Everyone’s favorite party girl, Naomi Patterson is a neighbor friend of our founder, and the inspiration for more than her share of Cardthartic’s most popular designs.
As Jodee explained, “I sense my connection with Naomi reflects how a lot of good friendships go and grow: For years we lived in side-by-side buildings, without ever crossing paths. Then, at the start of summer 2015, we increasingly found ourselves on the same path — the sandy one that leads from our Miami Beach apartments down to the sea. Now, if you follow Cardthartic, you already know that down by the water outside my home office is where I sit and write. After leaving an unsatisfying job, it’s also where Naomi gave herself three months to lick her wounds, weigh her offers and reconnect with her joyful and talented self.
“Getting to know Naomi reminded me that friendship really is about letting someone in,” Jodee said, “with the question always being: How fast and how far? Ours began with the passing pleasantries, ‘Another day in paradise!’ or ‘What’s with all the seaweed today?’ Then, well before the sun set on one gorgeous Saturday, she waved as brightly as her striped umbrella and asked, ‘Care for a margarita?’ :-)
“While all summer I was focused on 24 new cards for our fall ‘15 release,” Jodee recalled, “five different companies were flying Naomi out to interview in as many cities … if I’d find her sitting on the beach late on a quiet weekday, I’d wander over to ask how the search was going, and she always asked the same about the designs-to-be. As we both grew more comfortable sharing, I felt honored to see how she handled the frustrations of job hunting, holding her ground when others would have folded; keeping the faith as she watched her savings dwindle. When one position she really hoped for fell through, Naomi sent me the text, ‘Potential new card for you: Sometimes we don’t get what we want … because we deserve more.’ Those beach chairs moved closer, as did we.
“Throughout Naomi’s Summer of Ups & Downs, we shared our struggles, hopes and dreams. We showed each other tears of frustration and smiles of satisfaction. The conversations grew deeper, and the unspoken kindnesses more frequent. We let each other in,” Jodee says. “More and more mornings I would text, ‘smoothie and a swim?’ and we’d meet at the water to update each other while dog paddling. By summer’s end, our fall release was off to the printer, and Naomi had accepted a great offer: Yay and YAY!
“One day, she dropped off a bowl of what she knows is my favorite of her homemade soups, and helped herself to a few pieces of jewelry to wear while in Boston for training. She would be flying out in the morning and — before leaving to have a last supper with her husband — turned to me with a grin and said, ‘What a summer.’ Standing there looking each other in the eyes, it just had to be said, ‘Naomi, the more I know you, the more I love you!’ And it felt good to hear her, ‘I love you, too.’
“Since, we’ve hosted many a beach party together, and I would not think of releasing new designs without Naomi weighing in. Like the cards she inspires, she has a big, warm heart, and an enormous sense of fun.”
Cards with Messages by Naomi
Cards Dedicated to Naomi
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