Welcome to Thistle and Bard - my name is Lizzie and I am the lead designer and owner of this little enterprise!

I have been working in retail and merchandising for over 12 years dealing with everything from event management, to window displays and yes, design too. 

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But that all changed...

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Several years ago, I decided that I wanted to ultimately leave the corporate world behind and use the skills I have to create things that I was genuinely passionate about because they were mine. It's been a long road but Thistle and Bard is the child of that decision. After all, life is too short not to pursue your dreams!

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Thistle and Bard is not like other big gift shops. Here, I pride myself on sourcing the most eco-friendly, sustainable, and fair trade goods I can find. I source art assets from small-time artists and pay for licenses through reputable companies (though all the design work and much of the art is my own), I source textiles through brokers who have a high moral standing and offset their carbon footprint, and I use recycled materials wherever possible. In fact, all my paper products are made from forest heritage waste (trees cut during forest management such as invasive species) or from manufacturers who participate in replacement programs;  my cellophane is made from recycled materials reducing the amount of plastic in the ocean, AND my scented products use less than 3% chemicals all of which are sourced from cold pressed essential oils. I am not an eco-warrior. Just someone who feels you don't need to shop while leaving your morals at the door. If it comes from Thistle and Bard, it is recyclable or recycled.

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So, here is the Thistle and Bard promise:

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Recycled, Reused, Responsible