Chapter One – Humble beginnings

Mud Card

 Chapter One – Humble beginnings

story-annaOnce upon a time, way back in 1998 there was a little dog that liked to laugh and his name was Tuffy Jack. He was the original scruffy mutt and lived with a girl called Anna Danielle. She was trained as a printed textiles designer but had a passion for illustration and so started her greeting card business from the spare bedroom.

story-joTuffy Jack provided the ideas and humour with Anna drawing and making the cards. All ran peacefully, if somewhat slowly, until tragedy struck and the little dog passed away. All who had known him felt a terrible sadness and Anna was heart broken. But as with all things, the world continued to turn and the little dog having had a jolly old time lived on through Anna’s drawings and memories.

story-daisyThen in the summer of 2001 Anna was joined by Jo, who had a degree in Tourism and Marketing and a cunning knack for ceramic mice making. Friends from the age of five, their chalk and cheese friendship combined common sense, order and neatness in the compact package that is Little Jo and artistic flair, determination and untold amounts of chaos and mess that is Anna Danielle. Added to this mix was Daisy B, a treasure of a mongrel who although rarely laughed continued to inspire and dominate the workplace. The three girls worked long and hard for two years, building the card collections, learning from their mistakes, facing the highs and lows of running a small business and quietly making a success of it.

story-gavHowever, it soon became apparent that there was only so much two girls and one dog could achieve in a working week and a third person was needed, someone who could bring some business experience and much needed structure to the company.

This came in the form of Gavin, Anna’s big brother. Having already provided many of the ideas and captions for the cards, Gavin left a managing directors job at a building company and quit the brick race to put his superior humour to better use.

And this is how you find them today, immersed in cards, bursting with ambition and determined to provide products that make you smile. To do this is an honest, reliable and friendly way is their ultimate goal.

 

Comments

  1. Beautiful story, beautiful gifts and cards but no Airedale or welsh terrier! Please rectify this you have every terrier but the two most important ( the king of terriers) and the welsh. I’m sure as you can NEVER find a welsh terrier card or anything related you would be doing your company a great service, I hope it’s not too long a wait until I see some Airedale / welsh items for sale, I will keep checking your site in the hope that I can find something to buy and keep for me, not as a gift x

  2. I love your products and recently bought you’re dog card making collections volume one and two following your appearance on create and craft. Any chance you can bring out a card making kit with cats please.

    • Hello Jacqueline, I think C&C are planning another dog collection and then hopefully the fourth collection will be cats, many thanks for your interest, kind regards, Anna Danielle

  3. Fab story. Love your cards and have been purchasing loads of dog ones whenever I see them. Down to my last one from my stock which I’m sending to my sisiter-in-law and actually read the blurb on the back (I seem to have so much more time in my life now Im furloughed) and YAY – you have a website, I’m here, I can shop online, how pleased am I :)

  4. I absolutely loved your little dog laughed cocker spaniel “just can’t beat a duvet day” china mug but it got broken and now I can’t find another anywhere – Help!!!?

    • Hello Tricia

      I’m afraid it’s bad news. That design is from a license deal we had with Hudson & Middleton many, many years ago. Sadly they went into administration twice so the only place you might get lucky and it is a long shot is eBay. I’ll hang on to your details and if one turns up I’ll let you know. Sorry I can’t give you nicer news, kind regards, Anna Danielle

  5. I love your cards, but especially Loki the wired haired vizsla, the one on your cads is exactly like mine, so I love sending them out, just came on line to order some more but you are out of stock, oh no please can you stock up soonest I seem to be sending more now we are in lock down.

    Thank you for the smiles your cards bring.

    Lyn

  6. Hi Anna….Just thought you might like to know that I have a picture of Oscar on
    my kitchen wall. Every Morning I greet him “Morning Oscar…love you” .
    I also love the card with the black cat on the laptop. You are a wonderful artist.
    Cheers….Kath Burton (cat mad)

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