The Goldcrest Gallery Children’s Corner features an attractive range of vintage greeting cards for young children. In particular, our popular Story Cards are an ideal choice for that special birthday! As well as an illustration on the front, these unusual cards also have a story or nursery rhyme on the back. One of our lovely fairytale designs, ‘A Hundred Years’, relates the story of Sleeping Beauty.
The Sleeping Princess
The Princess is shown fast asleep in a comfortable couch bed on a raised dais. In this beautiful design, the artist has used a palette of blues and pinks. The Princess wears a pale pink gown and a pink coronet. Her golden hair cascades down her shoulder as she rests against a pile of pink and purple cushions. The purple coverlet on the bed spreads over the steps leading up to the dais.
As befits an enchanted castle, the stone steps, archway and wall are coloured a magical pale blue. Above the sleeping Princess, the castle window allows a glimpse of tall turrets and walls covered with rambling roses. A branch of the roses has entwined itself around the window, and foliage fills the aperture. Pink roses bloom over the serenely sleeping Princess.
The purple velvet curtain is drawn to one side. However, it is not needed, since the Princess and the whole castle are under an enchantment! Day and night, summer and winter are suspended here, and time stands still.
The Prince
Another illustration inside the card shows the exciting moment when the Prince climbs up to the window. He is dressed in yellow hunting clothes, with strong boots and a cape. The thick hedge of climbing thorns is so ancient and sturdy that it can easily support the Prince’s weight as he climbs all the way up the castle walls. Now, at last, he is about to clamber through the window to awaken the beautiful Princess from her enchantment.
A Hundred Years – the story of Sleeping Beauty
In addition, on the reverse of the card, there is a third illustration where the castle servants are pictured sleeping peacefully on the steps. In the middle of cleaning and sweeping, the enchantment has caused them to fall deeply asleep. They will only awaken at the moment when the Prince discovers the Sleeping Beauty, and ends a hundred years of slumber with a kiss. The story of Sleeping Beauty is told in a brief précis on the back of the card.
Explore Goldcrest Gallery’s Story Cards and choose something magical for a birthday message!