Welcome to ‘Behind the Brand’, a captivating blog series where we unveil the stories and faces behind the diverse brands nestled in our new, permanent location “the edit”, presented by Style Canada, in the picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Join us as we journey through the heart and soul of each brand, exploring the inspirations, challenges, and triumphs that shape their unique identities. From local artisans to international labels, get ready to discover the vibrant tapestry of creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that defines our curated collection of brands. Stay tuned as we take you behind the scenes and introduce you to the captivating narratives behind each brand, one story at a time.
Meet Crystal, the designer and maker behind Prairie Chick Prints
https://prairiechickprints.com/
photo provided by: Prairie Chick Prints
Could you tell us a bit about yourself? Share the story behind your brand. What inspires you?
Hi I’m Crystal. I’m the designer and maker behind Prairie Chick Prints. Born and raised in Alberta, a city girl who loved spending weekends on the family farm. Gifted with my dads sense of humour and love of pretty things from my mom. I’ve always loved creating – which led me to a degree in design from Alberta University of the Arts. I went to art school to become a painter. Among other projects I had experience with murals along the historic 118 avenue in Edmonton. Intimidated by galleries and selling my work I quickly chickened out! I was intrigued by graphic design because it was creative yet practical. As a graphic designer in Calgary, Alberta for 10 years, I had the privilege of working for some pretty large companies and on some amazing corporate projects. But there was something missing working for someone else. I still do graphic design for all kinds of diverse clients but Prairie Chick Prints “fills my bucket”. After our first child we decided to move “home” closer to family. With little babes came sleepless nights. On one of those sleepless nights, I decided to try to sell my greeting card designs that I made over the years for friends and family on Etsy. That’s when Prairie Chick Prints – a line of charming & cheeky goods by Crystal Derouin Design Inc. was born! Going back into the corporate world just didn’t appeal to me anymore. I’ve had a lot of fun along the way, including being featured twice in the Edmonton Made Gifted catalogue, winning the Women of Inspiration SupportHER™ Award and being featured in the award winning book Women Driving Change. Almost 8 years later you can now find my line of stationery and gifts in over 300 locations across the world! Life with my hot-stuff hubby, three busy kids and the sweet pup is where I get much of my inspiration. It’s so much fun – I hope you enjoy my shit as much as I love creating it!
photo provided by: Prairie Chick Prints
Where’s your favourite summer vacation spot?
Spending time at our cabin on the lake of course! We are very fortunate to have a place to escape to during the summer where our kids can live their best life running free range and soaking up everything summer. Filling our days with sunshine, boat rides, open fires, stargazing and my favourite addition a wood burning hot tub is truly the best!
What can we expect from your brand in 2024?
I have been working on redesigning all of my greeting cards and picking the perfect shade for a new mug colour to come out next year! And as long as I have people loving what I put out there I’ll keep making my charming and cheeky stationery and gifts!
Interested in reading our past Behind the Brand features? Click Here!
