<p>Pre-COVID, my last work trip, in February 2020, was judging the 31st Annual LOUIE Awards in Washington, D.C. </p>



<p>Semi-post-COVID, my first work event, in March 2021, was judging the 32nd Annual LOUIE Awards. Instead of taking a plane, I took the highway to American Greetings, the site of the Ohio Judging Hub (there were five hubs dotted across the nation).</p>



<p>Not only had the entire world transformed during those 13 months, I had too — and so of course by extension, the greeting card market had as well. While judging this past March I remember being visually stunned by the below design in the Trends and Events category. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/triedtobury-seeds-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10008453"/><figcaption>Finalist, Trends and Events</figcaption></figure>



<p>The design is on Greenfields seeded plantable paper with a hand-cut linoleum block image. I don&#8217;t remember the exact score I gave it, but it was definitely very high, if not a 10/10. So I wasn&#8217;t that surprised to learn that it had become a finalist, and also who created it, <a href="https://justmytypeletterpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://justmytypeletterpress.com/">Just My Type Letterpress Paperie</a>. The maker behind the brand is Lynn M. Jones, who lovingly prints each and every card in her studio and retail space in Eureka, California. </p>



<p>What is rather surprising is that Lynn snagged four other finalist spots! Here they are:</p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-60485" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-60485 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="60485" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-10017356 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites category-meet-the-maker tag-2021-co tag-a-smyth-co-3 tag-biely-shoaf tag-design tag-greeting-cards tag-katie-daisy tag-kenzie-kae-elston tag-lisa-jane-smith tag-louise-mulgrew tag-misha-zadeh tag-olika tag-sarah-schwartz tag-shannon-martin tag-stationery tag-stationery-blog tag-stationery-design tag-stationery-designer tag-thank-you-stationery" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/behind-the-card-kenzie-kae-elston/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=120%2C120&;ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=275%2C275&;ssl=1 275w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=372%2C372&;ssl=1 372w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=567%2C567&;ssl=1 567w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=882%2C882&;ssl=1 882w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=300%2C300&;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?resize=50%2C50&;ssl=1 50w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Kenzie-Kae-Elston-Styled-Shot-1200-PX-Wide.jpg?zoom=2&;resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 200w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/favorites/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Favorites</a><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/meet-the-maker/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Meet The Maker</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/behind-the-card-kenzie-kae-elston/">Behind the Card: Kenzie Kae Elston</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2024-12-05T19:48:32+00:00">December 5, 2024</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="10017356"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/blackbearBIRTHDAY.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10008448"/><figcaption>Finalist, Birthday (Small Company)</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cat-fulllength-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10008449"/><figcaption>Finalist, Blank Card</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/happyhanukkahfolk-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10008451"/><figcaption>Finalist, Religious Celebrations</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/hug-box-set.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10008452"/><figcaption>Finalist, Everyday Boxed Set</figcaption></figure>



<p><br>I am so happy for this charming little range I never heard of until quite recently! Lynn says she is &#8220;amazed and honored,&#8221; adding, “I’ve been a letterpress printer for more than 20 years, but entering the LOUIEs and attending *Noted was my debut into the wider greeting card wholesale market. I never thought any of my cards would get this kind of attention.&#8221;</p>



<p>Well, I for one am so glad Lynn entered! Be among the first to learn and celebrate the winners at the 32nd Annual LOUIE Awards on July 8, 6 pm EST. Review the finalists <a href="https://www.greetingcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Louie-Award-Finalists-Day-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.greetingcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Louie-Award-Finalists-Day-2.pdf">here</a>, register <a href="https://civica.formstack.com/forms/gca_louie_awards_registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://civica.formstack.com/forms/gca_louie_awards_registration">here</a> (tickets are $15/each), and if you are heading to<a href="https://www.atlantamarket.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" title="https://www.atlantamarket.com/"> Atlanta Market</a> the following week, make sure to check out their display of the finalists and winners. Good luck Lynn and all the finalists, and I hope to &#8220;see&#8221; you there!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cat-fulllength2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10008450"/></figure>