It All Started With A Greeting Card

A big warm welcome to the new @thelevendart online shop and to the blog!

This has been a project months in the making which we hope means our products are conscientious in fabrication, design and overall, bring you or your loved-ones some joy!

We all understand the gravity of this past year, living in a pandemic and it has weighed on us as a society as well as individuals. You may have caught yourself reflecting on career choices, passion projects, relationships, etc., more so than usual because of it.

For us we learnt the value of making an effort. It's easy to get caught up in the stagnant flow of lockdown and lose motivation. Wearing the same sweatpants three days in a row because you’re working from home or binging a Netflix marathon to bide your time. Sometimes you need a distraction from all those thoughts you’d previously been too busy to entertain and a lot of that comes with the lack of interaction or ability to engage in fun activities. We're all going through our own versions of hardship!

We began to recognize that just because we had the subtext of a pandemic telling us we couldn’t do anything, didn't exactly mean that was the whole truth. We began to learn how to reshape the things that we felt we were lacking at a distance.

Friendships we thought we’d moved on from reappeared fiercer than ever, while others fizzled out. We engaged in new and exciting ways that required us to change our dialogues and to see things from a new perspective.

And for us, it all started with a greeting card...

Yes, we’re talking good ol’ snail mail that inefficiently takes a week to reach its recipient. *Bear with us through this monologue*

A card because of its limitations forces you to really think of something worthwhile to say and how you want to say it. It has finality to it and that bit of extra effort shows great care.

It contains feelings wrapped in an aesthetically pleasing package.

Whether they display it on a mantle, throw it in an old shoe box or throw it away altogether, the smile it brings is all worth it in the end; to know you’ve made the effort.

But we noticed, the cards kept coming, and the stories became deeper; the friendships stronger.

So, we decided to make our own keeping in mind the qualities we respect in consumer products. If it was going to be paper or packaging, the majority had to be made from recycled content, FSC approved and ultimately recyclable for when you're done with it.

The designs had to be fun and inviting. And since we're Canadian, we wanted to support Canadian companies and production houses by sourcing our materials from them.

The result is what we consider a great look and feel to each item that is sure to keep you company when no one else physically can.

Our intention is to share with you a moment reserved for happiness amidst

the noise and haste. A tool for strength between you and your loved ones. A good omen.

Stay Creative,

TLA