Snail mail clubs have lately become all the rage, but my poetess guest Kristie started hers — Verse & Sip — two years ago. Through this literary correspondence project, she sends letters, poetry and tea every month to hundreds of readers around the world, from which she has also carefully paired 100 pen pal sets (and counting). Meanwhile in the digital domain, Kristie shares age-old letterlocking and wax sealing projects with an audience of 179K rapt Instagram followers and another 120K on TikTok. She recently led a letterlocking workshop at the Brontë Birthplace Museum in Yorkshire, England, and plans to lead another at Jane Austen’s House next year. However the main tool of Kristie's trade remains her green 1950s Olympia typewriter, which accompanies her on her fantastic Typewriter Poet for Hire events. Just like stationery — and mail clubs! — Verse & Sip is forging a dynamic analog path through the 21st century.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it comes to product categories, sometimes two is better than one. Just ask my guest Amy Frazer of Keller Design Co. She is something of a renaissance woman: While embroidery seems her primary passion, as evidenced by the release of her gorgeous Birth Flower Embroidery book published by Quarto Group last year, stationery is not far behind!

These days, Amy smartly transfers any design onto several categories of SKUs. In the grips of this analog moment we find ourselves in, Amy has an inherent understanding of how connecting to yourself and others, whether through stationery or craft, can resonate for posterity in a way a ringtone never could.

And speaking of community, because so many brands and makers tend to get mentioned on The Paper Fold, and I've already had the honor of interviewing them, I want to link their episodes or Instagram feeds. Amy and I namedrop Paper Camp, Marie of Spaghetti & Meatballs, Brigida of Yardia, Erin Dayhaw, Monika Brandrup and George White of Up With Paper and UWP Luxe, Katelyn Woolley of The Noble Paperie and Lindsay Henry of Inklings Paperie. Whatever it is you create, our discussion will definitely inspire its expansion!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's kind of chic to be niche famous — and that perfectly describes my guest, Nicole Couto of Couto & Co. She was one of the founders of 2021 Co. That New England brand enjoyed a stellar stationery rise in a few very short years, creating customized finds for Tommy Bahama, Anthropologie and most recently L.L.Bean — and even collaborating with Jennifer Love Hewitt to bring the Holiday Junkie range to life.

While that trio has already dropped into The Paper Fold, Nicole now returns solo, new Substack in tow. So, what led this reluctant consultant to walk away from what she built — and how is she helping gift and stationery businesses access the money they are leaving on the table?

Nicole and I recorded just after the NY NOW and Shoppe Object summer markets, so we also have lots of thoughts on trade shows, design directions — and building authentic brands that truly resonate. Whatever your path in paper, it will become clearer after hearing our chat!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.