Full disclosure: Last spring, I hit a bit of a creativity dry spell. This doesn't happen to me often. Usually, ideas for funny greeting cards just pour out of my brain faster than I can catch them.
I had an idea for a design of different types of boobs on wrapping paper. But, I found that an amazing shop called Hooray All Day already made a Boobies Wrapping Paper that was perfection. The colors, the boobies, the placement of the nips – it seriously is the tits!
Part of why I love being an illustrator and maker is that I get to use my own creativity to come up with hilarious greeting cards and saucy birthday cards that you can’t find anywhere else. Why would I recreate the wheel when Natilee (the badass maker behind Hooray All Day) already has the perfect tits?
I wanted to ask her if I could carry her products in my store.
But I hesitated.
I’m a bit of an introvert and I was worried that she might not want to share her products with another woman maker/ illustrator/ California shop owner. Would she turn me down? Would she see me as her competition?
Luckily, I found her shop on Faire, a wholesale marketplace that connects independent retailers with brands from around the world. Not only was I able to start selling some of her quirky and fun gifts, but we actually became virtual BFFs.
We can commiserate over the joys and struggles of being mompreneurs, while supporting each other’s businesses and brightening each other’s days. And since we’re both based in California, I get my shit fast!
Why Women Makers Rule the World
This experience got me thinking about how important it is for women makers to support each other. There’s a saying I like to model my business on: A rising tide lifts all boats. When I support other women makers, it will inevitably lift my business up, too.
When I first started making and selling greeting cards online, I definitely had some girl crushes on a couple of Etsy sellers (Natilee included). Another of these babes was Julie of Unblushing. I mean, her Instagram bio alone is genius! I knew I wanted her unapologetic greeting cards and irreverent wrapping paper in my shop ASAP.
I strived to be as successful, creative and bold as these ladies. Their work inspired me to come up with my own art and to scour the internet for designs that didn’t already exist so I could boost my business to the next level.
And let me tell ya, it ain’t easy!
There is this idea out there that other funny greeting card sellers are your competitors. I've chosen to think about this differently. Instead of competition, negativity and the desire to win, I’ve chosen to focus on collaboration, support and positive vibes.
Back in the day, women were “makers” because they had to be. It was the expectation that we would make the clothes, the food and all the other shit our families needed to thrive in the home.
Now, we get to be makers. We can use our abilities to pursue our own creative interests to make products that we can sell all across the world. Our passion projects can become full-fledged businesses that allow us to support our families and ourselves in ways that our predecessors could not.
Not only do we make that cheddar, but we act as role models for our kids and our communities. The mark that women makers make cannot be ignored… especially in the funny greeting card biz!
California Women Makers I Love
There are so many other greeting card brands that are women-owned that I’m proud to support and stand behind. You can even find them right here at In A Nutshell Studio!
Rain of Cheeky Kumquat
Natilee of Hooray All Day
Lisa of Sapling Press
Christy of Paper Baristas
Julie of Unblushing
Ronnie of Bangs And Teeth
Jill of DeLuce Design
If you want to join me in celebrating and supporting these artists, check out their greeting cards by doing a quick search for their brand name here at my shop and pull out that wallet! I’ll be sharing more about these great brands and others in future posts, so be sure to check back soon.
Get Your Brand in In a Nutshell Studio
Are you a maker who is interested in having your products carried at In A Nutshell Studio? Contact me so we can see if we are a good fit!
I love brands with a unique perspective. Bright, fun, quirky and little bit dirty. Brands who aren’t afraid to speak the truth, even if it’s a touch offensive. Brands whose purpose is to bring joy and make people smile.
Sound like you? Get in touch.