Since she was little, local resident Hunter Grace Bakker, known as HG, has been obsessed with checking the mail. Almost every day, she would head to the mailbox hoping there might be something interesting waiting inside. Most of the time, there wasn’t. Instead, there were stacks of junk mail, advertisements and bills. For HG, that was always a little disappointing. So, at age 10, she decided to do something about it.
This month, she is launching The Post Room at House of Blueprint, a monthly happy-mail club built around one simple idea: there should be something in the mailbox people are actually excited to open. “I think getting real mail is exciting,” HG says. “I want people to open their mailbox and find something that makes them happy.”
The idea began taking shape this summer during art camp with Santa Rosa Beach artist Liza Snyder. Snyder’s colorful, joyful approach to art made an impression on HG and got her thinking about how much fun it would be to send art, notes and little surprises through the mail.
That idea became The Post Room. Each month, subscribers receive an envelope mailed from the Emerald Coast filled with art, paper goods and creative surprises. The inaugural October mailing includes a 5-by-7 art print from an artist, sticker, bookmark, postcard or recipe, along with a letter from HG. Every month will be different, and fittingly, the artist who helped inspire the idea will be the first featured.
Liza Snyder Art is the featured artist for the inaugural October mailing. Information about Snyder and her work will accompany her print, giving subscribers another way to discover and connect with a local artist. HG hopes future envelopes will introduce people near and far to artists, makers and creative people from the Emerald Coast while evolving around monthly themes, local inspiration, art and activities.
The October collection draws inspiration from monarch butterflies, honoring and remembering the people who came before us, zinnias and beautiful fall beach days along the Emerald Coast. November will turn toward togetherness, gratitude and family traditions, while December will focus on light, sparkle and simple ways to spread joy. HG is also getting a little help from her four-legged business partner, Barkley, the family’s white Labrador and “Head of House” at House of Blueprint, who will make regular appearances in the monthly mailings.
While the concept is playful, HG has some very real goals for her business. She wants The Post Room to remind people to slow down, make things, write to one another and think about who in their life might need a little extra happy.
A Post Room subscription does not have to be for yourself. HG hopes people will send the club to grandparents, grandchildren, college students away from home, friends going through a difficult season, children who love receiving their own mail or simply someone who deserves a reason to smile when they walk to the mailbox. For $12.99 per month, subscribers can join or cancel at any time, making it an easy gift for a month, a season or longer.
HG also hopes her business can show other children that they do not have to wait until they are grown up to turn an idea into something real. The Post Room is supported by the team at House of Blueprint, the South Walton-based creative and media house founded by HG’s mother, Erin Bakker. “She has always loved checking the mail, and also been consistently disappointed by the fact that most of what shows up is junk mail and bills,” said Erin. “This summer, after spending time at art camp with local artist Liza Snyder, she became completely taken with the idea of ‘happy mail’ and decided she wanted to create something that would give people that feeling every single month.”
HG is involved in the actual work of the business, from developing monthly ideas and choosing creative elements to helping prepare the envelopes that go out to members. “What I love most is that this really is HG’s business,” Erin said. “The House of Blueprint team is helping her with the grown-up parts, but she is involved in the ideas, themes, contents, artist collaborations and the overall direction.”
For HG, it is part business, part creative project and part mission to make the mailbox a little less disappointing. There is also a give-back component built into the club from the beginning. Ten percent of The Post Room proceeds will be donated to Caring & Sharing of South Walton, allowing each subscription to send a little happiness beyond the mailbox, too.
The first Post Room envelopes are scheduled to head out this month, and because membership is ongoing, subscribers can join at any time throughout the year. HG hopes eventually those envelopes travel far beyond South Walton. But, no matter where they land, each one will carry a little piece of the Emerald Coast with it. “I want people everywhere to get happy mail from the Emerald Coast,” she says.
For the little girl who spent years checking the mailbox hoping to find something special, The Post Room is her way of making sure somebody else does.
To join and for more information, visit www.houseofblueprint.com/thepostroom.
The Post Room at House of Blueprint is a monthly happy-mail club founded by 10-year-old South Walton local Hunter Grace Bakker, known as HG in The Post Room, with help from her loyal Labrador, Barkley. Each monthly envelope is created on the Emerald Coast and features art, paper goods, creative surprises and opportunities to discover artists and makers.
Membership is $12.99 per month. Subscribers may join at any time and cancel at any time, and subscriptions can be purchased for yourself or sent as a gift to someone who could use a little extra happy in their mailbox.
Membership: $12.99/month
Join: Anytime
Cancel: Anytime
First Mailing: October 2026
Based in: South Walton, Florida
Presented by: House of Blueprint
Ten percent of The Post Room proceeds benefit Caring & Sharing of South Walton.
