About Us
Emmy Lu Design Studio was founded by Bethany Hway and Laura Smetak in September of 2008. Bethany and Laura met as students while attending Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where they both received bachelor degrees in graphic design. Their paths crossed years later at an alumni event and they were able to connect once again. The girls found they both had a passion for beautiful design and a desire to share their inspiration with others. Shortly thereafter, they combined their talents and created a company that would celebrate the things they delighted in. "Emmy Lu" was established as a lovely line of well-designed invitations and stationery. In November of 2009, Bethany purchased the company from Laura, and is currently working on building and promoting Emmy Lu Design Studio's line of Designer+DIY Stationery.
Bethany is a designer, thinker, home-keeper, gardener, wife, daughter, friend, and creative with a love for simple pleasures: summertime at home, sunshine in the window, fresh baked cookies, and crisp, clean sheets. She grew up in the northwoods, and then settled in a small town on the edge of the city. "Home" is a little Cape Cod that she shares with her husband and her yellow lab, Emmy. In her spare time she loves to create, sew, learn, explore, photograph, design, cook, write, think, plan, dream, walk, play, and ponder.
For more of Bethany's personal writings, ramblings and ponderings on home, life, and love, visit her blog, b*spoke.
Rachel Johnson
Rachel Johnson grew up in the suburbs but now lives in the city with her loving husband of three years. She loves city life, the people, the food, the diversity. She thinks being able to create on a daily basis is a great outlet and gift. In her spare time she likes to create flavorful food, beautiful designs on the computer and things out of fabric.
Laura Robertson
Always an artsy child, Laura Robertson's passion for design was sparked by her interest in webdesign. She later redefined her primary focus to be print design. Some of her favorite pastimes include browsing through the aisles of Barnes and Noble, collecting great sources of design inspiration, running, and waking up early to start the day. She enjoys good coffee, meaningful conversations with friends, further developing her line of illustration, and everything about the autumn season.
Lisa Von De Linde
Lisa has a thing for using realistic textures and bringing a hand drawn look with a bit of retro funky flair to her designs. Home is a vintage apartment by the mighty Mississippi, but she always misses mountains on the horizon due to growing up in Utah. She likes photography, re-purposing stuff, sleeping in, free things, exploring old buildings, snow, watching sunsets, apartment hunting, and hanging out with friends. When not busy creating, she dreams of traveling to far away places.
Laura Smetak
One of the original founders of Emmy Lu, Laura is now an elementary teacher, teaching Mac computer classes at a private school. In the evening and on weekends, Laura embraces the challenge of coming up with unique designs for Emmy Lu: from the classically beautiful wedding invitation, to the sweet and stylish baby announcement, to trendy and modern calling cards. Laura deeply enjoys the creative design process, and is delighted to share her designs with you here at Emmy Lu!
Emily Steffen
Emily Steffen's beautiful family photographs are featured in all of our designs.
Emily Steffen photographs babies, families and weddings with a passion and desire to see people's personalities as they giggle, smile, frown, spit-up, cuddle, run, jump and share how madly in love they are in front of the camera! She loves people! She also loves baby fat because it makes her smile; she loves when kids try to dress themselves; and when a bride walks down the aisle, she usually cries with her. Taking photos are her way of sharing the way she sees things. From moms, dads, brides, grooms, newborns, brothers, and sisters she just loves to see the playful and real moments that make up your family story.
