Festive Friday 2025

It's that time already, it's Festive Friday today! 

This year I'm posting card designs from Abacus's Clare Maddicott Christmas charity packs collections. I drew these festive illustrations from the snowy scenery seen on our magical family trip to Lapland. The holo foil shimmer recreates the sparkle from the frosted trees and foliage. These chirpy little Christmas robins, a berry bedecked deer and a merry Santa off on his travels designs will soon begin their journey around the world spreading some Festive cheer. 

 

Charities supported on these lovelies, Parkinsons UK, British Heart Foundation, Sue Ryder & Mind. 

Dates for your calendar for UK post, Royal Mail’s advertised last posting dates are Wednesday 17th December with second class stamps and Saturday 20th December for first class 🎄📮💌

FESTIVE FRIDAY 2025 | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: the robins on seedheads design from the clare maddicott christmas collections, a close up of the snow covered lapland trees, the first class stamp designs from royal mail 2025 - nicely coordinating with my designs! love this snowy photo i look on the lapland trip, cheerful robin being sent in todays festive friday mail out, santa setting off on his journey over the frosted tree tops, mr berry bedecked deer stepping out for christmas.

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER 

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief: 

- listening to this fab pod episode of this cultural life with designer Jonathan Anderson
- reading the lion, the witch and the wardrobe by c.s.lewis to get us in the mood for this festive season, looking forward to seeing the theatre version soon.
- chuffed to see cobalt extreme's recommendation in this months what's hot? section of pg magazine by james bowden of clock cards in ware, hertfordshire. 

  

 

Print Pattern Archive

A fab afternoon out of the studio this week for me with children's wear designer Jen Smith as we attended Cheryl O'Meara's talk in the wonderful Print Pattern Archive at the Manchester Monastery.  With Manchester's history of cotton fabric design it feels like an ideal home for the archive that is stacked full of vintage wallpaper, fabrics and hand painted pattern tiles. Working with many large fashion brands, Harrods Boden M&S Alexander McQueen to name a few, the studio translates these archive heritage designs to fabulous modern collections. An absolute joy to talk pattern, colour, repeats, trends and everything else. To visit the collection book via the Monastery for talks in 2026.

PRINT PATTERN ARCHIVE ... THE MANCHESTER MONASTERY | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: some of the many fabrics stacked in the archive, me and childrens wear designer jen smith at the print pattern archive, the manchester monastery courtyard, wallpaper swatches and pattern tiles, view of the print pattern studio area, one of the wallpaper books we looked through.

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER 

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief: 

- listening to the secret life of books pod
- reading there are rivers in the sky by elif shafak, a few recommendations have said this is the best book they've read in ages, i'm 200+ pages in and would agree
- enjoying a superb autumnal trip to tatton park this week with an apple tasting of rare varieties (supermarkets need up their 🍎 game!), gorgeous autumnal colour especially the acers at the japanese gardens, some spectacular fungi 🍄

Pinstripe

Exciting update this week with samples arriving at the studio of the brand new Pinstripe greetings cards created for Abacus's 2025/26 collections. Pinstripe is a fantastic range of everyday birthday captions & relations with cheerful colour, joyful illustration and touches of luxury in the unique foils. 

Featuring an inviting colour palette of peony pinks, iris blues, sunflower yellow and lavenders Pinstripe brightens up the shelves. The illustration style picks up on current trends with striped bows, ruffles and scalloped edges. The collection enjoys our favourite celebrations with cheerful garden daisies, cake stands, party decorations and champers with strawberries. Launched at PG Live Pinstripe cards are now available in the shops and for trade orders direct from Abacus.

PINSTRIPE | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

 

clockwise from the top left: lovely mum bouquet with the signature red and white pinstriped bow in lilac foil, flowers in bloom, brilliant grandad design using blue foiling and a pinstripe flag, detailing from the grandson candles design, close up of the foiled scalloped edge unique to this range, lilac foiled line work - for more information on this wonderful collection contact abacus cards directly

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER 

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief: 

- listening to everything chappell roan
- rereading our collection of the world of peter rabbit by beatrice potter 
- enjoying the multitude of multicolour cherry tomatoes harvested from the allotment this weekend and making an incredibly tasty caprese salad

 

The Coldstones Cut

A little further art inspo on the journal this Friday with our visit to The Coldstones Cut. This huge sculpture created by Andrew Sabin sits on top of the highest hill in the Yorkshire Dales with stunning views. The walled structures are built into the Coldstones quarry (one of the deepest quarries in the UK) and replicate's it's form blurring the lines between the sculpture and the quarry. It reminded me of being in South America, something to do with the big skies, moorland grasses (few trees) and large scale stone work. We absolutely loved this little visit, fresh air, spaces to explore, lovely walk and beautiful views. The structure is so big that visitors walk through it making it incredibly difficult to photograph due to its size, here are my attempts.

THE COLDSTONES CUT | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: a view of the main avenue of the coldstones cut sculpture, a snap of the walk up the hill to the site, a view looking from the top of the walls over to the quarry - there are two tiny people in this photo giving a view of the largeness of the scale, image of a dial showing local wildlife - the second tower has a ring showing the directions of worldwide landmarks, labyrinth like walk up to the top, photo of the surrounding moorland.

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER 

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief: 

- listening to mercury prize winners ezra collective
- reading the marvellous fluffy squishy itty bitty by beatrice alemagna love these illustrations
- enjoying this anna jones fire honey recipe perfect for warming up in autumn and winter 

 

Laura Ellen Bacon - Into Being

One of the highlights of the summer this year was our visit to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. It's been a little time since I last visited, I have always loved the park since I used to follow my artist Mum around there while she taught university art students on the Bretton Hall campus. 
I was especially happy to see this work by Laura Ellen Bacon, titled 'Into Being'. The installation in the park's Chapel building took 8-weeks to create and was made using carefully woven, sustainably sourced Somerset willow which filled the building with the scent of nature. The weaving process created a dense, organic flowing structure which beautifully enveloped its visitors. In a modern digital age it's a wonderful work to bring us a reminder of nature and the old skills of weaving. The exhibition closed at the beginning of Sept but I hope more of this style of work might return in the future.

LAURA ELLEN BACON INTO BEING | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

 

clockwise from the top left: the main installation in the centre of the chapel, a close up of one of bacon's line work pieces, interacting with the enveloping structure, a close up of the large scale of the piece, a view of the woven willow, a view from the chapel gallery looking down upon on the work. 

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER 

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief: 

- listening to more from my cobalt extreme playlist - sweet emotion by aerosmith
- rereading outer order inner calm by gretchen rubin for some encouragement whilst clearing a section of the studio
- enjoying the change of the season - this week has been all about conkers, cosy woolly socks, hot milk with honey and a good book.

 

Cobalt Extreme Finalist Henries Awards 2025

Cobalt Extreme is in Pole Position for a win at the Henries Awards this year. It's fantastic to return from the summer break with the news that Cobalt Extreme is now a FINALIST in the category of

⭐️  Best Male Range

How exciting! Designed for Cinnamon Aitch it's a joy to work on. Let's hope for a win in October! 

COBALT EXTREME FINALIST HENRIES AWARDS 2025 - EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: pole position - the formula one design from the latest additions to the collection launched in june at pg live, the angler from the original release at spring fair earlier this year in february, the golfer a best seller from the cobalt extreme collection, sailor from the latest additions to the best selling range - all designed for cinnamon aitch and available to buy direct.

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER 

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief: 

- listening to more from my cobalt extreme playlist - my hero by foo fighters
- reading the english understand wool by helen dewitt - a short story read best with a coffee and a croissant on a quiet sunday morning
- enjoying our newly reupholstered chairs fantastically refreshed by the blond upholsterer

Cobalt Extreme Shortlisted Henries Awards 2025

Fantastic news this week, absolutely delighted to hear the Cobalt Extreme collection I designed for Cinnamon Aitch has been shortlisted in two categories for the Henries Awards 2025! Big thank you to all the retailers who voted for this fab collection. Cobalt Extreme is a joy to work on and am super chuffed for it to be nominated.

⭐️  Best Contemporary Trend Range 

⭐️  Best Male Range

COBALT EXTREME SHORTLISTED HENRIES AWARDS | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

clockwise from the top left: a snap of cobalt extreme on the cinnamon aitch stand at last month's pg live trade show, more info on the henries awards here, the swimmer from the latest release of cobalt extreme hot off the press this summer, a view of the latest additions, the skiier from the original cobalt extreme collection, me on the cinnamon aitch stand at pg live in june.

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KARIKA NOVA NEWSLETTER 

latest in the karika studio, notes in brief: 

- listening to a track from my cobalt extreme playlist - don't sweat the technique by eric b. & rakim
- reading orbital by samantha harvey winner of the 2024 booker prize
- enjoying the daily nytimes sudoku hard puzzle