I would love to have enough time in my hands to make all of my children’s invitations myself. Right now, life is as busy as it has ever been and I barely manage to get four or five hours’ sleep every night. I had to cut corners. Handmade cards went out of the window when I gave birth to my fourth baby.
I loved our Christmas cards, put together by The Card Gallery, so I was really pleased when they offered to sort out Wriggly’s baptism invitations.
The Card Gallery is just over ten years old and is based in Shropshire. Last year, the company was awarded the ‘Made in Britain’ marque. They have a wide range of invitations, cards and stationery.
“Invitations can be personalised to suit your special occasion, using our online card designer, enabling you to change colours, fonts, wording and sizes. All artwork is done in-house so designs and colours can be further tweaked to suit your exact needs if you would like your cards to be a little different to the examples shown online.”
I really pushed the bespoke option by giving The Card Gallery lots of details to create the exact card I had in mind for Wriggly’s baptism. We did not have a theme as such for the baptism, but I had just taken pretty pictures of Wriggly holding balloons and I wanted to include one of those photos in the invite.
I also wanted the cards to be grey and yellow, the colours I had used for her birth announcement cards. I loved this design by The Card Gallery, and here is the one I started with:
I loved the clouds but asked them to remove the hearts and bows. I liked the balloons on these cards, and asked for a few grey ones on the back:
We also needed a church on our cards, and I loved the look of this one:
The fact all artwork is made on site means you can really have a bespoke service at no extra cost, as long as you opt for artwork The Card Gallery use on some of their cards already. Since half of our invitations were going to the French side of our family, I asked for two versions, one in French and one in English.
I anticipated quite a few emails asking for more details or explanations of what I wanted exactly, but what I received the day after I emailed my requirements was a proof, and it was perfect! I had made a silly mistake in the text so I asked for a small change and by the end of the week, we had our invitations. I was really impressed and I will definitely use The Card Gallery again.
“All materials used by The Card Gallery are British produced, high quality, 350 gram card for stationery and crisp white or coloured envelopes. A free proofing service via email is also included in the price, so you can check and change your order as many times as you wish before printing commences. […] UK delivery is also available for free with every order.”
I designed and made Crevette, Beanie and Wriggly’s baptism invitations. I gave a lot of thought to their overall look and they are really special. I also spent hours and hours putting them together. I remember the rush of excitement; mixed with a dash of apprehension (Would they like them? Did I make a spelling mistake anywhere?) as I put the envelopes through the red postbox by the children’s school. I would then wait excitedly to find out what they thought about the lovingly made cards. With hindsight, I think they meant more to me than they did to anyone else.
This time round, I did not manage to make Wriggly’s baptism invitations myself, but you know what? It does not matter. The time I would have spent cutting and sticking paper was quality time with my children. I did not change the ink cartridge on the printer three times, nor did I rush to the craft shop to buy one piece of card because I had forgotten to make a card for my mum’s great-aunt I had last seen in 1993.
You could win a £30 voucher to spend with The Card Gallery.
How to Enter
Just use the box below. It is easy and you can get more than one entry. If you are not sure how to use Rafflecopter, I have included detailed instructions below the box.
Entries are open until midnight GMT time on 26 May 2015 and the competition is open to UK residents only. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
How to use Rafflecopter?
The first thing you need to do is to log in with Facebook or your email address.
Once you are logged in, the first and mandatory entry option is to leave a comment on this post telling me about the last card you received. For extra chances of winning, check the instructions in the form. You can pick and choose a range of ways in which to enter. The only one you must click on to get into the draw is the one asking you to leave a blog post comment. You must also leave a comment for your entry to be valid.
Disclosure:
– The giveaway is open to UK residents aged 18 and over.
– The prize will be supplied directly by The Card Gallery.
– I was sent Wriggly’s baptism invitations for the purpose of this review. No payment was received for this post. All opinions and photographs are my own, unless stated.
I have listed this giveaway on ThePrizeFinder, SuperLucky and Loquax.
The last card I received was from a friend at Christmas xxx
The last card I received was from my Finnish grandmother, congratulating us on our baby news!
Probably a birthday card!
A thank you card from my nephew for his birthday presi
The last card that I received was a lovely citrus coloured one with three owls from my daughter for Mothers Day.
You’ve totally inspired me to DIY invites for my next proper party!! I adore these 🙂
Thanks Nagi. They are exactly what I wanted!
it was a thank you card for a present we bought for my husbands work colleague new baby
What gorgeous cards Mel – so glad that you were able to have the design you wanted. The last card I received was an Easter card from hubby’s dad’s cousin 🙂
The cards were exactly what I wanted. I usually make cards myself because I want them to be just the way I imagined them, but it can be incredibly time-consuming (and expensive). These were perfect and took no time to design!
I loved the cards they did for the baptism! They were so beautiful.
Thanks sweetie!
The last card we received was a personalised invitation card to a golden wedding anniversary
Anniversary card
A mothers day card from my kids!
Vous avez fait un choix excellent ! Elles sont magnifiques et j’adore le packaging jaune !
Merci Eva. Je dois dire que j’adore vraiment ces cartes!
a birthday card from my best friend in university
A thank you card 🙂
an Easter card that our 4 year old grand-daughter made for us
It was a Christmas card.
The last card I received were for our 10 year wedding anniversary
The last card we received was a wedding invitation. It was made by the bride to be and was lovely 🙂 x
A mother’s day card 🙂
I actually got one from my nanny today, bless her. She sends lovely cards.
The last card I received was an invitation to a 21st birthday party.
i got a wedding ivitation, does that count? if not it would of been a mothers day card x
A valentines card from hubby
The last card I received was from my niece saying thanks you for her Birthday presents
It was a congratulations on your new baby card
my birthday cards, which was on 30 April.
Birthday card 🙂
My Birthday card
Last card I recieved was a Mothers day one from my daughter
A birth announcement card from my best friend, inside was a picture of her beautiful baby.
birthday card last year xx
a birthday card back in February
I think it was a Christmas card!
Lovely thank you card from friend.
My son made me one this morning with a picture he drew of a green flower <3
Kids’ cards are the best!
That would’ve been Mother’s day from my son, I bought it myself as he almost forgot!!
Mine was probably a christmas card
A Mothers Day card!
A congratulations card after my first marathon!
That’s a huge achievement! Congratulations.
Leave a blog post comment telling me about the last card you received…………….a beautiful Mother’s Day card
A valentines day card x
My first Mother’s Day card 🙂
You will treasure that one forever… wait until you get the first handmade card (get the tissues ready for that one!).
a thank you card for a gift i sent
I received a gorgeous ‘random act of kindness’ card from my best friend Liz x
There’s nothing like a thoughtful card from a friend when you least expect it! x
A homemade birthday card from my 4 year old boy with a little poem saying how much he loves me <3
Oh this is too cute! I bet your heart melted!
The last card I was given, was a lovely mothers day card from my children.
A lovely birthday card from my husband!x
It was a handmade birthday card from my niece and nephew.
The last card or cards I received was to congratulate me on the birth of my gorgeous son 🙂 I have kept every single one 🙂
A handmade mothers day card from my daughter
A Christmas card from family
Christmas card
an easter card from my daughter! She is 17 and made it whilst helping out at Rainbows. It brought back memories of glitter and glue
Brilliant! Love that. Secretly hoping my little ones make cards for me when they’re 17, he he!
A good luck card for exams
A lovely hand written thank you card from a friend for a birthday present that I’d sent.
the last card i got in the post was a thank you card
It was a card for my 30th birthday! 🙂
A quirky cow in a meadow – a thankyou card for looking after some furniture
I received a card form a lady whom I met on holiday a few years ago, we were catching up and we always write to each other as it’s much more personal. It had an owl on the front.
a thank you card after my friends wedding
The last card i received was for mothers day xx
i got £500 cheque as a surprise gift from my uncle and aunt!
Birthday card
It was my birthday last week so I was lucky enough to receive several lovely cards including handmade ones by the kids.
A birthday card, from a catalogue company, a month too early. I put it up anyway though 🙂
A handmade Mother’s day card from my 8 year old son.
A lovely thank you card from a great friend
A thank you card thanking me for a birthday present from the girl next door.
A Christmas Card – quite a few to be precise
an easter card from my mum
a birthday card from my children. their daddy helped them make it!
The last cards I received were congratulations ones, for finishing my finals after 6 years of university!
Congratulations!
congrats
I received a lovely thank-you card last week from a school that I’d been working in 🙂 x
Mother’s day
The last cards I received were 4 from my best friends when we moved to my husband’s new job. Six months later and I still have them on the window ledge to put a smile on my face.
I received a thank you card
I recently got a couple of Mother’s Day cards. I celebrate it in May because I’m American.
A wedding anniversary card (5 years :))
My birthday card.
I received a beautiful card from my boyfriend showing the two of us walking along the cliffs 🙂
A sympathy card, unfortunately.
It was a handmade Mother’s Day card from my girls 🙂 Kelly Ellen Hirst
My birthday – back in October – I have given each of my kids cards since
mothers day card
Wedding Anniversary cards – yesterday. It was our 2nd anniversary
Happy anniversary!
I got a lovely handmade Mother’s Day card from my daughter 🙂
A birthday card
Mothers Day card
birthday card from my brother (funny one mocking my age of course)
I received my last card from my wonderful husband for my birthday and it said so much more than he ever tells me in words!
That is the best present a husband could give, isn’t it
my birthday card
postcard from florida .. we still send them,as we collect them xx
My husband bought me a Mother to Be card for Mothers Day as I am 31 weeks pregnant 🙂
That is so sweet! Congratulations. Life doesn’t get more exciting!
My last one was a birthday card – as they all forgot mothers day
Oh no, shame on them!
birthday card
The last card I received was on last Thursday, it was a thank you card from a very dear friend thanking me for going to see her while she was in hospital. Bless her
It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago so got some lovely ones from family and friends
Happy birthday!
The last cards i received were for Mothers Day x
The last card I received was a thank you card from a friend for collecting a large purchase from eBay for them!
An invitation to a 70th birthday party! Yes, we still have them at our age!
I had an Easter card from my mum and dad
Lots of cards on my birthday!
40th birthday card
Happy birthday!
Mother’s Day card you can’t beat those type of cards
A mothers Day card
I received a hand made Mother’s Day card from my little girl this year that was glorious.
I received a Mothers Day card from George our cat!
Brilliant!
The last card I received was a belated birthday card – for some reason I had a lot of them this year 🙁
A handmade card by my little girl for mothers day
A thank you card
a birthday card from my niece
I received a lovely card from my very elderly grandpa wishing me luck with my wedding
Last card I received was an anniversary card from my husband. It had two people dressed as peanuts and said “I’m still nuts about you”. Very corny but lovely!!
Would have been a Christmas card.
The last card was the most beautiful I have ever received. An old friend of mine sent a homemade card which was so beautifully crafted that I framed it.
I got a home made easter card from my niece and nephew 🙂
An anniversary card from my partner a couple of days ago. We’ve been together 17 years.
A Valentine’s from someone particularly special. Love you Grub.
Wedding anniversary card
A valentines day card from my husband.
My daughter has just given me a birthday card that she made for me
mothers day card 🙂 xx
a post card from my mum on holiday in turkey
Last card I received was a Mothers Day card 🙂
I received an home made get well card from my 2 year old nephew. It was so cute!
The last card i got was a mothers day card
Some thank you cards from my students on Friday before they left for study leave and their GCSEs or A-levels… tears were shed!
Same for me! My 6th formers’ cards were so nice! What do you teach?
Biology, what about you? After having Ofsted last week, I’m very glad it’s half term!
I bet you are! How did it go? I teach French but I resigned this week after 12 years at my school (I wrote a post about it last week – I’m sure you’ll relate to some of it).
It went well! It was my first time through it and it really wasn’t as bad as everyone made out it would be. I will definitely check it out, I didn’t even know you were a teacher as I tend to visit for recipes 🙂
When I was younger my mum would just buy our invitations in bulk from cheap shops, it was pretty easy! But then again I can totally see the appeal of creating something more special!