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Danilo celebrates Lionesses’ win with 2023 calendar
To celebrate the England Women Football Team’s historic win in the Euro Finals at Wembley, Danilo suggests you get your hands on its official 2023 England Women’s Calendar.
Danilo also offers a range of official personalised birthday cards, perfect for that aspiring footballer, or any fan of this great team, to mark their special day. www.danilo.com
ExaClair launches new Avenue Mandarine Sewing Kits
ExaClair, the UK distributor for the Avenue Mandarine brand, has announced a new Masks to Sew Kit with wild animal designs.
This new creative box contains all the material needed to create three wild animal masks - elephant, tiger and giraffe. The pre-cut felt shapes and punched sewing lines make it easier for younger children to learn how to sew. The plastic needle prevents little fingers being injured, and the large eye makes it simpler for youngsters to thread it. The small shapes are made from self-adhesive felt to make it easier for youngsters to decorate their masks.
The other kits within the Masks to Sew collection enable children to make their own rabbit, owl and cat masks or fox, cat and reindeer masks.
Lawrence Savage, marketing manager at ExaClair, says these kits are a fun way to introduce children to sewing and at the same time develop their hand to eye coordination: “Youngsters will love creating their own brightly-coloured masks and enjoy hours of fun transforming themselves into their chosen animal.’’
Gift of the Year 2023 opens for entries
The Gift of the Year 2023 awards, organised by The Giftware Association (GA), was launched at the Home & Gift trade fair in Harrogate.
GA PR & marketing manager Chris Workman said: “We want to grow on 2022’s success and really boost the competition to new audiences, as well as encourage brands to enter earlier so we can highlight their great products. We have been working hard behind the scenes to create a smooth user journey on our website for entering products, and we will be reviewing sustainability through all the categories, and recruiting specialist judges for selected categories.”
With an entry deadline of November 30, the 2023 contest features 18 categories that cover the whole of the gift and greeting, and welcomes back the People’s Choice Award, where judging is opened up to endconsumers. The GA will allow entry to the People’s Choice award for all shortlisted companies.
To view the 2022 winners or to enter the 2023 awards, visit www.giftoftheyear.co.uk.
Mantons Gifts & Cards raises funds for charity
The award-winning Mantons Gifts & Cards shop in Port Erin on the Isle of Man has raised more than £30,000 so far this year for charities and local organisations, through a combination of running events, donating stock and selling greeting cards.
Owner Chris Beards said: “We are all extremely proud to have been able to raise over £30,000 - as well as recently raising £660 for the DEC [Disasters Emergency Committee] and the Red Cross to help the people of Ukraine. We are also thrilled to have worked with and helped local organisations such as Crossroads [an Isle of Man charity that provides support to carers and people with care needs], Isle of Man Arts Council, and The Isle of Man Post Office. I would like to thank all our amazing current and previous team members and our fantastic customers who have helped make this possible.”
The Mantons team plans to keep on fundraising, helping the community and supporting new artists and small gift and greeting cards suppliers.
Chris Beards with Mantons’ team members Lisa Walster, Olivia Leggate, Debbie Beards, Sophie Christian and Esther Leece
The Henries finalists are revealed
Congratulations to the finalists in the Henries awards. The winners will be revealed in October. Here’s the line-up:
The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer or Artist Sophie Brabbins Stephanie Davies Mia Dunton, Raspberry Blossom Nicole Elders, Caligart by Nicole Alice Gnap, Cardology Iain Hamilton, Bewilderbeest Ian Owen, Folio Katie Wagstaff, Oh Squirrel
Best Diversity and Inclusion Range Bright from Cake and Crayons EveryBody from Arnelle Woker Feel the Love from Hallmark Happy Days from Belly Button Designs She from Cinnamon Aitch Storybook Collection from Natalie Alex Designs
Best Humorous Range Forest Fr1ends from Whale & Bird Jeffrey & Janice – Romance from Bold and Bright Mine’s A Pint from Emotional Rescue in collaboration with Paper Salad They Can Talk from Woodmansterne Publications Words of Wisdom from Dandelion Stationery Zeppelinmoon from Redback Cards
Best Licensed Card Range Cath Kidston from Ohh Deer Famous Foods from Tache Life In Pencil from Pigment Productions Morris Collection from Ling Design Peter Rabbit from UK Greetings SnowTap from The Art File
Best Christmas Counter Range Bloom from Stormy Knight Christmas Cheer from Five Dollar Shake Cosy Christmas from Ricicle Cards Elle from Belly Button Designs Hellebore from Stephanie Davies Magical Christmas from Rush Design
Best Christmas Box or Pack Christmas Mini Packs from Paper Salad Christmas Pop from Five Dollar Shake Christmas Premium Boxes from Noel Tatt Elle Luxury Boxed Cards from Belly Button Designs Golden from Stop the Clock Design Luxury Boxed Collection from The Art File
Best Cute Range Animal Blanks from Louise Mulgrew Bear from The Art File The Bear, the Hare and the Mouse from Paper Shed Design Owl’s Nest from Ginger Betty Pawsome from Raspberry Blossom Zoo Friends from Hannah Marchant
Best Contemporary Words and Sentiments Range Cherished from Lagom Design Cloud Nine from Redback Cards Say What? from Raspberry Blossom This Card Is For You Because from Bexy Boo Too Wordy from Lucy Maggie Designs Words of Wisdom from Dandelion Stationery Best Traditional Words and Sentiments Range Blooming Fabulous from Emotional Rescue Indigo Blush from Ling Design Lottie Loves – Month You Were Born from International Cards & Gifts Moments In Time from Words ‘n’ Wishes Whimsical Wishes from Wishing Well Woodstone from Hallmark
Best Art Range Animalia from Louise Mulgrew The Botanists Society from Sophie Brabbins Flora from Penguin Ink In Full Bloom from Claire Louise Lucy Grossmith from Woodmansterne Publications Natural Phenomenon from The Art File
Best Photographic Range BBC Springwatch from Abacus Cards Curious World from Icon Golden from Carpe Lumen Photography Minimiam from Holy Mackerel National Trust Hi There! from Woodmansterne Publications Say Cheese from Ohh Deer
Best Children’s Range Are We Nearly There Yet? from Paper Salad Cheeky Chops from Rosie Made a Thing Paper Shakies Ages 1-6 from James Ellis Party Animals from Stripey Cats Shine from Redback Cards Tiny & Terrific from Heyyy Cards
Best Contemporary Trend Range Bloom from Stormy Knight Bohemia from Stephanie Davies The Hits Collection from Say it with Songs Jumbo Jamboree from Paper Salad Soulmates from The Art File Tattoo from Sooshichacha
Best Handmade or Hand-finished Range Battersea Pop-Ups from Cardology Boxed Silver Jewellery Earring Cards from Crumble and Core Ooh La La from Janie Wilson Paper Shakies Adult Ages from James Ellis Special Days from Wendy Jones-Blackett Woodland Numbers from Pogofandango
Best Male Range (non-humour) Graphic Form from Rocket68 Hunky Dory from Paper Salad Mambo from Woodmansterne Publications Metropolis from Paper Rose Odyssey from Rosanna Rossi You The Man from The Art File
Best Relations and/or Occasions Range Elle from Belly Button Designs Gin & Frolics Ages from Rosie Made a Thing Midsummer’s Dream from Hammond Gower Occasions & Relations from The Art File Ooh La La from Stop the Clock Design Words of Wisdom from Dandelion Stationery Best Spring Seasons Range Elle Valentine’s Day from Belly Button Designs Gin & Frolics Father’s Day from Rosie Made a Thing Proper Job from West Country Designs Rainbow Drops Mother’s Day from Wendy Jones-Blackett Relatable Father’s Day from Brainbox Candy Vista Mother’s Day from Paper Salad Words of Wisdom Valentine’s Day from Dandelion Stationery
Best Wholesale Range Caboodles from Kingfisher Cards Eloquence from Out of the Blue Studios Female Collection from Simon Elvin Finesse from Kingfisher Cards Isabel’s Garden from Simon Elvin Male Collection from Simon Elvin Best Giftwrappings Range Eco Collection from UK Greetings Hand-Marbled Gift Wrap Sheets from Paper Mirchi Kelly Hyatt Collection from Lagom Design Louise Mulgrew Collection from Glick Paper Salad Collection from Glick Stephanie Dyment Collection from Glick
The Henry Cole Classic Award Alice Scott from Pigment Productions Boofle from UK Greetings Camilla & Rose from Peartree Heybridge Champagne from Second Nature One Lump or Two from Holy Mackerel Only Fools and Horses from Danilo Promotions Quicksilver from Wendy Jones-Blackett Swing Cards from Santoro
Cinnamon Aitch
Scribbler and Fujifilm partner on instant greeting card kiosk
High street greeting card retailer Scribbler has teamed up with Fujifilm on a new instant greeting card kiosk, offering Scribbler greeting cards printed instantly, with Fujifilm print technology.
The new technology will hold more than 1,000 designs, allowing retailers to always have stock of the most popular designs and to offer an entire range within the footprint of a small kiosk.
New Scribbler content and designs can be uploaded onto the kiosk overnight, ready to sell the next day. This technology will allow retailers to quickly respond to trends and seasons.
With its easy-to-use software, anyone using a kiosk will be able to find t he perfect card. This card will then be printed within the kiosk on specific 320gsm heavyweight greeting card media, ensuring customers receive the same high-quality that they come to expect from both brands.
Additionally, the small footprint of the kiosk, housing Fujifilm’s CX3240 printer is designed to save retail space and reduce waste from over-stocking.
M&G steps up green makeover
Every Museums & Galleries (M&G) card range is available in the company’s elegant and clever ecoband, a recyclable folded paper strip, which securely locks card and envelope together whilst giving branding prominence. The bands have now been used over five years in high-impact retail environments and have proved their reliability. M&G is committed to eradicating single-use plastics from its entire product chain, right down to the glues used on notecard boxes.
This year it has gone a step further by launching zero-plastic packaging for social stationery and tissue paper. Ben Dorney, group creative director, said: “We are always striving to be more sustainable, and are delighted that we have come up with a way that showcases the products in a premium and sustainable way. We are phasing the packaging in upon re-print so there will be a transition period, over the next couple of months.’’
Last year the company introduced plastics-free calendars and this year gift packaging products are receiving the plastics-free makeover, with gift tissue boxes being phased in. M&G uses recycled materials for packaging, and the company’s sparkling new headquarters in Corby run on green power.
Publisher launches P&P Planet
Publisher Peony & Pangolin has been busy launching its eco-initiative, P&P Planet, to extend the life cycle of each card. It has designed postcard templates inside the front of its cards to encourage the recipient to send it on, and spread the love. Each card also suggests ‘keep me’ as a treasured memento, ‘frame me’ as stylish artwork, or ‘recycle me’.
Given the current economic and environmental climate, the publisher hopes this initiative demonstrates how its cards can be reused and recycled - adding value for the customer, while helping to care for the planet.
Western Sketch has it all wrapped up
Western Sketch recently launched its sustainable festive gift wraps, with three new designs for conscious wrapping this season.
Designs are created from hand -painted illustrations and printed in the UK onto 50x70cm size sheets with a choice of Candy Canes, Gingerbread Men or Mince Pies. The wrap is made in the UK using paper with an FSC chain of custody and can be recycled after use. Team with kraft tags and simple jute twine for a great wrapping look.
Shaun the Sheep sends video birthday greetings
Royal Mail has launched a video that enables recipients of mail featuring a barcoded stamp to receive birthday wishes from Shaun the Sheep and his friends.
To choose and view the video, both the sender and recipient will have to download the Royal Mail App. The sender can select the ‘Happy Birthday’ video for the recipient to watch just by scanning the stamp barcode.
The video was created exclusively for Royal Mail by the multiaward-winning British animation studio, Aardman and is the third in a series released by Royal Mail, with more to follow during the year.
The Happy Birthday video sees Shaun and the flock create mischief behind the Farmer’s back, by sending him a card that he mistakenly thinks is musical.
Barcoded stamps have a digital twin and the two are connected by the Royal Mail App. The barcodes match the stamp colour and sit alongside the main body of the stamp, separated by a simulated perforation line.
Definitive stamps are the regular ‘everyday’ stamps featuring t he profile of HM The Queen created by the sculptor Arnold Machin. The design has changed very little since it was introduced in June 1967. The image has become one of the most iconic pieces of artwork in the world and has been reproduced in excess of 220 billion times.
The ‘Swap Out’ scheme opened on 31 March 2022. Customers will be able send unused stamps via a Freepost address. Forms are available via a variety of channels, including local Customer Service Points, the Royal Mail website and the Customer Experience team.
For more information, visit www.royalmail.com/barcodedstamps.
Rainbow Designs has strengthened its sales team with the appointment of Jo Adger to the role of national accounts manager.
Jo brings a wealth of industry and specialist toy knowledge, with a decade of sales experience. She started in sales in 2011, working at housewares supplier DKB Household before spending the past four years at games company Winning Moves.
Rainbow Designs offers an extensive range of high-quality soft toys, wooden toys, baby, nursery and gift products. With 50 years’ heritage, its licensed portfolio and collections include Paddington Bear and the New Paddington TV Adventures, Peter Rabbit, Disney’s Winnie the Pooh, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Guess How Much I Love You, Elmer, Spot the Dog, Miffy, That’s Not My..., Snoopy, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and The Snowman and The Snowdog ranges.
