February 15th, 2010
Etsy Vendor Feature – Birdie Prints
Do you guys remember Philana, one of the beautiful brides featured last week? Well, at the time I didn’t know that she is a graphic designer and has a cute collection of bridal and baby shower invitations that you’ll never find anywhere else. She started Birdie Prints, a company dedicated to making custom designed cards, after friends kept asking her to design something for them, and I’m so glad that she did!
If you’re shopping around for bridal shower or baby shower invitations, you should definitely stop by her Etsy shop. The prices are more than reasonable. I asked Philana to do a mini-interview with me, and she graciously agreed. I’m so glad that she did, because I feel like I know her even better after reading her answers. It’s always nice to get to know other creative minds in the event planning business, and she shares some advice for women planning bridal and baby showers. I hope you enjoy!
How did you get started with Etsy and designing invitations?
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for creativity and art. There is also a lot of artistic talent in my family: my grandfather is a painter, my mother draws, my brother studied film, and I always liked to draw so I knew my future would be something creative. For a long time I wanted to become a fashion designer (and at times still do) but my path led me instead to Graphic Design. I got my BA from the University of San Francisco with a major in Graphic Design and minor in Business Administration (because I think it’s good to have some business and marketing knowledge no matter what field you are going into). I jumped around a few freelance gigs and then landed a full time position at a Bay Area start-up. Meanwhile, my friends and family were growing up and getting married. My cousin approached me about designing a bridal shower invitation for her and I thought that would be a great idea and fun challenge. It was the first time I really got to explore my creativity and do whatever I wanted. I didn’t have a boss to answer to and she trusted my vision. After that, my friends and other people I knew came to me asking for invitations for their bridal showers. Once I got engaged, I had a lot of fun designing one for myself as well.
After 2.5 years at my job, the economy took it’s toll and I got laid-off. While searching for another full-time job, and freelancing at the same time, I thought “I’m getting a lot of good feedback about my invitations, maybe other people will like them too” and so I got the idea to start selling the invitation I had already created and start adding more designs on my own. I decided to call my company Birdie Prints (after my cockatiel) and began posting items in my Etsy shop. It took a while, but I got my first sale about 2.5 months later. This seems to be the year of the babies because I’ve been getting a few requests for baby shower invitations. Birdie Prints is about designing cards and invitations for any occasion but that can also include anything else you might need for your event like dinner menus, programs, place cards, monograms, labels, etc. I am happy to take any custom orders.
Where do you get your inspiration for your designs?
I get my inspiration from people around me. I was lucky enough to attend a lot of wedding including my own in the last few years and seeing a lot of new babies come into the family. I try to get a sense about the person and design something that really suits their style, personality, and the vision they have for their event. I also try to push my creativity and design something unique that I have never seen before that will get people talking. As a woman, I am also into fashion and makeup so I get a lot of color inspirations from there. I also get a lot of ideas by looking through wedding magazines, and even just walking down the aisle of an arts and crafts store.
What advice would you give to someone picking out bridal or baby shower invitations?
My advice for people picking out bridal shower or baby shower invitations would be to just stay true to your style. Pick something that represents you and lets your guests know that this is what you are about. Anything you choose, whether it’s the clothes you wear, the furniture in your home, the paintings on your walls or the invitations for your event, should be an expression of your personality – a glimpse of who you are and what you love. When I was planning my own wedding, it was very important to me that I make the right decisions to have a wedding that really expresses who my husband and I are as individuals and as a couple. I wanted everything from the invitations to the cake, music, decorations, photos and my dress so say simple, elegant, classic and fun…and I think it did!
I try to design cards and invitations that are fun and unique and would get people excited to come to the event. After all, invitations are the first things that give people a glimpse into what the event might be like. I want people to know that I design everything myself, get them printed and cut each one out so you can be sure you are getting something that’s one-of-a-kind and you won’t find something like that in a store. My prices are usually for sets of 10 including envelopes but I am happy to take a custom order. Birdie Prints is just getting started but I hope people will take a moment to visit my site and spread the word to their friends and family.
Become a Fan of Birdie Prints on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Birdie-Prints/244694013321?ref=ts
Follow Birdie Prints on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/BirdiePrints
www.birdieprints.com
designs@birdieprints.com
