Wild Ona
How daydreaming of childhood Summers inspired a thriving cottage business.
From a quiet spot at home in North Yorkshire, founder of Dear You Paperie Sophie Greenwood is living the dream of being surrounded by beautiful printed products, crafting her own range of watercolour greetings.
Here’s Sophie’s founder story.
I’m Sophie – artist, mum of two little girls, and founder of Dear You Paperie. What began as a quiet creative outlet during maternity leave has grown into something that means the world to me. I’ve always adored beautiful stationery (I somehow come back from every trip with half a suitcase full of it!), and having always loved my watercolours, I began painting one off pieces for friends, then creating the kind of cards I longed to send – cakes with thick frosting, bows, balloons, candles and stripes – vibrant designs to celebrate life’s loveliest moments, for anyone, at any age.
Alongside Dear You, I run a creative consultancy called Season Studios, where I help brands shape their identity, messaging and voice. After almost two decades working with others, I had a growing itch to create something truly personal. I wanted to make little pieces of original art that felt like keepsakes – simple yet expressive, joyful but not overdone and beautiful enough to treasure.
Dear You was born from that space. A celebration of pen on paper in this digital age, and the kind of card you might frame or tuck in a drawer to keep for years to come!
It’s just me (plus the occasional toddler!). My husband gets roped in for packing duty and moral support, and my two daughters take their roles as art directors very seriously – usually insisting on more icing, bigger bows or at least three extra balloons. It’s a tiny team, but one I wouldn’t ever want to change.
All of my cards begin life at our kitchen table in North Yorkshire. After years living in London and then New York, we moved back to the countryside – and the quiet here has been such a welcome shift.
We’re very lucky that our garden looks out over rolling fields, and when the weather’s just right (not too sunny, not too breezy), I’ll take my paints outside.
It’s a slower pace, and one that gives me more room – both mentally and physically – to create.
I paint to music of all kinds – my taste is wildly eclectic! As for inspiration, I keep a lot: sketchbooks stacked high, and a big old box bursting with menus, wrapping paper, postcards and torn-out magazine pages. I’ve always been drawn to beautiful printed things, and feel a real need to keep them all – anything tactile, joyful, not your average and that you can just tell has been made with a lot of love and care.
Every design begins as a handpainted watercolour. I use wet-on-wet techniques to keep everything soft, expressive and full of movement – capturing that sense of looseness. I try my very best not to overwork the paint (a constant practice for someone like me who can definitely overthink!), letting the pigment move and settle how it wants to.
Watercolour has been a great teacher in patience. It’s unpredictable by nature – you’re never fully in control and there’s a certain freedom in that.
I get the loveliest feedback from customers saying how unique the cards feel – that you just can’t find designs like this anywhere else, which is exactly why I created them.
There’s something very calm about the process, and as someone who’s always on the go, it feels almost like a form of meditation. It’s a quiet moment just for me – and I never want to lose that. I think that honesty in the making is part of what people connect with. Whether it’s a birthday cake, a bouquet or a balloon, each card begins life as an original painting, and more recently, I’ve been asked to create more in the way of original artworks too, which has been such a huge privilege.
To know that something I’ve painted will hang in someone’s home, or be given as a gift – it’s so, so very special.
There have been lots of little ‘pinch-me’ moments, but the very first order will always stick with me – I cried, a LOT. I think it was partly the relief and pride of finally doing something I’d dreamed of for years, and that someone, somewhere, had actually chosen my card. That feeling hasn’t worn off. I still get a rush every time an order pings through. Seeing Dear You stocked in one of my favourite shops for the first time was also unforgettable – it’s hard to put that feeling into words.
At the heart of Dear You is a belief I’ve always held: that small things can bring so much joy. A handwritten card is more than just a card. Someone you know and love has paused in their day to sit down, put pen to paper and sent a little piece of themselves to you. That act of thoughtfulness truly means the world. I want to create pieces that feel like keepsakes.
In a world that moves so fast (and mostly online), tangible moments like these feel more precious than ever. The weight of a card, the familiarity of a loved one’s handwriting – those things matter. That’s why everything I make is designed to feel both beautiful and lasting.
Sustainability is also incredibly important to me. I spent a long time sourcing the right materials – from FSC-certified stock that holds the watercolour beautifully, to entirely sustainable packaging – because I want every part of the process to feel considered. My hope is that this little company of mine treads as lightly as possible on the planet, while still making meaningful things that last.
My plan is to grow Dear You Paperie thoughtfully – adding new designs, creating more original pieces and hopefully collaborating with other artists or brands along the way. I’ve got sketchbooks full of ideas I’m itching to bring to life, but for now I’m balancing it all with my other work and two little girls.
The dream is simple really: to keep painting, keep creating and keep making pieces that people love enough to send. If Dear You can continue to bring a little joy, a little pause, or a smile into someone’s day, then I couldn’t be happier.
Thank you, Sophie, for sharing your story. I’m always drawn to those moments when it’s clear that dreams don’t have to become louder or grander. Whether in a podcast conversation or here in the Journal, hearing someone say I just love doing this feels like a gentle reminder that it’s enough to simply be. – Lyndsey
Readers can enjoy a generous 20% discount until the end of 2025 with code: ARTISANFOUNDER20
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