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 card designer Kim Burks of Ramona & Ruth. Find out how traveling and finding beauty in the world has inspired Kim to create one of a kind stationery for daily, intentional moments.
How did you begin your card-making career?
I began my stationery business back in 2009 in the spare bedroom of my house with a sweet little tabletop letterpress that took me a full year to hunt down. Before starting my stationery business, I was in a corporate design job that left me feeling bored and lifeless. Although I learned a lot and it was a great way to start my career, I knew it was something I didn’t want to do long-term as I wanted to start a business of my own. Two years in, I made the leap and started my wedding invitation business while also working part-time at a coffee shop. I worked the open shift (5am – noon), and then dedicated my afternoons to growing my invitation business. Putting together my passions for design and paper seemed like a match made in heaven! Today, my business looks much different as I have shifted towards greeting cards and desk items and no longer offer custom services. I absolutely love this industry and the people I have met along the way.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
Traveling inspires me immensely. With my mind at rest and free from my usual routine, along with the exposure to different environments, that’s when my creative ideas start flowing. Most of my ideas stem from what I personally want to see in the world. That is how my Daily Overview Notepad was created. I couldn’t find a notepad that incorporated productivity in a simple, straightforward way while also leaving space for taking a pause throughout your day – whether that be setting an intention or a moment of gratitude. So I created this notepad, and it’s been rewarding to see it resonate with others as well.
What does your day look like as a card maker and designer?
I love waking up early. Mostly to enjoy a little alone time before my family wakes up. If it’s during the school year, my husband and I take our boys to school together and then usually have a quick coffee date after drop off. Once I get into the studio, I do a quick email check and then fill out my top 3 priorities for the day to make sure I stay on track with my goals. Every day is different, but it usually involves creating new products, discussing studio happenings with my team, and generating marketing content. When I first started, I did everything myself, from printing cards to photography and order fulfillment. Now, I’m fortunate to have built an amazing team that allows me to focus on what I love most: designing and creating products.
What is your preferred medium?
When I first started, every card I created was printed on my letterpress. While we still print our letterpress cards in-house, I’ve begun incorporating more color and experimenting with different mediums that allow for unlimited color use. With letterpress, you print one color at a time and must be thoughtful about the number of colors you use, or you may have to run the card through a crazy amount of times to achieve the desired effect. Today, I also use Adobe Fresco to create my designs, which really streamlines my creative process and allows me to play with all different types of brushes and colors.
What does your creative process look like?
I create product releases 3 times per year, so I carve out time to design at those times. I create in chunks. I am constantly jotting down ideas as they come to mind and create mood boards with styles and colors so when the time comes to release new products, I’m not left staring at a blank screen. For my greeting cards, since I follow a certain release schedule, it gives me a framework of what themes I should be focusing on, such as Mother’s Day, Christmas, Love cards, etc. From there I simply think about what I would send to my own family and friends.
What are you most proud of as a creator and card maker?
I am most proud of being able to impact lives with my stationery products. When I started this business, I didn’t realize how much my products would mean to others. Helping someone find the words to express sentiments they may not have been able to verbalize is truly special. The impact can come in a variety of forms. I remember reading a customer’s comment that said one of my journals was helping her through chemo. It was then that I truly understood that I could touch someone’s life with one of my creations.
I’m also proud of how I’ve built my business steadily and slowly. Sometimes it’s hard to look around and see other’s successes and how they are growing at a quicker rate than you, but looking back, I’m happy I took it slow. This has allowed me to build a strong business foundation while also allowing me to be present with my family. I’m really proud to think of how far I’ve come!
Any personal tidbits? Special talents/fun facts?
I actually received my first order from Paper Source in 2014 the night before my son was born. I was thrilled because Paper Source was one of my dream stores. However, the excitement quickly turned to panic as I was a one-woman operation at the time and worried about how I was going to fulfill the order. Thankfully, with the help of my mom and best friend, we made it happen!
If I wasn’t a card designer, I think I would be a professional organizer! I absolutely love to organize, from drawers to closets, you name it, I get such a charge out of it. I guess it’s another way of bringing beauty into the world!
Find Ramona & Ruth cards and desk supplies, such as Easy to Celebrate Birthday Card and Today Block Notepad at your local store or online at papersource.com. For more inspiration and behind-the-scenes action, follow @ramonaandruth on IG.
