The Card Shop

I am a big fan of all things stationery & typography. There really is nothing better than receiving a hand written note in the post is there 

(in fact i have just RSVP'd to a wedding via snail mail on some personalised cards my mother in law gave me!)

Last week when i was at Warringah Mall (Sydney) i stumbled across the newly opened 'The Card Shop'!

A new shop dedicated to fabulous cards that are 'contemporary unique & premium quality, but at a great price'.

Cards range from $4.95 - $5.95 in price or $12 for 3

The Card Shop is owned by UK company, Chili Marketing, who also happen to own Rekorderling cider! 

(These Chili Marketing crowd sound like my type of people!)

The shop has cards designed by Chili designers, along side designs by local Northern Beaches designers Anita Waters & Sue Punton, & also cards by Vogue photographer Helen Cathcart, so there is certainly something for everyone! 

Calligraphy stamps

Wow - Saturday night was a big one....i think i crawled into bed at about 5am! We had an amazing night & were so overwhelmed by all our gorgeous freinds & family & how totally spoilt we were!

Ill share some pics from the night when i get the piccies off my camera....right now i need some serious caffiene to get me through Monday! In the meantime how beautiful is calligraphy - and how cool is this - calligraphy stamps! Affordable & beautiful - i bought something similar last year & love stamping the back of mail i send out with it!

Primele on Etsy

Corban & Blair Giveaway!

Last week i was lucky enough to be able to ask Gillian Corban, the co-founder of Australian Stationery company some questions about how Corban & Blair was created. I love stationery and am also really inspired by Australian women who go it on their own & grow amazing businesses!
Here are a couple of my fav Corban & Blair items.....

Leather warp Journal - great colour too!

Love Birds range - would be cute as a wedding guest book i think!

Recipie folders - i have a few of these!

And here is my chat with Gillian.....

When & why did you start Corban & Blair?

We started in 1988. We had an interest in stationery- 20 years ago stationery and stationery needs were very different to now. We were the first Australians to do stylish, eco concerned designer stationery collections. We still create 2 collections a year but the nature of the collection has changed. We started it as a bit of fun and then decided if we were going to do it as a business we needed to approach it properly. That is business plans, strategies, understanding materials and techniques, customers etc. We did courses, got support and had a steep learning curve to build a strong foundation that we have continued to build on.

What was your background before this?

I was in education- art, media and curriculum development. I am very interested in learning, curious about new knowledge and seeing what is happening in the world especially in new technological opportunities

What advice would you give to others starting their own small businesses?

Have a realistic business plan, know that your service or product is something people want or need. Understand your customer. Be adaptable, curious, flexible and be prepared to learn every day and change.

What do you see in the future for Corban & Blair?

We are in the business of solutions- gift and marketing type solutions. We alway strive to find better and more interesting ways to be meaningful, stylish, useful and recyclable. We have developed a sustainable business model that we work hard to maintain- ie our size and position in the market place.

The lovely folks at Corban & Blair have also been nice enough to provide me with a few goodies to giveway to my readers! Ill be giving away 2 sets of prizes! The first one is a gorgeous silver a5 leather journal & a bright orange leather luggage tag and the second is another gorgeous leather a5 journal in apple green & fun box of food themed 'conversation cards'.

All you need to do is become a follower, then go & 'like' Corban & Blair' Page on facebook (while your there you may aswell 'like' the once.daily.chic page too!) and then leave a comment on this post to say you have! Extra entries for mentioning it on your blog or facebook page! I will announce the 2 winners next monday! Good luck!

Corban & Blair + Mothers Day

I love stationery! And one of my first loves was Australian brand Corban & Blair -  an avid diary writer,  i would go to David Jones every year & buy one of their leather wrap journals, then used their notebooks as travel journals & framed special pictures in their box frames. Last week i heard that this mothers day Corban & Blair are giving you the chance to win this amazing piece of Aboriginal art by Aborigional elder Aunty May. Head over here for the details....

Aunty May is one of nine women co-founders of Euraba Indigenous Artists and Papermakers co-op. Euraba specialises in hand-made paper at their mill in Boggabilla, in Northern New South Wales. The paper is then used to create artworks and a range of paper products. Gillian Corban, the co-founder of Corban & Blair, first met Aunty May in 2007 when she took on a business mentoring role within the community. I was really interested in this as i love aboriginal art and I was lukcy enough to be given the oppoutunity to ask Gillian Corban a few questions about this inititive & her thoughts on mothers day

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Gillian on the right with her cousin & business partner Amanda Blair

How did you become involved in the Euraba Indigenous Artists and Papermakers co-op?

I was assigned to them as a mentor through the Australia Council 5 years ago. I did this in a formal way for 3 years now we maintain the relationships we have built up.

What has working with the aboriginal community taught you?

That education, knowledge, contacts, curiosity, taking risks, getting out of ones comfort zone is the way forward for them and for us. I have met some wonderful people both Indigenous and non- indigenous through this process. It has been a humbling experience and have learned heaps and made some very important friendships.

How do you relate this work back to Corban & Blair?

We have collaborated with Euraba on products, they have bought our frames to display their work, we have used our contacts to sell their art work, we have supported their business initiatives and we have both made new contacts as part of our relationship.

What is your pick of the Corban & Blair range for mums this mothers day?

A Native Flora or Colour album - I would fill the first few pages with photographs of my mum over the past year with a little letter stuck on one of the pages acknowledging her and her long life- she has just turned 87 and still plays golf!

The Flora Collection

Colour Albums

 If you could give any gift for your mum this mothers day what would it be?

Good health for the next 10 years.

I also asked Gillian a bit about starting & growing the business and will post that interview this friday along with a giveway of some goodies from Corban & Blair!