Having spent most of the weekend on designing my website, I have come to the conclusion that there must be a website provider out there that is a mix of the 2 that I use. 

I don't know about other people, but I find the templates that are on offer (and I know there are  hundreds) quite restricting - I find one that I like and then find you can't change the background colour or the size of each column. I then find another one that I think "hurray" but then find the colours aren't right - hmmmm.

So, I am now using one that allows me to design the template I like, but because it is based in the US, doesn't offer the proper shopping cart facility I want. I am therefore having to create each Paypal button individually which is SOOOO time consuming. I want to be able to amend the HTML which I think I can do if it is non-encrypted but if it is (which is recommended) I can't just copy and paste the original code and amend it to the next product. If there is any techie type of person who might read this and could help me with this predicament then I would be so grateful.

I have tried to use one UK based provider for some time now but the limitations of size of image etc means that I am forever trying to add images to it - so I have given up on it - but the shopping cart is what I want. 

Confused? Me - well perhaps I am but I am going to persevere with the original one until that magical day when there is a perfect provider out there!

Snowman Christmas Card - Season's Greetings - personalisation possible £2.25 inc p&p

Welcome to the 1st proper blog from me as Handmade Cards Shop

As promised (well to myself anyway) - this will be a regular blog to link in with the launch of this new website. Wondering what to say in this first one, I thought maybe it would be good to tell you a bit about myself and why this is so exciting!

So here goes....
Though this is a new website, I have had many years of experience in Marketing and selling - from my time working for the UK Labour Party first in their Bookshop and then in their Marketing department to selling lots of stuff on Ebay and other smaller websites and now work for a well known charity in their Marketing department dealing with things that I have to more or less fallen into without really thinking. Anyway...

I have always enjoyed making things - I remember making paper clothes for paper dolls when young and then making items for my Dolls House - and I still have that (along with a collection of Sylvanian Family dolls but that is another story totally!)... Anyway, back to the plot - recently I have rediscovered my love of making and designing things - from abstract designs (heaven knows what goes inside my head) to images for cards etc - so I thought (and hoped) that other people might like them too.. I think because there is little creativity in my job I am trying to get some back into what I do outside!

My daughter despite being away from home, is my best critic and exponent of my cards at the moment - she has got her friends involved too so that has prompted me to find an easy way of selling them - so hence Handmade Cards Shop! I also love all the craft items that you can use and am planning to sell them through my Crafty Gift Shopping website and show off (not literally) my designs through Fizzy Designs website - heavens so much to do!

Noel Christmas Card £2.25 inc p&p

Right - that is enough for now - will be back soon!