after I ‘broke’ my last website..but no!

I’ve been swithering since before Christmas to revamp the site.  I wanted to separate the Wedding stuff from the general cards and invitations and streamline the site a bit – it was getting a bit crowded and a few people had said it was confusing and hard to find what they were looking for.  So, with the help of Carol (once again), I did a bit of moving, a bit of copying and pasting and a bit of mashing buttons until they did what I wanted them to and et voila!..our new and improved websites.

I’ve added a couple of fun things to them too – my ‘follow me’ twitter logo and my twitter stream…not that I say anything earth shattering you understand, but nice to know they’re there.

All in all, I’m really happy with the site now – it’s clean and easy to navigate and gave me a reason to ignore the housework for a while!

(note:  removed the follow me logo and twitter stream because they wouldn’t work properly and added a facebook and twitter link instead)

Based in Central Scotland, Towel Cake Creations make the most beautiful gift bags that have to be seen (and smelled) to be believed.  Each ‘cake’ is created using local products (where possible) with love and care to the highest possible standard.  Their products range from small wedding favours, which can be seen on our Table Stationery page, to three tier ‘wedding cakes’, and each can be customised to match your theme or colour scheme.

The Wedding Favours are made to order and you can choose from either;

A scented heart shaped mini bath drop and a scented heart shaped mini soap presented in an organza bag tied with a ribbon

or

A scented heart shaped mini bath drop and a scented heart shaped mini soap presented in a tissue lined water silk paper bag in either gold or silver.

For more information on these or any of our Wedding stationery, please email info@corrigancards.co.uk

St Valentine was a bishop who held secret marriage ceremonies for soldiers, in opposition to Claudius II who had prohibited marriage for young men, believing that married men did not make good soldiers and that marriage made them weak.

St Valentine was caught and imprisoned.  He refused to agree with the Emperor regarding the ban on marriage and refused to recognise the Roman gods (he even tried to convert the Emperor to Christianity, fully aware of the consequences).  This angered the Emperor who gave orders for Valentine to be executed.

In the meantime, Valentine had formed a friendship with the daughter of one of his jailers and just before his execution he wrote a farewell message to her … signing it ‘From your Valentine’ – a phrase still used today in modern Valentines.

It was, however, only during the 14^th Century that St Valentine’s Day became associated with love.  The author Chaucer is credited with being the first to link the day with romance in his ‘The Parliament of Fowls’ , written about the first anniversary of the engagement of King Richard II of England to Anne of Bohemia.

The holiday evolved over the centuries and by the 18^th Century, sending gifts and handmade cards made of lace, ribbons and featuring cupids and hearts on Valentine’s day had become common in England.  This tradition eventually spread to America, however it was not until the 1840’s that Valentine’s day cards were commercially produced in the USA.  The first American Valentine’s day card was created by Esther Howland of Massachusetts, now known as the Mother of the Valentine.  She made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colourful pictures known as scrap.

Today, Valentine’s Day is one of the major holidays and has become a booming commercial success.

According to the Greeting Card Association, 25% of all cards sent each year are Valentines and the tradition is celebrated all over the world.

I had a meeting at The City Hotel in Dunfermline on Sunday and now samples of our stationery – both wedding and other occasion – can be seen on display in their reception area.  Many thanks to the management at the hotel for this opportunity.  This is a lovely little hotel right at the bottom of the high street, near the Abbey and Glen Pavillion Pittencrieff Park, originally built in 1774 and it has still retained it’s olde-worlde feel whilst incorporating modern features necessary in this day and age.

February’s going to be a busy month for us, starting with a fantastic new idea in Wedding Fayres….an online wedding fayre, hosted on Facebook by With Bells On and Your Wedding at Loch Lomond on Sunday, 6th February.  If you’re a bride or groom to be and would like to ‘attend’ this venture, or if you’re a wedding vendor and would like to participate, email Kirsteen at onlineweddingfair@groups.facebook.com and ask to added to the group (it’s a closed group and open to invitees only).

Next up will be the Balerno Craft Fair on Saturday, 12th February.  I love doing this craft fair, and it’s the only regular fair I attend.  I’ve done this fair for a few years now and I’ve got to know the other crafters and a fair few of the regular customers.  There’s always a lovely atmosphere and, of course, there’s the added benefit of the Farmer’s Market outside too.

Then comes our busy week – 3 wedding fayres in one week!  I must’ve been mad.  On Sunday 20th February, we’ll be at the Pitbauchlie House Hotel in Dunfermline from 12 til 4pm exhibiting at their Wedding Viewing Day.  On Thursday, 24th February we head up to Perth to the Ramada Inn, exhibiting from 7pm til 9pm.  Then on Sunday, 27th February we’re exhibiting from 1pm til 5pm at the Loch Lomond Wedding Show at the Duck Bay Marina, Loch Lomond.

I think I might need a wee holiday in March!