Mother's Day: The Look - The Midnight Garden

Flowers will soon blossom this spring season so get your fill in our very own midnight garden where soft shades sing out on a bed of deep blue. Our Mother’s day 2015 collection is a classic story of blowsy florals and fine botanicals, be enchanted by the moonlit scene and ultra fresh palette - Mothering Sunday 15th March.

Paloma - The Garden

Evoke the love of Mum with this traditional rose arbour leading home. A special send for a special Mum embellished with a mix of antique rose and soft lilac crystals on a foil embossed finish.

Platinum - The Moon

Reflecting the current trend for constellations and heavenly bodies, this iconic card stands out in modern metallics with midnight blue backdrop and a simple message we’ve all said to Mum!

Quill - The Teacup

A traditional send for Grandma inspired by tea out on the lawn, enjoyed in fine china teacups with cakes on antique embroidered napkins.

To our lovely Belly Button traders - to stock up on our beautiful Mother’s Day collection contact your local agent.

To our wonderful shoppers - look out for our fantastic designs at your local stockists or for a Mother’s day send that's truly unique and special like your Mum CLICK HERE!

Another year, another GREAT SHOW!

WOW, what a great show at the Spring Fair International last week!

Another year of exhibiting, and with Belly Button Designs celebrating 21 years it has been very special.

Spring Fair is where the retail industry comes together to do business on beautiful products. Many years back "in a time when there were not many hand made cards being sold by retailers", our big boss lady Rachel had something new and exciting to bring to the market, "...when I exhibited at the spring fair I was amazed by the reaction. I have exhibited at every spring fair since and still see it as our key show". To this day the reaction still amazes us. the Spring Fair is the UK's largest gift trade fair.

Relive some of our best moments as we've picked a selection of highlights for you to look at...

Be inspired by our beautifully modern greetings card collection - created using fine illustrations and photographic collage and embellished with fine metallic charms - gorgeous!

New additions to our giftware collection with Platinum gift bags for baby.

All our cards are lovingly designed and produced in the UK.

If you are a retailer and would like to stock up on our brand NEW collection, please contact your local agent and get in touch. If you're a shopper, keep an eye out for our award winning collections and exciting new designs at your local card and gift shop! Remember Valentine's day is this weekend x

Celebrating 21 years of contemporary card design

2015 sees Belly Button Designs kick-start the anniversary year with a 2015 collection like no other!

Through the years our designs have always been one step ahead and our creative ethos has stayed the same, that is to design fresh and contemporary greeting cards that reflect current trends. 

“Belly Button is an organic business – no fixed plan, targets or strategies just good ideas, hard work, being nice to people and at the centre of it all a creative pool.”

It all started 21 years ago when our Creative Director and big boss lady Rachel was back in her home city of Manchester from an MA course in Belfast. Working in the contemporary art gallery café along-side like-minded people, she heard about a scheme the city council were running to encourage new business start ups, even the fine arts. Rachel was fortunate enough to be accepted and also got a grant from the brilliant Princes Trust.

A friend who owned a card shop asked Rachel to make some greeting cards – carefully hand painted, and varnished they were handed over. They had sold really well. “I sold my own cards at an art cafe counter, they flew out. I was able to experiment with new designs and get direct feedback, people loved them.”

At a time when there were not many hand made cards being sold by retailers Rachel had something new and exciting to bring to the market. She later exhibited at the Spring Fair and was amazed by the reaction and to this day Belly Button still show new collections every year. 

Over the subsequent years Rachel has built up a team of very special people, “some of whom have been with me for 15 years and more”. The Studio is based in Manchester and is a place that is made up of  talented people who all share a love in design and seek out on trend inspiration in the everyday. It is creative hub that continually works on delivering high standards of excellence. We strongly believe in working with people to seek out new papers and print processes so we can expand our knowledge and deliver new and exciting collections.

So lots of people ask where the name comes from! When Rachel was on her degree at Edinburgh she won a scholarship to Delphi in Greece which the ancient Greeks referred to as the navel or centre of the earth. “It was and still is a very inspirational place. So I decided on Belly Button, its fun and catchy, and it caught on”.

Valentine’s Day - the look: a fine romance

The 2015 Valentine’s Day collection takes inspiration from the current trend for romantic, rambling roses seen in fine Italian gardens, rose arbours and weekend trips for two. The emphasis this season is on fine romance and can be seen in the collection colours of pale rose, true red and metallic champagne.

The Rose
A Valentine staple in true red embellished with fine crystals and foil embossed with modern metallics in the classic Paloma style.

The Long Weekend
Send special Valentine memories of romantic trips for two. Inspired by the fragrance of rose blooms, crisp pastries and fine champagne on a bustling European street. 

Fly Away
Take flight in an old classic, the perfect Valentine gesture!

To our fabulous Belly Button traders - to stock up on our fabulous Valentine's Day collection contact your local agent or visit us at the Spring Fair International, Birmingham NEC until the 5th February on stand 4K70

To our lovely shoppers - look out for our fantastic designs at your local stockists, and remember to get your send in to your romantic interest!

For a Valentine's send  that is truly special click here!