This week I want to talk about “Thanks” – As in, “Thanks for being a part of the PigSpigot family” or “Thanks for coming by the sty” or even “Thanks for pretending not to notice when I was rolling around in my own slop.” In fact, there are so many different ways and reasons to give thanks, I decided to make a handy chart for you to match up the perfect card for each recipient. (On a side note, if you type the word “Thank” as many times as I just did, it starts to sound weird.) Ok, here goes:

For the under-50 TV fan who played the game and brought you the package

For the over-50 TV fan who’s been down the road and back again for you

For the Vulcan-eared TV fan who came to visit from afar

For a fellow ’80s movie buff who busted you out of your funk

For the relative who sent you a sweet present

For the 10-year old who will eventually move to Williamsburg

For the retro hipster who scored you some Animal Collective tickets

For the non-vegetarian in your life

For the non-PETA member in your life

For the friend who did the dirty work you couldn’t do

For someone who’s taken care of you when you’ve been down

For the person who took you down the rabbit hole

For the exceedingly strange man in your life

For the person who gave you wings

In other words, thanks a ton.
Remember, we make it easier for more people to send better cards!

See you around the sty,
The Pig
ThePig@PigSpigot.com

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Mike Stimpson is a talented artist. There is no question about that. But in this card, he bring his designs to a new level of hilarity and beauty. The virginal trooper bathes in a bed of roses. It is an image that begs for iconic status. A perfect card to show your significant other your love (and sense of humor).

Greetings Piglets!

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday? A beautiful PigSpigot card from a great friend. I figured I’d take a few minutes to show it off to you folks who haven’t had the pleasure of receiving one just yet – and to let you know exactly what you’re sending when you send a PigSpigot card by mail.

The Envelope:

Note the thick, matte envelope and the calligraphic writing on the address. (We pay extra for that because it’s pretty!) Also important: the return address comes from the person who sent it – and not from our printing facility – so the recipient knows right away who the card is from. Or is it whom? I think it’s whom. Anyway…

The Card:

I got this card, which on the inside says “To put it simply, I am wild about you!” (Get it?) It’s one of many beautiful cards on the site created by the amazing artist Gary Shipman. The card is printed on thick card stock and has a hi-gloss finish that really makes it pop. (Or it could just be that, as a pig, I’m naturally attracted to shiny things.)

The Message:

We let our users choose from a variety of cool fonts when they personalize the cards they’re sending. For this card, my dear friend chose one of our most popular handwriting fonts, Dakota. Of course, unlike his actual chicken scratch, this message is legible. As for the message itself, he has plenty of space to tell me exactly how he feels.

The Happiness:

What’s the best thing about getting a card? I get a thoughtful surprise and a physical reminder of a great friendship. Plus, the great design on the card means I’ve got a piece of artwork for the sty — I store all of my cards on the mantle about the fireplace.

Remember: we make it easier for you to send better cards.

See you around the sty,

The Pig

Mike Stimpson is a lens master. But in addition to his bill-paying skills as a photographer, he has an amazing sense of visual wit.

This makes for some of the most creative, most eye-tickling greeting cards we’ve yet had at PigSpigot. Here’s what he had to say about his work.

What inspires your work?

Art, film, photographs, emotions. Anything that triggers little parts
of my brain to think up scenes that I might be able to construct in
plastic miniature.

What’s your favorite kind of greeting card to receive?

Something personal. Something with a little message that means something to me.

What’s your favorite kind of card to send?

I like to make people laugh and smile, preferably not at my expense, but it’s all good. So something funny.

What is the last card you received / sent?

Received : A lovely tiny hand-made card from a friend.
Sent : I sent my Mum a birthday card with a drawing of a flower
because it was too wet outside to take a photo of one.

Where do you do your best work?

Where in space: My tiny studio at home.
Where in time: When I have nothing to stress about and I can let my
mind wander into its own little – slightly crazy – world.

What’s your favorite medium and why?

Photography. Capturing a moment that will never been seen again,
except in the studio when it gets seen may hundreds of time until I
get it right, or everything falls over.

Where are you located?

The heart of England. Although if you actually look at a map, the
Midlands is about halfway down the left thigh of England.

Where can people find your art for purchase?

It still surprises me that people wish to spend their hard-earned
money and occupy their wallspace with my photographs, but if they were
so inclined they could visit my humble RedBubble page here :
http://www.redbubble.com/people/balakov

Tell us what you think about the Pig!

It’s a splendid idea. Who doesn’t like pigs?

What’s your favorite pork product?

Well, I don’t eat meat, but I do kind of miss bacon.

On such a big occasion as one’s graduation, words don’t quite do justice to the joyous celebration of years of hard work, studying, beer drinking and streaking. Congratulate the grad in your life with this card: simple, crisp, perfect. Congrats to you, Jabzug, for creating such a fine greeting.

When a beloved figure from our youth dies, we question our own mortality. And what better day to do so than on one’s birthday! This phenomenal card is perhaps the perfect birthday greeting: humorous, timely, poignant. Nice work, Ben Schwartz! Send it today!

Everyone remembers that climactic scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off - the perfect day of hooky has culminated in an all out parade and, you guessed it, Ferris is at the center of it all, singing the classic tune, Danke Schoen. As for this card by Nicole Daddona, I’m practically speechless. It’s an immediate contender for the best thank you card on this site, heck on any site. Nice work, Nicole!

Ben Schwartz is a fantastic cartoonist – he’s got a long and prosperous career ahead of him. His visual wit and nose for a good greeting card are unparalleled. Take this card for example. You’ve got a certain “Golden” caricature set to a beautiful, aureate background. And the message: so simple and lovely. We’d like to take one sentimental moment to thank you, piglets, for being such good friends to the pig. Bravo, Ben! Keep ‘em coming.

The Children ARE the Future

Almost all of you have young folks in your lives. They keep you
energized and remind you what’s important on this green earth. PigSpigot wants to help you show your love and appreciation for the children of the world with great, kid-friendly greeting cards.

PigSpigot Has a Soft Side

PigSpigot has some wonderfully “edgy” cards – what can we say? Our artists are clever and creative, an explosive combination. But we have some beautiful, cheery cards that would be perfect for the young’uns. Sara Rossi in particular has created a host of greetings that kids would love. Use the card creation wizard to cement the deal: real, personal pictures will show this gift came right from the heart.

What is a Child’s Favorite Gift?

A THREADLESS Gift Certificate, obviously. Threadless, the super amazing t-shirt company, is incredibly fond of their young shirt wearers and has lots of designs for kids in all sorts of kids sizes (even onesies for the babies!). So if you are a Parent, Grandparent, Aunt or Uncle and you want a convenient way to give a truly fantastic present, send a PigSpigot card with a Threadless Gift Certificate inside. It’s much better than the old 5-dollar bill in the Drugstore greeting card.

Making cards on the card creation wizard is easy! We’ve already taught you how to make cool looking cards in mere seconds. Pretty sweet, right? Now, we want to show you how to make amazing cards using super cool pictures from two great (FREE!) sources: WikiMedia and Flickr. Grab a couple of photos from Wikimedia or Flickr today and make an extra special card.

Wikimedia is a treasure trove of beautiful, striking pictures. You can easily search for the picture you’re looking for. I used the photo of the day, a tree trunk with growth rings , to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Then I found an “old man” photo. Done.

Flickr is another fantastic source for great pictures, with their selection of really fine photos by pros and amateurs alike – many of them belong to the Creative Commons as well, so as long as you give credit where it’s due, you can use the fantastic photography in your own cards. I found a really cute kitten picture, and then another shot by the same photographer, Eran Finkle. And now I had the makings of a wonderfully flirtatious card. I was sure to leave a comment attributing the picture and was ready to send away. Enjoy this fantastic new toy! Create Amazing Cards!