We recently connected with Hannah Foster and have shared our conversation below.
Hannah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on would definitely be my digital planners. I have never been a woman without a planner (balancing multiple jobs, school, hobbies, life in general), and I have literally spent hundreds of dollars on different planners to find the best one for me. After my last planner purchase, I was still missing something. Then the idea hit me – why don’t I make my own planner? I literally stopped using any planners until I was able to use my own template (which turned into a 5 month wait – luckily my life didn’t fall apart haha). This project means the most to me because I’ve created something that’s going to be every woman’s companion, planner, and a way to close out all those tabs in our busy and overwhelmed minds.
Hannah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Hannah – but I go by H.B. That’s the name that will be on all of my work. I literally chose my middle initial from a town in a movie. I’m an artist, writer, decaf-coffee addict, and cat mom. To support my goals and bills, I work as an analyst.
I really felt like something was missing when I’d observe other publishing companies. There isn’t anything wrong with these companies, they just didn’t seem to fulfill certain areas that me, as a woman, was looking for. This is why I decided to create my own. Paper Fern Publishing was named and created while sitting on a balcony, sipping coffee, and brainstorming with my boyfriend (who’s now my fiancé).
Once I had the company established, I knew I wanted it to be a safe place for women – to grow, create, publish, support each other, and calm the mind. That’s what my products and offerings will provide. The first digital planner I’m launching will be both a companion and planner for women – focusing on being a place for them to close our the overwhelming tabs in the mind. I will be launching multiple 90-Day planners over the rest of the year and next. I chose 90-Day planners because ALOT can happen for a woman in that time frame, and I truly believe those types of planners help eliminate burnout. Aside from planners, I will have a whole line of stationary and paper goods – plus, publishing opportunities, clothing and merchandise. This is just the beginning.
Paper Fern Publishing is only tailored to women. I knew this was a risk I’d have to take in today’s ever changing world, but I believe it is a risk that is necessary. Women need safe spaces and products tailored to them now more than ever. This company will provide that. Paper Fern Publishing will always be women first, trends and laws never.
I am very proud of the company and products that I’m creating. With more than a a decade of life experience – plus coaching and therapy – I really hope to inspire and help women in a world that makes it hard to be inspired in.
Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?
As an artist and someone who’s been venturing out into the the digital world of art – I am really glad this question is on here. When I first heard about NFTs, I instantly was saying, “You’re joking right?” My millennial brain was asking if it’s a thumbnail of a real, physical piece of art you’d get later after purchasing. Haha I was wrong.
I’ll always be a supporter of collecting fine art in the real, physical world because it’s different than creating art digitally (I’ve never sweated making an art piece on my iPad but I’ve sweated doing a canvas painting in a hot, summer art class).
However, I do realize that the world is changing. Will I ever design a piece for a NFT? It’s possible.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
As someone who used to be alive before the internet (I was a child but it’s crazy to think this was a thing) – I have realized that there are so many endless opportunities and ways to learn a craft and increase your skill set if you just do the research. If I didn’t know how to do something, I’d hit Google or YouTube. Guess what – there would be tons of videos teaching and showing me how to do it. I wish I had known about the different sides of TikTok, YouTube, etc when I first had ideas to start doing art and creating again. When I started Paper Fern Publishing, I made everything way harder than it needed to be because I assumed it was supposed to be this way. With the resources out there, it doesn’t have to be hard.
I have literally learned everything I know about digital art and planners from the resources online. The apps I use were all recommended to me – for FREE!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @paperfernpublishing
- Facebook: @paperfernpublishing
- Twitter: @paperfernpublishing
Image Credits
Isaac Mashman (photos 1 and 4)