father's Day

2009-06-16T15:29:00.003Z

Father's Day cards, same old same old...
So often a stereotypical portrayal of the 'male species'... however true? And now ageist to boot...

One of our most popular Father's Day cards, from Uncooked:

dad i promise that when you get
old and gross i won't put you in
one of those smelly nursing homes.
i'll let you come and live with me.
if there's room.

What do other dads get up to..?

Blokes nowadays have it easy...

The Retas 2009 - No eCommerce category?

2009-05-30T07:54:00.005Z

The Retas. The only awards that celebrate greeting card retailing in the UK.

The Retas 2009 will take place at The Dorchester Hotel, Park Lane, London on Wednesday 8th July.

The Retas were launched by Progressive Greetings magazine in 2004, in recognition of the tremendous contribution that retailers both large and small, make to the success of the greeting card industry. Now in their fifth year, The Retas awards ceremony is established as the Summer event for the greeting card community. It brings together the entire £billion+ greeting card industry for an afternoon of celebration.

The Retas recognise and celebrate not only the top independent and multiple greeting card retailers regionally and nationally, but also the new generation of retailers as well as employees of outstanding excellence.

Awards are for the following categories:

Greeting Card Retail Employee of the Year
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – London
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – East Anglia
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Home Counties
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – South West
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Wales and the Midlands
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – North and Northern Ireland
Best Independent Greeting Card Retailer – Scotland
Best Greeting Card Newcomer
Best Specialist Multiple Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Greeting Card Small Multiple
Best Greeting Card Retail Initiative
Best Non-Specialist Retailer of Greeting Cards - Multiple
Best Non-Specialist Retailer of Greeting Cards - independent
Best Department Store Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Supermarket Retailer of Greeting Cards
Best Garden Centre Retailer of Greeting Cards
Independent Greeting Card Retailer of the Year
Best Greeting Card Cash & Carry
Best Greeting Card Service Based Wholesaler

The judging for The Retas 2009 awards has now taken place and the finalists have been announced.
Shortlisted finalists can be viewed here.

Clinton Cards Shares Soar

2009-05-22T07:04:00.002Z

Clinton Cards shares soar on the back of news that the loss-making Birthdays chain is to go into administration. Clinton Cards bought the Birthdays chain in 2004 for £46.4m.

Clinton Cards shares rose 37% yesterday. Good news for shareholders, not so good for the 2000+ Birthdays employees? Around half of the 300+ Birthdays stores remain profitable and no closures or job-losses have been announced.

"Clinton Cards chairman Don Lewin said: “Everyone at Birthdays has worked tirelessly to try and turn the business around. Nevertheless in the current environment the group cannot sustain supporting losses of approximately £7m a year at Birthdays.

“It is my genuine belief that there is a significant element of the Birthdays’ business that will have a profitable and sustainable future.

“It is sad that we have reached this position but this action will be earnings enhancing for Clinton and I have every confidence in the future of our business.”

Clinton also gave a trading update, revealing that like-for-likes across the group remained flat in the 13 week period to May 3, 2009. There was a 0.6 per cent decline at the Clinton stores and a 2.3 per cent increase at Birthdays".

Source: Retail Week

DESIGN IDEAS: Thomas Allen

2009-05-11T14:56:00.002Z

DESIGN IDEAS:

"American photographer Thomas Allen constructs witty and clever dioramas using figures cut from the covers of old pulp paperbacks. Using salacious pulp art drawing’s of the ’40s and ’50s that covered books such as ” I Married a Dead Man” and ” Marihuana Girl’, Allen constructs one set of pictures up close while obscuring another, and in the process creates a different context. Each piece is given a brand new storyline, though never quite strays from their cheeky origins".

Source and more images here
Thomas Allen Homepage

The Postie Bike Challenge

2009-04-27T08:16:00.003Z

From the Outback to the Snow
Brisbane to Melbourne - the long way!
3-12 October 2009

Australian Posties get around on these beautiful little Honda CT110 motorcycles...

How do you fancy a trip of a lifetime and raise funds for charity at the same time..?

"The Challenge
The Postie Bike Challenge is a truly unique experience. It is not a tour or a rally. There is nothing we can say that will ever prepare you for the way you'll feel travelling through the outback, sun in your face, awe-inspiring expansive landscape, having not seen another rider for the past hour, or riding in a pack through pristine world heritage rainforest.

Since 2002 adventurous motorcyclists from all walks of life leave behind their "everyday lives" to take part in the Postie Bike Challenge, to ride 3-4000 kilometres through some of Australia's most spectacular country. Originally started as a one-off event to prove that small motorcycles could travel long distances over both bitumen and dirt roads, the Postie Bike Challenge has gained a life of its own through the enthusiasm of motorcycle riders from all over the world".

The Postie Bike Challenge 2009

Previous Postie Bike Challenges (click links for images):
2002 and 2003 Brisbane to Darwin
2004 and 2005 Brisbane to Adelaide
2006 Brisbane to Alice Springs
2007 & 2008 Brisbane to the Gulf of Carpentaria

500 Days of Summer

2009-04-23T09:01:00.005Z

Greeting card writer, Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) meets the delightful Summer (Zooey Deschanel) in the romantic comedy '500 Days of Summer'.

Review from IMDB:
"What a delightful film. From the opening screen, which offers a very funny disclaimer, it is clear that 500 Days of Summer dares to be different. And as the opening sequence clearly states, it is not a love story. Except that's only a technicality. It really is. Sort of.

Writers Scott Neustadter and Michael Webber, along with director Marc Webber, have put together a charming, fresh and very funny romantic comedy. Summer (Zooey Deschanel) and Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) start an office romance when Summer comes to LA from Michigan for an internship at a greeting card company. Tom writes cards, although he quietly aspires to be an architect. Tom is a romantic idealist who has never found his soul mate. Summer is a disillusioned pragmatist who doesn't believe in love. But Summer immediately takes to Tom, Tom is smitten with Summer and their relationship proceeds as so many do in the movies.

Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt play their roles well, although it occurred to me more than once that they lacked chemistry. But remember, this is not a love story, which is what makes 500 Days of Summer more realistic and poignant than what we have come to expect from the movies. But it is a refreshing and thought-provoking take on what we often describe as being in love—about taking risks, dealing with disappointments, finding yourself and bumping into fate when you least expect it.

The film includes a couple of movie-making devices that some might find distracting. It uses a timeline to tell the story, but jumps forward and back, which still manages to effectively provide a narrative without feeling like a contrivance. In contrast, the film also pays homage to a number of classic movies, including several clips and snippets, which feels out of place and doesn't quite fit.

As currently constructed, 500 Days of Summer will get an R rating. If they can edit it to a PG-13, which would be quite easily done, it could do nicely at the box office.

Notes from Sundance: At opening night at the Eccles Center, Deschanel commented on how attracted she was to the script. Director Marc Webber made the point that he wanted to shoot on location in LA, but show a bit of the city's architectural heritage, which did very subtly separate 500 Days from typical Hollywood-Indie fare".

It's not as easy as it may seem, being a greeting card writer you know...

Royal Mail - History

2009-04-17T21:18:00.005Z

Cool Cards use Royal Mail every day, but we know little about it's history. It's one of those taken-for-granted givens of every day life...

Current UK population: 58,789,194
Royal Mail delivers 84 million items every working day.

The Royal Mail traces its history back to 1516, when Henry VIII established a "Master of the Posts", a post which eventually evolved into the office of the Postmaster General. The Royal Mail service was first made available to the public by Charles I on 31 July, 1635, with postage being paid by the recipient, and the General Post Office (GPO) was officially established by Charles II in 1660.

Between 1719 and 1763, Ralph Allen, Postmaster at Bath, signed a series of contracts with the post office to develop and expand Britain's postal network. He organised mail coaches which were provided by both Wilson & Company of London and Williams & Company of Bath. The early Royal Mail Coaches were similar to ordinary family mail coaches but with Post Office livery.

"The postal delivery service in Britain had existed in the same form for about 150 years - from its introduction in 1635, mounted carriers had ridden between "posts" where the postmaster would remove the letters for the local area before handing the remaining letters and any additions to the next rider. The riders were frequent targets for robbers, and the system was inefficient.

John Palmer, a theatre owner from Bath, believed that the coach service he had previously run for transporting actors and materials between theatres could be utilised for a countrywide mail delivery service, so in 1782, he suggested to the Post Office in London that they take up the idea. He met resistance from officials who believed that the existing system could not be improved, but eventually the Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Pitt, allowed him to carry out an experimental run between Bristol and London. Under the old system the journey had taken up to 38 hours. The coach, funded by Palmer, left Bristol at 4pm on 2 August 1784 and arrived in London just 16 hours later.

Impressed by the trial run, Pitt authorised the creation of new routes. By the end of 1785 there were services from London to Norwich, Liverpool, Leeds, Dover, Portsmouth, Poole, Exeter, Gloucester, Worcester, Holyhead and Carlisle. A service to Edinburgh was added the next year and Palmer was rewarded by being made Surveyor and Comptroller General of the Post Office.

Initially the coach, horses and driver were all supplied by contractors. There was strong competition for the contracts as they provided a fixed regular income on top of which the companies could charge fares for the passengers. By the beginning of the 19th century the Post Office had their own fleet of coaches with black and scarlet livery. The early coaches were poorly built, but in 1787 the Post Office adopted John Besant's improved and patented design, after which Besant, with his partner John Vidler, enjoyed a monopoly on the supply of coaches, and a virtual monopoly on their upkeep and servicing.

The mail coaches continued unchallenged until the 1830s but the development of railways spelt the end for the service. The first rail delivery between Liverpool and Manchester took place on 11 November 1830. By the early 1840s other rail lines had been constructed and many London-based mail coaches were starting to be withdrawn from service; the final service from London (to Norwich) was shut down in 1846. Regional mail coaches continued into the 1850s, but these too were eventually replaced by rail services.

Richard Cobden and John Ramsey McCulloch, both advocates of free trade, attacked the Conservative government's policies of privilege and protection, including the archaic postal system. McCulloch, in 1833, advanced the view that "nothing contributes more to facilitate commerce than the safe, speedy and cheap conveyance of letters.

By the late 1800's, there were between six and twelve mail deliveries per day in London, permitting correspondents to exchange multiple letters within a single day.
The mail underwent substantial reforms in order to combat abuse and corruption when the Uniform Penny Post was introduced on 10 January, 1840 whereby a single rate for delivery (one penny for carriage and delivery between any two places anywhere in the UK) was pre-paid by the sender - the postal service then became a government monopoly. A few months later, in order to certify that postage had been paid on a letter, the sender could affix the first adhesive postage stamp, the Penny Black that was available for use from May 6 of the same year - 1840.

As the first country to issue stamps, British stamps are the only stamps that do not bear the name of the country of issue on them, nor the currency in which they are issued.

Source: Wiki

Get Well Soon Hallmark

2009-04-15T13:40:00.003Z

Hallmark cutting up to 8 percent of US work force:

"Hallmark Cards Inc. on Tuesday said it will cut its U.S. work force by up to 8 percent as the nation's largest greeting card-maker struggles with falling sales.

The Kansas City-based company told employees it will lay off between 550 and 750 of its 9,200 full-time U.S. employees over the next six months.

The cuts don't include Hallmark's overseas operations or its U.S. subsidiaries DaySpring, Sunrise Greetings, Crayola, William Arthur or Crown Center, a shopping center and hotel complex in Kansas City. Some of those companies already have trimmed their ranks, said Hallmark spokeswoman Julie O'Dell.

"Reducing our work force by this many jobs is something we wish we did not have to do," said Chief Executive Officer Donald Hall Jr. "Despite all the steps we have taken to date to avoid eliminating additional jobs, the state of the economy and its impact on our business require us to take further action."

The company plans to cut between 350 and 450 jobs from its manufacturing and distribution operations in Liberty, Mo.; Enfield, Conn.; Center, Texas; Metamora, Ill.; and the Kansas towns of Lawrence, Leavenworth and Topeka. Hallmark is offering a voluntary severance program for eligible workers in those locations, which could push the number of eliminated positions higher.

An additional 200 to 250 positions will be cut from the company's Kansas City headquarters, which currently employs 4,000 people. Those workers will also receive severance packages, the company said.

Hallmark, which is privately held, reported last month that 2008 revenues fell 2 percent to $4.3 billion as the recession has cut into consumer spending.

"We did have excess capacity and it's from the economy," O'Dell said. "We do expect continued pressure on revenue and earnings and we have to adjust our cost structure for the long term."

Source: Google AP

The Simpsons Postage Stamps

2009-04-11T08:15:00.003Z

‘CHECK IT OUT, MAN’

Sadly, only available in the USA from the 7th May 2009...

The Simpsons, currently in its 20th year as a regularly scheduled half-hour series, is the longest-running comedy in television history. The show is a cultural phenomenon, recognizable throughout the world.

“This is the biggest and most adhesive honor The Simpsons has ever received,” said Matt Groening, creator and executive producer of The Simpsons.

“We are emotionally moved by the Postal Service selecting us rather than making the lazy choice of someone who has benefited society,” said James L. Brooks, executive producer of The Simpsons.

Simpsons Beat the Odds: The U.S. Postal Service receives approximately 50,000 suggestions for stamp subjects each year, yet only about 20 topics are selected for postage. The Simpsons is the only television show to be featured as the sole subject of a stamp set while still in primetime production.

Source: U.S. Postal Service

Ethnic and Multi-cultural greeting cards

2009-04-04T18:19:00.003Z

‘The only thing that should be separated by colour is laundry’

Cool Cards are delighted to add a beautiful range of ethnic and multicultural greeting cards and birthday cards to our extensive range...

"It’s been a long time coming but Colorblind Cards present their beautiful range of greeting cards for the whole family. If you’ve ever searched for a personal card for someone you love and left frustrated at the lack of choice stocked by mainstream retailers, you’ll be pleased to hear that Colorblind are changing things. It’s time to add the afro to the range and bring multicultural cards to the high-street!"

"Jessica Huie was recently honoured with an invitation to make a personal appearance on the forth season of BBC Two’s The Apprentice: You’re fired. Jessica appeared as an expert panellist in the show Jessica because of her hugely successful greeting card company Colorblind Cards. Jessica used her own experiences to convey her views and opinions about the apprentice participants and their completion of the task that week, which was to design a collection of greeting Cards."

"The Colorblind founder appeared on the show along with broadcaster Lorraine Kelly, Sir Alan's aide Nick Hewer to discover just ‘What went wrong’ and to shed some light over which of the contestant would go the distance or who would get left trailing behind!"

"Colorblind MD Jessica Huie was honoured with a personal invitation to No. 10 Dowing Street recently, for a round-table seminar to discuss creating and building an enterprising culture in Britain. Seated opposite the Prime Minister, Jessica used her Entrepreneurial experience to express her ideas for increasing the number of business start-ups in Britain.

“ I was delighted to receive an invitation to No.10, and sit amongst some of the country’s most successful business people. I am passionate about inspiring school aged children to think of going into business as a career option, and was keen to share my ideas on how to incorporate this into the curriculum, with the Prime Minister.”

Prime Minister Gordon Brown first met Jessica in November at the Daily Mail‘s ‘Enterprising Young Brits Awards’ where he presented her with the ‘Creative Award.’"

View: Multi-cultural and Ethnic greeting cards at Cool Cards

Clinton Cards sees profits halved

2009-04-01T08:50:00.001Z

"Clinton Cards has extended its banking facilities after reporting a big drop in half-year profits.

Clinton reported a pre-tax profit of £12.6m for the 26 weeks to 1 February, down 46% from the £23.3m it made for the same period a year earlier.

A £12m loan which had been due to be repaid in November will now be repaid over an extended period up until January 2012.

The firm has been hit by the consumer downturn and store closures.

Clinton said it was trading from 70 fewer stores, compared with a year ago.

The group currently trades from 1,030 stores, comprising 695 Clinton stores and 335 Birthdays shops".

Source: BBC News

Royal Mail - British Design Classics Stamps

2009-01-17T11:45:00.006Z

Cool Britannia (as was)

Royal Mail Stamps: British Design Classics of the 20th century.
Available from 13th January 2009, Royal Mail release 10 stamps featuring classic British designs.
While stocks last, all our personalised greeting cards will carry any one of these gloriously nostalgic designs:

"The first-class stamps include 10 different images by 20th Century designers.

Also among them is Mary Quant's daring mini-skirt, the London Underground map by Harry Beck and Sir Archibald Russell's Concorde.

Penguin's instantly recognisable book jacket designed by Edward Young and the Supermarine Spitfire of RJ Mitchell also feature in the set of stamps.

The Design Classics series will be on sale for a year.

Speaking at the launch of the stamps in Carnaby Street, London, mini-skirt designer Mary Quant said: "I am hugely flattered and simply bowled over with delight.

"I think the mini-skirt is something that makes one feel happy and enjoy life.

"I love all the other symbols but I particularly also like the other designers being celebrated today at the same time."

Julietta Edgar, head of special stamps at Royal Mail, said: "The starting point for us was the 50th anniversary of the Mini, and we decided to broaden it beyond the Mini to other design classics.

"We got a number of experts in the field to identify the design classics that we settled on.

"We also looked at the BBC culture programme on design classics to see what was making their top 10 and top 20.

"It was an interesting debate. We wanted to make sure that we got a mixture of different types of design so that we had different representations of where the British had made an impact.

"My favourite is the Mini car. It's such a beautiful design and it's one of those cars I aspire to owning one day."

Sky News: Royal Mail Honours British Design
Guardian: Designs that take some licking
Royal Mail: British Design Classics

Oldest Mass-Produced Christmas Card

2008-12-16T16:40:00.003Z

Oldest Mass-Produced Christmas Card
Part of Bridwell Library Collection

John Calcott Horsley. [Christmas Card]. "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You." 82 x 130 mm. [London: J. C. Horsley. 1843]

"What is believed to be one of the first mass-produced Christmas cards -- dating back more than 160 years -- can be found among the extensive special collections of Bridwell Library at Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology.

The lithographed card caused a controversy in some quarters of Victorian English society when it was published in 1843 because it prominently features a child taking a sip from a glass of wine.

Approximately 1,000 copies of the card were printed but only 10 have survived to modern times. Bridwell Library acquired its copy in 1982. The card was designed for Henry Cole by his friend, the English painter John Calcott Horsley (1808-1882). Cole wanted a ready-to-mail greeting card because he was too busy to engage in the traditional English custom of writing notes with Christmas and New Year's greetings to friends and family.

The card pre-dated color printing so it was hand-colored. The card is divided into three panels with the center panel depicting a family drinking wine at a celebration and the flanking panels illustrating charitable acts of feeding and clothing the poor. The greeting reads: "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You."

Cole, who also wrote and published Christmas books, printed more cards than he needed so he sold the extra cards for one shilling each. Bridwell Library's card was signed by Cole and addressed to the engraver of the card, John Thompson (1785-1866).

Widespread commercial printing of Christmas cards began in the 1860s, when a new process of color printing lowered the manufacturing cost and the price. Consequently, the custom of sending printed Christmas greetings spread throughout England. The first American Christmas card dates from about 1850 and resembles Horsley's design".

Source: Southern Methodist University

Christmas Card Recycling Scheme

2008-12-15T09:17:00.003Z

Building on the success of recycling 73.6 million cards in 2008, the Woodland Trust are once again running their Christmas Card recycling scheme.

The British public’s efforts last year helped collect 73.6 million cards, bringing the Christmas Card Recycling Scheme’s 12 year total to 600 million cards recycled. This has enabled the Woodland Trust to plant 141,000 trees, save 12,000 tonnes of paper from going to landfill, and stop 16,000 tonnes of CO2 from going into the atmosphere – the equivalent of taking more than 5,0002, cars off the road for a year.

The Woodland Trust was established in 1972 and now owns more than 1,000 woods throughout the UK, which are open free for all to enjoy.

What is the aim of the scheme?
To raise money for the Trust to plant trees throughout the UK. If everyone recycles just one Christmas card at WHSmith, Tesco, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer stores throughout January, the Woodland Trust will be able to plant 15,000 trees to create UK woodland. Planting 15,000 trees would be enough to create a wood the size of 30 football pitches.
To raise the profile of, and highlight the environmental benefits of, recycling. Recycling helps to tackle climate change. Waste sent to landfill can create methane – a powerful greenhouse gas. If we all recycle just one card this Christmas this would save 1,570 tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gases – the same as taking 500 cars off the road for a year.
To raise the profile of the Woodland Trust and the UK’s need for more trees. The UK needs many more trees. Trees are the lungs of the planet by turning CO2 into oxygen, yet the UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe with just 12% woodland cover compared to the European average of 44%. Just 4% of this is wildlife rich broadleaf woodland which the Woodland Trust aims to double.

Where?
WHSmith, Tesco, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer stores throughout January.

The Woodland Trust - is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters.
The Trust has four key aims:
i) No further loss of ancient woodland
ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods
iii) Increasing new native woodland
iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.

Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free.

Christmas is the pathway to hell cards - Availability: Nil

2008-12-11T16:35:00.011Z

Anjem Choudary, muslim lawyer, shares humanist christmas thoughts, cheerily extends goodwill to all mankind, gently reminds of Hellfire

'In the world today many Muslims, especially those residing in Western countries, are exposed to the evil celebration Christmas,'

'Many take part in the festival celebrations by having Christmas turkey dinners.

'Decorating the house, purchasing Christmas trees or having Christmas turkey meals are completely prohibited by Allah

'How can a Muslim possibly approve or participate in such a practice that bases itself on the notion Allah has an offspring?

'The very concept of Christmas contradicts and conflicts with the foundation of Islam.

'Every Muslim has a responsibility to protect his family from the misguidance of Christmas, because its observance will lead to hellfire.

'Protect your Paradise from being taken away - protect yourself and your family from Christmas.

Source: Mail Online

Cool Cards comment:
Jesus H. Christ, these zany statements have done nothing to help the greeting card industry at all. There's not one snappy one-liner in there that we could make use of in our forthcoming "happy non-muslim christmas" card range. We feel he's let us down on this occasion.

From our publishers:
L.J.K. Setright Productions:
No way!

Arthouse blooms:
We're sad end.

Happy as Larry Cliffhangers:
Whatever floats/sinks your boat...

R.D. Evolutions:
Lunatic.

P.C. Publications (New York):
Get the fuck outa here.

D.S. Design (Nashville):
He's got a chocolate santa up his arse hasn't he?

Evil Mad Scientist Christmas Cards

2008-12-11T15:18:00.003Z

Homemade Christmas cards: The evil mad scientist laboratory way...

"Make your own edge-lit holiday cards using LEDs, plastic, paper, electrical tape, batteries, a pen, scissors, and a hobby knife.

For our LED setup, we're using a classic "LED Throwie" arrangement-- an ultrabright LED is attached directly to the leads of a CR2032 lithium coin cell. When the bright LED is pointed at the edge of the plastic, it travels through cleanly but lights up the areas that we've scratched.

So we have the light going into the edge of the plastic. Next we need to (1) hold the LED there and (2) restrict light from going in directions that we don't want. We can accomplish both of these goals by using black electrical tape to hold the LED in place. We start by putting down a piece of tape, sticky side up, and sticking the plastic plate and the LED to it. Next we add a matching piece of tape on top, forming a tight seal around the LED but keeping it pointing into the plastic.

If you insert a piece of black paper behind the clear plastic, you might find that it improves the contrast".

Source: Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories

Fair Trade Charity Christmas Cards

2008-12-05T15:06:00.008Z

Sreepur Village Fair Trade Handmade Charity Christmas Cards

If you pride yourself on buying Christmas cards that donate the greatest possible sums to charity, here's your chance to go one step further. The organisers of a group that helps orphans and destitute woman in Bangladesh are now selling a range of Christmas cards in which the maximum possible amount goes to the charity concerned - because the recipients themselves make the cards.

Critics have long been concerned about charity cards from which only a few pennies reach the charity. The Charities Advisory Trust said last week more than 80% of charity cards sold on the high street give less than a tenth of the price to charity. Almost half of all cards sold donate less than 5%. Some charity cards now selling in Harrods give just 3.9% of the sticker price.

The trust advises consumers to seek out charities' own cards, which donate at least 40% of the sale price, but now you can go as close to the full 100% as possible.

The Sreepur Village outreach project is offering handmade cards produced in and around their village, 40km north of Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka. The women make the cards at home using paper made from locally grown jute. They are paid a fair wage, and it allows them to earn an income without having to leave their young children.

The paper is very high quality and the cards are decorated with wheat straw. Last year the project was awarded fair-trade status. Once made, the cards are shipped to the UK free of charge by British Airways, whose staff have supported the charity since it was set up 20 years ago by Pat Kerr, one of its flight attendants.

At £13.50 for 16 cards delivered to a UK address, they are not the cheapest on the market, but how many other cards are handmade by the people they aim to help?

To buy them you have to use the charity's website, sreepurcards.org. Payments are simple and quick via PayPal - yes we've tried it - and no account is required. The charity promises the cards will be sent on the same day the order is placed.

Former BA pilot and the man who sends out the cards, Rob Jenkinson says the project changes lives. "There are 500 abandoned children and 100 destitute women supported by the project. The women of this community have tough lives, bringing up families on less than £5 per week. Job opportunities are few, so the income they generate by making the cards saves lives. If they want to work in the garment factories they face a walk of several miles and an eight-hour shift, six days a week - all for about £15 a month."

If you want to support a different charity, the Charities Advisory Trust suggests you avoid most of the cards in big high street stores.

Last week it gave its annual Scrooge of the Year award to Harrods, and its Georgy Porgy award for greed went to Cards Galore. Of its range of 171 charity cards, 147 gave less than 10% to charity.

The trust says all cards are required to say on the back what proportion of the card's price goes to charity. Within the same store, the amounts can vary from card to card. It found that in John Lewis, most of its charity cards give a creditable 25%, but for others on the same shelf it was closer to 10%. At House of Fraser the cards donate between 7% and 10%.

Source: Guardian