"I've been to several workshops but none were comparable to The Art of Stationery. Since my first participation in 2016, my sales have tripled. Not only did they triple, but more people in the event planning industry recognize my work! I have since been featured in several magazines and blogs (Munaluchi Bride, Elegant Wedding, Marriage Québec, etc...). Thanks to the precious knowledge received during the training, I've upgraded from regular invitations to luxury invites and boxes. I'm grateful to God to have allowed me to meet Sandi Spells! She is an inspiring woman and also very generous with her time! "   Donna

Recently we had a chance to catch up with Donna to see how business had been...take a read

1. How long have you been doing stationery and what made you start?Since 2010.After getting my degrees in Infographics in pre printing, I fell in love with color and packaging, I decided to do a second degree in printing management. I wanted to be a designer for packaging, but decided to let it go for many reasons. I started by doing my own invitation suite for my wedding as a hobby. This first project led into my cousin asking me to do hers and then requests started flocking and the rest is history. I knew from the beginning that i wanted my cards to standout. I gradually gravitated towards a luxury finish to distinguished my cards.

2.  What is the market like in Canada? The market in Canada differs from the one in the United States. Canadians seem more into minimalism and are a bit conservative in their choices, but some do go for an extravagant look. Letterpress and foils are super popular! 

3.   What has been your greatest investment in your business? The two major investments I've made in my business so far are attending the Art of Stationery workshops and a laser cut printer I purchased at the beginning of this year.

4. Where was your business before attending The Art of Stationery Conference and how attending has changed your business?Before the conference, I would make common invitation cards. Now, my sales have doubled and my reputation is starting to precede me.

5.Would you recommend this conference to other stationers? If so, why do you think they should attend?Yes! Stationers should attend every year because we learn something new at every session while touching different business aspects (techniques, finances, etc).

6.  What advice would you give to an up and coming stationer? Be yourself. Do not try to imitate others. Try to create your own designs and touch. Invest time in learning new industry techniques and learn Illustrator or vector software to explore and create innovative designs. Connect with groups on social media to learn from others and contribute to others about this creative field.

7.What’s next for Mademoiselle D?Next I will launch an online stationery store. I am also looking at creating a service to help stationery designers with printing, design, and production of their creations in order to deliver amazing products.

Donna currently lives in Quebec with her husband and beautiful baby boy.  If you would like to get in touch with Donna, please feel free to email her at client@mademoiselled.com