The "Violent Veg" have arrived

We've been trying to get hold of these hilarious cards for months (it's a long story) but the Violent Veg range has finally arrived. Becky & I have never laughed so much loading them onto the site ... and they're flying off the shelves already!

New website goes live

After months of hardwork, we have launched our upgraded website today. We hope you enjoy the slightly more modern layout and some extra search facilities. What a relief that it's working OK (although there are still a few wrinkles to iron out) but we're not quite sure why we thought it would be a good idea to changeover in the middle of our busiest week of the year!

Advent calendars & press coverage for orchardcards

Our full range of advent calendars for 2008 are now on the website, and we are delighted to be featuring in the Advent round-ups in both the Telegraph Magazine (Sat 22nd November) and the Times Magazine (Sat 29th November).

Nice testimonial 25-09-08

"Just received my cards only ordered yesterday. FANTASTIC selection. Thank you." Mrs J.B.

Island of Mull

We've just returned from a magical holiday at Carsaig, on the south coast of the Ross of Mull. Everything about the week was brilliant ... the sun shone continually whilst the rest of the country was soaked, the house was gorgeous, the scenery and geology are stunning, and otters live on the beach below the house. Here are Kate and Richard, on the basalt columns outside Fingal's Cave on Staffa.

Nice testimonial 12-08-08

"Thank you very much for, as always, super service. Delighted with my cards." Mrs J.M.

New member of the family

Ness arrived on Monday, to live with us on loan, and I'm going to be able to ride regularly again for the first time in 20 years! As you can see, she's absolutely beautiful, 16.1hh, a thoroughbred/Irish Draught cross and about 14 years old ... I just can't believe my luck!

Karen Phillips wildlife artist

Karen Phillips is our featured artist for May. Self taught, her only formal art training was to GCSE level art where she experimented with a variety of different media, before finding her real passion for graphite pencil wildlife art and animal art. She lives and works near Knutsford in Cheshire.

The swallows are here!

The swallows have arrived today, it's uplifting to hear them twittering above the house again, truly the end of winter (although the forecast is for snow this weekend!). I think April 3rd is the earliest we have ever had them here in Baddiley.

Nice testimonial 08-03-08

“I placed an order for 5 cards yesterday at 3:32pm and received them this morning! Thank you very much for your prompt delivery. They arrived in perfect condition thanks to the quality packaging. I will certainly use Orchard Cards again in the future.” LF

Easter is just around the corner

Easter falls on 23rd March this year. This is the earliest date for Easter since 1913, and it won't fall as early again until 2160, so we probably won't be around to see that! For those requiring an intellectual challenge ... Easter falls the first Sunday after the Full Moon that occurs on or after the Spring Equinox on March 21 (if the Full Moon falls on a Sunday then Easter is the next Sunday). This means that Easter can be as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.

We have a good selection of Easter cards in this year, and cards with a religous theme continue to be popular. Our best-selling card has been a very pretty one illustrated with the first verse of the hymn "All things bright and beautiful".

Nice testimonial 29-02-08

“I just wanted to thank you for the above order – I was so surprised to receive it this morning when I hadn’t completed the order until nearly four pm yesterday afternoon and I wanted to say how impressed I am with your service and how pleased I am to have recommended your site to friends and family.” JC

Growing old disgracefully!

Boosting our ranges of funny birthday cards, we've just loaded two new lines onto the website "Growing Old Disgracefully" and "M.I.L.K." (which stands for moments of intimacy, laughter and kinship). I think they're going to fly off the shelves!

Mother's Day - Sun 2nd March 2008

Somehow it seems just a bit too easy to pinch one of our Mother's Day cards out of stock for my own mum (and besides which, she's seen them all already), so this week I searched fruitlessly in Nantwich for something that wasn't too pastel or sentimental. I did however find a really gorgeous blank card illustrated with a watercolour of daffodils, which I hope she'll love.

Nice testimonial 23-02-08

"Just to say very impressed with website, one of the best I've encountered while internet shopping. Does just what it needs to and no more, perfectly. Ended up buying more than I intended as so simple and quick to use." DK

New 3D seaside designs from Alex Clark

The new Seaside range from Alex Clark Art is fantastic. The blank greeting cards have a 3D cut-out design (with three folds) to make them really unusual. We can't display them to their best effect on-line but we love them!

New stock - Sarah Gibb

Following the roaring success of her fab card "It's OK, it's organic!" Sarah Gibb has extended her Eco-chic range of any-occasion greeting cards, and we've topped up with some new stock this month.

New stock - Printmakers

Just in, a really stunning new range of nature-inspired greeting cards called Printmakers, these designs are all taken from lino-cuts or wood engravings by three artists: Angie Lewin, Robert Gillmor and Robert Greenhalf.

New stock - Emily Burningham

Just in ... some stunning new greetings cards from designer Emily Burningham. Emily studied ceramic design in London and went on to build her own business designing greeting cards, ceramics and textiles. She is influenced by the history and culture of Japan, and the Arts & Crafts style of the 1920s and 1930s.

Nice testimonial 22-01-08

"Thank you so much for such a quick turnaround! From ordering at about 4pm yesterday and the cards to be on the doorstep when I got home at 11am today is an amazing service … This is my second order and I will continue to recommend you to all I see. Best wishes from a very happy customer" SM

Milestones

Kate started Kindergarten today, and absolutely loved it. I however need to improve my tie-knotting skills.

Recycle your old christmas cards

Yes it is worth it ... last year the Woodland Trust's recycling programme collected around 93 million cards, and as a result it planted 22,000 new trees and saved 2,400 tonnes of carbon emissions. The Trust will have card collection boxes in branches of WH Smith, Tesco, Marks and Spencer and TK Maxx until the end of January.

Go to www.woodland-trust.org.uk for more information about its invaluable work.