Timeless Paper » 2010» February

This weekend I handmade a cork board for my office studio space. I used the Ung Drill decorative frame from Ikea with paint left over from my kitchen.

• background paint color: Slate from Restoration Hardware

• pattern paint color: Graphite from Restoration Hardware

• cork roll from Staples

• foam board recycled from previous project

The photo below shows my future office chair fabric swatch tacked to my completed cork board. I’m patiently awaiting the chair’s arrival on April 1st. The upper right photo is my Gocco print by Megan Auman. Her Etsy shop was one of the first that I admired when I signed up for an Etsy shop. It reminds me of my early days. I think she was one of the first Etsy Featured Sellers when I signed up. (More about Etsy Featured Sellers later.) The lower right photo shows my Gocco print by Flower Press on Etsy.

Lower photo: the finished cork board project hanging in my home office.

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Kelly over at the Kelly’s Korner blog asked everyone to blog about their collections. I don’t really have any collections besides my new Juliska dishes, xacto knives, and stacks and rolls of decorative paper. One thing I do find myself collecting are photos of rings online that I love. I’m not sure which one I like best. Which one do you like?

1. Sugar Ring Oxidized Silver and Druzy Agate by Markhed on Etsy

2. Duchess stone cocktail ring by J.Crew

3. nickel silver oval by quench metalworks on Etsy

4. Shell and Pearl Sea Anemone Ring by Star of the East on Etsy

5. Sea Urchin Collection Ring by Star of the East on Etsy

6. Long oval turquoise and silver ring by littlebugjewelry on Etsy

7. Pounded Pebble, Beach Stone Sterling Silver Ring by Che4uDesigns on Etsy

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Handmade in Pennsylvania selected me to share my day at Timeless Paper on their blog’s A Day in the Life feature. I feel honored they wanted to see my life! My daily routine changes quite a bit these days but you can read that particular day’s events in the bottom section of this post. Yesterday was quite productive so I’ll share a little about that too. I mainly want to write it down so I can mark a few things off my to-do list. Maybe it will help a new shop owner out there get inspired to apply for a trade show. There is still so much to do.

Accomplished for Timeless Paper yesterday:

1. ordered 4 brown display towers for the National Stationery Show booth

2. my mom agreed to sew a table skirt for my booth so I purchased material, buttons, velcro, and thread then shipped them to Arkansas

3. found 2 brown large binders to use as product display books at the NSS

4. realized I could use my Lucerne sconces in my living room to display wine glasses for the NSS

5. created a digital version of my booth with to-scale furniture

6. purchased 13 boxes of wine glasses, water goblets, and margarita glasses to display my products at the NSS

7. found new retail packaging for my place card products

8. created to-do lists and to-bring to the show lists to help me stay on track for the NSS (still so much to do)

9. decided on a sign style with Michael for our booth

10. photographed the new hibiscus flower place card for a customer

11. responded to at least 25 customer emails

12. tidied up the house for the new cleaning service interview

13. walked my dog Finnigan around the neighborhood and dropped off 11 packages to the post office

14. decided I want to go to the beach right now for a vacation

15. received word that I’ll be in a photo shoot with the University of Baltimore’s magazine at the end of the week in my home studio (I earned my M.A. in publication design from UB.)

Here is the Handmade in PA feature from a few days ago:

This week I am excited to bring you Emily of Timeless Paper. Based out of Philadelphia, Emily makes the sweetest paper products. Wedding season is approaching, which makes this a perfect time to get in touch with Emily. Enjoy a day in her busy life!

7:00 am: My sweet husband wakes me up with a final kiss goodbye before he heads to work.

7:30 am: I quickly find my iphone to check orders and messages that came in overnight from my Timeless Paper shop and Etsy shop. I select my outfit for the day (usually a black or gray cardigan over a solid white or black tshirt with comfortable jeans). Finnigan, my golden retriever, greets me for a good morning scratch behind the ears and pat on the head.

8:00 am: At this point, I’m ready to start work. I head to my home studio located in two second floor spare bedrooms, open the window shutters over my desk so I can admire the snow-covered neighborhood and watch for package deliveries while I work. I attempt to post to my Timeless Paper blog while catching up on my favorite blogs and twitter posts. I check my Etsy shop to list and re-list a few products that have been requested overnight. After years of working as a graphic designer for marketing and advertising companies, I recently made the leap to open my own paper design shop online – creating unique cutout paper designs for weddings and parties. It’s a particularly busy time for me right now with the big Spring wedding season just around the corner – I am very blessed.

9:15 am: With most of my emails answered, I hop on the elliptical in my home gym and lift a few weights. Finnigan takes advantage of easy access to attention while I’m on the floor doing crunches. Between reps I toss a small squeaky ball across the room for him a few times. After the workout I take a quick shower.

10:15 am: Finnigan and I walk around the neighborhood to the local post office to drop off my packaged orders that my husband and I completed the night before. Then, it’s back to the studio to answer the more detailed and complicated emails. Some of the popular requests are creating custom proofs for my customers such as monograms to be printed on place cards or wedding programs with cutout butterflies.

11:30 am: I take photos of custom products to send to customers for approval. After the photography session I head back to my desk to edit and email the photos.

12:15 pm: I grab a bite to eat (usually a 100 calorie pack and a large glass of water) and sit in the living room to watch part of a recorded Lost episode while I browse my favorite magazines. My laptop is always within reach to do research or catch up on a few more blogs.

1:00 pm: I head back to the studio to work on new designs for my shop, research trade show booth ideas (last week Timeless Paper was accepted to participate in the National Stationery Show in May), design my new wholesale catalog, and answer customer emails.

3:30 pm: I set up a new centerpiece on my dinning room table to be used in my next product photo shoot of new place cards. I combine textural objects found around my house like this white pebble table runner, carved wooden bowl (a Christmas present from my sister Abby), cream ceramic flower candle holders, and pine cones.

4:00 pm: My husband Michael comes home from work. He immediately helps me create orders that need to be mailed in the next few days, and answer difficult questions in customer emails. He always gives good advice.

5:30 pm: We stop working to make dinner together. Tonight we’re making grilled chicken with vibrant red, yellow and orange peppers and baked potatoes. Over dinner we discuss business plans, custom orders, and weekend plans (this weekend we’ll be in Florida for a wedding).

6:30 pm: We both go back to the studio. Michael works with me to create and package orders as fast as we can. I go back to working on new designs for the shop (keep your eyes out for a bumble bee place card and beehive table numbers).

9:00 pm: Convincing Michael we need a break, we watch one of our favorite recorded tv shows while researching new ideas on our laptops. He uses this time for some web programming to update the website and online shop. I list and re-list items in my Etsy shop to stay current in the search results.

10:00 pm: Feeling tired, we both head to bed.

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Timeless Paper has been accepted to the National Stationery Show! We’ll be located in booth no. 3146 in the Javits Center in New York City. The show is open May 16 - 19, 2010. Please email or call me if you would like a preview of our available products for your shop. We can send your shop a sample, line sheet, and catalog. I look forward to meeting many new people! Please stop by for a visit.

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I’m hosting a bachelorette party for my sister Abby in July with an Alice in Wonderland theme. Last week I created tissue paper orbs and poufs to dangle from the doorways and ceiling. I’d like to share a few of my inspiration photos and sources with you. The tissue paper pom poms are very simple to create yourself.

DIY How to make tissue paper poufs and orbs:

Step 1: Stack about 11 sheets of tissue paper together.

Step 2: Fold the tissue paper back and forth to create an acordian style fold.

Step 3: Trim ends of the long folded tissue paper to create half circles or points.

Step 4: Pinch the folded tissue paper in the center and twist with a small wire.

Step 5: Spread each layer of the tissue paper to create a pom pom. Repeat on both sides of the wire.

Step 6: Hang with a long pretty ribbon.

Sources

Tissue Paper Daisy Flowers and Sunbursts by Luna Bazaar

Tissue Paper Garland by Bulk Party Supplies

Bulk Tissue Paper by Uline

Party Photographs by Martha Stewart

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Pleats, tucks, and puckers are catching my eye in fashion lately. Here are a few of my favorite finds to get you in the mood for the transition to Spring. I always love to add a textural piece to my wardrobe. (Just don’t over do it.)