Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you have a fun day full of family, friends, and food!
Save 25% off ALL orders in the online shop with code BLACK25 at checkout! The code is valid November 28 - December 2. Stock up on Christmas cards, notepads and boxed stationery (great stocking stuffers!), thank you cards, and more!
Well, it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but I feel like the Christmas seasons is in full swing. All of the houses in my neighborhood are lit up and there seems to be a rush to purchase holiday gifts. The design for my Christmas Icons card, new for this season, grew out of an original drawing I did for a personalized holiday card last year. I love all of the tiny motifs that represent the season. It pairs well with Crate and Barrel's Dip Dyed Ornaments. Crate and Barrel has such a wonderful and fun selection of ornaments this season...I want to scoop them all up! You can shop the Christmas Icons card here.
I'm in Dallas getting ready for tomorrow's Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash, which should hopefully be a great event. In the meantime, here's my favorite finds this week.
DESIGN // These rainbow pencils are magical. Also, a strategy for finding Waldo.
READ // An important read about the changing face of Etsy.
EYE CANDY // Amazing paper sculptures.
SMALL BUSINESS // An excellent and informative article by Emily Blistein of the shop Clementine about how to get a shop owner's attention. I'm loving this new series on Oh So Beautiful Paper.
WATCH // Have you seen Wes Anderson's new short film?
ALSO WATCH // A cute retro how-to holiday video from our friends at Postable. We have a number of holiday cards on their site right now!
I am so excited that Happy Cactus Designs will be at the Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash this weekend! I have heard many great things about this event. Happy Cactus will be sharing a booth indoors with Dixie Goods Company. We hope to see you this Saturday!
I have been an avid reader of the magazine Sweet Paul since it first launched a few years ago. Paul and his team always put together beautiful issues full of tasty recipes, imaginative craft projects, and well-curated items. I am so thrilled to share that my String of Lights Christmas place cards are featured in Sweet Paul's special holiday issue! Read the entire issue here, and check out our place card on page 8!
Happy Cactus' most popular Christmas card, Rainbow Tree, pairs quite well with Furbish Studio's Very Merry Pom Pom Garland. You can shop all of our Christmas cards here.
While in New York a few weeks ago, I stopped by Paper Presentation, one of my favorite stationery shops that recently began carrying Happy Cactus Designs.
When I was living in NYC and preparing to launch Happy Cactus, I spent a lot of time wandering around Paper Presentation, researching products and stocking up on pens and card stock. It's pretty surreal that two years later my cards are on their shelves!
I'm off to set up my booth at the Hyer Bazaar this morning, but first, my Friday Favorites.
DESIGN // Tattly, the brilliant temporary tattoo company, has just launched letterpress cards that come with tattoos inside.
SMALL BUSINESS // A great article about shopping trends from Monica Lee of Smart Creative Woman: "What manufacturers, designers (and even retailers) need to understand."
EYE CANDY // I have loved perusing TOMS new marketplace.
READ // I want to be a millennial when I retire.
LISTEN // I just discovered the Radiolab podcast - "a show about curiosity" - and have really enjoyed listening to them while I prep for shows and pack orders.
I'm headed back up to Dallas this weekend for the Hyer Happy Hollydays Bazaar in Dallas. It's held at Hyer Elementary, 3920 Caruth Boulevard, in University Park. This will be my second year to do this event and it is sure to be a fun time. After seeing how excited customers were about Christmas cards and gift tags at last weekend's Dallas Flea, I'm looking forward to another weekend event.
Taking a calligraphy class has been on my to-do list for a long time, and I finally got the chance to try it out last week when I took a beginners class here in Austin with Lauren of Blue Eye Brown Eye. I loved it!
Lauren explained the various tools a calligrapher needs as well as lettering in general. Then we got down to business and started practicing all of the lowercase letters of the alphabet. It definitely takes a lot of practice getting used to the pen as well as how and when to apply pressure.
I'm setting aside time to practice my new skills and can't wait to incorporate calligraphy into my card designs.
I had such a blast at my first big holiday show of the season, the Dallas Flea, held near downtown Dallas. This was the third Flea I've done and it is such a fun event with a great mix of vintage, handmade, and food vendors. I shared a booth space with Dixie Goods Company and we loved meeting new shoppers and seeing old faces. Here's a few shots from the day.
Booth set-up. I'm in love with my new 6-tier display!
Boxed holiday cards on sale
Kady selling collars
My dear friend Cassie and Bucky, her precious 7-month old King Charles Cavalier, came to help out!
Merry Merry Trees was the best seller of the day. I sold out of all of the boxed sets I brought with me!