Prints Charming: Local Etsy Shop Owner Brings Joy to Others

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Chapel Hill Magazine Andrea Saye
Andrea Saye spends her free time sketching for her Etsy shop, Happy Little Prints. Photo by Sarah Arneson.

With her pineapple bracelets and camera-ready smile, Andrea Saye is just about the happiest person you’ll ever meet – not to mention the most Southern. This Concord native and UNC grad is the epitome of a Southern belle, complete with a charming twang, a flair for hospitality and an English bulldog she describes as “a bowl full of wrinkles.”

But even more than her delightful style, it’s her eternal optimism that really grabs your attention. “If we all just stopped and took a step back,” Andrea says, “and looked at things with heart-shaped eyes, I think we would be a little bit happier.”

And that very theory is why she calls her new booming Etsy shop Happy Little Prints. The shop began with her sketchpad and an idea. Although she does design and marketing for the UNC General Alumni Association every day, she wanted to “keep the creativity flowing,” she says. So one night, she just started sketching. And out popped a pineapple with heart-shaped eyes.

Soon enough, there were pineapples, pumpkins, coffee cups and Christmas trees – all with heart-shaped eyes to remind folks to take a moment to enjoy life. They quickly found their way on to products: greeting cards, mug cozies, gift tags and more. And Happy Little Prints was born.

“I just love my characters so much,” Andrea says. “And I love that
 my personality radiates through some of the work that I do.” Each watercolor print is hand-painted and completely unique. “So no two are alike,” Andrea says. “That makes me happy.”

And best of all, one dollar of every happy little product goes toward making someone else happier, too. Andrea’s all about paying it forward. With those donated dollars, she finds ways to spread joy: from small things like paying for someone else’s latte to grand gestures like buying Christmas presents for those less fortunate.

“Life is short,” Andrea says. “Make it good. And party like a pineapple!”

Shop Andrea’s cards and prints on Etsy or follow her on Instagram: @sayecheese.

 

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Jenny Hunt

Marketing associate Jenny Hunt is a transplant to the Triangle, and she loves every minute of it. She enjoys discovering everything from new bistros to new bands. She's a lover of opera and classic novels. And when she's not at an event or writing a story, she's cheering on the UNC men's soccer team!
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