Well nerds, I was planning to release the First annual Paper Nerd Gift Guide today, but life intervened in the form of a bad head cold, complicated by my quarterly magazine deadline earlier this week. Fortunately, I also just generated my very first gift guide for the fall issue of Stationery Trends (ST). Since ST is a business-to-business trade publication, much of my Paper Nerd readership will never see it. So, why not share some of those great finds with this audience — as well as where to find them? Most importantly, these small makers can use your support during the vital holiday season after what has been for many a rather tough year. Nearly all are independent businesses, not found on Amazon, and I would say the majority are women- or family-owned.
I divided my Fresh Picks pages into three trend-driven personality types: Homebodies & Hostesses; The Green Thumb; and the Bookworm. I kicked it off with the die-cut letterpress coasters from And Here We Are that I fell in love with at Shoppe Object in NYC last February. The entire coaster range is shown at the top of this post — I really had trouble picking out which design to highlight when putting the guide together, but I really adore Meghan’s quilty, colorful take on Scandinavian countries design. These practically scream hygge as they bring to mind grandma’s handmade quilt.
Homebodies & Hostesses
Since these flat notes are printed on cover-weight stock, they are heavy and substantial, which translates to a luxe experience through every step of the writing, sending and receiving process. The die-cuts and bows are literally the icing on the cake — and the polished packaging ensures everything stays pristine until that gossip is ready to be stylishly spread!
The Twentieth/Rare Form Chicago
I am utterly awe of Emma Lewis of The Twentieth (a wholesale stationery range) and Rare Form Chicago (a retail shop) — especially since she is a trained art historian with a PhD. Emma is also a prolific card designer. Despite the content being archival, the verbiage is brilliant and feels completely of our time.
This all-American brand was started by a husband-and-wife-team, Robbie and Angie Hester Cook, and if it looks familiar, it’s because Hester & Cook is in 3000 shops around the globe. This Tennessee house of design is renowned for its paper placemats and runners. Any brand that can take paper off the desk and into the dining room receives eternal gratitude from me, but the fact that Hester & Cook does it with such charm year in and year out, well, I’m nearly speechless.
This brand showcases the dreamy flora and fauna illustrated by Thomasin Foshay, and while much of this brand’s offerings fall in the stationery realm, I love her sweet little ring dishes. Banded by gold and coming in at 4″ diameter, these miniatures are keepsakes in the making. Since this brand does not sell direct to consumer, reach out to one of its stockists to track these down! Or, tell your favorite shop to stock them!
The Green Thumb
Fortunately, this particular society only uses earth friendly elements like post-consumer recycled fibers and pigment based inks. However, the print feels fancy regardless thanks to its thick, felt-textured stock. This brand is the brainchild of Atlanta-based illustrator Kayla Hutchinson, who runs this house of paper with assistance from her canine Co-founder and Chief Mail Sniffer, Odin.
Brigida Swanson is a queer multiracial CHamoru watercolor artist from Seattle, and this brand’s founder. She creates Pacific Northwest-inspired cards, gifts and home decor for gardeners, hikers and nature lovers. Brigida was one of the first makers I knew of to take the bold, inspiring step of mostly going off social media (in 2023!), so sign up for her newsletter if you adore her earthy vibe!
This two-family-run Seattle house of paper has so many dynamic illustrators under its roof — including Carrie Shyrock. There is nothing I’m not loving about her work lately — I absolutely adore this snail-eye perspective of an enchanted garden. Put a sticker inside and send this missive off to a friend. Or gift them some boxed notes, hopefully that means you’ll be getting some snail mail from them soon!
I discovered this brand at The Garden Center Show last summer — and I love how it infuses natural plant care with the style and easy function typically seen in the gift and stationery world.
Renowned for its plantable envelopes, this gorgeous brand is devoted to spreading wildflowers wherever it travels. Since its illustrations are so strong, it’s actually a pretty engaging activity to build an one-of-a-kind set of these cork-backed coasters for every hostess on your list. Every set arrives stylishly sealed in a band of Seedlings’ signature plantable paper. Seedlings hails from a larger family-run business (Legacy Publishing), and I was so thrilled a while back to host Seedlings’ incredible founder Libby Llanso on the Paper Fold podcast. That makes Libby a second-generation stationery nerd — quite a feat!
An very logical argument can be made that everything this brand’s founder, Stacie Bloomfield, touches is actually magic. (Tune into her Paper Fold episode to see what I mean!)
The Bookworm
The Unemployed Philosopher’s Guild
You never know just what you will find in this quirky, smart house of stationery and gifts — it is the modern antidote to the tired gift card.
There is just something about a self-contained kit that will never not intrigue me! With so much great stationery tucked inside, it’s like unravelling a brilliant plot.
Finally, a quirky brand to express what many of us have been thinking privately for years.
This woman-owned business hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan — and its slippers are the perfect accompaniment to an engrossing read, a warm blanket, and a cold night!
If you want to see the complete Stationery Trends gift guide (as well as access the entire Fall Issue), go here.
And, if you want a free year of print issues of Stationery Trends delivered to your door, sign up here! Think of as my gift to you.
Finally, in preparation for my gift guide and to promote my marvelous maker friends, I’ve been updating my Card Wall with great gift selections (and will continue to do so in the coming weeks). Please consider supporting a few this holiday season!!
