Gifts: 1AEON - Designer T-Shirts & Totes ...

All the way from Brooklyn, are some fabulous tees and tote bags from the wonderful 1AEON.

Today's pictures are just a few examples of the fashion and accessories available from the 1AEON's online store. The full range includes: tees, hoodies, badges, totes, sweatshirts and scarfs.

These naturalistic, animal images with a twist, are silk-screen prints, hand-crafted by the 1AEON crew. Burnout designs (such as the colt design, shown above) are also available within the collection. Fabrics are put through an extensive process to show years of weathering. Giving the designs a special, vintage look and feel.

Tees, sweatshirts and hoodies come in a variety of sizes from XS to XL, for both men and women. 1AEON have worked hard to simplify, complex printing procedures to allow them to make affordable fashion for all.

Each shirt and hoodie is sold in a very limited edition, so you're sure to be getting a fashionably unique work of art to wear or carry.

 

Tote bags are made from 100% natural cotton canvas. Each bag is printed by hand, with a silk-screen design, such as the wolf design shown above and the owls below. The blue owls design is extra special, as it glows in the dark.

 

1AEON's fashion lines and accessories make brilliant and unique gifts, so be sure to check out the whole collection.

NEW: Cards: Real & Exciting Designs

One of the most creative, design-led publishers, Real & Exciting Designs was founded by textile designer Sarah Curedale in 1996. Today we've got a preview of their stylish new ranges for the 2010 spring season.

From the 'Make Up' range are these beautiful, delicate images. Designs are a collage of all things girly ... flowers, butterflies, hearts and lipstick. For a final glam twist, each card is decorated with an exquisite foil trim.

For the male market, is the funky 'Scrap' range. Gears and cogs are intricately weaved into a fabulous set of designs. Alongside 'Scrap', Real & Exciting Designs have over 300 designs in the current collection; ensuring plenty of choices for everyone. 

Real & Exciting Designs has also launched a fabulous new selection for Christmas. Showing the magical wonder of the perfect starry night, the cards are ideal for retailers looking ahead to the 2010 festive season. The Christmas range is affiliated with Sparks - The Children's Medical Research Charity.

Real & Exciting Designs sell to trade customers only. Information and contact details to stock all these new designs, can be found on their website. Cards are stocked in independent boutiques, high street stores and garden centres nationwide ... keep an eye out for them. 

Gifts - Use UK ... Brilliant Bags

Today's post is dedicated to the individually designed and ethically produced handmade bags of Use UK.

Mother and daughter team, Val and Nicola Prodromou create beautiful bags, answering a growing demand for high quality fashion accessories. Bags that can be kept and treasured as an investment piece; the antithesis to cheap, throwaway fashion. With clutch designs starting from as little as £48, Use UK's bags are competitively priced as their high street equivalent.

 

Each clutch and messenger bag uses sustainably sourced leather with a soft, sumptuous feel. Finished with 100% silk linings and beautiful vintage clasps and buttons. Unique combinations of leather, lining and trimming makes each bag a one off.

Use UK have seen such a demand for their bags, that they have launched a sister website 'I Love Clutch Bags' dedicated to the 'It' bag of the moment. Like all of their bags these unique creations are made from sustainable leather and vintage accessories.

The whole bag collection as well as homewares and gifts can be seen and purchased on the original Use UK website.

Cards: Seadragon Publishing ...

Today we're looking at the cute characters and funky graphics to be found on the greetings cards of Seadragon Publishing.

First is a card from the 'Amigurumi' range. Translating as 'small, happy thing', this collection of crochet animals is inspired by the craft movement in Japan. Cards are printed on a textured board, which embodies the feel of the crochet images.

'Sock Creatures' is a range of mischevious characters. Captured on a printed fabric background and finished with hand sewn vintage buttons. Each card is unique with it's own individual button eyes.  

These next two designs are from the 'Kushties' range, a set of cute and quirky charcters made from vintage fabrics. Felt banners are then stamped and stitched onto the card.

Lastly is 'Typographica' a series of contemporary occasion cards, with solid graphics and bursting with bright colours. Like all Seadragon Publishing cards this range is printed on a high quality, heavyweight  board.

 

Printed cards start from £2.00 and hand-finished from £3.00. All of these designs and many more can be seen and purchased on the Seadragon Publishing website. Those with trade enquiries will also find full contact details.

Cards: Petra Boase

Follwing on from this mornings post looking at the wonderful gift collection, here is a quick peek at some Petra Boase greetings cards.

A cute doll seen through a window, with a lake background. The doll is a tin badge that can be removed from the card.

 

This Love rosette card is from Petra's 2010 Valentines collection. The rosette has a badge pin and can be removed from it's spotty background.

 

This design has a removable 25mm badge and embroidered label on a patterned, printed card.

All cards measure approximately 105mm x 150mm and are available for around £4.00 from the Petra Boase website. Trade enquiries can find full contact details on the site.

Gifts: Petra Boase... Perfect Presents

This morning's post is a fabulous array of gifts from the wonderful online shop of designer Petra Boase.

This patterned notebook is from a series of cute and kitsch designs. Each book has a printed matt finish cover (inside and out). Measuring 17cm x 13.5 cm, with 64 plain paper pages. Retailing at £3.50, it's perfect for lovely ideas and secret plans.

 

These gorgeous knitted toys are made from the softest yak yarn; making them impossibly cuddly and machine washable. Designs are available in different colour combinations. Each delightful, knitted creature is approximately 44cm and available for just £22.00.

Petra Boase has a wonderfully, ecelctic collection of mugs. These two designs showcase the cute and quirky designs. Each ceramic mug is carefully printed to ensure the high colour and high gloss finish. Mugs are available indivually for £9.00.

 

Discovered on her travels, Petra has assembled a wonderful menagerie of traditional Japanese paper balloons, in a variety of animals designs. Made from bright, crisp paper. Each balloon comes flat and is easily inflated by puffing air into a hole at the top of the balloon. A unique and playful addition for any party. The balloons can be flattened and reinflated to be used again and again. Balloon diameters are approximately 18cm and are available for £2.00 each. A selection pack of five designs is also available at £8.50.  

All of these fabulous gifts and many, many more can be found and purchased online at the Petra Boase website. Come back to Card & Gift Blog this afternoon for a peek at some of Petra's cards.

NEW - Cards: Peel - Fancy That ...

As promised, here is the second new range of greetings cards from Peel Cards ... 'Fancy That'.

The ''Fancy That range consists of 20 designs for birthdays and occasions. Available from stockists nationwide, this collection will retail at £1.99.

Each design is printed on a high quality board with full colour and glitter highlights. A delicate use of prints in a collage style gives the range a beautiful, contemporary feel.

 

 Take a peek at the whole collection at the Peel Cards website and leave me your comments.

NEW - Cards: Peel ... Look at Me!!

Today we've got two new brilliant card ranges from Peel Cards. First is a range called 'Look at Me'.

Cards are 135 x 125mm designed exclusively for Peel Cards by Julia Chester. Each card is a bright and bold full colour print, on a disco glittered background.

Designs cover the ages 1-6, and a selection of general birthday cards. With unicorns, dinosaurs, aliens and fairies amongst the collection there is something for every party.

Peel Cards are a trade supplier, but are available at stockists nationwide. These cards will retail at £1.75. Full details on how to stock them and where to buy them can be discovered via the Peel website.

Check Card & Gift Blog this afternoon to see Peel's other fabulous new range.

Karen Phillips - Wildlife Wonder ...

Karen Phillips create quintessentially English gifts and greetings cards. A distinctive, classic style that encapsulates country life.

Designed for folks who have everything, these wonderful canvas tote bags feature four of Karen's most loved animal imagery. Each bag is produced by Ulster Weavers Home Fashions; a family business that has held the royal warrant as suppliers of kitchen textiles since 1995. The red squirrel designs measures 29 x 36 x 12.5cm, the farm cat bag is slightly larger at 38 x 32 x 14cm. Bags are fully lined with internal pocket, making them  practical as well as pretty. Canvas bags retail at £15.00.

Gifts available from Karen Phillips also include these lovely tea towels. Many designs are available, below is the enchanting tawny owls design. Like the tote bags, tea towels are also produced by Ulster Weavers to exacting standards. Each tea towel measures 74 x 49cm and retails at £6.00.

 

All of these lovely gifts and many more, plus some fabulous greetings cards to match can be purchased online at the Karen Phillips website.

Cards: Lagom ... Graphic Delight

Following yesterday's look at Lagom's gift lines, today is a chance to show some of their fabulous greetings cards.  The first picture is from the 'Monsieur Bodin' range. A fun and whimsical set of cards featuring a charming Daschaund straight from the streets of Paris.

The Boda range (below) is influenced by classic Swedish designs. With strong visual themes, using patterns combined with bright colours. Supplied with a white envelope, with Lagom pattern inside.

'Merci' are a range of cute occasion cards created for Lagom by Kelly Hyatt, cards are supplied with matching colour envelopes. The collection combines bright colours and sweet characters for a magical feel.

The final image is from the 'Trädgård' collection. Utilising traditional imagery, composed in a modern style and combined with metallic print finishes. The range is a unique and sophisticated set of blank cards suitable for any occasion. Each card is supplied with white envelope, with Lagom pattern inside.

Card are 120mm x 170mm,  printed on 300gsm FSC approved board. Each design is printed with vegeatble based inks. Retailing at a competitively priced £1.83, all of the designs are available from the Lagom website.

Gifts - Lagom ... Funky Homewares

Today's post celebrates the world of Lagom. A Swedish word meaning 'perfect balance' or 'just right', Lagom Design have adopted this word as a perfect philosophy for the cards and gifts they create. Applying expertise, creativity and passion they are able to get design 'just right'. Producing cards and gifts, which are original and beautiful, with a fresh feel.

This iBride Hibou Tray is created by 3 members of the same French family. A hybrid piece of form and function, each item is a unique work of art inspired by it's environment and the world travels of the artists. Made from high pressured laminate over pressed recycled wood and paper board. Each tray measures 10.5" x 16" and is available for just £32.70.

Lagom also has a number of designer prints. This Giclee print is produced on a high quality 300gsm 'Arches 88', 100% cotton paper. Prints are all Limited Edition runs, signed and numbered by the artist. The wonderful floral and bird design, shown above, is by Kelly Hyatt. This print is 50cm wide x 70cm high and retails at £45.00

Also designed by Kelly Hyatt, is this funky Zoo Cushion. Lagom's cushions are made in the grounds of Llangoed Hall, situated on the banks of the river Wye in Wales. Each cushion is limited to a production of 100 per design, so you're getting something special and rare. The outer is made from 100% Irish linen and the inner from 100% down. Cushions are dry clean only and retail at £39.84.

All of these giftlines are available direct from the Lagom website. Retailers will also find full contact details for trade enquiries.

Cards: Hello Lucky - Spring Speicals ...

As promised here are some fabulous examples of Hello Lucky's spring season greetings cards ...

Perfectly combining the traditional letterpress craft, with funky modern designs gives Hello Lucky cards a unique and collectable feel.

 

Cards are sold singly from the Hello Lucky website (trade enquiries welcome) and come supplied with co-ordinated colour envelope, for a retail price of £3.25.

 

Hello Lucky have a wide selection of designs, from heartfelt to humorous, so you're sure to find something special.

 

Let me know what you think about these greetings cards and if you have any cards or gifts that you'd like to see here, drop me an email.

Cards: Hello Lucky - Lovely Letterpress ...

Since 2003 Hello Lucky have been creating speciality letterpress stationery and greetings cards. I was lucky enough to be sent a gorgeous box of the cards to show you here. This morning I'll be posting on some of the fabulous stationery and birthday ranges. This afternoon, there will be a preview of some spring season designs.

Letterpress is a hand-crafted printing technique that results in a beautiful and authentic handmade feel to the designs. High quality boards are used to allow for the indentation left behind by the printing process. Made on their very own printing press, Hello Lucky are experts in this printing craft, which is increasingly rare in the UK card market.

These first three designs are from Hello Lucky's extensive range of 'Thank You' designs. Available to purchase on the Hello Lucky website, single cards retail at £2.50. Thank you cards can also be purchased in sets of 6 cards for £8.95.  Each card is blank inside and comes supplied with a co-ordinated colour envelope.

 

Greetings cards are available for all major occasions and everyday events. The examples below, highlight the quirky and imaginative designs that are characteristic of Hello Lucky cards and stationery. These Birthday designs are sold in singles,. Each card is blank inside, comes with a colour co-ordinated envelope and retails at £3.25.

 

The full range of Hello Lucky cards can be viewed and purchased on their funky website. Trade customers will also find contact information to become a stockist. Remember to check Card and Gift Blog this afternoon to see some lovely designs from Hello Lucky's Spring collection.