Paper Girl Creative... a long time coming!
Welcome friends! If you are reading this, that means I mustered the courage to launch this wedding invitation business rocket ship into the world. It has really felt like a long time coming, and while most of the site building came all at the last minute, the actual preparation has lasted years. My creative journey (at least the one that is most relevant here) started back in 2007 when I graduated with a bachelor's degree in Visual Communication from the University of Kansas. (Rock Chalk!) I was sort of guided into going the route of graphic design, mostly by my mom, who must have seen something in the hours upon hours of scrapbooking I did as a kid and teenager along with my fascination and interest in computers.
Since I graduated from college just over ten years ago I’ve had several different creative jobs - all of which have led me to this point. I’ve worked at shops where retail was intertwined with design and I learned that the retail environment is not for me. I’ve had the pleasure of working with lots of different customers on design projects and wedding invitations over the years and I’ve learned that I love working with people and helping them using my own unique skill set. I got my feet wet in the business world by starting Craftbelly, which is a shop that features my love of pattern, home goods and stationery.
Paper Girl Creative actually started as an idea for small business branding, specifically for the maker community that I knew and loved. At the same time as I launched that, I started working for a local stationery store called Swoozie’s where I was the in-house designer. It was a fast-paced environment and I got to work on a lot of weddings. It was here that I realized that I wanted to design wedding invitations for real, on my own terms. An idle site that I had thrown together before was just waiting to become what I think it was always meant to become… a place for me to share my skills and personality with the world!
The idea of working with brides can sometimes get a bad rap - people assume that every bride is a bridezilla and it’s going to be a stressful experience no matter what. But after working hands-on with brides for a year and a half, I found quite the opposite! I really loved so many of the couples I worked with, including several mothers who were just as nice as can be. I found I had a knack for communicating well and being super patient. My easy-going nature served me well and I really enjoyed creating something special for these couples. I also realized how fun it is to be part of the very beginning of the process! I get to help create the vibe and get the party started. For most brides, it’s a long process, and I love getting to be in it with them from start to finish, especially when we work on day-of stationery together.
When you are a graphic designer, people tend to come to you for things. Naturally wedding invitations becomes one of those things and that’s why I got into it many years ago, designing invites for friends and family. It was not until my time at Swoozie’s that I realized I had many other qualities besides just being a designer that would help me in this venture and that I truly enjoyed every part of the process. I’ve gotten to be a part of so many people’s big days and lucky enough to have gone to several of the weddings I’ve designed the invites for! It’s time for me to share this with the world and try to reach as many couples as possible, in hopes that I can create a joyful and easy process for couples along with beautiful designs that feel just like them.
Cheers!