October 8, 2021.
Ever since I opened Hello Gorgeous Boutique, I have been fascinated by greeting cards. When I went to my first Stationery Show in New York it was amazing. It was the National Stationery Show held at the Javits Center. (side note: I worked at Le Pique Nique in Oakland California with Carla Javits-Senator Javits daughter)
Being in a large room filled with beautiful booths imagined and put together by artists filled the room with an incredible creative energy. Meeting the Makers of the greeting card lines was so cool. For some it was easy, they were sociable and could chat with little effort. For others, it was more difficult, being their first show.
For me, it was a true gift; Talking to each artist, learning about them and how they created their work.
So here's the thing, I think some greeting cards are like poetry. Here's a definition of poetry from Bobby's college professor:
Poetry is "an art form that gives extra meaning to words for the way they were chosen and arranged."
When we were in our brick and mortar, people would come in to read cards. They would laugh, smile, emote, and pause. The words would speak to some, and to others not. Some greeting cards have words only. Some have words and artwork. Why do you choose a certain greeting card? What does it need to resonate with you? Wit, sarcasm, empathy, sweetness, colorful illustration, font, puns, or quotes?
Now that we are on our website, it is more difficult to analyze each person's emotional response to cards. However I have observed through purchase information, that a lot of people are drawn to vintage-style cards with some sarcasm and wit.
Like poetry, artists learn to create greeting cards that have meaning with carefully chosen words. Haiku, Limericks, and Sonnets all have particular formulas to follow.
During the past 18 months, I have been reading poetry more than ever. I enjoy the simplicity and the power of the chosen words. Some of my favorites are Emily Dickinson, Nikki Giovanni, Gertrude Stein, and Sun Yun-feng.
Sun Yun-feng was a native of Chekiang, the daughter of an official. "She married the scholar Ch'en and was one of the favourites of the thirteen women students of the Ch'ing Dynasty poet Yuan Mei."
Starting at Dawn
Under the waning moon
In the dawn--
A frosty bell.
My horse's hooves
Tramp through the yellow leaves.
As the sun rises
Not a human being is visible,
Only the sound of a stream
Through the misty trees.
Some of my favorite "poems" we offer on our website in Greeting Card and Sticker format:
Greeting card by Crimson and Clover Studio: "Never let anyone treat you like regular glue. You're glitter glue."
Greeting card by Erin Smith Art: "My decisions are final. My frame of mind when I made them is up for debate."
Sticker by Shannon Cohen: "Speak life to the dreams of your own soul."
Greeting card by I Loot Paperie: "Spooky season is upon us- Let us make merry and Shelley-Brate."
Sticker by Amy Zhang: Emily Dickinson's "Prose before bros"
For more poetry finds, I recommend The Penguin Book of Women Poets edited by Carol Cosman, Joan Keefe and Kathleen Weaver.
I also recommend the Instagram account @theemilydickinsonmuseum
Also, one of our Gorgeous Friends, Nancy Stephan, is a writer and an educator. She was kind enough to have 2 Instagram Live conversations with me. Check out her website nancystephan.com to see her wonderful poetry.
I leave you with a poem by Emily Dickinson;
Blossoms will run away-
Cakes reign but a Day,
But Memory like Melody,
Is pink eternally-
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