Creative Profiles

7 questions with the designers of sable & snow

February 20, 2015

Sable & Snow designers

Sable & Snow is a San Diego-based stationery and paper products company launched by three talented gals who met at design school here in the sunny city and launched a collaborative line once they realized that their passion came from creating patterns and illustrations. The trio dubbed themselves Sable & Snow, a nod to the fact that it all starts with a black and white sketch, and specialize in wedding invitations suites but also create whimsical, colorful cards for birthdays and more. (My favorites are the piñata birthday card and teepee print.)

Today all three gals chime in on breakfasts, mental blocks, and more.

Names: (left to right) Ashley Jorgensen; Katie Schultz; Jessica Nicholson
Ages: 25; 26; 28
Neighborhood: All in North Park
Profession: Graphic designer; graphic designer; graphic designer + owner of Sable & Snow

What did you eat for breakfast today?
Ashley: My coffee was much more exciting today than my actual breakfast. French press french roast with vanilla carmel creamer. YUM!

Katie: Greek yogurt with honey and fresh strawberries—both healthy and sweet!

Jessica: Granola with berries.

What’s the best thing about your job?
A: I love that as a graphic designer I get to bring ideas to life. There’s nothing better than seeing a greeting card concept or a wedding suite sketch come together and bring joy to someone’s day!

K: Whether it’s brainstorming a new idea or giving creative feedback, I love being able to collaborate in our work every day. Our work environment is an open place where our creative input comes together to make finished designs something we are all truly happy with.

J: The best thing ever is when a bride lets us know she is completely in love with the wedding invitations we designed for her. We spend a lot of time and energy trying to make every little detail just perfect, and hearing positive feedback is the best reward imaginable.

The worst?
A: My mac’s rainbow wheel and I have a love/hate relationship. I hate it, but love that it teaches me patience. :)

K: Deadlines! Having a big time crunch adds extra stress to my day, but on the flip slide I feel a good sense of accomplishment when we meet our deadlines—or even come in early!

J: Crunching numbers. It’s a necessary part of the job, but I don’t enjoy doing it.

How do you tackle a creative block?
A: When possible, I love working on several different projects concurrently. When I get stuck I can hop over to another task, and then later return to the original task with some perspective. When that fails I can always find something totally unrelated on Pinterest to re-spark my creativity.

K: Switching over to another project for awhile or taking a quick break to get my mind off of the design problem. Then I’ll come back to it with a fresh eye and usually new ideas will start to pop up.

J: I’ve found the best way to fight creative blocks is to get outside and get some exercise. Usually a long walk somewhere pretty. The bigger the block, the longer the walk.

What are you currently reading?
A: Anyone who knows me can attest to my love for audiobooks. I am excited to start Scary Close by Donald Miller.

K: I just finished reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini—it was a fantastic book, I couldn’t put it down—and now I’m listening to a new podcast series called Invisiblia. Not exactly a book but sometimes it’s often refreshing to listen while you work.

J: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Promised myself I would read it before seeing the movie.

What’s your favorite spot in the city and why?
A: Recently, my favorite place in San Diego has been my friend’s living room. So many good nights spent soaking up as much joy and wisdom as possible while laughing with friends.

K: The coffee shops. There is a huge variety in San Diego and each one has its own unique feel. They are also a great place to meet people who are working on something that they are passionate about.

J: I love Balboa Park. It’s the perfect place for just about any activity: picnic, reading, frisbee, exploring, birthday celebrations, walks, taking photos, lounging, sketching, thinking. Plus, it’s beautiful.

What was the most awesome thing about today?
A: I went on a run after work today and saw the most amazing sunset over the park! It’s easy to forget to be grateful for our beautiful city, but today was a nice reminder that we’re so lucky to have springtime in February!

K: I met all my deadlines! Mission accomplished—and now I’m settling down with some hot chamomile tea and my sketchbook. 

J: I spent some time this morning working on a new wedding invitation design. Any time I can get out the pens and pencils and do some illustration work is usually the most awesome part of my day.

Thanks, ladies! You can also find Sable & Snow on Facebook, TwitterInstagram, and Pinterest.

Photo by Limelife Photography

One thought on “7 questions with the designers of sable & snow

  1. Leucadia Chiropractor

    Quite a nice feature, and they have quite the collection. I’m obsessed with stationaries. I have so much of them unused, but whenever I see something cute and perfect, I just hoard them all. Do they offer custom designs?

    Reply

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