Nico Made's whimsical, nature-inspired greeting cards

Notes to Shelf

Hold the phone. When it comes to maintaining quality relationships, an I <3 U!! =) text isn't going to cut it. You need to play your cards right with an actual card.

Stack the deck with Nico Made's whimsical greeting cards. Graphic designer Nicole Ferrara layers nature scenes with graphic linework for depth and texture. Her new summer designs, just into stores, brighten the lineup with iconic Hawaiian images done in vibrant sherbet and citrus hues.

The cards truly are a labor of love (Aloha Diamond Head was taken from a doodle Ferrara drew while designing her own wedding invitations!). The 34-year-old Maryknoll graduate sketches everything on paper, colors them digitally, then has them locally printed onto thick, partially-recycled cover stock for a bold, matte finish.

If florals and landscapes don't speak to you, pick up Ferrara's original fish and sea urchin designs instead. Or, keep a Happy "fill-in-the-blank" card up your sleeve, ready for any special occasion.

Now that's how you make a rainbow connection.

Approximately $4 per card or $16.50 for set of six, available on Oahu at Fighting Eel, Owens & Co., Paiko, Red Pineapple, SoHa Living, and Guava Shop, or online at NicoMade.com.