I'm happy to share that Happy Cactus' Gold Foil Balloon birthday card was featured in last month's issue of Gifts and Decorative Accessories magazine. This is probably my most favorite card that I debuted at the National Stationery Show this year, so I was very excited to see it on the pages of this popular trade magazine read by thousands of gift shop owners worldwide.
The Happy Birthday Floral Script card pairs quite nicely with these floral paper straws from Waiting on Martha.
I love a notepad that makes list-making fun, and am happy to introduce the new Blooms Notepad. It features hand-drawn flowers in vibrant colors. The 4"x6" notepad can easily fit in your purse and the paper contains 10% post-consumer waste content and 30% recycled content. Notepads come individually sealed in a cello bag making them perfect for gift giving! Shop it here.
I'm starting a new little series on the blog called "Pairs Well With..." where I pair up a Happy Cactus Designs product with another item that it coordinates well with.
First up, the Thank You Tribal Lines card. How perfectly does it pair with these Zara heels?!
TheThank You Tribal Lines cardis available as a single card or boxed set of 10. Shop ithere.
It's been a busy week at Happy Cactus Designs. I've been putting the finishing touches on a number of new card designs for the upcoming holidays. It's hard to describe what it's like to be designing Christmas cards when the thermometer outside reads 101 degrees. I can't wait to share what I've been up to! I also had the good fortune of seeing Robert Plant perform live this week. It was amazing and my first time to see this legend live. He and his band played a number of Led Zepplin songs like this African-influenced version of Black Dog. Happy Friday!
Robert Plant Presents The Sensational Space Shifters - Black Dog
One of my favorite new releases from the collection I debuted at the Stationery Show is the Tribal Lines Thank You note card.
I created an organic diamond pattern based off hand-drawn triangle and dot shapes I drew. While I love love love color, I decided to design this card using only black and white. It's both simple and complex, timeless and on-trend.
The Tribal Lines Thank You card is available as a single or as a boxed set of 10 cards. Shop it here.
I debuted a number of new patterned note cards at the Stationery Show this year and the "Squiggle Flowers" design was by far the most popular of the bunch.
The hand-drawn "squiggly flowers" were inspired by large Mexican tissue paper flowers. I loved using bright and bold color combinations for the different flowers. The colors really leap off of the paper.
This design was one of the images I blew up onto a large poster board to hang at the top of my booth at the National Stationery Show.
Shop the Squiggle Flowers card here.
I've mentioned here before that I have a licensed iPhone case design available through MyCustomCase.com. I own the case myself and have been impressed with how well the case has held up over time - no scratches or marks, very sturdy, and it's protected my iPhone from many drops. Well, I'm excited to share that you can now purchase iPad cases with the same design. It's available for iPad 2/3/4 and comes in a number of color combinations. You can personalize the case with a name or monogram, or just have the design alone. Shop it here!
One of my favorite new products that I debuted at the National Stationery Show in May was the "Errands to Run" notepad. I am a big lover of list-making and writing down to-do lists, yet found that I always have multiple lists going on different sheets of paper for all of the places I need to go. Realizing that there didn't seem to be a notepad out there that could house all of my different lists one sheet, I decided to create one of my own!
The pad has places for all of the typical places you run errands - the drug store, the grocery store, and quick stops (think bank, dry cleaners, etc.). I also left a box with a blank line for you to write in your own stop - mine is usually Target or the art supply store - and a place to jot down a quick "don't forget!" note.
The notepad is 5.5" x 8.5" - large enough for all of your lists. It was important to me to use paper that was environmentally friendly, too. I'm happy to share that the paper for the pad is 10% post-consumer waste content and 30% recycled content. The notepad makes a great present for busy moms or as a housewarming gift! Shop the notepad here.
This year at the National Stationery Show I had the pleasure of meeting a number of artists and designers walking the show. Many asked how I decided to do the show and what it takes to get there.
There's no "right" or easy path when it comes to deciding to exhibit at the show, and each person's decision is completely different from the next as it is a very personal one. That said, if you are contemplating having a booth at NSS in the future, here's a few bits of advice:
- Set goals. Think about your company and where you want to be. Spend a lot of time thinking about where you see yourself in six months, one year, five years, etc. Will exhibiting at the Stationery Show help you get there? How?
- Develop an understanding of the wholesale world. Wholesaling isn't right for everyone and is very different from selling directly to retail consumers. If you are new to wholesaling and also considering doing the Stationery Show, start thinking through some of the systems and processes you will likely need to set up. Do you have the ability to scale up your production and fulfill orders to retailers in a timely manner? Can you appropriately price your products for the wholesale market? How will you keep track of your orders and contacts? How will you package and ship your products? Will you be able to release new designs consistently throughout the year? Lots to think about!
- Be prepared to show a full line of cards/products. Having just 12 cards won't cut it at NSS. You are expected to have a complete line covering many different categories. From different people I've spoken to, I've heard you should be prepared to bring anywhere from 30 to 75 unique designs to present at the show. You want your walls to have ample product on display and for buyers to see that you are committed to your art.
- Do a lot of research. I learned a LOT about the show by looking at photos and reading summaries online. Blogs like Paper Crave, The Stationery Place, Design Sponge, and Oh So Beautiful Paper do a wonderful job covering the show each year. Many designers share their experiences on their own blogs or Facebook pages as well. The Center Aisle Group has also published a book about preparing for this tradeshow in particular that should be on your must-read list. If you can swing it, walk the show (the show management allows artists to purchase passes to attend the show) and take it all in.
- Invest in workshops and networking opportunities. I've shared before how invaluable Tradeshow Bootcamp has been and continues to be in preparing for and navigating NSS and the stationery industry in general. I've also greatly benefited from working with business consultants, industry experts, and educators including The Center Aisle Group, Joyce Wan, and Rena Tom. Each opportunity has been well worth the investment as I've learned a TON while also building a network of friends and supporters at the same time.
- Meet other designers. I've made a number of good "paper" friends who are not only wonderful people and amazing designers, but also a great resource when I need feedback about preparing for NSS or working with retailers. Find other designers that live near you and ask them to meet up, or email a few designers you admire and see if they would be willing to answer some of your questions.
Have more questions? Feel free to contact me at hello{at}happycactusdesigns.com and I'd be more than happy to answer them!
While working on orders, I try to listen to podcasts. My favorite one is By the Way, In Conversation with Jeff Garlin. Jeff plays "Jeff" on Curb Your Enthusiasm, one of my all-time favorite shows. For his podcast, Jeff interviews influential people in the entertainment industry in front of a live audience. Past guests have included Larry David, Lena Dunham, Jeff Tweedy, and Will Ferrell (the guest list is like a who's who of my favorite entertainers/creatives). The interviews are equal parts entertaining, interesting, engaging, and hilarious. This past week, while sleeving cards and packing orders from the National Stationery Show, I was listening to Jeff interview Matthew Weiner, the creator of Mad Men. Weiner spends a lot of time talking with Jeff about how he rose the ranks in Hollywood to get to where he is today. While speaking about how he was so inspired to become a better writer after seeing the film Groundhog Day with Bill Murray, he said he learned to "seek what is great and it will inspire you."
This quote struck me in particular as I had just arrived back in Austin after a week spent amongst other stationery designers at the National Stationery Show. Being around so much talent in a confined area can feel overwhelming, but also incredibly inspiring. I returned from NSS feeling ready to push myself more as an artist and to take more risks. Being at NSS is a great reminder that the community of stationery people also serves to inspire greatness in yourself.