Red heart card for Valentine's, Weddings or Anniversaries

How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways

February 4, 2014

Just a few days to go before Valentine’s Day! What does it mean to you this year? Are you hoping to be proposed to? Have you just fallen in love? How will this Valentine’s Day be different? No matter how you choose to celebrate, communicating your love for each other is vital. We all love to know how special we are and how much we are loved. The written word has tremendous impact and it endures – it can be read again and again. Giving your loved one a romantic card is a wonderful way to express exactly what they mean to you. Ananya has created a variety of lovely cards just for that purpose. If you are planning to propose on Valentine’s Day, we have special Proposal cards. We have unusual ways to propose and ask that all important question.

Pink proposal greeting card will you marry me?, for engagements and Valentine's Day

Pink heart Proposal will you marry me card for Valentine's Day

If you’re looking for a card that perfectly conveys your feelings, we have a great selection for you to choose from. Whatever else you give your beloved on Valentine’s Day, always accompany it with a card!

We have also designed 12 Little Letters of Love note cards, perfect as a Valentine's gift which can then be used throughout the year. These are 12 love messages to slip into her handbag, his briefcase, under her pillow, his wallet - just use your imagination! Love by Surprise!

There are lots of ways to be creative on Valentine's Day - from baking cute cupcakes and cookies to decorating the home with flowers and hearts. Check out our Pinterest board for some great ideas.

valentine ideas with hearts, cookies, crafts and flowers

What new and exciting ways have you thought of to celebrate this day, dedicated to love?

Do you really need a wedding theme?

January 26, 2014

Today's blog is by Charlotte P who writes the Wedbits blog for the Dessy Group. She talks about wedding themes, which are becoming more and more common - but are they really necessary? Back in your grandmother’s day you just got married.

You’d have chosen a fairly traditional white dress, probably with a bit of lace in it. A veil and possibly a tiara if you wanted a bit of sparkle.

Your brideroom would have worn a new lounge suit or morning coat with a smart tie.

Your cake would probably have been a traditional three tier – either square or round, with each tier propped up by decorative pillars.

Flowers? Probably roses, carnations and gysophilia.

In addition, the wedding was likely to have been held in the morning, with a wedding breakfast afterwards and the bride and bridegroom departing for their honeymoon at sometime in the afternoon.

Fast forward to 2014 and it’s all change.

Nowdays more and more brides decide to have a wedding theme and we’ve seen all sorts. Woodland themes, superhero themes, festival themes, Cadbury purple themes… you think of it and a bride has probably done it.

But is all that theming really necessary? Are you as a bride in danger of overcomplicating things when really your grandmother had it just right?

Well, a theme can be as simple or as complicated as you wish. And really, if you have a theme, no matter how basic, it can actually help you with your wedding planning.

To give you an example, the simplest theme you can really choose is a colour you like. It could be a soft blush pink or a vibrant emerald green.

Use the colour for your wedding stationery, your bridesmaids dresses, in your wedding flowers, your table decorations, your table plan, the sashes you have around your chairs … you get the idea.

If you’d like to take matters a little further you could explore a countryside or vintage wedding theme. Vintage could be a nod to the film of The Great Gatsby. Think Art Deco style invitations, a wedding dress with a flapper style, jewelled headbands …

If you’re more of a boho type and you’re having a wedding in the countryside, then you could give it a festival theme. Consider having a live band to play the music at your party afterwards, scatter haybales around for guests to sit on whilst they watch the show, serve a hog roast, place festival flags around the marquee …

Over the last few years, brides have opted to have a wedding theme because in fact, it’s a way to really personalise your big day and show who ‘you’ are. The old-fashioned formal way was fine, but didn’t allow brides and grooms to show much individuality.

Now at a wedding, the bridegroom can turn up in a sharp new coloured suit and it’s par for the course (and if you’re getting married, why not invest in the suit you’ve always wanted, rather than a morning coat you’re unlikely to wear ever again.)

From the moment your wedding invitation drops through a guest’s letterbox, you’re making a statement about who you are and what your big day will be like.

Having a theme doesn’t have to cost you more money either. In fact DIY wedding days are becoming more and more popular. Brides are creating their own table centrepieces, wedding favours and venue decorations. (My only advice would be give yourself plenty of time and not underestimate how long all this will take you).

So – there are pros of having a wedding theme, and not many cons really. Just think of a theme you like, consider how much time and effort you can give it to working it through every aspect of your big day and then just go for it.

Chinese New Year card, Year of the Horse

Galloping into the Limelight, the Year of the Horse, 2014

January 20, 2014

The Chinese New Year begins on January 31st, bringing with it a shift in energy and influences for a whole year as represented by the symbolism of the horse. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in the Chinese year, and ends with the Lantern Festival on February 14th, coinciding this year with Valentine’s Day!

The yin, female energy of the snake changes to the high yang energy represented by the horse. The horse has been a much loved animal in China over the centuries, helping to win battles due to its strength and speed. It is therefore considered fortunate and thought to bring success.

The horse also symbolises nobility, intelligence and social aptitude. Admired for its free spirit, strength and speed, it is competitive, action oriented and represents freedom and adventure.

Celebrating the Chinese New Year

This is a time for families to come together and celebrate. Remembering and honouring members of the family who have died is also very important
Presents are bought and exchanged and new clothes worn
Houses are thoroughly cleaned as a way to sweep out negativity and bad luck from the previous year, and making way for fresh, new energy and good luck
Lights and lanterns are hung outside homes. Doors and windows are often painted in red and decorations in red and gold are hung on the doors with messages of good fortune. Red is considered a lucky colour as it scares away bad fortune, and gold represents wealth
Younger members of the family are given red ‘lucky envelopes’ to pass on prosperity

The Year of the Horse in Fashion

Never letting an opportunity pass to impress and seduce the label conscious Chinese consumers, global brands have been busy designing special Year of the Horse products.

Here are some examples:

Even RollsRoyce has added the Horse to its horse power!

Not to be left behind, Ananya too, has been putting its creative juices to work and have designed some spirited Chinese New Year greeting cards. Generous use of the ever favoured red colour symbolises luck, happiness and good fortune. Wonderful designs full of blessings to send to friends and loved ones!

What Year of the Horse designs have you seen incorporated in fashion?

Make it a Merry Christmas

December 7, 2013

The word Christmas conjures up a host of feelings and memories, sights and sounds; from mulled wine to mince pies, office parties to wrapping presents. Beyond the outward festivities and activities, however, Christmas is a time for families, for connecting, for giving and receiving. It is a chance for families to come closer, for businesses to thank employees and colleagues.

Christmas also brings out our sense of compassion, our need to help those who deserve a helping hand - a time for generosity and contributing to others in whatever way we can.

As Christmas draws closer, the excitement is palpable – how are your preparations coming along? How many things on your list still remain to be ticked off?

The shops are decked in all their finery, every shop window beckoning us with its best offerings while sparkling street lights make us feel as if we have been transported into a fairy tale.

At Ananya, we love Christmas; the bright colours, the scents and aromas, the beautiful displays which make all our senses come alive. The excitement of Christmas is reflected in our Christmas cards, which are full of colour and vibrancy. While using the traditional symbols of Christmas, like Christmas trees, snowflakes, baubles and stars, we have added our own unique interpretations and combinations to the traditional symbols, making them contemporary, bright and beautiful. Keeping in touch with friends and family, especially those who are far, or those you are not likely to meet is so important at Christmas. Have you sent out your cards yet?

All of us at Ananya wish you a wonderful Christmas and all best wishes for 2014.

Diwali: Festival of Lights or Festival of Feasts?

October 22, 2013

The Diwali celebrations which stretch over five days are a real gastronomic treat. Traditionally, women of the household got together and started preparing and cooking several days ahead of Diwali, making both sweets (known as ‘mithai’) and a variety of savoury snacks. It is a custom for friends and family to go to each other’s homes with wishes of happiness and prosperity, where they will be offered the sweets and snacks that the women have devoted so much time in preparing.

For the Diwali meal itself, the dishes prepared traditionally vary from region to region, with many variations and adaptations by the younger, more adventurous generations. We are dipping into the collection of recipes of Anjali Pathak of the renowned and much loved Patak’s to offer you a delectable recipe to try for Diwali.

As George Bernard Shaw said: “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” Enjoy!

Herby paneer with warm green salad

Serves: 4 people

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the paneer:
1 x 227g block of paneer (available in the chiller cabinet of most supermarkets)
small handful of fresh mint
good handful of fresh coriander
1 red chilli, seeds removed if you prefer, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 egg, beaten
50g breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the warm green bean salad:
250g peas, thawed of frozen
250 g green beans, thawed if frozen
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
good pinch of smoked paprika
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
juice of ½ lemon
75g spinach, washed and drained
sea salt & black pepper, to taste

Methods

1. Whiz together in a food processor the mint, coriander, red chilli, olive oil and pine nuts. Add a good pinch of salt.

2. Cut the paneer in half through the middle lengthways so you have two long flat pieces.

3. Add some of the herby filling onto one half and place another half on top.

4. Cut the paneer into 4 long pieces.

5. Dip into the beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs.

6. Continue with the rest of the paneer. Place on a plate, cover with cling film and chill for at least an hour (if you have time).

7. Fry the paneer in the vegetable oil until golden brown, draining on absorbent paper.

8. In the meantime make the warm green bean salad.

9. Blanche the peas and green beans for 5 minutes in a pan of salted boiling water.

10. Drain and refresh by plunging them into ice water to keep the vibrant green colour. Drain and set aside.

11. Heat half the olive oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, smoked paprika and garlic slices and a good pinch of black pepper.

12. Once the cumin seeds start to sizzle add the peas and green beans and warm through for a few minutes.

13. Remove from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice.

14. Add a good pinch of sea salt and toss together with the spinach leaves and the remaining olive oil.

15. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required.

16. Serve the Herby paneer with the warm green bean salad.

Thank you to Anjali Pathak for sharing her recipe with us. For more of Anjali's delicious recipes, please check out her website.

In addition to cooking for guests, Diwali is one of the most important times to send gifts and greeting cards to your relatives as well as business associates as a way of building and maintaining relationships. Ananya’s colourful selection of Diwali cards is full of the vibrancy and joyous spirit of the festival of lights – a perfect accompaniment to your gift and the ideal way to stay in touch.

Happy Diwali!

Diwali Delights

October 15, 2013

What is Diwali?

One of the most well known and loved Hindu festivals, Diwali meaning a ‘row of lighted lamps’ is approaching. Better known as the ‘Festival of Lights’, it is generally acknowledged to symbolise the victory of light over darkness, and good over evil. To represent this, small earthenware oil lamps are placed around windows of homes and shops and places of worship.

Legends and reasons behind the celebrations

The Hindu Lord Rama returned from fourteen years of exile after the defeat of Ravana; the citizens of Ayodhya, overjoyed at his return, illuminated the entire city with earthen lamps

Goddess Lakshmi’s (goddess of wealth) birthday. People start the new business year at Diwali, with blessings beings sought and prayers said to Lakshmi for a successful year. They light lamps to help Lakshmi find her way into their homes

For those of the Jain faith, Mahavir, considered to be the founder of modern Jainism, attained nirvana on Diwali day

The third Sikh Guru Amar Das made Diwali a day when all Sikhs would gather to receive the Guru’s blessings

In Nepal, Diwali celebrates the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon king Narakaasura

In Bengal, Diwali is associated with the goddess Kali. Kali is known to destroy evil and fights for justice. Through prayers, people seek her blessings for happiness, prosperity and protection against hardships

Preparing and celebrating

Spring cleaning is a must as a way to usher in new energy into your environment

It’s a great time to go shopping, especially for clothes and jewellery. Wearing new clothes during Diwali is a must for those who can afford it

Decorate the entrance to your home or business with a colourful motif called ‘rangoli’. This bright and vibrant design welcomes Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and of course, your friends and family

Make sweets, snacks, and savouries to offer friends and relatives who come to visit. These are traditional offerings for Diwali and are also sent as gifts

Light small lamps or tea lights at night around the home. These lamps symbolise inner light which dispels darkness and brings inner peace

Get together with friends and family, light fireworks and have a blast

Send Diwali cards to friends and relatives, especially those who you will not be able to meet in person. Keeping in touch is extremely important at Diwali.

Ananya has a wonderful array of bright, colourful Diwali cards to pick from; you’re sure to find the right ones for all your friends and family.

Check out our Diwali Pinterest board for more ideas and images.

Diwali greetings from all at Ananya!

Photography credits: Sanjay D Gohil Photography for top image, with model Kaajal C. Vaghela, taken at Michelin starred Benares restaurant

Wedding DIY: Downloadable Bunting

September 13, 2013

Pack A Punch With Buntings; We Show You How Perfect for setting the scene at a wedding, buntings have become hugely popular as a way to add that all important personalised element. With a diverse range of uses and materials from which to craft buntings, you can use them to tell a story, display a symbolic message, or have the bride and groom’s names, as we show you how.

A big display of buntings will look dramatic in a large space, while small ones can stand on guest tables, and even on top of the wedding cake! Easy to put up, they can even be used as decoration for the bridal room. With the incredible choice of colours, fonts, textures and materials available, the possibilities are truly endless!

We at Ananya are all about personalising wedding stationery and below we show you how to create ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ buntings using our template. It’s fun and easy to do, and should get your creative juices flowing to add your own unique touch and flair!

Each bunting template is A5 in size and so there are two templates per A4 piece of paper.

free downloadable wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable yellow wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

free downloadable grey wedding bunting for outdoors summer wedding

- Download the templates and print on white cardstock. - Cut around the templates. - Using a hole punch, punch 2 holes along each corner of the top of the bunting templates (where instructed). - Using a long piece of string, thread through each bunting template, adding knots after each hole as you go along to keep each of the templates in place. - Carry on doing this until you have a sufficient length of bunting.

Please click on the links below to download your wedding bunting PDFs.

'Bride' bunting in green

'Groom' bunting in yellow

'Bride' bunting in pink

'Groom' bunting in grey

Enjoy! Please do send us some photographs of how you have used the bunting...we would love to see them!

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Hot Off The Catwalk: Stationery Trends Inspired By Autumn/Winter Fashion 2013

September 7, 2013

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Choosing your theme or colour scheme for your wedding day is a critical decision as it will set the tone for the entire occasion. Many fashionista brides gather their inspiration from the latest looks on the catwalk. From the dress to the stationery, every aspect of your big day can be customised to resemble your favourite designer’s creative vision.

At Ananya, we pride ourselves on creating dynamic wedding stationery that is on point with the current fashion trends. However, it’s important to remember that this is your wedding and your stationery should truly represent your style. You don’t have to go overboard as there are easy ways to bring to life your favourite runway looks in your stationery. Here we will give you some fun tips on how to reinterpret a key fashion trend, turning simple stationery into haute couture works of art.

Following the colour schemes used by designers is an easy way to show your wedding stationery is on trend for the season. Deeply saturated blue was the hottest shade showcased on the New York runways for A/W 2013. Michael Kors, Lacoste and Marc by Marc Jacobs all incorporated the electric colour into their collections. We love following fashion colour palettes and created these vibrant designs. Plus, they make the perfect Borrowed Blue!

Adapting fabrics and textures into designs is another fun way to make your stationery stand out. At Paris Fashion Week, feathers were all the rage at Louis Vuitton and Alexander McQueen. For the extremely bold bride, feathers can be adorned onto the stationery to truly capture this look. However, if you want to keep it simple, we recommended using feather designs on the invitations. We recreated this trend in our pretty Peacock feather stationery.

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Baroque-bliss_wedding-invitation10_from-£4_ananyacards.com_-300x300

Lastly, Baroque designs and styling were commanding the catwalks in Milan at Just Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana. This theme can be shown through black and gold colour contrasts as well as traditional Baroque patterns. This is a great theme for modern brides who want a bit of old world glamour. Here are more options on how to revitalise this trend into your stationery.

No matter what theme or colour scheme you decide on, remember that embellishments are the most important accessories for your stationery. Glamourous sparkles exude luxury and transform your simple stationery into one-of-a-kind works of art. Our love affair with embellishments will continue to dazzle us into the autumn and winter seasons. Whether you choose a subtle hint of sparkle or a completely bejeweled invitation, it will definitely reflect the splendour of your big day!

Remember, your stationery is the first glimpse of your wedding that your guests will receive. It is important to set your theme early and continue it throughout all the wedding preparations. If you are feeling confused or overwhelmed, just look to your favourite designers for inspiration to be on trend for A/W 13.

Personal Touch and Winning Ways to Make Rosh Hashanah Extra Special

August 28, 2013

Make Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year, memorable and innovative by using some creative ways to add your own stamp to the celebrations or give imaginative gifts. At Ananya, we have done some research and offer you some simple, easy, yet effective suggestions.

1. Personalised Place Settings with a Difference

Each place setting uses an apple adorned with a golden leaf on which is written the guest’s name. This is what you will need:

Heavy gold paper or gold cardboard
hemp or ribbon
a hole punch

Cut the gold paper into the shape of a leaf, in proportion to the size of the apple. Write the name of your guest on the leaf, make a hole at the base of the leaf and pass the hemp/ribbon through the hole and tie it to the stem of the apple. Do this for each guest and place each apple at the correct place setting. It’s quick and easy and looks elegant! If you want, you can write Shanah Tovah on each leaf and have the adorned apples as a centre piece.

You can also replace the apples with pomegranates, which are symbolic at Rosh Hashanah. For other craft ideas, check out Creative Jewish Mom.

2. Apples and Flowers, a Great Match!

Using apples in your flower arrangements is another novel idea to create drama to your table décor. You will need:

A clear glass vase – either tall and narrow, square or round
Some green apples
Your choice of colourful flowers

If using a tall vase, place some green apples into the vase so they almost fill up the vase, add water, then arrange flowers in an oasis and place them at the top of the vase. The contrast between the green apples and the flowers will be striking! If you don’t want to arrange flowers at the top, simply place small colourful flowers interspersed with apples along the sides of the vase and fill it with water. The apples and flowers together will look beautiful. If you are using a round vase, you can fill it with water and add decorative twining stems around the interior of the vase, add apples up to the top of the vase, then allow some contrasting coloured flowers to float at the top of the vase – again the effect can be stunning! Use your imagination and create something unique!

Source: Project Wedding

3. Apples + Tea Lights = Ambience

So simple and so sweet – it can be used either as a centrepiece, on a sideboard or coffee table. You will need:

Apples
Tea lights
Knife to carve

Cut out the centre of the apple to make enough space to fit a tea light comfortably in the apple so it is flush with the top. Then light the tea lights at the appropriate time and watch your friends go “wow”!

Source: Style Me Pretty

4. Going Natural

A gift basket with a difference; an English Ash wood foldable basket from sustainable resources in Cumbria is filled with goodies such as delicious luxury dried fruits and nuts, an Israeli wild flower raw honey, a bottle of Chenin Blanc and a wooden honey drizzler. This is a gift oozing with luxury and will last well beyond Rosh Hashanah.

There are also other choices on offer at Ripe Gifts to wish your loved ones Shanah Tovah!

5. Apples and Honey for a Sweet New Year

It is a simple gift, but full of meaning at Rosh Hashanah, from International gift wrapping expert Arona Khan. An apple sits atop a bottle of honey, both tied together with raffia with a bow at the top! Apples and honey to usher in a Sweet New Year!

While you may not be able to invite all your friends to your celebrations, you can let them know you remember and appreciate them by sending them a card; either with a gift, or by itself. A hand written card is always welcome. Ananya has a range of beautiful contemporary cards for Rosh Hashanah that are sure to please your friends. Make them feel special – send them a card.

Shanah Tovah!

Shanah Tovah! Warm Wishes for a Good and Sweet New Year

August 24, 2013

As Rosh Hashanah and the beginning of a new year approaches in the Jewish faith, we thought we would offer you a couple of easy recipes to try that include some of the symbolic fruits often eaten at this time – the pomegranate, apples and honey. The pomegranate is regarded as the symbol of righteousness because it is said to have 613 seeds representing the 613 Mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah. The pomegranate also represents fruitfulness because of its many seeds, as well as knowledge, wisdom and learning. The apples and honey are harbingers of a good, sweet and holy year. Shanah Tovah and a sweet New Year to you! Refreshing and simple to prepare, they are great dishes no matter what your faith.

Recipe: Pomegranate Guacamole

Ingredients

2 large ripe avocados
1/2 large onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 fresh chilies, serranos, seeded
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
1 freshly squeezed lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Directions

1 Finely chop the onion, garlic, chilies serranos, and coriander leaves.

2 Place in bowl and add lime juice and salt, set aside.

3 Peel and pit the avocados and place in a bowl. Mash with fork slowly adding the tablespoon of pomegranate juice.

4 Add onion and garlic mixture and fold together to make a course pulp. Gently fold in pomegranate seeds.

Serves 6

Source: Recipe and image thanks to www.joyofkosher.com

Recipe: Apples and Honey Tart - an elegant yet easy finish to a Rosh Hashanah meal

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry (1/2 of a 17 oz box)
3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, halved, cored and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
3 tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt
cinnamon for sprinkling
2 tablespoons Honey

Directions

1 Place frozen puff pastry on the counter and let thaw until it is soft enough to unfold without it cracking, approximately 40 minutes.

2 Unfold pastry and cut in half. Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Place the two puff pastry rectangles onto a baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper.

3 Place apples, sugar, lemon juice and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for a few minutes, until the juices start to come out of the apples.

4 Arrange apple slices on the pastry rectangles in a straight line, overlapping as you go. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown.

5 Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle with honey, using 1 tablespoon for each tart. Transfer to a serving tray and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6-8

Source: Recipe and image thanks to www.joyofkosher.com

At Ananya, like the meaning behind the symbolism of the pomegranate, honey and apple, we too are constantly learning and increasing our knowledge and appreciation of other cultures. Whilst the pomegranate and honey were valued symbolically in ancient times, they are very much relevant in today’s world for their health promoting benefits. And an apple a day, as we have been told, keeps the doctor away! Giving new life to ancient traditions and making them appealing, meaningful and contemporary, is at the heart of Ananya’s vision. Our lovely Rosh Hashanah greeting cards capture the essence of this ancient tradition and bring it into today’s world.

Have you bought your Rosh Hashanah cards yet?

Looking For Rosh Hashanah Cards? Here's An Elegant Way To Wish Family And Friends A Happy And Healthy New Year!

August 19, 2013

Rosh Hashanah - the celebration for Jewish New Year - is nearly upon us, falling on 5 September this year.

What Does Rosh Hashanah Mean?

The Jewish New Year - known as Rosh Hashanah - commemorates the creation of the world and lasts for two days.

When greeting one another Jews say "Shanah Tovah" which means "for a good New Year."

Observant Jews will attend synagogue where one of the rituals for Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the Shofar, a ram's horn trumpet. In a special pattern a hundred notes are sounded out. This is something young children particularly look forward to.

After the service, families disperse for a special meal where the theme is sweetness. Families wish one another a "happy and sweet New Year". Apples are dipped in honey, as a symbol of the sweet New Year that each Jew hopes will follow and sometimes a sweet carrot stew called a 'Tzimmes' is served.

The traditional Challah or Hallah bread is served as a round loaf at this time of year, rather than the plaited loaf usually served. This symbolises the circle of life and the year.

Sometimes a pomegranate is placed on the table too. Tradition dictates that a pomegranate holds 613 seeds, which represent each of the commandments a Jew is meant to keep.

Being with family and close friends is a wonderful tradition to keep over Jewish New Year but sometimes this is not always possible. Talking on the phone is lovely, but sending a beautiful Ananya Card for Rosh Hashanah is an elegant way of sending Jewish New Year greetings and messages to far away loved ones.

Our cards have a variety of designs featuring both apples and the tree of life and a message for a sweet new year. You can order the Rosh Hashanah cards online in plenty of time for the end of September - receiving a handwritten card through the post is always a delight.

Here are just some of our designs - you can find the rest on our website.

We also offer cards for other Jewish celebrations, including Bar Mitzvah messages, Bat Mitzvah and Pesach. We pride ourselves on elegant and contemporary designs, so take a look.

What do you enjoy best about celebrating Jewish New Year? Have you any special recipes you'd like to share with us? We'd love to feature them!

Divine Devotion - Ganesh greeting card by Ananya

Raksha Bandhan: From a Simple Thread to a Sacred Bond

August 16, 2013

There is one special day every year in the Hindu faith when a simple thread becomes the symbol of love and protection between a brother and sister. The thread or ‘Rakhi’ is tied by the sister on her brother’s wrist and is considered stronger than a metal chain because it has been imbued with prayers and mantras for the wellbeing and protection of her brother. At that moment, it is transformed from a simple thread to a sacred bond.

That special day falls on the full moon in the lunar calendar month of Shravan (usually in August) and is called ‘Raksha Bandhan’ – the bond of protection. The sister offers her brother sweets as a symbol of her love, and the brother in turn offers her a gift of cash, clothes or jewellery and a promise to protect her and be there for her whenever she needs help. It is a day for celebrating and re-enforcing the ties between brothers and sisters.

‘Rakhis’ have evolved a lot with the changing times, and there are ‘Rakhis’ available in every colour and size, from big and bold to studded with semi-precious stones, to floral. The thread can be replaced by a gold or silver chain and look more like a piece of jewellery than a simple strand of threads. ‘Rakhis’ are becoming more and more ornate with the ‘Rakhi’ vendors in trying to out-do their rivals in coming up with fancier versions each year.

For those sisters living far from their brothers who are not able to personally tie a ‘Rakhi’, Ananya has a range of beautiful, festive coloured cards in which to send your ‘Rakhis’. There are many choices in our Everyday collection, including one from the ‘Love’ series or one featuring the Ganesh God to show him how much he means to you, or even a Thank You card or Note Card to tell him how much you appreciate him.

How will you show your brother that you care?

Ideas For A Destination Wedding

May 28, 2013

Just what is a destination wedding exactly? We'd say that it's really when you get married abroad somewhere. Maybe somewhere a little exotic... a little unusual.

You might be the type of bride and groom who'd like nothing better than to get married on a white sandy beach, with the warm blue sea lapping at your feet, palm trees shading you from the sun and an azure sky up above.

Or maybe you're more the type who fancy a wedding in an Italian palazzo? With picture-perfect mountains in the background. Maybe a lake nearby. Delicious food and warm sultry nights.

Whatever you choose, it's important to get the invitations and save the date cards sent off for your destination wedding as soon as you've decided on a date. Whilst it's lovely for you to get married on distant shores, it probably means that your friends and family will have to make particular plans - and in fact they may decide to make your wedding day the basis of a holiday.

It's elegant if your invitations reflect the style of your destination wedding and we have some sophisticated stationery options for you to choose. Here below are some invitations we created especially for a wedding in Mexico.

Afterwards, you could send out wedding thank you cards with photographs of the two of you together where you tied the knot.

Top Tips For Your Destination Wedding

1. If you're marrying somewhere hot, you'll need to rethink a heavy, detailed wedding frock and consider something lighter - companies like Dessy have specially designed destination bridal gowns that pack without crushing in beautiful, lightweight fabrics.

2. For your flowers, you'll need to consider what is available locally and what's in season. There'll probably be a wedding planner at your venue so talk about the colours and styles that appeal to you. Alternatively you could consider having a jewelled bouquet for the day - something which is certain to become a family heirloom.

3. You'll also need to think about your hair. A stiff lacquered style would look out of place on a beach - so if you're set on having an updo consider something less structured, less formal.

4. If you're marrying on a beach, ditch the heels and go for manicured toes in flats or even flip flops.

5. A long veil won't really work at a beach wedding - you could however go for a birdcage veil or just accessorise your hair with flowers.

Take a look at the Ananya Cards destination weddings board on Pinterest for some more ideas.

Are you having a destination wedding? Where are you planning on going?

Photo credits: Top image via Couples Resorts. Couple on lake via Best Wedding Away.

Passover

March 17, 2013

Passover : A Celebration of Freedom - 25th March to 2nd April

Passover, also called Pesach is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish festivals, commemorating the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.

The story of the Exodus tells how God helped the Israelites escape slavery in Egypt by inflicting ten plagues upon the Egyptians before the Pharaoh would release his Israelite slaves. The 10th plague was the death of the Egyptian first-born. The Israelites were told to mark the doorposts of their homes with the blood of a spring lamb and that would be the sign for God to ‘pass over’ the first-borns in these Jewish homes.

The freed Israelites left in such a hurry that they could not wait for bread dough to rise (leaven). To commemorate this, no leavened bread is eaten during Passover. This is why Passover is also called "The Festival of the Unleavened Bread", and ‘matzo’, an unleavened flatbread made solely from flour and water is eaten during the festival.

Special Service

On the evening before Passover begins, a special service called a ‘seder’ takes place over a meal with family and friends in the home.

The ‘seder’ plate consists of:

A lamb bone
A roasted egg
A green vegetable to dip in salt water
Bitter herbs made from horseradish
‘Charoset’ (a paste of chopped apples, walnuts and wine)

On the table, there are three ‘matzos’ (unleavened bread) on top of each other. At the start of the ‘seder’, the middle ‘matzo’ is broken and the largest piece is hidden. Children look for this hidden piece, and the one who finds it gets a small prize.

Four glasses of wine are drunk to represent the four expressions of freedom from slavery. An extra cup of wine is placed on the table and the door is left open for prophet Elijah who the Jews believe will reappear at Passover to announce the coming of the Messiah.

Innovative Desserts

We've found some desserts not usually associated with Passover - people love experimenting with new, tempting ways to make Passover dessert!

Chocolate cupcake with raspberry frosting

Saffron cake with lemon-fig compote

Matzo chocolate-mint ice cream cake

Here's one we found that matches our Passover cards.

Reciting the Story

During the meal, the story of the exodus from Egypt is read aloud from a special text called the ‘Haggadah’, and rituals that correspond to aspects of the story are performed. Everyone takes part in reading the ‘Haggadah’. Children play an important role in the ‘seder’ and the youngest child recites four questions from the book which ask what distinguishes this special night from all other nights, and the father answers the questions.

The story of Passover has a positive and inspiring message; that one can find freedom from bondage, and that the future can be better than the present.

Our Passover cards set the right tone for this significant festival, celebrated by Jews all over the world. Remember to send cards to your near and dear ones this Passover.

The team at Ananya wish all our Jewish friends and colleagues a very Happy Passover!

Valentine's Day, love, red heart greeting card

Expressions of Love - Be My Valentine

February 10, 2013

Heart honey cookies with lace decoration for Valentine's or Anniversaries or Weddings

No matter how you choose to celebrate, communicating your love for each other is vital. We all love to know how special we are and how much we are loved. The written word has tremendous impact and it endures – it can be read again and again. Giving your loved one a beautiful card is a wonderful way to express exactly what they mean to you. Ananya has created a variety of lovely cards just for that purpose. If you are planning to propose on Valentine’s Day, we have special Proposal cards. As we had shown previously, we have unusual ways to propose and ask that all important question.

There are lots of ways to be creative on Valentine's Day - from baking cute cupakes and cookies to decorating the home with flowers and hearts. Check out our Pinterest board for some great ideas.

heart chocolate cupcakes for Valentine's. Annievrsaries or Weddings

What new and exciting ways have you thought of to celebrate this day, dedicated to love?

Wedding Stationery Trends for 2013

January 10, 2013

2013 has arrived and with it, come the dreams and aspirations of every bride to have her perfect wedding. So what are the trends for 2013 that will help her create the wedding of her dreams and also one that is a la mode? Below are our thoughts... Glitz, Glamour and the Great Gatsby

Great Gatsby green and black wedding invitation

Great Gatsby cream and gold wedding invitation

With the much-anticipated movie the Great Gatsby finally being launched later this year, the 1920’s fashion has already begun to make an appearance. Translating this retro style into stationery will mean soft and shimmery backgrounds, dreamy and lace-textured looks and floral motifs - all heavily encrusted with crystals. Designs can also be bold and geometric and attention grabbing. Quite simply, a feast for the eyes!

Ombré: Shaded, Faded, Gradient

Ombré shaded green and brown wedding invitation

The shaded or Ombré look has definitely caught on, and will continue to be favoured in 2013. The dipped and dyed effect gives the look of colour graduations from dark to light. Often based on a monochromatic colour scheme, three different complementary colours can also be combined. The Ombré look has pervaded clothes, fashion accessories and even cosmetics and will be seen in stationery with dramatic effect.

East Meets West

Bespoke paisley lotus wedding invitation

Bandhani Bliss India inspired wedding invitation

The enduring allure of India and the East is such that time and again, top fashion and beauty houses such as Chanel and Boucheron have been drawn to its multi-faceted heritage for inspiration. This fascination with the East will continue to play an important part in 2013 because of its undying appeal.

Couples are not shying away from choosing strong, dramatic gemstone colours that are rich and exotic, and tones that spell opulence. The designs create a modern interpretation of traditional images and symbols, skilfully harmonising the East and West. Studded with crystal embellishments, they are Bollywood come alive!

Making a Personal Statement

Couples will want the stationery to be an expression of who they are. Whether adopting the latest on trend colour or other popular themes, they will want those themes to be intertwined with splashes of their own choosing – wanting the wedding invite to create the right tone – their tone.

Monograms will continue to be highly favoured as a way to express who we are and what we stand for as well as aspects that embrace our cultural heritage. They can also be adapted for use in a variety of ways to suit one’s needs. Monograms can become a work of art when embellished with crystals, adding that special exotic sparkle and shimmer. It’s no wonder that such gorgeous invitations often become a keepsake – a fabulous souvenir to look back on with pride.

Cool Colour Hot Trend

Exotic Emerald wedding invitation by Ananya

The soft and soothing colour of mint looks all set to become a hot trend in 2013. After the fiery, passionate, colour palette of 2012’s Tangerine Tango, the cool, crisp and fresh tones of mint will be most refreshing. Emerald, Pantone's Colour for 2013, will also be a very popular choice. Cool and serene or majestic and mesmerising, Emerald can be used as an accent colour to add that all important sparkle or as a predominant colour, as deep and vibrant as the Amazon jungle. The main colour can be carried through the entire suite of stationery with variations on tones.

Fantasy and Fairy Tale

Given the uncertain and volatile nature of the events of 2012, weddings in 2013 will be a great excuse to escape from the concerns of everyday living. The stationery will reflect a fantasy world full of magic and beauty. Soft colours, birds and butterflies, layering of designs and a touch of sparkle will create romantic and captivating stationery.

Classic and Always in Fashion

For those of us who like simple and understated chic, the classic look will always be in style - a relaxed feel with timeless designs and quiet luxury that speaks volumes. Soft colours, monochromes, monograms, minimal fuss and beautiful.

What are your favourite trends for 2013? We'd love you to share your ideas with us.

Credits: All invitation designs by Ananya

Easy DIY Idea For A Wedding Guest Book

October 13, 2012

If you're planning a wedding and looking for inspiration then there are some great websites around that offer free advice, hints and tips. Amongst our favourites are Style Me Pretty, Wedbits and of course the unsurpassed Martha Stewart Weddings (which is where today's idea has come from).

This wedding guest book ticks all the boxes. It's made up of individual envelopes into which guests slide a personally written card. It's decorative, elegant and easy to put together. Your guests can put a private message into the envelope, draw a picture (or perhaps even pop in a cheque!)

You need very few materials - this is one wedding idea that looks like a million dollars but actually costs very little.

Materials Needed To Create Your DIY Wedding Guest Book

Scrapbook with blank pages

Small envelopes and blank cards

Paper doilies in different sizes and shapes

Strong paper glue (Pritt sticks work well)

Putting It All Together

Using the Pritt stick, glue the doiles to the scrapbook pages. This creates an attractive 'frame' for the envelopes.
Next, glue the front of the envelopes and attach them to the scrapbook page on top of the doilies - flap side facing up.
At your wedding reception, set up your wedding guest table with a sign showing the guests how to use the scrapbook. Encourage them to take a blank card, write a message and insert into the envelope. If they want to keep it really personal they can seal the envelope.

Remember, you can buy different coloured envelopes and doilies to match up with any wedding colour theme you may be using. You could go the classic route and just offer black ink to write in - alternatively you might like to experiment with coloured or metallic pens.

Whatever you choose, you'll end up with a highly individual wedding guestbook that is sure to cause plenty of favourable comment.

Check out the Ananya Pinterest page

If you're looking for wedding inspiration, visit our Wedding boards on Pinterest where we're gathering together a treasure trove of visual ideas.

Credits: Top image via Martha Stewart Weddings; idea and photograph of purple wedding guestbook by Project Wedding, wish cards by Ananya created especially for Kalyn & Todd's wedding day. Thanks for sharing!

A Bright And Fresh Palette ... Spring Wedding Colours

September 18, 2012

Planning on getting married in the Spring? Looking for a wedding theme? Then you really need to look no further than the colours that Nature can offer you.

Spring Wedding Colours

Marry in March, April and the early part of May and you'll be surrounded by inspiration. Just think of yellow primroses in the hedgerows; green and golden daffodils waving their trumpet heads in the grass; pink blossom on the trees; scented blue hyacinths.

Springtime colours work together beautifully and create a natural palette of shades to choose from that are perfect for a wedding.

Your wedding cake could be a delicate primrose yellow, like this one from The Abigail Bloom Cake Company.

Tiered wedding cake by The Abigail Bloom Cake Company

You'll want your wedding invitations to announce the mood and style of your wedding day. Look at Ananya's wedding stationery which comes in Springlike shades of yellow, green, pink and blue.

You can also order wedding stationery designed to your personal design - this might be the perfect time to commission a monogram for you as a couple.

Have you created a moodboard for your wedding day yet? It's a great place to gather together all your thoughts; put together ideas for dresses, shoes, invitations, flowers, a venue ....

Have a look at the Ananya Weddings moodboard on Pinterest. Plenty of inspiration for you there. Follow us to keep up with our latest finds.

You'll also find a free moodboard tool at Dessy which is really easy to use. You just drag the images you like onto it and play about until you have a Spring wedding theme that you're happy with.

Think bridesmaid dresses and accessories in fresh, springtime colours ...

What colours have you chosen for your wedding theme? Are you letting the season inspire you or do you have another idea? Maybe a hot pink wedding? Or country garden theme? We'd love you to share your wedding thoughts on our Facebook page and post a photograph!

Photo credits: Flower images (from top) Beauty & The Groom, Emma Lappin, Vogue Blog, G Lily. Wedding cake by Abigail Bloom Cake Company. Wedding invitations by Ananya. Green moodboard, bridesmaid dresses and accessories by Dessy.

A Scottish Indian Wedding at Stirling Castle

July 27, 2012

Take Stirling Castle, a Scottish bridegroom, an Indian/Scottish bride, tartan, henna and you have all the elements for a multicultural wedding...

Sheila and Nigel met at work as lawyers and got engaged during an energetic treking holiday in Nepal, where Nigel secretly lugged a bottle of champagne and glasses around in a rucksack, waiting for the perfect romantic moment. Nigel said that Sheila's 'yes' was the most significant and happy word ever said to him .... sigh

Bride and groom at Scottish Indian wedding

Tartan, Kilts, Henna And Choosing A Bridal Gown

Sheila's grandparents were Goan and she wanted to incorporate aspects of Indian culture into her big day and decided to wear a modern lengha after visiting a couple of Indian bridal shows. She picked out the colours of Nigel's kilt in her blue turquoise scarf and had henna designs painted on her hands and feet.

Orange and red calla lilies made up Sheila's bridal bouquet and she continued the bright Indian colours with her stationery, which Ananya was delighted to provide.

Paisley Promise Wedding Invitation by Ananya Cards

Paisley, Pink And Turquoise Wedding Invitations

Of course, with an Indian Scottish wedding theme, Ananya had to create a wedding invitation with paisley in a dazzling turquoise - perfectly combining the two cultures. Hot pink continued the theme and the wedding guests were very complimentary about the cards they received, loving the rich colours and the embossed texture. Sheila comments “I couldn’t imagine having a gilt edged cream invite, it’s just not me. My Ananya invitation cards were beautifully contemporary."

The couple made the day very much theirs in other ways. As it was an evening wedding, Sheila and Nigel didn't feel a cake was necessary and instead extended the canapes and drinks, as that had always been their favourite part of weddings.

Stirling Castle was the most beautiful backdrop and wedding venue and lent a magnificence to the whole day, as you can tell from these photographs ... (click on the image to see it in full size)

Eid gifts: Ananya's top 5 ways to express your love and true appreciation

July 23, 2012

As Eid approaches on 19th August, our thoughts turn to gifts for our loved ones and friends. Gift giving is a widely practised custom at Eid. It is not only a reminder of shared beliefs and commitment to Islam, but also a way to strengthen the bond of love and kinship within the family and community. In that spirit, we offer you our suggestions of unusual and imaginative gifts.

1. The Gift of Time

More important and precious than money in today’s fast paced world is the gift of time itself; without the concerns and interruptions that rob us of the quality of attention we give to each other. Why not give your friend or loved one the gift of an hour or two, or a whole day of doing things you both love, even something as simple as cooking them a special meal and catching up, or going somewhere you’d always planned to, but ‘things’ always got in the way. How about driving to the country and going strawberry picking? The possibilities are only limited to your imagination, so start thinking! Send them one of our cards to tell them all about your gift of time – it will make them feel so special!

Blessings of Eid greeting card by Ananya

2. Henna Decorated Candles

We have found some beautiful bespoke candles hand finished with natural henna and painted with coloured acrylics that have been personalised with Eid Mubarak. The range from Bespoke Henna created by the talented Farrah Azam comes in various intricate designs and sizes, with birds and flowers and includes candles with coloured rhinestones, as well as gorgeous vanilla scented candles and tea lights. Until the 31st August 2012, all Ananya readers can take advantage of a fabulous 20% discount across the full range of Bespoke Henna candles, including the special Eid range. The offer excludes P&P which is £3.99 on a standard order and only available for delivery in the UK. Please use Code Ananya01 and visit the Bespoke Henna website to see the full range.

3. Macaroons for Eid - an Ananya Bobo Collaboration

A first of its kind collaboration of Ananya with Bobo Macaroons luxuriously delicious macaroons to indulge your taste buds especially at Eid! Made with exotic flavours such as dates, figs, honey and almonds in rich and contrasting colours, they come with one of Ananya’s beautiful Eid cards and are packed in a box printed with Ananya’s design. A sweet collaboration and a must have! More details will be released soon, so please keep a look out...

4. Sizzling, Sparkling Jewellery

You can’t beat the wow factor of a sparkling piece of jewellery. And Swarovski know all about sizzle and sparkle when it comes to jewellery. They even have a wide selection of items on sale now, which means your budget could buy even more sizzle! We particularly like the geometric cufflinks for men and Pleasure star jewellery for ladies.

5. Gift Beauty Boxes with an Eastern Flavour

Nationwide retailer Body Shop is offering top-to-toe indulgence with their gift box called Moroccan Rose. It includes a Moroccan Rose eau de toilette, shower gel, body butter and body mist…heavenly! The gift box is decorated with an Eid Mubarak ribbon. If you want to try something different, they also have gift boxes that range from Japanese Cherry Blossom to Midnight Bakula, to Vanilla and Strawberry.

Which is your favourite gift idea? Have you seen any other lovely Eid gifts?