KVCardography

Hello! Thanks for stopping by, taking the time to check out my small shop, and learning a bit about KV Cardography!

My name is Kara (Kara Valentina, thus KV), and I (finally!!) launched KV Cardography on January 1st, 2021. I've loved all paper crafts since I started my first ballet scrapbook in middle school, and I've been making handmade greeting cards for my friends and family for years. I've always wanted to turn my hobby into something more and the extra free time I found myself with during the pandemic gave me the opportunity I must have been waiting for.

All items in my shop are fully designed and constructed by me (well, with the occasional input from my wife who is definitely the witty one in the relationship; if you see a funny card in my shop, you can most certainly assume she came up with it).

Although I've always found great satisfaction in creating custom cards for my friends and family, my desire to start an Etsy shop was enhanced when I realized that other people might be interested in purchasing fully custom cards, or the kinds of cards that are not often manufactured by larger greeting card companies. This potential need for custom cards dawned on me when I was shopping for my first valentine's day card for the wonderful woman who is now my wife (yes, I was a card-maker buying a card in CVS, but I was in gradschool, okay??). It was obvious that the greeting card industry had not fully embraced the fact that there is a large group of us who won't be jumping to buy the cards designed for male/female couples. This massive gap in the card industry inspired me to start making LGB friendly valentine's day, wedding, and anniversary cards. I've also tried to come up with new designs to fill other gaps in the market; for example, where are the sympathy cards that actually articulate how you feel when something shitty is happening to someone you love? We don't always want to say, "my deepest condolences." Sometimes, we just need to say, "fuck, I'm sorry."

Besides filling gaps, I love using my personal background and life experiences to create art and products that enable me to connect with others who share the same interests and experiences. I earned my Phd in Criminology and Criminal Justice before a did a 180 and decided to spend my life in the cycling industry. Thus, I love making cards for cyclists, true crime fans, and academics (whether that be graduation cards that highlight the special accomplishment of earning a graduate degree or cards for academic advisors that highlight the massive appreciate most graduate students have for the guidance of their mentors).

If you have identified another gap in the industry or need a custom card for unique or special situation, I'd be more than happy to work with you to come up with a one-of-a-kind card! Just message me!

Thanks again for taking the time to get to know me and my shop.
Kara