Serendipity has always been one of my favorite words. After all, what’s not to like? It is the type of pleasingly long and consonant-rich word that rolls off the tongue, plus you can be impressed with yourself for knowing its definition (“an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident,” according to dictionary.com).
It’s really just a lyrical synonym for coincidence, but as much as I like the word, I have stopped believing in the concept. After all, in life sometimes an idea is staring you in the face and practically begging you to notice it. There’s nothing accidental about it!
So, TPN readers may recall I gave a keynote address last month to Stacie Bloomfield’s amazing Creative Powerhouse Society. Designed to inspire creatives wanting to grow their businesses. I found myself somewhat challenged coming up with a name for my presentation.
At first it was “find your voice, build your nest, grow your world,” but after some thought, I decided “voice” was wrong. We all have voices, but creatives need to find their song. After all, a smart product talks. A brilliant product sings, and more often than not, you can’t get that tune out of your mind!
I gave my keynote September 17 — and I think I got more out of the interaction than my audience. Being around creatives always invigorates me, and I have since found myself reviewing materials and asking myself, “But does it sing?” Clearly I have stumbled on a new design approach.
So it was a little uncanny on September 28 to get an email from a maker named Sandara Buckland sharing her soon-to-be released range, Dear Songbird. We’ve already established that this wasn’t serendipity — but I hope you’ll agree it was pretty remarkable!
Happily, the range has a definite song. I got to experience this for myself when Sandara graciously sent me her aptly named Ultimate Bundle.
This is a dreamy world, one I really enjoyed getting lost in! At its heart is a bit of shimmer. Despite all the foiled designs I see, I don’t see a lot of holographic papers or iridescent finishes around these days — but it is used throughout this range for that extra touch of texture.
It’s really mesmerizing on stickers! Yes, they are thick and waterproof like the many others you have undoubtedly seen, but their glitter-y and holographic qualities launch these babies into entirely new and dreamy realms.
And Sandara created a zine! I can’t be the only one who used to obsess over these in the pre-Internet 90s. (This was one of my favorites — my only defense here is that my sense of humor used to be substantially darker. Still if you haven’t heard about The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919, you are missing out!)
The zine is encased in a vellum envelope and sealed with washi tape — holographic, of course! — and would make quite the unexpected, posh package for a fellow paper peep. Part extended greeting card, part underground publication, this is an uplifting opus to peruse and share, with wee crystal beaded tassels no less! A blush sticker explains its contents.
Speaking of packaging, each offering is presented in this manner. I don’t think I’ve seen so much vellum in a range since Anna Griffin’s invitations in the late 90s, but I really like this usage. It feels modern and clean, plus it provides an enticing glimpse of what’s inside. Here are few more peeks at the range.
Shop it all here. For her grand opening, Sandara is offering 30% off through October 16. Take it from the Paper Nerd: All that glitters may not be gold, but these finds shimmer even more in real life!
