there's a new {wedding} blog in town!

The White Box of Wedding Design has just launched a new blog for Milwaukee brides!  

Monica Gill had a fabulous idea to create a site for the "Brew City Bride" that's designed to share new ideas and expert advice.  If you're seeking either, I suggest you head on over to The Milwaukee Wedding Blog stat!

cute, cute, cute

{via jars of cute}

I love this new-to-me blog ... jars of cute ... have you seen it?

There's something magical about nesting Russian dolls that draws me in every time. So when I saw these posted, I had to share the cuteness!

fabulous

Erika at delphine has awarded me with a 'fabulous' award!  Who me?  Why I'm honored!  Truly ...

Erika constantly inspires better design ... through her blog, her stationery, and all her fabulous finds.  So it truly is an honor to have this award come from her.

Okay, then ... the rules state I should share five addictions of mine, and choose five people to pass the award to.

Hmmm ... so just five huh?

1. iPhone - hands down.  And do I even need to explain why?

2. twittering - seems to have gotten the best of me.

3. chapstick - I can't leave home without it.

4. photography - I can spend hours taking photos, looking at photos, editing photos ...

5. slippers & fireplaces - {shhh, that's six} I really can't have one without the other.

Now for the award ... this is really hard, because I subscribe to no less than 100 blogs.  Google Reader is my nemesis.  When I haven't gotten to Reader and it's overflowing with neglected posts, which blogs do I always make sure I read?  And the award goes to ...

1. Simply Seleta - a new-to-me blog, I've been in love since I found it.

2. LobotoME - we carry Jenny's products in the store and well ... she's just really cool.

3. simplesong - Suann designs beautiful products that she features, as well as some of her other favorite finds.

4. The Speckled Egg - I love Jane's mix of posts.  She features fashion, stationery, design ... it's a fun read.

5. Me Ra Koh - what can I even say about this blog?  Inspiration, photography ... it feeds my soul.

Tag ... you're it!

removable frames

{via cool mom picks}

Genius!  You better believe these are going to be all over my house ...

frock out {a paper dress}

This woman is wearing a paper dress!  Apparently, it was all the craze in the mid-60's.  Seems Scott Paper Co. started the trend ... by sending in one dollar, women would receive a Scott's 'Paper Caper' along with 52 cents worth of coupons for Scott products.  Quite a deal I'd say!

According to Consumer Reports March issue of ShopSmart these little numbers had some flaws.  During testing, the dress could quickly become quite revealing or even catch on fire if one wasn't careful.  Not to mention the effect of a rain shower ...

Around the same time as the Paper Caper, Hallmark started selling 'hostess dresses' of paper, which would match her party napkins and tablecloths.

Fashion forward?  Hmmm ...

hand lettered fonts

{via paper crave}

I am loving hand lettered fonts these days!  So when I saw these, I immediately got one for myself {and a friend, but shhhh} ...

And speaking of hand lettered fonts, I've been using these in almost everything I create.

change is in the air ...

With all the change abound ... I've decided to make some changes with my inventory selections {by decreasing a lot of it}.  The good news is that I'm really focusing on what's made bwp the specialty store it's become known for.

I'm letting go of bigger, widely-known vendors and bringing in smaller, specialty designers.  I'm on an Esty hunt for the best!

In the process of making these changes, I realized I had way too many fixtures.  Too many fixtures = too much inventory.  So I've taken out some fixtures, brought in a couple of browsing tables {thank you IKEA}, and really opened up the floor space.

I love the results ... sort of gives me a sense of calm when I walk into the store.  And who couldn't use a little calmness to start off a new year?

d'oh!

You know how someone says something to you ... and the perfect comeback is sitting on the tip of your tongue, only it doesn't make it to your brain until 3ish hours later?

This isn't quite like that ... but I had the perfect one-liner to end my last post and I completely forgot it!!!  That is, until I got Suann's sweet comment this afternoon.

One word ... d'oh!

Okay, I'm not sure how you want to do this ... read my last post first and then read the following sentence?  I'll wait ...

I love my card, but next year, I'm thinking I'll be doing something like this!  {was that too much suspense for my 'witty' one-liner?}

It's brilliant!  A beautiful family photo, a letterpress printed letter from their son, coordinating stamp {always a must!} and envelope, tied together with baker's twine.  The work, the love, the care that went into it.  I love it!

Suann, next year you must send me one too!  :)

{iphone} baby monitor

This is an awesome invention ... and just one more reason to love my iPhone!

parting is such sweet sorrow ...

What else does one title the biggest blog post of her life?  I've got big news, bittersweet news ... and I'll just come out and say it ...

I've decided sell Broadway Paper.

There.  I've said it.  Whew?  I'm not sure.

I've struggled with this for so long, but the truth is ... the time has come.  It's bittersweet ... the store is my baby.  I've taken it from a 1,200 square foot outlet with $400,000 in annual sales, to a 3,200 square foot boutique with over a million dollars in sales.  I'm not a boastful or proud woman, but I do feel quite honored by that accomplishment.

We get national press.  Our little paper store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is listed in national magazines ... I guess that causes me to 'puff my feathers' a bit!  :)

We have web clients from all over the United States ... amazing to me!  Some are celebrities even.

That's hard to let go of ... but unfortunately, I must.  I have four children at home.  My oldest is in 8th grade, and very recently having a really hard time with bullying at school.  Middle school ... yuck!

As much as I would've liked to be home with them when they were babies, I'm realizing that it's almost more important to be home with them as they're older.  When they walk in after a bad day at school, I don't want to be so distracted that I 'miss' what their faces are saying, even if their words don't.

I used to be a woman who wanted to do it all.  But I just can't anymore.  I'm not superwoman, and I don't want to try to be anymore.  Sweet Jenny {of LobotoME}, has ever so kindly thanked me for not being a superhuman!  :)

{The baby just woke up crying, and yeah okay, so she's not exactly a baby ... but still.  So she was just screaming for me, and as I'm holding her, smelling her sweet baby smell (yeah, she still has that smell), thinking of this post that I'm in the middle of ... I know I'm doing the right thing.}

It has taken a lot of thought, consideration and tears to come to this conclusion.  But I knew that, one day, if this was the conclusion I came to ... it would be the right one.  No regrets.  And that's where I stand now.

The thing is, I'm blessed enough to be able to stay home.  I feel God has been leading me in this direction and I need to take advantage of it.

I'm in the process of listing with a broker.  I've also had some discussion with Paper Source.  I'll keep y'all updated as I begin this journey ... and hey, if you know someone that is looking for a paper store of their very own ... give me a holler!

I'll continue to post, as I'm still completely inspired and drawn to beautiful designs.  You may have noticed though, that posting is light.  I'm really trying to keep my focus on my family right now.  Not to mention I'm feeling the stress of Christmas {really? 10 days away??}.

I thank you all ... deeply thank you, for your continued support and love of all things paper ...

a little bookbag for me

A little gift from Anthropologie ... isn't it lovely?

This ...

Turns into this ...
And here's how ...
{i'm super excited to say these photos were taken in my new office!!} I hope to have photos of our completed construction project soon.

Personal note: After a great vaca with my girl friends {to Exuma in the Bahamas}, I left the next day for Mexico with my family and some friends for a 40th birthday celebration. My husband had planned the hugest surprise party of a lifetime down there. I'm still reeling from it. Thus, the slow posting ... thanks for hanging in there with me! :)

taking a break ...

I'm headed here today, so no weekend greeting.  But I'll be sure to have a daiquiri for y'all!

thank you real simple!

Our web orders have been nuts lately {yay!} and Emily's been kickin' it big time getting them out the door! Today's orders were super crazy, so I lent a hand ...

A huge thank you to Real Simple for helping to boost sales, Lord knows we needed it! Unfortunately, the stationery biz isn't immune to this economic crunch.

get'chur gap on ...

I could watch this again and again ...

ouch!

I am nursing a major case of carpal tunnel and really need to step away from the computer for a bit.  I'm afraid that means posting will be light over the next few weeks.

Not necessarily a bad thing, as I'm up to my ears in construction details {we're in the midst of moving in!}.  And I've also got a couple of vacations planned {one is for the big four-O I'm quickly approaching} ... oh! and a photography workshop this weekend in Chicago with Me Ra & Brian Koh {can. not. wait!!!}.

I love posting daily and finding things that inspire me, so I'm sad to slow down.  And chances are, you'll hear from me more often than I should be posting.  I always chuckle when someone says they'll be taking a break and then start posting the next day.  That'll probably be me!

Til later ...

unlucky

I may be taking a bad-karma risk here, but I'd really like to talk about this. This is the box of items we received back from a magazine that wanted to feature some of the products we carry.

We sent them a slew of things, and then when they decided to push our feature back a month, they called for even more items, which we gladly sent.

I realize I'm a paper freak, and dare I go so far as to call myself a paper snob?  But really? Tire tracks on the Jack & Lulu {yellow} box? And I'm positive we sent the Snow & Graham memo cube in one piece.

That's probably all I should say about that.

awesome ad

December's issue of domino was fabulous as always. I particularly enjoyed the article and photos of Jenna Lyons {creative director for j.crew} home. The colors are inspiring, closet worth coveting {excuse me ... it's a whole room!} ... and well, she just couldn't be any cuter.

So there's all this inspiration and color and great ideas going on throughout the mag, but what did I enjoy most? This awesome ad from Motrin ...

more personalized fun!

Did you know you can personalize stamps too?  The site also offers a free download to Mac users, which allows you to customize border colors and give a bit more control to the final design.

Along with creating stamps for my personal correspondence, I've given them as gifts and always use them to personalize my children's invites and thank you notes.

personalized kleenex

Did you know you can personalize a box of Kleenex?  I am so giddy right now!  I love, love, love all things personalized ... love!

The first time I made personalized tissue boxes was last year ... made lots for gifts and lots for myself.

So when I recently received our new family photos, the first two things I did was order my new personalized purse {which I'll post about when I receive it}, and new Kleenex boxes.

Shouldn't everyone have personalized Kleenex?

Thank you Christine for taking a Kleenex-box-worthy photo!  :)

trick or treat

My kids love Halloween.  They love spiders, snakes, insects ... so a few ghosts, skeletons and evil looking birds are nothing!

I thought it'd be fun to show you how our house is decorated for the holiday.  Thanks to Pottery Barn Kids for offering up some great decorations!