We just love this display of our partyware at the Black Ink store in Pacific Palisades, California. We particularly like the brightly colored streamers! Our children’s partyware is perfect for a boutique store display. People love the table centerpieces and here Black Ink are showing our Rocket Ship and Fairy Garden pieces together with our complimentary products from each range. Thanks to Nikki for sending in this picture.

You can find Black Ink at:

873 Swarthmore Ave
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
310-573-9905

. . . to San Francisco peninsula elementary schools.

We are constantly donating scrapbooking and die-cut paper pieces to schools so that they can be used for art and creative projects.
These lovely examples come from the children at the Spanish Immersion School in Redwood City. Thank you to Ms. Zepeda for sending us the pictures!

We won 4 Louie Awards this year, which we’re delighted with! More additions to our stash of over 100 in our history. We’ve had to build a very big cupboard to store them all! This years show was a real success. We had loads of interest in our new partyware and boxed sets. Orders are coming in thick and fast and we’re already hard at work designing a new range for the winter.

Here are the 4 winners . . .

We’re fast approaching the International Greeting Card Awards Competition (or Louie Awards) in New York, the most celebrated awards in our industry. So far we have won over 100 in our brief 25 year history, but this year we have a record number of nominations. Our products have been shortlisted in no less than 17 categories! Many of them are from our new range of Masquerade cards, a luxury range sold at the boutique outlets that have been our main supporters for all these years.

So here they are and if you would like to purchase them just click on the title link:

Thinking of you Bird – 82-1008Q

Wise Owl – 82-1038

Flowers in a Spotty Jug – 10-1173

Animals in Clouds – 15-3009

Humpty Dumpty – 82-1034

King for a Day – 82-1026

Pirate Ship – 82-1028

Butterflies – 82-1004

Ribbon Daffodils – 15-3003

Personalized Bag – 75-0154

Flocked Reindeer with Glitter – 24-0086

Heart Jewel Thief – 15-1742

Halloween Dress Up – 15-2162

Hoppy Hoppy Easter – 15-1574

Get Ready for the Holidays – 42-0007

Gingerbread Family – 25-6113

Hope you like them, please keep your fingers crossed for us and we’ll let you know if we have any winners.

Meri Meri held its 5th Annual ‘Toys for Tots’ Toy Drive recently. Employees were encouraged to bring in one unwrapped toy to donate to local children. The toys were picked up by a local fireman for donation.

The local fireman happens to be Allison’s twin brother! Can you see the resemblance?

If you’ve ever called Meri Meri’s Customer Service department you may have heard some barking in the background.

This is not the Boss! It is one of our furry friends. Employees are fortunate enough to be able to bring their dogs to the office and as many as four can be heard greeting visitors. The newest addition is Chihuahua, Maggie Mei. At 8 pounds, this little dog is in training for the Chihuahua races! Maggie’s favorite playmate is Penny Lane, a Cairn terrier, she loves long walks on the beach and going for cocktails at the dog park! Ruby Tuesday, a Yorkie, is the princess of the group. Ruby enjoys lazy days at the spa when she is not busy at work. Petey, a Rat terrier, has been working for Meri Meri for 12 years! As the senior member of the pack and the boss’ dog, he enjoys many perks like free treats!

It all started for us in Los Angeles and it’s still one of our favorite places. Especially when CARS are holding one of their many fantastic events.

They are an arts and community building organization specializing in festivals and focal events.

Music and dance, storytelling, interactive workshops for children and adults, fabulous food with world flavors, strolling musicians, stiltwalkers – these are just some of the things they do.

CARS events always have a sense of spectacle and play, leaving audiences feeling they have experienced something special, something different – unlike any other happenings in the Southern California area.

So if you’re an Angeleno or if you’re visiting, check out their events listing on their website. Enjoy!

Meet Raja and Rani, the terrible twosome.

They belong to Heidi, in our UK design studio. They’re Bengal cats, originally bred from the Asian Leopard Cat.

There are clear signs of their wild ancestors in these two.

But Heidi assures us they’re very domesticated. She says they’re particularly fond of fabrics and soft furnishings . . .

We love Jon Mcnaught’s work. He’s an illustrator and printmaker with poetry in his veins.

Take a look at this wonderful image, a sort of day in the life of a tree, in sound and images!

Isn’t it fantastic?

Jon works in Bristol, England and exhibits at SNAP gallery.

Check out his website for more. www.jonmcnaught.co.uk

Here it is . . . as promised.

The image that proves we did it.

And this is a good time to introduce you to everybody in the UK. So, on the back row, from left to right
we have Heidi, Jess, Annie, Jayne, Dawn, Cat and Max. On the front row, Idella, Melanie and Donna.

There are some of us missing. Strangely a few of the boys had holiday booked that day! But we’ll get them next year . . . oh yes we will . . .