It’s not often that a postcard is laugh-out-loud funny, but Monica Kremer’s delightful creations will prompt a chuckle from just about anybody. Combining her passion for illustration with her love of witty punchlines, the Geneva resident has designed and sold charmingly droll cards under the name lifeonmars* since late 2012, when she founded her studio and paper goods brand.
With just the right amount of what Kremer calls “whimsy-cool,” the cards are perfect for any occasion, from birthdays to anniversaries to everyday pleasures. Although minimalist in appearance, the postcards pack a punch thanks to a perfect mixture of tongue-in-cheek humor and poignant inspiration.
We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to ask Kremer a few questions about what goes into her creative work. Be sure to read that exclusive interview below.
How did you decide on making the leap to start lifeonmars*?
I decided to “get serious” with lifeonmars* when I participated in my first creative market in Geneva, Switzerland, and my booth was literally flooded with people wanting to buy my cards and posters or asking me to sell them in their stores! I sold so much that evening that I couldn’t possibly ignore this great opportunity to develop my line of products. So in 2012, I decided to officially found my small business and started working on a proper marketing and distribution strategy. Since then, lifeonmars* snowballed into a popular “indie” brand in Switzerland but also in many corners of the world, thanks to my Etsy platform, and especially Pinterest.
How has opening the shop affected your life (on Earth)?
Every day I receive new orders from abroad (New York, Berlin and Paris are three big customer centers for me), and I always feel the same thrill when preparing a parcel for a remote location. Now, although lifeonmars* has become a thriving little business, it is not my main activity. During week days, I work as a marketing director in a big corporation, and in the weekends and in the evenings, I focus on lifeonmars*.
I love how you have both inspiring and funny cards. Why do you like to show both?
The lifeonmars* mission is simple: to bring a smile to your face! So I naturally love creating art prints and cards with a touch of visual play, humorous texts, or inspired quotes, as I feel they can bring that special splash of additional fun and beauty in someone’s life. Whatever words have this potential are interesting for me!
I also never found cards that expressed what or how I really felt–my happiness, my exuberance, my hurt feelings, my humor–or any one that expresses and reflects my way of looking at things and life. So I started producing cards with words that fit what I needed, my thoughts, my feelings. I’ve found that if something resonates with me, it often translates to a larger audience. I knew there had to be other like-minded stationery fans hunting for the same thing I was – cards that could get a tear going in your eye, cards you’d want to give a friend or a secret love, cards you’d hesitate to give away. Cards that were motivating and beautiful and aided our collective need to tell people we love exactly how we feel about them. I went about creating exactly that.
What emails or messages have you gotten from others that have inspired your work?
I always had an obsession for smart punchlines with just the right amount of unconventional wit, and have been writing down funny or inspiring phrases and comments I heard from my friends, my husband, my children, in movies, in the streets, etc., since my earlier teenager years. I especially love those spontaneous lines you can sometimes say when feeling a bit too emotional–they are the best ones! Take the “It’s not you it’s me” card I created: this line came straight from my husband! I like thinking that I’m creating cards that suit life’s everyday feelings, and are made to sound like a conversaiton with friends, with a lot of banter and good will in mind.
What has being a mom taught you, in your work?
When you are a working mom, you need to have a big dose of humor to get through your busy day (and evening)! That has also been a great source of inspiration for my cards. And when you see that your 5-year-old boy laughs at your lines, you know you can win others as well with these!
Any advice you could give to people who want to make a creative jump?
The most important, I think, is to remain passionate about your creations, whatever the importance you want to give to your business. Sometimes it’s not easy to keep the inspiration high when you need to focus on sales or logistics. I decided to start small, as I wanted to keep that pleasure intact and not be overwhelmed by business issues. And yet, I have been running my business on the side for almost three years at this point and it is growing, really growing. And I am making a living doing something that I absolutely love. My experience with lifeonmars* gave me something I had always been looking for–something to contribute in a way only I could. With my own particular way with words, and an ardent desire to find more inspiring, concise, unconventional greeting cards in the aisles of my favourite shops.
Look also for solutions to showcase your work on commercial platforms–there are many out there now, it’s a real industrial revolution! Personally, Etsy’s great handmade marketplace and community has turned out to be the perfect place for me to share the results of my love for beauty and humor, with people all around the globe. Above all, receiving positive feedback from customers and other Etsy artisans is as important to me–if not more–than selling. Having these interactions feeds my creativity, and I appreciate the support and recognition; it’s the stimulus I need to keep going and grow.
lifeonmars* website
lifeonmars* on Etsy
lifeonmars* on Facebook
Thanks for the interview, Monica!