Today we’re going behind the scenes with super-talented Hallmark Artist Flora Chang. When she is not sharing her work on Instagram, she is illustrating the sweetest Make & Mail Kit for the latest Gold Crown artist collection. Join us as she shares the ins and outs of her career, and what she does off the clock. Read on!

Coffee or tea?
I drink tea all day long; tea is my water, but nothing beats a good cup of coffee in the afternoon.

How long have you been at Hallmark? And have you always been an illustrator?
I’ve been at Hallmark for almost 15 years. I officially joined the Illustration Studio this spring. Before that, I’d been a hybrid-designer (meaning I design and illustrate) on the team that makes products for kids.

If I weren’t an illustrator, I’d be…
A picker and shop keeper. I love going to antique markets to look for treasures! I would fill up my shop with fun stuff and folk arts, and there would be an area for artists to come & host workshops.

Do you keep a sketchbook? What’s your favorite tool to draw?
I always keep a small sketchbook with me in my bag. My favorite tools are black fine line markers and black brush tip markers. I also like to draw with a brush and walnut ink.

Tell us about your Make & Mail Card Kit. How did it start?
It all started with one small floral painting in my sketchbook. The team in charge of identifying trends saw that artwork and decided it would be great to develop a snail mail kit with cards and elements in the same style.

What mediums did you use to create the art for the card kit?
Mainly gouache and watercolor. I did mix some walnut ink to my paints to give them a warmer and more subdued tone.

What’s the theme for the artworks in the kit?
Floral and nature, as they are appropriate for all kinds of occasions. All parts work well with each other and are easy to mix and match.

What goodies are included in the box of your Make & Mail Card Kit?
12 different greeting cards
14 insert pages (6 with designed sentiments, 4 with designed borders, 4 blanks)
Mini artworks in various diecut shapes
6 letterheads (1 design)
16 envelopes (8 of 2 designs, 8 of 2 colors)
1 sticker sheet (12 stickers total)
1 roll of washi tape
Foam adhesives

Show us a few ways how people can customize their cards:
Use an opaque white gel pen to doodle on the envelope.

Mix and match diecut shapes to customize the cover of your card.

Pick a mini artwork with a hand-lettered quote and tape it to the inside of your card using the washi tape included in the box.

Add an insert page with printed sentiments, or write your own message on a blank one.

Don’t forget to sign your name on the back of the card when you are done!

Last but not least, any tidbits or fun story regarding writing & sending snail mails?
When I was in senior high school back in Taiwan, two of my very best buddies and I used to send snail mails to each other all the time. We were middle school classmates and went off to different high schools after our graduation, so we wrote letters to keep each others informed about our daily lives. But, we didn’t just send letters inside plain envelopes, we would do all kinds of fun things to customize our mail. For example, one of us once sandwiched her letter in between two unused green scouring pads, tied them up with a wide elastic band, and mailed it that way. I am pretty sure we’ve driven a few poor mailmen bonkers.

Find all of Flora’s artist collection online here. For more about our Hallmark creative community, find our Artist Spotlight series here.

— Flora C.