How Nicnacs Crafts came to be…
In the year 2000, my family and friends made a time capsule. I was asked at the tender age of 8 what I wanted to be when I grew up. We opened the time capsule in 2010, during my first year of university, at which point I had completely forgotten what I wrote down. Apparently 3rd grade me aspired to work at McDonalds and be an artist - ha! I was a server at a restaurant at the time, so I was indeed working in the food industry; however, I had given up any notion of being an artist. I was engaging in more “serious” pursuits at university with the goal of getting a “real” job, like doctor or physiotherapist, so I found other ways to fulfill my inherent need to be creative. It turns out science can be very artsy. Enter my anatomy colouring book and colour coding all the cellular processes. I also spent way too much time fiddling with my slide shows and research posters to make sure they looked beautiful.
8-year old me looking brightly into the future!
Fast forward another 10 years and I was preparing to defend my PhD dissertation in Kinesiology (no art in sight - at least not directly). My research was all about the lived experiences of kids with disabilities and their families through community based physical activity programming. I got to talk to families, hear their stories, run programs for exceptional kiddos, and learn more about the world we live in.
I was still painting in my free time, but it wasn’t much of a priority. I only painted in the spring and summer months when I could take my supplies outside and enjoy a warm evening. I usually found pictures I liked on Pinterest and recreated them for cards and gifts. Sometimes I worked on personal projects, like a collection of field crop botanicals we used as table numbers for our wedding. My practice was a sporadic practice, at best.
An example of one of my artistic side quests.
Here are four samples of my field crop table numbers I painted for our wedding.
Over the years I received positive feedback from those who saw my art. They would say “wow! you should sell these” or “can you make one for me?” It felt like flattery (which is lovely), but I never considered it further. I didn’t know if they were serious, or if other people would be interested, or more practically: how to actually turn my art into products.
Not to mention, I had several degrees and wanted to pursue a relevant career.
So I did. I worked some contract positions in the years following my PhD. Then, during my first maternity leave, I made time to get my paints back out. Due to my Googling and image searches, my Meta algorithm thought I might be interested in an online course that taught me how to turn my paintings into digital files. It was just a few lessons that required a scanner and a computer - two things I had at home - along with a bit of time I carved out during naps.
I printed my first batch of greeting cards in 2022 and was instantly hooked - it was VERY cool to see my painting on a physical product and I wanted to show EVERYONE! In the process of learning how to create and market a product (which is a vulnerable process when it includes your own artwork), I discovered a deeper reason why greeting cards hit home for me.
A few samples from that first batch of cards.
I just printed paintings that I liked, I hadn’t really found my own artistic voice yet.
A card isn’t something you “have” to give just because society says it’s Mother’s Day (or whichever other holiday)… though maybe it feels that way. For many of us, we give cards to express something more. It’s a tangible symbol of a feeling or thought. A card says “I was thinking about you, and I want you to know that.”
It’s a way for us to go analogue and write our thoughts on paper, instead of tapping on keys or a screen (though a thoughtful e-mail or text are great means for expression too). In my opinion, hand-writing is more intimate. I can see your writing in a card or note; something that’s missing in a digital message. I create greeting cards knowing it’s a way for people to connect, and that has been a core value of my business from that very first batch.
More recently, I’ve been asked how my business got started. I thought about the kind things people said about my artwork and that first course I took. But as I reflect further, it’s interesting to see the a common thread through my whole life. Eight-year-old me doodled every day and passed notes to my friends at school. I loved art (painting in particular) and that was clearly a value of mine, as recorded in my 2000 time capsule.
Even “science” me was showing up in interesting places. I was drawn towards qualitative research, which allowed me to talk to people, to get to know them, to create space for their stories. When I make a greeting card, I’m not just painting flowers or leaves. I’m making space for someone else’s words. I’m thinking about the person who will sit down and try to express themselves to someone dear.
So maybe starting this art business is not so surprising…. maybe 9-year-old me knew this was my path all along!
Snail mail
One of my most recent greeting card designs. I think this one captures the intimacy and slowness of writing and giving a greeting card.
p.s. while my 2000 time capsule dream was not fully fulfilled (e.g., McDonalds), I find myself frequently serving nuggets and fries
