We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aly Bourne. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aly below.
Aly, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
Mostly Cloudy Paper Co. was born out of the feeling of clarity. It felt increasingly right to let my creative side fly. I don’t think that clarity comes easily, nor can it be forced. I had to experience all the jobs, feel all the discomforts, do all the thinking and take all the risks. I don’t feel like I’ve “arrived” at the answer yet, either. It’s constant learning, growing and feeling OK with the mistakes and the unknown. I’ve certainly arrived at my creative self, though, and that feels like a beautiful thing.
On paper, my journey to where I am today may look disjointed and “lacking direction”, but the dots connect so clearly to me. I graduated from college in 2007 and it’s taken me from then until now to feel like I’m really on the path that feels the most fulfilling. Without all of the experiences in between, I truly would never be where I am today. Starting in fundraising for universities, to working as a pastry chef in bakeries, to designing my own greeting cards, it has been a wild ride. Not to mention, I moved from New York to Los Angeles, two cities that couldn’t be more different and started a family. Life in 2024 looks so different from life in 2015 or 2007!
It has definitely felt like the harder way to go, but I’ve dreamed of working for myself ever since my first job out of college. I think we are all giant connect-the-dots pictures. We’re born a bunch of dots and as we grow, we connect them to form a beautiful picture of something more whole. It takes a lot of work and time and patience. I’m turning 40 this year and feel like this creative journey is still in its infancy.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I design greeting cards for my own business, Mostly Cloudy Paper Co. I love that I get to share my creativity and inspiration with a community. I tell people that I used to decorate wedding cakes and now I decorate paper!
The world feels increasingly fast-paced and chock full of information. It’s difficult to stop and focus on what’s here and now. Sending a card to someone in the mail does two things: It shows someone that they’re being thought of and it also gives that person a minute to sit down and enjoy that moment. We open emails, read texts, take photos, all with our phones, but when’s the last time you opened an envelope and read some kind words from a friend or loved one? I love the idea that greeting cards can help forge connection and community. It feels special.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Curiosity. If something isn’t sitting well with you, be curious about that feeling. I’ve learned the most about myself at the height of discomfort. It took me years and years to realize that I didn’t feel fulfilled because I wasn’t letting my creative self flourish. You can wonder all you want, but if you don’t follow through and get curious, you’ll still be wondering in five years about the same thing.
Communication skills. Learning to effectively communicate with all types of people will benefit you in the long run. All jobs will prepare you for the future. I’ve worked with chefs, university administrators, farmers, wedding planners and more. From type A personalities to easygoing and laid back folks, it’s so important to learn how to interact. I worked at a baby clothing store in high school and I still remember some of the interactions I had with customers.
Being unique in this world of algorithms is a great thing. Not everyone has to like you and your products, and not everyone will. I used to spend a lot of time seeking approval and validation for things. What is popular in a beach town in California might not be popular in a small town in Vermont. We can’t please everyone, nor should we. It’s so important to remember that what gets loved and repeated and reposted on the internet does not accurately reflect reality.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Timeshifting by Stephan Rechtschaffen
I’ve historically had a fraught relationship with time! Every single thing we do today revolves around the clock. Especially since most of us have smart phones, we can always see what time it is, and we live according to the clock. So as time marches on, we feel like time is slipping away, causing anxiety, stress and urgency. We feel the effects of “time poverty” – that we don’t have enough time to do everything. I have often felt like I should be at a place in my creative journey and get frustrated that I don’t have enough time. It’s true – I don’t have enough actual minutes in my day to check off millions of things on my to do list. I have made a choice to have a flexible schedule around my family.
However, Rechtschaffen says that, “Timeshifting, like shifting the gears on the bicycle, is finding the pace of everyday life most deeply nourishing to our soul as well as completing the myriad tasks and responsibilities at hand. In order to live well in modern society, we must be able to switch rhythms effectively throughout the day. Conscious awareness and the use of rituals are essential if we are to succeed.” This seemed too far fetched to me – If I only have two hours to get work done before picking up my kids from school, WHY would I take a ten minute walk around the block? Yet, that ten minute walk around the block is now something I do almost every day to get mental clarity for the work I need to do. It actually feels like it frees up time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mostlycloudypaper.co/
- Instagram: mostlycloudypaperco
- Other: For stores that would like to carry my cards: https://faire.com/direct/mostlycloudypaperco
And for collaborations, commissions or other wholesale inquiries, please feel free to email me!
Aly@mostlycloudypaper.co
Image Credits
Danette Mitchell Photography and Aly Bourne
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
