Dutch & Deckle Puts a Bow on 2021

"It was easy for me to take a palette that was that beautiful," Hanna said. "Once the designs started coming I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, do you only need eight?’"

In addition to brand-new, Dutch & Deckle original designs, Hanna also worked in some references to her newest venture, called Art in Residence. It all started during long pandemic days when kids were unable to go to school, so her parent friends asked Hanna if she would teach their kids to paint. 

Instead of traditional lessons, Hanna spends an entire day with kids in their homes, helping them conceptualize and create an oversized artwork that becomes a family heirloom. 

"It's so playful," she said, recalling a session with a preschooler.

It’s no surprise that, with all the inspiration she draws from her young protegees, Hanna also decided to incorporate two of their designs into the wrapping paper collection. One, a bright geometric design that vibrates with youthful energy, is a digitally altered version of a design by a 10-year-old who goes by "Z." The other is a Matisse study she worked on with a three-year-old named Maddox. 

Hanna says the gift wrap collection bridges her ‘old’ life as a calligrapher with her current projects—and that the secret ingredient that connects it all is the idea that materials matter.

"I say to the parents, ‘I am a professional artist, and I have a hard time making beautiful things with substandard products. So why would you think that your four year old would be able to do that?’"

In terms of quality materials, the gift wrap itself is no exception. It’s digitally printed by Marathon Press on Superfine Smooth, Ultrawhite, 80 Text (Beautiful Collection). While it’s a little heavier than you might expect from wrapping paper — Dutch says a typical sheet is closer to 60 text — it won’t crack when folded. 

"It wraps perfectly," says Dutch. "There's a lot of coverage; there's zero cracking. Kudos to Marathon Press, who's just unbelievable."

Packed in a charming, 12-by-12-inch kraft box, these small but mighty sheets are each large enough to wrap about two paperback books, or four small jewelry boxes. And they’re intentionally designed to be useful year-round, not just for the holidays!