Gypsy Chic magazine

Issue 12 - 2017

the magazine dedicated to greeting card publishing and entrepreneurship

INSIDE!!! Interviews with Carol Mangiagalli, Emma Allsup of Emma

Jayne Designs, Ann of Oi Doris and Jo Scott of Scott & Robson

BOOK NOOK

CARD PUBLISHER

WILL TRAVEL

WHAT IS YOUR

MANTRA?

HAPPY VALENTINE´S

DAY!

GREETING CARD UNIVERSE

TrendWatch

DON´T FORGET!

MOTHER´S DAY

26TH MARCH

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CONTENTS 3

4

6

7

8

11

12

15

16

17

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

INTERVIEW WITH... CAROL MANGIAGALLI

PAPER PLATE ART

BRANDED T-SHIRTS DIY STYLE / COME FOLLOW ME!

INTERVIEW WITH... EMMA ALLSUP

CARD PUBLISHER WILL TRAVEL

INTERVIEW WITH... OI DORIS

CARD INCOME STREAMS

WHAT IS YOUR MANTRA?

BOOK NOOK

INTERVIEW WITH... JO SCOTT

SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGN APPS

MOTHER´S DAY

TREND WATCH

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P.12

P.18

P.8

P.11

P.23

from the EditorLETTER

H appy February Folks.

What a busy few months we’ve had! We’ve waved goodbye to Christmas, New Year, and January trade fairs, (not

to mention our annual tax returns) as well as ushering in the Year of the Rooster on 28th January. I’m guessing you have every reason to cluck about your hard work, endless juggling of priorities, and the pressures of

preparing for shows. Celebrate those orders – crack open the prosecco!

How are the New Year’s resolutions going? Sticking to them like a boss?

I’ve managed to get through one day so far without any chocolate – a first for me! Oh…and only two weeks to St Valentine’s Day.

Since I’ve chosen to press the pause button on tradefair participation until I’m back in Blighty, I’m able to visit them leisurely without the stress of producing new designs, and everything else that goes with getting things ready for these major forays into pop-up land. I’m sure you are all frantically packing and dispatching orders as we speak.

Showcase Ireland held at the RDS in Dublin (22 to 25 Jan) was a homely, informative experience which I’d recommend you visit at least once. I only had one day to zoom around the halls of the RDS, chat to new and established card publishers, and attend the lecture series before catching a train back across the border. I managed to listen to lots of great talks

from buyers, MD’s and other experts on the importance of staying relevant in retail, how to unlease the power of email marketing, and the theatre that is retail. I was even driven back to the station in the courtesy car by the same driver as last time which was a bit of a giggle.

And now to talk about Issue 12 of Gypsy Chic. I hope you enjoy reading the 4 interviews I’ve lined up for you: Typewriter artist Ann of Oi Doris, surface pattern designer Emma Allsup of Emma Jayne Designs, Naïve artist Carol Mangiagalli and prize winning artist Jo Scott of Scott and Robson. There is no end to these talented artists’ creativity. Thanks to all my contributors past and present. You all encourage, and act as role models for other card publishers, helping to create a sense of community in this creative industry by featuring here. You help make this ezine thought provoking and newsworthy. Happy Reading!

Lorrainewww.lorrainestylianou.com

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Interview with .....

Carol Mangiagalli

1. THANKS FOR AGREEING TO FEATURE IN GYPSY CHIC. YOU ARE A PROLIFIC ARTIST IN A VARIETY OF MEDIUMS INCLUDING PAINT, PAPIER MACHE, TEXTILES. MUCH OF YOUR WORK HAS A BIOGRAPHICAL THEME, AND DEEPLY ROOTED IN YOUR HOME OF SOUTH AFRICA. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A FULL TIME ARTIST, AND CAN YOU LIVE OFF YOUR WORK?lll Yes I consider myself a full time artist. I have been able to live off my work for the last 26 years. Having annual exhibitions, in Cape Town and taking on commissions, these are in the form of paintings of houses or farms.

2. WHEN DID YOU REALISE THAT ART IS SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO PURSUE FOR A LIVING?lll When I left art school in my early twenties, I hoped to find work in the art field, I started off as a textile designer. Although for many years I was not able

to find work in art, I continued with art in my home.

3. YOU ARE ALSO AN INTREPID TRAVELLER, FLYING TO EUROPE, AND OTHER PLACES FOR CREATIVE HOLIDAYS. HOW DO YOU ORGANISE AN ART TRIP, AND CAN YOU RECOMMEND ONE COUNTRY OVER AND ABOVE ANOTHER FOR GENTEEL PAINTING HOLIDAYS?lll The travelling came very late in my life, I have not been able to organise art tours, but have travelled to Paris, Prague, and Barcelona. Paris was with a small group of art lovers, we visited the art museums. I was able to visit Prague a few times. I went to visit family and enjoy the architecture, and came away from there, with many ideas and inspiration for paintings. In 2014 and 2015 I was invited to exhibit at an annual naïve art exhibition in Barcelona. I can recommend all these cities for inspiring an artist.

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4. WE ARE BOTH NAÏVE PAINTERS – BUT YOU ARE SO MUCH MORE DISCIPLINED THAN I AM. WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON AND HOW DO YOU PROMOTE YOUR WORK?lll Currently I have been working on some paintings for an exhibition, taking part in Cape Town at the end of October. The work portrays our indigenous flora here in the Cape. For 25 years a good friend, who has a gallery in Cape Town, has promoted my work.

5. ARE YOU REPRESENTED BY ANY GALLERY OWNER? HOW DO YOU OR THE GALLERY PRICE YOUR WORK?lll At the moment I have 2 galleries in Cape Town that represent my

work. Work is priced with the help of the galleries.

6. I LOVE YOUR KNITTED CATS AND STITCHED BOOKS – THEY ARE QUIRKY AND FUN. WHAT PROJECTS HAVE YOU PLANNED FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS –TELL US ABOUT ANY BOOK IDEAS, OR TOURS THAT MAY INCLUDE?lll I have been enjoying the sewing, and paper mache projects this year. I am looking into an exhibition with other artists with these small projects in mind, which could take place in Cape Town next year.

CAROL MANGIAGALLIW: www.carolman.comE: carol@carolman.comF: www.facebook.com/carol.mangiagalli?fref=ts

J ust before Christmas Eve, I purchased a pack of paper plates. I must have thought I was going to be entertaining so much

I would run out of ordinary plates and have to resort to using paper ones.

But seeing how nice they would be for sketching, I soon used up the entire pack doodling designs. I’ve used mainly Sharpie pens, along with V5 Hi Techpoint pens, and cheaper fine liners. I’ve now amassed quite a collection of illustrations

featuring wildlife, domestic animals, and birds.You can follow my Instagram stream to see my

latest designs, but they are a quick way of doing a daily doodle, that can easily be vectorised and turned into art on real plates. Using mock up sites like Redbubble, and Society 6, I can see how my art looks like on dinner ware, pin badges, and compact mirrors.

Why not try some yourself – if you don’t have too much on your plate!

PAPER PLATEArt

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l Strike a pose at your trade stand in 2017 with a coordinated logo for the cheap as

chips price of £1 – courtesy of Pound World.

All you will need are the T-shirts you plan to print on, and your logo prepared on your computer. Then with this inexpensive transfer paper placed in the print tray the correct way up, you are ready to go. Heat an iron – place the printed transfer paper in your preferred position on the T-shirt, and press. After ironing, leave the T-shirt for 30 minutes before wearing it.

Each pack contains two transfer sheets – enough to do many medium sized transfers.

Branded T-Shirts DIY style

COME follow me!If you don’t already follow me, please feel free to add me to your Instagram followers:@lorrainestylianouhttps://www.instagram.com/lorrainestylianou/?hl=enI promise to follow back.But besides following each other on Instagram here are my top Instagram picks for 2017:1. @Papercravehttps://www.instagram.com/papercrave/?hl=enWebsite: http://papercrave.com/2. @beautifulpaperhttps://www.instagram.com/beautifulpaper/?hl=enWebsite: www.ohsobeautifulpaper.com

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Interview with .....

Emma Allsup of Emma Jayne Designs

1. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY SO FAR AS AN ARTIST AND DESIGNER?lll After graduating from university, I was lucky to land my first design job in a design studio, based in Manchester. Here, I created bedding designs for Dorma France & UK, Morgan, Coca Cola, John Lewis, Laura Ashley and NEXT.

I’ve also freelanced, creating patterns for apparel, stationery and 3D products, which were sold internationally. As well as designing, I taught a variety of art specialisms and maths at a college. However, whilst teaching, I realised that it wasn’t for me and really missed the passion I felt when designing. So I decided to get back into the industry, starting with graphic design, then progressing onto my first love, surface pattern.

I’m currently a surface pattern designer, covering maternity leave for a giftwrap company based in Chester. I also have a shop on Etsy and on Society 6.

2. YOUR DESIGNS ARE LIGHT, WHIMSICAL AND FEMININE. YOU SELL ORIGINAL ART, POSTCARDS, COLOURING BOOKS AND NOTEBOOKS. WHAT IS YOUR BEST SELLING PRODUCT AND WHICH PLATFORM WORKS BEST FOR YOU IN TERMS OF ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS TO YOUR WORK?lll My best selling products are my tote-bags and purses on Society 6. A good thing about Society 6 is that you can apply your designs onto lots of different products and they then print these with no added cost to the designers. I’d love to print my artwork onto bags, tee-shirts and gift-wrap, which I may do one day, and sell these in my Esty shop.

I tend to advertise my

designs on different social media platforms and have noticed that I gain the most interest through Instagram.

3. IF YOU ARE COMMISSIONED TO DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATE SOMETHING DESCRIBE YOUR PROCESS, AND SOURCE OF INSPIRATION?lll When I get a design brief, I like to write down ideas that come to mind, then do a mind map. I then select words that I get most excited about and begin drawing these. Often, I add a few more drawings as I gather further ideas.

Next, I concentrate on a design layout and begin on a final design. More often than not, I may create additional final designs and then choose the one which is the best fit for the brief.

I get most of my inspiration from Pinterest, art magazines (Uppercase and Flow) and from Google.

4. HOW HAS BUSINESS DEVELOPED FOR YOU OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS

AND WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST LEARNING CURVE IN TERMS OF RUNNING A

FREELANCE BUSINESS?lll Because I’ve recently been working in a design studio, business has been slow. I suspended my Etsy F

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shop in May 2016 and decided to reopen it a few days ago. I have also added a few more prints. I would say that to gain more sales, you need to advertise. I do this through my social networks. The biggest learning curve is to make sure that you create what people want, to ensure you keep up with current and upcoming trends, and to market your business. Besides producing your goods, you also need to let people see what you do. There are a lot of beautiful products out there, and that means competition!

5. HOW DID PARTICIPATING IN LILLA ROGERS’ GLOBAL CHALLENGE HELP YOU AS A DESIGNER?lll I’ve loved Lilla Roger’s courses. So far, I’ve taken part in one of the MATS classes, as well as Bootcamp. There’s a great supporting community and Lilla gives you insights into the marketplace, which is really useful as a designer.

When doing the GTS 2016 competition, I really pushed myself as a designer, from researching the brief through developing my ideas, to final presentation. Also, I made sure that my final design was eye-catching and to a high standard. I didn’t get selected to be in the final 50, but I did get an ‘honourable mention’. Out of 1000 entrants, only 30 achieved this! Winning

would have been fantastic, but this was the next best thing.

6. WHAT BIG DREAMS DO YOU HAVE FOR EMMA JAYNE DESIGNS AND WHO WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH?lll I would love to either work in a design studio, creating patterns and illustrations for stationery or gift-wrap, or to freelance for an agency. Depending on what happens between now and spring 2017, I’m contemplating exhibiting at a surface pattern trade show; either at Surtex or Blue Print. I’m at the stage where I’m finding out which show would be best suited for me to attend. Also, I’d like to have more products in my Etsy shop for example, gift-wrap and bags.

I follow lots of different designers on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram. This is a hard one because I’d like to collaborate with quite a few, so I’ve managed to chose a couple - Sarah Walsh and Aitch, but my list is not limited to just two.

EMMA JAYNEEtsy www.etsy.com/uk/shop/emmajayneonetsy?ref=hdr_shop_menuBlog http://emmajayne-designs.co.uk/category/about-me/Portfolio/website http://portfolio.emmajayne-designs.co.uk/Facebook www.facebook.com/emmajaynedesigns/?fref=tsInstagram www.instagram.com/emmajayne_designs/

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l Every self-respecting card publisher has to book a trip once in a while to check out the competition at Trade shows, or in store. (Well that’s what I tell my husband as I leave him to do the school run for a few days!) Even on a tight budget it’s possible to have an overnight stay in a hotel – to unwind, and plan your day, if you book it early enough and get a good rate.

In January I made it to Dublin, and in February the flight is booked for Liverpool. I’ve still to work out what was going on in both cities as every reasonably priced Airbnb room was fully booked. Reluctantly I typed in Budget Hotels in my browser and was pleasantly surprised by the offering on Booking.com. I’ll be sampling the delights of the Tune Hotel in Liverpool for the first time which looks interesting for £38 less than a Travelodge equivalent. The site provided me with a discount link to share with my friends.

Why not grab yourself a £15 discount (refunded to your card when you stay) by using this link:https://www.booking.com/s/c3ba0dfd

Card publisher will travel

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Ann of Oi Doris

Interview with .....

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1. DO YOU SKETCH OUT YOUR DESIGNS BEFORE YOU START TYPING OR ARE THEY ALL DONE FREEHAND?lll I can’t draw for toffee!!! I have to sketch from a photo. One of the things I am passionate about is promoting that art is about mark making. It doesn’t matter how you make your mark….just enjoy it.

2. YOU COMPLETED A FINE ART DEGREE. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT LIFE AT ART COLLEGE, AND SHARE SOME OF YOUR NON- TYPED IMAGES JUST SO WE CAN SEE YOUR PAINTING STYLE. IN WHICH GALLERIES HAVE YOU EXHIBITED?lll I haven’t actually got a degree. I did a Btec in Art & Design at Gloscat College in Gloucester and then went on to do a HND in 3d Spatial Design. I was about 34 at the time! I did actually apply for a fine art degree at the University of Gloucestershire, but never got accepted (probably because I couldn’t draw!!). I realised I actually liked art in my thirty’s. I had been an art Technician, and was in my element. Why had I never done art at school... oh! Yes I remember, I was told I couldn’t draw!!!

A move down to Gloucestershire, gave me the chance to go back to college and study art. I enrolled on a BTEC course and I loved it.

Have I told you I couldn’t draw... so I found myself finding ways to make a mark without actually drawing. I fell in love with mixed media. I also enjoy screen printing and photography.

I realised that I could create a lovely piece of work, by using collage and stitch. My final project was a screen printed image, worked back into with stitch. The life of a tulip from bud to petals falling.

When we came back up North, I got another job as an Art Technician. The students I worked with, were the ones who were not quite achieving the “c” grade. I introduced all the techniques that I had come across over the past 3 years, and once they realised there was hardly any drawing involved with their art, they really focused and produced some stunning work. They all achieved a c or above by the way!!! Art is not just about drawing!!

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3. WHERE ARE YOUR CARDS CURRENTLY STOCKED AND WHO DO YOU THINK IS YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER?lll My cards are stocked in small local independent shops, and art Galleries, mainly in the North West, although I have a couple of stockist now in London, Essex and Warwick. I do think I am suited to the contemporary customer.

4. HOW HAS BUSINESS DEVELOPED SINCE YOUR TRADEFAIR – WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST HURDLES GETTING YOUR DESIGNS OUT THERE?lll My business continues to develop daily. It is a slow process. My biggest hurdle is getting over to people how I have actually produced the images. They look like a pen drawing from a distance, but once they are aware of how they are done they are amazed and I get a big “WOW” Some feed back I got was to make it more obvious. However, much as I value feedback, positive or negative, I do feel that I have to stay true to how I want my work to be. I actually like that it looks like a pen drawing, I think it is a big compliment.

5. WHAT PRODUCT LINES WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR TYPEWRITER ART ON, AND HAVE YOU MANUFACTURED ANY THINK IN ADDITION TO CARDS?lll I would like to see my designs on pottery. I have actually just bought a potters wheel. Whether I produce them myself remains to be seen... Cushions work well with my designs too. My main source of income is commissions and prints. The commissions have really taken off because they can be personalised with names and dates and little hidden greetings. My plan for 2017 is to produce personalised wedding stationary, with typed images of the wedding venue or even the Bride & Groom.

6. WHAT IS YOUR BEST SELLING DESIGN?lll My Best selling design is actually my Mum and Dad. I caught a magical moment when I was walking behind them. I made them into an anniversary card. Also, I have just done some dog and cat cards, which are really taking off. Diva is very popular.

7. WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OI DORIS IN 4 YEARS TIME?lll 4 years is a long time away and I do like to live for the moment. You never know what is around the corner. For now, I am enjoying what I do, and if there was ever a time when I stopped enjoying it, that is when I would stop too. My Husband would love to see oi Doris with her feet up and retired in 4 years time but maybe I’m not quite ready for that. At the moment, I am quite happy to continue building oi Doris up with independent shops and Galleries and maybe some more exhibitions.

OI DORISWeb: www.oidoris.co.ukEmail: oidoristypewriterart@gmail.com Instagram: @oi_dorisTel: 07918 180413

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I f you are not too concerned about watering down your brand, and just want a foot in the “Get Cash Now” door of the Greeting card world there are many sites

online that will pay you a fee for your designs. I’ve mentioned a few of them in earlier editions but for Issue 12 I will introduce:

GREETING CARD UNIVERSEhttp://www.greetingcarduniverse.com/community/art_welcome.asp

On the Artist’s sign up page of the website, you are invited to register – a 3 step process – and begin loading up your designs. There is also a Youtube video to explain the process.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMu3RvJoi7Y

Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation by email welcoming you to the site. All submissions are reviewed (which can take up to 4 weeks) so the process is not instantaneous but the opportunity is open to all. The interesting

thing about this website is that it will tell you which type of card they are interested in getting more designs of – giving you an opportunity to design something to suit their demand and ultimately, expand your own product offering.

You will be able to create your online storefront, and to sell cards one at a time, reaching potentially millions of buyers through the websites automatic reminder service. You will receive reports that allow you to review your account activity.

Once registered you will receive a zip file of photoshop templates to ensure you are submitting your designs in the correct format before upload.

There is also a useful forum to post comments and suggestions, a GCU blog, as well as information on how to set up your online storefront, with checklist.

Please let me know how you get on if you take the plunge! Email: lorraine@lorraine.stylianou.com

CARD INCOME STREAMS

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A “Mantra” (/ˈmæntrə, ˈmɑːn-, ˈmʌn-/ (Sanskrit: मतर);) is a sacred utterance,

a numinous sound, a syllable, word or

phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit believed

by practitioners to have psychological and spiritual

powers. A mantra may or may not have syntactic

structure or literal meaning. (Wikipedia)

Most world leading business have a mantra that

people remember. It is a simple two or three

word catch phrase that sums up their business.

Here are a few examples:

Nike: Just do it!MacDonalds: I’m lovin’ itAsda: Save Money, Live Better Tesco: Every Little Helps

When I was working as an administrator in my

previous life in Higher Education I worked with a team

of Sports Lawyers on a freelance basis in addition

to my full time post. At monthly board meetings the

brilliant brains around the table commenced work

on their mission statement. It took several months. It

certainly helped to distil what the organisation did but

like all mission statements, it was dry.

A mantra is a purified form of your business that

should only be two or three words. It’s a spark of

inspiration that symbolises where your passions lie.

Lots of successful card companies operate without

one, but when growing a business, and taking on

staff, a mantra helps to encourage people and

reinforce their shared mission. It helps to give them

their sense of purpose.

Here are some of the big card company mantra’s.

Hallmark: Leave your markAmerican Greetings: (Not so short!) To Make the World a More Thoughtful and Caring PlaceRecycled Paper greetings: We’re different Minted: To uncover exceptional designMoo: We love great design

So what’s your mantra?

WHAT IS YOUR Mantra?

l Well folks! In this month’s book nook I suggest one book for the princely Kindle price of £1.99 and suggest a crafty way of getting several other books for FREE.

In Happy Birthday Greetings for card making, Danielle Duckery gives us prompters for a variety of Happy Birthday greeting cards – great when we are having inspiration failure, or a

senior moment.This book is probably no good

whatsoever for the “blanksters” amongst us – those of us who only print blank cards, but the wording could, I guess, be applied to the front of the card if that is how you design things. It covers ideas for thoughtful, funny, cute, cheerful, sweet and belated cards.

If you fancy grabbing a few free audio books for zero £’s, then sign up for a 30 day free trial of audible.co.uk – an Amazon company.

You will have to give your credit card details, but make sure you diarize when your 30 days are up so you can cancel beforehand (that’s if you don’t wish to continue).

Audible Inc. is a seller and producer of spoken audio entertainment, information, and educational programming. It sells digital audiobooks, radio and TV programs, and audio versions of magazines and newspapers.

To cancel your subscription follow the instructions in your browser when you type in “How to

cancel your Audible subscription”. Who says you can’t have

something for nuffin! Taking freeganism to a whole new level

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREETINGS FOR CARD MAKING BY DANIELLE DUCKERY

THE BOOK NOOK

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JO SCOTTof Scott & Robson

Interview with .....

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Lovely to have Jo Scott from Scott & Robson – one of my first interviewees in 2015 - feature again in Gypsy Chic in 2017

1. FIRSTLY MASSIVE CONGRATULATIONS ON WINNING THE CAUSE RELATED CATEGORY OF THE CALENDAR AWARDS. PLEASE TELL US WHAT THE ORGANISATION RUNNING THE COMPETITION WAS, AND A LITTLE ABOUT THE ENTRY CRITERIA. lll Thank you very much, winning an award like this at a national level was quite a shock but it’s given me a huge boost and I feel very honoured to have won my category,

especially as I beat a whole team of naked rowers and their charity calendar!

The awards were started for business and promotional calendars in 1963, then grew to include retail calendars and became the National Calendar Awards in 2009. They are held annually at the amazing Stationers Hall in London, a very suitable and beautiful location. The awards are comprised of several categories including design, retail, illustration, promotional and cause related to name just a few. I felt very honoured to be amongst winners like the mighty Emma Ball who came away with 3 awards including best design and best retail calendar.

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2. YOU’VE HAD A VERY BUSY START TO 2017. SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES OF SCOTLAND’S TRADE FAIR, AND LET US KNOW IF YOU THINK BUSINESS HAS INCREASED, IN YOUR VIEW, SINCE YOUR LAST ATTENDANCE IN 2016. lll Attendance figures for the Scotland Trade Fair were very similar to 2016, it’s a lovely show and certainly just as busy, in fact the show has grown and they are making changes to the layout for 2018 to include more stands. I’ve already re-booked for next year so that may answer your question. I did notice a lot more greeting card publishers to last year but so far that doesn’t seem to have had a negative impact on my sales. I’ll need a few more months to compare properly with last year but I gained a lot of lovely new stockists and reassuringly had several existing customers come back and re-order, plus a good handful of interesting conversations that may or may not lead to equally interesting announcements, I (and you) will have to wait and see!

3. ALTHOUGH THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL, ARE YOU HOPEFUL PROSPECTIVE TRADE DEALS WITH THE US, POST BREXIT, WILL HELP THOSE OF US IN THE UK CARD INDUSTRY? lll America is not a market I’ve even thought about yet, believe it or not I’ve only been trading for 2 years so at present my efforts are wholly concentrated on the UK market.

4. YOU INTRODUCED SOME ANIMAL THEMED CARDS THIS YEAR. WHAT ANIMALS DID YOU PAINT AND WAS THERE A PARTICULAR FAVOURITE IN TERMS OF ORDERS?lll I think most people associate me with dog cards and they’ve certainly served me well starting out, in terms

of growing the greeting card side of my business I felt the time was right to try out some new designs featuring different animals and in a different style. All of the animals did well, I couldn’t pick out a favourite, they all went. Although the highland cow, the sheep and the squirrel seemed to get the most comments, I think I can safely say I’ll be doing some more.

5. WILL YOU BE INTRODUCING ANY NEW PRODUCT LINES TO YOUR CURRENT OFFERING.?lll No, I’m concentrating on greeting card designs for my trade business, I have dabbled in coasters and teatowels and it’s very easy to get distracted but for now I’m focussed on creating great selling designs.

6. WHAT OTHER TRADE FAIRS HAVE YOU PLANNED FOR 2017?lll I’m doing 2 more show this year, the British Craft Trade Fair which is the first time attending for me and then a second year at PG Live in London.

JO SCOTTWeb: www.scottandrobson.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/scottandrobson/?fref=tsInstagram: www.instagram.com/jlscottart/?hl=en

T here are several great free apps out there to add text to your images for Instagram, your blog etc and increase engagement.

Here are my top choices: PicLab,Over, Phonto, Notegraphy, and Font Studio. Most are compatible with IOS and Android phones.

My favourite is Word Swag priced at £3.99. Super easy to use, it provides you will many artistic font options to superimpose on your artwork – your very own pocket graphic designer.

NO MONEY, NO PROBLEMThe sharing of knowledge is something I really encourage so I thought I’d share the following.

Now I understand – but don’t quote me, that it is very easy to get the text of popular books online by adding pdf at the end of your search in the browser. That certainly worked for me when I typed in Tim Ferris’ 4 hour working week for example.

I’m not advocating ripping off authors’ of their hard earned royalty payments or commission from the sale of the books but if these are publically available online the next step is to upload them to your kindle ….and that works too.

If you are anything like me, you’ll probably buy the hardcopy anyway – at least you don’t have to remember to charge that version. Stay motivated.

- SOCIAL MEDIA DESIGN APPS -for beautiful typography

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ORDER FORM MOTHER´S DAY CARD RANGE £1 PER CARD

CODE AMOUNT TOTAL

MOT1 All my love on Mother´s Day

MOT3 Mothering Sunday

MOT5 With love to Mum

MOT7 To a very special Mum

MOT9 Best ever Mum

MOT11 Love you Mummy

MOT11 Love & Hugs on Mother´s Day

MOT15 Greatest Mum in the world

MOT17 Mum loving, patient, kind

MOT19 Marvellous Mum

MOT21 Especially for you Mum

MOT23 Thank you for being my Mum

Mother s DayM other’s Day in the UK is fast approaching (26

March 2017) - one of the most significant card sending days in the greeting card calendar. Show your gratitude and thank your Mum for everything she does.

Orders placed are dispatched in less than 4 days.

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How can you possibly summarize trends? With so many designers showing their work on the

catwalk, all with their own individual inspiration and influences, culture and identity, it is almost impossible to identify common threads – but threads – strangely (pun intended) is exactly what unifies much of what was seen on the Spring 2017 catwalk.

Silver treads, electrical wires, sequins and honey comb knits jostle for attention amongst all the biggest names in fashion – Gucci, Valentino (my favourite), Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga.

For me, the most important part of a fashion show is not the fashion strangely, but the way each designer pitches their collection. I watched Vogue’s entire video line up of the Spring 2017 show (31 designers) and listened to how they express their role in the industry. Michael Kors summed their mission as designers up perfectly. To ad lib, he said in such an upside world as ours, the role of a designer is to uplift peoples’ spirits. That’s our role as greeting designers too.

Other things that motivate designers is the need to shock, provoke, put life through a lense, have a strong identity and voice, have attitude, fun, show talent. Listen to the designers and models talk about their experiences at the show to reignite your passion for creativity and then apply it in heaps to that 150mm x 150mm piece of card you’ll flog at your next trade show.

TREND WATCH

Gypsy Chic magazineA window on the world of a greeting card publisher