The Betty Worm greetings card company is the combined efforts of Helena Impett and her sister Claudia Figueiredo, both of whom found themselves in a career dilemma after a decade devoted to child-rearing.

So, armed with a BA in Fine Art (Claudia), an ability to never take no for an answer (Helena) and a love of design (both) they decided to combine their own idiosyncratic transferable skills and launch Betty Worm — conceived from a mix of their headmistress’s name Betty and their maiden name Wormald.

“I realised I wanted to start my own eco-card company, because there is definitely a blurred line between art and design,” Claudia, 34, acknowledged, ”and I’m somewhere in the middle. So now I’m developing my portfolio and learning everything possible about copyright, accountancy and marketing.”

A whirlwind of evening classes, packaging workshops, marketing meetings and sales pitches later, and Betty Worm was born this year. “My children are now 12 and 13 and I wanted something of my own to share with other people,” said Claudia, from North Oxford.

But getting back into the workplace wasn’t easy for this young mum until she went back to college.

“When the kids were younger I did an art foundation course which kickstarted the whole thing and gave me back a degree of independence.

“It gave me the encouragement I needed to start my own business and I would recommend it to anyone. The best thing about the foundation course was that it’s just an introduction, so then allows you to choose your own path.

“So I worked really hard and went on to do a fine art degree at Oxford Brookes University. And it was nice to think and talk about things apart from my children,” Claudia smiled.

But it was her two-year stint in Mexico that reignited Claudia’s love of colour and design, and inspired her to start Betty Worm.

And judging by her 2010 Christmas card range, Betty Worm is a brilliant showcase for all Claudia’s influences. “Mexican design has no rules, which makes it much more tactile,” she explained.

“I just fell in love with the markets, the culture and the kitsch designs. And I also had time to explore and collect things.“ Currently working away at her studio on Magdalen Road in East Oxford, where she also runs children’s after-school art workshops, Claudia is currently beavering away to make sure she produces enough Christmas cards in time for the festive season.

Meanwhile her sister in Hampshire is running the marketing and production end of the business.

Produced in boxes, the cards, which you can also buy in refill packs, are made from 100 per cent recycled paper.

Claudia has also produced the Thank Goodness occasion range, as well as Christmas and birthday packs, using her own humour and unique perspective, to produce something original and innovative.

“I wanted to be proud of what I produce while making people smile. And I also wanted to make sure Betty Worm only has a teeny, tiny carbon footprint,” Claudia added.

Go to www.bettyworm.com or order from helena@bettyworm.com