Thinking of You Week

The GCA's Thinking of You Week has been a great excuse to catch up with folk and get creative with the kids.

Thinking of You Week is a special week that harnesses the emotional power of greeting cards to create a wave of love, caring and happiness around the world. Sending handwritten cards generates positive feelings and wellbeing. Science has shown that receiving a handwritten card creates a lovely warm positive boost - Greeting Card Association

We had a great deal of fun creating these lovelies. Our rather large pile of post is all sent and off on its way.

INSTAGRAM THINKING OF YOU WEEK | EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

above: instagram pics for #ThinkingOf YouWeek #SendaCardDeliveraSmile @GCAUK

Pastures New

Well it's been a lovely summer of fun and a welcome break for me. As autumn begins it's time to start preparing for a return to work. After the birth of my lovely baby number two I have accepted the redundancy offered whilst on my maternity leave from Belly Button Designs.

It's been a wonderful ten years. I have loved heading up the art studio and creating those award winning products, especially the Platinum and Paloma ranges. It has been a great experience and I have enjoyed meeting lots of people who are as mad about design, stationery and greetings as I am!

It's exciting to tell you that I'll be launching freelance shortly. I'm very much looking forward to creating all new and unique top selling designs. See you soon!

BELLY BUTTON DESIGN DAYS - EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

above: instagram days at belly button designs - henries awards, pg live, john lewis, spring fair, paloma, platinum, giftware, stationery, greetings,

Dottie's Pantry

We had a fabulous party for my son's second birthday at the weekend. The much talked about centrepiece was this amazing cake by Dottie's Pantry. There's a brilliant instagram feed showing the latest creations using their unique 'explosion style' design. I'm loving the creativity!

#construction #birthday #cake #diggers #chocolate #ganache #boy #party #2nd #oreo #party #instacakesv#manchester #heywood #Bury @carly_dottiespantry 😍😍😍

A post shared by dottiespantry (@keeley_dottiespantry) on Mar 24, 2017 at 7:33am PDT

The Great Pot Off

I'm feeling inspired this week by The Great Pottery Throwdown. It's so lovely to see such a creative show (let's not mention The Big Painting Challenge). I'm loving the enthusiasm, dedication and camaraderie of the TGPT team - it's all about creating a fantastic pot... wonder how that texture will look? what will the glaze turn out like? will it survive the firing? ....

So I'm enjoying shopping for pots this week, here are some finds.

POTTERY FAVOURITES - EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

top left: double monogram mug - anthropologie, top right: black and white pottery ceramic planter - catsceramics, middle left: celestial coaster - anthropologie, middle: glowing arbour coffee pour-over - anthropologie, middle right: grey geometric dot plant pot - object, bottom left: seventies sage green plant pot - object, bottom middle: trio of seventies ceramics cups - object, bottom right: handmade ceramic plate star - rockett st george

Valentine

It's that time of year - Love is in the air! Here are some favourites.

VALENTINE TOP PICKS - EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

top left: artisan chocolate by mast at liberty, top right: valentine heart stickers from anthropologie, middle: a classic red heart valentine card from paperchase, middle right: ditsy heart tissue paper from paperchase,  bottom left: meri meri valentine confetti popper from anthropologie, bottom right: love you still card by caroline gardner

Greenery

So, we have it, the colour connoisseurs Pantone have announced their new choice for Colour of the Year 2017 - Greenery!

Green has been bubbling away in recent trends, the tropical palm leaf pattern, the faux cactus, the jungalow/botanicals style, to name a few. Pantone is highlighting a current trend moving away from multi colour, florals and brights to a simpler, greener and more refreshing palette.

GREENERY TOP PICKS - EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

top left: 'plant lady' typographic giclee print by botanic tribe, top right: fleur de lys tumbler by anthropologie middle right: kitchen art pear print by showpony,  bottom left: 'thank you' card green by hatch, bottom right: artificial forest fern green wall foliage by artificial landscapes

"Greenery bursts forth in 2017 to provide us with the reassurance we yearn for amid a tumultuous social and political environment. Satisfying our growing desire to rejuvenate and revitalise, Greenery symbolises the reconnection we seek with nature, one another and a larger purpose."

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

We are living in the presence of strongly divisive colours - think the current clashing red vs blues of trump and brexit. Green is nature's neutral, a calming reassuring colour in this era of polarised politics. Pantone's Greenery does not reflect the world as it is but as we would like it to be, something to give us some sanctuary in the intensity of modern life. 

GREENERY TOP PICKS - EMILY HAUCK KARIKA NOVA

top left: bigso medium green media box by paperchase, top right: modern white hanging planter by catsceramics middle left: green home 01 art print by riikka kantinkoski on trouva, middle right: stationery palm leaf notebook by katie housley on trouva,  bottom left: gemology knob by anthropologie, bottom right: green grammar pencils from newtonandtheapple,

For myself, I've always enjoyed freshness of green and am looking forward to using plenty of this in the coming year.

Presently Watching... Why Design Matters

A little thought for the day from The School of Life, Why Design Matters. A mini vid about how good design is essential to society so we can be the best version of ourselves. It certainly makes me feel better! Let's shake off those January blues this week and be inspired.



above: why design matters mini video from the school of life