November 12, 2012
After a brief hiatus (things have been busy around here!), the card of the week series is back! The Budding Pinks patterned note card was one of the first cards from my earliest collection. It started as a single motif based on an Indian flower design I came across.
I love the lines and sense of motion that the pattern creates. It's the perfect card for a thank you note or any occasion.
October 08, 2012
Did you know Happy Cactus Designs can create custom personalized stationery using any of our patterns?
Here's an example of a recent design we did for Christina using our "Zinnias" pattern.
These flat note cards for Victoria used the "Corazon" print on the back.
Any pattern or floral design you see here on the website can be used to create a flat or folded note card. We have so many fun and beautiful fonts to work with, and also offer custom hand lettering. Check out more custom projects here. And don't forget, we're always happy to work with you on an entirely custom and unique project. Email us at hello{at}happycactusdesigns.com for more details on custom and personalized stationery.
September 17, 2012
Happy Cactus is celebrating its one year anniversary this month and I thought the perfect card of the week this week would be one of the first designs I ever did - the Garden Blues floral patterned note card. Before I ever thought of actually launching a paper goods company, I spent a lot of time doodling and drawing, making cards for friends and family members. A lot of my doodling gravitated to florals. I was thrilled with how this particular design turned out - from the whimsical flowers to the array of blues. It will always be one of my favorites.
September 04, 2012
August 22, 2012
Summer is nearly over and school will be back in session soon. I drew a little yellow pencil earlier this summer and decided to make a fun little pattern out of it.
July 25, 2012
Last week I was lucky to have a lot of time to focus on some creative work (they say with creative businesses, you typically spend only 20% of your time on the creative side and the other 80% on running the business, and it's so true!). I ended up with a lot of drawings I'm excited about as well as an idea for a new collection/series (more on that soon!). One thing I found was that I ended up drawing a lot of tiles and geometric shapes. I've been playing around with these tiles...making different patterns and trying out different color combinations. Here's one of my favorites!
Original tile:
Some pattern play:
July 02, 2012
I thought I'd pull back the curtain a bit and give you a peek inside my creative process. Each of the cards you see in the shop is originally drawn by hand - by me! So just how does a design go from an idea in my mind to a sketch to a finished card? Here's a glance at the different steps in my creative process.
Doodling
I find myself doodling a lot. My sketchbooks are filled with random drawings and words. Some go nowhere, some turn into the cards you see for sale on this site, and some I revisit months later with renewed interest. Here's some recent sketches I've done.
Pen to Paper
Usually I'll take a preliminary sketch I've drawn and create something in ink. Sometimes I sketch out the design first in pencil; sometimes I just go for it with ink and hope I don't make a big mistake. Armed with some very fine black ink pens, I'll spend time drawing the motifs or patterns on drawing paper. I'm lucky to have a very steady hand.
Here's the original ink drawings for Thanks Vines, Busy Flowers, and Zinnias. With both of the designs for Busy Flowers and Zinnias, I didn't have a set design in my mind - each piece just grew as I went along.
Clean Up and Color
I scan my artwork and use software on my trusty computer to smooth lines, clean up mistakes, and color the artwork. I love playing around with different color combinations and seeing the different possibilities.
The End Result
The final products printed, scored, and ready to be sold!
May 12, 2012
We're busy bees running lots of last minute errands for the Stationery Show and packing everything up! With so many new designs debuting at NSS, we spent a lot of time photography products. Here's a few close up shots!
May 06, 2012
We were so thrilled to see Happy Cactus Designs mentioned in the Spring 2012 issue of Stationery Trends, the leading trade magazine for the industry. This is the pre-NSS issue that many retailers receive and read in the weeks leading up to the show. Happy Cactus was highlighted as one of thirteen first-time exhibitors that "merit a visit, since their wares are typically distinguished by their fresh approaches." You can check out the "Budding Pinks" patterned note card featured in the magazine here.