I recently ran across Wilkintie, an Australian based letterpress company. they have some great designs and these are my favorite. Be sure to remember that the prices are in Australian dollars! Letterpress seems like such a beautiful and classy form of art, but I must say that I find it quite intimidating, yet one day I would love to give it a try..at least once!
I love all things inspirational and pretty so it was hard not to fall head over heels with the Live Inspired line of inspirational stationary, books, gift wrap, and cards! They carry some of the most unique items…such as the mom and dad interview journal, where it has questions already typed out for you to ask your mom and one to ask your dad…what a keepsake! I also love their “Where Will You Be 5 Years From Today” workbook, which includes productive life questions and quotes and a road-map! So, have fun browsing this inspiring and colorful site..you are sure to want to buy lots of goodies!
“Your home office is your hub, the place where you get your creative juices going, and it should be as stylish as every other room in your home.” -aphrochic.blogspot.com
The lovely Jeanine from AphroChic along with Delight.com & Write Robinson are hosting a contest all about your office style! Read the details below!
“I know there are some fantastic home offices out there, and from now until October 31st, AphroChic, Delight.com and Write Robinson, are asking you to show off your office style. “On November 1st, there will be a random drawing, and one lucky reader will win a set of Eco-jot Recycled File Folders from Delight.com, and One more lucky reader will win a custom set of couture stationery from Write Robinson.”
How to Enter:
1. Send a photo of your stylish home office.
2. Provide a brief statement on what inspired your office style.
3. Enter to win one of the fantastic prizes below by sending the photo and statement to aphrochicblog@yahoo.com, Re: Office Style Contest.
Designer Jennifer Ramos of Made by Girl brings such a fresh, fun, creative, and artistic value to the art of stationary. Her use of color, wit, typography, and illustration is fantastic and makes for a lovely way to jot down those special notes for that special someone and also some “expressive” words for those not so special anymore like this card! To top it all off, her company also donates a percentage of their sales to StopGlobalwarming.org, which she encourages other businesses to make donations as well to help the cause.
Jennifer is also popularly known by creative enthusiasts through her blog “Made By Girl”, where she dishes out not only her current projects but also some fabulous design inspiration. I love her style and I’m totally stoked to have her grace the pages of JuBella. Jennifer took some time to share some of her entrepreneurial spirit as well as all things creatively inspiring in her world. Enjoy and thanks Jen for such a lovely interview!
JuBella: What do you love most about being an entrepreneur and what are the top 3 most important things you would tell another designer/crafter about starting their own company?
Jennifer: I love the sense of creative freedom I have. The fact that I could just design whatever inspires me and release it into the world for others to see. The ability to choose what I want as my logo, what I want to wear to work, and what I want to say. Important things to tell an entrepreneur before starting their own business? Don’t spread yourself too thin by taking on too many things at once. Stop dreaming about what you want and act on it, its the only way to realize your dream. Don’t be discouraged because you think other people’s work is better than yours. There is a market for almost everything in life, so if you love your product so will others.
JuBella: You recently attended the National Stationary Show, what was it like preparing your collections to showcase to potential buyers…learn anything new?
Jennifer: It was a lot of work and I’m so grateful for the help I had at the show. It was such an exciting feeling to be exhibiting for the first time in my own booth. I remember when I was younger and used to do some modeling for clients at their booths. I knew one day that would be me talking to clients, showing them my work and selling my products. I learned and accepted that I am not going to be able to sell to everyone and that some people are just not going to like my work.
JuBella: Please share with us your favorites of the following:
Dessert: Tiramisu
Magazines: Domino
Books: “The Hottest State” by Ethan Hawke
Color Combinations: Pink and Orange
Rooms: See image below
JuBella: If you could meet 5 other bloggers that you have never met before, who would they be?
Jennifer: Super duper lady from Liberty Post Editor, Holly from Decor8, Belinda from Renovate & Decorate, Kathryn from Kathy’s Little World.
JuBella: Tell us more about your design process and work schedule…how do you keep it all together and organized?
Jennifer: I get up at whatever time I want…just kidding! Well, I get up early and start my day answering emails and doing some online marketing. Do some cleaning at home in between emails etc. I don’t create designs everyday, so its not really a part of my day. But when I do create, I sit and concentrate after surfing the web or having come from a book store and feeling inspired by other designers or situations in life. So many things have inspired my work and if you really knew, you would know what each design means to me.
Keeping it together isn’t easy, but I’m pretty good at handling more than one thing at a time. Thankfully these days I have help from my production manager, as well as my sister and a rep. I also get help from friends who give me suggestions about my product and advice on what to do next when I feel lost.
JuBella: So, what are some of your future goals with your stationary line and any other endeavors?
Jennifer: I hope to pick up as many stores as possible so that my product can be out there and available to those who haven’t come across it via my online shop. The line is just cards and prints right now and I’d love to perhaps create another line of prints perhaps using a silkscreen method. MadeByGirl will also be looking to do more fairs/shows locally.
JuBella: Something new you would like to learn?
Jennifer: Even though I probably wouldn’t have the patience for it, I’d like to learn how to make a card on a letterpress machine!
JuBella: What do you like to do when you are not making stationary?
Jennifer: I love to read, watch CNN, take my dogs for rides in my car, and travel.
These items from Boy Girl Party are so adorable. My favorites are the Squirrel/Bunny & Owl Recipe Cards and the To Do Lists! The illustrated Owl Notecards are fantastic too don’t you think!
Need some paper? Need some soap? Then head on over to Soap & Paper to get them both! Soap & Paper sells handcrafted soaps, body care products, candles, and beautifully crafted paper and stationary. You can choose from their Verbena, Orange Blossom, Rosewood, Green Tea, Fig, or Cinnamon Clove collections. My favorite item that they sell besides their soap would have to be their scented drawer papers and stationary, which comes in the scents of their given collections. Yum…paper!
Soap
