I’m showing my age here, but there was a song in the late 80s by Steve Winwood that I used to dance around the house singing to, jumping up and down off the furniture, using a wooden spoon as my microphone. The prevailing lyric in that tune was “You’ve got to roll with it, baby…” and that seems to be what I’m finally doing, after staggering through the last six months wondering what the future is going to look like.

Back in early February, very few people could have predicted what was coming down the pike. If you had asked someone back then if they had their mask with them or mentioned the term “social distance” they would have looked at you like you were speaking in tongues. Back in the rosy naïveté of early 2020, I couldn’t possibly know how hard COVID-19  would hit (demolish) certain sectors, and how many small businesses would be changed forever by it. Yet, here we are.

I’m going to be frank with you. I have met with exactly one couple for wedding invitations in six months. Business isn’t just slow, it’s nonexistent. I can’t blame anyone, not even myself, since it’s fairly impossible to plan large gatherings when there is no way of knowing what the future looks like during a pandemic. We are all putting our lives on hold, essentially agreeing to put off celebrating milestones, crossing our fingers tightly and holding fast to the belief that when The Future arrives, it’s going to be bright. And hoping that we will be able to pick up somewhere near where we left off.

During this time at home, I’m fairly certain I’ve gone through most of the stages of grief. At first when things slowed down I was relieved for the break in routine–the government-mandated respite from work. But then as weeks turned into months, my emotions ran the gamut. I was angry and felt it wasn’t fair, especially to “the little guys” like me who had been fortunate enough to make a small business succeed even through the 2007-2008 recession, and who now saw no income coming in but didn’t quite meet the parameters for the small business bailout plan.

Around the same time as the anger, denial set in. I was convinced this was a small blip on the radar, a temporary setback. And I was sure we didn’t even need to wear masks at the grocery, and that this would all just blow over and life would return to normal “definitely by June or July” (which seemed so far away back in March). I was convinced it was all a non-issue, a big misunderstanding.

Then it hit me how real this actually was. I read news article after news article, and as the understanding dawned on me about how serious this truly was becoming, I began to get depressed. I felt isolated and lonely. I felt despair at not being able to make plans, see friends, or hug family members who didn’t live in our household. I developed anxiety about going to the store for groceries, worried I wouldn’t keep the right amount of distance or that I’d accidentally break some sort of new social code. I also felt like a failure in my business for not being able to make something out of nothing. And every day came like Groundhog Day, the same as the one before it.

I sat within a spectrum of discontent for weeks, not remembering what real joy and excitement felt like, but reminding myself to be grateful that my family and friends hadn’t been hit hard by the virus and that we were all staying healthy. I continue to be blessed that my husband is employed in a sector that is even more needed at the moment. Deep down, I knew we were going to be OK, so I tried to embrace the good and find comfort in small daily victories. I was trying to “roll with it,” albeit with a little less pizazz than I had when I was ten.

Then finally a couple of weeks ago, in true Annie form, I bounced back. Not all at once, but a little bit at a time. Historically, I have never been able to stay down for long, wallowing, and I have found that action has consistently been my greatest ally.

But apparently I needed a catalyst. And one day, it came in the form of my desk chair literally falling out from underneath me. A wheel broke off and dumped me straight onto the floor. So I took it as a sign to tear down the entire desk area. I threw out the desk chair and started revamping my office space into more of a living-working-meeting space. I decided now was the best time to reevaluate what was still working with my business and what hadn’t been working for some time (or was literally out of date, like the dozen or so invitation albums I threw out over the weekend).

I updated my website plugins and ran a security check. I refreshed images on social media. I started looking at part-time graphic design jobs to supplement my income and be a better use of my time. I decided to stop wallowing and find more ways to contribute, to feel relevant again. The future is still uncertain, but what can you do? Look for the good. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Figure out what matters. And just roll with it, baby.

After 9 months of working from home, the one question I get repeatedly from friends and customers alike is: So how do you like working from home? In some cases, the inquiry comes from genuine curiosity; in others, it sounds like a loaded question–as if they’re daring me to say I’m sitting around eating bon-bons and watching Days of Our Lives. The answer is anything but simple. (And no, it usually doesn’t involve bon-bons or soap operas, but I admittedly did binge watch the Twilight saga yesterday while working on my website).

On one hand, how could I NOT enjoy the freedom that comes from setting my own schedule, and let’s be honest– some days sitting at the computer in my pj’s, drinking coffee and intermittently petting the cat that likes to sneak onto my desk, all while not dealing with moody coworkers or anyone else’s Spotify playlists other than my own is pretty bombastic. There are obvious bonuses in those things alone. But there is also a flip side.

While rolling out of bed and settling in at the computer without worrying about brushing my hair might sound enticing, there are also obvious drawbacks. Some days I realize I’ve been so engrossed in my work that I haven’t showered or even left the house by mid-afternoon. Other days I wonder what will happen to my business if the phone doesn’t keep ringing, or emails don’t keep coming in. How will I pay my bills? What will I do for work instead? Could I get a job somewhere else after being my own boss for 12 years?

When you work for yourself, simply put, you have to hustle. If I want business, I have to actively seek it out. I no longer have a storefront where people can wander in at their leisure, maybe buying something, maybe just striking up a conversation about “what all it is that I do here” and filing it away for later use. When you work for yourself, particularly at home, you have to be constantly hungry for potential business. You have to be open-minded. You have to be accommodating and flexible. And, last but not least, you have to remember to find balance amidst the hustle.

The first few months of working from my new home studio were challenging for the sheer reason that I struggled to find that critical balance between how much I was working and how much time I allotted to everything else. If you talk to other people who have experienced the “joys of working from home,” many of them say the same thing: I actually worked more when I worked from home.

The thing is, you have to learn when to turn it off. I had a hard time NOT working constantly in those first few months; if there was something that needed to be done, I felt like I should be doing it, regardless of what else I needed to do (cleaning, grocery shopping, interacting with my family, or even just reading a book because I felt like it). I felt guilty for doing anything other than work, or for not answering my phone or emails after 5 p.m.–I felt like I was supposed to be available to my customers. All. The. Time.

What I didn’t realize was that without those natural boundaries in place that are created by physically leaving the house and going to a job outside of the home, I had to be willing to set them for myself. And it wasn’t just OK to do that, I had to do it or I would never be able to sustain that pace–and other important aspects of my life would begin to suffer.

At first, I tried setting a schedule for myself every day, much like a “normal” job. It helped in some ways, but it also wasn’t realistic because let’s face it–not every day is the same. Some days there is more to do, others less. After a lot of trial and error (and finally giving myself permission to not feel guilty if it was 1 p.m. on a Tuesday and I was mowing the grass), I finally figured out a few keys to successfully working from home and being happy doing so. {Disclaimer: just because these strategies work for me doesn’t mean they will for everyone–you have to find your own groove.} Humbly, here is what I’ve learned so far:

• Schedule smartly. Schedule appointments in clusters. This helped me create more structured blocks of studio time, which freed up other days for meetings outside the studio, proofing/printing orders, website work, or running personal errands. In short, I am learning to work smarter, not harder.
• Be focused. Focus first on what needs done today and do it. When the critical tasks are done for the day, I then reward myself by doing something I want to do (like mow the grass or troll Pinterest for a new recipe to try for dinner).
• Don’t neglect my website. Block aside entire days here and there for mind-numbing web stuff. It’s tedious work, but once I get into my WordPress groove, hours fly by. I’ve learned it’s not a good idea for me to have anything else on my plate on those days.
• Email doesn’t own me. Don’t check email a dozen times a day. A couple times a day is perfectly reasonable. Any more than that and it becomes obsessive. Not to mention it’s hugely distracting and unfair to my family if my time with them is interrupted by constantly checking in with customers.
• Be flexible. Not everything goes according to plan, but that is very rarely the end of the world. Whether it’s a customer who cancels or shows up late, or a project that goes awry, take a deep breath and remember to adapt. Things will get done. Life will move on. We are all doing the best we can on any given day.
• Be open to new work. I’ve faced the hard fact that stationery isn’t what it once was, and that to sustain my business I need to be willing to grow and evolve, which means taking on new types of work, including copy writing and editing, web-based work, and a lot more business-based marketing. I’m looking at it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and become more diverse in my skill set.
• Balance is 100% vital to happiness and success.

Learning to work from home is an ongoing process, and it’s not for everyone. But, as the months roll by, I’ve finally started to exhale. Customers keep coming back and new work is steadily appearing. I’m getting into a groove that works for me, and I’m finding real harmony in all aspects of my life for the first time since I started this business in 2005– and that balance is its own best reward.

 

Lush letterpress you can afford to love

…without scrimping on the materials you love. Choose from a variety of papers, including Crane’s 100% recycled cotton tree-free Lettra paper. Customize your selection with your choice of inks and typestyles. Designers’ Fine Press was born with the idea that impeccable designs impressed into fine papers (aka letterpress) should be available at a more affordable price, without sacrificing the materials and quality that set letterpress apart from the rest.

Designers’ Fine Press offers lush invitation canvases which include 100% cotton Crane Lettra, Arturo Fine Italian Papers and Wood. Their average letterpress wedding suite is $7.59 each (suggested retail for 100 sets of invitations, reply cards and printed envelopes). Their delightful collection reflects the range of styles and letterpress inspiration of the four designers who share their same vision – Cat Seto, Margot Madison, Emily Gallardo and Alice Jacobs.

Green is the new black

Designers’ Fine Press uses Crane’s 300 gsm and ultra-thick 600 gsm Lettra papers to provide touchable, luxurious invitations that are made from 100% cotton, tree-free paper. Lettra is made with cotton that is 100% recovered from the textile and garment industry which would otherwise find its way into a landfill. Letterpress lovers and environmentalists alike will enjoy this stunning and environmentally responsible canvas.

Schedule a consultation with Annie to view this lovely collection, and find literally hundreds of ways to create a totally custom, totally YOU, letterpress invitation.

For much of my adult life, and even during my teenage years, I’ve felt like “one of the guys” in many ways. Growing up, I even cut off my Shirley Temple curls at the age of three, purportedly so I could run faster like my big brother. My family lived on 55 acres, so what did we do for fun? We dug in the dirt, played in the creek, and rode bikes. I perpetually had bug bites on my legs and sap in my hair from climbing the huge pine trees behind our house in the summer. We didn’t have neighbor kids to play with so my companionship at an early age was my stinky brother. And as we grew older, and he went to college, my best friends became a small group consisting of two guys, Dave and “Chops”, and one girl, Jessica, with whom I bonded over 90’s grunge, an old brown Subaru, and listening to The Barenaked Ladies.

With dozens of other friends on the periphery largely also being male, I’ve always related better to guys, which is a trait I’ve found to have in common with the handful of girlfriends I do have- they also tended to have best guy friends growing up and were seemingly more selective of their gal pals. We were united, for better or worse, in our utter lack of anything resembling a shopping-loving, makeup-wearing gene, which seemed prevalent in many of our female classmates.

Those were the formative years. So, it’s no big surprise that as an adult, some of my best friends are male. And three of these fellows have gotten married in the past 18 months. As the odd “man” out, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about the notion of non-traditional bridal parties, but I agree it can be tricky to string together atypical bridal parties when traditional gender roles seem so difficult to bypass in the realm of wedding planning, which is steeped in centuries of tradition.

After one invitation to be a “groomsmaid” {which was rescinded after more consideration by the couple because it would be “awkward” not having a guy on the bride’s side to balance me out} and then standing by as the guys in our small group were asked to be groomsmen for the two upcoming weddings, it’s been pretty hard to not feel like the last kid picked for kickball, simply because I lack the correct anatomy to make the groomsman cut. It’s made me question whether or not in 2017, with so many groups of close friends being mixed-gender these days, if we can effectively challenge the traditional bridal party landscape, and if so, how?

I know there are factors and logistics to consider when the topic at hand is making sure your wedding looks seamless and goes off without a hitch (no pun intended).  So how does today’s modern couple include all of their closest pals–regardless of gender–and unfetter themselves from the notion of having to do things “the way they’ve always been done?” I found this on-point article that addresses these exact issues with ease, courtesy of lover.ly. Hopefully starting this conversation will encourage couples to challenge tradition in the interests of having a wedding that is most meaningful to them, and perhaps inspire them to go against the grain, be true to themselves, and have the people they love by their side.

 

Hey, guess what? We’re moving this week! You’ve heard the rumors…so let’s set the record straight, shall we? After 11 years in business, 2016 had me noodling on how to continue to grow while meeting the needs of my clients in the absolute best way possible.

So, I did what I always do. I mixed things up a bit.

As the paper industry evolves within a booming digital market, and my business enters her teenage years, I’ve decided to make a bold shift: I’m closing my retail storefront and opening a home design studio.

After an intense 5+ months of construction that involved ripping the entire back off my house (while positioning the building in Centerville to sell at just the right time), the BIG DAY has arrived. As of Thursday, January 26th, The Envelope will hold consultations (by appointment only), from a brand new home studio in Oakwood. Seriously, you can still smell the sawdust.

So, what does this mean for you? It means a few things are changing, but a lot of things aren’t. I will keep doing most of the things I’ve always done (wedding and event invitations, stationery, personalized gifts), while letting go of the things that were no longer viable (carrying inventory and having regular retail hours).

Working by appointment from a home studio will allow me the flexibility to meet with customers when (and where) it’s convenient for THEM while giving me more freedom to continue strengthening the freelance relationships I’ve been building over the past few years.

Many of the products and services I’ll be offering from the home studio are staying exactly the same: custom invitations, stationery, calligraphy, save the dates, wedding programs, graduation announcements, personalized gifts, and more. And rest assured, you’re going to get the same great custom products and service you’ve come to expect– the process will just run a tad differently.

So, call me up (the phone number is the same), write me a message (the email is the same), or send a carrier pigeon…You can always call or email orders in, or give me a ring to see if you can swing by and place an order. Either way, thanks for sticking with me for over a decade; I’m excited to see what we can create together in 2017.

Truth: As a business owner, for the most part I get to decide what to do every day. Some days that can be a blessing (all right, most days), and sometimes it’s a curse (especially without a team of coworkers to help keep the creative juices flowing). Some days I design things. Some days I print things. Other days I answer emails nonstop. And then some days… I bake. Today I made lemon cranberry scones at the shop, and the mere act of doing something out of the ordinary with my day made me feel more energized. For me, a huge part of maintaining motivation and encouraging my own professional growth is mixing things up from time to time. We aren’t robots, and we shouldn’t behave like ones. When we get burnt out, we need to listen to what that’s telling us… and take a break.

Earlier this week I seriously struggled to find any sort of inspiration. I wasn’t feeling creative; I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to work on orders or tackle administrative stuff. I was in a creative slump. I was tired. I was grumpy. I knew from experience “this too shall pass,” but I wasn’t happy and knew something had to give. In those times, it doesn’t hurt to ask yourself what you can do differently to help things turn around, even if it’s not related AT ALL to what you’re “supposed” to be doing every day.

In order to get back on track, sometimes I have to completely disconnect from my routine. So, today I brought my cookbook to work, along with a sack of ingredients, and I baked scones. From scratch. I even made my own buttermilk. {Yeah, it’s super easy.} And you’ll never guess what happened after that glorious hour of mixing, baking, and glazing. I sat down and plowed through 4 more hours of proofing, organizing, and taking new orders, and on top of that, I had the satisfaction of knowing I had some kick-ass homemade scones to take home and share with friends over the weekend.

What can YOU do with an hour today to reclaim your creativity? Sometimes all you need to get back on track is, well, a different track.

 

I’ve been stewing all morning about what I should be doing differently… with my business, with my life, and with my relationships. There’s just an overarching feeling that I’m not quite doing something “right.” And I’ve felt somewhat paralyzed by indecision as I’ve been swirling options around in my head without any particular direction or end point in mind. It’s like I’ve been on a circular ride at the fair that just keeps going round and round and has left me feeling strangely disoriented and a little queasy. With ten years under my belt, it’s only natural to start questioning the path I’m on and where it might be headed over the next ten (or so).

Questions and ideas flow. Has my time in the paper world wound down? Maybe I should look at opening a reception venue. Maybe I should take my design business and expand it, traveling more and working from the road. Or maybe I just need to focus on doing what I already do but do it BETTER. Grow my social media following. Expand my product offerings. Partner with some other unique businesses. Do something awesome with the building I’m already in. And round and round I go with idea after ill-formed idea, just pie in the sky, waiting for something to form out of my mental cloud shapes so all of a sudden I shout with realization, “Yes! That’s it! Obviously. It’s a rabbit holding a bow and arrow. It’s perfectly clear now.”

And along with the questions of what I should be doing with the shop naturally arise questions of what I should be doing with the rest of my life. Yep, I know, big questions for a Wednesday. But if we don’t question things or seek continuous growth, then what? We stagnate. We stop growing. We stop feeling inspired and interested by our lives. We stop feeling like we have something to give to others, to the world. I don’t have the answers today. But I have the questions. And slowly I’ll live my way into the answers.

On my to-do list today, at the very top, is “blog post.” So instead of stewing about what to do and what not to do, I decided to get over myself and actually write about it. So here I sit, blogging, as a reminder that this always seems to help make sense of things. And writing is a good way for a lot of us creatives to feel productive but also to process.

Next on my list: “book trip.” No, that doesn’t mean I’m taking a book tour. It’s just a reminder that sometimes getting lost helps us find ourselves. So I found a reasonable flight to Costa Rica in February to visit my grandma and will book it tonight once I get home and can check my passport number. Traveling forces me to get outside of my daily life, break certain habits, read more, listen more, and connect more deeply with the world outside the four walls of my house and my store. Changing your perspective has a way of well, changing your perspective.

Number three on my list? “Stay open.” It’s a habitual tendency to close in on ourselves when we feel bogged down by daily life, bored with our surroundings, or uninspired by our pursuits. It’s easy to tunnel vision into ourselves and become “me-centric” thinking obsessively about what we feel, think, and need… And it’s fine to do a little bit of that while soul searching in order to really listen to yourself. But at a point it’s time to get over yourself, DO something, and keep your face toward the sun. If you don’t, you might miss whatever is coming your way.

 

 

 

 

“I’m deep into writing love letters…” she said as she walked in the door. “I hope you can help me. I was up until 3 a.m. because the words kept pouring out.”

Simply put, I love this. I love that people are still writing love letters. I love that people are seeking out special stationery on which to write their innermost thoughts and share with someone they love. This makes me feel warm and nostalgic inside, and gives me hope that deep, poetic communication (and paper) are not things of the past.

I know I write about this topic frequently, and you can call me old-fashioned if you’d like, but there is a part of me that longs for a time when handwritten letters were commonplace- they were how we corresponded with people- sometimes the only way in which we corresponded with people over any sort of distance. Now, handwritten letters are pleasant surprises. And I fear they will become relics, true things of the past, evidence of a time when words were meaningful and carefully chosen because there was no backspace button. You had to think about what you wanted to say and write it carefully, hoping you were conveying your sentiments accurately.

Instead, we text now. Short little bursts of thought, like a fly fisherman’s cast into the virtual pond, to see if he can reel anything in. And if our texts aren’t responded to quickly enough, we interpret all sorts of things from the lack of response. Sometimes we jump to the wrong conclusions about our relationships, or we fear that somehow we’ve done something that warrants a communication freeze. Even if it’s only been an hour or two. We have become dependent on these little mobile appendages, and our sense of self worth- even our sense of security- can be threatened if our devices don’t beep at appropriate intervals to soothe our egos.

This is not merely a tirade on texting- it’s a criticism of how we communicate these days. To be blunt, we are failing miserably at communicating with others.

What would our relationships be like if we didn’t text? What if our communication was solely dependent on in-person conversations, phone calls, and written letters? What would our close, personal relationships look like? Would they be more secure? Would we worry less if the need for instant gratification was removed? Or would we feel cut off from the world? Would our communication hold more weight and be more meaningful if it was not relegated to a certain amount of characters? Would we be more productive throughout the day without constant digital interruptions? Would we feel more at peace and less anxious? Would we be more focused on our surroundings? I wonder.

Don’t get me wrong- I enjoy texting, to a point. I appreciate the convenience of responding in my own time. There is merit in the efficiency of sending a text to find out if someone is running late, or seeing if a friend is free to meet up at a moment’s notice. But there are times when I feel an ugly dependence on that little mobile appendage, and as my friend Joshua says, I more often than not feel the “twitch” when my phone is out of reach. I would really like to remedy that, so I’m going to write more letters, and send fewer texts. I’m going to stop sleeping with the phone on the bedside table. I’m going to put my phone on music mode at work and leave it alone. I’m going to focus more on the quality of my communication, and remember that I don’t need to be constantly “connected” to feel happy and secure. I’m going to focus more on saying what I really want to say, when it’s important to say it, to the people I want to communicate with most.

 

 

Decadent. That’s the one word I would use to describe Midori ribbon. With French double-faced satins, organdy, dupioni silk, gros grain, velvet, velvet satin, custom tidings ribbon and more, you’ll never be without the perfect ribbon ever again. Midori also offers gorgeous handmade gift wrap and boxes.

Midori started on a kitchen table in 1989, created by its founder coincidentally sharing the same name. Having grown up in Japan, where gift giving is both an art form and an important social obligation, Midori had a simple idea: to bring the beautiful fabric ribbon she knew as a girl to the United States. The beginnings were very modest and anything but certain: Midori recalls thinking that if the ribbon idea didn’t work out; she would just have a big garage sale. The company thrived, and quickly outgrew her little house.

Aya, her then 8-year-old daughter, while growing up along side the prospering company, went on to blaze her own path as a successful dancer and actress. Mother and daughter travelled parallel paths for years until fate guided them to a convergence, and an opportunity arose. In 2010 Aya Sumika and Trevor John bought MIDORI Inc.

The creative husband and wife duo, inseparable since 15 years old, had a vision that flooded their minds on how to build on top of the 22-year old foundation of extraordinary quality, precise color palette, and superb customer service: to organically grow in the direction of a completely unique lifestyle brand. While passionately pouring their hearts into this experience they are on a mission to continue to make the world a place to celebrate difference, and encourage creativity.

Midori = Green. Midori is aware of all aspects of their company’s environmental impact, including product safety. They routinely test their product, inspect production facilities, and follow a policy of respect for humanity, respect for animals, and respect for the environment. Their handmade Gift Wrap, made in India is a great example. Each sheet is created from 100% recycled cotton using skilled hand labor and techniques practiced for hundreds of years. Not only does their Gift Wrap reduce waste; sustaining our planet, it also employs the community while preserving an age-old craft. Midori and their partnering retailers look forward to continuing in the pursuit of introducing products that are beautiful and environmentally friendly that customers will love and feel good about.

“Make good choices today,” my mom said as we hung up the phone this morning. Really? I’m a woman in my thirties, and my mother is reminding me to “make good choices”? I actually laughed out loud. But as soon as I hung up, her words seeped into my subconsciousness, where I’m sure they will remain throughout the day, marinating.

What did she mean, exactly? Remember to recycle, turn the lights off when you leave a room, go the speed limit, and eat my vegetables? Probably not. I mean, those are obviously important, but I doubt that’s what she had in mind. The more likely scenario is this: she was letting me know she loves me, wants what’s best for me, and (as moms do) that she worries about me- despite my being an adult, despite us being 211 miles apart, despite the fact that aside from a couple of situations we don’t need to get into, I have, in fact, made good choices for myself throughout the majority of my young life.

After I posted on Facebook a snapshot from my desk yesterday with the tagline “I love my job. That is all,” my mom told me there’s no greater satisfaction for a mother than to see her kids doing what they love, which my brother and I are (at long last) both doing with our lives. And I have her to thank for that. She was the one who told me, even as a small child, that I could do anything, and that I could be whoever I wanted to be. She never swayed me one direction or another but made sure I was exposed to a myriad of experiences as I was growing into my own person, to see what would stick. Just for fun one day, I rattled off to my son the list of things my mom had signed me up for as a kid, and without taking a breath I think I came up with 18 different groups/activities/experiences, which included a colorful kaleidoscope of different arenas. Everything from the more conventional “little girl” activities such as ballet, 4H, and Girl Scouts, to summer archaeology camp (I’m not kidding- two years in a row), volleyball and archery (I was terrible at both), acting, painting, creative writing, drawing, violin and piano lessons, soccer, gymnastics, science camp, YMCA day camp, swimming, diving, and tennis (finally, something stuck!). Ridiculous, right? But I’m eternally grateful that she exposed me to so many different types of activities and people, so I could decide for myself what felt like home to me… so I could “make good choices,” listening to what resonated with the person I would eventually become as an adult. It also showed me that she believed in my ability to actually do anything. By nudging me toward all those experiences, she was saying, “Look, Annie…see what’s out there? The world has so much to offer you. Go explore it.”

Those childhood experiences gave me the confidence to believe I could do whatever I dreamt up for myself as an adult. My mom was the person who told me, “You can’t NOT do this,” back in 2005 when I was presented with the opportunity to go into business for myself, even though it was scary, and even though I had no idea how to run a business. She believed in my ability to do whatever I put my mind to, and she supported me in so many ways through that groundbreaking decision to take my professional life in a direction I never saw coming; after the hard-earned college degree in political science that I wasn’t doing anything with; after the year spent poring over law books at UD; after the 18 months I spent as a caseworker and the subsequent semesters I spent pursuing early childhood education. I swear I must have switched gears on average once a year for the first five years after college. And all roads eventually led to this place where I feel at home in my work, and in my life- and I feel lucky every single day.

So today, and most days, I will continue to heed the advice of the most influential, amazing woman in my life. Was it just an offhand comment she made when we hung up today? Maybe. But it reminded me of her belief in me, her influence in my life, and how blessed and thankful I have been to have her as my mom. I can only hope to pass that influence along to my own child as he grows into his own unique, perfectly imperfect person. With that, go be who you want to be, “make good choices today”, and above all, remember those who have believed in you along the way.

*I took this photo a couple of years ago at a coffee shop I visited with my mom, close to Mother’s Day… I thought it was perfect for this post.

I recently fell in love…with an old building in Centerville that caught my eye last Summer when it came up for sale. As I walked through it, it spoke to me. Not once, not twice, but every time I set foot inside it. The building silently told me things I didn’t know about myself; it showed me how much beauty there is in history, how much authenticity there is in a structure that has seen nearly two centuries of life…and it was clear that we had always belonged there. My business and I. It was where I knew I needed to be. The worn wooden floors- beams that have been around for almost 200 years, having seen things I can only imagine; the gorgeous stone wall that reaches up two stories and somehow makes me feel instantly safe. I feel at home in this place. More often than not, life happens to us, and if we aren’t listening, we miss out on opportunities that could transform us, adding a new dimension to our lives that we didn’t even know we needed. My heart is more at peace now than it has ever been at any other point in my life. I’m calm inside. I feel lucky. I feel whole.

Because of this experience- the instant, unexplainable connection I felt to this ancient, creaky, stone house- I’m trying to listen more. I’m trying to pay more attention to and appreciate the beauty in history, in old things- things that have endured. Things with a story to tell. I’m also trying to listen more to things that can’t be seen. There is energy surrounding all things, so I’m trying to listen with my instincts, my heart, my fibers, my nerve endings.

Just like with this old building, on several occasions I have recognized something within someone else that was familiar, and the need to know them was so great that I was drawn to them, despite being strangers. Part of me that I didn’t know existed recognized and connected to part of someone else whom I truly believe I was meant to know in this life. I’ve met several people in the past six months who have spoken to me without saying a word. They have appeared seemingly randomly, our paths crossing, and despite not knowing them, as soon as we spoke, I felt like I knew them. It was comfortable. It was familiar. For no good reason at all. And when something like that happens, you listen.

There’s magic in feeling things you can’t explain. And now I know that sometimes things are out of our control and out of our realm of understanding. Sometimes people pull us to them for reasons we might not know yet. Sometimes things or places speak to us silently in ways we cannot explain. But if you pay attention- if you listen- these experiences leave their mark on you, and help foster a belief in things that cannot be seen, that can only be felt.

There are people in this world who draw us to them. There are buildings we are meant to occupy and make our nests in, be it for work or play, or both. There are experiences that occur that are meant to happen to us. Open your eyes. Pay attention. Trust me, you do not want to miss these moments…they guide us, they fulfill us, and they make up some of the absolute best things in life.

Eight years under my belt. Today marks the beginning of my ninth year as an entrepreneur. Somehow when I wasn’t looking I turned into a grownup. This definitely warrants a cupcake. Let me try to describe the feeling I had driving to the shop today, as one of my favorite songs came on and my emotions bounced around from accomplishment and nostalgia, to humility and grace; I have to say the overwhelming feeling in my heart was one of unparalleled thankfulness. The road we independent business owners travel is a long one, and it’s one not often understood by those who haven’t walked every terrifying-yet-eternally-optimistic step of it. Regardless, this is a road paved with stones laid by those who have believed in, challenged, supported, and worked with us, pushed us to grow, and who have given us high fives when we’ve surpassed critical milestones. We’ve all heard the statistics- only 44% of small businesses survive the first four years (according to the SBA), and a mere 34% are still up and running after 8 years. Yikes. How the hell did I make it this far? I’m either doing something right or I’m extremely lucky (no doubt, it’s a bit of both).

So today, I couldn’t help but smile as I listened to Eric Hutchinson sing:

I don’t wanna work anymore

I just wanna live instead

Everyone is sayin’ I’m all grown up

I’ve come a long way but I’m not there yet

And while “I don’t wanna work anymore” isn’t exactly true per se, I don’t feel like what I do is work most of the time- because I LOVE IT. This is my version of “living instead”. Every day that I come to the shop is a day that I choose my path. Don’t get me wrong, owning a business isn’t exactly Rainbow Hour all day every day (there’s an hour every morning at home when Ryan’s solar-powered prism in his bedroom window dances rainbows across our upstairs walls- and obviously nothing can go wrong during Rainbow Hour).

As I reflect today on where we’ve been, I think back to the dark days of 2007-2008 when we were still so new, the economy tanked, and we went into unimaginable debt just to keep our heads above water (debt that became solely my responsibility when both of my business partners bailed by 2010). Our financials were terrible but I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving my baby- the entity I had created from the ground up- the store I put so much of myself into, from the name, to the logo design, to the interior of the shop itself (everything from lighting to flooring to countertops to the “Biscotti” color of the walls), to the product lines I hand-picked, to the customer relationships I cultivated and nurtured, to the interns and employees I trained…and the list goes on.

Against my instincts, but because I was completely broke and had to figure out how to pay the bills during those tough times, I interviewed for jobs elsewhere. I lost sleep. When I did sleep, I had these weird recurring dreams where I was working late at the shop but the lightbulbs were all burnt out. I heart-wrenchingly debated selling the business. But I stayed. I amassed large amounts of credit card debt. I didn’t take vacations. I didn’t take sick days. I worked Saturdays and Mondays. I filled one sparse order after another; I hoped and prayed that somehow we would survive. And somehow we did. Slowly but surely, the economy started to recover and sales began climbing again. In early 2011, I forced myself to get out into the world and connect with other fellow business owners, young professionals, and community members. I did some free design work just to build community liaisons and get my work out there. I participated in events, joined committees, and supported organizations I believed in. I stopped fighting against upgrading my software and finally learned the Adobe Creative Suite (how did I go so long without doing that?!) I slowly made my way back into the black.

And here I am, on September 3, 2013, so thrilled that I stuck it out long enough to experience the past two years of exponential growth. And now, eight years after The Envelope was born I’m thinking of creative ways to expand and reinvent myself (do I hear a re-brand in my future? Hmmm…) I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you out there who have traveled this road with me. You continue to inspire me. You are the life blood of this business, and you allow me to do what I love by believing in me. Namaste. I’m in it for the long haul, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. As Eric says, “I’ve come a long way, but I’m not there yet…”

*Special thanks to Charity at Charity K Photography for this image

With the societal trend toward whatever is better, faster, and smarter, I’ve noticed (and I’m sure I’m not the only one) a decline in the overall quality of goods and services in the marketplace. It’s become evident that as big box retailers work themselves into a frenzy trying to keep up with the curve while keeping their prices down, many of them aren’t able to maintain the overall quality that consumers are used to, and– on the heels of one of the worst economic times in decades– have come to demand. Consumers are more discerning than ever, and you’d better believe they’re choosy about where to spend their hard-earned dollars. This is where the “shop local” movement comes into play. If people are going to spend money, they want to feel confident in the places they choose to spend it.

Fortunately for the Dayton market, if there’s one thing we do well it’s produce quality local businesses that are run by people who believe in a hands-on work ethic and know what it means to stand behind their brand. They simply have to in order to survive in a marketplace that is more demanding than ever. A handful of local companies with which I’m familiar have managed to do exactly that: Esther Price (family owned and operated), South Park Tavern (best pizza in Dayton), the Oakwood Club (the owner still hand cuts the meat), and Dorothy Lane Market (best customer service policy pretty much anywhere) are a few shining examples of local spots that consistently get it right.

And when you get it right repeatedly and treat your valued customers as though they are in fact valuable, you will earn customers for life. When you deliver incredible products and service, you will not only earn repeat business but free promotion (this is what’s known as a win-win). On the flip side, if you promise something outstanding and you fall flat, you’re worse off than if you hadn’t promised anything in the first place. Marketing rule #87: happy customers will tell their friends; unhappy people will tell everyone.

I recently visited a privately-owned steak house in Chicago that is one of the oldest and most esteemed of its kind in the city. I like to check out independent restaurants whenever possible, and if there’s one thing I love to indulge in, it’s a decent steak, so I was pretty excited about this place after hearing all the hype and reading rave reviews. I should have taken it as a bad sign when the waiter brought A1 with my steak…and I *sheepishly* had to use it because the steak was completely tasteless. I had never before been to a prime steakhouse that even had A1 on the premises, much less delivered it with the meal. Fail.

Just like a great steak doesn’t need A1 to make it taste “good”, quality shops and restaurants don’t need anything fancy to make them look good- if they actually are good, it’s evident. Businesses that deliver something awesome know it; they put themselves out there for the world to see and what you see is what you get. And just like with a perfectly-prepared steak, even if you have to pay a little more for it, what you get time and time again with your local favorites is amazing service, exceptional products and a guarantee that you’ll leave happy- that’s precisely why they’re your favorites in the first place.

As the entrepreneur of a local niche boutique, I’m proud to say The Envelope has been referred to as “the only place to go for invitations” in Dayton by many of our loyal customers (I know because they tell me). When you shop with us, you know exactly what you’re going to get. The one thing I’ve stood behind, no matter what, is that we will go above and beyond to make sure our customers want to keep coming back to us. I take pride in what I do, in the people who represent my business, and in our reputation in the Dayton market. I’m fully invested. On the rare occasion when a customer has been unhappy, I have literally lost sleep trying to figure out a way to make it right for them.

I believe that exceptional quality speaks for itself, and I know that we don’t need to add any bells and whistles or special promotions to make it look like we’re a cut above the rest. I offer unique designs and products, personal (sometimes quirky) customer service, and a promise that you’ll leave happy. I don’t offer A1. It’s simply not necessary.

 

It’s been a long time since I cried over paper. And before you go thinking I’m a big ninny, I can assure you that it doesn’t happen very often, but when it DOES, there’s a pretty good reason for it. In fact, the last time was in New York City at the National Stationery Show when I first discovered what’s become one of our best-selling greeting card lines Curly Girl Design. I was slightly embarrassed to be on the verge of tears standing in the middle of a total stranger’s booth, but I was so in love with the creativity and beauty of her designs, coupled with the unique sentiments expressed on Leigh’s cards that I couldn’t help myself and I got a little misty. That was in 2008.

So today when I opened the mail and saw a thick hand-addressed envelope and several bundles of invitations tied up with string, it was so different than anything I had received in so long…and again, I couldn’t help myself. I thought, “THIS is why I keep doing this. Because sometimes people take the time to actually pick up a pen.”* I know, I know, you want to know what it was, right? It was a beautiful sampling of invitations from a company called Borrowed & Blue (there was even an invitation that looked almost identical to the telegram invitation I did a few months ago)…see, we’re even on the same wavelength! This wonderful bundle of goodies was all the things I like: natural kraft paper, unique designs (i.e. envelope liners that were maps or pages out of books), and gorgeous packaging. It was exquisitely marketed. I mean, the wedding “album” she was promoting is actually an unfinished oak wooden box with chip-board pages boasting 22 different wedding invitation designs. The paper swatches come in a muslin bag, for goodness sake. My heart was racing. I couldn’t wait to order it.

I’ve been asking myself lately if paper is dead, or potentially dying…and it’s a valid question. Look around. With the prevalence of Facebook and Evites, most people find it difficult to muster up the energy to even think about going to the store to pick out a printed invitation, then address and mail them. In fact, I’d bet most of you don’t even know your friends’ mailing addresses, hmmmm? That’s what I thought. But I also think people are somewhat blind to the fabulous paper creations that are available. Take a look at these samples and then tell me you would rather get (yet another) Facebook invite. They’re breathtaking.

So as long as paper still makes my heart go pitter patter, I’m going to keep doing this. Because as evidenced by the fact that I’m still here doing what I love seven years after I opened this place, it seems I’m not the only one who feels that way. #paperlove 🙂

For more information on how to get your hands on these and other fun printed creations, here’s where to find us.

*My skeptical friend Nick stopped by right after I received said package and was so UN-convinced that this was indeed a handwritten note that he went and got a magnifying glass to look more closely for discrepancies in the text, claiming that this was a printed font, not someone’s handwriting. He finally admitted he was wrong when we found there to be slight differences in the “o’s” and “e’s”, not to mention she ran a little close to the edge in a couple of spots. (And then I made him apologize for trying to rain on my parade.)

When was the last time you challenged yourself? I mean really challenged yourself. Have you ever reached for something that wasn’t even on your radar six months ago? Have you ever pushed yourself to do something that you didn’t think was possible? When was the last time you put yourself into a situation you weren’t comfortable with, to challenge yourself, to “do good” for some other cause, or maybe just to prove that you could? Innately, as humans, we tend to play it safe. We typically roam freely within the confines of our comfort zones and stick with what we know…because it’s safer that way. When we don’t take risks, we don’t have as much to lose. Or do we? I have a friend who once said he didn’t want to get to the end of his life and realize he had only lived the length of it…he wanted to live the WIDTH of it, too. Now I don’t know if that was his own quote or borrowed from some other wise soul, but think about it- that’s a valid point, isn’t it? Don’t just live your life the same way, one foot in front of the other, day in and day out. DO SOMETHING. Challenge yourself. Even if it’s scary, even if it’s new, even if it might be uncomfortable at first. Because if we aren’t challenging ourselves to reach our fullest potential, we’re missing out on so much. When we play it safe, we lose.

Sometimes we have to knuckle up.

I believe that in addition to personally challenging ourselves, we all have a social responsibility to each other, and to the city we call home. What that responsibility looks like varies depending on a lot of things: frame of mind, ability, desire to instigate positive change and growth… From where I sit, I believe that part of being a local entrepreneur is the inherent duty to be an active (and proactive) member of my community. I knew that by starting a business in this city I was making myself vulnerable. I was putting my livelihood solely in the hands of the people who live here, work here, play here…they got to decide whether or not to support me, and I humbly turned over the reigns to them, saying, “Here’s what I have to offer…you decide what it’s worth.” In that vein, I realized that as much as I rely on others for my continued growth and success, I wanted to give whatever I could back to the community that supports me.

I have viewed myself as a team player ever since I opened my doors in 2005, and over the past two years my desire to work toward the common good of the city and surrounding areas has only grown by leaps and bounds. I’ve gotten involved in numerous efforts, events and activities to show my support, and I’ve tried to bring to the table whatever time, energy, resources and talents I can possibly muster up.

Through those efforts, I’ve learned a lot about myself; I’ve pushed myself way beyond the limits of my wildest dreams… and I’ve just done it again. For the last three weeks, I’ve found myself a couple days a week at Drake’s Downtown Gym, taking boxing classes to prepare for what I’m sure will be one of the most challenging events of my life, both physically and emotionally. I have signed up to be part of the Knockout 2013 team, as a fighter in the second annual event put on by Dayton History and Drake’s Downtown Gym. The event will take place on March 2, 2013 at Memorial Hall, and is comprised of 9 match-ups. Is this crazy? Maybe. But it’s a challenge. I want to support Dayton History, Memorial Hall, Drake’s Gym (a fellow entrepreneur), the City of Dayton, and my teammates- in essence, I want to be part of something bigger than myself.

While I’ve been “knuckling up” the last few weeks, I’ve learned that nothing is impossible. And I’m just getting started. Once you push yourself outsides the limits of your comfort zone, you realize that you can do anything you put your mind to. Am I terrified of boxing one of my friends on March 2 in front of thousands of people? You bet. But just like rappelling down a 27-story building for Big Brothers Big Sisters last Fall, I’ve put my mind to it and I’m doing it. There’s no turning back. And I know that the next three months of training for this event will be an experience I will never forget. I’ll learn about myself, I’ll be doing something for a worthy cause, and I’ll be better for it.

Knuckle up. Challenge yourself. Give back. You might be surprised how good it feels to stretch your limits and start living the width of your life.

We do custom.

This is where it all begins…Consistently over the past two decades, I haven’t seen any one company rival the popularity of this custom design invitation line. Envelopments offers the ability to create your own one-of-a-kind invitation using layers of gorgeous card stock, original artwork, pocket folds, ribbon and more.

Envelopments was recognized as America’s favorite Invitation (2000) on the Today Show “Ties the Knot” – the first reality TV wedding where the audience could go online to vote first for the couple then the honeymoon, dress, cake and the invitation. Today, the Envelopments brand is recognized as a leader in premium, quality, custom communiqués and their products are used by thousands of designers in all 50 states and 32 countries around the world. With more than 230 card stocks, papers, liners and envelopes and more than 90 shapes and sizes with signature names like Envelofolds®, Portable Pockets®, Pocket Folds® and more, the Envelopments products are a constantly changing collection of fresh ideas and innovative designs you can tailor to fit your event.

There’s something about familiarity that you just can’t put a price on. Think about it. The folks from Cheers nailed it. What is it that makes you decide where you’re going to shop, get a cocktail after work, or buy a special gift for someone? I would be willing to bet that most of us frequent places where we feel like we’re part of a community. Think about your favorite coffee shop – what makes it the place you go more than anywhere else? Is it that they have a particular rare roast that nowhere else carries? Probably not. Chances are it’s that you’ve developed a habit of going there, and over time that habit has turned into a relationship. You feel warm and fuzzy when they remember that you like soy milk instead of skim, and that (against your better judgment) you always get the bacon gouda breakfast sandwich.

I was getting coffee from one of my favorite spots today, and the girl helping me asked if I’ve sold my house yet (I couldn’t believe she remembered it’s on the market!) and my other friend who works there called, “Bye, Annie!” as I left. And as silly as it sounds, that meant something to me. I have no doubt that one of the reasons I keep going back is that deep down it’s comforting to see familiar faces and feel recognized and in the tiniest way…special.

I try to do that for my customers…the one thing I value most about what I do every day is that I get to know my customers, and vice versa. I am privileged to hear about what’s going on in their lives. I work closely with brides and their moms to plan their weddings, and if I’m lucky I get to see them again for birth announcements in a year or two. I have one group of women I like to call “The Shower Ladies” because they throw more showers than I can count for each other’s daughters and friends…and they trust me to create something completely special just for them every time. I’ve been working with these 17 women for the past seven years, and every time I see them it’s both a challenge to create something unique that we haven’t done before, and a comfort to know that they place a similar value on the rapport we’ve developed over the years.

Many of my customers know what’s going on in my life as well…They know how much I love cupcakes; they know my son by name; some of them even stop in just to say hi and chat for a bit.

It’s these interactions that enrich my days and make owning my own business such a valuable experience. Just as I was sitting here writing this, I had a gentleman come in to pick up his 50th Wedding Anniversary invitations. As I congratulated him and told him, “That’s quite an accomplishment!” he replied, “You know what? My wife said for the next 50 years I get to be boss…”  I love it.

We keep hearing the catch phrase, “Shop local!” And I think it’s because small business owners are more able to provide a personal experience. They value what they do because they are personally invested in their work. No one else is paying them to do their jobs- they put their hearts and souls into their work in order to succeed, and it shows. Is it possible to have a meaningful experience at a big chain store? Of course it is. But I think the personal touch provided by many independent business owners is exactly why people who shop local believe in it so deeply. Once you work with Elizabeth and Mike at Insignia Signs, have Ashley Mauro take your engagement photos, or experience cupcake nirvana at Frost, you’ll be hooked too…

It’s the personal touches that make our daily experiences more meaningful. We each have an inherent need to feel important, to feel special…we want to go where everybody knows our names.

 

 

Come experience a vibrant collaboration of art by three local Dayton artists and community leaders at an Opening Reception Friday, June 15th. The Opening Reception kicks off the beginning of a special exhibit that will run through July 5th, featuring: Painting on Rusted Steel by Mike Elsass, Abstract Expressionism by Ron Rollins and Urban Photography by Larry Faulkner. Join us for hors d’oeuvres, wine, music and mingling as we celebrate the eclectic work of these three Dayton artists!

Opening Reception

Friday, June 15, 2012 from 5-9 p.m.

43 S. Main St, Miamisburg, Ohio 45342

UPDAYTON’S “STAY IN DAYTON” MISSION CONTINUES

(Written for Dayton City Paper by Annie Bowers)

Where will you be on Friday, April 27th? Are you interested in attracting and retaining creative talent in the Dayton Region? If so, join close to 200 fellow Daytonians and community partners at the Dayton Art Institute for the 2012 updayton Summit.

The 2012 Summit, an annual event created by updayton, will focus on four key areas of community interest: Diversity, Alternative Transportation, Neighborhoods and Urban Vibrancy. Summit attendees will brainstorm ideas for new projects in each of the four categories with the collective goal of attracting — and keeping — young creatives within the region. Updayton Executive Director, Yvette Kelly-Fields states, “If we can get them here and involved, they’re more likely to stay in the region and continue to help it grow creatively.”

Updayton, the non-profit organization responsible for hosting the Summit, began as an initiative of DaytonCREATE 2008, a project formed under the direction of several companies that shared mutual concerns about the “brain drain” in the Dayton Region. The team selected 32 members of the community to act as catalysts and challenged them to develop initiatives geared toward making Dayton an attractive creative city. Two of these initiatives blossomed into unique stand-alone non-profit organizations: Film Dayton and updayton. The focus of the latter was to unite a group of young professionals and community members who shared a passion for local revitalization and a commitment to promoting their region as a vibrant place to live, work, learn and play.

Kelly-Fields further explains, “Updayton connects networks, challenges the status quo and inspires all people who believe in Dayton to roll-up their sleeves to help the community. Our efforts haven’t revitalized Dayton overnight, nor were they expected to, but they’ve shaken the ground in other ways. We’ve stopped waiting for someone else to do what we know needs to be done.”

In 2009, updayton hosted its first Summit, which drew interest from citizens across the region and rejuvenated the notion of developing Dayton into a vital creative community — and year after year, the Summit provides specific plans on how exactly to accomplish that goal.

One such plan, Welcome to Dayton, was a Summit Diversity project that aimed to connect native Dayton families with immigrant families in order to help immigrants become more acclimated to the area. The group also compiled an official “Welcome to Dayton” packet that will be available in all Dayton Metro libraries beginning May first.

In addition, the implementation of First Friday Scavenger Hunts began in 2011, encouraging people from outside the city to venture downtown to experience the energy of First Fridays and see what the city has to offer by way of galleries, shops and restaurants.

Under the Neighborhoods heading, the 2011 Summit identified the Warren/Brown Street area as a neighborhood with tremendous potential to attract young creative professionals. Kelly-Fields explains, “We saw it as a neighborhood on the rise, and asked ourselves, how we could make this area more interesting and attractive?” From these efforts, the Bridge Project was born: updayton asked local artists to submit designs for consideration, and on May 5 the winning design (chosen by public vote) will be painted on the Route 35 pedestrian overpass bridge.

Finally, under the 2011 Jobs category, the Dayton Interns project outlined a plan to create an online portal that would allow businesses to post a single listing for internships, which could then be communicated to eight different university partners with the click of a button. Students could view the listings through their university’s career services site. The result? Student interns and local employers were easily matched up, without having to sift through openings on multiple sites.

This year’s Summit will focus on the following areas:

Alternative Transportation: to promote bikes, bussing and walking as forms of transportation.

Diversity: to encourage Dayton Metro Libraries to embrace diversity by building library resources to reflect the growing immigrant population.

Urban Vibrancy: to promote Dayton as a destination spot among college students, urging them to become more involved with the downtown area for more than just special events.

Neighborhoods: to work with East End Community Center in the Twin Towers neighborhood to implement strategies that will help encourage people to move there.

After a day of brainstorming, the energy and excitement will continue to build at the After Party at the CADC’s new location in St. Clair Lofts, featuring DJ Ruckus Roboticus, food, wine and Buckeye vodka. In addition, ten swag bags will be given away featuring goodies from local merchants, including a DAI membership, tickets to the Dayton Film Festival, and Sidebar, Ghostlight Coffee and South Park Tavern gift certificates. One lucky swag bag winner will also receive a key that provides the use of a Bob Ross Motors 2012 Fiat for an entire weekend. The event will wind to a close at the After After Party at Sidebar, which includes a $5 breakfast from 10p.m. – 2a.m.

“You don’t have to know where you’re going to be headed in the right direction.” I took the advice of a marketing guy I know and decided to use my most recent fortune from P.F. Chang’s as my blog post topic this week. (And by “this week” I mean the first post I’ve written since January 19th…shame on me.) I’ve had writer’s block, coupled with a lot of new endeavors, coupled with an extreme case of – ok, yes, I’ll admit it- “I forgot the website existed.” But here I am, ready to write. So listen up.

The thing I like most about my “You don’t have to know where you’re going to be headed in the right direction” fortune is that it reminds me of something I was briefly discussing the other day, which was the concept of “you have to start somewhere.” A lot of us experience anxiety of the unknown or unfamiliar. We don’t start anything new because we don’t know what will happen if we try, whether it’s starting a project, getting involved in the community, meeting new people, or just implementing a different twist into the same old daily routine. We want a guarantee that it’s not going to blow up in our faces, but the thing about life is there is no guarantee…So most of the time, instead of taking a risk, we stay where things are comfortable. And when we don’t take risks, our lives tend to stay the same, day in and day out.

Had I not taken a risk 7 years ago and decided to start my own business, my life wouldn’t look anything like it does today. In the Spring of 2005, I was 26, had an eight-month old baby and no idea what I was doing with my career, but an opportunity crossed my path to start a stationery business- and without allowing myself to overanalyze it, or work myself into a frenzy of reasons why it might fail, I jumped in and just did it. Over the next seven years, the decisions I made would shape the course of my life in ways that have permanently changed me for the better.

Over time, I’ve watched as the business I built has grown into its niche, ebbing and flowing with the changing economic climate and establishing connections with customers and community partners. Most importantly though, being a business owner has pushed me to get out and network. On April 14, 2011, I dragged my skeptical self to a Generation Dayton networking event at Blind Bob’s…I didn’t want to go, I didn’t want to make small talk with strangers, and I didn’t feel like generically handing out my business card to people I figured would probably throw it away on the next trip to the bathroom. In short, I was feeling negative. I didn’t want to take that first step toward the unknown- I didn’t want to leave my comfortable Envelope bubble and make an effort to expand my network. But that night I met a number of people who have impacted my life, and made a few friends without whom my life wouldn’t be the same. And even though it was just one networking event, one Spring night at Bob’s, it was a start. After that event, I went to the next one in May, and kept meeting more and more people who were involved in the goings-on in Dayton: people who worked with non-profits, people who worked with artists, people who supported the revitalization efforts of the city. And I loved every second of it. I found that the more I started, the more I wanted to keep going. The momentum kept pushing me forward.

By welcoming that momentum instead of fearing the unknown, and by stretching the boundaries of my own comfort zone, I’ve developed some amazing professional relationships in Dayton, connected with fellow entrepreneurs, and welcomed many people into my life who make it richer and more meaningful. Today, not only am I business owner and a mom to an amazing 7-year old, but I’m a writer, a graphic designer, a publications coordinator, a volunteer, an art lover, a young professional, and a community activist. I am proud to be associated with organizations like the Dayton Visual Arts Center and Culture Works, and I’m honored to be part of a community that is fortunate to have so many catalysts invested in its growth and development.

I had no idea what would happen when I opened The Envelope (ha, what a great a metaphor…). I had no idea what I was starting when I went to Blind Bob’s last April… but because I took the first step and started somewhere, it’s taken me places I could never have dreamed, both personally and professionally. I don’t know where I’ll end up, but I can say without hesitation that I know I’m headed in the right direction.

 

 

I was pulling into the parking lot at work the other day, and I had this crazy idea…

What if there was only one homeless person?

Now I know that sounds ridiculous, but I just thought, “If there was only ONE person who needed  a home, wouldn’t most of us feel inclined to help?” Doesn’t that seem like a no-brainer? If you knew that you could help the one person who needed it, wouldn’t you do it? I think almost everyone would, I really do. Because it seems manageable. If one person needed a home, we would ask around to see if anyone knew of a place he could stay. If only one person needed a job, we would surely be able to suggest five people that she could talk to who had open positions. If only one person was hungry, we would take turns bringing him meals until he could manage better on his own.  If there was only ONE person struggling in our society or our community, I really believe we would feel a civic responsibility to help. Helping just one person sounds easy.

So why is that when we are tasked with helping groups of people, we fall short? If you break it down, it looks like this: if every one of us who could help someone else, even in a small way, did just that, then as a whole we could make an enormous impact. I’m not claiming to be the first person to ever spout this idea. I know this is nothing new. People have been screaming this for years. Non-profits have been asking the masses to donate their time and resources since practically the beginning of time. But to most people, when they look at “helping those in need” it sounds like a huge task- a daunting responsibility – (because that’s typically how it’s presented to us to point out the magnitude of these issues, i.e. homelessness, hunger, poverty, etc.). We lose perspective when we look at it on only a large scale, and we fail to realize that our assistance usually DOES go toward helping one individual…and on that scale it feels much more personal – and much more doable.

For example, Clothes That Work is hosting an event in March called The Fairy Godmother Project that will allow girls in need of prom dresses to go in and try on dresses, hoping to find the perfect dress to make them feel like a prom night princess. During the weeks prior to the March 17th event, CTW and several area partners are collecting prom dresses from women (like me) who have them hanging in the back of the closet from years ago…Someone suggested I use my store as a drop zone for people to bring in their dresses, and I jumped at the chance to get involved. It’s such an easy way to make a difference, and hopefully people will step up and join in the effort by digging through their closets and bringing in their own prom treasures to help make the day of a young lady in need. Your one dress will go to help one lucky girl – see the impact? Getting involved in something bigger than yourself doesn’t take much – I’m simply putting out a bin and spreading the word – and if it makes a difference to even one person, it’s worth it.

There are countless ways one person can make a difference, you just have to pay attention. We are all important pieces of our world, and we all need to do our share. And one person might not sound like a lot, but if you take one and add another “one”, and another “one”, you end up with something huge. See where I’m going with this?

Here are a few suggestions I received from my friends on Facebook today when I challenged them to think of their favorite “easy” way to give back:

• Donate Blood every eight weeks
• Become a “Big” with Big Brothers Big Sisters
• St. Vincent de Paul (folding laundry or stocking the food pantry)
• St. Jude Children’s Medical Research
• Volunteer with A Kid Again (or give $5/month)
• If you’re a business owner, donate your own services, location, or silent auction items to charities who could use them
• Get your kids involved in the Light the Night Walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

Again, I have to ask…if it was just one person who needed help, wouldn’t you jump at the chance?

Just once this week, I challenge each of you to put down the laptop, the iPad, the smart phone….and make something with your hands. And don’t tell me you’ve forgotten how to do that. Remember in elementary school how we had art class at least once a week? We’d make paintings, chalk rubbings, little clay pots, crepe paper turkeys, paper mache globes…you name it, we made stuff with our hands. And it didn’t seem weird then, did it? Nope.

But somewhere along the lines, we grew up and started paying less attention to creating things. We became more focused on who our friends were, what our weekend plans looked like, how to get into college, where to apply for jobs, how to make more money….in short, we put down the glue stick, hung up our smocks, and joined the rat race. And along the way, most of us forgot how much we enjoyed making stuff out of clay, or sniffing the markers that were supposed to smell like fruit (what was the blue one supposed to be, anyway? It just smelled like pure sugar…) We re-shifted our focus onto the necessary and the immediate, and lost sight of doing simple things that help us get in touch with the kid inside- the stuff that helps us maintain balance and equilibrium in our lives.

Since you might be one of those people who has forgotten the joy of creating art, let me refresh your memory. There is something calming and therapeutic about getting busier with your hands and less busy with your brain.

Ryan and I went to the K-12 Gallery last Saturday for art class, and after an initial adjustment period (which is to be expected whenever you try something new), we both settled into our projects and gave our brains a break for a hot second. He was working on print making (transferring paint from a plastic sheet onto a piece of paper), while I learned the ropes of stained glass art. I cut my thumb within the first five minutes, which slowed me down for a few minutes, but once I got used to the cutting tools, clamps and copper wire and just let my creative side take over, I enjoyed it so much I didn’t want to leave at the end of the two hour class.

There was actually a palpable shift in my attitude after I stopped thinking and turned off the reflex that was making me feel inadequate and underqualified for stained glass window-making. At first I was anxious. I didn’t know what I was doing. I was afraid to make a mistake. But not giving myself a choice in the matter, I reached into the buckets of glass, settled on a color palette, and just started cutting angles in the glass.

After about a half hour, I actually felt myself relax. I started making conversation with the people at my table, I made myself at home in the gallery and just kept repeating the process, seeing real results as the pieces of blue and green glass started to fit the frame the way they were supposed to. And at the end of two hours, despite it being a work-in-progress, I felt satisfied. And I know in two weeks when my window is finished, no matter how it turns out, I’m going to hang it up and feel pride every time I look at it. It’s not about the end result, it’s about how you feel during the process. It’s about letting go of what’s eating at you, relaxing your brain, and just letting your creative side take over.

Whether it’s creating a unique invitation for a bride out of layers of metallic and textured card stock and ribbon, painting with my friend Nathan, or making a stained glass window at K-12, I find so much enjoyment and balance in using my hands to create something from nothing. While I’ve spent today blogging about the experience in the hopes that it’ll reach some of you (and inspire you!) there is nothing like creating art to get you back to basics, whether it’s in your work, your home, or your life. Try it…you might be surprised at the results.

 

There’s been quite the hullabaloo lately surrounding the notion of “keeping it local” and supporting local businesses. Why all the fuss? Well, it’s like this: when small businesses support each other, it creates a sense of community. When there is a sense of community, people are more prone to endeavor to continue making that community the best it can possibly be. When the community thrives, the people who live and work there are productive members of society, and they continue to give back to their community…and the cycle of giving (and thriving) goes on and on and on.

Why else should we support our local businesses? Because those businesses were usually built from the ground up, with care and tenacity, sweat and tears- and since they are built with TLC, they honestly tend to care more about their customers who have helped make them so successful. Have you shopped at Dorothy Lane Market lately? DLM started as a fruit stand in 1948 – yes, that’s right, a fruit stand. And they still support local growers today with their “Honestly Local” policy. They also take care of their customers by offering some of the best service you’ll find anywhere, hands down. And because of their outstanding quality foods, unsurpassed customer service, and local flavor, they’ve built a loyal customer base of tens of thousands of Daytonians.

I’ve had several experiences lately with non-local vendors who have made mistakes on orders and haven’t been willing to work with us to make it right for our clients. We are just a faceless voice on the end of the phone or the unknown person on the other side of an email- and there was little motivation on their part to make it right. They don’t know us; they don’t know our clients- simply put, they’re not invested in us, our clients or our success. If we don’t place another order with them, someone else will, in some other city, in some other state, and these vendors will move right along down the “fill as many orders as quickly as we can” path without looking back.

I don’t want to sound like I’m whining – I’m not. I’m simply pointing out that when I compare large faceless companies to some of the amazing local vendors and artists I’ve worked with here in Dayton – there’s just no comparison at all.

For example, take Ashley Mauro, a local photographer who stopped by my store about a year ago to introduce herself. She came smiling through the door saying, “I’ve been referring people to you and decided I wanted to get to know who I was sending people to…” We had a long chat and afterward I knew I could recommend her work (and her personality) with 100% confidence that my customers would be thrilled with their choice. And if her amazing photography doesn’t speak for itself, her friendly and sweet nature would put even the most stubborn clients at ease. She even took the time to send me a thoughtful little gift of tea and teacups later that week after we’d chatted about our Starbucks addictions.

Then there’s Jaffe jewelers, a Dayton favorite for over 40 years. I had a bride tell me recently how impressed she was with her jeweler for really listening and carefully walking them through the process of choosing a ring that was perfect for them. After meeting with Jaffe, she and her fiance went out to dinner with family; the jeweler they had worked with earlier that day remembered where they had said they were dining and he had a bottle of wine sent to their table. Because he took the time to listen, and made an extra effort to make his clients feel special, he now has a customer for life.

When we continuously refer clients to other service providers we trust, the cycle of support continues…the local businesses thrive, the customers tell their friends about their experiences, and everybody wins.

What’s the bottom line? People like to shop local because they feel taken care of- they can put a face and a voice with a brand. My customers know me. They know what to expect when they come into the shop. And they know that if their New Year’s cards that UPS claims were delivered on December 23rd didn’t actually arrive, that I’m going to spend December 26th re-creating them from scratch and find a way to get them to my customer before the 31st. No matter what. I take care of my people because they take care of me. I believe in building relationships with the people I serve because they are the ones who support us and make it possible to open our doors every day. It’s about sharing the love throughout our network of clients and other local businesses so we can all continue to pay it forward and make our community grow and thrive.

 

 

 

 

If you’ve talked to me at all over the past month or two, you’ve probably heard me mention the term “minimalism” once or twice. Part of my excitement over this concept started during the research I did for a Dayton City Paper article that came out last week. I had the pleasure of interviewing two amazing Daytonians who embody the very essence of minimalism in their every day lives. The first time I visited theminimalists.com I was completely hooked…I read Ryan and Josh’s essays for two hours straight and felt like I got to know them before I’d even met them. And their insights about downsizing and living a more meaningful life were fascinating and inspiring…and pushed me to continue on the path I’d started to forge in my own life – and closet.

If you’re like a lot of people who hear the term “minimalism” you might instinctively think it’s something only fanatic people undertake in order to prove that they don’t need much to live on, or maybe you simply write off the idea as impossible or impractical. Regardless, I encourage you all to stop for a second – I mean really STOP- and take a very literal inventory of your lives. What is it you could do without? And more importantly, why are you hanging onto all of it?

For me, it all started because I recently decided downsizing is a necessity. Somehow over the past ten years I went from being able to fit all of my earthly possessions into a 10×14 dorm room, to filling a three story house (and attic) with stuff. It’s completely excessive. It’s wasteful. I realized that I had five tv’s – yeah, five – and I don’t even have cable! But somehow they accumulated and there are now three sitting in my garage. I’m currently looking for a smaller house. I bought a smaller car. I have painstakingly gone through every closet (some twice) to rid them all of excess. Why am I doing this, you ask? Because I realized one thing: I. Just. Don’t. Need. It. And it’s taking up space…space in my house, space in my life, space that could be happier free-flowing around itself in pursuit of better ways to spend the days than being distracted with a lot of things that I frankly don’t use, didn’t know I had, and most importantly would be better off in someone else’s hands. Because that’s the thing about it- most of the stuff we keep in drawers and closets and don’t ever touch might make a difference to someone else who actually needs it. When was the last time you used that “extra extra” set of dishes? Or the long wool winter coat with the intense shoulder pads? But mark my words- there is someone out there who would use it, need it, and possibly even cherish it.

You might be wondering, “How does having too much stuff clutter up your life and distract you from what’s really important?” Here’s how: every single thing in our lives serves a purpose. And if it isn’t actively serving a purpose (like a toothbrush) then it’s passively sitting there, creating stagnant energy, and occasionally drawing our attention away from other pursuits of happiness. How many minutes have you wasted digging through a drawer looking for something? How many hours have you spent flipping through channels without really seeing what’s on? Those moments add up, my friends. They eventually take up hours and hours of our time…and I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend that time sharing experiences with people who matter to me and building relationships. I’d rather spend that time out in the community trying to figure out how to make it a better place to live, and exploring cool places off the beaten path and supporting local businesses. I’d rather get to know other free-thinking people, share ideas with them, and pursue interests that I had no idea would provide so much satisfaction once I actually paid attention to them and allowed them space in which to flourish and grow.

Another way I’m doing things on a smaller scale- I decided not to send a mass holiday card this year. Instead, over the next few weeks I’m going to send handwritten cards to people that I actually need to say something to…friends I have missed, people who have performed amazing acts of kindness, anyone with whom I have a message to share. And I hope it’ll mean more than a mass-produced impersonal card. This year, writing cards represents my personal desire to emphasize quality over quantity.

I find tremendous happiness and fulfillment in the fact that my garage has stacks of stuff in it waiting to be loaded up and delivered to Goodwill, Agape for Youth, Bethany Lutheran Village (they take tv’s!) and other friends who might be able to use the clothes and toys that Ryan has outgrown. Trust me- it feels GOOD to downsize. And once you get started, it becomes progressively easier to just say, “Nope, don’t need it. Yep, that can go too.” It makes me feel lighter, freer. It actually gives me energy. And it emphasizes that there’s no reason to hang onto things that I simply don’t use. We could all benefit from realizing that memories shouldn’t be attached to objects – memories live inside our hearts and minds, where we can visit them whenever we choose.

One thing I will hang onto as a sentimental and simple reminder is the t-shirt Richard gave me for Christmas that so succinctly states, “< = >” ….in other words….less equals more.

Cheers to all of you in 2012, and may you find happiness and simplicity in the things that truly matter.

…don’t forget to slow down, make time for friends and loved ones, and try to remember that this time of year isn’t about rampant consumerism, or the latest technological gadgety doo-dads, or the eight dozen cookies you need to make for the school cookie exchange. The holiday season holds special meaning for many people, for many different reasons. For me, it’s about reminding myself that this shouldn’t be the only time of year when I count my blessings. It shouldn’t be the only time of year when I make a point to get together with friends and celebrate the fact that we are in each other’s lives. It shouldn’t be the only time of year when I do something special for my son, like taking him to see the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo or going iceskating at Riverscape.

I realized this evening while I was adding more content to my website (in a desperate attempt to reach the white whale of 50,000 pages….eek) and feeling in general like despite the 7 hours I put into it today, I still hadn’t gotten “anything” done, that I need to slow down a second and look around me before I miss all the good stuff. Yes, I have two articles to write for the Dayton City Paper before December 12th. Yes, I have a laundry list of websites to do SEO for that should have been done….um….yesterday. Yes, I have a stationery business to run. Yes, I have gingerbread cookies to bake with my son (no, not like the above…that was a joke, I couldn’t help myself). Yes, I have a million places to be in December, and the countdown to the busiest month of the year is at t-minus three days. {Insert screaming into pillow here…}

The point I’m trying to make is that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed during the holidays…to feel like you’re “never going to get it all done in time.” If you’re like a lot of people, your calendar fills up quickly in December with holiday parties, work festivities, family get-togethers, shopping excursions, meeting friends for cocktails, et cetera, et cetera… but try to remember that if you ARE one of those people with a full calendar, consider yourself completely and utterly blessed. You’re flat out lucky. Because there is nothing better than surrounding ourselves with those we love, during the holiday season but also throughout the rest of the year.

So stop screaming into the pillow, and stop freaking out that you’re never going to get it all done at work…this is no different than the rest of the year, honestly – you just have more stuff to do because this is the time of year when people decide to get together and celebrate something, be it Christmas, Hanukkah, or Festivus. And that’s a blessing. So take a deep breath, go put on your favorite ugly sweater, pick up your mug with the moose antler handle and savor every last sip of that eggnog. EMBRACE the holiday craziness. Because before we know it, it’s going to be January, and we’re all going to complain about how the holidays are over and now there’s nothing to do. So before that happens, while you’re feeling festive, go tell someone you love them. Go adopt a family in need, give a Good Neighbor Sack from Dorothy Lane Market, or send a card to someone far away. Just try to slow down and find the true meaning of the season, whether it’s spiritual, philanthropic, or family-oriented – enjoy the gifts of the season, and share whatever you can with others who might need a reminder (or a hug). We’re all in this together. Much love, health and happiness to all of you…now and in the coming days and weeks…

And if you want to try the world’s best Gingerbread Cookies, here you go…(tip: they’re even better after they’re a few days old – if they make it that long…)

Gingerbread Cookies (a recipe from my Godmother, Aunt Janet)

• 1 c white sugar
• 1 c margarine
• 1 c molasses
• 1 c buttermilk
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 5 tsp ginger
• pinch salt
• 7 cups flour

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, roll out dough onto floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. When cool, decorate with white icing and red hots. YUM!

There should be more days when we allow ourselves just one goal: create beauty. I’ve had the unique opportunity to spend some time in the Front Street studios, working and painting alongside renowned artist, Mike Elsass. Mike’s Dayton gallery, “The Color of Energy,” and countless others from Sedona to Chicago showcase his talents, and now The Envelope is proud to display and sell his work- a dynamic assortment of pieces Mike has created with rust and acrylic on steel. The result is a vibrant body of art that is rich in color, depth, motion, and texture.

For me, painting with Mike is an escape…an escape from the ordinary, an escape from routine, an escape from the array of randomness that riddles my brain on a daily basis. Painting allows me to simply create. Do I know what I’m doing? Nope. Have I learned to enjoy the beauty of exploring something new? Absolutely.

Every day I stare in wonder at the magnificent pieces that now adorn the walls of The Envelope, and it means so much more to me after experiencing it firsthand, from an artist’s perspective. After rolling up the sleeves of my white tuxedo shirt (a happy alternative to the traditional smock), I witnessed the creative process in various stages… from the very beginning when the sheets of steel were treated with vinegar and sand, covered in plastic and left to corrode, to the process of applying color and texture, layer after layer. “There are no mistakes…” was the only rule. Despite this simple creed, at first I was worried about “messing up,” but as I experimented with different colors, sand, powders, brushes, and rollers I became more comfortable and I settled into the work, which became meditative and therapeutic.

As I worked, I realized that like life, creating art is a process. I couldn’t expect perfection from the get-go, and I didn’t necessarily know where I was headed. There were times when I felt like I’d made mistakes, but the beauty of the process allowed me to keep going, over and over, until it felt right. Sometimes I asked for guidance, and other times I dug through the bucket of acrylics, picked one (burnt orange was a reliable stand-by), and tried again on my own.

A little paint here, a little copper dust there, a few more brushstrokes here…now how about some chalk? I followed my whims, I watched and learned, I eventually found comfort in the reassurance of knowing “there are no mistakes.” And when all was said and done, the result was a beautiful collaborative effort- perfect in its imperfection.

To me, painting isn’t just an escape, but a lesson- an exercise in personal growth. It stretches the boundaries of familiarity, inspires creative freedom, and allows me to experience a glimpse inside the life of an artist. I value the days when I allow myself to simply create. I revel in the colors, the scents, the feel of the work…by painting with Mike Elsass, I get to experience firsthand the color of energy. Come see for yourself why the work of this incredibly talented local artist has become so widely acclaimed – once you experience it, “you won’t know what hit you…and you’ll never turn back.”

 

As I walked out of Boston Stoker this morning, chai in hand, I realized something. I had just wished the barista a happy Labor Day weekend, and he responded, “You have a good weekend, too!” To which I replied, “I’ll try…” Now, why did I say that instead of, “Thanks, I will!” or any number of other affirmative responses? Maybe I was still half asleep and feeling sluggish, or maybe I wasn’t feeling up to the task of making my weekend spectacular, but either way my somewhat lackluster response was, “I’ll try…” And immediately after the words left my mouth, I cringed and thought of the phrase my good friend Jeremy has been pounding into my brain for months now: “Don’t try. Do it.”  And while this isn’t Jeremy’s own personal wisdom, but renowned life coach and inspirational speaker Tony Robbins‘, it has become a mantra in his life as well as my own- and it stops me in my tracks whenever I think I’m “trying” to do something.

There is a difference between “doing” and “trying.” In one of Tony’s presentations he asks a woman in the audience who says she’s trying to fix her marriage to “try to pick up the chair.” She turns around and picks up her chair. He says, “No, don’t pick up the chair, TRY to pick up the chair.” They go round and round until she eventually gets extremely frustrated – but the point he is making is that there are only two options 1) picking up the chair or 2) not picking up the chair. If you’re trying to do something it’s the same as not doing it. It’s only when we actually DO something that it’s considered action. Trying is essentially the same thing as failing.

This concept is something I’ve had a hard time getting my head around, and it has been frustrating for me at times when I have felt like I really did try my best to do something. It’s easy to become indignant and defensive, thinking that I tried and still nothing happened. But obviously that’s all I did – I tried – which isn’t the same as “I did it.” This principle applies to every aspect of our lives if you really think about it: relationships, business decisions, everything we do on a daily basis. Here’s a perfect example of how trying isn’t action, but rather inaction – how many times have you said, “I tried to get out of bed when the alarm went off…” Did you notice that trying to get out of bed was the same thing as NOT getting out of bed? Hmmm…interesting how that works, isn’t it…When we successfully do something, we don’t ever say we “tried.”

Start paying attention to how many times you respond with, “I’ll try.” Then see if you can shift your mindset a little bit, and really ask yourself if trying is enough, or if you want to actually make something happen. There’s a difference. If you want to get more clients, get out there and market yourself. If you want to mend fences with someone, pick up the phone and talk to them. If you want to have the life you deserve, go get it.

When we decide to stop trying and start doing, we become forces of nature and catalysts for change. When we start “doing,” we realize the power we possess to make amazing things happen with our lives, and other people’s lives around us. Let’s become a force for change and see what happens….I’m betting we can make the world a better place. So let’s stop trying, and as Nike so simply and powerfully put it, “Just do it.”

*Please take a moment and read the Holstee Manifesto – this is the mantra I have hanging above my desk, and last Spring I had the pleasure of meeting the people who created it. 

 

 

I had a hard time deciding which noun to use in the title of this post- does “complacency” accurately depict what happens when a business refuses to grow and adapt to the changing times? I also thought of the word “atrophy” because if we fail to change, we fail to grow and thrive, and we eventually diminish and die. And despite being somewhat stodgy and set in my ways, I refuse to let this business I have cultivated and nurtured one day at a time for the past six years, wither away and die.

I’ve been struggling with the idea of “change vs. complacency” lately, largely due to being presented with an abundance of ideas for how to expand and grow, at least in our little slice of cyberspace. I’ve been told firmly how vital it is to have a “web presence” and what exactly that entails…SEO on the website, redesigning the site so it’s more functional and current, blogging on a regular basis, keeping up with Facebook posts, Tweeting, and continuously adding LinkedIn contacts. What I’ve learned is that web-based marketing and networking via social media constitutes a rather exhausting fulltime job…but it’s one that I believe is critical to make time for (despite already having several “fulltime jobs”, i.e. a business to run, son to raise, household to maintain, and friendships and relationships to nurture.)

Which begs the question- how do I manage it all? How do I successfully integrate social media and a strong online presence with the paper industry when the whole foundation of my business is based on an organic, tactile experience – not a virtual one. I support writing letters. Why? Several reasons. Paper is beautiful; to fully experience it appeals to the senses…there are gorgeous textures, colors and styles, creating endless opportunities to express oneself artistically and uniquely. But I also believe in writing because it is meaningful. It literally sends the message, “I care about you. I took the time to get out a pen, pick out a card, and write to you.” And in a society that is racing at lightning speed toward convenience and efficiency, and how much we can accomplish in as little time as possible, some would argue that letter-writing is a dying art. Case in point, someone said to me recently, “I can punch out three text messages and an email at a 30-second stoplight.” And while this is the very definition of “efficiency” it makes me question the depth of our relationships if they are easily maintained with a text or an email sent while sitting at a red light.

This is why I struggle. Everything I know about social media and the web dictates the necessity in having a kick-ass online presence not just to stay competitive, but in order to actually survive as a small business. So the only solution I can entertain is to figure out how to integrate a) the value of written correspondence with b) web-based marketing and social media.

I think the following Wall Street Journal article sums it up perfectly, and I hope you’ll enjoy it. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback….

WSJ- Stationery’s New Followers from August 25, 2011

For any of you who have happened to make it through all of the FAQ’s (and actually read the blurb at the top about not getting answers to ALL of your questions), here is the final answer to a pretty darn important life question, if I do say so myself.

What is the secret to good guacamole?

I’m going to tell you. The secret is to hand mash it, not blend it or puree it like some foodies would have you believe.

1) You’re going to want to get a couple of perfect avocados (they should barely indent to the touch), split them open and remove the pit – you do this by whacking the sharp edge of the knife into the pit without stabbing it into your hand. It’ll stick into the pit nicely and – pop!- it’ll come right out, with no digging around and ruining the perfectly good fruit.

2) Next you’re going to slice the avocado while it’s still in the skin. Cut it lengthwise into strips and then crosswise into chunks, and they will fall right out into your awaiting bowl.

3) Now add your other ingredients, of which there aren’t many. I add minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste (this is where it gets tricky because there really aren’t appropriate measurements, it’s all according to your palette). You can also add a little bit of red onion and some cilantro, but don’t go overboard here because you don’t want to risk overpowering the delightful avocado flavor itself- which is the whole reason we eat guac in the first place. *If you’re planning on using garlic salt, you need to go ahead and close this window and go sit in the corner because you need punished (and publicly shamed) for thinking that garlic salt is an acceptable seasoning in any recipe, much less home-made (awesome-sauce) guacamole.

4) Before you go any further, STOP! Don’t dive into the bowl with a whisk, spoon, blender or other such device with the intent of mashing the mixture into a pulp- back away from any sort of mixing tool and instead, gently stir the mixture with a fork. That’s all you need to do.

Voila – perfect guacamole. See what we’ve learned here? You never know what you’ll find when you read all the way to the end…you might just end up with a treat. Enjoy! 🙂

There is a poignant greeting card from Curly Girl Design that says “It is without question our duty to honor the love of every human heart as we would our very own.” I just had a woman stop in and buy this particular card to send to a friend’s adult son who had been particularly hurtful to his mother (who was a dear friend of hers). She was hurting for her friend and felt it was her duty to gently suggest to the son that he be kinder to his mother…and she believed the best way to do this was through writing. I couldn’t agree more.

I’ve personally found myself in situations where I’ve opened my mouth and said things, only to wish I could reach out and take back the words- not necessarily because they were hurtful (although as humans that happens, especially when emotions run high), but because the words I spoke didn’t accurately convey what I really meant, what I deeply felt- and it ultimately ended up making things worse or more complicated than they needed to be. You’ve been there before- found yourself in an argument with someone you care about; you’re feeling frustrated, sad, angry, and like no matter what you say, it just keeps getting messier and more intense. It’s one of the worst places to be – stuck in a communication vortex where you find yourself and the other person spinning in circles around each other, waiting for the dizziness to stop so you can surface, regroup, and take emotional inventory.

In communicating with others it’s vital to not just be articulate, but empathetic and sincere. I’ve found the most effective way to communicate is to put my thoughts down on paper first- the simple act of putting them in writing is clarifying. Sometimes I write to myself. Sometimes I write to others, and even if I don’t always share those thoughts the act of getting them down on paper is therapeutic. It gives me a clearer look at my own feelings, and helps me express my needs and inner truths in ways that spoken communication sometimes isn’t able to.

Writing gives us certain luxuries that blurting out whatever comes to mind cannot – it’s an insurance policy. Through writing we get to self-edit. We get to save our thoughts and come back to them later, editing, re-reading, deleting, and cultivating our words until they are juuuuuuust right (I love Evernote!). Writing gives us total control over when/how/what we communicate to others, so we can ensure that our words are true to our thoughts and will hopefully result in the outcome we’re aiming for- with as little collateral damage as possible.

So who do you need to write to today? What do you need to say? Think about it, write it down, and let it marinate for a little while…Trust me, you’ll be happy you did.

I took this picture in Times Square in May as I marveled at this guy who was offering free hugs to passers-by on the street. There is something so honest and vulnerable about a stranger on the streets of New York asking for hugs, but if you really think about it, it’s simple – sometimes you just need a little “warm fuzzy” to help you through the day.

I got to work today and I had a bunch of ”free hugs” waiting for me at The Envelope’s Google Places page. I was overwhelmed by so much positive feedback and encouragement, and I wanted to give a big, hearty, sincere thanks to all of my wonderful customers who have left reviews on the Google site. I can’t tell you all how much it meant to me to read such lovely and kind words about the work we have done for all of you over the past six years. I have gotten to know so many of you on a more personal level, and it brightens my day each time any of you walk through my door. You truly feel like extended family, and your continued business and kindness mean so much to me.

To all of you out there who have been perpetuating the friendly cycle of “hugs” in one way or another: YOU GUYS ROCK! I am constantly impressed and inspired by the kindness and generosity of spirit that I get to witness through working with all of you. (One of my long-time customers even offered to ship something for me the other day- thank you, Linda!!) To read such kind words, and see such thoughtful actions, makes me feel like we are all on the right track, and that we’re all looking out for one another – and for that I’m incredibly grateful. Dayton is a “small town” at heart, and the lovely people in this community keep it feeling like a big family at times. I hope I can continue giving back to all of you and providing all of you with the service and products you have come to know and love here at The Envelope. Cheers!

 

“The concept of a handwritten note, a wax seal, and the whole nine yards is kind of lost on the public at large these days,” he said as he looked through paper selections trying to find the perfect stationery to represent his personality and taste. I couldn’t agree more. It wasn’t too long ago that I wrote letters on a regular basis. When I was in elementary school it was to my very first pen pal named Shasta- I still remember the school picture she sent me with her very first letter, introducing herself when we were paired up as part of a class project. She had brown pigtails and was missing a few teeth, as we all were at that point. We wrote back and forth for months and there was nothing I looked forward to more than getting those letters on the scratchy school-lined paper, usually with a drawing of sorts to spruce it up a bit. We’d send stickers, drawings, friendship bracelets, pictures of our pets, and letters talking about what we hoped we’d get for Christmas, what our brothers and sisters did that annoyed us, foods we liked, our favorite colors…you name it, we wrote about it.

That habit evolved into the letters I’d write to middle school and high school crushes…somewhere around the time I turned thirteen I remember going on my first trip to Disney World with my friend Beth. We became friends with these two “dreamy” boys from Florida and Texas, and we started writing letter after letter to them after we got home. No one had cell phones yet, and to make a long distance call was still pretty expensive, especially if you talked for hours, so phone calls had to wait for special occasions like birthdays. But the letters would go back and forth every two weeks like clockwork- there was absolutely nothing better than checking the mailbox and seeing the next happy, hand-addressed letter sitting there waiting to be read.

When I was in college I wrote to my grandpa. He loved to write and he continued to write to me up until his handwriting got shakier- and even then he would get out the old typewriter instead. I kept him up to date on what I was learning in school, who my friends were, and shared the aspects of college life that grandparents would approve of. But regardless of what was said, the mere act of writing made a difference to me and I hope it did to him. There’s something about getting a letter from someone that is a genuine compliment- it lets us know someone made time for us, which is perhaps the most valuable thing we can do for the people in our lives who matter to us.

So I’d like to say a sincere thank you to the guy who walked into the shop today after picking up his ballroom dancing shoes across the way, and asked where he could find some good letter-writing paper. I only know a handful of people who still write, but it’s not a lost art- we just don’t make time for it. Who can you make time for today?

*The {letterpress, handwritten, accompanied by a wooden business card and a wax seal} card featured in this post was sent by the owner of an incredible company in Texas called Manready Mercantile.

As I sit here taking a small break from the hustle and bustle, I am reflecting on this past year, and realizing how lucky I am. First and foremost, I’m so lucky to have such a cool, smart, sensitive little boy that I get to spend the holidays with. I’m also so incredibly fortunate that I get to come to work every day. I truly love this business, and I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished here. I’m blessed to know so many wonderful people in the community, many of whom I’ve developed friendships with. It warms my heart to see so many loyal customers time and time again, and to see my “regulars” walk through the door makes me smile every time. I hope I’ve been able to provide a service that’s valuable, and I want to take a minute to thank our customers- each and every one of you- for helping us continue to grow and stay in business during this challenging economic climate. I never fail to count my blessings and I thank my lucky stars that we’ve made it this far. We wouldn’t be here without all of you. To show my sincere appreciation for all of our die-hard Envelope fans, I’d like to offer any of our current customers (who read this blog) 50% off one in-stock item. It’s my gift to you for being so very good to us. Happy Holidays to all of you and let’s make it a fabulous 2010!

I had an enlightening experience today that reminded me of the caliber and integrity of our customers. A young man stopped in today explaining that he was in a major time crunch and hoped we could help. His wedding is next weekend, and the company that was supposed to print his programs dropped the ball. For some reason, they never ordered the paper or started on his order, and he only found out when he called to followup with them. What I thought was remarkable was that despite the ringer this company had put them through, he was still hesitant to “throw them under the bus” and instead chose to say that their methods were just “more laid back” and weren’t working with their timeline. I’ve worked with a lot of people under time crunches like this one, and let me tell you- they’re not all that nice, especially when there’s blame to throw around. Some have been downright scathing. So we talked about what we can do to help, came up with a plan, and he left feeling very relieved. And as if it wasn’t enough that he refused to talk badly about the business that let them down 9 days before their wedding, he shared something else with me that made me take a step back. I asked where they planned to honeymoon, and he said that they had decided to donate their honeymoon fund to their church because the church needed it more at this point. What an eye-opening experience it was for me that someone a week before their wedding (while scrambling with last minute details for what is presumably the biggest day of their lives) showed so much generosity toward others.  It’s encounters like this one that make me realize that there are truly good people out there, and I have to give kudos to this couple for starting their marriage off in the true spirit of giving to others. I have no doubt they’ll have many happy years together.