hand drawn designs from my door to yours
Hi, I’m JoJo!
I’m the owner and artist behind JoJo’s Pretty Paper Shop on Etsy. I am a mom of two young girls, wife to my high school sweetheart for a couple decades, and proud small shop owner!
I grew up loving art but earned my bachelor’s in Economics and Government Administration with a minor in business. I have experience spanning from office work to politics – working for a US Senator before I even turned 21. Out of college, I spent 5 years as a credit/financial counselor and managed a team of counselors before my 10 year career as a Financial Aid Counselor.
The COVID pandemic changed my life in many ways as I found myself completely isolated, homeschooling my two girls and working my job remotely from home. I had been an avid planner since the birth of my second daughter, but the need for a new hobby had me trying out drawing on a tablet and eventually making stickers in July of 2020. My hobby soon turned into a successful planner/ sticker shop and I was able to leave my 15 year career in finances to be a self employed artist in March 2021.
I consider myself a Minnesota girl and love to garden, listen to audio books, play video games, watch Marvel movies, and shop. I have a weakness for anything made from potatoes, I am a wiz with closet organization, and I will forever love the Backstreet Boys until the day I die.
Thank you for getting to know my story!
art process
original art – no clip art or purchased licensed artwork!
All of the images sold on my products are hand drawn on either paper or on an iPad… but do not be fooled with the use of technology… real art techniques are used to create each and every drawing! Illustrations are sketched, colored, shaded, and created from my hand and heart. I often refer to them as ‘doodles’, though some can take me days to make.
The inspiration… from everywhere!
Inspiration for the artwork comes from all areas of life. Sometimes I draw from my hobbies- flowers I plant in my garden or see at the greenhouse, supplies I use in my crafts or planners, and even clothes and purses in my closet.
There are times I pick up trends I see online, or perhaps from things I see when I go shopping. If I don’t want to spend money buying something, I might draw it instead and it can live forever as a sticker and I can share it with my planner friends!
My absolute favorite inspirations come from travels. For example, the art to the right is part of a set called “Take Me Home” which was quickly created after an amazing vacation to a goat farm in the Black Hills. Creativity can strike anywhere from anything!
Do you have ideas?
I am always taking suggestions for new artwork ideas. There are times I can also help create something customized for a special occasion or project you need. Contact me with any requests or questions about art options!