October 11, 2022 — You know how we are always so proud to proclaim that our cards are “by Cardies, for Cardies.” Well this design is the perfect example of how sentiments that stem from personal experience in our little Cardie Community often become exactly the words needed by someone else under very different circumstances.
The card above came to be back in 2019 when Contributing Cardie Gloria Dougherty wrote “with a grateful heart …” to family and friends that her beloved husband and best buddy Ron had come through the worst — triple-bypass surgery — in the best possible way. “Thank you to all for the outpouring of support,” Gloria wrote, “It means the world to us.” And a card was born.
Gratitude is a truly powerful feeling, isn’t it, with its ability to lift spirits when all else seems lost. While our hearts continue to go out to everyone facing the sad aftermath of Ian on Florida’s West Coast, we’ve been particularly struck by the gratitude, resilience and optimism shown by our Retail Partners there. More than the store owners’ and staffs’ livelihood, these shops have long represented gorgeous gathering places for their communities. You know how it feels to walk into a great store and feast your eyes on the clever merchandising that makes you want one of everything. Imagine creating such an amazing establishment, only to have it completely wiped out.
To get a better sense for yourself, through the video below take a walk through The Islander on Sanibel with its awesome owner Anita Cereceda, and see what she’s facing now. Even more than her sense of determination, it’s her sense of gratitude that we find so inspiring.
Also on Sanibel, Rebecca Binkowski, owner of MacIntosh Books & Paper, found this image 
and posted it on Instagram where she wrote, “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in this business and in life, we all have stories to tell. And more importantly, we NEED to tell our stories. It’s how we connect, move forward and heal. It’s what makes us human. Hearing other people’s stories, as many and as different from ours, makes us ultimately more compassionate and kind people …
“So much debris. So much devastation. We’re sad. We’re grateful. We’re scared. We need help and we want to help. It’s the same for all of us. But there is magic in the stories we’ve told one another. How we endured this traumatic event, how we’re moving forward. What we hope to teach our kids, what we wish we had already known. Stories are cathartic and a balm, and I hope that all of you have friends, even one, who lets you tell your raw, real, messy stories. If you don’t, get the stories out however you can! And let someone tell you their story. The world needs more things done out of love ❤️📚”
Here is something more we can do out of love. When the time comes for each of these retailers to restock in order to reopen, they will find in their Cardthartic account a credit in the amount of their average reorder. And you know how, when Cardies get to checkout on cardthartic.com, everyone is asked to “Name Your Favorite Local Cardthartic Merchant” so we can split proceeds from that purchase with the store? This time, maybe mention one of the following:
MacIntosh Books & Paper – Sanibel
Suncatcher’s Dream – Sanibel
The Islander, Gift Gallery & Boutique – Fort Myers Beach
Best of Everything – Naples & Bonita Springs
Deb’s Touch of Florida – Naples
The Paper Merchant – Naples
Regatta – Naples
Blue Mangrove Gallery – Marco Island
Sunshine Booksellers – Marco Island
As Contributing Cardie Candy Clausell put so perfectly in a comment on our Cardie Newsletter titled Mourning Florida’s Losses last week, “God bless those we lost and those who lost so much.”
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
October 11, 2022 — You know how we are always so proud to proclaim that our cards are “by Cardies, for Cardies.” Well this design is the perfect example of how sentiments that stem from personal experience in our little Cardie Community often become exactly the words needed by someone else under very different circumstances.
The card above came to be back in 2019 when Contributing Cardie Gloria Dougherty wrote “with a grateful heart …” to family and friends that her beloved husband and best buddy Ron had come through the worst — triple-bypass surgery — in the best possible way. “Thank you to all for the outpouring of support,” Gloria wrote, “It means the world to us.” And a card was born.
Gratitude is a truly powerful feeling, isn’t it, with its ability to lift spirits when all else seems lost. While our hearts continue to go out to everyone facing the sad aftermath of Ian on Florida’s West Coast, we’ve been particularly struck by the gratitude, resilience and optimism shown by our Retail Partners there. More than the store owners’ and staffs’ livelihood, these shops have long represented gorgeous gathering places for their communities. You know how it feels to walk into a great store and feast your eyes on the clever merchandising that makes you want one of everything. Imagine creating such an amazing establishment, only to have it completely wiped out.
To get a better sense for yourself, through the video below take a walk through The Islander on Sanibel with its awesome owner Anita Cereceda, and see what she’s facing now. Even more than her sense of determination, it’s her sense of gratitude that we find so inspiring.
Also on Sanibel, Rebecca Binkowski, owner of MacIntosh Books & Paper, found this image and posted it on Instagram
where she wrote, “If there’s one thing that I’ve learned in this business and in life, we all have stories to tell. And more importantly, we NEED to tell our stories. It’s how we connect, move forward and heal. It’s what makes us human. Hearing other people’s stories, as many and as different from ours, makes us ultimately more compassionate and kind people …
“So much debris. So much devastation. We’re sad. We’re grateful. We’re scared. We need help and we want to help. It’s the same for all of us. But there is magic in the stories we’ve told one another. How we endured this traumatic event, how we’re moving forward. What we hope to teach our kids, what we wish we had already known. Stories are cathartic and a balm, and I hope that all of you have friends, even one, who lets you tell your raw, real, messy stories. If you don’t, get the stories out however you can! And let someone tell you their story. The world needs more things done out of love ❤️📚”
Here is something more we can do out of love. When the time comes for each of these retailers to restock in order to reopen, they will find in their Cardthartic account a credit in the amount of their average reorder. And you know how, when Cardies get to checkout on cardthartic.com, everyone is asked to “Name Your Favorite Local Cardthartic Merchant” so we can split proceeds from that purchase with the store? This time, maybe mention one of the following:
MacIntosh Books & Paper – Sanibel
Suncatcher’s Dream – Sanibel
The Islander, Gift Gallery & Boutique – Fort Myers Beach
Best of Everything – Naples & Bonita Springs
Deb’s Touch of Florida – Naples
The Paper Merchant – Naples
Regatta – Naples
Blue Mangrove Gallery – Marco Island
Sunshine Booksellers – Marco Island
As Contributing Cardie Candy Clausell put so perfectly in a comment on our Cardie Newsletter titled Mourning Florida’s Losses last week, “God bless those we lost and those who lost so much.”
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
This is perfect! Cardthartic is so generous and I’ve been putting together an order so excellent timing to help someone while I’m at it!
Every act of kindness and generosity has a far reaching soothing effect.
Thank you Cardthartic for your positive influence during hard times as well as during times of celebration.
Oh Jodee, listening to Anita & seeing the devastation is heartbreaking. Thank you for what you’re doing as a company & for giving us the opportunity to help as well.
Always on top of things–even in such difficult times. Not just updates on beloved places in FL. but ways to help build them back up! Thank you.