Handmade versus shop bought?

Handmade versus shop bought?

I have been trying to think what the USP of my new venture is over the past few weeks as I have been gradually designing my website ( www.handmadecardsshop.com ). 

Why and what makes my cards different to others people can find in all the usual shops?

As you can see from the gift tag above, I have designed it to be given to someone whose name begins with L, she also loves red and white spots and voila! She also liked making craft items and her nickname was given so I designed the following to make the envelope a bit more exciting and personal!

Oh I know you can visit those big card companies and get things personalised but can you get all the added on bits and pieces too? Like this personalised card  I made and gave to my daughter and her boyfriend as their birthdays are close (and they had a visiting cat that they'd nicknamed Fatty.....

The cards and gifts might be a bit more expensive to buy but I think if you put in all the time spent thinking of the best way to show how much the person cares and how much longer it does take to make them I think it is a no-brainer (as the saying goes).

So, if you are thinking of your Christmas card list now (and the last posting date for Christmas to some parts of the world is only a couple of weeks away - why not think about sending a personalised, handmade card like this one? You can buy this here 

This can be personalised with either a photo or a name!

Right, better get back to work - more anon!

Third blog - now this is definitely some form of record!

Since the last one, I have been really busy with the design of my website - I have to get used to accepting that it is ok and not be constantly trying to make it just right - that can be done at a later date....

I have spent the last week both working at my daytime job (though I did have a day off to see my daughter (and then the next day off to recover from the pub lunch.....need I say more?...)

As several people have commented, I do need to widen the number of products that we have to offer and am now looking at what sort of items might complement our range? At the moment I am concentrating on Christmas gifts etc but it is probably a bit too late to get anything for this year, so am now wondering about Valentine's Day gifts, Mother's Day and so on.

One of the Companies I use for some of the designs, has a brilliant range of images of old fashioned recipes and I am planning (or would like to) to offer a card, recipe book and the actual recipe made up as a gift - I don't do cooking as I haven't got the relevant equipment but would love to hear from either an individual or company who might like to do this for me? I think these would make brilliant gifts for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter especially - so if you know of anyone who might want to do this - please let me know! I can be contacted here

Anyway, back to the website......