Having taken the flying leap into becoming a small, independent stationery publisher I decided that growing the collection of greeting card ranges bit by bit was the best way to make sure it all happen. It’s making for exciting days as I keep taking the next step and this new mini collection is bringing to life a design idea I’ve had for a while – something quite different to my previous styles with it’s focus on horizontals.
I’ve been on this solopreneur, small business owner journey since 2001 and it’s constantly a lesson in growing.
Watercolour Themes for Greeting Cards
I’m keeping to the watercolour theme as I love the colours and textures but I wanted to push myself with lines. I’m not naturally one for lots of lines or dots so by experimenting and challenging my own boundaries I feel like I’ve been growing artistically – I’ve found how to do lines in a way that I enjoy and like.
Greeting Cards for Men
Another boundary push was designing a card with men in mind. I’ve realised that my love of flowers and flora is creating a more feminine feel to my ranges so with my favourite coastal man in mind I’ve designed one for him (can I hear a male voice saying, what just one? Well that’s the starting point isn’t it?).
This focus lead me to think about designing for another favourite love of mine, friendship. So to keep things balanced, I worked around a design for both women and men and another more for female friendship – so one design for men, one for women and one for both! What could be fairer?
Happy Birthday Greeting Card
So here’s the coastal blues Happy Birthday card with men in mind – what do you think?
Happy Birthday Card
I’ve started to think the reoccurring blue and white theme in my work is strongly connected to the love of blue and white porcelain and how this comes through in my ceramic jewellery designs in the necklaces and brooch collections.
Celebrating Friendship
I have a confession to make, I’m a complete sop about heartfelt friendship. When I see demonstrations of true friendship I go all gooey, whether it’s been couples or mates, my heart sings.
So these two cards are all about celebrating friendship
Remember that time when greeting card
I Think You’re Fabulous Greeting Card
More New Greeting Card Designs Coming
Not only have I sent off more new designs to the printer, I have an entire new series on the painting boards so they will be making their way online and into shops and markets in the coming weeks and will be announced online and in the newsletters.
My aim is to have new designs each month, whether that’s adding whole new series or growing existing series. I want to have a diverse collection of ranges that reflects the different ways we view the world with our own influences and styles.
Journey as a Solopreneur
I’ve come to realise that it’s a journey I’m on as a solopreneur and it will also be so. While I have hopes and dreams of having help within this little business of mine, I haven’t any plans at this stage of a business partner, so the path will remain that of one women and her business.
And I have to confess, I love it. I think the key to that love is that every few years I have a great big growth cycle. This one is all stemming from the personal growth burst I’ve had recently with starting to paint. I love painting. I’ve always loved stationery and greeting cards in particular.
So bringing these two loves together is great fun.
The Challenge of Lots of Ideas
The only challenge I have is having too many ideas. The result is an acceptance that I will have a series of ranges and while there will be common threads through them, they will all vary. Once I accepted that part of my personality and the possibilities it was a heap easier to get working in a focused and determined way.
And that’s another thing I’m loving out this year’s path, I’m learning so much more in business, design and creativity. I’m learning about the printing and publishing worlds, I’m reaching an expanded audience – some who are and some who aren’t interested in my jewellery ranges. It’s fascinating. It’s also confirming that I’m doing the right thing in life with this continued self employment journey. And that’s deeply satisfying and motivating (although not always easy).
Tell Us What You Think?
What do you think of this new design direction? Do you like the watercolour lines and written word format?
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