Paper Heart Design Co.

Paper Heart Design Co. Paper Heart Design is the studio of artist, graphic designer, and creativity coach, Annie Stout. Annie is a multi-passionate creative entrepreneur.

Our mission is to create with purpose, amplify storytelling, and cultivate community.

✨ logo design + visual identity
✨ storytelling for heart driven entrepreneurs + nonprofits
✨ color inspiration + creatives community

Learn more: paperheartdesign.com Annie grew up in metro Detroit where art was her passion from a very young age. Growing up, it was always clear that she was meant to create. She

studied art at Central Michigan University, where she graduated with cm laude honors in 2007. She earned both her Bachelor of Applied Arts, as a double major in Graphic Design and Sculpture, with a minor in Art History, and her Bachelor of Science in Art Education, with a minor in Industrial Education. As her arts education progressed she wanted to take every class, obsessed with knowing as much as possible about creating. A jack of all trades, Annie is constantly learning new skills and expanding her base of knowledge. Paper Heart Design was founded by Anne in 2008. It is full service graphic design studio specializing in small business branding. She also offers creativity coaching, sells her own art, and runs a creative lifestyle blog with an online creatives community. She is passionate about helping small business owners craft a polished and professional look through modern design, encouraging artists of all kinds to get out of their own way to live a more creative life, and creating opportunities for connection. Annie prides herself on taking big picture ideas and breaking them down into manageable smaller steps. She does not shy away from challenges and loves that her varied work gets to be a small part of others achieving their own big dreams. Annie’s motto comes from Elsie de Wolfe, “I’m going to make everything around me beautiful- that will be my life.”

Dolly forever. 💙
08/26/2026

Dolly forever. 💙

Shout out to the world’s laziest coworkers on ! 💙(Also the world’s cutest coworkers… 🐱🐱)
08/08/2026

Shout out to the world’s laziest coworkers on ! 💙

(Also the world’s cutest coworkers… 🐱🐱)

‘Athens of the South’Digital collage from photos I took at the Nashville Parthenon and its golden Athena statue in 2023....
08/07/2026

‘Athens of the South’

Digital collage from photos I took at the Nashville Parthenon and its golden Athena statue in 2023. Created in Adobe Photoshop.

Did you know in addition to being the goddess of wisdom and war, Athena was also considered the goddess of skilled crafts? It made me laugh to think of a myth where Athena is teaching people to knit.

I just needed to make something for fun and not for work today. Which version do you like best?

It's sunflower season in Michigan! 🌻✨The perfect time to find some color inspiration.
08/05/2026

It's sunflower season in Michigan! 🌻✨

The perfect time to find some color inspiration.

I’ve had a couple people ask me recently if I was still working, and the answer is yes. I am still booked up several mon...
08/04/2026

I’ve had a couple people ask me recently if I was still working, and the answer is yes. I am still booked up several months out. Even though I’ve ramped down my social media presence, rest assured, I am logging in almost every day to my computer and creating things from scratch in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Procreate, with pencil and paper, and yes, in Canva for clients.

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all my clients. I am incredibly grateful to have enough business to keep me as busy as I want to be with graphic design work in this day and age. I am grateful to work with so many wonderful people on so many different kinds of projects. I am grateful to be able to use the skills and talents that I have to uplift the good work of others through art and design.

I haven’t been sharing as much work lately, but it’s been happening. ✨

A logo is only one piece of a brand.When Freeland Community School District reached out, they already had a well establi...
07/13/2026

A logo is only one piece of a brand.

When Freeland Community School District reached out, they already had a well established icon, the Freeland Falcon, but they did not have specified fonts, colors, or layouts of their logos. What they needed was a complete visual identity system that would bring consistency across district communications.

Together, we established a cohesive brand guide with standardized colors, typography, and design elements that make it easier for every department, school, and staff member to communicate with one clear visual voice. Whether it’s a flyer, presentation, social media graphic, or district publication, the Freeland brand now feels unified and instantly recognizable.

From there, we developed a communications strategy centered on the people who make Freeland special. Their social media plan highlights dedicated teachers, accomplished alumni, and graduating seniors, in addition to sharing day to day updates, recognizing accomplishments, and updates on their larger strategic plan.

This people-first strategy creates opportunities to build connection, foster school pride, and strengthen relationships throughout the community.

The strongest brands aren’t built with logos alone. They’re built through visual consistency, intentional storytelling, and a shared sense of purpose.

I am grateful to have partnered with Freeland Community School District to help bring all of those pieces together.

A little Thursday color inspiration. 🌸🎀🩷🩰🐷💗
07/09/2026

A little Thursday color inspiration. 🌸🎀🩷🩰🐷💗

I paid a visit to the Key House today! I built this sculpture in 2022 at Creative 360. The vision was that the sculpture...
06/17/2026

I paid a visit to the Key House today! I built this sculpture in 2022 at Creative 360. The vision was that the sculpture would feel complete once it was covered in flowering vines, but always be changing as flowers come and go.

If you haven’t seen this piece before here’s a little back story. My concept was based on the idea of a house with no doors, that is large enough for people to walk through and experience.

A house is a known symbol of shelter and in this instance the house is a symbol for a larger community. Each key hung on the walls (put there by our community members!) represents a community member with an open mind, open heart, and an open door to neighbors. It’s a metaphor for showing up for each other and embracing our differences to create something beautiful together. Everyone benefits from a community full of people who are willing to listen to one another and work together.

The plants in the corners symbolize the ever-evolving aspect of a community. This sculpture will look different each time you view it. Keys will shift, the sun will cast different shadows, and the the plants will one day overtake it, covering it in leaves and flowers, with keys poking out, looking like something straight out of Alice in Wonderland.

Creative 360 ended up moving locations after the initial install and thankfully they brought the Key House with them! The plants that had started to crawl up, however didn’t make it. I just replanted the Clematis plants *today*! I can’t wait to see this in its final form. 🗝️✨

“Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir✨🌱🌳New color palettes are on the blog!🌲🍄✨
05/29/2026

“Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir

✨🌱🌳New color palettes are on the blog!🌲🍄✨

💙💙💙
05/02/2026

💙💙💙

Address

713 Ashman Street
Midland, MI
48640

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm
Thursday 9am - 3pm
Friday 9am - 3pm

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