The Charm That Is Mary Engelbreit

Mary Engelbreit is an artist and entrepreneur and embodies the theme of one of her best selling lines because she truly is "Queen of Everything". She has been dubbed the Norman Rockwell of our times and has embraced her passion for both art and literacy and turned it into a hugely profitable business.

Mary Engelbreit has a unique style which is brightly colored and memorable with whimsical and sometimes profound messages. They celebrate girlhood and womanhood while providing a unique charm that is exclusively Mary's. Most of her works include gingham borders, rich checkered and flowered patterns and borders, cozy cottage interiors with a nostalgic look that is more 1920's or 1930's. Among the most favorite themes of her work include round-faced children and Scotty dogs.

Her works were once described by People contributing author Paula Chin as "a cute and cluttered version of American homeyness". It's Mary's trademark style that makes her work fun and admired by lots of collectors, fans and enthusiasts. I just find her work and items really fun - charming, whimsical, not run-of-the-mill.

One of my favorite quotes from Mary Engelbreit is: "I have always believed that, if you choose a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life". That in my estimation is so true. You have to like what you do. I admire women who embrace their gifts, talents and passions in that manner.

Mary Engelbreit is not only a very talented artist and creative mind in my eyes but also on par to the home-style mavens like Martha Stewart or Laura Ashley. Her work has a nostalgic quality that is truly unique, somewhat country and retro to years past and more often than not "homey".

Among my top favorite Mary Engelbreit themes captures Mary's zest for what she does as reflected in her quote above can be seen in "To Be Happy: Don't Do Whatever You Like, Like Whatever You Do". The charming artwork that goes along with it features a young lady with a rose in her mouth, donning her apron. She's feather dusting with one hand, running the vaccum with the other. Yet you see this young lady in the illustration apparently doing a jig as if she goes about her chores with thorough enjoyment and zest.

Later I will share many more of my favorites and why I like Mary Engelbreit but for now here is more about her.

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Mary was born in 1952. Early on in her childhood she demonstrated an incredible talent for drawing and her parents allowed her to use their empty linen closet as her "studio". Embracing her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, Mary began selling her artwork while in high school.

Rather than go to college, she found a job at a St. Louis art store and later worked for an advertising agency.

In 1977, she married Phil Delano with whom she would have two sons, Evan and Will.

As a newlywed excited to embark on a career that would indulge her creativity and passion, Mary took a portfolio of her artwork to New York City to try to break into the competitive world of illustrating children's books. But she was rejected by book publishers at the publishing houses. She kept the fire and passion burning for children's book illustration but realized she needed to make a living too.

Undaunted by the rejection of the book publishers, she shifted her focus to greeting card sales. By the mid-1980's she succeeded in licensing several of her greeting card designs.

Mary's husband encouraged her to start her own company and be her own boss. In 1983 the Mary Engelbreit Greeting Card Company marketed twelve of Mary's designs at the National Stationary Show in New York City. From it's humble beginnings in the basement of Mary's house, her business in greeting cards expanded into many more lines and opportunities. It's inspiring to me as a WAHM (Work At Home Mom) to see the dynasty Mary built along with the inspiration and messages it conveys.

Within years of the show in New York City, Mary's company was producing about 100 designs licensed for use in cards, calendars and numerous other objects. Today her artwork appears on a rather large array of over 6,000 licensed items.

By 1986, the company had grown so large that new staff was added to meet the rising demand for Mary's artwork. It later expanded into the Mary Engelbreit Studios located in her hometown of St. Louis. Her greeting card business by then had taken new shape and was a million dollar a year business.

Besides the greeting cards and licensed designs, the company expanded the line into lots of items that use her designs. You will see how extensive the line is when you see items I've showcased in this lens from Amazon and Ebay.

She established the Mary Engelbreit Store to retail many of her products. Later her company debuted into the magazine publishing business with Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, which has a huge following and brings Mary's style to fans and enthusiasts who want to create that style within their home.

Mary's magazine features Mary's home as well as homes of fellow artists, home decor ideas, family life articles, craft projects, cooking ideas, flea market and collectibles topics. It's readership is over 1 million and it has won several awards.

In 1992 Mary was being called in a new direction - that which was her original love - which was children's book illustration. She began working on illustrations for three months during 1992 which became the pictures in her version of Hans Christian Anderson's classic tale, The Snow Queen, which became a bestseller. In interviews Mary said she picked this story because it was close to her heart and one of the few classic tales where a little girl was the hero of the story.

Mary Engelbreit is passionate about her charitable work for literacy. In 2000, she launched a partnership with First Book, a non-profit organization that delivers new books to low income children. Mary has always been an avid reader and this is a cause she supports and has spirited.

In 2001, Mary Engelbreit was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Her star is located at 6679 Delmar in St. Louis, Missouri where Mary was born, made her home and built her business.

Following she went to work on more illustrations which later became part of the release of an illustrated version of The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore which dominated the New York Times Best Seller list for ten weeks in 2002.

2003 saw the start of Mary's "Ann Estelle" books. Ann Estelle is one of her most loved and popular characters with her blonde bobbed hair and large glasses. Making it's debut first was The Queen Of Christmas. It's the story of a young girl who is an overachiever. She makes a list for Santa that includes everything she's ever desired. However as the celebration and spirit hits her with cookie baking, decorating, ice skating and sledding she finds that the objects on that extensive list fade in importance. She learns that Christmas is much more than material things. More hits in that series for Mary include Queen Of Hearts and Queen Of The Class.

Today Mary's extensive line and business interests include 150 book titles published including a children's book line featuring her illustrations and cook book line, a huge range of licensed products that include just about anything you can put her designs on as well as replicas of some of her favorite and cherished works. It also includes one of her prides which is her successful home magazine, Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion which is published bi-monthly.

Lifetime retail sales of Mary Engelbreit's works are in excess of $1 billion and still growing. Ever popular Mary Engelbreit items are constantly bought and sold on Ebay.com and Amazon.com. I've provided a look at a lot of those items within this lens with some current offerings for you to browse.

I'll close by using something shared in the About Mary section of the Mary Engelbreit Official Website (link is below). When she was young, people told her that being an artist was not a realistic way to make a living. But Mary Engelbreit was not one who was easily discouraged and the results show in the empire she's built. "I believed in myself and now I'm living my dream" she says.

I love that! Never stop believing in your dreams...you just never know where they can take you!

Picture is from http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.com and is the picture of Mary Engelbreit when she was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame May 20, 2001.

Here are my favorite themes within the Mary Engelbreit Collection. Most are available in note cards and other items within the collection even including mounted prints. I enjoy all of her works but wanted to share these because they are my favorites and I think the most fun and thought provoking too:

TO BE HAPPY: DON'T DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE, LIKE WHATEVER YOU DO

As made mention of above, the artwork that goes along with this drawing shows that even the most mundane chores (like dusting and vacuuming) can be a joy if you embrace life and everything you do. Yeah, yeah I know it's a stretch to say most of us like housework. But think about if you adapted that attitude in all that you do. All of us would like to do whatever we like. But when we are content with our lives and live in the moment we are sure to find life more rewarding.

To me this speaks volumes on the work, job or career front also! Often times we find ourselves not finding the true reward in what we do. But if we learn to like what we do and use those experiences to springboard us to the next that is a new way of thinking! So like what you do!

WHY NOT GO OUT ON A LIMB? THAT'S WHERE THE FRUIT IS.

Mary Engelbreit took Mark Twain's famous quote and put it into illustration in a charming and delightful way. The artwork features a cherubic little tomboyish looking girl in a tree reaching for the fruit at the end of the branch.

If you want the fruit, the good things in life, sometimes you must take risks and be a little daring. Don't be afraid to climb those metaphorical trees in your life to find the fruit!

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING IS WONDERFUL.

Mary's illustration features an adorable black haired girl sitting in her overstuffed chair with empty bowls all around her. Her kitty nuzzles by her side.

Not to say we should be a glutton because I think the concept of good things here goes beyond the material but illustrates it in a really basic way. The truly good things in life are worth cherishing, savoring and enjoying each moment. The most wonderful moments in our lives often happen when we slow down and take time to smell the roses so to speak.

And last but not least my very favorite (I don't know why I just really like this one)

THE PRINCESS OF QUITE-A-LOT

I don't really consider myself "Queen Of Everything" although that also is a very cute theme in Mary's collection. But I relate to The Princess Of Quite-A-Lot. She's me! I'm her! And so are most of the rest of you ladies out there.

My life is full of quite-a-lot. In so very many ways that I just get a kick out of the saying and this cute gal resting with her feet up, relishing in her moment like she hasn't a care in the world. I am The Princess of Quite-A-Lot. Quite a lot of love, friends, commitments, things to do and multiple tasks that I should be trying to complete at once. Combine that with quite-a-lot of toys that my son has, stuff that I have, plans that I have made, dreams that I have for our future.

Princess Of Quite-A-Lot to me is not only about the material things but the things of our dreams and mind. I am always thinking, dreaming, planning quite-a-lot. I stay busy with my business quite-a-lot. I pursue my goals quite-a-lot. I'm my own worst critic quite-a-lot.

Princess Quite-A-Lot is a fun theme all us ladies can relate to. It may be a stretch for you guys but really is it? Perhaps you can be the Prince Of Quite-A-Lot. We all have Quite-A-Lot don't we?

Thanks for reading my lens! Let me know what your ME favorites are too!