Today we're thrilled to feature the magnificent Susy Jack*! Susan Connor is the magic force behind the name, and works as a triple threat as designer, artist, and author/editor of the blog Hey Susy. Currently living and working in New York City, her inspiration comes from textiles, fashion, art, and sometimes from the hardware store. If you browse through her shop, you will be stunned at her collection of beautiful patterned pieces and office accessories. We love that she can turn her talent from product design into crazy cool holiday cards! Check out her collection here!
What inspired your design for the holiday collection?
My designs were inspired by the sweetness and wit of making up your own holiday traditions. Around here, our holidays are never very cookie-cutter, but they have a lot of heart. I started with the "Make Merry" mittens design, and the "Do You See What I See" glasses cards...which I thought expressed the idea of holiday DIY in a really fun way, and the other ideas grew from there.
What are you currently working on?
Right now, I'm taking a big step with my line, and launching into some new categories, which my customers have been asking about for a while. It's exciting. Not only am I really happy with the way the new product development is coming along, I'm also looking forward to a website relaunch, which will offer a better shopping experience, and an expanded view into my creative work, for my customers. These are a couple of big upgrades that I've been dreaming about for a long time, and it feels like the right time to put them out there.
What influences your style the most?
My style is most influenced by the idea of combining everyday iconic elements we all recognize - like a bow, or a clothespin - with motifs and ideas that are a little unexpected, a little luxurious. I love an item that has wit, fun, and style all at once - that, for me, is a winning combination.
What's your favorite holiday tradition?
Well, it's probably the Holiday Walk. We live in the middle of Manhattan, and it's very loud most of the year. The winter holidays are always strangely calm, and people seem to slow down and get dreamy. I love being stuffed full from a great holiday meal, putting on my mittens and giant puffer coat, pocketing a flask of eggnog, and venturing out to walk Central Park with my boy. We will often stop for Chinese on the way back. The cold air on my cheeks, the quiet joy in the air, and the spirit of another year gone by, and a new one on it's way always put me in a thoughtful, serene, and happy state of mind that is quite unique to the holidays.
Best holiday memory?
I have been blessed with a lot of happy holiday memories...too many to pick a true favorite. But, I will say the one thing that stands out is a tradition in my family. We would always get spindly trees -- probably because we weren't moneyed, but my mom and dad would tell me it was so the ornaments showed up better. We had a LOT of ornaments. Our ornaments were mainly vintage - typical Woolworth's 1940's glass - from my Mom's family in Schenectady - it is a miracle many of them survive. Each year, it was a joy to unwrap them and take them from their old cardboard boxes, and ancient cotton batting....and put them up on the tree one by one. Each one was like an old friend, and we would always discuss which ones were our favorites and why. My mom would always save one for the very end - a tiny silver glass elephant rearing up on his hind legs, trunk curling up. And he would go right under the star - at the tip top of the tree. He was special. I think about those glass ornaments - the lights playing off them, the faint smell of pine, and our little tree, completely weighted down with shimmery ornaments, in our creaky, drafty, weird wooden house. It was storybook in a strange way - and truly a memory that I cherish.
To enter to win a $100 gift certificate to Hello!Lucky (which you could use to order SusyJack* holiday cards!) head over to Susan’s blog here where she’ll be hosting a giveaway. And to get a free download of gift tags inspired by SusyJack*s designs, head over to How About Orange to print! Good luck!
**A winner has been chosen! Thanks for participating!**
