a glam shower for Alexa Prisco!

Just last month, we were contacted by the talented Kim Myl of Lulu's Inspirations Event Design! She was planning a Glam baby shower for Alexa Prisco (originally from Jerseylicious and now star of The Style Network's 'The Glam Fairy'). She had found our Blush Pink Baby Stork Scratch-offs, and thought that they'd be perfect for Alexa's shower she was planning on September 23rd.

We prepared this box of goodies below, with a few little extras that we thought that Alexa and her guests would enjoy.

The shower was featured in OK Magazine this month, and Alexa shared all about it in her own blog here. Kim did a phenomenal job creating a "Glam" baby shower. See some select photos below. I love the little pink milkshake shots with the cute straws and white powder donuts... mmm! And pink OPI nailpolish for favors? Sweet!

Scroll to the bottom for a complete list of vendors!

Thanks to Alexa and also to event planner Kim Myl for allowing us to be part of such a sweet, special day!

Photographer – Jarga Pix Photography ~ Facebook Page

Caterers – Elegant Affairs Caterers ~ Facebook Page

Florist – Karma Flowers ~ Facebook Page

Candy Buffet & Stationary – RSVP to me ~ Facebook Page

Cake Pops – I Love Cake Pops ~ Facebook Page

Cupcakes – A Cake Dream ~ Facebook Page

Mini Buns – Just Buns ~ Facebook Page

Draping & Uplighting – Vincent Paul Music & Entertainment ~ Facebook Page

Tables & Linens – Valley Tent Rental

Scratch-off Cards – Inklings Paperie ~ Facebook Page

what will it bee?

Earlier this month, I was contacted by a mom-to-be who had a special request! She and her husband are stationed in Qatar (next to Saudi Arabia), and she really wanted a fun way to share their news with their family members in Canada. She loved our Baby Bee Gender Announcements, but if we were to ship everything to her in Quatar, it would have taken months for them cross the ocean... twice! By then, baby would have ARRIVED! I offered to hand-write little notes on her behalf, and had her send me the exact wording for each card. I've shared some of the pictures below!

I sent her photos of the results so she could be part of the process. She told all of her family members to keep their eyes peeled for a special letter that would be arriving in the mail for each of them. How fun is that?

It did take a bit of time to do, but it was such an honor to be able to share in this family's special news. And really, getting a hand-written note with a scratch-off in the mail is SO much more fun than an ordinary phone call, wouldn't you agree?

inklings at the emmys! (part 2)

By now, Morgan Freeman should have our Vintags in his hands. Perhaps he's read each clever little line aloud in his renowned narrative voice. Hehe.

Perhaps Diane Sawyer has given a bottle of Dom Perignon to close a friend on her birthday with one of her Vintags on it.

Why? Because Morgan, Diane Sawyer and 800 other Emmy nominees and their guests took home these great Emmy Swag Bags at the 33rd Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards on October 1st. Inside each bag was a teensy tiny packet of goodies from Inklings Paperie!

You can read all about our crazy whirlwind of a week getting over 2,400 Vintags shipped to NYC here!

Below are some behind-the-scene shots from Off The Wall Promotions, the official provider of the Emmy Bags! It's incredible to see the work that goes into placing 30 brands into these coveted bags... all in the days and hours leading up to the event!

We were so pleased to be invited to participate, and it presented the perfect opportunity to launch our new Vintags (gift cards for wine)! We were even featured in a news article by Eric Lacy of MLive a few days after the event. You can read it here (Fact check: The Emmys were in NYC, not Hollywood... and we have been in business for 2 years, not ten). I'll admit, it was painful answering so many questions about myself (especially my age... haha!).

Hope you enjoy these shots... the bottom image shows what was in each package in greater detail.

inklings at the emmys! (part 1)

Last Monday was just another Monday morning until I received an e-mail from Val Wilson, Producer of the official Emmy Awards Gift Bags. It seems that their researchers suggested Inklings as one of the 30 brands featured in the bags (seriously!?) at the upcoming 33rd Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards in NYC... in one week. The task before us? Create 800 packages of products to ship to NYC in just THREE DAYS!

After deciding that we would participate, I got to work designing a custom package with a special insert especially for Emmy nominees and their guests! I took inventory of how much product we had in stock (2,401 Vintags for wine, to be exact... that gave us enough for three tags per pack, with just one to spare), and was so relieved and extremely grateful when some very dear friends offered to come over and throw down to get the packages assembled (thank-you Ami, Gretchen, Cheri, Jami, and Laurie!).

It's been a whirlwind week that's left us a little exhausted, but excited all the same about what this could mean for Inklings. My heart has been so encouraged by all of the support that my friends and family offered (including those who encouraged me to go for it when I was on the fence). One message from a close high-school friend made me smile:

"I know you've made your decision, but I just had a conversation with the 15-yr-old Lindsay who used to make hilarious fake business cards with me during French class, and when I told her that more than 15 years in the future she'd have this opportunity, she said it would be a dream come true. And it is. You were destined for this stuff! Go get 'em. Your 15-year-old self thanks you."

Please enjoy this sneak peek (below) at what all Emmy nominees and their guests will be receiving from Inklings! Each pack includes a different assortment of three Vintags from our collection of over 24 gift cards for wine! The insert reads, "At the Emmys, you don't want to be just another face in the crowd. (Your wine feels the same way)"

We hadn't yet made our Vintags available on our Etsy store, as we were waiting for the right time to launch them. I guess this is such a time! I'm pleased to say that on October 2nd, we will officially make Vintags available in our shop... just in time for all of you early shoppers to snag some great stocking stuffers and party gifts for the holidays! Slip a Vintag over the neck of a wine bottle and write your personal message on the back to transform any bottle of wine into a chic, personalized party gift that won't get lost in the shuffle! 

How great would it be to find a set of these in your stocking this Christmas? What about using them as party favors that guests will actually use? To sweeten the deal, we've designed a set of six Limited Edition Vintags for the upcoming 2012 Holiday Season... scroll to the very bottom for a preview of what's to come!

So now it's your turn to give us the scoop... what's YOUR favorite Vintag phrase?

 


P.S. Don't miss the "work in progress" shots of our fabulous crew of friends and family who threw down in the final hour to make the impossible possible! 

vintags give-away!

Hello, Team Inklings!

Our final day of voting for the Martha Stewart "American Made" Awards is finally here! If you're just stumbling upon this blog, Inklings Paperie is in the running for an award by Martha Stewart Living, along with 100 other finalists selected from a pool of about 2,000 American makers. The winner will be flown to NYC for a workshop with the Martha Stewart Living staff, will be featured in Martha Stewart Living, and will receive a 10k grant to grow their business. This would be a tremendous opportunity for our wee little business.

As a thank-you to those who have been voting, we've been giving away one complete set of Inklings Vintags every day over on our Facebook page for the last week, and one lucky winner remains.

Here's how to participate:

1. Click here to vote

2. Visit our Facebook Page

3. Post your vote number to be in the running!

4. Double your chances by sharing our vote link on your Facebook wall!

It's that easy.

Thanks to all of you who have spread the word and have encouraged me along the way!
Your kind words of support have meant so much, and we are so excited about what's next for Inklings. Whether we win or lose this thing, our hearts are grateful and we know that good things are in store!

opportunity

Over the past six days, I have seen old and new friends roll up their sleeves and show their support. I am completely humbled. This is not about a prize... it's about a dream. If you've just stumbled across this blog, I'm honored to have been nominated in the "American Made" awards by Martha Stewart. The winner will receive the opportunity to go to NYC for a workshop with Martha Stewart, will be featured in Martha Stewart Living, and will receive a 10k grant towards growing their business.

Here's the thing: I feel as though I've already won. No, not the grand prize. The opportunity to rub shoulders with such a phenomenal group of people. The friends and fans who have shown their support (many of whom I have yet to meet) has been overwhelming. One friend even created her own "mini sweepstakes", entering all those who voted and posted into a drawing for a Starbucks Giftcard. Seriously. Love her. All of your words of encouragement have meant so much to me. Trust me, it's nerve racking to put yourself (and your work) out there.

Interested in getting involved?

Vote daily now thru September 24th by clicking here.
Become a fan on Facebook to receive special offers and sneak peeks at future products by clicking here. 
Receive regular updates and follow the buzz by joining the Facebook event by clicking here.

I appreciate all of you so much... thanks for putting on your overalls with me.
In a figurative sense, of course. This girl is extremely grateful.

P.S.

United States of Inklings

You could say that we're currently in a state of shock. Yesterday morning, my heart was all-a-flutter when I learned that I had been selected as a finalist for the Martha Stewart American Made Awards!

In the words of the American Made Awards website, "Martha and the editors of Martha Stewart Living magazine are searching for the rising stars in a new generation of small-business owners. Ten American Makers will be selected. Their work will share the quality, beauty, inspiration, possibility, and creativity embodied by Martha. One American Maker will be selected by our audience for the Audience Choice Award. The winner will be honored at the American Made event in New York City, will appear in Martha Stewart Living magazine, and will receive $10,000 to further his or her business."

The voting period began yesterday, and runs through September 24th. Votes can be placed daily. Would you please consider voting for me here?

For those of you who are new to Inklings, you can read more about my story here. In short, we love to create little, beautiful paper goods that put a smile on people's faces. All of our products are made with love in the United States.

Some of our favorite products right now? Our Baby Bee Scratch-offs, which provide you with a honey-sweet way to announce your baby! And our Tangerine Bridal Scratch-offs, which are sure to be a hit for fall brides. And lastly, you'll swoon over our Blush Pink Stork Scratch-offs, which were recently ordered by a certain reality show star who will remain unnamed (for the time being).

But back to Martha. Who we hope to meet in NYC this October. This would also happen to be my husband and I's 10th anniversary, and we'd LOVE to spend it in NY, NY. Because my hubby Mark really is the other (more American) half of Inklings. Mark reviews all of the orders, packs every one with care, and takes daily trips to the Post Office with armfuls of manilla envelopes that are sent across the country, and even as far as Australia!

Just having being selected among the 2,000+ applicants is a huge honor, and we're humbled to be among such a talented and dedicated group of 100 finalists. Do check out their phenomenal work as well, and please take a moment to vote by clicking below. It takes just a second, but it would mean the world to us!

Love,

Etsy Store Makeover: E.Co Burlap

A very dear friend of mine recently opened an Etsy store, where she is selling burlap bags. A product with a world of potential for crafters, event planners, people who sew, landscapers... you name it. I was pleased to give her store a bit of a facelift. Everyone loves a good "before" and "after", so with her permission I'm sharing it with you.

The goal? To position her on Etsy as a premier seller of burlap supplies by giving her store a trendy, industrial look that would appeal to a diverse audience. In addition to a new store banner image, I designed a fun avatar / profile image that has an industrial feel, as well as a "custom listing" crest.

One idea was to tweak the name from "Eco Burlap Bags" to "E.Co Burlap" as a fun play on the word "Eco". We're still testing this to see how it flies. In the meantime, here is a look at the before and after.

BEFORE: 

AFTER:

Whether your shop is on Etsy or in Times Square, having a story to tell and a cohesive and compelling visual language for your brand is of equal importance. Consider your audience, and the desired personality you want your brand to convey. Then look at your store (or brand) and ask yourself if it aligns with that personality, or if there is a disconnect. What are all of the elements saying about your company, from the typography to the textures to the tone of your voice (written or spoken)? All of these elements (and more) create your brand.

Now go and buy some burlap!