Blog > Stationery makers: Lali Cards!
We know lots of postcrosses are big fans of Lali’s riddle cards — we are too! The charming colourful illustrations, the puzzle to solve and scratch on the back… what’s not to love?
So we’re stoked that Lali herself agreed to reply to a few questions about her art, tell us all about her famous postcards, and even decided to offer some postcards to a few lucky postcrossers! YAY! Read on to learn the story behind these lovely postcards… and to win some! :)
- When did you first start designing your style of riddle cards? Which one was your first one, and what is the story behind it?
-
After I graduated from “Les Beaux Arts” in Annecy in 1999, I worked for a while for Pylones, a famous brand of decoration and gadgets items. There, I designed touristic t-shirts with animals on them. At the time, I was already thinking about drawing child’s games, but it’s not easy to do that on a t-shirt and furthermore, the editor was not really interested in the idea.
In 2001, I found a job as a cashier in a famous stationary in Annecy. A bit dreamy, I was scanning child’s books but also illustrator’s postcards that were more and more playful. One day, my colleague, who was also responsible of the postcard section, encouraged me to try my luck at showing my sketches to an editor’s representative who would soon be visiting the store. So, I took the bull by the horns and I drew a few riddle games, amongst them were hearts, cats and clovers.
Afterwards, I went and defended my idea, my own concept to the editor in chief. He was seduced at once by my riddle postcards, it was a totally new idea at the moment. He gave me one month to send him about fifteen new drawings. Shaking my hand at the end of the interview, he said: “I think we’re going to work together.”
I was 26, I was a cashier, and I was about to be edited for my artistic skills. Tears of joy!
In November 2002, as I was sitting at my cash-desk, I started scanning the barcode of MY VERY OWN postcards. When I scanned the one with the clovers on it, with a sentence saying ‘TRY YOUR LUCK’ I must admit I beamed.
- What inspires you?
-
First of all, I like paper, the soft touch of it, and the smell. I like going to stationery shops, where I can smell the ink and the school scent. I also like old books smell… I had always dreamt of becoming a librarian.
I also like postcards, the small size, and the purpose. It is like a little travelling bird, carrying good news.
For my riddle postcards collection, I get my inspiration absolutely everywhere, depending on my desires and on what’s happening in my life.
I rarely work because of a special demand from my editor. Even if I keep the idea of a collection in mind, I am a bit of a chameleon; I love playing with different themes, colours and even sometimes playing with different graphic styles.
I always try to be curious, to follow the new trends. Animals, my favourite theme, are also fashion victims! (indeed, cows in the 2000s were soon to be replaced by bugs, owls and swallows). Therefore I have to adapt to the tendency. Bugs, monsters and food are still my favourite since they can be easily adjustable, and I can really let my imagination work.
- What techniques/means you use to draw your postcards? For instance, do you draw by hand first, or perhaps using the computer only?
-
Thanks to the progress of technologies, my technics have improved tremendously. Since the beginnings I’ve drawn by hand, I scan and then I re-draw the contours in Photoshop, then I colour the entire piece. But today with the introduction of the graphics tablet, the contours are way neater. It is such a gain in time, a great tool to use.
- Do you know how many you’ve done so far? Do you have a favourite one?
-
I think I have drawn about 200 postcards, lots of which are not printed anymore… Right now, there are about 80 different types on the market.
My favourite postcards are not the most successful ones. Some are timeless, but others are more fashionable, and thus last less.
It is more pleasant to draw the ones that tell a story, with a setting which incudes many scenes. For instance “le potager” (the vegetable patch), “le grand huit” (the roller coaster) or the last one “le colibri” (the hummingbird) are some of them.
I’d say that two cards are like turning points in the collection:
- The monsters: at that time, most of the background I was drawing were white. I mistakenly clicked and coloured the background in black. The result was great and so obvious. Today, this card is one of the best one of the collection that is composed of many black background cards.
- The library: it is part of my second new collection, signed ‘Lali & MG’. For its really long and tedious realisation, I asked the fans of my Facebook page to give me names of famous couples. That was so much fun!
- Are you a letter/postcard writer yourself?
-
I’m not going to lie, I use to write many more letters and cards before the invention of mails and text messages, which are my worst enemies…
But for a little while now, I’ve been using Postcrossing and I’ve just received my three first postcards. And it’s so nice and pleasing!
Thank you Lali, what a great interview! :) You can check Lali’s designs on her website, www.lali.fr, and you can also interact with her and follow the evolution of her collection on her Facebook page, facebook.com/lali.officiel.

And now for the best part: Lali kindly offered 3 packs of her wonderful postcards and other goodies to give away to 3 lucky postcrossers! For a chance to win a pack, check out her postcard designs, and leave a comment on this blog post, telling us which one was your favourite. We’ll randomly pick 3 winners this time next Wednesday and announce them on this post. Good luck! :)
And the lucky postcrossers, as chosen by Paulo’s random number generator are… isabetta, serenityuy and Sreisaat! Congratulations to the winners and thank you everyone for participating! :)
A parting message from Lali:
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the warm comments you posted on the blog. I am more than ever motivated to find new riddle postcards and bring a little joy and fantasy in your letterboxes :-) Good news: Gradually, all the riddles will be translated into English at the back of the postcards. If you want to try your luck again, join me on my Facebook page, I often organize contests. Happy summer and happy postcrossing!”

Tags: giveaway, stationery, stationery-maker, stationery-shop
483 comments so far
Also, I guess I like the sushi card most. Looks tasty and funny!
I generally love all of Lali´s cards, but if I had to pick one, then it´d be this: http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H5.jpg
Its quite hard to choose just one... But this has to be my favourite, simply because thats my first Lali card received and that also brought a bit of joy to my friends.
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V13.jpg
I love them all, but if i have to choose one, it will be this one: http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V23.jpg
I like the one with the sheep the most
My favourite is the design with cupcakes !
I love all Lali postcards, they are very unique and pretty ^_^
My favorite one is the one with the shooting star because it's the first time I see it, I never found it in shop, and it looks very nice!
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H18.jpg
As a fanatic for hearts,my own felt down.
Reading more,I am imressed and already following Lali on Fb.
(by the way, hearts are my faves ❤️)
Wonderful interview!
I have long admired Lali cards but never had one, which is a shame. I love her designs, they're very playful, vibrant, and appeal to all ages. Difficult to choose a favourite... but if I have to, then the dream catchers illustration would be it. I like the symbolism in dream catchers, protecting us in one way or another.
Thank you for the giveaway, so generous of you. Thank you, Postcrossing for paving the way!
maybe the vegetable patch with lot of scenery.
My most favourite is the whales. I like the smiley faces of the whale and the lighthouse in the middle. It's feel so cheerful! XD
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V13.jpg
Thank you, Lali for the colourful interview! XD XD XD
Actually, to be frank, I never thought there was only one person behind Lali - I always figured it would be a company (but never acutally looked it up).
Now, to answer the question: I like the sheep one best, but they are all great. (I could have easily chosen like ten or more I like the best ;D )
Thanks again for the interview and thanks to Lali for the lottery!
All the best for the future :)
I like ``the vegetable patch`` - this is amazing postcard. Vegetables and all plant are very important to human! If there are no plant - we will die!
I`m not vegeterian, but I love vegetables and fruits!
I just looooove the Library one from the new collection cos I work in a library and am the biggest fan of square cards!!!
From the postcard designs I think the summer one 'Who will have the best tan' is hilarious :-)
i like the 22/48 , the little matrioshkas :-)
thanks !
It's so difficult to choose, but I think my favourite one is the feather one :)
Thank you for the chance to win some of these great postcards. My favorite is the Sweet Garden card (nr. 41). It's just lovely.
As a cat lover my favorite is the grey card with the black silhouetted cats. The matroshkas are sweet too!
These cards are all lovely and funny :)
I adore them all but my favorite is card with a red roller coaster(nr.46).
with cats. Unfortunately I didn't receive a lali card yet but sending them makes me happy too :-)
I love the card with the 5 hidden bones!
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H2.jpg
It makes me feel cooler in such a hot summer time! :D (I have to admit that those fishes' "Ohhhh" expression attracts me so much! XD) Thank you very much for this giveaway, and again, for this wonderful interview! It's always interesting to know something behind the postcards. :)
Ma préférée, fan de hiboux comme je le suis, c'est celle du + chouette cadeau !
Merci beaucoup pour ton interview et tes superbes cartes !
i really like the colorfull fishes (no.26)
they are so cute
I like all of these samples, but hippos on the beach are the best!
My favourite is the black pet-silhouette one (mostly cats on it) - as I am a crazy old cat lady. I have sent one with balloons once and I still have one here (the one with whales). They are very special and I like it that they are out of the ordinary, not just showing a motive but being playful. Thank you, LaLi for your ideas. Keep them coming.
I felt in love with them this winter, when i saw them in real life for the first time, in Germany! :D
It's REALLY hard to choose just one, but this one's really cute http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V1.jpg (and this one too http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V14.jpg ! i love too much cats to not choose it lol)
Thanks for the story anyway, it was very interesting to read it :)
I really like this picture : http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V14.jpg
Most of the designes are cute, I love most the strawberrys or the christmas cows :)
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V22.jpg
I love all of the postcards. The one with the stars would be my favorite.
the one with the VEGGIES is adorable. and the sushi party !!
lali.. wow... kudos!
I love them! My preferred theme is the circus, you have on the circus?
Dear Lali, you bring joy and smiles to us and the ones we send your postcards to.
It's really hard to choose only one, I love all of them, but the STARRY NIGHT one is special to me because it's the first one I ever received ;)
I love them all, but especially the feather/ dream catcher ones, Cherche l'attra Pe reves.
☺️
One of the things that amazed me most in Postcrossing is how I got to know and be familiar with the works of so many illustrators like yourself. I am yet to receive one of your cards but I know that eventually someday I will have an amazing surprise at my doorstep!
Since I need to choose (hard task!) I would pick the vegetables one. It's so full of life!!
Continue your awesome work! :)
thank you for the interview:) very interesting.
This is truly a great community :)
My favorite is this: http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H6.jpg
It's difficult to choose though, all her designs are so cute and imaginative :)
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V23.jpg
I received the heart one and since then it has been favourited lots of times.
I love the heart one, the book shelf one and the roallercoaster one! Should be great to sell this in attraction parcs no?
Good luck with the further creations!
I love most of her designs, it's difficult to find a real favorite, but one of them is the one with the sheep (http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H20.jpg)! :)
The one i favor today is the Pregnant Elephant. Beautiful creativity, indeed!
happy postcrossing forever!
All the best
Thank you for the interview :)
I love birds and this Swallow card. Very pretty postcards, Id like to have them all!
Take care ❤️
My personal favorite is the Pirates card :)
Hard to decide which is "the one"...
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V14.jpg
Congratulations Lali for your work!
I like the rollercoaster and the pregnant animals most.
:)
Thank you for sharing.
So i hope to receive my first soon....
I like the teckle dog :)
Keep it up !!
The Lali series are just amazing! :D
But i prefer the one with "Les Attrapes Rêves" :)
Keep on going you make me and others very happy.
It isn't fair to pick on, but if I had to I would choose the Garden one ;-)
Funny.
Had no idea that there are so many different designs :-)
This was a very nice interview to read, by the way. :)
Nice interview and very positive person.
These are awesome
http://www.lali.fr/en/illustrations.html
It is hard for me to pick a favorite one as I like every single one! But I guess my favorite one is CL164 with the cows playing football. That was the one I fall in love first and leaded me to discover the Lali's riddle cards.
CL64 with chrysanthemum is my second favorite one because it is super sweet!!
Wish the collection grows much further in the future and hope someday I can find them in a retail store in Italy too!
Since I´m into biology I love the cards with the cute animals or with the bugs. Even though it´s biologically not correct it´s sweet to see the Mum´s with their babies in their bellies=) So far I´m very sad because I haven´t received any Lali card yet :(
Hope to get some soon! =)
It is so lovely, but I would need a translation on the backside. :D
I like the card with the colorful fingerprinting the most :)
Have a great summer!
Karina
Have a great weekend!
Jaimee
Interesting inteview!
maybe the baby hippos on the beach
I hope the old ones will be available sometimes soon to fill up my collection!
And I´m happy that you made this interview, I was waiting for it for years!
We like the sailing boats, although I don't understand the French!
The cupcakes are also great!
(and the Library..)
But they are all wonderful :-D
Well, the swallows. For now ;)
Great cards and welcome at postcrossing!
Thank you for an interesting interview!
I think that the one I love the most is the card with black cats on grey background. They look so alive, so graceful - it's amazing! :)
Most I love a card that I've sent several times but I never received it: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alles_fuer_euch/8126939953/
:)
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H5.jpg
Greetings from France!
I wish you all the best :)
My favourite is with "le monstre calin"! :-)
If I had to choose, I'd say the sushi card is the greatest of all. But it's so hard!
But they are really all beautiful, the colours and details make me smile! Keep on designing please!
Wow, it is hard to choose a favourite, but I really like the colours of the feathers and beads on strings.
My favorites have animals and I especially love the pregnant animals.
But the library is near I my heart I love books.
Thank you for sharing your story and your art.
Airplanes are my favourites. :)
My favourites... the Sushi is amazing! You even have Yakiniku in there ❤️
Close second and third: The tiny burgers and the Poppies!
Hope I will draw you in the Postcrossing system one day :)
Thank you for the interesting interview! :-)
Like Lali herself I like the cards best which tell a little story. My favourite: The one with the gardengnomes on which you can look at several "floors" beneath the earth. Great idea, and so cute drawn ❤️
Of the cards available in the website now, my favourite is the one with the hippos because I always love hippotami.
I received some cards yet and I'm totally happy when I open my postbox and see a LALI card inside! :)
Nice to lern more about the producer! :) Nice interview! :)
It's cute and awesome! I'm looking toward to receive one of this soon! :)
And the best for me are library, cats and rainbow hearts. :)
1. MATRIOSKHA
2. HAMBURGUESAS
3. CARL
And test are very beatifull
I like the strawberries, sheep, ladybugs and lots more. ;)
Thanks for the great interview!
I love http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V1.jpg! Very sweet! And http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H11.jpg is so cute and colourful ;)
I had no idea before Postcrossing how those postcards, and Nouvelles images could be popular and well known around the world.
If I HAD to choose a favorite.....it would be the garden: there's just so much going on!
I love all of the cards but the ones cat ones!
Keep up the amazing work and welcome to the postcrossing community.I really whish you to make an amazing collection of cards from all over the world! :)
Congratulations on such nice work and for sharing it with others!
It's hard to choose a favorite but I love cats so I have to say the one with cats in funny clothes.
Cutest Birthday Card I have ever seen!!!!!!! And it's a POSTCARD too!!
I joined post crossing to stave off depression while being very sick and fighting my auto-immune disease, because of my medications and pain, I can't do much or focus long, so the Lali Cards are perfect for me, they are entertaining but I don't struggle with them, they are also fun and cheerful and hopeful, I have loved them since I got sick and joined! Thank you for the opportunity to win a couple! :)
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V17.jpg
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V20.jpg
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H6.jpg :)
My favourite has to be the one with the feathers, though, it's just beautiful!
Thank you for the interview and the contest!
Thank you very much for the interview!
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H16.jpg
How special that must have been, scanning the barcode of your own cards for the first time ! I love the clover one of your first cards !
Of those here, I go for the "où se cache ma jolie petite puce" one. So colourful and fun. But what a difficult choice, they are all eye-catchers !
Thank you for the chance to win; good luck to all of us !
Thanks!
My favorite design is the pencil one, although, honestly I love all! :-)
monster,moustache, blimp, humberger, and plant .. ♥ ♥ ♥
I hope this project can grow up and get successful in future ...
and I hope one of these cards could get my hands ;D
want collect all lali card!!!
thanks
My favorite one is the Little Elefant.
My favorite colored splash card you see in the right: http://www.lali.fr/_/img/diaporama/2.jpg
It's hard to choose a favourite card, but I really like the "sweet garden" - so many different things to see!
my favourite is sushi, dog and moustache ❤️
As my son is on Marine Nationale, my favourite is the one with the sailors "find the pompon rouge" !
Really hope you choose me as a lucky winner. I would treasure these forever. Loads of Love from India
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H6.jpg
These funny and colourful riddle cards are perfect for sending a smile to someone. (^-^)
I love the sushi party with the new tapas friend (I didn't know that one):
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/V9.jpg
And another one that I love isn't on the website anymore, but it's one of my favourites:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/static2.postcrossing.com/postcard/medium/8c1e7d1a3bb2367ca913c8a3dfaa5ba6.jpg
But I really just love them all!
And if there would ever be a dragon riddle card, I would be the first one to buy it!!!
Thanks for sharing.
A lot of hamburgers card is my favorite!
I like the one with Sushi on it most
thank you
gloria
But this one I love most: http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H6.jpg
The back cats on the gray background look really classy though!
I love...
http://www.lali.fr/_/img/illustrations/H22.jpg
My favourite is the strawberry postcard. :)
The others are nice, too.
↑ Back to top ↑