EA Cards and Crafts

Suppliers Of Quality Papercraft, Jewellery and General Craft Products.

Questions & Answers!

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Papercraft Products
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Metal & Wire Products
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  Embossing Powders
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  Fusible Fibres
  Ink Pads
  Stamps, Christmas
  Stamps, General
  Stamps, Medallions


Here we have put together a list of questions, in no particular order, which are designed to help.........

Ordering & General Information
  • Is there a minimum order amount?

  • Do I need to create an account to shop here?

  • I've received my order, but why have I paid more P&P than it cost to send?

  • How do I find out if my order was successful?

  • I need my order urgently, can you despatch today?

  • Do you offer trade discounts?

  • Do you ship internationally?

  • Can you issue a VAT receipt?

  • I don't want to order online, can I phone you instead?

  • I can't find a product on your site, is there a search facility?

  • Can you get hold of a particular product that I'm looking for?

  • Why are there products in the clearance section I've not seen before?

  • Do you have a shop I can visit?

  • Do you stock scrapbooking products?

  • Can you send me any free samples?

  • I raise money for charity by making cards, can you spare some items?

  • Product Information
  • How do you use Fantasy Film?

  • What is the best adhesive to use?

  • Are skeleton leaves real leaves?

  • What is mulberry paper?

  • What is embossing?

  • What are medallion stamps?

  • What is vellum?

  • What is an embellishment?

  • What is a rub on transfer?

  •  

    Is there a minimum order amount?

    No, you can order as little as you like! (Back To Top)

     
    Do I need to create an account to shop here?

    No! This is one of my pet hates when ordering online, so we do not impose it here.  Just order what you like, fill you name and address in at the checkout and you are done! (Back To Top)

     
    I've already received my order and wondered why have I paid more P&P than it actually cost to send?

    Our P&P costs include all packaging materials as well as postage charges. This includes the outer envelope, jiffy bag or box, plus the front and rear address labels, any bubble wrap or protective cardboard, plus all plastic bags inside and also to cover invoice printing costs (paper & inks). We have tried to make the P&P costs fair – some companies charge a flat rate for all orders regardless of how much they actually cost, but we have tried to make it a bit fairer by using stepped charges starting low for small orders and increasing with the value of the order.  It would be completely impractical to work it all out exactly for every individual order so we charge a fair average amount for each P&P bracket.  We are aware that some rival companies offer free P&P but these costs will most likely be built in somewhere else and they often have a minimum order amount or other drawbacks that we don't!  (Back To Top)

     
    I tried to place an order but I'm not sure if it went through successfully or not.  How can I find out?

    Every successful order made through this website should produce an Email from us confirming the details of the order.  Orders made via Protx or PayPal will also produce a separate Email from them showing you made payment.  If you don't receive these Emails then either theres a problem with your Email address or something went wrong and your order may have failed.  The best thing to do if you aren't sure is just contact us directly and we will confirm the status of your order for you.

    It is always important to not become 'click happy' during the payment stage of your order - your card details are being passed through a secure encrypted environment so it often takes several seconds to process, during which time it may appear like nothing is happening.  If in doubt, just wait for a minute and don't click anything!  Once payment has completed you should always be brought back to the EA Cards and Crafts website, where the screen will tell you if your transaction completed successfully or not. (Back To Top)

     

    I can't find what I'm looking for on your site, is there a search facility?

    Yes we finally have a search facility!  If you can't find what you are looking for using the search box then we possibly don't stock it.  However try to be less specific when searching - if your search term is too exact, you may not find it even though the item is there!  For instance if you were looking for a peel off sheet with cats on, just type in 'cat' and see what you get. Also try to avoid generic words like 'embellishment', 'card' and 'craft' as these will bring back most pages!  Drop us an Email if you still can't find what you wanted and we will let you know whether we can help or not. (Back To Top)

     

     Can you get hold of a particular product that I'm looking for?

    Yes we probably can if the product you need is from a particular manufacturer that we stock products from (i.e. Making Memories, MIC, CraftyBitz, Stix2, Dovecraft etc). We can get hold of many other products these manufacturers have to offer. However, we would need plenty notice as we would have to add them to our next big order with the distributor which may not be for a few weeks. (Back To Top)

     

    I don't want to order online, can I phone you instead?

    We have deliberately added a payment button to the checkout page so that we can telephone you for your payment, if you aren't happy paying over the internet.  However if you actually want to phone us to tell us what items you want to buy, you would actually be holding up other people's orders (and your own ultimately) therefore whilst we can't stop you from doing this, it is something we discourage.  Please at least know what you want to purchase before picking up the phone! (Back To Top)

     

    I need my order urgently, can you despatch today?

    This depends on a number of factors, such as what time you order, what products you ordered and whether they are in stock. Orders are processed in the order they are received so it is more than likely there are other peoples orders to be processed before yours.  If you need it urgently, you must Email us separately after having placed your order and we will see what we can do or inform you of any issues.  If you are ordering a high volume of one item, it is possible we won't have it all in stock and will need time to order in more, which will cause delays.  Similarly selecting Special Delivery as the postage method does not mean your order will be treated as urgent, it just means you will receive it the day after despatch rather than having to allow up to 15 days for orders sent by 1st class mail.  (Back To Top)

     
    Do you offer trade discounts?

    We are primarily a retail outlet and don't offer trade discounts, however many products on the site do have quantity discounts allowing people to buy in bulk at fair prices. (Back To Top)

     
    Do you ship internationally?

    Sorry no we don't. We ship to all of the UK including the Channel Islands & BFPO's, plus we ship to Ireland and countries within the EU - just change the shipping location accordingly at the checkout stage. (Back To Top)

     
    Can you issue a VAT receipt?

    We are currently not VAT registered, so VAT is not applicable. (Back To Top)

     
    There are products in your clearance section that I've never seen before, why is this?

    In our continual search for new products we often end up with products that we decide we don't wish to stock permanently for various reasons.  There's nothing wrong with them, they just aren't what we expected when we ordered them or we consider them too expensive to resell on a permanent basis.  So we offer them for sale at rock bottom prices to get them off our shelves, ready for the next batch of new products! (Back To Top)

     
    Do you have a shop I can visit?

    Unfortunately not at the present time.  We are currently an internet and mail order business only and cannot accept any personal visits.  However if you want to ask us anything regarding a product we sell please feel free to Email us and we will get back to you.  We are at several craft fairs throughout the North West and occasionally at larger papercraft fairs too and are always eager to offer help and advice. (Back To Top)

     
    How do you use Fantasy Film?
    • Before applying any ink to the stamp, cut a couple of film layers just big enough to cover stamp and set to one side.

    • Now ink up the stamp with a permanent ink such as Stazon. Set the stamp on table with inked rubber side up. 

    • Gently drop between 2-4 layers of film on top of the stamp surface without pressing down.  Don't worry about any creases in the film at this point as they will iron out. (More layers = thicker/stiffer film embellishment at end).

    • Without moving the film, cover it with a non-stick ironing cloth, baker’s parchment paper or even a thick sheet of vellum.

    • Now with a dry iron on a medium to high setting (but no steam), iron over the parchment for approx 20-30 seconds. Too much ironing time will burn the film and dull its appearance. You know it is done as soon as the image is transferred through the film - just keep checking by lifting the parchment back. Once complete, remove parchment and peel the fantasy film off the stamp surface.

    • Now cut out the stamped image and see how it looks against different coloured backgrounds!  Makes great angel wings and butterflies etc.

    Provided a permanent ink is used, the fantasy film image can even be washed if you want to sew it onto your clothes or linen! Alternatively it can be glittered and decorated up for mounting on cards or in scrapbooks (adding glitter means it cannot be washed though).  It can even be stamped/ironed without using any ink!!  And you can just use it as a background effect or inside an aperture instead. Experiment to see what results you can achieve! (Back To Top)

     
    What is the best adhesive to use?

    There are many different forms of adhesive available to crafters and it can be confusing knowing what to buy!  Therefore, the following are our personal recommendations and are intended as a helpful guide only if you aren't sure:

    Double-sided tape is great for layering up squares of card etc where you don't want to risk any wrinkling, i.e when using papers.

    Mouse roller pens are a great new alternative to tape and are also useful for sticking mesh down where you may be able to see if tape was used.  (Apply the pen to the back of the mesh though)

    Glue sticks are what I personally use for sticking vellum down.  Customers at shows often tell me that you can see it through the vellum, but I have never had this problem at all and always have cards ready to show them!  Of course if you are sticking an embellishment over part of the vellum, then that's a good place for a strip of tape to be used!

    Foam pads and foam tape are great for decoupage work or anywhere that you need a slightly raised effect or gap between layers. The tape allows you to cut off whatever length you need and can be less fiddly than the tiny pre-cut pads.  Silicone is an alternative to foam pads too.

    Didi and mini glue dots are great for sticking fiddly items like flower heads down without any mess. Pop up dots are great for decoupage as an alternative to foam pads. Memory book dots are great for scrapbooking and sticking photos as they are extremely thin.

    PVA 'dries clear' glues are perfect for adding glitters, micro beads etc.  The Art Institute glue is incredibly strong and is my favourite for sticking small gems down without them ever coming off again!  We now also stock the 'Dries White' glue which is great when you don't want the card colour underneath to influence the glitter colour, particularly when using bright glitters or the crystal shade which will stay white and is great for snow etc! (Back To Top)

     
    Are skeleton leaves actually real leaves?

    Yes they are.  The leaves go through a process where the fleshy part is removed leaving behind just the skeletal veins.  The leaves are then dyed and dried out giving the finished product. (Back To Top)

     
    What is mulberry paper?

    Mulberry paper is made from the bark of the mulberry tree.  This is basically then boiled and the resulting pulp tissues are flattened out and left to dry.  Dyes or flowers and leaves are added to the product before drying to make the lovely designs and colours available.  Mulberry paper is often used in background layering and the edges can be torn and frayed for a lovely soft effect (this is easy to do by running a wet cotton bud all the way round the piece you are going to use and pulling the excess away - then leaving it to dry for 10 minutes before using). (Back To Top)

     

    What is Embossing?

    There are 2 types of embossing, heat-embossing and dry embossing. 

    Heat-embossing is a process where the image on a rubber stamp is stamped onto card using pigment ink (does not work using normal dye inks as they dry too fast), then embossing powder is sprinkled over the top of the stamped image and the excess powder removed (keep a sheet of scrap paper with a crease down the middle under the area you are working on to make it easy to return the sprinkled powder back into its pot).  The stamped image now has the powder stuck to it which is ready to be heated up using a specialist heat gun, which melts the powder giving it a slightly raised and hard to the touch effect which looks really professional.  (Don't use a hair dryer - it will blow your powder away!)

    Dry-embossing is where a design is pushed into the card using a stencil template and a special embossing tool, so that parts of the card are literally pressed out (or in) where the stencil design is. (Back To Top)

     
    What are medallion stamps?

    These are still rubber stamps just like any other, but they are made up of lots of patterns designed to be cut out and layered on top of each other (rather like decoupage).  The designs can then be glittered or beaded or decorated however you like to make some stunning designs! (Back To Top)

     

    What is Vellum?

    In crafting terms, vellum is a kind of paper that is smooth, translucent and sometimes shiny - so you get an impression of what is beneath it but you can't see it clearly.  If you imagine tracing paper but a thicker and much better quality paper, then you aren't far off!  Can come plain or with designs and words on it.  You can also print words or designs onto it using your home PC and printer - a really versatile material! (Back To Top)

     

    What is an Embellishment?

    An embellishment is basically anything that can be stuck on to decorate something! (Back To Top)

     

    What are Rub On Transfers?

    These are just like the transfers you probably got as a child!  They are designs on a sheet which you literally rub onto your card (or other surface) using the stick provided.  Simple but effective! (Back To Top)

     
    Can you send me some free samples?

    We used to send out a lot of free samples, particularly of vellum, paper and card, however we have decided that we can no longer do this, sorry. We have introduced a minimal P&P charge for small orders to enable you to purchase a sample amount of any product without it costing much. (Back To Top)

     
    I raise money for charity by making cards, can you spare some products?

    We get asked this question almost daily therefore I'm afraid the answer is no, no exceptions.  If we donated products every time asked, we seriously wouldn't have a business!  Plus we have no way of knowing which are the genuine requests and which aren't. The best I can suggest is for you to buy some items from the clearance section and make sure people know your card profits are for charity, which may allow you to increase the prices slightly.  You may also be better contacting the bigger craft retail stores, than small independant businesses. (Back To Top)

     
    Do you stock scrapbooking products?

    The majority of papercraft products can be used for both scrapbooking and card making - so a lot of items on the site can be used in your scrapbook.  However, if you want your scrapbook to last for years and years and still look as new, you need to use acid free products and adhesives only to prevent yellowing or fading.   

    The main scrapbooking item we don't yet stock is 12x12 paper.  This is because we have yet to find suitable packaging that will ensure no damage occurs during transit.  There are board envelopes available, but we do not believe these are good enough and will keep looking for something stronger! (Back To Top)

     

     

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