Blown away by PinkPapalote July 17, 2008

Browsing through the the Etsy world, I came across the Pink Papalote virtual store. I was awed by the clean and organic design of their paper goods. I looked through what they offered and their profile, and oh! my what a surprise to see they were, just like me, in Miami.
I have been meaning to write about locally made Miami things. After watching the Story of Stuff, a video that my friend Adela suggested here on the blog…I figured something had to be done to help the world. Please note I am not the “greenest” of people, but I honestly think that we all need to start doing something different. One of the ways Annie Leonard mentions we can help out, is by buying local. Supporting local shops, local people…and that is what I honestly would like to do.

When I found PinkPapalote, I saw an opportunity to write about a local Miami business, and start helping out. You see, at some point we all will need invitations for bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, birth announcements, birthdays, parties, holidays, and a lot more! Some people might need business cards or even a corporate image. The easier thing might be to go Target and buy the Elmo invitation everyone has, BUT some Moms (me included) will want their child’s invites/paper stuff to stand out. Cue in Adriana and Samantha, the owners/founders/artists/ designers of Pink Papalote, a design studio, yes, based here in Miami who custom make all the paper good named above and more.

I decided to email them, because I wanted to meet with them, and write a bit more than a little note about a website I found. I was extremely excited when they replied back, and we were able to set up a meeting. They were kind enough to drive all the way to the Design District, and bring some of their work printed out.

Let me say that if I was blown away by their website, imagine when I saw it in “real life”. The Letterpress Boy and Girl are to die for…Of course I was probably influenced, by their personalities. These two women are funny, smart, sweet, and once you meet them you feel like you have known them your entire life. Adriana, who designs and is a full time Mom, has also taken the marketing portion of the business. She shared with me how they have been able to create a market, mostly by word of mouth, when other Moms see their kids or client’s kids cards. Samantha, the other 50% of PinkPapalote (which means Pink Kite) is the artist who drew the little Boy and the Girl, and a lot of other characters you will find on their website. They were kind enough to bring some samples, which I must admit, I am carrying in my bag and show them to everyone I run into.

So there I was, skipping work. Looking through a book of custom made invitations, when out of a white bag Samantha, with a little twinkle in her eye, took out three original paintings. “Mmmmm, what would they do if I run away with them?” I thought as I pictured them hanging on Ari’s wall. The paintings are mixed media, and I have already ordered two.

Take the time to check out their website, call them or shoot them an email! You will not regret it. Tell them your ideas, and they will come up with something creative, different, and 100% designed for you.