Some of Mesa artist Nicole Manchester’s most treasured moments have revolved around handwritten words. From saving old high school notes about crushes to re-reading cards from her grandmother, “keeping in touch through writing has always been important to me,” she says. “Writing really is an artform, and it’s an easy way to make loved ones feel special.” After nannying for many years, Manchester started her own stationery line, The Polka Dot Pug Collection, in 2015. She creates every design for her colorful cards by hand and then has a graphic designer digitize them for mass production ($10/four-pack of cards). “Each card takes months of revision and color work to get to the final version,” she says. Inspired by bright hues and “sugary pastries,” Manchester loves sprinkles, sparkles and everything joyful. “I guess I just create cards as a way to brighten my day and hope others will feel happiness when they see the designs, too.” polkadotpugcollection.com
