Send Art in a Note; Local Artist Starts Online Handcrafted Card Sales

Ellen Buchanan.

Ellen Buchanan says, “I want to try to get people back into writing notes to each other instead of texting and online stuff. I love getting letters. It’s one of my favorite things. So I am trying to get people into that again.” And unlike electronic note, “You can touch them [letters]. A lot more thought goes into a letter than a text.” 

 She started making cards when she was young - for family, friends, roommates.  “Ever since I was a child and I could hold a writing utensil, I have been making cards for family and friends. I have made birthday cards for friends, roommates. I started with crayons and moved to stamps and then I collected scraps of paper and painted some, and drew on others. I thought that this was something that I would buy so I thought I would try to sell them.” 

This is an advertisement. 

 OnlyEverest is Buchanan’s Etsy business where you can buy her handcrafted cards.  Each one is hand made so no two are ever identical. And they are wonderful. Each card holds a certain vibrancy.  “I have yet to make two cards that are exactly the same. I’ve tried, but they still look different.” She laughs.

One of Ellen Buchanan's handcrafted cards. 

Each card is unique.  “Some are watercolors and some are ink drawings but others are layering paper and hen painting on top off that.  It’s a bunch of mixed media but each one his different. I am going to start making my own envelopes as well.” She has been commissioned as well.

Buchanan’s prices are competitive with high end cards that you’d find in the card shops. “I went to various places and looked at the prices. I didn’t want it to be ridiculous but I didn’t want to undercut myself because it takes a lot of time to make them. Each card is five dollars even if they take a long time to make. The water color cards can sometimes take up to an hour to make. I like doing it.“  Even at that, each card takes about a total of 30 minutes to complete so this is a deal.

One of Buchanan's Etsy cards.

“I remember being in third grade and I went to Baker-Hunt for classes.  I never thought I was any good but my parents would always say ‘Oh, Ellen, that is so beautiful. You are so good.’ Looking back I thought “That was pretty terrible but you guys are nice”, you know. I always had the confidence to be an artist. And then when I was in high school Mr. Eckerle (HHS) really brought out the true artist in me. I started to make things that had more meaning behind them.” So she studied art and Spanish in college so you may see the two influences in her works.

Handcrafted card for mothers.

She says, “I now am leaning more towards painting - mostly watercolors. It’s really relaxing. And I am also getting into hand lettering different types. It’s really hard but it’s really gratifying to see.”  These are beautiful cards and would make wonderful Mother's Day and graduation cards.

So if you want a personalized or stylized card for an event or person, contact Ellen Buchanan. You can see her work at https://www.etsy.com/shop/OnlyEverest?ref=shop_sugg.