In case you’ve been wondering why things have been so quiet around here, just know we didn’t mean to neglect our pretty little blog. We’ve just been so incredibly busy here in the studio. This wedding season is starting off with a BANG! as we are seeing our highest order volume ever. I can’t believe how quickly this dream of mine has grown. What started as a hobby & some favor tags in an Etsy shop has expanded to a full-time (and completely fulfilling) endeavor.

 

This week marked a huge milestone for the Etsy shop. We made our 1000th sale!! Fittingly, it was for a set of our most popular table numbers, an exclusive item only available in our shop. It’s so surreal that our paperie has reached events in all 50 states, at over 1000 events. Thank you to all of our friends & fans who have made our success possible. We owe it all to you & look forward to many more years serving you.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

XoXo,

 

Mondays drag the most around here – my email inbox is overflowing, my husband heads back to work, piles of laundry are waiting to be put away, and my toddler sleeps no later than 8:00am. Hand over the caffeine, please.

 

Yet, today is an exception to the rule. It’s a holiday. Our favorite babysitter is off from school, and so she is hanging out with Little Man ALL day. You know what that means, right? This tired & overworked girl gets a full day to recharge. As soon as our sitter arrived, I packed up my computer & client portfolio, bundled up and headed to Panera. There’s something about a toasted bagel, glass of iced tea, and a change of scenery that jumpstarts my motivation and creativity.

 

I have loads of clients awaiting custom designs (more than I want to count, but am beyond blessed to have). However, I’ve been hitting some major creative road blocks lately. As soon as I sit down at my computer or sketch pad, I find myself often having a hard time focusing, let alone coming up with some fun and innovative designs for each client. Obviously. today is just what my head and heart needed.

 

I’m most looking forward to seeing what the day brings. I tend to do my best work when I’m out of the house.

 

 

Last summer was new territory for me. Navigating through my busiest wedding months with a baby on my hip doesn’t aid productivity, and I found myself staying up almost every evening working until midnight or 1:00am. Needless to say, I was exhausted all time & I wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around.

 

Add to that pile of work a first birthday party to plan and prep for. My son is a summer baby, born smack dab in the middle of July in 2012. And while I gave myself a little slack those weeks prior to his birth & purposely didn’t book weddings in the summer of 2012, I wasn’t so kind to myself in 2013. Who knows why I allowed myself to book so many weddings so close to my son’s first birthday, but you better believe I’m not letting it happen for his second.

 

There are a ton of things I would have done differently, and am kicking myself for some of the party details that weren’t executed as planned. I had envisioned this perfectly put together “Baseball” themed first birthday party. However, time got away from me & many ideas that I was so excited about just didn’t happen. On top of that, some guests arrived almost an hour early (I know, right?)…..which lead to me not being able to finish setting up, changing into a presentable outfit, or doing something with my hair (still wet from a shower). As soon as the party “officially” started, it started to rain cats and dogs (thank goodness we rented a tent). I was one.frustrated.mommy.

 

Thankfully, my son was none the wiser to the craziness that ensued before and during the party. He was having the time of his life (with the exception of the cake debacle – see below). That alone brought a big smile to my face, and every worry and stress of mine disappeared. Here are a few recaps of his big day…

 

 

The invitation – a laser-engraved wood card, complete with a custom “Rookie of the Year” baseball card, baker’s twine & miniature pennant flag.

 

 

The absolute most perfect cake – created by my insanely talented cousin, Jennie of Jennie’s Cakes!

 

 

The Birthday Boy playing in the balloons (with a cameo from my sister, Lori from Boldly Chic Events).

 

 

 

 

This photo isn’t the greatest quality, but it captured the moment in all of it’s essence. My husband felt that our son was taking too long to dig into his cake (or maybe my husband was just ready for his slice?), and so he literally shoves our son’s hands into the smash cake. This photo was taken just seconds after that moment – my son is screaming, I’m scolding my husband, and my husband thinks it’s all hilarious. Father of the Year nominee, for sure.

 

 

Once our son calmed down, we let him tackle the cake again.

 

 

This time, he did just fine on his own. No help needed from dad. =)

 

 

Time to open presents! He was most excited about the paper and boxes – typical one-year-old.