The Just A Card Way to Make Someone's Day!
By Kaylene Alder
Hello! Welcome ‘Just a Card’ fans and friends.
And welcome too, if you are new here! Your normal host, the lovely Kate, usually writes a brilliant, interview blog here each week – showcasing amazing makers and independent shops. You should definitely read it. It is awesome.
This week, however, I am TAKING OVER!!! Mwhaahahahhaa! I shall be regaling you with a recap of the purpose behind the Just a Card campaign and revealing some of my learnings since joining the team supporting it.
The Just a Card message is simple, yet profound – even small sales add up to help artists, makers and independent businesses keep going. And keep going they must! They are what add colour to our walls, taste to our food, quirk to our high streets.
Q: How bland would the world be if all we had were things that were mass produced and big chain stores?
A: It would be super bland, blandsville, boringtown. Fact.
As an artist / maker myself, I was instantly drawn to the campaign, knowing from personal experience how even a small sale can boost confidence and make the difference to a good day or a bad day. I was keen to help spread the word and joined the team supporting the campaign.
In the months since then, I have learned a lot. I’ve learned that social media can be a huge force for good – encouraging people to make little changes that add up to big change. I’ve learned that internet friends can become real, solid, flesh and blood friends and that working together on something you feel passionately about can forge strong bonds. I’ve found too, that encouraging others to ‘shop independent’ and spreading that message has made me even more aware of my own purchases - I try, whenever possible to take my own advice! Sometimes that means travelling a little further or waiting a little longer but knowing what it means to a person running a small business makes those things worth it.
It makes a difference. YOU make a difference. All of those little choices – buying a card from a small gallery or a coffee from your neighbourhood café keeps those places going, keeps our world a more diverse and interesting place.
So keep it up you lovely lovely folk. Tell everyone you know where you bought that cute little handmade such and such. Get the word out on all of the social medias. Pop in to that amazing independent shop you walk past on your way.
How amazing, that by doing those little things, every day can be a day that you MAKE SOMEONE’S DAY!
