elSage Designs

THE SHOP
From stickers to mugs to handmade jewelry to screen-printed clothes, it’s all here at elSage Designs. Located at the corner of North First and Division Streets in downtown Mount Vernon, it is both a screen-printing workshop and a storefront. Owners Phoebe and Jonathan Carpenter Eells proudly sell their line of Pacific Northwest-inspired, screen-printed apparel, as well as a curated collection of handmade goods.

THE ATMOSPHERE
Large floor-to-ceiling windows welcome natural light that perfectly highlights the store’s shelves of mugs, and small pottery and racks of clothes. It’s a lovely, intimate space, designed to peruse and admire the work that Phoebe, the artist behind elSage, has thoughtfully created to showcase products and encourage conversation. Each product in the store has a story, whether it’s where it came from (a family trip to Spain), or how it was designed (a napkin doodle on a camping trip to Cape Disappointment).

KEY PEOPLE
She’s the artist. He’s the printer. But, they both dream up the ideas. Phoebe got her start experimenting with wood-cutting. She printed her wood-cut designs on clothes, and they both realized they had something special to share. In 2012, she resigned from teaching middle-school math and started creating as elSage. In 2016, they opened the current shop. The couple has put a stake in the ground, politically, creating stickers and apparel that support equality, feminism and activism. They are deeply rooted in their community, and giving back is a key component of their company.

WHAT YOU’LL FIND
Everything in the store is a Phoebe Carpenter Eells design—or from an artist or maker she has met personally. Several key designs are featured on stickers, organic cotton hoodies, pullover sweatshirts, t-shirts, and hats for women, men, and kids. Choose slogans from “Believe in Mountains,” “PNW,” or “Adventure is a Family Value,” just to name a few. Hand-woven blankets, hand-crafted earrings and necklaces, hand-poured candles, and large baskets from artisans are also available. As you might imagine, it’s hard to leave here with empty hands. You can also find elSage Designs at farmers markets throughout the year in Anacortes and Bellingham, and at Valley Made Market—a pop-up market they host once a month in their parking lot featuring artisans, live music and food.

110 N. 1st St. Suite A, Mount Vernon
360.588.4723 | shop.elsagedesigns.com

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