Abby Chapman
... is the owner, creator and designer at raindrop paperie. Ever since Abby was a small child, she's been creative. She spent an excessive amount of time coloring, playing with Play-Doh and creating various craft projects. With a background in art history and color theory, she loves anything that has to do with design and expressing one's own creativity. Abby started making cards as a way to tap further into her creative side, and to save herself some time from going to the store for another card when a friend or family member's birthday came around. It quickly grew into a passion and now she can't stop making cards, playing with paper and buying stickers. She dreams about cards and can't wait to put them into actual designs! Abby enjoys combining different types of paper, ribbons, stamps, and stickers to create lovely, meaningful and fun cards.
How has living in Minnesota impacted your work?
Living in Minnesota, I am able to experience all four seasons (winter, spring, summer & fall) as well as so many wonderful natural areas within the state—all of which produce beautiful colors that I am able to admire through the changing leaves, the growing flowers and the numerous bodies of water. Since colors and patterns are so important in my raindrop paperie designs, I often gather inspiration for my cards while out on a walk or spending time by a lake or the river. Being a Minnesotan has inspired one of my more popular designs, the MN Love Cards that I make. I take full pride in making these fun cards so others can send MN love out to those who are important in their lives. There is a vibrant and active creative community here in Minnesota as well, which encourages and inspires me to continue with my handmade cards.
What do you hope your products add to the ‘Made in MN’ community?
Honestly, I hope that my products encourage people to send more snail mail from Minnesota! There are so many reasons to give someone a card, so I hope that mine inspire people to write more to those who are important in their lives. I also hope my products work with the other Minnesota makers and creators to create a full and vibrant product selection.
Why do you shop local?
I shop local because supporting local artists, creators, and shops is extremely important within a community. I love the unique finds I come across when shopping local—you truly never know what you’ll find! Every artist, every company, every brand, and every product starts somewhere and it’s especially important in those beginning stages to support those creators and makers when they may need the most support.
Talk about the fulfillment that comes from being a maker.
I love to create and develop new ideas and designs, and by being a maker I am able to share my ideas with others. Being a maker allows you to express yourself and put your thoughts, emotions and attitude into a product that is unique and one of a kind. Creating something taps into a place in your heart and your passion, a place that can’t always be seen. I truly take a great amount of pride in the work that I do, and knowing that I am able to share this with others in a product that everyone can use is so very exciting!
What has this path given you?
Developing my cards into my own unique style has allowed me to play with colors and patterns in creative, fun and exciting ways. I love to think about where my cards end up and all the special messages that are written inside of each one. Being a part of the creative community of Minnesota, and specifically in Minneapolis, has allowed me to connect with others who create handmade products. Being able to express my creativity in a way that I can share with other people is such a great feeling!
