It’s been a busy start to the year here at bend snap. We’ve been investigating new product lines and working to bring more and more production in house. I personally have been experimenting with heat transfer vinyl on, like, every conceivable surface, especially paper, and we’ve added one new item to our shop based on these experiments (the Inspirational Tayings canvas pouch).

All of this play has been a complete blast. The new edition to our shop I’m most excited about is the Swiftie Giftie Monthly Mystery Box. Each box contains

• an anchor item, usually a soft good (such as a canvas pouch or a tote bag)

• stationery item(s) (flat card, postcard, lyrics poster, etc.)

• pinback button(s) or acrylic pin(s) or similar

• sticker(s) or window cling(s)

The boxes are themed, each month’s theme is different, and no two boxes are exactly alike. February’s theme is love and friendship, March focuses on The Eras Tour, and the extra-special April box features “You’re on Your Own, Kid” items. If that weren’t enough, we’ll select a random box each month to receive an upgrade with a premium item (valued at $20 or more).

So why am I personally so excited? First, I love mystery boxes. During the early months of the pandemic, I subscribed to a couple of mystery self care boxes. I also sent snack boxes to family, and I received a hygge box from a friend. The joy of receiving and sending something I or the recipient liked but didn’t pick out made things a little more bearable. While I’ve left my home a little more frequently in recent months, I haven’t lost my love of boxes full of surprises. Second, making stationery items also brings me pleasure, and I enjoy sharing those items even more. Now, I can’t send each of you a personal note, mostly because I don’t have your mailing addresses, so sharing them through our shop is the next best thing. Next, we often make new items in small quantities or order samples of premium items. We have a collection of excellent small batch items we’d like to get client feedback on, and we’d rather share quality samples with customers through a giveaway than to let them gather dust in our home. Finally, the act of curation is meditative, for me at least.

And that’s the inspiration for our new mystery box.

Canvas pouch. Available with inspirational lyrics from Speak Now (“Ours”), Midnights (“Bejeweled” and “You’re on Your Own, Kid”), 50/50 cotton/poly blend, $10 and free shipping.

Swiftie Giftie Mystery Box. $20 and free shipping.