My absolute favorite item is her photo tins. At only 4″ x 6″ the are small enough to fit in a small handbag and oh so cute! They retail at $25, fit nine wallet-sized pictures of your hubby, kids or dog and Sarah will customize the look to fit your theme, favorite color or anything you have in mind. This is what Sarah had to say about them: “

I think the photo tins are what I’m most proud of. I love the idea of being able to carry pictures of those you love in your purse and not worry about them getting bent or destroyed. I felt especially proud of the HOPE tins since it was my way of giving back…20% of each tin went to Susan G Komen for Breast Cancer Research.”

Here is a little more of my interview with Sarah:

What inspires your paper creations?

Different things inspire me. My kids…women with cancer, the incredible way a happy design makes people smile and feel warm. In terms of my designs, I can see certain colors together, see a pattern on some paper or see shapes while I’m out walking…anything can inspire me and then I just go back to my desk and play!

Where are you when you aren’t working?

Well, lately I can usually be found volunteering at my daughter’s school. Partially because of my former life as a teacher and partially because I love that sparkle I see in Emily’s eyes, I feel it’s essential that we support our teachers and schools as best we can…

Do you have a favorite boutique shop? If so, what?

I haven’t been doing a lot of shopping lately, but when I was looking for unusual and wonderful gifts, I would always go to Zipper. They were on 3^rd Street in Los Angeles and then they opened a shop in Brooklyn , NY . A month or so ago they closed their store here and opened in Sonoma , CA . So Cal ’s loss is No Cal ’s gain! At least I can still find them online!!

I had a great time getting to know Sarah and I was more and more impressed with each creation she pulled out for me to see. We’ll be watching her closely to see what she does next! To see for yourself, click here to visit her website.

I want to introduce all of you to a great friend of mine, and a very talented artist. Tori and I were roomies in college and as an Art major, I knew she had a special eye for chic designs. So it was no surprise to me that she went on to use her illustrations to create beautiful stationery pieces that have been featured in publications like O Magazine, Life & Style, Country Home and many others. Tori was even asked to design the invites for a recent Victoria’s Secret PINK Event.

What I love about Tori’s designs is that they express a simple elegance that many women look up to. A “Jackie O- like” style that even incorporates vintage fabrics for a truly unique and stylish look. Her inspiration comes from her late grandmother-in-law who was a talented seamstress and philanthropist. Before she died, she blessed Tori with yards and yards of beautiful 1960s fabric. Tori has used these vintage pieces to “dress up” her designs. I always look forward to seeing what she’ll do next. We’ll be keeping our eye on this one!

I know that it isn’t often that I receive a hand-written note in the mail anymore. It’s much easier to pick up the Blackberry. But sending a note is even more special now than it used to be because someone spent the extra five minutes to write, stuff and find a stamp. I love that these designs look as special as it feels to get fun mail from a friend.

Look for Tori’s designs at stores like: Paper Tree Boutique in Laguna Niguel, and A Fine Affair in Newport Beach. And of course you can always check out Tori’s designs on her website at http://www.torihiga.com.

Pretty in Pink Make Your Own Card Kit

This week was FULL of amazing contacts. We have many more delicious designers to bring to you! Today is no exception. We’re wrapping up the week with a designer of many talents. Diana Gonzalez is the creator of Sweet Buddha Designs. Straight from her studio in Brooklyn, NY, she creates gorgeous paper pieces, journals, hand-carved stamps, knit and crochet-wear and other craft supplies. I love the way Diana describes her style: “a little bit of Martha Stewart, and a little bit Buddhist, totally fashion forward and rough around the edges.” From what I’ve seen from her, that description is right on!

Diana’s talent is so diverse, so she has chosen to package some of her products together in a “craft kits” for those of us who need a little guidance in the area of stamping and paper design. I love the way she has put her pieces together in a way that not only showcases her diverse talent, but also meets a need for the crafty-impaired rest of us.

A fun shop! Check it out. I found some great gift ideas…(Aren’t the recipe cards adorable!)

Here is what Sharon had to say about their design inspiration.

[Our inspiration comes from] everyday life really. It can come from reading a new CommArts magazine, to looking at a book cover in a shop, to taking

Kite Birthday Card

a stroll, daydreaming. I try to take everyday things that I see and enjoy and turn it into my own. An example of this would be our kite birthday card. It was inspired by a sweater I saw in a store window.

Here is what she had to say about the process of print design.

You have a tangible product to share. That’s the main difference between web design and print design and that’s why I’m in love with print. With paper pieces you can hold your final product, see it in 3D and pass it around for others to hold and feel. It’s much more personal than just looking at something on a screen and it last longer. You can tuck a paper product in a drawer or keepsake box and pull it out when you need a little pick-me-up.

Here’s what she had to say about her favorite pieces.

"Cheeky" Cards

...I truly love the thank you cards with the Moroccan patterns going down the front, the French man, and the cheeky saying cards. Those designs are a great blend of my style with my environment. New Zealanders (Kiwis) are really ‘cheeky’ people as are those cards.

Here’s what she had to say about her favorite online destinations.

…Etsy is fantastic…I love to see what all the other creative people of the world are working on. Also, I’m a big fan of the Devine Caroline emails, The Daily Stroll, and Cool Mom Picks. All three have fun, unique items that cover a wide range of tastes, yet are always useful.

Click here to find these light-hearted designs and more on their website.

Best of luck ladies!