The kids are alright!

Got lots of first birthdays this year?

Lots of invitations or 3rd birthday parties?

All your children classmates turning 6?

Then let us help you. Why not buy a bundle of kid’s age birthday cards so you’re always ready for the next one!

Just order a bundle and we’ll hand pick five great cards, all from independent UK suppliers for you.

Or let us know if you need a selection of ages.

A bundle of 5 cards is just £12.50, saving you £2

Click HERE to buy

So long 2023, it's been a year!

Where to start with 2023? At the beginning!

In January I sat down with a very fancy new Goal diary and a spreadsheet, determined to plan 2023 to the nth degree (and tame my impulsive side a bit!)

It started well, thanks to my Chirpy team, we came up with lots of ideas about what we wanted to achieve during the year, some new, some building on existing things and some old things which we knew worked well.

In January to March we got off to a flying start, with Workshops, Makers in Residence, Fiverfest, Chirpy Chats and even a stock room tidy. I was part of a Retail Event Panel meeting some great industry contacts too. I diligently filled in my Goal diary with what we’d achieved - quarter 1 done and dusted.

April - June, Q2, a bit like the difficult 2nd album! A slow start and a quiet Easter. But as Spring turned into Summer (and the Goal diary got lost under a pile of papers!) I was determined to turn it around. In May I was part of the Breast Cancer Wear It Pink Launch which kicked off our fundraising for the year. To make it easier to shop local we opened on the Bank Holidays (2 out of 3 were worthwhile) and on Sundays when the Chapel Allerton Market were on.

The highlight of June was attending a new trade show, finding 5 new cards suppliers and being asked to judge the Henries (the Oscars of the card world). Lowlight was loosing 2 friends to cancer so keeping busy was the best think to do. We ran 5 workshops, welcomed Annika for work experience and ran a busy double points event.

Summer arrived, or actually didn’t as July was cold and wet, not conducive to shopping unless you sell umbrellas (which we started to!) As our customers were off on holiday in August I went back to planning, launching our Autumn Workshop programme, stock preorders and even our Christmas baubles. Escaping for a couple of days I celebrated my mum’s 80th birthday by the sea.

The sun eventually came out for the Chapel Allerton Festival and stayed out for the rest of September bringing customers shopping. This year’s annual visit to Top Drawer to buy my Christmas stock proved very successful (& expensive) finding some great new suppliers. The Brick Vases and Sweary Pencils have proved a huge hit! Our collaboration with Heyy Cards to celebrate Thinking of You Week helped us raise £250 for Breast Cancer Now so all in all a successful end to Q3.

The golden quarter - October to December. With lots of new stock arriving and preorders proving a very successful strategy October proved to be a good month. Fiver Fest turned into Magic Tenner (blame inflation!) encouraging everyone to continue to support their local high street.

It seems that every year Christmas prep starts earlier, but we always kick off ours with our annual Chirpyversary. This year we celebrated 7 years with a great evening shopping event and busy weekend of offers. Our Chirpyversary, and the fundraising done at college by my daughter. helped us take our total to £600 which will allow us to sponsor a Breast Care nurse for the next 12 months.

Another month, another judging panel! In December I was honoured to be a judge for Gift of the Year and look forward to see who wins in 2024. Despite a little blip (no one wants a bad back in the busiest month of the year) December has proved another busy month. It was great to finally have a Late Night Shopping event with most of the other indie businesses in Chapel Allerton, hopefully an annual event and welcome lots of people to our Christmas workshops.

So what does 2024 have in store?

Will I try again with a fancy Goal Diary (wonder where I put it?!) or will I grab a nice notebook from the Chirpy shelves and scribble my ideas (disclaimer I’ve already started doing the latter) I’m playing around with collaboration ideas, bespoke products, better gift bundles and of course more fund raising ideas. I might even try and get a week in the sunshine (not just on the north east coast!)

If 2023 was a fair ground ride it would be the Pirate Ship (which I’m not a fan of) and I’m hoping for more of a Waltzer (my fave) in 2024!

But first up, better tidy that stock room again and have a bit of a January Sale …

Late Night Shopping is coming to Chapel Allerton

On Thursday 14th December why not pop down to Chapel Allerton from 5pm when lots of the great independent businesses will be keeping their doors open for our first LATE NIGHT SHOPPING EVENT!

It’s the perfect time to start (or finish!) your Christmas shopping.

We’ll have some Chirpy offers to so watch this space.

Chirpy on Tour this Christmas!

This year you’ll find us at The Mustard Pot Christmas Market on Thursday 7th December from 5pm - 9pm

We’ll have a unique selection of Chapel Allerton themed products and a great choice of stocking fillers.

So why not come along to your favourite local pub and pop upstairs to the Coleman Room to see us and check out the other indie businesses.

LOVE YOUR HIGH STREET - this week (and forever!)

The LOVE YOUR HIGH STREET campaign is a week dedicated to shopping with independent retailers designed to rejuvenate and promote local businesses.

As an independent business in the heart of Chapel Allerton, we’re lucky to have an often vibrant high street.

You can walk from one end of Harrogate Road to the other and find everything you need, from the butchers, the fruit and veg shop, clothes, kids shoes, jewellery, gifts and books. We’re spoilt for choice with independent cafes, bars and restaurants and there’s plenty to choose from if you want a bit of pampering or to keep fit.

But that’s not to say we don’t still need your support. Some days are deathly quiet and with the run up to Christmas we rely on our local customers to shop locally in person or even online (yes many of us have great online stores too)

So this week could be the perfect time to start. ‘Love Your High Street’ campaign, is a great reminder that we are here on your doorstep with a great selection of products for you. Perhaps you haven’t popped into Chapel Allerton for a while, then why not visit us this week and see what fantastic choice of gifts we have.

If you’re not local but want to support us from afar, then we’re going you Free Shipping until midnight Sunday 19th November - just use the code LOVEFREESHIPPING

Thanks for your support this week and all the weeks of the year - it means the world!

Thrilled to be a Judge for 2024 Giftware of the Year!

I have some exciting news to share with you. I've been selected as a judge for the highly prestigious 2024 Gift of the Year Awards.

The Gift of the Year Awards is not just any award program; it's the crème de la crème of accolades in the home and giftware industry. It's the ultimate celebration of innovation, talent, and creativity that drives our industry forward. Every year, it shines a brilliant spotlight on the best new products, the brightest emerging talents, and the most inspiring trends. And this year promises to be nothing short of exceptional.

What has me truly thrilled is the prospect of witnessing an array of remarkable entries across numerous categories. Each submission is a glimpse into the creative genius of individuals and teams who are pushing the boundaries of what's possible in our industry. From unique designs to innovative concepts, from what I’ve seen so far, the entries for this year's awards are nothing short of astounding.

 In particular, I am brimming with excitement about the Contemporary Gift category, which, judging by the strength of entries, is set to be an absolute game-changer. I can't wait to see the incredible products and ideas that will compete in this category, as it's bound to be a showcase of extraordinary talent and innovation.

To all the nominees, I wish you the best of luck! Your hard work and dedication to creating remarkable products and ideas deserve all the recognition and success that come your way. And for those who haven't submitted their entries yet, there's still time to seize this golden opportunity.

The Gift of the Year Awards is more than just an accolade; it's a gateway to unparalleled marketing and PR opportunities, connecting businesses with buyers right from the moment they enter. It's a chance to make a mark, gain invaluable exposure, and establish a foothold in the industry.

I'm incredibly thrilled and honoured to be a part of this extraordinary event. Stay tuned for more updates as we navigate through this thrilling journey together. The 2024 Gift of the Year Awards promises to be a celebration of creativity, innovation, and the future of our industry.

Celebrate with us and spread the cost of gifting!

WE ARE 7!

This weekend 3rd- 5th November we’re celebrating our 7th CHIRPYVERSARY & we’ve got lots planned to celebrate…

Buy a card bundle in store or online throughout November & be in with a chance of winning A YEARS SUPPLY OF CARDS WORTH £180!

Shop online to save …
Use the code 7CHIRPYVERSARY10 to get 10% off orders over £30

Use the code 7CHIRPYVERSARY15 to get 15% off orders over £50

Use the code 7CHIRPYVERSARY20 to get 20% off order over £75

Valid until midnight Sunday 8th

There’ll be DOUBLE POINTS this weekend in store & spend over £25 to get a LUCKY DIP PRIZE - someone will with a £35 Chirpy voucher!

Or if you fancy a PARTY then why not join us on Friday 3rd November from 6pm for our 7th CHIRPYVERSARY shopping event

There’ll be discounts, double points, goodie bags & fizz & well be raising money for @breastcancernow

Grab a ticket (redeemable against your purchases on the night HERE

Thank you for all your support over the last 7 years, we really couldn’t have done it without you!

IT'S BACK!! WIN A YEAR'S SUPPLY OF CARDS WORTH £180!

For the 4th year running, to celebrate our #chirpyversary we’re giving you the chance to win a Year’s worth of free cards worth £180!

That's 5 cards a month for a year!

All you need to do is buy a card bundle throughout November in store on online and you’ll be in with a chance of winning - it’s that simple! Every bundle purchased counts as an entry

Every month you’ll even be able to customise your card selection to make sure you have the perfect cards you need

Click here to buy a bundle

Focus on ... Jan & Robert of Pavillion

This month’s Focus on .. is Jan & Robert of Pavillion, a gorgeous range of modern cards we’ve been stocking for a couple of years

Here’s a little interview we did with them both to find out a little more.

Tell me a little bit about yourselves.

We are Jan & Robert, we live/work in Norfolk with our dog Ripley and have been together since 2005. Pavilion was launched in January 2018 after 18 months of designing and forming our first collection of greeting cards.

How did you get into doing what you’re doing

Our backgrounds are in design, Jan’s as a textile print designer and Robert’s as a stylist. We both love fashion and print and had worked together on creating a range of printed scarves and bags which became wall art prints which we sold locally at art craft fairs and markets. We then looked into turning the artwork of the wall art into greeting cards and then it took off from there.

What does a ‘normal’ day look like?

The day starts with walking Ripley in the morning, then as we work from home many mornings will involve a run which is a good start to the day as you get to think about and plan the day ahead as you are jogging and also it gets you out of the house for a while before you get to your desk. We often have a quick sit down together to look over what needs to be done, there’s usually orders to be processed, packed and booked on with couriers. A lot of our time in the studio is spent coming up with new card ranges, designing the prints and overseeing proofs of the new collections for the next season. No two days are the same.

Biggest achievement to date

We have had many big achievements since setting up the business, we both feel very proud when we are approached by major galleries and museums and asked if they can stock Pavilion and affiliate:107 (our partner brand) as these shops are very focussed on design-led products. More often than not we are asked to supply these stores as our products sit in line with upcoming exhibitions that the venues are presenting which is a big compliment.

Where can we find your cards?

Our collection is very varied, ranging from modern, simple through to heavily patterned colourful designs. This means you can find us in a very broad range of stockists from many independents across the UK, US along with other stores around the world as well as the museums and galleries mentioned before. We sell into jewellery stores who love our modern, foiled designs to sit along side there jewellery, as well as many florists who love our floral/illustrative cards. Since launching our notebook collections we have found that we have gained many stockists that are focussed purely on the notebook/journaling side of stationery.

Favourite card you’ve designed  / most popular card design?

That would have to be our Radar Card Wes which is our best seller by far and is also very indicative of our brand, really beautifully coloured, bold and impactful paired with a huge gold foiled star motif. We designed this card to being joy and happiness and our customers love it and always repeat buy when ordering along with new customers who have to have it on their shelves in store.

Have you seen any changing card trends over the last 12 months?

We are not probably the brand to ask about card trends as we draw inspiration for our new ranges from sources that are not trend-led. In fact we find most of our ideas come from artwork, fashion collections and graphics from way back.

Why do you think sending cards is still so important?

Sending a card is a very personal way of letting someone know that you are thinking about them whatever the occasion. Many of our customers keep the cards they are sent as a reminder of a special time and even frame them as a keepsake to have on their wall.

Best thing about running your own business?

There are many good aspects to running Pavilion, the best part is the designing process. So much of our time is spent discussing and then physically creating the artwork for the products. For both Robert and myself as creatives turning our ideas into stationery goods is a massive part of the brand. Customers at trade shows are always surprised that its just Robert and I that put the brand together as there is such a wide array of design styles and themes that are a part of the collection. When we set up Pavilion we had no real business experience so it’s been a massive learning curve to running the brand too and seeing our work out in the wild.

Advice to someone looking to turn their hobby / talent into a business?

Research is key, we spent a lot of time researching and going to look in shops at other brands for all aspects of the greeting card/stationery world before we finally committed to exhibiting at a show. We had to think about where we would sit in the industry and what we had to offer, what was unique about our work and what would draw the customers in. If you want to commit to a trade show its important to visit and look at how you would set your stand out as it is a big financial layout and look at existing brands and how they present themselves to show attendees. It costs a huge amount of money to set up so allow yourself to have the finances to launch, I spent a long time working my regular job freelancing as well as setting up Pavilion to keep a steady income coming in.

Plans for the future?

We are forever talking about the future and what we would like to do with the brand, whether its new card/stationery ranges or discussing new products we would add to the collection. For the immediate future we are focussed on creating new and interesting stationery with our unique point of view and hopefully continuing on gaining more stockists that love our work and who knows what the future holds?

Another trip around the retail block!

On Friday 3rd November we’ll be celebrating our 7th Chirpyversary - we couldn’t have don’t it without you so why not come and help us celebrate!

You know how much we love to party and this year will been exception.

There’ll be offers, discounts, double points and goodie bags. And of course fizz!

We’ll be celebrating from 6pm - 9pm with our wonderful customers and you could be coming. Just grab a ticket HERE - tickets are £10 which you will get back against your purchases on the night.

There’ll be lots going on during November to celebrate too.

There’ll be Double points on Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th November, lucky dip vouchers when you spend over £30 including a £35 Chirpy Gift Voucher, workshop vouchers and free cards.

Throughout November when you buy a card bundle in store or online you’ll be in with a change of winning a years worth of free cards, that’s 5 cards every month for a year worth £180!

We’ll also be using the month too raise money for Breast Cancer Now, with a raffle. There’s some amazing prizes from Chirpy and other local suppliers. Tickets available in store.

We hope you can help us celebrate!

Thank you for being part of the last 7 years

Jo & the Chirpy team x