Pencil+PaperCo_JessicaAmersonPhotography_00341-main (1).jpg

Howdy, y’all! We’re thrilled to introduce you to our October Happy Mail Box! If you’re not already on the list for Creative Club Happy Mail, it’s not too late to join in on the fun! As a Bestie member, each month you will receive a box filled with a special curation of our favorite goodies valued at over $200 for just $85! What’s even better? Members can join and cancel at any time - no commitment necessary! This month, our Bestie members will receive $292 worth of treats from Allie + Bess, Maxwell and Geraldine, Lucy Grymes, Hunter Blake and Nesara! Check out the stories behind these featured brands and shop our favorite products from each below, and then head over to the Creative Club website to become a Bestie member today!

Allie + Bess

Pencil+PaperCo_JessicaAmersonPhotography_00342.jpg

We hardly ever leave the house without a stack of bracelets, and we’re always on the hunt for more, especially in a mix of fun colors and textures! Allie + Bess is our new favorite answer to all of the above with their designs that strike the perfect balance between whimsical and sophisticated (exactly the kind of jewelry we’re on the lookout for!). The Dallas-based besties behind the eponymous label met in 2010 when they were both working in medicine. Allie and Bess felt a strong pull towards creativity and a fresh start, and that decision to pivot became the beginnings of their company! As mothers who often turned to bracelets to express their personal style (bold earrings and necklaces pose some risk around the curious hands of little ones!), they began to explore ways to craft their signature curation of wrist candy! Each design is handmade in Dallas with materials carefully sourced from all over the world. They’ve recently expanded into stylish, yet streamlined necklaces and earrings of the same joyful spirit, and you can shop all of their creations here!

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.44.28 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.50.11 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.49.16 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.45.31 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 11.23.49 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.46.20 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.47.00 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.52.40 AM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 10.48.44 AM.png

Maxwell and Geraldine

You’re probably familiar with our smocked dress obsession, and lately we’ve found such darling silhouettes over at Maxwell and Geraldine (Gen is wearing the “Kate” style above!). We’re so thrilled they’ve joined Happy Mail to invite you into their super comfortable and colorful world of fashion…we just adore a versatile dress that goes effortlessly from the beach to dinner! The brand was founded by identical twin sisters Beth and Kate, who despite living on opposite coasts, shared the same quest for polished, yet playful dresses. From their desire for more chic, unfussy and flattering styles, Maxwell and Geraldine was born! The company name was inspired by childhood nicknames their dad used back when it was even more difficult to tell the twins apart…and their love of family extends to the each of the women making their dresses at Angele H. International LTD, a woman-owned manufacturer based in Madagascar whose mission is all about empowering local female artisans! Most of Angele’s employees are single mothers or widows, and each purchase from Maxwell and Geraldine supports the livelihoods of the craftswomen and their children! You can click here to learn more out Maxwell and Geraldine’s ethical manufacturing story, and shop our favorites below and see the full collection here!

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 12.57.25 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.11.50 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.05.47 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.01.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.02.55 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.09.20 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.14.28 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.16.30 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.17.52 PM.png

Lucy Grymes

Pencil+PaperCo_JessicaAmersonPhotography_00347.jpg

Pretty tabletops never fail to delight us, and recently it’s been Lucy Grymes’s clever paper accessories adding easy cheer to our everyday meals and special gatherings! Just like us, Lucy is a lifelong lover of color and pattern…her vibrant placemats, napkins and vase wraps make family-friendly entertaining a breeze when there’s no need to stress over a stained or chipped heirloom! Lucy Grymes’ designs are such an adorable (and affordable!) way to elevate your tablescape, and who doesn’t love keeping cleanup to a minimum?! All of her products would make fabulous gifts, but we especially love the idea of using a vase wrap to transform a bouquet or potted plant from the grocery store into a super-chic present! There’s so much to explore on her site…be sure to check out the Paper Party Bundles curated by Mary Cox Brown, and all of the digital downloads for print-at-home placecards, stationery, recipe cards, labels and planners! What’s better still is that you can entertain in style while knowing your Lucy Grymes purchases contribute to the N Street Village, which offers employment and so much more to low income and homeless women in the D.C. area. You can see what we’re crushing on below, but don’t miss a peek at all of the happy things going on at LucyGrymes.com!

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.00.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.03.24 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.57.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.01.26 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 1.58.49 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.07.40 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.02.30 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.09.15 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.08.33 PM.png

Hunter Blake

Pencil+PaperCo_JessicaAmersonPhotography_00339-1.jpg

Without our signature statement earrings, we’d simply feel naked! Luckily that’s never happened, but if it did, we would head straight to Hunter Blake to replenish! Founded nearby in Nashville by bffs Jacklene and Stefanie, Hunter Blake is known for contemporary earrings informed by tradition. With backgrounds in advertising and law, each woman contributes a different worldview and sense of style to the brand. What they always have in common with each other (and us!) is a love for travel that brings inspiration back home from far and wide! Statement earrings also happen to be one of our favorite ways to punch up an outfit on the road (plus they claim very little suitcase space), since they can be worn multiple times during a trip from museum hopping to cocktail hour. Hunter Blake began with earrings, and now the founders are thoughtfully dipping into apparel and home items. You can find a few of our latest earring favorites below, and see everything at HunterBlakeDesigns.com!

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.14.55 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.12.24 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.15.37 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.16.19 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.16.58 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.17.37 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.18.14 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.18.42 PM.png

Screen Shot 2021-10-13 at 2.19.30 PM.png

Nesara

Block prints and kaftans will always have a place in our hearts, especially when the two join forces! Dr. Pragati Gusmano founded Nesara from a need to bring style and comfort back into her life after welcoming a newborn daughter during the pandemic. After searching high and low for an outfit that was equally apt for sleeping, nursing and collecting the mail, she remembered the colorful, relaxed dresses favored by her mother and grandmother. Pragati connects the production of Nesara kaftans to her own heritage by working with traditional block printing artisans in India. Each design is dreamed up here in the US, and then the soft cotton is hand printed with organic vegetable dyes in Jaipur. Subtle variations in the fabric mean no two are exactly alike! We certainly believe women at any stage of life need a cheerful, comfortable dress in their wardrobe. Browse our gallery of picks below, and visit Nesara.com for more!