Ana Bianchi is the powerhouse and creative queen behind PaperGirl- a brand that features "illustrated clothes for imaginative girls". The brand is all about story-telling and sparking imagination in kids.
Ana is a fellow NYC lover and she consistently inspires me with how she is able to balance motherhood, her creative & artistic aspirations, and her business!
Not only are the clothes from PaperGirl quite literally "a wearable work of art", they also come with a unique mini story book to further engage and captivate the mini fashionistas wearing them!
Ana's artwork and PaperGirl collections feature many naturistic themes, such as Seas, Deep in the Garden, and Into the Forest- which we chose to draw inspo from for this collaboration!
Above are the hand-carved (yes, you read that right- hand carved) stamps Ana created for this collab... and lemme tell ya- these stamps turned into some awesome stickers!
The sheet features a forestscape in dreamy oranges and pinks. My personal favorite is that super cute and (somewhat) mischievous looking raccoon! What forest find is your fave???
To get these adorable forest friends-ย be sure to sign up for our Kids Sticker Club to get Ana's stickers, and check out her website and her adorable clothing line! You can also follow here on instagram at @byPaperGirl and @AnaLovesColor.!
Pipsticks + PaperGirl GIVEAWAY
Here's what you'll win:
$100 PaperGirlCollection gift card
6 month Pipsticks subscription of your choice
The giveaway will run through October 31st, so be sure to max out your entries and tell all your friends!!
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS
Pipsticks + PaperGirl Giveaway
Donโt have social media? Itโs cool,ย just enter your email above and you'll be entered to win. Also, EVERYONE in ourย Kid's Sticker Club will also receive an entry, so if you're not already a subscriber, go sign up!
Contest ends at 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, October 31st.
The winner will be announced Monday, November 4th, and will be contacted via email or social media. Contest Terms & Conditions
Now let's get to know Ana, the woman behind PaperGirl!
Let's chat with Ana Bianchi from PaperGirl
Where do you live? Where are you from?
I was born in Mexico City and since I left at age 25 I have lived in Florence, New York and currently in the Bay Area.
What do you LOVE?ย
Art materials (all and any), real home-made Mexican salsas, Spring (and Fall), kid art, art books, folk toys, gardening, and SO MANY MORE THINGS.
What do you dislike?
Traffic jams, wasting time.
What's something that you are secretly really good at?
Talking to animals (says my daughter) and home remodeling & decor.
What did you want to be when you grew up as a child?
An artist, always an artist
What do you do for work?ย
Iย do many art related things: graphic design, illustration, clothing design, children book writing and illustrations, surface design plus Art (painting, printmaking) and ceramics. Art related stuff is the only thing I have ever done.
How long have you been in the creative industry?
If you consider unpaid work since I was a kid, I would illustrate homework and letter for my friends. If it is paid work, my first job was designing stained glass windows and greeting cards as a teenager. That was 30+ years ago (yep, I am that old).
What's the thing you're most proud of making?
My illustrated clothing line and picture books for girls PaperGirl Collection. For each dress I designed the dress, illustrated the art that goes on the fabric and print design, and I wrote and illustrated a book. I am really proud about the result but mostly I am proud about the intensity of the creative process.
What's an exciting idea you've had recently?
More picture books for kids, a book about color and my new illustration only website AnaLovesColor.comWhat's your favorite color combination right now?Hot pink, pale turquoise, off-white/putty, periwinkle.What's your favorite pen?I am not particular about pens, but I am about pencils, I always have my Shaker mechanical pencil and a new HB pencil made of orange blossom smelling wood. Mmmmmmm!
analovescolor.com
How many hours a day do you spend on creativity?
All day. I believe and aim to practice living creatively so I really think of every activity (dreaming at night included) as an opportunity for mindful creativity. From creating stories with my daughter while driving to school, cooking, observing and noting nature, doing gardening, writing little snippets of creativity to actual hands-on making of stuff (in art, design, or crafts). I hate wasting time, I love pushing myself creatively.
When did you fall in love with stickers?
In elementary school in the 70โs. I would buy them with my allowance, trade them in school (I had a good rep for my collection) and save them in an old tin lunchbox. I still have my collection! The ugliest ones are some founding Fathers stickers from 1976 Bicentennial, the cutest are some bunny rabbits, and the coolest are all the scratch and sniff that still smell!! I have used them as coveted rewards with my daughter. That is how cool and timeless they still are.
What's in your perfect trailmix?
Raw nuts, coconut, dry cherries.
Coffee or Tea?
COFFEE!!!
What food could you eat all day every day?
Quesadilla with good corn tortilla and homemade green salsa (spicy) or morita hot pepper salsa (smoky)!
What are you currently reading?
โFind your artistic voice: the essential guide to working your creative magicโ by Lisa Congdon
Share some words of wisdom (in 10 words-ish or less)?
โWhere the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no artโ. Leonardo da Vinci (my absolute creative hero) โIt takes a very long time to become youngโ Picasso (my favorite artist)
What are three Instagram accounts that inspire you?@lisacongdon @woodlucker @helen_dardikThanks Ana! We are so excited to see your beautifulย sheet in the 2019 November Kids Subscription packs!ย Follow PaperGirl here and Ana Bianchi here, and don't miss out on her amazing sticker sheet!Mo xoxo