Matilda Is Six — The Paintings & The Suite

Why this cut exists

The paintings came first.
This document says so.

Six watercolours were painted for Matilda's sixth birthday before a single card was set. Every piece in the suite is an arrangement of them — the invitation is Jam the rabbit with type around him, the menu is a pear branch down one edge, the thank-you card is a strawberry patch.

The standard final-designs document shows the nine finished pieces and never shows a painting on its own. That is the right document for a client approving production. It is the wrong one for seeing what was actually made. So this cut leads with the artwork, then groups the pieces underneath the painting each one carries.

The paintings

Six watercolours. All six now placed.

Jam the rabbit holding a strawberry, among strawberry plants. — Jam the rabbit

2752 × 1536 · PNG

**Carried by**Invitation · Favour tag

A single strawberry with its white blossom and leaves. — Strawberry & blossom

2368 × 1792 · PNG · cut-out available

**Carried by**Envelope & liner · Place cards

A strawberry patch with two ripe berries, leaves and a white flower. — Strawberry patch

1792 × 2368 · PNG

**Carried by**Thank-you card

A slender pear branch with two yellow pears and green leaves. — Pear branch

1792 × 2368 · PNG · cut-out available

**Carried by**Menu card

A Victoria sponge birthday cake with jam and cream, topped with two pale pink roses. — Victoria sponge Held back

2048 × 2048 · watercolour

**Not used in this suite**Painted for Matilda's table and kept in reserve — the menu carries the pear branch.

A tall glass of cloudy lemonade with a lemon slice and a red-striped paper straw. — Cloudy lemonade Held back

1792 × 2368 · watercolour

**Not used in this suite**Painted for the drinks table and kept in reserve — it would read as a sign or a second menu panel.

The suite

Nine pieces, under the painting each one carries.

Jam the rabbit

On three pieces — the invitation, Jam’s pen card and the favour tag

Sp. No. 02

Invitation

The whole painting, uncropped, with the type set around him. Personalised per guest in delivery.

Sp. No. 04

Jam’s pen card

The same rabbit a third time, and the only piece that asks something of the reader rather than telling them something: how to say hello to him. Shared — one card, standing at the pen.

Sp. No. 08

Favour tag

The same rabbit at tag scale. One design for every guest.

Strawberry & blossom

On two pieces — the envelope and the place cards

Sp. No. 01

Envelope & liner

The cut-out berry, repeated across the liner. Addressed per guest in delivery.

Sp. No. 06

Place cards

Shown is Florence's. One card per child, each carrying the same berry and that guest's own first name — the brief is explicit that the children are invited by name and not their parents, which makes this the one piece in the suite that carries a guest.

The walled garden

On one piece — the welcome signage

Sp. No. 03

Welcome signage

Foxcote's own walled garden, painted. The one piece that shows the place rather than the fruit. Shared — one sign for the day.

Pear branch

On one piece — the menu card

Sp. No. 05

Menu card

The branch runs the full height of one edge — the only piece that uses a painting as a rule rather than as a picture.

Cloudy lemonade

On one piece — the clue cards

Sp. No. 07

Clue card

The painting nobody had placed, placed. One of a numbered set of six hidden along the paths — the jug is the landmark the clue walks you past, and only the clue line changes card to card.

Strawberry patch

On one piece — the thank-you card

Sp. No. 09

Thank-you card

The patch the berry came from — the suite closes where it opened, one row further back. Personalised in delivery.

The working set

Cut out, to drop on anything.

Four of the paintings exist as transparent PNGs with the background removed. These are what the pieces actually use, and what a printer or a sign-maker should be given if anything new is set later.

Strawberry and blossom with a transparent background.

Pear branch with a transparent background.

Victoria sponge cake with a transparent background.

Glass of lemonade with a transparent background.