The Card Designer Highlight is a collection that includes unbiased makers whose greeting playing cards you will discover in Paper Supply shops. Meet and be impressed by a brand new designer each month on our weblog!
Shannon Barnes of Flaunt Playing cards based her enterprise earlier than the times of e-commerce. By means of on a regular basis inspiration, and dedication to inventive entrepreneurship her actually one-of-a-kind and handmade playing cards share delight each day and remind us ‘to not take issues too significantly’.
How did you start your card-making profession? I grew up in a household that all the time despatched playing cards for each event, and if fortunate sufficient, a $5 invoice was tucked inside. Sending handwritten greeting playing cards was an vital pastime and regarded correct etiquette which was fostered by my Grandma and now my Mother. 23 years in the past, I made a thanks card for a pal who recommended I contemplate promoting them. She known as in a favor and a neighborhood stylish store in Vancouver agreed to hold a few of my designs. Inside every week I used to be picked up by a distributor and the remaining is historical past. I, in fact, did must work a “actual” job alongside beginning the cardboard enterprise for a few years. I’d even be remised if I didn’t point out that I’ve by no means taken an artwork class in my life. I by no means noticed myself as an artist and nonetheless battle to take action at instances. I studied City Geography and Sustainable Growth in College so the entire card making enterprise was not solely a nice shock, nevertheless it was a great profession path which enabled me to make my very own hours and lift my children. 
The place do you draw inspiration from? Meals? Pop Tradition? Timeless Motifs? Playful Puns? Inspiration for me largely comes from on a regular basis life, particularly animals and birds which make up over 85% of my line. I’m a little bit of a journey junkie and love vogue, meals, and artwork in all its varieties. All my favourite issues and experiences encourage me frequently. For example, spending time in Positano impressed me to design a card with a lemon on it, mountaineering within the forest beside my home impressed me to create mushroom designs, and hanging out with my teen ladies conjures up me to not take issues too significantly and so as to add “fuck” to the occasional cardJ. 
What does your day appear to be as a card designer? My days are busy, and fortunately often all the time good busy. I make money working from home, I all the time have, which made the entire covid debacle comparatively easy for me. I’m fortunate to have a spacious home in Vancouver, Canada and have my workplace in a shiny and ethereal house tucked away from the common goings on of the day. My day largely is determined by which orders must exit and what deadlines are looming. Typically, most of my time is spent on high quality management, filling orders, sorting stock and schlepping packages to my native publish workplace. I’ve a superb gal that works for me and is really probably the most artistic, top-notch human being ever. My two huskies additionally attempt to be as useful as potential.
What does your artistic course of appear to be? I often begin with a doodle thought. I’m a horrific drawer so it’s all pretty tough till I begin reducing and tearing shapes of mulberry paper and gluing them collectively. Since we’re largely a “made-to-order” enterprise it permits me the pliability to create new deigns on a whim and cater to final minute retailer requests.
What’s your most popular medium? My playing cards are all handmade. Legit handmade utilizing printed card inventory, hand-torn mulberry paper, glue sticks, paper punches, sparkles, and cloth paint. I’m undecided how I landed on this medium or how this design course of even got here to be. To start with I used to be actually simply in search of one other strategy to earn money and such a work actually resonated with folks. The thrill round “native,” “moral,” and “small batch,” actually allowed my enterprise to develop at a gentle tempo reaching those that had been in search of one thing just a little completely different.
What are you most happy with as a creator and card maker? What I’m most happy with is that incontrovertible fact that I’m an entrepreneur in its most uncooked sense. Flaunt was constructed earlier than e-commerce and whereas I acknowledge the significance of a web-based presence and the ability of the web for making gross sales, I’m glad that I skilled the world when orders would are available in by way of fax machine, cellphone chats had been frequent, and store house owners would mail their checks in. Touchdown some nice media and a few massive retailers like Paper Supply have enabled my enterprise to thrive and develop steadily. I really like and recognize the help, the collaboration and the artistic alternatives which have come my approach. I’m additionally proud that I’ve set a great instance for my children. You by no means know the place life will take you. Be variety, put the time in, do the reps, and revel in what you do.
Discover Flaunt Playing cards Handcrafted Bear Hug Thank You Card , Handcrafted Age is Irrelephpant Birthday Card and Handcrafted Witch Owl Halloween Card at your native retailer or on-line at papersource.com. For extra inspiration and behind-the-scenes motion, comply with @flauntcards on IG.