We came to know Susan in a lovely, roundabout way. In the fall of 2022, card buyer for Hollin Hall Variety Store in Alexandria, VA — Tracy Batchelor — proposed we create a Coaches thank you card because customers regularly request such a design. We went right into product development mode and brought Tracy with us!
As we were happily collaborating, Tracy mentioned in an email, “I told my friend Susan that I was working with you on this card. It was Susan who introduced me to Cardthartic – the impetus for Variety Store to start carrying your cards a few years back – and she was SOOOO excited!! (A little jealous, too, I think?!)”
At that, our Founder & Chief Creative Jodee responded, “Your crediting your good friend, Susan, makes me wonder why we’ve not created a Meanings of Life ‘friends’ card?! We really should! Not sure what the icon would be, but it’ll come to us … or you!” Superstar that she is, Tracy got right back to us, “Maybe you could riff on the show Friends – a big comfy couch, with a nod to being so at ease when together?” Brilliant!
We didn’t tell Tracy, but got right to work on that Meanings of Life sofa card, and we asked her for Susan’s info so we could interview her and write a story for Big Book 2023, again, without a word to Tracy.
When we reached out to Susan, she shared, “Tracy and I have been good friends for many years. She is a wonder at most everything she tackles — her creativity bubbles over in all she touches — so when I suggested she take a look at Cardthartic cards, I knew it would be love at first sight.”
She explained, “I thought Cardthartic would be a great line for the Variety Store because their card assortment is the best around, and Cardthartic adds a charming presence to it all. I have found so many perfect Cardthartic cards for my people,” Susan said. “Each message matches the artwork and together conveys a true description of a feeling, a wish, or a shared moment. I love ‘the feel’ of the cards and I love to read the dedications on the backs of them. It is a totally thoughtful package of expression!”
Gracious Susan got to be with the friend she admires so much to open the package of Friends’ Sofa card samples … flipped it over and discovered the surprise dedication: “Inspired by Tracy Batchelor.” She followed up to say, “You are doing something wonderfully right with this line of cards … don’t stop! I LOVE Cardthartic. And how special to be included in such a community of fellow Cardies! ”
Two weeks before Valentine’s Day ‘23, we heard from Susan again. She emailed us that, “I stopped by the HH Variety Store today and chatted with Tracy about a message created by my six-year-old granddaughter, Maddie. I wanted to send it to you because it seemed ‘so Cardthartic’ to say so much in so few words!”
She went on to explain, “Maddie and I decided to make a heart cake together. We talked about how a heart could be made from a square and a circle, but ended up using a heart-shaped pan instead. 😉 When we decided to use the piping bag to make our own little conversation hearts on the top of the cake, Maddie showed her self-confidence and determination (i.e., a lot of “I know” and “I can do it”) and she insisted on creating the last heart message all by herself.
“She set out to write, ‘BE MINE.’ I saw her squeezing the bag tightly, concentrating hard, and biting her tongue as she wrote, and I stepped away to let her do her own thing. It was when I heard her complaining that, ‘The Y is too big and doesn’t fit in the heart’ and ‘The X came out crazy’ that I realized she’d gone in a totally different direction. I turned to see what she was writing with the uncooperative alphabet, and there it was: ‘BE MY XO.’
“I’m sending this to you because it struck me as such a wonderful way to say ‘I love you.’ The inside of such a card could read ‘forevermore’ or ‘for aways’ or ‘for today and all of our tomorrows.’ It could be for a valentine, or an anniversary card, or any special day someone wanted to share those big words. Just thought I would pass Maddie’s message along for your creative consideration!”
I thought it was such a wonderful way to say ‘I love you.’ It could be an anniversary, a valentine, or any special day to share those big words. The inside of the card could read ‘forevermore’ or ‘for aways’ or ‘for today and all of our tomorrows.’ Just thought I would pass her message along for your creative consideration.”
Oh, yea, this Cardie is full of ideas for keeping card sending alive and well for generations to come. Stay tuned!
Designs with Messages by Susan
We came to know Susan in a lovely, roundabout way. In the fall of 2022, card buyer for Hollin Hall Variety Store in Alexandria, VA — Tracy Batchelor — proposed we create a Coaches thank you card because customers regularly request such a design. We went right into product development mode and brought Tracy with us!
As we were happily collaborating, Tracy mentioned in an email, “I told my friend Susan that I was working with you on this card. It was Susan who introduced me to Cardthartic – the impetus for Variety Store to start carrying your cards a few years back – and she was SOOOO excited!! (A little jealous, too, I think?!)”
At that, our Founder & Chief Creative Jodee responded, “Your crediting your good friend, Susan, makes me wonder why we’ve not created a Meanings of Life ‘friends’ card?! We really should! Not sure what the icon would be, but it’ll come to us … or you!” Superstar that she is, Tracy got right back to us, “Maybe you could riff on the show Friends – a big comfy couch, with a nod to being so at ease when together?” Brilliant!
We didn’t tell Tracy, but got right to work on that Meanings of Life sofa card, and we asked her for Susan’s info so we could interview her and write a story for Big Book 2023, again, without a word to Tracy.
When we reached out to Susan, she shared, “Tracy and I have been good friends for many years. She is a wonder at most everything she tackles — her creativity bubbles over in all she touches — so when I suggested she take a look at Cardthartic cards, I knew it would be love at first sight.”
She explained, “I thought Cardthartic would be a great line for the Variety Store because their card assortment is the best around, and Cardthartic adds a charming presence to it all. I have found so many perfect Cardthartic cards for my people,” Susan said. “Each message matches the artwork and together conveys a true description of a feeling, a wish, or a shared moment. I love ‘the feel’ of the cards and I love to read the dedications on the backs of them. It is a totally thoughtful package of expression!”
Gracious Susan got to be with the friend she admires so much to open the package of Friends’ Sofa card samples … flipped it over and discovered the surprise dedication: “Inspired by Tracy Batchelor.” She followed up to say, “You are doing something wonderfully right with this line of cards … don’t stop! I LOVE Cardthartic. And how special to be included in such a community of fellow Cardies! ”
Two weeks before Valentine’s Day ‘23, we heard from Susan again. She emailed us that, “I stopped by the HH Variety Store today and chatted with Tracy about a message created by my six-year-old granddaughter, Maddie. I wanted to send it to you because it seemed ‘so Cardthartic’ to say so much in so few words!”
She went on to explain, “Maddie and I decided to make a heart cake together. We talked about how a heart could be made from a square and a circle, but ended up using a heart-shaped pan instead. 😉 When we decided to use the piping bag to make our own little conversation hearts on the top of the cake, Maddie showed her self-confidence and determination (i.e., a lot of “I know” and “I can do it”) and she insisted on creating the last heart message all by herself.
“She set out to write, ‘BE MINE.’ I saw her squeezing the bag tightly, concentrating hard, and biting her tongue as she wrote, and I stepped away to let her do her own thing. It was when I heard her complaining that, ‘The Y is too big and doesn’t fit in the heart’ and ‘The X came out crazy’ that I realized she’d gone in a totally different direction. I turned to see what she was writing with the uncooperative alphabet, and there it was: ‘BE MY XO.’
“I’m sending this to you because it struck me as such a wonderful way to say ‘I love you.’ The inside of such a card could read ‘forevermore’ or ‘for aways’ or ‘for today and all of our tomorrows.’ It could be for a valentine, or an anniversary card, or any special day someone wanted to share those big words. Just thought I would pass Maddie’s message along for your creative consideration!”
I thought it was such a wonderful way to say ‘I love you.’ It could be an anniversary, a valentine, or any special day to share those big words. The inside of the card could read ‘forevermore’ or ‘for aways’ or ‘for today and all of our tomorrows.’ Just thought I would pass her message along for your creative consideration.”
Oh, yea, this Cardie is full of ideas for keeping card sending alive and well for generations to come. Stay tuned!
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