The Card Designer Spotlight is a series featuring independent makers whose greeting cards you can find in Paper Source stores. Meet and be inspired by a new designer every month on our blog!

This month we want to introduce our featured card designer, Alyssa Manoleas of Grey Street Paper. Find out how Alyssa makes space for creativity and experiments with different mediums to bring her joyful creations to life.

How did you begin your card-making career?
My love for stationery can be traced back to my grandma. She had the most beautiful cursive handwriting and never missed the chance to send a card for birthdays and holidays. Her favorite holiday was Greek Easter, and I wanted to make it extra special for her one year. That’s when I designed my very first card, featuring the phrase ‘Χριστός ἀνέστη,’ which means ‘Christ has risen’ in Greek, a traditional way to say Happy Easter. Her smile and the joy it brought her in that moment was unforgettable, and it made me realize that I could bring happiness to people through art. Inspired by that experience, I launched my own line of cards in 2018, debuted them at the National Stationery Show in 2019, and have been growing ever since.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I find inspiration everywhere, whether it’s food, travel, personal likes and dislikes, but most of all from animals. I keep a running list of ideas in the notes app on my phone filled with sentiments and imagery. I also save funny animal photos and videos to revisit whenever I need a boost of inspiration. I love to create animals with big smiles or quirky expressions that you wouldn’t normally see, pairing them with playful puns or sweet sentiments to bring joy and humor to my designs.
What does your day look like as a card maker and designer?
Every day looks a little different, but I always like to start with a cup of tea. Since I find it challenging to switch between left-brain and right-brain tasks, I dedicate the first part of my day to more analytical work like answering emails, managing inventory, and shipping orders. The rest of my day is reserved for creative work. On some days, I block off the entire day for creativity. When I’m in the zone, I can sit and draw for hours, it’s hard to switch gears once I find that groove.
What is your preferred medium?

I used to create my illustrations in Photoshop and make hand-lettering with brush pens. These days, I primarily use Procreate on my iPad Pro, which has streamlined my process. That said, I still enjoy experimenting with traditional mediums like acrylic paint and inks. For example, I’ve painted a few acrylic landscapes that I’ve incorporated into sympathy cards, enhancing them with digital drawing on the iPad for a unique blend of traditional and modern techniques.

What does your creative process look like?

When planning a new collection, I usually start by reviewing my ideas list and selecting the concepts that spark my interest. I then create a new Procreate file for each idea, starting with a very rough sketch. You can see a time-lapse of my drawing process here on Instagram! This design began with an inspiration photo I came across on Instagram of a unique Cornish Rex cat with strikingly large eyes. I worked through several rough sketches to capture the right look before layering in color and details to bring the design to life.

What are you most proud of as a creator and card maker?

I love knowing that my art and ideas bring comfort, joy, and happiness to people’s lives. One of my favorite card designs is a sympathy/support card inspired by a saying from my grandma. Whenever I said “goodbye,” she would always reply, “It’s not goodbye, it’s so long for now!” This card will be available in Paper Source stores in 2025. It means so much to me that her words will bring comfort to others.

I also had an unforgettable moment in February 2021 when I received a DM from the Paper Source on Walnut Street in Philadelphia. To my complete surprise, they shared that President Joe Biden’s daughter had purchased my ‘Cup of Joe’ card to give to him for Valentine’s Day! It was an exciting day for both of us and I’m still amazed that one of my designs made it to the President of the United States.

Any personal tidbits? Special talents/fun facts?

I’ve always dreamed of owning a mini Jersey cow which I know isn’t a very realistic dream. I recently purchased a hand-printed artwork of a Jersey cow from a fellow maker, so now I can technically say that I own a Jersey cow. I love spending time outdoors hiking, traveling, exploring museums, and attending Broadway shows.

 

Find Grey Street Paper cards such as Puggin Love You Valentine’s Day Card and Kick Ass Father’s Day Card at your local store or online at papersource.com. For more inspiration and behind-the-scenes action, follow @greystreetpaper on IG

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