Central & Gus
Llewellyn Caradoc Wood Stork & li'l Joe Buick Squirrel Note Card
Llewellyn Caradoc Wood Stork & li'l Joe Buick Squirrel Note Card
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The universe sings. It sings through the crickets and the birds and the rippling current in the river. It sings through the breeze rustling the marsh grasses and it sings through the creaking of the trees. It sings of purpose and path; of why every one is here. Li’l Joe Buick Squirrel’s parents heard the music, and recognized it. It was somehow familiar and, they knew, their son was on his way. The couple waited excitedly at the front door, their gaze panning the horizon. Llewellyn Caradoc Wood Stork had been flying through the night to make this delivery on schedule. The sun was just cresting the hills to the east of the old flowering crabapple tree - their tiny home - as he rounded the last turn. Li'l Joe Buick, Llew’s precious cargo, seemed to be eager to make his arrival. From his sachel, the tiny squirrel peeked out, filled with anticipation, tail a-twitching.
The Public Carriage Office, responsible for regulating and licensing kinder-cabriolets, authorizes only a handful of storks to carry the community’s petite voyageurs. Llewellyn Caradoc aced every test put before him, knowing that this is what he was born to do. Nothing gave him greater joy than delivering infants to their forever homes, some so small, with eyes still shut tight; others, eyes aglow and helping navigate like a practised backseat driver. Llewellyn and Li’l Joe finally landed, his parents scurried down the tree to the lawn. As they cuddled their son, Llewellyn echoed the universe's ballad, which they in turn sing to lull Li’l Joe to sleep. The notes soothe, and the words inspire and comfort. As he grows, if he listens and remembers, they will be a guidepost on his journey. And when the day comes that Li’l Joe has his own Li’l One, another verse will add on to his, which has become part of his parents', and so on. As the family grows, a song is created, telling its story. Should Li’l Joe ever feel lost or alone, all he has to do is listen. He will once again hear the crickets and the birds and the rippling current and the marsh grasses and the trees, and he will hear his parents and their parents and their parents before that. And he will once again know his purpose and path. This verse will carry him home.
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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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I just love these cards and prints (and the yellow envelopes!!). Wholesale pricing is on par with others. My package arrive very damaged and wet but since the contents were well packaged, nothing was damaged (with the exception of the very wet packing list). Love the quality!!
These cards have been an absolute winner in our little market! Some purchased for an occasion but so many people just buy 4 or 5 just to have on the ready!! Its an odd day if we don't sell any. The stories of each character add to the value and experience of the purchase and overall satisfying visit to our market!
We love these gorgeous cards They come with a wonderful story each and I know our customers will love them!
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.