A Small History of Greeting Cards
A delightful look back at the beginnings of greeting cards—where art, meaning, and thoughtful connection first came together.
Long before greeting cards filled store shelves, they were small works of art shared between friends.
In the late 1800s, a printer named Louis Prang helped introduce beautifully illustrated greeting cards to America. His colorful lithographic printing methods allowed artists to reproduce detailed artwork in ways that had never been widely available before.
Because of this, Prang is often called the Father of the American Christmas Card.
His goal was simple but meaningful:
to help people share beauty, kindness, and thoughtful messages through the mail.
In many ways, greeting cards have always been connected to the newest creative tools of their time.
As technology changed, artists adapted.
Printing methods improved.
Photography entered the world of cards.
Graphic design became digital.
Today, artists have even more tools available — including digital illustration and AI-assisted imagery — but the heart of a greeting card remains the same.
A greeting is still a small moment of human connection.
A Personal Note
Years ago I was also an early adopter of new creative technology.
My first camera for portrait photography was a Sony Mavica, which stored photos on floppy disks. At the time it felt incredibly new and experimental.
I didn’t have formal training and learned mostly through curiosity and trial and error. Many of my early portrait sessions came through word of mouth, and what began as a small side project - know called a side hustle - grew into one of my most enjoyable creative adventures.
Looking back, it reminds me that creativity often grows alongside new tools.
The tools may change.
But the heart behind creating something meaningful for another person remains beautifully the same.
A Tradition of Small Joy
Every Scatter Joyfulness Greeting continues that tradition in a simple way.
A small piece of “micro” art.
A thoughtful message.
A moment shared between people.
And just like the greeting cards that came before them, each one is meant to carry a little joy out into the world.
…and so the Scatter Joyfulness journey has begun.
I hope you’ll join me.
Hugs & Smiles,
Joy & Bunny
Micro Art & Morning Light
Message ideas for what to write in a card, with simple and heartfelt wording to help you say it in a way that feels as personal as your heart speaks ♡
The Story of Scatter Joyfulness Greetings™
Pull up a chair and let’s have a virtual latte together!
My morning began in the stillness of 5:00 AM, but the real magic happened around 7:00 AM. That’s when the light finally found me in my big comfy chair, peaking through the window to say hello. I settled in with one of my many "favorite" coffee cups—this floral beauty won the lottery today!—and embraced a warm, frothy hug of a latte alongside my two quiet companions.
The red glass heart was a gift from a dear friend, and just recently, this tiny, luminous blue one arrived to keep her company. Watching the dawn light begin to reflect through the glass got me to reflecting, too—about all kinds of things from my creative past. I realize that I see the world in my favorite way: through a lens of curiosity, whimsy, gratitude, and personal faith. These hearts remind me that the real treasure is the weight of the friendships they represent. To my many friends: I appreciate and love you.
100 Floppy Disks in Paris: A Digital Pioneer’s Journey
It made me smile this morning, thinking about how far this creative journey has taken me. I was a "digital pioneer" before it was cool! I remember traveling to Europe in the Sony Mavica days, literally carrying 100 floppy disks and a stash of batteries in my backpack. There were no security lines to worry about back then—I just carried a litany of plastic disks and supplies through the streets of Paris to capture whatever inspired me. (Which was everything!) Those images are now stored on CDs... remember those?
I can still hear the humming of that camera etching Parisian moments onto magnetic disks. It was clunky and slow, but it was the start of a 30-year love affair with capturing emotion. While I recently sold my high-end Canon gear to fully fund this Scatter Joyfulness mission, that same "backpack full of disks" spirit is sitting right here in my heart to this day. Hello, World! ❣️
The Scatter Joyfulness Greetings™ site officially launched this week! I am in the absolute happiest season of my life, and I anticipate my enthusiasm to meet and make new friends will only grow.
If you're wondering if these words are me or AI—the answer is "Yes!" To know me personally is to know I’m a bubbly, enthusiastic sharer with a permanent smile and a gift for gab. I tend to think in whimsy and write in excited circles—sometimes with no rhyme or reason to anyone other than me!
I’m discovering that, for me, AI is a gift. It "reels me in" and helps me find straighter, calmer paths to the hearts of others so my enthusiasm doesn't get lost in the clouds. This journaling space is a super great outlet for that "uber-enthusiastic" girl inside me. To those who know me: thank you for always putting up with my "gift of gab!"
A New Way to Give: Collectible Micro Art Greeting Card Gifts
Welcome to a brand new category of giving. I’ve often struggled to call what I do a "greeting card," because, in my heart, it’s much more an art category than a card category.
These are Collectible Micro Art Greeting Card Gifts.
Think of them as tiny, frameable masterpieces designed to spark a soul-to-soul connection. They aren't meant to be tossed in a bin after a birthday; they are meant to be kept on a desk, tucked into a favorite book as a tassel bookmark, or placed in a 5x5 frame to brighten a corner of your home. By numbering each piece in a tiny edition of only 12, I’m ensuring that what you hold in your hand is a rare, artisanal treasure. It’s a "warm hug" that lasts long after the envelope is opened.
A Digital Seed: Sharing the Light
Before I let you go back to your day, I want to leave you with a little "Digital Seed."
In this season of my life, I truly feel like a vessel. My greatest honor is putting my heart and soul into these designs so that they can become a bridge for your heart to reach someone else. It’s all about that soul-to-soul connection—the kind that reminds us we aren’t alone and that we are deeply loved. It’s not about me; it’s about the connection I get to help you create.
Inspired by the yellow daffodils nodding in our direction as Spring arrives, I’ve created a digital sticker of the (true fact!) March birth flower. Think of this as a gift from my soul to yours and beyond.
You’re invited to help me Scatter Joyfulness today:
Save this image to your phone.
Text it to a friend who needs a "warm hug."
Share it to let someone know you’re thinking of them.
Let’s see how much light we can scatter together!
Yours In Scattering Joyfulness,
Joy