| 7 years ago I had to buy a greeting card for my | | | | pursued a totally different career. At the start of my |
| mother for mother's day. I did what many people do; I | | | | new retail career I had the blessing of a new baby |
| went into many greeting card shops and spent large | | | | prince in my life. So I had to concentrate on raising a |
| amounts of time flicking through loads of mundane | | | | son and starting a new career without my mother in |
| cards. The majority of them featured flowers, teddy | | | | my life. |
| bears, flowers, European people and more flowers. | | | | The year of change came in 2008, when I realised I |
| With my mother being a very special person in my life | | | | was not completely happy doing my present career |
| and of Black decent, I wanted something unique and | | | | and I needed to bring to the forefront my design |
| personal to her. It was hard to find a greeting card that | | | | background and purse the moment that was now a |
| reflected her Black heritage; I found out that I was not | | | | beautiful memory. At that point I knew I had to focus |
| the only person who found the "Greeting Card | | | | on my creative side and bring out my own line of |
| Shopping" routine a problem. | | | | greeting cards which reflected people of colour and |
| Becoming fed up of all the searching I decided the only | | | | their cultural background. |
| way I was going to get what I wanted was to design | | | | When I design each card I put my all into it. The joy |
| my own greeting card for her. The card I put together | | | | and passion I get from designing each card is a |
| was very basic in principle. I found a Victorian gown | | | | wonderful feeling, especially when someone purchases |
| which was worn by a queen from a magazine, and I | | | | my cards and shares it with their loved ones, that’s |
| got hold of a recent photograph of my mother. With | | | | the icing on the cake for me. |
| me having a design led background I used my skills to | | | | My fan club of family and friends love my creative |
| remove the person’s head and hands from the | | | | style, they are always asking if I have any new |
| Victorian image and replaced them with my | | | | designs finished. I also by request only produced |
| mother’s from the photograph. The final touch was | | | | personalised greeting cards which have included |
| the wording I placed on the front, which was simply | | | | personal photographs, or custom made graphic |
| “My Queen”. Like I said very simple in principle | | | | images. I have truly come to embrace me design talent |
| but the reaction I received when I gave her the card | | | | and by using the world around me as inspiration it has |
| was unexpected. I remember it like it was yesterday. | | | | allowed me to add a special uniqueness to all my |
| She was in the kitchen on that Sunday morning when I | | | | designs. I am always learning new skills and techniques, |
| handed her the card saying “Happy Mother’s | | | | which is noticed in my designs, for they vary in style |
| Day Mom” She smiled as she always did, took the | | | | and composition a lot. |
| card opened the card saw the image read the words | | | | I understand we are all individual, and ones beauty is |
| and she looked at me with tears of joy in eyes. The | | | | another’s dislike. I started JW Greetings in 2008 |
| effect it had on her was a shock to say the least. | | | | and I have not looked back since. Uplifting words I |
| From that moment I know what I had produced was | | | | receive from people who have seen or brought my |
| the most special thing I could ever have given her. | | | | designs, lets me know I’m on the right track. |
| Since that special moment I never brought another | | | | Through my website I encourage communication from |
| greeting card again. I knew what I should do, which | | | | browsers, buyers or receivers of my cards, for they |
| was to further my greeting cards to more people. | | | | are the people who are allowing me to continue in a |
| However after a tough 2 years after that event I lost | | | | career I love. I have dedicated my site to my belated |
| my mother to breast cancer. It shattered my world, to | | | | mother 'Lillian A Clarke', a beautiful woman, a great |
| the point that I turned away from greeting cards and | | | | teacher, a fighter - My Queen. |