Relive PG Live in pictures

Check out all the photos from the big show and download your favourites

This time last week the greeting card industry was enjoying the delights of PG Live, so PG Buzz felt it’s a perfect time to look over the fabulous pictures from the show.

We’ve already had one brief shuffle through with Friday’s wrap story and now’s the chance for a more leisurely flip through the images from the UK’s biggest annual greeting card extravaganza.

You can check out the albums for yourself here and download any that take your fancy.

**Above: The biggest event of the show is the opening night party where all exhibitors and visitors are welcomed for fun, gossip and a wind-down – can you spot yourself in these pics?**

Above: Earlybird Designs’ co-owner Heidi Early said: “It's our absolute favourite show to do from a publishing and retailer perspective. This year we moved from the village green up to a bigger stand on the mezzanine – it really worked for us. It allowed us to have better meetings with customers on the stand and meant we could have a lot more customers on the stand at one time. And on Tuesday we certainly did! All three of us were flat out. “With my retailer hat on, I like the mid-year timing and think I enjoyed it even more this year because at the start of the year there was so much uncertainty over price rises, but that seems to have calmed somewhat and I feel more confident about the next six months. “I love that all my firm favourites are there then there's also newer suppliers like Ickaprint where we spent our Retas silver ticket, Jess' face was such a picture of joy when we handed the ticket to her! We love her colours and images, they fit our Stoke Newington shop look so well. And we also found a new supplier, Henries award winner Bewilderbeest, where we spent our sunshine ticket! “I always find I'm running around like a headless chicken trying to see as many people as I can - I think I'd like the show to be slightly longer, although I'd probably still run around like a mad woman as there's everyone here that I love and want to talk to! “The water stations, the free tea and coffee, the free lunch, the drinks in the evening, all really add up to make it stand out as a show – absolutely loved Hallmark's paper flowers in the lunchroom, we had our own handmade paper flowers on our stand so it felt like we were completely on trend! I really feel that PG is absolutely the heart of our industry.” Heidi and Dom Early are pictured with Max Publishing’s Jakki Brown, and busy on the stand with retailers Stationery Supplies and Creative Cove. — **Above: Heidi and Dom Early are pictured with Max Publishing’s Jakki Brown, and busy on the stand with retailers Stationery Supplies and Creative Cove.**

Earlybird Designs’ co-owner Heidi Early said: “It’s our absolute favourite show to do from a publishing and retailer perspective. This year we moved from the village green up to a bigger stand on the mezzanine – it really worked for us. It allowed us to have better meetings with customers on the stand and meant we could have a lot more customers on the stand at one time. And on Tuesday we certainly did! All three of us were flat out.

“With my retailer hat on, I like the mid-year timing and think I enjoyed it even more this year because at the start of the year there was so much uncertainty over price rises, but that seems to have calmed somewhat and I feel more confident about the next six months.

“I love that all my firm favourites are there then there’s also newer suppliers like Ickaprint where we spent our Retas silver ticket, Jess’ face was such a picture of joy when we handed the ticket to her! We love her colours and images, they fit our Stoke Newington shop look so well. And we also found a new supplier, Henries award winner Bewilderbeest, where we spent our sunshine ticket!

“I always find I’m running around like a headless chicken trying to see as many people as I can – I think I’d like the show to be slightly longer, although I’d probably still run around like a mad woman as there’s everyone here that I love and want to talk to!

“The water stations, the free tea and coffee, the free lunch, the drinks in the evening, all really add up to make it stand out as a show – absolutely loved Hallmark’s paper flowers in the lunchroom, we had our own handmade paper flowers on our stand so it felt like we were completely on trend! I really feel that PG is absolutely the heart of our industry

Above: To celebrate The Imaging Centre’s 25th anniversary ceo Bob Short (left) came out of retirement for a day trip to the show, pictured with operations director daughter Jess and new business development manager Simon Davis, and the stand was very popular as its margarita slushies were both cooling and delicious, as Simon and Stationery Supplies owner Sarah Laker demonstrate.

Above: Designer Emily Hauck visited Cinnamon Aitch’s stand to see the new Cobalt designs, which co-owners Sara Burford and Sarah Fitzgerald said: “are receiving a fantastic response both nationally and internationally – whoop whoop”!

**Above: It was a jeans day for the Abacus and Clare Maddicott team right at the start of the show, where they saw plenty of traffic on their two stands.**

Above: Washed Up Cards’ ethos is all about sustainability, with owner Flora Blathwayt going beach cleaning to pick up the discarded plastic pieces she uses to hand finish her designs. And her Guess The Number Of Pieces Of Plastic went down well at the show with the very appropriate winner being Rob Hutchins from Products Of Change global educational hub that’s driving sustainable change across consumer products. He’ll be receiving a bundle of 12 handmade cards from Flora.

Above: Taking attention to detail to the nth degree, Rani Moochhala made her own dress from fabric printed in the same design as one of her Paper Mirchi product ranges using the same hand-block printing process.

Above: The Gold, Silver and Sunshine tickets are much prized by both retailers and publishers – here are just a few, Stormy Knight and Jumping Bean; Forever Cards and Bailey’s Ainsdale; Wendy Jones-Blackett and Hugs & Kisses; Rosie Made A Thing and Cards ’N’ Gifts; Oh Squirrel and Pencil Me In; Nigel Quiney and Bentleys & Maddison; Ricicle Cards and LoveOne; Emma Lawrence Designs and Joyce’s Best Wishes; and Penguin Ink with MiMi. — Above: The Gold, Silver and Sunshine tickets are much prized by both retailers and publishers – here are just a few, Stormy Knight and Jumping Bean; Forever Cards and Bailey’s Ainsdale; Wendy Jones-Blackett and Hugs & Kisses; Rosie Made A Thing and Cards ’N’ Things; Oh Squirrel and Pencil Me In; Nigel Quiney and Bentleys & Maddison; Ricicle Cards and LoveOne; Emma Lawrence Designs and Joyce’s Best Wishes; and Penguin Ink with MiMi.

And remember, there are hundreds more pictures from PG Live 2023 available for free download in the gallery here.

Next year’s PG Live will take place on 4-5 June, 2024 in the same venue of the Business Design Centre. Over 50 stands have already been booked! Contact Tracey Arnaud on traceya@max-publishing.co.uk or Warren Lomax on warren@max-publishing.co.uk to find out more.

Top: PG Live is always really jumping!

TAGS abacus cards, Bailey’s Ainsdale, Bentleys & Maddison, Bewilderbeest, Cards N Things, Clare Maddicott, Creative Cove, Earlybird Designs Cinnamon Aitch, emma lawrence designs, forever cards, hallmark, Hugs & Kisses, Icka Print, Joyce’s Best Wishes, Jumping Bean, loveone, mimi, nigel quiney, oh squirrel, paper mirchi, Pencil Me In, penguin ink, pg live, Products of Change, Ricicle Cards, rosie made a thing, Stationery Supplies, stormy knight, the imaging centre, Washed Up Cards, wendy jones-blackett