The Paper Fold Sarah Schwartz

Chances are, you are already smitten with Molly Hatch's work, you may just not know it. Over the past decade or so, the charming wares of this prolific potter have graced over 500 home and gift items created exclusively for Anthropologie. As a result, her distinctive brand — defined by the tagline 'modern heirlooms with everyday charm' —has received star billing on an exquisite retail stage most makers only dream of. 

But for Molly, the daughter of a organic dairy farmer and a painter, that big break could not have arrived at a better time, as at that point, her family was struggling to stay financially afloat. Over time, Molly's relationship with the major retailer not only helped her own voice evolve, she helped Anthropologie systemize its artist collaborations.

Meanwhile, thanks to carefully considered licensing partnerships, the Molly Hatch range has expanded to include everything from paper party goods to planters, kitchen textiles to tea accessories and even a tea-themed gift book. When coronavirus came on the scene and halted international shipping, Molly charmed her audience with free printables to offset her extensive stationery wares. 

But the brand enters an entirely new realm with the release of Molly Hatch for Joanie clothing. Much of this collection is made from sustainable and organic cotton fabrics, and each piece is as irresistible as the home goods that first put Molly on the map. In this episode, Molly shares each inspiring step of her design journey with candor to help pioneer other makers in her mighty wake.

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Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!

Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

So, you've created an amazing product, but if you've ever wrestled with how to style it, you should have a quick word with my guest today. Erika Firm describes herself as an "artist, surface designer, graphic designer, brand builder, magazine hoarder, kitty squisher, wife, and mother," but that doesn't begin to scratch the broad scope of her experience and expertise. 

Erika's stationery range, Delphine, differentiated itself from the many other letterpressers at the time by approaching paper as not just a surface, but a distinctive design element in its own right. Since closing Delphine's doors, Erika's talent for delving deeply into the analog world of paint, pen, ink, and paper — as well as the wondrous results she reaps — have been much in demand. Her client list reads like a who's who of the gift and stationery industries, and includes American Greetings, Anthropologie, Cardstore,  HP Smiles, Ink, Keka, Knithouse, Maison Belle, Minted, Postable, Revel & Co., Revel Paper, Simply to Impress, Snapfish, Society6, Tiny Prints, Wedding Paper Divas, and Zazzle, among many others.

Erika's artful eye for presentation is legendary; when she sends me images, the question is never, "Will there be something I can use?" but rather, "How will I ever pick a favorite?" The design wonders that are generated from her four-generation home in Charleston, South Carolina — Erika resides with not just her husband and son, but mother and grandmother as well — are not just a testament to her talent, but the true potential of paper. 

**Thank You Sponsors**

Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.

Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!

Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Succeeding as a small stationery maker is not easy, but over the last eleven years or so, Lindsay Henry has definitely made it appear that way! She founded Inklings Paperie with the understanding that the bests moments in life happen offscreen, and her tactile, tangible keepsakes surprise and delight as they celebrate life with those we cherish. As such, you never know what unexpected element will appear on her cards: scratch-offs, secret decoders, confetti and even flowers that make opening every last envelope truly a memorable experience.

Thanks to this very vibrant approach to every aspect of her business, she has collaborated with heavy corporate hitters Starbucks and Anthropologie and been featured on Buzzfeed — yet she still reads her reviews on every Etsy sale to ensure every last customer is satisfied. With kindness and wisdom, Lindsay shares how she navigates both difficult shoppers and design copycats with ease. 

It's not hard to see why this Michigan maker, with her seemingly unfailingly sunny disposition, is one of my favorite paper peeps. As a boss, as a founder, as a Mom, Lindsay built Inklings Paperie around her own value set and as such, ensures that every last customer, fellow maker and industry partner she comes in contact with knows that they truly matter. 

**Thank You Sponsors**

Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.

Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!

Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Creatives have traditionally been told to avoid working with animals and children, but apparently family photographer Sarah Sloboda never heard that! For over 25 years, she has been capturing moments and relationships and distilling them into photographs for posterity. Mary Ellen Mark described her work as "very joyous," but what goes into preserving these moments in film, and then distilling them into stationery? 

Sarah discusses everything from what makes one photograph more compelling or memorable than another (hint: there's no emotion filter), how to go deeper to make the everyday epic, plus the services Heirloom General Store provides. Who wouldn't want an expert eye to review every photograph you took during your baby's first year or on vacation, pick the top 25 images, and finesse them to look their best? 

Plus we delve into the mixed blessings of the pandemic, finding creative solutions to COVID-related challenges, the special meaning of photographs and photocards created during these times — and regarding photocards as printed (and permanent) Instagram posts.  

**Thank You Sponsors**

Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.

Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!

Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

Lucia Saisse of Lucy Loves Paper is living the stationery version of the American dream. The Rio do Janeiro native opened her Etsy shop in 2013 after her corporate graphic design job went South. Lucia's first personalized offering was wedding invitations bearing the couple's faces, but it was her charming custom portraits that distinguished her talent for capturing likenesses on the sprawling site. This past holiday season, Etsy featured Lucy Loves Paper in its own commercials and emails, and it was a "gamechanger" for the character-driven brand. Now the lady who never forgets a face swings by The Paper Fold to open up about the sometimes tricky process of putting personalities to paper as well as her plans for her wholesale range. 

**Thank You Sponsors**

Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.

Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!

Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.

A brand doesn't always evolve in a straight line. Just ask Emma James and Bailey Rivera, co-founders of Antiquaria. Over the last decade or so, these two stationery It Girls have maneuvered their brand down a path that from the outside may have appeared somewhat circuitous — but each step was as carefully considered as the charming calligraphy curlicues that are a signature of this exquisite range. Thus the Antiquaria story includes chapters during which the duo generated a fantastic vintage housewares registry as well as luxurious wedding invitations — and this may be the first maker I've encountered whose warehouse and shipping spaces once consisted solely of storage units! 

These days, Emma and Bailey reside in different states, but maintain a light-filled Mercantile retail space in Littleton, Colorado. Lately it's been doubling as a studio for their YouTube videos, which for the time being have replaced their in-person workshops. Listen in as this uber-talented design duo talk collaboration, creative process, differentiation, minimalist shop design, and building their craft community online. Theirs is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration that you don't want to miss! 

**Thank You Sponsors**

Please be sure to support these all-American, women-owned houses of paper.

Girl w/Knife is your incredibly sharp new stationery BFF. Check out this award-winning, ultra-polished range that everyone's talking about — it slays on several brilliant levels!

Kitty Meow Boutique was founded on the idea that your paper goods don't have to be a snooze fest. These stylish, laugh-out-loud selections are by turns sassy and sweet, all the while maintaining a consistent cool.