Central & Gus
Hudson Churchill Polar Bear Note Card
Hudson Churchill Polar Bear Note Card
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Over the winter, while Eleanor and Albert Black Bear hibernate, a Skunkworks team (made up of the five little mousekin kids of Midge & Mondo Pines Field Mouse) takes over their bakery, Portage Patisserie. Under the cover of night, they follow their passion, concocting with abandon all sorts of unusual treats. The results are always spectacular - made even moreso when wrapped in their whobakedit mystery.
Far to the north, they knew their friend, Hudson Churchill Polar Bear, was celebrating a birthday. They wanted to do something extra special for him: a tastebud trip through time, all in one perfect cupcake. He was born a plump little dollop of sweetness, looking just like the marshmallow icing that topped the cake. It was drizzled with birch syrup, reminding him of trips into the woods with his Momma and sister, tapping the trees and eagerly slurping right from the buckets. Beneath this sweet swirl, now nestled in his big paws, is the lightest, fluffiest wintergreen cupcake flecked with teaberries. As a pup, his mother would often make a wintergreen cake just like this on Sunday afternoons for their family dinner. And teaberry tea, she’d steep from his father’s freshly harvested berries, served on blustery winter nights while blankets of snow piled up outside, insulating their den.
He looked down at that one single candle, memories vivid in his mind. The flame flickered with a comforting glow. As he debated whether to blow it out and make a wish or enjoy its warmth, he heard movement behind him. Turning around, he knew immediately he’d need neither. His family and friends were all there, providing far more warmth than the little candle ever could, and his wish was already granted. Nothing left but to have his cake and eat it, too.
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Note Card, A6 (4.5” x 6.25”) with envelope in protective cello.
On the reverse of each card is a whimsical tale of the animal featured. Entirely collectible, the stories intertwine, creating a much-loved community of characters.
We print on a luxurious 318 gsm, 100% cotton paper. Soft and durable, this paper showcases crisp detail and vibrant colour. We fell in love with our beautiful goldenrod shade, 90# envelope. According to the ‘World’s Favourite Colour’ study, people associate the feeling of joy with this colour. Also, this is the very shade that enrobes our trusty #2. As all of our images are hand drawn in pencil, we thought it appropriate to give a nod of appreciation.
We donate a portion of gross sales to animal welfare.
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Another great order. We also ordered 2 of the new posters and 1 new square buzzard card. Really like all the new things you added.
So happy to have found this unique and beautiful card line. Grateful for the attention to detail-not only in the work itself, but the added value of the story behind each character (included). I REALLY appreciate the 0 (zero) minimum to order! It really helps out a small business like us to offer goods outside our business model which is fine chocolate & confections.
I truly love the style and cuteness of these cards SO much!!! I can't wait to share with my customers, I know they are going to be a hit! :)
The illustrations are whimsical and stand out in our selection of cards. But the stories on the back really bring a new level to these cards! I have to admit that when we opened the box we had to spend a chunk of the afternoon reading the stories to each other before we put them out. Such a sweet detail that we were all enchanted by! I know these will sell so well in store!!
The cards always put a smile on our faces. Our customers also think there great.
Frequently Asked Questions
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They are — and that's one of the things that makes Central & Gus so unique. Every character lives in the same universe. They know each other, reference each other, cross paths at the switchboard, in the woods, at the patisserie, on the road. Collecting them is a little like reading a novel one chapter at a time — except each chapter fits on your wall or popped in the post for a stamp to someone you love.
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We spent a long time on this. Every Central & Gus illustration is hand-drawn in pencil — and so we are eternally inspired by the classic #2, enrobed in that particular shade of yellow. For that, we call it Ticonderoga Harvest. Studies on colour and emotion find that people associate this shade with joy — which felt exactly right. It also nods, quietly, to our farm roots, everything that grows out of the land, and also to a less tangible but just as important creative harvest. The envelope is not an afterthought. It is part of the story.
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They are extraordinary gifts — and we say that not as a boast but as something we hear constantly from our retail partners and customers. A Central & Gus card is not a card you send and forget. It is a card the recipient reads, re-reads, frames, or keeps in a drawer to return to. The story on the back transforms it from a greeting into a small, meaningful object. We have heard from one customer who had special date-day trips with his young daughter, each time choosing one special card for her coveted collection. The goldenrod envelope alone tends to stop people in their tracks. Another, a fiance purchased the entire set for his partner, a reminder of a day they spotted them in a shop and giggled while reading the stories aloud. These are not cards. They are moments, saved.
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Wholeheartedly yes — and the characters seem to know instinctively which age they are speaking to. Children are drawn to the illustrations, the names, the animals. Adults read the stories and find themselves unexpectedly moved. We regularly hear from customers who frame them in nurseries and living rooms alike, who give them to grandparents and grandchildren in the same gesture. The world of Central & Gus does not have an age. It has a sensibility — and that sensibility tends to recognise itself across generations.
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Yes — and we love that you asked. We offer curated collections and themed bundles. Our Open Water & Coastal set, our Woodland & Hedgerow set, our Wetland & Waterway, or our Start Your Collection bundle are all wonderful entry points. And for those that just wantall of themat once, The Whole Gang brings every character home together at a saving. Bundles make particularly wonderful gifts — there is something about receiving a community of characters at once that feels genuinely special.
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We do — and this is at the heart of everything we do. A portion of every gross sale goes directly to animal welfare. The characters you collect are not just whimsical illustrations — they are advocates. Every purchase is a small act of care for the natural world and the creatures in it. We are deeply grateful for every order that makes this possible.