Greeting Cards
Whitby Valentine European Hedgehog Greeting Card
$ 5.00 USD
7 x 5", blank inside
ON THE BACK OF THE CARD:
As Whitby Valentine Hedgehog ambles along the overgrown trail, he starts thinking about how many times he’s made this trip into town and back: every day, year after year, since he could walk. He doesn’t scurry along as he did when he was just a hoglet; he doesn’t even move along briskly. No, these days, it is definitely a meander, and he is just fine with that.
As he heads into his twilight years, Whitby may have less might and dexterity but at least the universe gifts him with a growing reserve of wisdom and patience to offset. His eyesight is fading, too - a more difficult adjustment - but Whitby figures it is simply an opportunity to see with the heart rather than the eyes alone. True, he now listens better and speaks more thoughtfully, and even though he had a beautiful spirit before, he now connects with others more deeply and wholly. As Whitby rounds the final curve of the brae, gingerly treading up four low, wide stairs before reaching his house, he steps squarely on a fire ant hill. Totally unintentional, of course; his eyes being dim, he couldn’t see. But those ants, protecting their formicary, alert Whitby of his misstep by nipping at his legs straight up to the knees. Unbeknownst to him, James Willoughby Red Squirrel, a stained-glass artist by trade, had been perched in a nearby tree and saw the entire debacle. As Whitby bumbled home to soak the sting away in an herbal bath, James returned to his studio, inspired to help. Being ever resourceful, he found some old pop bottles and, from their bases, was able to chisel two thick magnifying lenses just the right size. He fitted them into makeshift wire frames, and they fit perfectly.
Whitby Valentine loves his new spectacles and wears them proudly; he is eternally grateful. So are the fire ants. But, from time to time, he’ll leave them on his console table as he heads out just to remember what it means to really see.
Midge & Mondo Pines Field Mouse Greeting Card
$ 5.00 USD
5 x 7", blank inside
On a separate sheet, accompanying the Art Poster:
Midge and Mondo get on like a house on fire. And whenever they’re around, everyone knows it - there is such a spark between the two; it is both electric and contagious.
No one knows how or when the pair met; they’ve just always been. Daydreaming, talking, or simply cozied up with each other reading. Usually, if the latter, it’ll have something to do with cars. Mondo’s four-wheel love is the iconic Porsche 911, while Midge fancies a beefy 1969 Corvette L88 with the ZL-1 big block.
But, when reading turns to daydreaming, they chatter away about restoring an oldie: a 1949 International Harvester Half Ton. They found the mix of curves and power absolutely titillating. Heaven forbid (for the community at large) they should actually ever get it built, though. How on earth they’d negotiate the steering wheel, the gears, and the brakes clearly hasn’t come up in conversation.
Albert Finnegan Black Bear Greeting Card
$ 5.00 USD
5 x 7", blank inside
ON THE BACK OF THE CARD:
Albert Finnegan always appreciated a good tea party and hosted them often. But he got to thinking, “Why serve dainty finger sandwiches and delicate petit fours when I have all of these blueberries from up the hillside? I'll serve nice BIG pieces of pie. A-n-n-n-d I'll serve them on dinner plates, even if it is only mid-afternoon!” So he did.
Albert's tea parties were always a great success due, in part, to his generous portion sizes. But it was his charming personality and make-you-weak-at-the-knees recipes that had everyone coveting an invitation. So, after much encouragement from the neighbourhood, Albert and his love, Eleanor, opened their waterside patisserie, Portage. Dawn 'til dusk, they are serving up all sorts of sweet treats. Swim, slither, walk, or fly to Portage; eat on the patio or take away. But get all you can while you can because, come the first sign of snow, the culinary couple will be packing it in for the winter
Murray Maynooth Moose Greeting Card
$ 5.00 USD
A standard 5" x 7" greeting card with a blank interior.
From the back of the card:
Murray Maynooth, a very gentle spirit, is a veritable Thoreau on four legs. He lives in an off-the-grid, solar-powered geodesic dome constructed entirely of found twigs whittled to perfection by his old friend Ford Buckminster the Beaver.
Being a staunch vegan (his favourite autumnal treat is baked butternut squash with birch syrup), Murray spends his mornings foraging for berries and vegetables and crafting his harvest into wonderfully tasty treats.
Afternoons have him leisurely toot-tooting around the neighbourhood on his trusty bicycle. Not simply for the exercise: he loves the social that his daily ride offers. Stopping to chat at nearly every house, Murray always leaves a much appreciated package of preserves. The exchange of ideas is always invaluable, providing the pith for his ever-developing philosophies.
Newton Chapel African Elephant Greeting Card
$ 5.00 USD
7 x 5", blank inside
ON THE BACK OF THE CARD:
Newton Chapel African Elephant was born with a curiosity about music. Understandably really, as he watched the herd respond to seemingly inaudible sound vibrations from many miles away. Or felt the thunderous drum-like beats reverberate to his core when running with the clan. As a toddler, he would rummage through his parents' music collection with pencil in hand, unwinding every cassette tape they had in the hopes of finding the music it held. It’s abstruse and ethereal nature only furthered his fascination.
To celebrate his second birthday, the herd saved its pennies for something very special. It arrived in a huge shipping crate, weeks early, which gave him plenty of time to investigate. Running his incredibly sensitive sniffer along every crack and seam, Newtie hoped the treasure would reveal itself. It did not. Accompanying this was a second box, especially for him from his parents, very beautifully wrapped, and clearly a partner to the peregrine present.
When his big day arrived, it took Newtie all of ten seconds to break into the box. Silence. He looked at the odd thing, and then at his family and friends, and back at the odd thing. Helping him open the smaller parcel, a collection of classic records, they placed one onto the turntable of the odd thing and flipped a switch. Newton jumped back in surprise. Music resounded from the odd thing’s nose. Instinctively, and to everyone’s amusement, he trumpeted back a reply. They had gifted him a gramophone and, after explaining just what it was and how it worked, Newtie was in love.
While he no longer tries to find where the music hides, he’s enthralled with this magical device. It continues to gift him with respite, strength, inspiration, revelry, reverie, comfort, connection and, paradoxically, moments where he can both lose and find himself.
