International Women’s Day 2022

Last updated: March 7th, 2022 Published on: March 4, 2022

International Women’s Day has been celebrated since 1909, dedicated to commemorating the success and achievements of women worldwide and fighting gender bias. As we approach International Women’s Day, we’re hearing from a couple of the incredible independent designers behind some of the brilliant Funky Pigeon cards, including some uplifting female empowerment cards.

Emmy Lupin Studio

Introduce yourself…

I’m Emmy, a London based illustrator working under the moniker Emmy Lupin Studio. I’m completely self-taught – after studying advertising and working in design agencies as an account manager for 5 years, I pivoted my career to scratch my creative itch and now run Emmy Lupin Studio full time. I work from a lovely studio space in Wimbledon Art Studios with my little dog, Dotty. My work is inspired by looking at life through a female lens, with illustrations that are relatable, empowering, and positive. Full of bold colour, decorative patterns, and inspiring messages with a bit of sass – I always want women to see themselves reflected back in my work, and feel good about themselves too.

What are the challenges you face as an independent artist? And the joys?

I love the flexibility of my job – no day is ever the same and can be super varied. I can be packing orders, illustrating new designs, working on a commission for a brand, or even be working somewhere live drawing or visiting a networking event. It’s such a joy knowing that so many people have my work in their homes, every time I get tagged in a photo with something on the wall, or a card they’ve received, it blows my mind!

It can also be super lonely working for yourself, and I do struggle with not speaking to anyone all day. I am a pretty social person, so I miss chatting about people’s weekends over a cup of tea! I have my little dog as a companion, but I also make sure I go and co work with friends sometimes so that I don’t go mad!

Describe your typical work day…

Even though every day is different, I have a general routine that I try and stick to. I wake up, have a coffee and check my emails. I then walk the dog for around an hour, and head to my studio to pack orders from my shop until lunchtime. Luckily I live a short walk away from the studio! I swing by the post office on my way home, have a nice lunch and in the afternoon I tend to work from home on any commission work, or new designs! I try to fit in my daily journaling, a workout where I can and endless cups of tea too.

What sort of cards do you love to design?

Anything empowering, with lots of colour! I don’t want my cards to be cliche, and I always want to be as diverse as possible. I also love anything around friendship – I believe platonic relationships are some of the best in life.

What are your favourite cards that you’ve designed & why?

I think my favourites are ‘Together’ and ‘Inspiring Women’ – they really encapsulate what I’m about with my work, and I hope that they bring a feeling of empowerment to anyone who receives them!

How did you get into greeting card design?

I started off making postcards originally, that could be used as mini prints. I didn’t really have a focus, I was just making things that I liked. But over time, I came to realise that so many people were sending the postcards as cards, and I thought – why not do cards? Now I have a whole range of postcards and cards, with different purposes.

What’s your creative process?

I start out usually by making a mood board for inspiration – including colour palettes, photos I’ve taken and some I’ve found on Pinterest. From there I make a whole list of lines I might like to use on the cards, by occasion. For example, I’ll have a ‘wedding’ section, and on there I’ll just list out all of the copy ideas I have. I’ll sketch out ideas for what I think are the strongest copy lines. And finally, I draw everything in procreate – trying to stick to a colour palette where possible.

What or who inspires your work?

I’m inspired by lots of things – I think often my friends and family inspire my sentiment in my work. I love 70s colour palettes and themes at the moment, and I’m heavily influenced by fashion. I look for patterns in nature, architecture, and generally the world around me too. Not to forget all the other amazing female artists I admire – too many to name.

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love cooking – I find it such a great way to switch off from work and a screen. Also reading, always!

Mrs. Best Paper Co.

Introduce Yourself…

Hello, I’m Sarah, a.k.a. Mrs Best! Originally from Birmingham, I now live in the Teme Valley, Worcestershire. I originally started my business whilst on maternity leave, working from my kitchen table. I eagerly watched on as my cards gained popularity and I soon came to realise I might just be able to design cards for a living!

Fast forward to 2018, the business soon outgrew my home and I sought premises close by and the Mrs Best Paper Co. store was born! Half shop, half studio it’s the perfect space for me to create and publish my own cards. I love creating cards that inspire imaginations and bring smiles and positivity to people’s day.

What are the challenges you face as an independent artist? And the joys?

I’m not going to lie, juggling work and childcare has been a challenge over the years but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. Back when I was on maternity leave, I’d work my evenings once my daughter was in bed and that hasn’t really changed much now! There are lots of positives however working for yourself and I’m proud to have been there for all of the important milestones like my daughter’s first day of school.

My phone ‘cha-chings’ for every order received and from an early age my daughter got to realise the sheer joy experienced knowing someone has liked one of my cards enough to place an order. She used to typically tell me, “You’ve got money” every time my phone chimed. I feel proud that she’s grown up understanding that treats come with hard work. I’m proud she sees me as a strong, independent woman.