Every so often, a commission comes along that feels like a small adventure in itself. The Moose and Badger card was exactly that — a bespoke request from a client who asked me to create a custom birthday card featuring, of all unlikely duos, a moose and a badger. Not just side by side, but both wearing birthday hats.
It’s always a joy when someone approaches me with such a specific and personal idea. These are the projects where my paintbrush becomes a translator — taking someone’s story and turning it into something tangible.
How a Bespoke Card Commission Begins
To start, I created two different design options so the client could choose the one that resonated most. From there, the work began in earnest. I used watercolours — my medium of choice for their fluidity and character — to bring both animals to life.
I thought a lot about how these two might interact. It wasn’t enough to simply place them next to each other. I wanted the moose and badger to share a glance, a secret, a sense of celebration that only they understood. In my mind, it mirrored the bond between my client and the person she was giving the card to.
Hand-Painted Original Artwork Included with Every Commission
Once the painting was finished, I digitised the artwork and arranged it into a final card layout — the same process I use across my collections, ensuring everything is printed on responsibly sourced UK cardstock and finished to keepsake quality.
But this commission had something extra. The client didn’t just receive the birthday card; she also received the original artwork itself. It turned the piece into something more lasting — a personal treasure as much as a gift.
What Clients Say About Bespoke Commissions
When the package arrived, the client sent me a message that made the whole process worthwhile:
“Absolutely incredible, beautiful bespoke card & print. Above and beyond – thank you so much!”
It’s in those moments that I’m reminded why I love bespoke commissions. They allow me to step into someone else’s world for a short while, and to create something that captures a story only they fully understand.
Why Bespoke Illustrated Cards Make the Most Meaningful Gifts
The Moose and Badger card is a reminder that greeting cards can be so much more than paper and ink. They can be markers of relationships, inside jokes, or shared memories — tiny artworks that carry meaning far beyond the moment they’re opened.
And for me as an artist, they are opportunities to explore unexpected pairings (a moose and a badger, after all!) and to push my creativity in directions I might not have gone alone.
How a Bespoke Commission Works
Starting a bespoke commission is simpler than you might think. There is no form to fill in, no brief to write, no need to have everything figured out before you reach out. All it takes is a conversation.
You tell me about the person you are making something for — who they are, what makes them laugh, what they love, what connects you. From there, I take care of everything. I will come back to you with ideas, sketch out possibilities, and work with you until what is on the page feels exactly right. The process is collaborative and unhurried, and nothing moves forward until you are happy with the direction.
Every commission ends with a finished card printed on responsibly sourced UK cardstock — and where it feels right, the option to receive the original hand-painted artwork too, just as the client in this story did.
To begin, simply drop me a message at bozena@bozenaallisonstudio.com or use the studio contact page. I reply to every enquiry personally, and I would love to hear your idea — however specific, however unexpected.
What Occasions Suit a Bespoke Commission?
The honest answer is almost any occasion where you want to give someone something that could not have been made for anyone else.
Bespoke cards and illustrations work beautifully for milestone birthdays — particularly those significant ones where an off-the-shelf card simply will not do. They make wonderful anniversary gifts, retirement presents, and new baby keepsakes. They are perfect for celebrating someone who is hard to buy for, or for marking a moment that deserves more than words printed by a stranger.
And sometimes — as with the Moose and Badger — the occasion is simply that you know someone well enough to know exactly what would make them smile. That is more than enough reason to begin.