St David's Day Greeting Cards and Gifts

St David's Day (March 1st) is less widely celebrated than St Patrick's Day, but even so, it is celebrated by the Welsh community in Patagonia as well as in Los Angeles, amongst others, some of them listed here!

Unfortunately, although the devolved Welsh Assembly in Cardiff wants to respond to the wishes of the people of Wales, who would like their national Saint's Day to be a public holiday, the Westminster government refuses to agree to it. Nevertheless, a great many Welsh people find ways to celebrate St David's Day with eisteddfod's, male voice choral concerts, flying the Welsh Flag, wearing Daffodil or Leek hats or parades in Welsh traditional costume!

What could be more typical of Wales than a girl in the traditional Welsh costume, with its tall black hat, red cape, black skirt and lots of white lace? This is just a small selection of the St David's Day greeting cards and Welsh Girl gifts in my Posh'n'Painterly Cymru Zazzle store, many of them ready for you to customize.

Click on the image to see the full 'Welsh Girl' collection - 

Cute Welsh Girl St David's Day Gifts and Cards  

So who was St David, the Patron Saint of Wales? 

You can read what little is known about him here. But in spite of knowing so little about him, the people of Wales are very enthusiastic about celebrating St David's Day - Wales is, after all, a Celtic nation and they have a tendency to be pretty passionate about everything they do. It seems to be in the DNA - and, by the way, that's probably why I wholeheartedly support the Welsh Rugby team, in spite of being English - even when Wales play against England. It's infectious!

A few years ago, I designed and printed St David's Day greeting cards with collage Red Dragons and they flew off the display stand in local shops!

More recently, I've designed more Red Dragons - like many artists, I find them irresistible to draw! Curious about how the Dragon comes to be a symbol of Wales - a sheep might be more appropriate, as there are more sheep than people in Wales! - I did a bit of internet searching. This is what I found - Red Dragon - The Red Dragon of Wales. 

However, picturesque though the dragon is, I think the choice of a dragon for the main Welsh national emblem is purely symbolic. When I was researching St Carannog for another of my illustrations for the Lost Angeles celebrations, I discovered that in many myths and legends it was customary to represent any wicked, bloodthirsty warlord as a dragon.

Not that my most recent dragons are in any way wicked or even fierce-looking!

Here are just a few of my Greeting Cards and Gifts with a Red Dragon, one of the best-known symbols of Wales. You can find many more greeting cards and gifts with a Welsh flavour in my Posh'n'Painterly Cymru store. 

Click on the image to see the full 'Red Dragon' Collection -

Red Dragons  

I mentioned that some Welsh people wear 'daffodil' hats, not only on St David's Day, but there are many to be seen in the crowds at the famous 'Six Nations' rugby tournament in the springtime, whenever Wales are playing. There are often giant leeks to be seen as well, another of the traditional Welsh emblems! Why daffodils? And even more puzzling, why leeks? 

Well, I was intrigued by this - Wales seems to have so many special symbols, surely the humble leek isn't necessary? So I did some googling and what I discovered is included in this earlier blog post - it's quite a tale!!!

Daffodils are one of the national emblems of Wales, along with the Leek, the Harp and the Red Dragon. So one of these 'Daffodils' St David's Day cards might make a welcome change from the usual Red Dragons! Also the 'Daffodils' gifts would be welcome at any time of year and there are plenty more to choose from in my Posh'n'Painterly Cymru store on Zazzle.

Click on the image to see the full 'Daffodils' collection -

Daffodils for St David's Day

A couple of years ago, I decided to open a specifically 'Welsh' store, Posh'n'Painterly Cymru, on the Zazzle platform. 

And the wide choice of Welsh symbols set me off designing more greeting cards and gifts that incorporated them, including this one that features them all -

Here's the blog post in which I launched them and you might be interested to read some of my observations about Wales, having only moved here from England quite late in life. 

So here are just some of the many Greeting Cards and Gifts with the traditional Welsh Symbols in my Posh'n'Painterly Cymru store:

Click on the image to see the full 'Welsh Emblems' Collection -

Welsh Emblems  

Living in Wales seems to provide me with a multitude of inspirational images that I can draw on for my greeting card and gift designs! 

There are, of course, the traditional Welsh Tapestry designs - 

Click on the image to see the full Black and White Welsh Tapestry collection -

Black and White Welsh Tapestry Patterns  

Lots more, in different colours, in my Posh'n'Painterly Cymru store!

And then there are my Silly Sheep!

Click on the image to see the full 'Silly Sheep' collection -

Silly Sheep  

One of these cosy Throw Blankets would make a wonderful winter gift!

Click on the image to see the full 'Throw Blanket' collection -

Throw Blankets with a Welsh Flavour  

And then, of course, there are the Coffee Mugs, some with the text in Welsh!

Click on the image to see the full Welsh Coffee Mugs collection -

Welsh Coffee Mugs  

Not forgetting my special collection of Welsh 'Gifts for Him'!

Click on the image to see the full 'Welsh Gifts for Him' collection -

Welsh Gifts for Him  

And taking off my 'Designer's' hat in favour of my 'Painter's' hat, here are some prints and posters from my original soft pastel paintings of Wales -

Click on the image to see the full collection of 'Fine Art Images of Wales' -

Fine Art Images of Wales

I hope you've enjoyed this 'taster' from my Posh'n'Painterly Cymru store. 

And I wish you a very Happy St David's Day, wherever you are and however you spend it!

Primroses and Violets for a February Birthday

Finding a different birthday card for a friend or relative, year after year, can be a challenge, especially if we're looking for something that will be special to that person.

I've just been ordering birthday cards for my friends and trying to remember which ones I sent them last year! 

Of course it helps that so many of the cards we can buy online can be personalized. It's not difficult to do and yet it can make a big difference because the recipient will know that we didn't just rush out to the nearest store and pick up the first card we found!

A 'photo card' is another option - slightly more complicated to create but not too daunting, especially once you've done it a few times.

And here's another idea - take advantage of the 'Birth Month Flowers'! Each month has at least one well-known flower designated to it. You can read about them on this website. Some of the suggested flowers seem completely out of season for me, here in the UK.

But both of the February Birth Month Flowers, the Violet and the Primrose, are very familiar to me and relate to the right time of year - more or less!

I have plenty of wild violets in my front garden! When I first moved into my house, I tried to get rid of them to make room for the flowers I wanted to plant. But because a quite rapidly growing Magnolia Tree spreads its roots throughout the garden, it was a losing battle. So I gave up and allowed my front garden to become a 'woodland' area with the only plants that enjoy the shade and the poor soil - mainly bulbs, lilies of the valley and the violets! The lilies of the valley are gradually spreading from one side and the violets from the other and they almost meet in the middle and I'm wondering which will win when they eventually meet!

Here's a webpage about 'How to Grow Wild Violets'  - not that mine have needed any help from me; they manage pretty well all by themselves. But I didn't know that they are edible until I read this article.

 

As I wrote in this earlier blog post, these little Wild Violets don't add a lot of colour to a garden, especially where they are often almost hidden amongst the fallen leaves. It was only on closer inspection for the purposes of painting them, that I 'got to know them' and began to appreciate them. They certainly live up to their description of 'Shrinking Violets', another of my earlier blog posts!

A Birthday Card or Gift with a 'Sweet Violets' pattern would certainly be special, especially as many of the cards and gifts in my 'Sweet Violets' collection are ready for you to personalize! So go ahead and choose from dozens of 'Sweet Violets' gifts and make it even more personal with your own customization. There's even a choice of 'Sweet Violets' wrapping papers, tissue giftwrap and gift bags to add the finishing touch - and don't forget that if you see a design you'd like on a different product, you can contact me through my store and I'll create what you need, at no extra charge, usually well within a couple of days.

Just click on the image below to see the full collection -

Sweet Violets February Birthday&tc=bl  

February does seem a little early to be seeing the other February Birth Month Flower - the Primrose. I associate them with springtime, but here in the UK they are usually at their best around Easter Time.

Here's my earlier blogpost about how I used to enjoy going out to the woods to pick them as a child. There is some confusion about whether we are allowed to pick wild flowers - understandably because some are becoming rare in the wild now. But this article from the Wild Flower Society - Wild Flowers and the Law - clarifies the situation and, although the wholesale digging up of wild flower plants certainly doesn't help our countryside to flourish, it's fine to pick a posy of primroses, just as it was when I was a child.

The 'Primroses' image I've used to make the repeating pattern below began as a print I made in a screenprinting class almost 30 years ago! I was living in the centre of Norwich at the time, with not many opportunities to get out into the woodland to see the little pale yellow primroses growing in the wild. But I did - and still do! - often buy the larger cultivated primroses in a variety of bold colours to brighten up my front porch in winter. I've even grown them from seed in the past, which works out a lot cheaper! Sometimes you can plant these cultivated primroses out in the garden once they've finished flowering and if they thrive there, they provide a bright spot when there's very little colour around in the gardens.

And it was from a group like these that I drew my 'Primroses' motifs for the screen print and luckily I kept the original drawing so I was able to paint them in gouache to make the repeating patterns that have become popular!

Here are just a few ideas to make someone with a February Birthday feel really special! The primrose is one of the earliest flowers to bloom but you may not know that it happens to be one of the February Birth Month Flowers. So why not celebrate a February Birthday with a special 'Primroses' Birthday Card and a gift with this pretty Primrose pattern? There's also a range of 'Primroses' gift-wrapping papers, gift bags and even matching gift tags! And you'll find an even greater selection of 'Primroses' cards and gifts if you visit the 'Painterly Florals' section of my Posh & Painterly Zazzle store.

Just click on the image below to see the full collection -

Primroses for a February Birthday  

So, whether you choose Violets or Primroses you can be sure that the Birthday Girl, whatever her age, will appreciate your Birthday Card and Gift choice!

Valentine's Greeting Cards and Gifts

Love it or hate it, it's hard to escape the fact that Valentine's Day follows quite quickly on the heels of the Christmas and New Year holidays!

And the Welsh version - St Dwynwen's Day - arrives even sooner, on January 25th, as even Derek Brockway, the well-known BBC Wales weather forecaster, never fails to remind us.

St Dwynwen is the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers

and her feast day is celebrated on 25 January. So here's a selection of Greeting Cards for St Dwynwen's Day, all of them ready for you to personalize. (You can find out more about her in this archived blog post.)

Click on the image to see the whole collection -

St Dwynwen's Day Gifts and Cards  

But back to St Valentine's Day - I've written several blog posts about this somewhat controversial 'holiday' in years gone by so there's no need for me to go into detail the origins of St Valentine's Day. But if you want to read one of the most likely-sounding theories about St Valentine and why he has been adopted worldwide as the Patron Saint of Lovers (except, maybe, in Wales), here's an article that claims to be the real story.

Whatever the truth of the origin of this special season, it's true that, on February 14th each year, millions of girlfriends, wives and miscellaneous sweethearts hope to receive some special token of their lover's undying affections. And they are likely to be extremely displeased if nothing suitable is forthcoming!

This can even cause a major hiccup in a relationship! And if young girls - or older ones, for that matter! - foolishly measure their worth by the quantity and quality of the Valentine's cards and gifts they receive, it can become a major problem.

In truth, though, St Valentine's Day is more of a challenge for the men and the boys, unless they happen to be one of the more romantically inclined males, who are rather few and far between.

For a start, a great many men do not even like going into greeting cards stores at the best of times. So venturing into a card store at a time of year when it's particularly full of red hearts and roses and 'mushy' verses, takes a lot of nerve!

And as for coming up with an original idea for a Valentine's gift, year after year, that, surely, is too much to ask!

Of course there are always the traditional bouquets of red roses - that's a pretty safe bet. And a romantic dinner for two in a favourite restaurant will probably always be well received. Cute, cuddly teddy bears may be the answer for some, but they're certainly not every woman's dream!

So what if you want to do something different, something a little bit more original? Where do you go for ideas?

Well, here are a few to start you off! And they don't even involve you in that dreaded business of going into a store because you can shop online. What's more, many of them are ready for you to personalize and that's sure to make a really good impression.

All ready for St Valentine's Day! 

A collection of Valentines cards and gifts with bright pink and blue hearts, made from a hand-painted paper collage, ready to personalize. 
The same hearts, together with paper collage pink flowers on a magenta background make for a chic pattern on romantic gifts for the one you love!

Click on the image to see the whole collection - 

Magenta Hearts

Valentine's Day Cards and Treats! 

Red Roses and Chocolates. Nothing can express your Valentine's Day sentiments better than these - unless, of course, it's a very specially Personalized Box of Chocolates! 

So choose a gift for your loved one from these pretty Valentine's Day designs, all with matching Valentine's Day Cards and Chocolate-dipped Oreo Cookies to customize - and now there are even matching Gift Bags and Favor Boxes to present them in! 

You can guarantee she'll be impressed!

Click on the image to see the whole collection -

Valentine's Day Cards and Treats  

Everything you need for St Valentine's Day! 

Chic Greeting Cards, Wrapping Paper, Ribbon and Gift Tags and Lovers' Mugs - all with country-style 'Hearts and Roses'. Plenty more 'Hearts and Roses' Gifts in my Posh & Painterly store -

Click on the image to see the whole collection -

Valentine's Day Greeting Cards and Gifts  

Love Pillows or Cushions!

A collection of romantic pillows or cushions for someone you love, your girlfriend, wife, partner or your mother or grandmother! 

The pillows come in various shapes and sizes, some have hearts or roses while others have the word 'Love' in faux applique. Sure to be a welcome gift for many occasions as well as St Valentine's Day!

Click on the image to see the whole collection -

Love Pillows

Romantic smartphone cases with hearts and flowers - the perfect gift for a girlfriend or partner. All Case-Mate cases are available with these designs - choose the one you need from the drop-down menu under Device Type on the product page.

Click on the image to see the whole collection -

Phone-cases with Hearts  

Love-themed Postage Stamps -

to add the finishing touch to many occasions: Weddings, Anniversaries, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and many more! (sadly, for use in the USA only.)

Click on the image to see the whole collection -

Postage with Love

Here's a selection of Valentine's Day Cards with the greeting in Welsh, along with all sorts of romantic gifts and treats for your loved one, even if they're not Welsh!

And there's even matching Gift-wrapping Paper and Gift Bags to add the finishing touch! (Some silly Welsh Sheep have also found their way into this Collection!)

Click on the image to see the whole collection -

Welsh Valentines Day Cards and Gifts  

And finally - if you are at all confident in the kitchen, you might want to cook a special meal for your beloved, whether that's a 'him' or a 'her'! What could be a clearer sign of your devotion - as long as you clear up after yourself!

Here's a blog post from a while ago with one of my favourite Valentine's Day recipes - Recipe for a Valentine's Feast!

Alternatively, there are some pretty imaginative Romantic Recipes here, on the BBC website. Good luck with those if you decide to try them - you might want to do a practice run first!

It just remains for me to wish you all a Very Happy (and stress-free!) St Valentine's Day and hope that you won't need this 'Missing You' card for an Absent Valentine!