The Paper Fold

Typically I discover new stationery makers at markets, then I nerd out on them online, but with Erin Dayhaw, it’s been quite the opposite! I was laughing along with her TikTok adventures for quite some time (along with her 30K followers) before I actually met her IRL at NY NOW this past February. Because Erin seemed to understand the TikTok algorithm in a way other stationery makers do not, I initially envisioned our interview to be focused on winning insights that app. However, Erin is letting her feed go stale on the app she now describes as a "QVC shopping channel." Erin's approach to stickers as "relatable fine art" is just of one many shrewd observations this Zoomer (?) shares — we also touch on storytelling, controversy and content. Not only is Erin's energy incredible, her inherent understanding of modern messaging (and what people want to hear or share) make hers a brand to closely watch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year in the winter issue of Stationery Trends, I compile a department called 10 Makers to Watch. Throughout the year I will be highlighting my special 10 — including my very special guest today, Carissa Potter of People I've Loved. Much like that of my other guests, this brand offers stationery and gifts, but with a radically different, deceptively simple approach. Rather than seeing her wares as yet another commodity, Carissa utilizes them to develop ourselves and our relationships. In her words, "Each is a conversation we long to have, a feeling we are hoping for, an object to do the impossible." This out-of-the-box approach has garnered this very small California house of design collaborations with some very big brands, including Facebook, The Body Shop, Pinterest, Google, SFMOMA, YouTube, Anthropologie, Madewell, The Wall Street Journal and Nylon Magazine. Our discussion about design and the ability of smart yet simple product to upend your entire perspective is not to be missed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stationery is this podcaster's favorite subject — but color comes in a close second! After all, color doesn't just shade our world, it elevates, deflates or defines a mood — and it can make or break any given design. If you have never heard an expert discuss how color trends are formed and evolve, get ready for a treat! I have had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Woodman of Mark Woodman Design + Color many times over the years for my publication's trend coverage — now I'm bringing his insights, garnered during a prestigious 40-plus-year career, here. In The Paper Fold episode 66, I hosted the brilliant Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and the generator of every Pantone Color of the Year. I wanted to get Mark's thoughts on Pantone's Color of the Year 2026, Cloud Dancer, and its less than positive reception. Not only did he share those, but so many gems about the many ways that a color or color grouping comes into vogue, establishing this episode as must-listen for any design nerd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recently I hosted Wolf & Wren Press' Lauren and Liz, who just won the Louie Award for the Card of the Year. But there are actually two divisions of Card of the Year, $5.50 and above and $5.50 and below. Wolf & Wren took the below slot, while UWP Luxe took the above $5.50 slot with their fabulous tea-themed birthday creation that must be experienced in life to be fully appreciated.* That's because UWP Luxe is a pop-up card company, and while this market has gotten more crowded of late, UWP Luxe — as well as its sister companies Up With Paper and Jumping Jack Press — consistently takes a cutting-edge approach to not just stationery, but the entire pop up category as well. Pop-ups take the expected and turn it on its ear, and my guests Monika Brandrup, EVP and Creative Director, UWP and UWP Luxe, and George White, who was president at Up With Paper for many years but is now CEO of its parent company, CM Paula, discuss the evolution of their brands and the category as a whole. How exactly does this brand put the ship in the bottle, over and over in different formats, with extraordinary results every last time? *Please note: The Louie Award for Card of the Year was NOT a cat-a-rific birthday card as I state in my podcast intro — I jumbled UWP Luxe's Card of the Year with one of its other FIVE Louie Award winners. Such are the paper nerd problems caused by this prolific, award-winning brand! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Part 1 of our chat, Rachel took us behind the vibrant, woodblocked Heartell Press design curtain, now we delve into its ethos of sustainability, and the many challenges it poses to a stationery brand. For example, shoppers absolutely loves seeing cards printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper — but it drives up costs, and brings a bevy of creative limitations. For Rachel, action — not discussion — always brings clarity. Thus many of Heartell's introductions, like its upcycle-able boxed note boxes, successfully cut down on single-use plastics as they differentiate themselves at point of purchase. It's all in the name of finding 21st-century solutions to lingering 20th-century problems. Best of all, Rachel's inspiring creative process is something anyone, anywhere can try. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greeting cards have the nearly impossible task of connecting us with loved ones when we don't know what to say — so we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to makers like Rachel Kroh of Heartell Press, who have made it their life's work to help others give and get the emotional support they need. Today we travel behind the vibrant Heartell design curtain to learn what drives these irresistible, timeless woodblock designs. Rachel well understands grief, our enduring taboo against discussing grief — and even the many types of loss and change that can spark this staggering emotion. In fact, she founded her entire house of cards following her own Mother's terminal cancer diagnosis. In this, the first of two episodes, we discuss the evolution of Heartell, which started in Brooklyn but spread westward with a one-of-a-kind production process in tow. While navigating grief is the cornerstone of this brand — and Rachel's collaboration with grief counselor and author Lisa Keefauver offers both visual and emotional comfort in stationery form — she also finds a great healing power within arresting beauty. So whether Rachel is figuring out how to incorporate risograph offerings alongside her existing letterpress designs, or working on portraying the powerful bodies of women, her constant experimentation drives our collective growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What goes into a Louie Award-winning Card of the Year? In the case of Wolf & Wren Press, every design grows from the 30-year friendship of co-founders Liz Wolf and Lauren Stapleton. That precious connection, born in middle school, is the kind where one finishes the other's sentences ... and the other picks right up on the story! I's at the core of every design Wolf & Wren prints — including their winning pet sympathy card that from first glance honors both the love and grief of these companionships. While their cards connect and uplift those separated by emotional and physical distances, Liz and Lauren also actually live far apart. Liz designs and illustrates the range while also working an art teacher in Rockford, Illinois, while Lauren does the printing and everything else that goes into running the Wolf & Wren stationery shop in Longmont, Colorado — some 946 miles away. While every house of stationery tends to take a distinctive approach to running its brand these days, that of Wolf & Wren is completely unique. Our chat covers not just the origins of Wolf & Wren, but where they see themselves — and the stationery community — evolving. Every house of stationery takes a distinctive approach to running itself these days, but that of Wolf & Wren is like no other — and that co-founder connection keeps the brand fresh and authentic. While our chat covers the origins of Wolf & Wren, Liz and Lauren also share where they see Wolf & Wren — and the stationery community — evolving. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While journalers and junk journalers exist in this digital age alongside the rest of us, they crave the tactile and in-person elements of the analog world. In part 2 of my chat with Software Engineer Victoria Kirst, we take a deep dive into this non-digital community in the pages of her stationery zine Pouch and beyond. If you are unfamiliar with stationery clubs and swaps, it is positively heartwarming to learn of tools like washi tape or stickers being lovingly bartered or shared by these offline groups. Here, stationery is not a commodity but a tool for collective expression. For Victoria, Pouch is the ultimate passion project turned side hustle, and she perceives it as a tool to grow her community as she scratches her own creative itches. This becomes exceedingly clear in Victoria's surprising Nerd Notes, where this micro-bride turns her very wedding into stationery to mail and share! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like me, my guest today is a huge paper nerd who is the founding editor of a stationery publication. Unlike me, Victoria Kirst is also a software engineer who created her fabulous zine Pouch as an offline labor of love to share her passion for analog tools with an ever-growing community. If you haven't seen a zine in a few decades or so, prepare to be dazzled! This purely 21st-century publication truly celebrates our medium, showcasing its endless potential — as well as the seemingly endless creative ways individuals in the stationery community express their inner lives and experiences through journals, planners, washi tapes, pens, cards, rubber stamps, and the like. With a mission is to inspire every reader to start doodling, junk journaling or other stationery project, of course I have plenty of questions that we begin tackling in the first of two episodes. What attracts a software engineer to the world of analog — and what does stationery have that the digital domain lacks? Why are stationery clubs and meetups and junk journaling retreats happening now? Whatever your role in stationery, it is nearly impossible to not catch Victoria's excitement — or begin a journal of one's own! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just because a maker isn't already a household name, that doesn't mean you're not already a big fan! You have most likely seen (many times!) and possibly even purchased the uplifting, inspiring and heartfelt greeting card designs of my guest today — and not even known it. For the past 24 years, Vicky Barone has been quietly licensing her designs behind the scenes to larger card brands like Papyrus and American Greetings. While she has stayed behind the design curtain, her thousands of cards have generated millions of dollars in products sold. Now Vicky has officially entered the stationery spotlight solo with her own brand, Barone & Co. While it’s a huge shift and a big risk, it’s also an enormous creative opportunity. We discuss Vicky's transition from freelancer to founder, but also the evolution within greeting cards and communication over the past quarter century. What is the difference between humor and relatable humor? How difficult is it to debut an inclusive brand in these times — to say nothing of this challenging economy? We also discuss the role of social media, specifically Instagram, to a brand. Vicky's personal IG page, starring much of the same work that adorns her cards, has over 50K followers, while that for her brand is still growing. Do online likes translate into business growth? Does generating work for social media undercut creativity? Whatever role you play in the stationery community, there's plenty to consider here — including of course Vicky's colorful, uplifting work! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Anna Bond, being a creative is certainly about generating jaw-dropping imagery to be presented just so on irresistible products — but creativity is also a key to enabling this CEO to navigate Rifle Paper Co. forward as both a business and a brand. In Part 2 of our chat, we discuss subtly evolving the Rifle look to keep it consistently looking fresh and new, yet true to its signature style, as time passes and tastes evolve. We also delve into navigating the larger challenges facing small businesses, such as tariffs. It's rather unsurprising that Anna often feels like she is facing a wily carnival Whack-A-Mole. And while I knew my listeners and I would be treated to an incredible Nerd Note, even *I* was wowed by her childhood correspondence! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2009, freelance illustrator Anna Bond and her musician husband Nathan debuted Rifle Paper Co. to the trade in a double booth buried deep in the back aisles of the National Stationery Show. They were but one of dozens upon dozens of small (often forgotten) stationery brands showing there, but in Rifle's case, a stationery, gift and lifestyle star was born those five days in May. Rifle's dizzying trajectory into the collective American design unconscious was singularly dramatic, with Anna's signature hand-painted artwork and vibrant color palette having headlining collaborations over the years with Keds, Target and Pottery Barn Kids, among seemingly countless other high-profile brands. Meanwhile, every stationery maker setting up shop dreams of a similar ascent. Still, at the core of every Rifle offering remains the brand's tagline: 'We create moments of unexpected beauty in the real world.' So when I was given the real-world opportunity to interview Anna — now Rifle CEO — of course I had questions! In this, part one of two, we discuss Rifle's humble origins, how Anna differentiated it from the very start, dealt with imitators over the years, and grew the brand alongside Nathan as they simultaneously grew their own family. With five young children and an ever-growing brand and body of work, Anna's strategy of success may surprise you as much as it did me! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don't miss Part 2 of my chat with type A über-creative Sally Diguette! In Sally's role as specialty buyer for Anthropologie, the merchandise she painstakingly sources from small, quirky makers are often where the brand's fans find the connection and community they seek as they shop. Sally honed this expertise at Atlanta's Citizen Suppy, an artisan marketplace that showcases handmade goods, clothing, and standout finds from independent makers. Sally joined the Ponce City Market venue at its inception in 2017 to build all operations — and then heralded it through COVID, finessing her skill set all the more. These lessons and skills are put to great use in her independent consultancy — and we close discussing the types of challenges we see our small maker clients grappling with, and our approaches to solving them. Finally, epistolary lovers will be utterly knocked out by Sally's precious Nerd Note — it's definitely Anthropologie shelf-worthy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Type A über-creative wears a lot of hats, every last one of them impressive and fabulous. Sally Diguette is a specialty retail buyer for Anthropologie, tasked with buying in the stationery and related gift and home categories, as well as spearheading collaborations such as Papier x Anthropologie. But Anthropologie is also where many a small maker gets her first big break — even if it's just one greeting card on its enormous website. Not only does Sally undertake the enormous task of selecting each maker to tell certain trend stories across every inch of Anthropologie retail space (both actual + virtual), she also offers consulting services to help brands get shelf-ready. Sally and I delve into defining the Anthropologie magic — and the nuts and bolts of generating it. How does she navigate the overstimulation of trade shows to ascertain the trend stories to fill store shelves? What catches Sally's eye — and what are the design must-haves on a given product? With that kind of perspective and drive, I was thrilled to have audience with her here, and accordingly, this is the first of two episodes of our interview! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many in our community, running a stationery brand turns out to be but a single milestone on an incredible larger journey. That's the case with Catherine Hildner of Kitty Meow Boutique, now a part of Shade Tree Greetings. Over the past several years, this dynamo — also my guest in episode 20 — not only established her own brand, she also helped create the Ultimate Product Party series of events and podcasts to empower other product-based creatives (mostly women) to bring their own visions to life. But part of being a smart entrepreneur is knowing when it's time to move on. And in Catherine's case, it turns out that I actually helped jumpstart the process just over a year ago, at the February edition of NY NOW 2024. Tune in to hear this fantastic tale and what's next for Catherine! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How better to kick off January 2025 — and the eighth season of this podcast — than with a visit from this bona fide industry legend? While Susan January has been at the helm of Leanin' Tree, a mid-sized Colorado house of stationery, for over a quarter century, she has also served as president of the Greeting Card Association, from 2011 to 2013. More recently, she spearheaded a team of women from across generations to debut Willow & Ivy, a boutique brand devised solely for our times — and the women navigating them. With such an illustrious career under her stylish belt, Susan's perspective on the greeting card category is unparalleled. Our discussion delves into how diverse, rich voices — from Emily McDowell to The Noble Paperie to Colleen Harrington to many, many others — have united to create a dynamic marketplace awash with offerings that authentically speak to today's discerning greeting card audience. In this forum, ideally no one should feel isolated — all that's required is the right card in the right card sender's hands. Meanwhile, the distinctive path upon which Willow & Ivy was brought to exquisite life enabled it to truly reflect the 21st-century woman's shared experiences, dreams, and needs, regardless of generation, as it seeks to connect us. Whatever you already know about greeting cards and stationery, prepare to have your perspective tweaked, courtesy of this month's five-star guest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does what began as a pandemic pastime become the UK's first stationery B Corp? For Michele Feron of Good Tuesday, her sustainable brand came to life in 2020 on Etsy as Once Upon a Tuesday. Her then-eight-year-old daughter Flora created the name, but as this color-driven Cornwall brand grew, Michele realized a big evolution was in order. However, the rebranding paled next to becoming a B Corp. Michele shares how the transition is far more than an icon to place on one's site — it represents a dramatic change in perspective to every conceivable area of her business. While all Good Tuesday merchandise was always 100% recycled, the transition entails a fresh emphasis on employees, environmental footprint, waste management, sourcing materials, ethical and transparent practices, customer service, impact on local community and involvement in social causes.  Thus as Michele sagely points out, receiving the official the designation only represents the first chapter of many positive changes, some small, some large, but all together they represent a complete transformation. You become a B Corp, she explains, and it becomes you. Michele gives a colorful glimpse into the ever-growing B Corp community — and plenty of inspiration for other stationery makers on this side of the pond to consider taking the plunge as well!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since its premiere seven seasons ago, the Netflix reality show Love is Blind has only tightened its grasp on pop culture. According to Nielsen, Americans watcher over 1.1 billion million minutes of the most recent season of this will-they or won't-they get married show, set in Washington, D.C. — and that doesn't include infinite video discussions and gossip on social media. While those can get somewhat seamy, the season's fan favorite couple, Taylor and Garrett, put an enormous national spotlight on how stationery, correspondence and calligraphy can connect, capture and elevate a relationship, now and forever — with a little help from their local paper nerd friends, that is! In episode 10, the engaged couple had a televised calligraphy lesson at Old Alexandria's Penny Post, owned by Amy Rutherford and taught by Michele Hatty Fritz of Meant to Be Calligraphy. Predictably, the segment detailed the gorgeous art of calligraphy, presented through Michele's most capable hands. Surprisingly, the discussion delved into how Taylor and Garrett's practice of leaving notes for one another not only kept them connected to each other, but also honored departed family members who did the same thing. The concept was so meaningful to them, they decided during filming to actually have what is perhaps the world's first letter-writing station at their wedding — and of course only, Michele could run it! Both Amy and Michele take listeners behind the scenes of this larger-than-life experience. From prepping the cozy shop for shooting, to stuffing crew members in its ADA accessible bathroom, from selling the crew stationery after shooting ended for the day, to that nuptial letter-writing station viewers were never shown, they spill it all! It all begs the larger question, could we be seeing a resurgence in stationery? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the economy flounders and the election cycle drags on, many makers and retailers in the stationery space are simply navigating their way through the best they can so that their businesses survive the downturn. But stationery success stories still happen! Tyler McCall and his husband and business partner Eric Campbell have been on an upward trajectory since opening their 400-square-foot shop in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago, Paper & Pencil, in May 2023. The two built the highly curated Paper & Pencil on their own terms, and when attending the New York markets for the first time in Winter 2024, the first kernel of Chicago Stationery Fest was planted. Happening March 22 and 23, 2025, this consumer-facing event may just break down the "trade-only" wall to let paper nerds in the wild experience the magic that the stationery trade has privately enjoyed for decades. While Chicago Stationery Fest is just one of several similar events popping up around the country, its springtime dates also lend itself to wholesale buying that for this category has always occurred in that specific window. It all begs the question, are we are on the verge of a stationery renaissance? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the past quarter century, the Pantone Color Institute has grabbed headlines each December with its Color of the Year (COTY) announcement. Each selection is carefully formulated to reflect our global culture, expressing the zeitgeist through the dynamic language of color.  Peek behind the curtain as I host the incredible Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. Lee generates each COTY, and also teaches color forecasting to burgeoning gurus at The Eiseman Center for Color Information & Training in Tucson, Arizona. Recognized by Fortune Magazine and The Wall Street Journal as one of the most influential people in the world of color, Lee actually galvanized the entire COTY concept by first devising the Color of the Millennium back in 1999. Lee examines what goes into each last selection, perhaps providing a hint into the 2025 COTY. While the goal of the entire COTY program is to help better understand the power of color, our discussion will leave you reevaluating what you thought you understood about this most important communication tool, whose message has the potential to cross genders, generations, and geographies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Golden Gems was brought to life in a St. Louis living room by sisters Susan Logsdon and Amanda Helman. Despite these humble beginnings, this brazen lifestyle brand distinguished itself right out of the wholesale gate, buoyed by its larger-than-life mission to inspire us all to live life unapologetically, on our own terms. Thus at trade shows, it was impossible to miss this colorful, pithy array of stationery and gifts emblazoned with empowering phrases like "Not Here For You" or "Take Up Space." Meanwhile its free giveaway — hot pink totes warning of "Cool Sh*t Inside" with a catalog tucked within — brilliantly served as mobile market advertising, enticing attendees to track down that booth for themselves. (Their booth, by the way, won Best Booth at Las Vegas Market in July.)  In addition to its wholesale business, Golden Gems is also conquering St. Louis with three retail destinations, as well as Hidden Gem, its "one of a kind dive disco bar" just two doors down from its flagship. This is more than just a locale for fans to immerse themselves in the brand with a cocktail; events like 'Toxxed and Tatted' offer tattoos, piercings, tooth gems and even botox on a first-come, first-served basis. Creating instant community and camaraderie at any locale, along with a big dose of giving back, seems to come as naturally to Susan and Amanda as their brilliant messaging. Listen in to experience learn how they built their precious brand, and you'll experience a taste of that heady Golden Gems magic for yourself! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crane came to life alongside America — and like America, it's had quite a challenging 2024. Actually, make that a few challenging years. This is actually the second episode of The Paper Fold covering Crane; my first dealt with its previous owner, Mohawk Fine Papers, having to move the entire Crane operation from its North Adams, Massachusetts, facility, opened in 1799, to Cohoes, New York, during lockdown in 2020.  The Crane story reignited last February as Mohawk Fine Papers was being acquired by the International Fedrigoni Group, owned by Bain Capital, a Boston-based private investment firm, and BC Partners, a British international investment firm. Once the acquisition went through, Fedrigoni abruptly shuttered Crane and unceremoniously laid off 76 employees. Retailers who had open orders hadn't a clue what to tell their customers. I followed the story at Stationery Trends and as February slipped into March, I began to fear that Crane had printed its last piece. But, with assistance from the former CEO at Mohawk Paper, an Albany, New York, investment firm, WP Strategic Holdings, was able to acquire Crane, and its Managing Partner Todd Kletter suddenly found himself with a new title: Crane CEO! Now Todd himself drops in The Paper Fold to recount it all — and give a glimpse of what the future holds for this all-American brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You've most likely already seen designs from Sammy Gorin, and just not known it. This young New York-based artist and musician has quickly made a name for herself in stationery and gifts by turning pop culture moments into fantastically fun and funny art prints, stickers, cards, and pens. But rather than satirizing the topical domain with, say, a spellbindingly clever Taylor Swift sticker, Sammy Rich recently found herself in the social media spotlight. Owed over $25,000 by the retailer Francesca's and unable to get a response, Sammy (alongside several other makers in the same situation) shot herself a little vlog — actually her first! — and posted it. It went viral, receiving at least 236,000 views on Instagram and 275,000 on TikTok — along with several stitches and comments running the gamut from approving to acrimonious. But Sammy stayed focused on her invoices. Fortunately, her vlog soon got the attention of the Francesca's CEO, who scheduled a call with Sammy and got her paid. Sammy chose to take the video down, but drops in The Paper Fold to expand on her backstory and experience. For Sammy, going viral included new followers and sales, but also victim-blaming and adversarial store managers. Beyond all social media pandamonium however, Sammy has emerged from the situation to provide plenty of wisdom (and more than a little wit) for today's indie makers. GREETING CARD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this paper nerd, there are few pleasures in life akin to traveling to market and discovering a standout stationery brand fairly fresh out of the gate. Bromstad Printing Co. was just such a find last month at the *Noted Expo in San Francisco. That's the stationery community's annual wholesale meet-up put on by The Greeting Card Association. The fun kicks off the night before with the Louie Awards, AKA the Academy Awards for greeting cards. Bromstad Printing's distinctive risograph designs earned owner and operator Talia Bromstad six Louie Award finalist nods, incredibly rare for a newbie. These included placing in the highly competitive Rising Star and Artist of the Year categories. At the end of the night, Talia won the coveted Superbly Stated Louie. Although Talia is well-acquainted with the letterpress, risograph is her game. While that printing method was invented in the 1980s, it is currently trending in stationery in a big way. But it is more than simply method that distinguishes this Atlanta house of stationery. While cats comprise roughly half of this range's subject matter — modeled by studio cats Nadine, Stuart and Sylvia — Talia's grasp of color, brevity of sentiment, and sprinkling of dark humor elevate her output into a brand to definitely watch! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter the brilliance of your offerings, hitting your brand stride takes time. For Alex Gagné of Chez Gagné, reaching her 10th anniversary is the ultimate validation — but that doesn't mean this fantastic founder is slowing down anytime soon. This LA house of design debuted a decade back with just letterpress cards, but has since evolved into a thriving indie lifestyle brand. Every last SKU, from Hand Job Hand Lotion to I Hate Everyone Rocks Glasses, unites beneath the Chez Gagné maxim, "If you can't make it nice, make it funny." Alex shares how she painstakingly built her house of cards, sample by sample, carefully choosing and slowly sourcing every last product expansion, from shower steamers to matches. But at the core of every sleek offering beneath the broad Chez Gagné umbrella is Alex' own story. From dating to childbirth to buying a house to divorce, all her life milestones (as well as those still to come) have been transparently translated into her product offerings. It's all in the name of connection, comfort and camaraderie — so by all means, don't miss my special sit-down with this stationery siren! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Record stores have a day (April 20), independent bookstores have a day (April 27), and even independent pet stores have a day (September 28). But what about the independent card and gift shop? Thanks to my incredible guest today, now they do! Kristina Burkey of Calliope Paperie in Natick, Massachusetts, is the founder of International Stationery Store Day, celebrated the first Saturday in August. This year's is August 3. As Kristina describes it, International Stationery Store Day has a simple mission of celebrating and lifting up "the most special specialty store: the
paper shop!” Frankly, it's about time. These independent shops — typically women-owned — tirelessly and carefully curate independent stationery brands just so. It's all in the name of enabling their discerning paper nerd clienteles to discover and experience our fantastic medium off a screen, locally and in person. Unsurprisingly, this grassroots event grows bigger each year. Listen in to get involved — and help put cards and letters into the hands of those that will cherish them forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to be a disruptor? For Lauren Miele of KushKards, it means getting people to talk about you when you are not around. And that's precisely how *I* first heard about this cannabis-tinged brand at its National Stationery Show debut in early 2020. There, KushKards distinguished itself out of the gate by winning Best New Product for its Polka Pot Gift Bag — an enormous accomplishment not just as a newbie but also a sign of the quick inroads she made in our sometimes rather traditional community. Meanwhile, Lauren didn't just bring cannabis to stationery and gifts, she also brought greeting cards to the male-dominated cannabis industry. Soon thereafter, Lauren officially entered the burgeoning sexual wellness domain by attaching vibrators instead of one-hitters to her card designs. Now Lauren spills on everything from social media strategy to troll management. To her, it's all about embracing what she is disrupting — and even becoming the niche itself. And just as she provides 'a gift with a lift' with her offerings, Lauren's path illuminates how any brand can blaze to the righteous spot it deserves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every picture tells a story — unless you are Shannon Martin, of course: Her pictures tell your stories as well. Now celebrating 20 years in business, Shannon Martin Design's signature sepia creations have attained a definite ubiquity and immediate recognition. That's no easy task, and Shannon takes us behind the scenes to share how she consistently churns out distinctive designs by turns heartfelt and humorous — AKA, the Lay's potato chip of greeting cards. As an OG stationery maker, Shannon's wholesale strategy is as polished as her designs; once a retailer commits to stock this range, it's typically the start of a long, fruitful relationship. At the core of both her artistry and her business savvy is a commitment to authentic connection that cannot be faked. Thus in both product and practice, she shows us all how to embrace our inner Pippi Longstocking, not our inner Kardashian. This grande dame of design also provides a glimpse into her own stationery ritual — a must for any paper nerd! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Like all my guests, Dominique Schurman is a paper nerd .... but one with a most distinguished stationery pedigree! In 1950, her father Marcel founded Schurman Fine Papers, which, informed by his global "treasure hunts," brought exquisite stationery artistry and bespoke paper traditions to American shelves. Meanwhile, her mother Margrit opened the first PAPYRUS store in Berkeley, California, in 1973. That one exclusive stationery shop would grow to over 450 stores throughout the US and Canada. Dominique joined the family business in 1982, so when she founded NIQUEA.D in 2020, she drew on decades of wisdom gained from her many sourcing trips as well as her extensive retail experiences. With NIQUEA.D's founding, the artisanal embellishments that can elevate stationery from commodity to fine art were officially back in circulation. From flocking to letterpress to ornate foiling to tipped-in pages, this upscale card range is treasure to send and receive — every last one a joy to pull out of the proverbial drawer to revisit in posterity. Moreso, its Collector's Edition Cards raise the handmade stakes exponentially, presenting larger-than-life designs full of striking surprises, like double envelopes and wooden papercuts inside. Combined with a heartfelt message from a loved one, the opening of every last one of these texture-rich keepsakes is a experience to remember. Dominique shares what it was like growing up in a stationery family, and also provides a glimpse into her famed eye. How exactly does one go about generating not just the right card at the right time with the right words, but something that has never been created before? Listen in to truly appreciate the enormous gift Dominique is to the entire stationery community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a maker make the world a better place, one gorgeous, handmade sheet of Fair Trade paper at a time? For Chisty Asper, the answer is a resounding yes — and her efforts involve so much more than simply donating a small percentage of her profits to charity. Instead, every last Paper Baristas offering is brewed to do good by careful, complicated design. This Iowa house of paper has a lofty mission: Leave this earth better than its current state — emotionally, culturally and spiritually. By deeply aligning with IJM, a global non-profit that partners with communities to end modern slavery, exploitation and abuse, and employing survivors of sex trafficking in India, Christy and her husband Jon Marc help liberate people and families. In India, their employees, often victims of the Caste System, receive a living wage to up-cycle cotton rag discards into the brand's wood-free, pollution-free paper. Plans are also underway to start a similar operation in Mexico. If you ever thought one person couldn't change countless lives for the better, think again. For the 50 million people that IJM estimates are currently victims of modern-day slavery, freedom and safety are now that much closer, spurred on by every last Paper Baristas purchase. So while Christy's exquisitely letterpressed, deckle-edged cards and planners are inspiring in and of themselves, her never-ending passion and dedication to this cause is legitimately awe-inspiring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's officially the spooky season, so I've got a triple treat! The actress Jennifer Love Hewitt drops in The Paper Fold along with the power duo that is 2021 Co. — Nicole Couto and Emily King — to talk all things Holiday Junkie. This refers of course to the ever-growing collection the three have collaborated on to celebrate the joy and magic of various holidays — but it's also a certain state of mind. For Jennifer, Halloween is a way of life; for 2021 Co., it is a fresh category through which their brand can bring us closer to those we love. Jennifer is not just the biggest celebrity to champion stationery that I can recall, her approach to connecting through the medium is as fresh as it is funny. Jennifer obviously brings star power to the table and is a clever card-writer extraordinaire, but it is really authentic connection that lies at the heart of every Holiday Junkie design. Don't miss out as we examine the distinctive power of paper to traverse time and space —  and how that has shaped each of us both personally and professionally. It's downright impossible not to be inspired by the spirit of collaboration among these three powerful women, so listen in to bring your own personal Holiday Junkie to life! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I really like Suzy Ultman’s chutzpah … and you will too, nerds! Suzy is a lifelong and prolific illustrator, card and stationery designer, toy creator, and bookmaker. The simultaneously sophisticated and simple objects that she brings to offbeat life delight young and old alike.  Really, every last one of her playful creations — and even her much-loved Instagram feed — are but a medium through which she spins many a tale to her super-engaged audience. Now, on the heels of her vibrant letterpress card collab with the esteemed Egg Press, Suzy drops in The Paper Fold to share not just her story, but her backstory as well. Don’t miss our chat on licensing, creativity, the creative process, beginner’s mind, collaboration as well as thoughtfully conceptualizing merchandise in a waste-filled world. And, since Suzy and I are both Jewish, and September brings with it the Jewish New Year — a time for looking backwards and forwards — we discuss how those values, memories and traditions guide us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where does stellar design begin and end? I used to think I knew the answer, but witnessing the ascension of Girl w/Knife, I've found myself rethinking that. Over the last several years, Elicia Castaldi has sliced not just a singular path through stationery, but home décor and even home design as well. Her stylish wake reveals that rewriting the rules to your own liking is simply a matter of confidence and vision — preferably accessorized with a pair of killer stilettos, of course. Extending as it does across many product segments, Girl w/Knife is both a lifestyle and a mood, but at its core is the 'digital photoshop collage' process Elicia invented. This framework truly blooms in her greeting cards. She painstakingly paints and collects visual elements, then layers them with just the right copy, reflecting our beautiful but too-often sad world with truth, heart, fashion and the occasional sharp edge. As such, receiving one of these from a loved one during one of life's highs or lows is bound to solicit a deep emotional response. Unsurprisingly, in the stationery domain, Elicia has won a slew of Noted@*Noted Awards and Louie Awards, including the highly competitive 2022 Artist of the Year. Elicia drops in to discuss not just her design process, but the autobiographical elements running through all her work. From childhood cat best friends to otherworldly interactions with spectacular insects, it's all just fodder for Elicia's next fantastic, elevated creation. Just remember: the biggest consistency here is an element of surprise. Today you might find Elicia on the American Dream Network discussing the renovation of her latest Knife/House in Palm Springs; tomorrow she may be at a book signing promoting her inclusion in the just released Wisdom Of Wildly Creative Women. Yet Elicia is a paper person through and through — and that element remains the lifeblood of her brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month's dynamo guest is a trailblazer in countless senses of the word. Mary Engelbreit debuted at National Stationery Show in 1983 with just a dozen card designs and a decidedly under-decorated booth — but neither that quantity or the booth mattered. Mary paired her distinctive illustrations with clever messaging that transported viewers to an unexpected, charming place — and the world had never seen anything quite like it!  Mary's cards caught the eye of a NY Magazine editor during that market, and a design empire was born. Today, having generated nearly 6,500 products and over $1 billion in lifetime retail sales, Mary shows no sign of slowing her prolific roll, lately releasing everything from wallpaper to paint-by-number kits. And, she documents it all in her excellent Instagram feed. (If you want your feed to resemble Mary's, try following @housewrenstudio @noodleandlou @heybilljoyce @sarahvbattle @vintagebycrystal @davidwalker.)   The mark of a truly inspired maker is the ability to evolve. To reflect our challenging times, Mary created her stark yet still eloquent Engeldark. Any followers she lost were more than mitigated by those she gained. Landing an interview with this doyenne of design was a dream come true for this paper nerd. Mary's thoughtful, informed perspective on design, licensing, expansion, authenticity, activism and collaboration offer countless insights for the entire stationery community. MYgY7Eb3livjxGFnzqi6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sixth season of The Paper Fold kicks off on a new network — Evergreen — and a slightly different format, but just this once. Instead of focusing on stationery within commerce, I am examining instead stationery within activism, with an admittedly personal bent. When he was just 14, my nephew Sam Schwartz lost his first cousin, Alex Schachter, at the Parkland Massacre on February 14, 2018. In the ensuing years, both Alex’ dad Max Schachter, and Sam’s mom Gail Schwartz, my sister-in-law, have dedicated their lives to making sure no other families go through what they have. Several weeks back, Sam, now a rising sophomore at the Boston Conservatory, decided to hold a week-long sit-in outside The Capitol Building to to demand a vote on an assault weapons ban in the house and the senate, regardless of the outcome. It would all be in Alex' honor. He needed a graphic, and that's where I came in. So, I introduced Sam and Gail to my dear friend Lindsay Henry of Inklings Paperie (Listen to her first drop into The Paper Fold here). After a few rushed emails, Lindsay brought this graphic to compelling life. Did I mention she was also prepping for *Noted, a major community event, at the same time? Everyone was thrilled with the final result. The image did not just live online, however. With a little help from my Canva account, Sam turned it into a greeting card/invitation, which he then printed and hand-delivered to every congressperson and senator over the course of several days. Meanwhile, the graphic also took root on social media. It appeared in Laura Dern's Instagram feed; the actress and her daughter Jaya Harper even stopped by! Meanwhile on the Sunday evening of the sit-in, Sam was interviewed live on CNN by Jim Acosta.  His next interview was with The Paper Fold, but with a far different focus. I am so intrigued by the overlap between art and activism, and how a powerful image may invite tangible action and change. So listen in to hear both Sam and Lindsay discuss creating compelling imagery for this space — and how those in the maker community can dive in as well if they so choose.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop what you are doing this instant, Nerds, and listen up to the newly crowned, Louie Award-winning Writer of the Year! Alyson O'Connor is one half of the decade-old Rust Belt Love Paperie (RBL) team — husband Nick is the other half — but she shapes our stationery community in a big way, all on her own. RBL's greeting cards spotlight the centuries-old letterpress medium exquisitely, and as such are gorgeous, artful creations in and of themselves — but their messaging elevates them into modern communication tools that hit you (and those you love) squarely in the feels. It's an enormous challenge to communicate emotions that most people can't fully articulate until they see them staring back at them from a shelf, but Alyson spills on her process. We also touch on inclusion and multi-occasional versatility, which are both incredibly trendy topics in our community. Finally, fresh off her win and this Louie awards program, Alyson is now officially the Greeting Card Association's Louie Chair. As a fellow Louie Committee member, I cannot pass up my chance to see where she wants to take the awards program during her two-year tenure. Don't miss my audience with this award winner! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paper nerds, here's the second part of my interview with this one-of-a-kind stationery innovator and disrupter! @emilyonlife and I kick off discussing The Long Table Collective. The collective provides invaluable mentoring for Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian artists & creative entrepreneurs as it attempts to even out the design playing field. Five ultra-lucky artists receive one year of professional mentoring in a small-group format, meeting virtually twice per month with Lisa Congdon and Emily. If you are interested in being a part, get on it: Applications close May 8! Through the collective, Emily has mentored Carlos Carmonamedina of The Culture Curious.  This "citizen of the world" creates stationery that focuses on the universality, not specificity, of card-sending occasions, with utterly vibrant, heartfelt results.  This direction ties into a trend both Emily and I are seeing, where one card speaks eloquently to several occasions. This flexible approach ties into our collective desire to simplify as we authentically connect with others — but mastering it as a maker is more challenging than you may think. Whatever role you play in stationery — from maker to disrupter to frequent card sender — miss my audience with Emily at your own risk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, Emily McDowell of Emily McDowell Studio sparked a greeting card revolution and evolution with the release of her Empathy Collection. Her card reading, "There is no good card for this" was both an acknowledgment that the market didn't reflect real life, and a challenge to makers to begin doing just that. Emily's self-named stationery brand would eventually become Em & Friends; in 2022 it was acquired by Union Square Publishing, the publishing arm of Barnes & Noble. While she currently serves in a part-time consulting role, she is no longer an employee or part of its leadership. Since @emilyonlife is currently on sabbatical from many of her endeavors, I am beyond grateful that she sat down with me to reflect on the art of disruption; the importance of timing; writing, rewriting and then rewriting again — as well as the dimensions and ultimate limitations of success. This interview was so compelling, I had to stretch it over two episodes! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this extra-special episode, my Paper Planes Cocktail Hour Podcast co-host and I decided to try something different. For decades now, Amy Loewenberg and I passed like stationery ships in the night, walking the same shows and stationery shops.  Ironically, we never really got acquainted until lockdown in 2020 — that's when we developed and starting churning out our NY NOW podcast once a month. While I have so enjoyed tag-teaming in our maker and retailer podcast interviews, we never turned the tables on each other ... until now that is. So, February finds me in the hot seat on the Paper Planes Cocktail Hour Podcast, and Amy is dropping back into The Paper Fold! With her vast experience on both sides of the aisle, Amy's perspective on the stationery and gift space is priceless.  We look back on where stationery has been ... and where it is going. From pop-ups to zoomers, from hybrid market experiences to the inimitable power of connecting in person, you don't want to miss this interview of my brilliant partner in podcasting! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

True progress may occur only at the macro level, but it begins on the micro level. Just ask Sadie Teper, founder of the feminist stationery and gift brand Twentysome Design. Her hand-lettered range draws big laughs as it voices our often unspoken thoughts — just ask her craft fair patrons, or the stores across the country that stock her.  But beneath the humor, the message is always a positive, inclusive one, which is that much more powerful held in your hands. Thus one card reads, "I love watching you rise/Congrats on your promotion"; one of my favorite Twentysome birthday offerings reminds the recipient that "age is beauty." Vinyl stickers meanwhile share modern dictums like "love yourself first," "worthy + deserving" and "angry women will change the world."  Now the self-confessed plant whore, also recently named a Stationery Trends Designer to Watch in 2023, drops in The Paper Fold to spill on her big-picture goals, varied inspirations, upcoming collaborations, to say nothing of how her magnificent, distinctive hand-lettering — AKA Bad Bitch — evolved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's tough getting any stationery brand off the ground, but one that goes an entirely new direction is a real challenge. Just ask Sharon Glassman of Smile Songs. This Brooklyn fashion writer turned Colorado songwriter actually came to stationery circuitously — as she was envisioning a way for her listeners to access her anytime, she actually was planning on making music boxes at first!           Sharon quickly realized that our smart phones ARE our music boxes ... with a little help from QR codes, that is. But a product that requires explanation can feel incongruous to its category counterparts, so Sharon decided that rather than exhibiting at a traditional gift show, she would instead try the resort and souvenir route.  So, she created her Natural Happiness Collection, featuring earthy symbols like mountains, water, flowers, and sun, pairing each with an inspirational message and a song about personal growth and happiness. Then, she took a deep breath and set up her very first table at her very first trade show, The Las Vegas Souvenir & Resort Gift Show.  Sharon relaxed once she got her first sale within the first hour, but was really surprised on her last day, when she received the show award for Best New Product Flush from her success, Sharon drops in The Paper Fold to discuss how she developed Smile Songs, and that although the paper medium may evolve, the message is just the same. She shares lessons learned from her first trade show, and how she is bringing next-level collaborations to her most harmonious brand! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is success exactly? That is the question Kristen Ley began asking herself following the meteoric rise of her paper and gift brand Thimblepress. Taking her creations from Etsy shop to Target shelves in a few short years was a dream come true, but at what cost? Caught up in a mindset of "hurry rush do," Kristen became scattered. "I was spinning out, doing way too much, and not taking care of my mental and physical self," she wrote me. "I had put off doctor's appointments for years, I was cutting my own hair, and I was eating a very poor diet that kept me in a perpetual cycle of sickness. I was a mess." So, Kristen decided to look inwards, slow down to an almost complete halt — including on social media! — and truly reevaluate what was actually going on in her business and heart. As a result, she completely restructured her business — and mindset — so that Thimblepress serves her, not the other way around. These days you will find Kristen not only developing her own product range, but collaborating with others for a true design win-win. Whatever role you play in our community, you'll be inspired by this industry powerhouse's grace, strength and wisdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most of today's young stationery makers grew up swooning over our medium, but Libby Llanso of Seedlings literally grew up working in our trade. As the daughter of Legacy Publishing Group's Cathy and Carlos Llanso, her childhood was filled with packing orders, attending various markets and helping her mom select art for the next year's release.  But rather than continuing the status quo, when Libby came on board, she was able to create the range she envisioned. Thus Seedlings sprouted from Legacy — much like wildflowers spring from every last Seedlings envelope. With its focus on vibrant color, authentic messaging and sustainability, this innovative range keeps the medium exciting, fresh and fun.  This organic approach has distinguished Seedlings in a rather crowded maker market. The Louie Awards are the greeting card equivalent to the Academy Awards, and last April, Seedlings' gorgeous and heartfelt sympathy design snagged the stationery equivalent to Best Picture: Card of the Year, over $5. Then, last summer, Libby was named to the 2022 Gift + Stationery 40 under 40 class, another enormous honor. Not too shabby for a 26-year-old! Tune in to hear Libby spill on the lessons learned from her upbringing, and what she seeks to originate. Her devotion to sustainability is not only passionate, it is practical, as Libby is helping bring necessary change and progress to the industry as she simultaneously keeps the medium mesmerizing to the next generation of paper nerds.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you ever wanted to put your truth out there and hesitated due to the response you feared you’d get, hesitate no longer. Just ask Jocelyn + Roland Kirouac of Ümlaut Brooklyn. Although this range has a reputation for having the proverbial potty mouth, their product actually doesn't contain a lot of profanity.  What it does have, however, is the couple's uncensored and occasionally shocking take on the world around them. Thus, while their stationery is practically guaranteed to make you laugh out loud — "outrageous times deserve outrageous cards" is their working mantra — their Instagram feed reflects their belief that it's impossible to separate your personal views and politics from your creativity.  COVID-19 continues to color their approach to exhibiting in person at markets. For Jocelyn and Roland, the plague is not yet over. While they hope and plan to return to in-person market appearances — a notion I heartily endorse! — for now they're relying on those often-overlooked sales dynamos, road reps. They have so many, they can't name them all — and these "trade shows on wheels" literally drive their wholesale sales, even on Faire. Finally, nearly every brand is expected to have a cause-related element, but Ümlaut Brooklyn carefully considered the inroads they wanted to pave before establishing their Young Artist Grant. Their philanthropic approach is as heartfelt as their cards are zany, and I'm hoping other makers in our community are inspired to similarly nurture the next generation of creatives!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you've ever felt creatively restricted by your corporate job, move over! Brittany O’Brien of Brittany Paige Designs feels your pain, but better yet, she acted on it. She launched her namesake brand in 2017 with six greeting cards — all concerning break-ups — and although the release was small, it proved to be incredibly powerful. With it, Brittany was officially uncensored, untethering herself from how she was in her words "taught to be small."  Unsurprisingly, her stationery and gift range struck a collective nerve, and this one-woman operation accordingly grew exponentially — just ask her 500+ stockists, or maybe one of her 20K+ TikTok followers. When the Dobbs ruling dropped in late June, Brittany channeled her energy into not just representing and interpreting the collective frustration of many Americans, but infusing some financial muscle as well.  First she pre-released a powerful "They Won't Stop at Roe' sticker June 24, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Arc Southeast. Then she got 29 other gift and stationery brands on board to donate all online sales for one day — July 12 — to The National Network of Abortion Funds. In all, over $15K was raised, with Brittany donating a cool grand. Brittany opens up about her approach to infusing her beliefs into her merchandise, lessons learned from July 12 and a peek into what she's showcasing at NY NOW. Finally, her take on that "cringey app I was resistant to," TikTok, is not to be missed!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to unleash that creative powerhouse that resides within you? Then you absolutely cannot miss my chat with Stacie Bloomfield. This design dynamo was just named a 2022 40 Under 40 Honoree by Stationery Trends and Gift Shop Plus magazines, and it will become pretty apparent, pretty quickly, why I gave her a perfect score when I judged the entries.   Stacie literally grew Gingiber, her Arkansas paper and home goods company, from her kitchen table to a seven-figure business now carried by over 1000 stores around the globe. Interestingly, her Gingiber journey began when she couldn't find nursery art she liked for her childrens' rooms, but as her children have grown, so too has her voice blossomed. But Stacie didn't stop there. Genuinely wanting to encourage other makers, she founded The Creative Powerhouse Society. Stacie is as transparent as she is vulnerable, sharing every last pitfall and win, and ultimately freeing everyone in her powerful orbit to forge their own path, and completely customize it to their liking no less.  From the potential hazards of sharing your personal views to the knowledge that your follower count does not dictate your income, Stacie drops bits of creative and entrepreneurial wisdom like proverbial crumbs in the forest for us all to follow. Miss this empowering episode at your own risk!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hold onto your undated planners everyone, Rosanna is here, and my, does she have a lot to spill! When I last checked in with her, pre-pandemic, the founder of this letterpress brand and Los Angeles shop had just lost her husband and co-founder Joel to brain cancer, leaving their 18-month-old  daughter Judith behind as well.  Our stationery community is such that we rallied around Rosanna from around the nation however we could, but it was Rosanna's fortitude and mindset that enabled her to triumph.  Not only has Rosanna survived, she and Shorthand have thrived, with the latter growing according to the traditional definition of a corporation — "work being done by a group of people that cannot be achieved by an individual" — and she proudly and stably employs an ever-growing team of LA gig-economy creatives.  Shorthand also has a new official name as well as its largest release  ever this summer, exhibiting at the Dallas and Atlanta markets respectively in June and July and Shoppe Object in New York in August.  So just like the office goods and stationery Shorthand lovingly creates and curates, there is a lot more going on here than initially meets the eye. This episode takes a deep dive into life, love and letterpress, and as such is not to be missed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know that a life lived in letters is a far richer one, but what about the letter itself? Former university vice president, professor, policy advisor, attorney and poet Wendy Hind tackled this question, and you may be surprised at the results.  The mission of her Tiny Poetry Project is to give, not receive, so for her poems printed on plantable paper, being stationery is just one step in its circle of life. After being read and digested, each notecard or postcard can be planted to yield wildflowers; any envelopes are 100% recycled and card sleeves are plant-based and compostable. Tiny Poetry cards are kind to our hearts and the environment, Wendy emphasizes. The tagline of Tiny Poetry Project, medicine for the soul, alludes to Wendy's attachment to narrative medicine, which began after her own son was born with a life-threatening congenital heart condition. This medical approach utilizes patients' narratives in clinical practice, research, and education as a way to promote healing, and Wendy also conducts narrative medicine workshops and contributes to various poetry and medical humanities blogs and podcasts.  So, although Wendy is brand new to the wholesale stationery game, her perspective may just leave you rethinking not just your approach, but the magical potential of the medium to connect and even heal.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every last woman stationery maker you see today is building her brand upon the shoulders of the women who forged their paths before them — and the younger generation may not even know it. Bonnie Marcus has been a prominent figure in the stationery and gift industry for 20 years, counting celebrities like Cindy Crawford and Kathryn Heigl among her custom clientele and snagging the prestigious American Express “Make Mine a $Million Business” contest for women entrepreneurs.  Yet it only appeared easy from the outside; as Bonnie was building the Bonnie Marcus Collection of invitations, stationery, partyware and gifts, she was also raising three sons. For years at National Stationery Show, she would duck away from her booth while writing wholesale orders for baby shower invitations and announcements to nurse in the restroom next door. Such is the Mom-friendly spirit of our paper community that the booth space itself was implemented onto the show floor by management just to accommodate this new Mom's needs!  Today, two of those sons are college age, and Bonnie has shifted much of her wholesale business to the licensing model, but she still brings her unmistakable sense of style — to say nothing of hard-won wisdom and a surprise or two — to The Paper Fold.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, you think you can write a clever card, the kind that makes you laugh uncontrollably and that you just HAVE to send your friend, who will totally get it? Maybe you should think again — it's not nearly as easy as it looks.  Just ask Michelle of 417 Press, who has been letterpressing her signature blend of wit and wisdom since 2015. The graphic designer first discovered letterpress while planning her own wedding — but soon realized she has a special affinity for one-liners.  So, quicker than you can say "good thing you're hot because your farts are nasty," an award-winning range was born. Now this fellow INFJ and GenXer swings by to discuss building a range, quickly transforming pop culture trends into cutting-edge messaging, and turning life's challenges into the correspondence that connects us.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices