IN JUST over a year, Hannah Dale's artistic creations have won her two highly-prized "Henries Awards" – the greeting card industry's Oscars.
Her work has also attracted prestigious customers, such as the National Trust, and her cards are now stocked by more than 300 outlets.
And with the festive season around the corner, it's a sure-fire bet that many people will be proudly displaying one of Hannah's quirky and enchanting Christmas Cards on their mantelpiece this yuletide.
"The designs have proved very popular and many shops placed repeat orders in the autumn," said the former Caistor Grammar School pupil, pictured.
"I've already begun designing for Christmas 2013, and I am working on a range based on the 12 days of Christmas."
It's all a world away from what the 30-year-old planned to be doing.
"And despite a long-standing passion for art, she says she pinches herself every day as demand for her cards grows and the orders roll in.
After receiving a first-class zoology degree from Cambridge, Hannah headed to London to pursue a career in investment banking.
"I had always been quite driven and ambitious and I got a lot of satisfaction from the job, but just before I started at Morgan Stanley I met my future husband Jack, who is also from Lincolnshire," she said.
"I don't think I was ever really cut out for city life and in 2008 I moved back to the county when we got married.
"After having the children, I went to work for an accountancy firm. This seemed to relate the most to what I had previously been doing. However, it was totally different from my earlier job and carrying on would have entailed taking more examinations and requalifying."
Wondering what to do next, and finding herself at a complete loss because of the lack of investment banking opportunities in northern Lincolnshire and being unqualified for anything else, Hannah decided the only thing to do was to start her own business.
"While I was at Cambridge, I did a lot of fieldwork and that gave me plenty of opportunities to observe and sketch the outdoors and wildlife," she said.
"I began selling my watercolour originals to friends with babies and shops in market towns also took orders. It is such a thrill when someone wants to spend their hard-earned money on your work."
With her creative juices flowing, Hannah threw her energies into designing five different ranges, with 15 designs in each. From the outset she intended supplying the trade but she started off on her home patch, taking cards out to retailers in towns such as Brigg and Barton.
Hannah's cards, inspired by her love of nature and the countryside, now feature a wonderful range of creatures.
"Everything's taken off incredibly well and my sales are really exceeding expectations," she added. "They are now stocked by more than 300 outlets, thanks to a decision to start using an agent."
But her biggest thrill to date has been her success in her first attempt at The Henries Awards, where she scooped prizes for Most Promising Young Designer or Artist and Best Art Range.
Her business has also been supercharged by two brilliant deals – a contract from The National Trust to supply its 200 shops and the signing of a licensing agreement with Portmeirion, which will see Hannah's designs on products such as mugs and textiles.
To find out more, call 01652 680253 or visit www.wrendaledesigns.co.uk
