Merry Christmas ...

Hello, I'll be taking a break from posting over the holidays, but will be back on January 4th 2010 with lots of brilliant new products from the world of Cards & Gifts.

If you want to get in touch, please email me. I will be checking emails over the break. I'll also be working on researching, adding and improving features on the site. If you have any comments or suggestions of anything you'd like to see on the site, please let me know.

Have a great Christmas and Happy New Year. Cee-gee.

Cards: Nella ... Pretty Perfect

I recently picked up this gorgeous 'Pretty Polly Felt' card from my local Paperchase. It's the handiwork of the fabulous Nella Cards, who make design-led greetings card and wrap.

Nella make a huge variety of printed and hand -finished cards for all occasions. Pretty Polly Felt are a beautiful printed card on an uncoated board, finished with a felt flower. Designs also feature jewels and bows, glitter, lino cuts, diecuts and even glow in the dark designs.

Nella's mix of sharp graphics, modern characters and beautiful patterns make a delightful combination that has seen the company nominated amongst the finalist of the Henries (greetings card industry awards) for the last two years.

Ran by husband and wife team Belinda and James Reynell, Nella Cards are available from stockists nationwide, as well as from the Nella website. Greetings cards start from £2.25, gift wrap at £1.50 and gift tags at £1.00.

This last image is from a new collection of beautiful, trend setting cards; the Seasons 2010 range. There are Mother's Day cards painted in gouache and supplied with a pearl envelope. Also diecut Valentine's designs with a specially printed heart envelope. The full range can be seen on the Nella website.

Cards: Blue Eyed Sun ... Beautiful Handmade

Blue Eyed Sun are award winning designers of beautiful handmade greetings cards. These cards are from the best-selling Kaleidoscope and the new Sunshine range.

Cards are printed, with foil highlights and individually hand glittered as well as being topped with jewels, beads and sparkly sequins. On a high quality heavy weight board made from sustainable sources, they retail between £2.99 and £3.99. Cards are generally 160mm square, with pearlescent envelopes and cello-wrapped.

Currently Blue Eyed Sun sell to trade customers only, but have stockists nationwide so they're easy to find in your local card & gift emporium or the bigger department stores such as John Lewis & Fenwick.  If you want to find out more about these gorgeous, contemporary greetings cards visit the Blue Eyed Sun website.

Next year Blue Eyed Sun turn ten years old, so we'll be keeping an eye on what they have planned to commemorate the occasion. We're already excited to see 'Twinkles' and 'World's Greatest', which are planned for launch in the New Year at Spring Fair.

Jewellery: Jeremy Hoye ... Russian Doll

This delightful Russian Doll charm is from the wonderful new 'Charmed' collection from Jeremy Hoye.

The Russian Doll charm can be worn as a necklace or as a special edition to a charm bracelet. Standing at 2cm high, the charm has equisite detailing, including traditional costume and floral motifs. The intricate design and craftsmanship, makes it stand out as a collector's item and a perfect gift.

The unique twist of the piece, that truly makes it stand out, is the ability to open the charm and reveal a secret compartment hidden inside. Jeremy has even designed a cute silver scroll for this piece that fits inside the doll. The scroll can be personalised with a short message.

The silver edition Russian Doll charm and silver scroll retail at £75 and £25 respectively.


Renowned for producing unique designs, with an eclectic twist, Jeremy Hoye creates beautiful, timeless jewellery pieces.

The full 'Charmed' range can be seen and purchased online at Jeremy's website.  It's also worth taking a peek at the other new collections; Blitz, Naturist and Triffid.

Publisher: Bo Griffin ... Modern Art

Today's images are from the fabulous Bo Griffin, purveyors of fine art cards and gift wrap with a unique twist.

Present are all the usual greetings card subjects we know and love; cute animals, hearts and flowers, but these cards are anything but ordinary. Infused with bright colours and sharp graphics, these are funky cards for those who walk on the wild side of the greetings card world.

Combining strong central images with detailed background graphics, Bo Griffin have created a collection of eye-popping printed cards. The cute dogs (shown above) are from 'Pic N Mix', a range of 7 x 5 blank cards suitable for any occasion. Each comes with cello wrapping and a gold envelope.

It doesn't end with cards, there are also 12 fabulous gift wrap designs. As you can see in the 'Sweets' image shown below, the wrap designs are jam packed with the iconic graphics seen in all of the cards.

Bo Griffin launched in September this year and currently supply to trade customers, details can be found on their website. Available in growing numbers of funky retailers across the UK, it's well worth keeping an eye out for them. Card & Gift Blog will be looking out for new stuff, so keep watching this space for what comes next.

NEW - Courgette Cards ... Russian Dolls

 This quirky Russian Dolls greetings card is one of the latest additions to the Collections of Collections range by Courgette Cards. The invention of Mark Barber, Courgette Cards has been producing a unique range of images from everyday items; known and loved. Russian Dolls are a huge trend and this blank card is sure to be a desirable addition to the greetings card market.

All of the cards are 135 x 135mm square, on an FSC board, with co-ordinated recycled envelope and cello bag. Suitable for birthdays and occasions, the range retail at an affordable £2 price point.  Courgette Cards currently supply to trade customers across the UK. With plans to sell directly from their website in 2010 and future expansion in the pipeline, Card & Gift Blog are excited to see the next creations from this delightful new brand.

Publisher: Clare Maddicott ... Amazing Art

Today's card images come from Clare Maddicott and showcase their beautiful art-led greetings cards.

The Flower Power range use intricate graphics to create bold eye-catching design. Printed cards on a high quality smooth board, with UV varnish finishes.  The range evokes a hand-crafted artwork with a modern twist. These designs will have immense appeal, especially as intricate laser cuts, reminiscent of these cards have been seen in the fashion and retail industries in the last few months. 

The Lemongrass collection combines photographic elements and illustration to form a unique selection of cards with an exotic, oriental feel.  Using rich colours and foil detailing on a textured board, the design and printing blend creates a luxurious printed card. 

These two beautiful ranges are available in 140 and 100mm square formats and designs are available in blanks, birthdays and occassions. Clare Maddicott supply direct to trade customers and are stocked nationwide in shops ranging from small boutiques to major multiples. An established favourite, Card & Gift Blog loves their artistic endeavours.

More information and ordering can be found at the Clare Maddicott website. I'd love to hear your comments on these cards & if you have your own cards or gifts to showcase, please email me.

Publisher: Doris & Alice ... Cool & Comtemporary

Doris & Alice launched earlier this year into the world of greetings cards, determined to create the coolest cards in town. Designs use a mix of bright colours, combined with eclectic lettering and illustration, to create a clean, contemporary style.

The cards shown on today's post are all a standard A6 size and supplied with envelope. The current range, consists of 24 cards for birthdays, new home, new baby and the spring seasons.  Full colour, printed cards at an affordable retail price point of under £2. As well as greetings cards, Doris & Alice have also created stationery packs, in an elegant, floral design. Available in four colours the dark blue design is shown below.

All cards are available to individuals and trade customers at the Doris & Alice website. As a new publisher, they'll be regularly adding to their portfolio. Card & Gift Blog will be watching out for them in 2010, make sure you do too.

Sardine ... Accessories with BITE!

Sardine! pride themselves on creaing accessories with BITE! and here we have some of their best-selling, new stationery gifts that showcase that cute and quirky edge.

These fun writing sets are encased in a high-quality box, with a ribbed art paper covering and finished with silver foil. There are six designs in the range, catering for both boys and girls.  One of the bestsellers for boys is this funky space rocket design. Each writing set comes with 16 sheets of paper, 10 co-ordinated, bright envelopes and a sheet of cool stickers. Retailing around £7, they make an affordable gift. The full range can be viewed in Sardine's online catalogue.

Also available from the Sardine gift range are 8 fabulous Journals, which are designed in 3 different sizes; A6, A5 and A4. The Journals each retail between £2 and £4.  They would make an ideal pocket money treat or fillers for stockings and party bags. Each Journal has a full-colour printed cover, decorated with silver foil embellishments. All have blank pages inside. You can see the full range here.

Sardine gifts are available to trade customers, and are stocked nationwide, so be sure to keep an eye out for them. For more details you can email Sardine.

Publisher: Chick Pea ... Bold & Bright

These delightful printed cards from Chick-Pea Designs combine bold images and bright colours to create a cute world for kids, and the young at heart. Inspired by the fairy tales of her childhood, Chick-Pea's Creative Director, Clare Parker is able to transfer magical themes into a funky world of fairies & dinosaurs.

Cards are available in 100 x 100mm squares with a 3D mounted cut out or 125 x 125mm sizes.  All are produced on high quality board, individually wrapped with a co-ordinated envelope and cello bag.

Chick-Pea Designs are currently branching out from greetings cards to produce a range of nursery pictures and personalised room plaques. Each picture is mounted onto a laminated wooden block, measuring 145 x 145mm.  The full range of cards and gifts can be viewed & purchased by visiting the Chick-Pea website.

 If you have your own cards & gifts to showcase, please email me and don't forget to leave a comment about Chick-Pea.

Mini Interview: Robyn @ Afiki ...

Over the last few months I've been email chatting with Robyn at Afiki Designs, who created the delightful Bill Snail cards.  As well as sending me tonnes of Bill Snail pictures, Robyn also found time to answer a few questions ...

How did Afiki get started? 

Art and greetings cards have always been such a big part of my and my families life. Growing up at boarding school before email meant that receiving  post from India or Africa (or where ever home was) was something you spent the whole week looking forward to. Then in the holidays my mum always had a painting on the go or a wall size canvas for my brother and I to paint.  so it just seems very fitting that we can combine these things into a business that we love to do. 

What is your inspiration? 

Mostly our inspiration comes from very mundane everyday things, a birthday for a friend will spark off an idea or a new baby in the family is the inspiration for the new kids range (in the pipe line).  The most recent one was a cousin passing her driving test (out soon). 

How did Bill Snail evolve? 

Bill Snail cards had a rather unorthodox beginning.  I got very ill and was bed-bound.  For a long time I could hardly talk, move or even feed myself, the frustration and slow pace of recovery came out in the form of Bill Snail.  Eventually Bill took on a life of his own and became Bill snail cards. 

What are your plans for the future? 

We hope to be bringing out a few more lines in the near future one being the 'Sweeties' range. We also have two little Bill Snail gift books - one on friendship and the other on life. We have a numbers range and a couple of others still in the design stages just now.  I have always wanted to open a little boutique gift and card shop so maybe that is somewhere in the future for Afiki too. 

What is your ideal gift to receive? 

I love gifts that's have been thought out. A friend who always takes the mickey out of my sense of direction - or more correctly the fact that I don't have one - gave me a compass as a leaving present.  I know it may be un-environmentally friendly of me, but I love beautiful packaging  A friend once joked that I would be happy with a dog biscuit so long as is it was nicely wrapped! I think it just makes the whole gift more exciting and special.  And of course a great card 

What are your favourite websites? 

In no particular order I love  

http://printpattern.blogspot.com/

http://www.illustrationfriday.com/ 

http://www.sharesomecandy.com/

http://www.etsy.com/ 

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/explore

http://www.behance.net/ 

http://www.thedieline.com/

http://www.asos.com  

If you'd like me to show more mini interviews with the designers behind the cards & gifts email me here.

Publisher: Afiki Designs ... Super Snail

Bill Snail is a wry observer of life, immortalised in the Greetings Cards of Afiki Designs. An adventurous chap he shops, drinks, even goes to university ... his life is so full of fun that there is a card to comemorate every occasion. Sharp graphics on a  5" x 7" high quality, glossy chromocard. Each card has a bright, co-ordinated envelope and individual cello-wrapping. The Bill Snail range provides a modern humour card at an affordable £1.95 retail price.

The full fantastic range of Bill Snail cards are available individually to the public, or by the shell-full to trade customers, you can find all of the details here. This afternoon, I'll be posting 'The Story Behind The Snail', in a mini interview with Bill's designer, Robyn ... come back and check it out.

Gifts: Fun for Feathery Friends ...

The Bungee Bird Feeder, is the perfect new garden accessory. Ditch the hanging baskets and garden gnomes for something altogether more modern and stylish. A little man carved from the finest bird seed. The Bungee Bird Feeder is the creation of funky designers Suck UK. At an affordable £8 retail price, he's a present for all, not just extreme sportsmen. You may have a garden the size of a postage stamp, but the bird feeder can bungee from any tree, post or shed. This bird man will make your outside space, a fun wonderland, even in the coldest winter.

Find out more, purchase one or several for your shop, direct from designers by clicking here.

Publisher: Ann Edwards Art ... Animal Magic

Inspired by a host of whimsical animals, these beautiful high quality cards are the creation of Ann Edwards Art. Ann is a celebrated artist, who exhibits nationally and internationally.  Her artwork is highly collectable and from the original art, Ann makes quirky cards & gifts for all.

The images on today's post are a small selection from an extensive range of cards; suitable for every occasion. Printed on board from sustainable sources, the cards measure 105 x 150mm and are blank inside for your own message. Supplied with smart, dove grey envelopes and individual cello-wrapping, they retail under £2.00.

The charm of Ann's cards and gifts is in the characters created, each animal has a distinct personality that adds humour to any occassion. Great attention to detail also means that many of the original art pieces are finished with 22ct gold leaf, adding an extra special touch.

As well as greetings cards, Ann Edwards Art has collections of stationery, mugs, calendars, bookmarks, shopping bags, place mats, art prints and kitchen textiles.  All can be seen and purchased on Ann's website. There are also full contact details if you are a trade buyer.

I'd love to hear your comments on today's cards as well as anything you'd like to see on the site. If you have your own cards or gifts to show us, send me an email.

Publisher: 2gnu ... World of Wit & Fun

2gnu is a brand new, independent publisher that design wonderfully witty printed cards.  Ranging from retro inspired to smart modern graphics, there is something for everyone. Card publishers have previously struggled with designing for the infamous 'tricky male market'.  The problem however is a thing of the past, 2gnu are here to provide clever, funny designs that entertain and celebrate life.

The cards are bright prints on high quality board, with a gloss varnish to finish. All designs measure 170 x 120mm and are supplied with co-ordinated envelope & individual cello wrapping. Left blank for your own message ... whatever it may be, 2gnu provide splendidly entertaining cards at an affordable retail price of £2.25

Trade customer or individual, all are welcome to purchase these fab & funny cards, just take a peek at their website.

Let me know what you think in the comments and as always if you have your own cards or gifts to show off, send me an email.

Publisher: C MAW ... BIrdy Heaven

Today I've been checking out the wonderful greetings cards of C-MAW on their incredibly funky website. It's jam packed with cute and quirky birds.  

Straight from the imagination of Amanda Seymour, C-MAW is the home of a wonderful collection of printed greetings cards for birthdays and occasions.  Launched in 2002, with no formal illustrative training, Amanda has turned a hobby into a thriving business.

With bright colours and bold characters, cards from C-MAW will appeal beyond the obvious market for kids. The cards are available to trade customers and individuals. Available in a wide variety of sizes and come with the customary envelope and cello-wrapping. 


C-MAW will be worth keeping an eye on, with new animals due to be introduced. There are also tantalising hints that there will be more than greetings cards added to the repertoire.  I'll keep you posted when I hear something new.  

Please let me know what you think of these little birdies in the comments. As always if you have something to show off, don't be shy, send me an email.

Jewellery: Eve & Fox ... Wonderful Whimsy

After the shiny card picks of yesterday's post, I felt compelled to carry on the theme just a little longer.  As December kicks in and Christmas approaches the gravitational pull towards all things sparkly and shiny is just too great. Naturally this puts us into the clutches of the jewellery designers, luring us in with their glossy wares.

Eve & Fox is a brand new company, launched a few short months ago at the Harrogate Home & Gift fare. Since then they have been delighting buyers with their beautiful handmade jewellery.  A delightful twist of whimsical  elements and feminine style. With pretty hearts, delicate flowers, floaty wings and some good old fashioned parisian chic there is sure to be something to make any girl happy. 

As an exciting new brand, chief designer Kath has lots of surprises and new creations lined up for Eve & Fox so it's worth keeping a watchful eye on them. Their design studio is practically on my doorstep in Leicester, England, so I'll be sure to keep to my blogging duties and post on anything irresistable. My favourite of the current range is this cute spotty red heart, with floral heart and mini wings.  A cool and quirky design that has a great contemporary feel. 

The current necklace designs retail under £30, making them an affordable present even in these credit crunchy times. They're available to trade customers as well as individuals and are selling like good old hotcakes.  If Leicester is a bit far for you to travel, you can buy and find out more about these gorgeous necklaces online from Eve & Fox and also at Kath's boutique Niche Store.

I'd love to hear your comments on this jewellery, or if you have your own heavenly cards & gifts to showcase, please use the contacts on the sidebar to get in touch.

Publisher: Peel Cards ... Shiny Stars

Like the proverbial magpie I'm a bit of a sucker for shiny things so I was inspired to look towards two of the latest ranges from Peel Cards for my first blog post.  'A Cut Above' and 'Tea & Cake' have become two best-selling ranges in the Peel repertoire and deserve a closer peek.  A short time ago I popped in to the Peel design studio; the directors, Julia and Ed gave me some lovely samples to take away and show you here.

These first four images are from the  'A Cut Above' range. As you can see from the bird Birthday card above, the designs feature some gorgeous silver foil that has been specially etched.  This works really well to give extra texture to the image, that's sure to put a smile on any magpie's face ... If birds can smile that is. I also love the use of the bold coloured background on this design.

This gorgeous cake design (to celebrate a wedding) has a wonderful collage style, using different patterns for the cake layers and birds. The range has 17 cards, covering birthdays, blanks & occasions. Below is my favourite of all the designs. A graphic, floral print that is bang on trend for this season and as a blank card it can be used for any occasion.

Each of the cards feature a double fold, with cut out elements on the front to give a contemporary 3D effect.  This range is perfect for those of you thinking the world has been looking a bit flat after all those 3D movies.

 

Below are samples from the beautiful 'Tea & Cake' range.  This range also uses Peel's signature 'etched foil' this time in delicate swirls to create some gorgeous branches for the birdies. This range has 25 designs for birthdays & occasions; including a recent addition of special age cards for the 18 -80 market.  As with all of Peel's card ranges, Tea & Cake uses a high quality board and on this occasion it is even textured to give an added luxury. 

 

Bird themes are hugely popular at the moment, with some beautiful birdies popping up in homewares, fashion, & jewellery.  It's great to see this trend being utilised in the greetings card world too. Peel supply trade customers nationwide and export to many countries all over the world. If you want to find out more you can check out their website ... www.peelcards.co.uk which has a full brochure.  Or you can email them here.

I'd love to hear your comments on these cards or if you have your own gorgeous cards & gifts to showcase, please use the contacts on the sidebar to get in touch.