Hello!
My name is Shelby and I am the founder of White Clover Paper Co. I started White Clover Paper Co as a way to bring together two things I love – painting and handwritten letters. Painting brings me joy, and I hope to spread joy by sending notes in the mail – and I hope that with my greeting cards, I can help you spread some joy too!
My Journey With Watercolors
While I don’t have a formal art education, I do have a long time love for watercolors. I remember playing with cheap watercolor paints as a kid, but I really developed a love for watercolors when I was in middle school. We painted leaves in watercolor, and that was one of my favorite art projects ever. In high school and college, I put my creativity and love for arts and crafts aside to pursue more academic interests (and a bachelors in nursing). After graduating from college, when I had more time to explore my hobbies and interests again, I picked up a watercolor set on a whim, and rediscovered my passion for painting. Three years into my nursing career, the COVID pandemic started, and I used painting as a way to relax, take my mind off my problems and career, and cling to the things that bring me joy. Painting brought me a calm and a focus that little else did, and it allowed me to slow down and enjoy the beauty in the world around me. Two years later, with my husband’s encouragement, I decided to put my paintings to use and start an Etsy shop and my very own business selling greeting cards and art prints featuring my watercolor paintings.
A Love For The Lost Art Of Letter Writing
My business creating greeting cards allows me to celebrate and share another great love of mine – writing handwritten notes to keep in touch with loved ones. Writing cards and letters is one of my very favorite ways to keep in touch with friends. I have binders and boxes full of letters from friends that I keep compulsively – from notes written from friends on scraps of lined paper and adorned with doodles that were passed in the hallway between classes in high school, to beautiful souvenir greeting cards crammed with tiny writing where friends chronicle their career adventures and love lives. Although I sometimes don’t write to friends as often as I wish I did, it brings me great joy to spend an hour writing a life update, sharing a thought, telling a joke, or wishing a happy event or holiday or phase in life. And it brings me joy to know that I will have brightened someone’s day, even just a little, by sending them a sweet sentiment in the mail.
Part of what I love so much about cards and letters is that they are so contrary to our current culture. In a world where everything we could possibly want is available right at our fingertips, we often forget to slow down to enjoy our relationships. I love to waste time drinking tea and talking for hours with my closest friends, but when distance and busy schedules make that difficult, I find that taking the time to write a letter brings me a similar feeling of closeness with those I hold near and dear. There’s something just so deeply personal about a handwritten note – it has a feeling of intimacy which text messages and email simply don’t have. And as a very sentimental person, I value the sentimentality contained in a physical letter – the thoughts put into them, the individuality of each person’s handwriting, and the way I can hear my friends’ voices through them. In short, for me, handwritten notes contain a thoughtfulness and expressiveness that is rare and to be treasured, which call to mind a quaint, bygone time where things were simpler, and time spent on deep, meaningful relationships was highly valued.
Why Choose White Clover Paper Co?
At White Clover Paper Co, our main goal is to pour our love and passion into all of our work to create high quality, meaningful products to help you connect with the people you love. In our greeting cards, we strive to provide a beautiful means of conveying every sentiment you wish to express. For our art prints, our aim is to help you celebrate your uniqueness with whimsical, charming decor for your space.
As a company, we want to do our best for the environment, the economy, and our customers. We strive to make a positive impact on the planet by using 100% recycled paper for the vast majority of our cards and choosing sustainable packaging wherever we can. From start to finish, our cards and art prints are designed and printed in the United States. And as a small, family owned business, we can provide our customers with the highest quality customer service experience.
I hope to be able to share all the things that bring me joy and inspiration through my products and paintings. I look forward to serving you!
Warmest regards,
Shelby
