The Paperqueen
Annabel Clarke Mackay
NOW is the time to express yourself to those you love and care about. Don’t just think it, write it, then send it! Send a card, a thank you letter, a “You’re amazing” or “I don’t know what I’d do without you” note to make someone feel special, validated and loved. A greeting card, note or letter can be held in your hands. You can touch it, smell it, hold it. Paper and ink are sensual. Our illustrations are vivid, your words are everlasting and will be remembered. A sealed envelope captures the moment in time that you thought of your friend, acquaintance, love and sat down to share your gratitude. We live in an impersonal world. Phone calls end, emails disappear, texts drop spare change compared to the riches of sending stationery, ink, signature, and a piece of your time they can hold and read and read again.
Lives can leave us and we really do need to tell those we love that we love them and those that we miss that they are missed. I always knew that my business needed a tag line but could never come up with one until recently. I was trying to make it sound so important or hip when really it was staring at me right in the face all along. Write, receive, respond, remember. It’s that simple.
Having studied Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising in Paris and California I was given the incredible gift by my parents to travel abroad at a young age, ready to explore, succeed, try, fail and then get back up and do it all over again. Throughout my years away at school I made some amazing friends that I am still in contact with today over twenty years later. Back in those days there was no such thing as a computer, email, Facebook let alone free long distance! Long distance phone calls cost a fortune so we had to resort to writing letters. I savoured those letters when the mail man delivered them. Especially now as the years have passed and the memories are fading I am able to re read them, reliving the past and those wonderful years…
I hope that my collection of stationery will inspire you to slow down, take a moment, buy a nice pen and write a beautiful thought, note or sentiment to someone special. Instead of just thinking it, I ask you to please write it and send it. Believe me, it will make their day. Because afterall, life is short. Express yourself.
Media
Paperqueen is the only Canadian greeting card company that Neiman Marcus Online has ever offered for sale. We were honoured to be featured on the front cover of the Neiman Marcus catalogue in the Fall of 2003. The relationship continues with Neiman Marcus and Horchow, heading into our fourth consecutive year of business together.
We have been featured on the uber trendy "OBJECTS OF DESIRE" page in InStyle magazine, listed as one of the "TOP 10 BABY GIFTS TO GIVE" in People magazine, Vitamin V, The Vicki Gabereau Show as well as in Elle, Flare, Canadian House and Home, Weekly Scoop, Lou Lou and many other North American distributed magazines. Watch for our upcoming segment on CBC's Vancouver Lifestyles with Jennifer (Mathers) Burke in September, 2007.