<p>Take it from someone who has devoted much of her career to stationery: The stories <em>behind </em>stationery brands are nearly as interesting as the stationery itself. And, knowing that backstory invites a deeper appreciation and understanding of any house of paper.  ;</p>



<p>Take <a href="https://www.shadesofexpressiondesigns.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Shades of Expression Designs">Shades of Expression Designs</a>. This family-run, multi-generational, women-owned operation consists of one very prolific artist mother, two daughters, and a granddaughter. All share a simple mission: Bringing happiness to your world.</p>



<p>Unsurprisingly, greeting cards are top sellers for this New Jersey house of design. &#8220;Our customers love the variety of designs and the different artistic techniques,&#8221; Mandy Bush — ;one of the two daughters I mentioned above — wrote me. &#8220;Many people have told us they are amazed that our one artist creates all our designs. We like to appeal to everyone in some way.&#8221;</p>



<p>So, inspired by life&#8217;s special and even magical moments — ;and the passions that make them so — offerings run the gamut from trendy to traditional, plus everything in between. What they all share however is a definite heartfelt quality, as you&#8217;ll see in the gorgeous sampling below. Choose from single cards or boxed sets of eight (four designs, two of each). </p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-29433" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-29433 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="29433" 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-10005956 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-savetheusps tag-artifact-uprising tag-custom tag-design tag-greeting-cards tag-illustration tag-mohawk tag-mohawk-loop-eco tag-photo-cards tag-postcards tag-sarah-schwartz tag-the-paper-chronicles tag-the-paper-fold tag-the-paper-nerd tag-united-states-postal-service tag-usps" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/going-custom-for-the-usps/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.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/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?w=2400&;ssl=1 2400w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=850%2C850&;ssl=1 850w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C1024&;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1 100w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=770%2C770&;ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1536&;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=2048%2C2048&;ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=254%2C254&;ssl=1 254w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=351%2C351&;ssl=1 351w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=546%2C546&;ssl=1 546w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=861%2C861&;ssl=1 861w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=731%2C731&;ssl=1 731w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=1361%2C1361&;ssl=1 1361w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=300%2C300&;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?resize=50%2C50&;ssl=1 50w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/plum-print-x-AU-folded-card-7x5-1.jpg?w=2280&;ssl=1 2280w" 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></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/going-custom-for-the-usps/">Going Custom for the USPS</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="2020-08-21T14:40:57+00:00">August 21, 2020</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="10005956"><span 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<p>Wow — ;it&#8217;s hard to believe that this is just a <em>very</em> small sampling of the cards waiting to be discovered and sent out into the world. Start your card hunt <a href="https://www.shadesofexpressiondesigns.com/shop-all-products" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="here">here</a> — ; and be sure to check out their art prints, button magnets, clipboards, coasters, journals, mugs, water bottles, notepads, pen holders, pocket notebooks, stickers, and zippered linen wristlets too!</p>



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<p>All images courtesy of Garlic Friday</p>