From a Mother's Legacy to Your Mailbox: The Story of Lucky Duck Mail Club

In a world of instant digital communication, Lucky Duck Mail Club is a charming throwback to the magic of snail mail. For founder KiKi Klassen, the business is more than just art, it's a deeply personal tribute to her mother, a proud Canada Post worker who passed away two years ago. "I’ve always loved writing and drawing ever since I was a little girl," KiKi shares. "I think the older we get; we often revert to the hobbies we had as children. To combine my love for art and pay homage to my mom's line of work was the perfect way to share my art with the world."

Photo credit: Morgan Joll Photography @morganjollphotography

The very first piece she created for the club, Table for One, set the tone for everything that followed. "The idea was to not leave the concept of setting a nice table only for the company of others," she explains. "It was my reminder to savor the little moments and remember that we only get one chance at this thing."

Today, each monthly print begins with inspiration from her surroundings, laundry on a line, the first flowers of spring, or a perfect shell on the beach. While traveling through England and Ireland to create the March issue, she's been noticing the small nuances of life abroad. Once an idea strikes, she sketches it quickly on her iPad, sleeps on it, and trusts her instincts. "I try not to think about it too much and trust that my initial idea was good," she says.

While the print of the month is exclusive to club members, past issues are eventually made available on her website. She's also toying with the idea of offering larger formats in the future, though she has a few logistics to figure out first.

Photo credit: Morgan Joll Photography @morganjollphotography

To keep her creativity fresh, KiKi explores other mediums like junk journaling, painting, and even songwriting. "It's important to dip into a few different things so as not to exhaust one or the other," she notes. For anyone inspired to start their own print club, her advice is refreshingly practical: "Do your costing! It's all fun and games until it's a financial burden. Art is so valuable."

As for what's next, KiKi recently purchased an old, refurbished card vending machine that she plans to turn into a mini print and sticker dispenser for community events and pop-ups. "I would love to do weddings and parties mostly," she says. "There is nothing better than getting out there in the real world." And with dreams of larger collaborations on the horizon, she's proof that dreaming big pays off.

Make sure to follow Kiki on Instagram @luckyduckmailclub and subscribe to her mail club here!