Take 5

I'm taking a break from my usual blogging subjects to show you these adorable little fur balls.

My parents have 9 cats. But before you write them off as crazy cat people, let me explain: 5 of the 9 cats are actually kittens which will be given away. Of the 4 remaining adult cats, my mom and dad only really chose to have one of them. Two just showed up at their house and never left, and one had belonged to a teenage cousin who lost interest. In any case, they now all live happily in my parents' yard and garage. Oh -- and they all have hobbit names: Frodo, Pippin, Merri, and Sam. What can I say? My family definitely has a nerdy side.

p.s. If you live in Utah and would like a kitten, I can hook you up.

Props

Sometimes, in the months leading up to the National Stationery Show, I felt a little sorry for myself. "It's so hard doing this by myself!", I would whine. What a baby. What an ungrateful little twerp! Because really -- I had a LOT of help. I am, at the moment, the only one who gets to do this full time, but Sycamore Street Press is definitely a group effort. So, at the risk of sounding like I'm giving an acceptance speech at an awards ceremony, I want to thank everyone who has helped along the way.

First of all, there's Kirk. He answers emails and convos in Etsy, makes up the wholesale invoices, helps with shipping and packaging, and is an equal partner in all craft fairs and at the NSS. He does all this even though he is also a full time grad student in Slavic Linguistics who happened to take his MA exams the week before the NSS and defend his thesis the week after! Oh - and he also has a job as a language instructor. Don't ask me how he gets it all done. The good news is that he graduates in a couple of weeks and will be joining Sycamore Street Press full time after that.

Then there's Amy and Kristin. They write/design everything in Sycamore's lark line. Kristin also designed our logo, and is the main designer for most custom design work Sycamore is called on to do. These two ladies also have full time jobs AND launched their brand new company -- Junky Heirloom -- at the NSS this year. It was great bouncing ideas off of them in the planning stages for the show, and then hanging out with them when we finally got to the show.

Stephanie designs everything in Sycamore's pop line. She also does some custom design work for us, and does the title layout each month for the Sycamore Club editions. She's constantly full of great design and business ideas. Steph does freelance design work and has her hands full with a very active two year old boy.

Natasha designed and built the website. She also designed the catalog, line sheet, and other press kit materials, as well as labels, the Sycamore Club membership certificate, and more. She happened to get a competitive internship just a few weeks before the NSS, but still made the extra effort to help us get all the materials that we needed designed in time for the show.

Kari has been coming over every Tuesday and Friday morning since January to package and ship all of our online orders. In addition, she's put in a lot of volunteer hours (for real!) in the evenings leading up to the show, and often gives me valuable feedback when I have a new idea or design I'm unsure about.

Then there are the talented artists who contribute artwork every month for the Sycamore Club editions. And Zu - who gives me great photos of her adorable dogs to use as inspiration for my drawings. And my dad - a fellow small business owner - who is always willing to give advice when I ask, but knows not to say too much when I don't. And my mom - who helps me brainstorm booth decor, and patiently lets me vent - among other things...This list could go on and on.

Thank you everyone who has helped me get Sycamore Street Press off the ground. I can't say it enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And thanks again to our hosts, and to all the buyers, shop owners, press people, and fellow exhibitors at the NSS who made it such a great experience for me and Kirk!

A visit to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

Our friend Francesco lives just a couple of blocks from the Botanical Gardens in Brooklyn. We went last year in mid-March and it was nice, but this time in mid-May -- it was spectacular!

Around NYC

We had a little bit of time before and after the show to see the city.

The American Folk Art Museum, Park Slope, the West Village, Soho, and Midtown all made the cut. We spotted Angela from Who's the Boss, ate Korean BBQ, happened upon a street fair, hung out in the Housing Works Bookstore, and visited a few of the shops that carry our Sycamore paper goods. We really packed it in!

We also got to spend a little time hanging out with our gracious hosts. Many, many thanks to Francesco, Evelyn, Candice, Mark, Grant, Cole, Kristin, Mike, and Pierson! Please let us return the favor sometime.

The NSS Report Part 1: the Booth

Ta- Da!
This is what our booth looked like at the National Stationery Show. We were pretty happy with it -- especially since this was our first time exhibiting. My inspiration for the gray walls came from Kristin and Mike Taylor's apartment*. I really like how it made the artwork stand out.

For those who are considering showing at the NSS next year, here's some more info about the booth:

+ Size: 8x10 feet. There are different sizes you can choose, but we thought this one worked well for a small company like ours. 6x10 would have seemed a little too small for us with all our posters.
+ Walls: We opted to spring for the custom color foam core walls from Manny Stone. You can find them on the NSS website. They were very helpful, and it was great to show up and have the walls already in place. Especially since we were traveling to the show and didn't have room to bring our own walls. Most of the booths around us hung fabric instead of having walls, so we felt like the walls helped us stand out. However - these things cost an arm and a leg -- almost as much as the booth fee itself, so we have to wonder if it's worth the cost. Hmmm.....
+ Signage: We had some vinyl adhesive signs made at a local sign shop in Columbus: Redi-quik Signs. We had our logo banner across the back walls and then the booth number on each of the top corners of the wall that were closest to the aisle. The upside is that I think they really looked clean and nice on the walls and that they were inexpensive. The downside is that the big ones can be tricky to apply and they aren't re-useable. The most stressful moment of the show was when Kirk and I screwed up while trying to put up the sign and were afraid that we wouldn't be able to remove horribly bubbled, mess of a sign without ruining the walls. Luckily, we were able to get the messed up one down with only very faint damage to the wall and we had an extra sign to put up. Next year, I would consider getting smaller little decals to label different sections of products on the walls.
+ Flooring: If your booth decor has a really industrial feel to it, you could go with the bare, beat up, black cement floors of the Javits Center. We bought some carpet tiles at Flor (and took advantage of a free shipping promo). They were easy to install (no need for the adhesive dots even) and we can use them again and again. Plus, they held up great and still looked like new at the end of the 4 day show. (We made sure to get tiles that are made for heavy traffic.) A lot of vendors used these. I did see some vendors using those interlocking foam tiles, which were so comfy and nice to stand on. The ones that were printed to look like bamboo flooring were pretty convincing unless you stared at them up close.
+ Lighting: Whatever you do, don't think that the regular lighting from the Javits will be enough. There was a really nice booth on our aisle that didn't have any extra lighting. Even though it was decorated thoughtfully and the products were cute, the booth was so dim that it was difficult for the products to stand out. We decided to go with a parcan light from the Javits. It's a strong light -- the kind they use on Broadway. The problem was that it spotlighted the back wall, but didn't get the side walls very well. I saw some other vendors who were able to attach some arm lamps to the metal frame behind the foam core walls and were able to get much more controlled, even lighting all around their booth this way. Next year, this is what we want to do.
+ Furniture / Display: Like many other vendors, we relied on Ikea for the furniture in our booth. The cubby shelf and stools are from our office at home. Sitting with our knees crushed against the dashboard, were able to barely squeeze the shelf into the back of our little hatchback, along with our bags, products, etc...It didn't make for a very comfortable drive to New York, but at least we didn't have to pay to ship the furniture.
I liked the way the shelf and stools looked, but next year we decided that we'd like to try a taller counter or table with bar stools or chairs. That way, you can sit down and rest your feet but still be on eye level with people who come into your booth. We got this idea from other vendors around us, and let me tell you, it's a winner. Our feet/legs/hips/lower backs were killing us at the end of each day of the show. Even though we had stools in our booth, we didn't feel like we could sit on them because they were so low and made it awkward to converse with people walking into the booth.
I loved having all our catalogs, press kits, order forms,etc... hidden in plain sight in the good looking storage containers on our shelf unit. The orange ones are from the Container Store, the blue file holder is from Paper Source, the white boxes are just the cardboard ones that envelopes come in, and I picked up the yellow magazine holders at a thrift store. I also used some vintage milk glass type candy dishes to display some cards on top of the shelf, and a jewlery tree from Ikea to display the gift tags.
I used some yellow masking tape to stick a couple of posters to the back wall, and adhesive Velcro to stick all the products to the side walls. This stuff worked great...and if something was a little off, you could just pull it off and reposition it.
Phew. I think that's enough for one day. I'll be posting more about the NSS soon.

*(This photo was taken by a photographer friend of Kristin and Mike's of their little family in their apartment. Click here to read my interview with Kristin about her art.)

Giveaway Winner!

I used Random.org, and as luck would have it, our longtime friend/former roommate/ former bandmate Amanda is the winner!
(She said: probably wouldn't be fair to pick me, since i am friends with both of you. but....)

Well, this goes to show that if you enter enough of my giveaways, you'll eventually win! (And I couldn't think of a better home for this print than yours, Amanda. Email me with the address of where you'd like it sent.)

Stay tuned for photos and more from our week in NYC at the NSS....

the sycamore q+a {no. 31}: Tomoko Maruyama

I am sorry for the sporadic posting on my blog in the past week or so. I guess I don't even have to explain that the NSS didn't leave me much time to be working on the computer. (And we were staying with friends, so we wanted to be able to spend what little time we could in the evenings with them.) But don't worry, I'll be back to my regular schedule and will be sharing the highs and lows of the show!

Now for my little interview with Tomoko. I found her catalog on the NSS website about a month ago, and felt instantly drawn to the cheerful faces and simple illustrations in her work. When I did a little more research, I saw that she was going to be our neighbor at the show! After standing about 10 feet away from her for 4 days straight, I can now tell you that she is as upbeat and friendly as this interview and her designs would suggest. She also told me that she designed and prepared everything for the show in 3 months...incredible!

1.) How did you get into paper?

The reason I began making greeting cards is because receiving a card is warmer and more personal than an email, which is currently the easiest and most common way to communicate something. A card feels substantial and the person can perceive the sweetness from the sender's writing. People don't usually send greeting cards that much in Japan. They might send them for a birthday or wedding, something very special, but not as many or as often as people in the United States. I feel happier to get a card and enjoy looking at its illustration. I would like people to feel that same happiness from my cards.

2.) What’s inspiring you these days?

Meeting and talking with new people such as customers, other field designers, and staff from the stores that carry my product, are the inspiration for my designs. I used to spend all of my days at home doing design by myself. I thought it was OK as I could always contact people via email if I wanted. I was still happy since I liked what I was doing. But since my art show’s reception, I’ve had a chance to meet and talk to new people in person. I realized that meeting with people, face to face, had a much different impact on me. I was very happy to hear from people about my design’s good reputation in person. It gave me lots of energy and inspiration for new designs.

3.) Tell us about something you’ve made or done lately.

I have created greeting cards, a calendar, and illustrations of San Francisco where I live. There are many tourists from all over the world who come to San Francisco. My designs of San Francisco have gained a positive reputation among the tourists who want to have sweet memories of their visit.

4.) Is there anything else we should know about you?

I was a sports teacher for children and seniors, as well as a lifeguard in Tokyo. After a few years as a sports teacher I realized that my real interest was in graphic design. It may seem like a big leap to change my career direction but it was actually very simple as I was following my true dream. It was not easy to come to the point where I am as a designer. When I came to the US 3 years ago to study design, I could not speak English at all. I had no idea what teachers said in their lectures. Beside, I could not make any friends. It was very difficult and I felt lonely and homesick. But I never gave up because I had my strong passion to be a designer who is active worldwide. I did not want to go back to where I was not happy in a job with no passion. I would like to tell everyone, if you have a dream, please don’t give up on it. If you continue showing what you are doing in public, asking questions of people who already have become successes in their field, speaking about your passion, and having appreciation for other people’s help, your dream will come true.

People say my life looks very happy from my illustrations. Yes, now I am very happy.

Thanks Tomoko!
I am especially loving her illustration of the smiling eggs and knife and fork. If you'd like to see more of her work, please follow the below links:

www.tomokomaruyama.com
tomokomaruyama.blogspot.com
tomokomaruyama.etsy.com

the sycamore q+a {no.30}: Kristin Mills and Amy Shaffer of Junky Heirloom

Today is day 3 of the National Stationery Show, and also the 5th Paper People Q&A for my Month of Paper. (Confession - I am actually putting this post together on Saturday night. The NSS hasn't even started yet. When this entry actually posts, I'll probably be frantically speedwalking the 5 blocks or whatever it is from the closest subway station to the Javits Center.)

In any case, I have been looking forward to posting this interview for a long time...ever since I got wind that these ladies were starting a paper comapany of their own. Kristin and Amy know how to make some funny / clever / gorgeous stuff. They are the writing/design team behind the Lark line for Sycamore Street Press, and I have loved working with them on it. Their new company - Junky Heirloom - is sure to take off at the NSS this week (booth #1344). Maybe by the time this post goes up, they'll have been picked up by Bloomingdales or something. I wouldn't be surprised. They deserve it!

1.) How did you get into paper?

That’s a question we’re still trying to figure out the answer to. In reality, it’s probably a mixture of late night Diet Coke, an intense need to find creative validation and a lack of impulse control in any kind of paper store. The more idealized picture, though, is that we have always looked for ways to bring the organic, living force of vintage materials together with the clean, sophisticated lines of modern design—and stationery is a great place to do that. Our limited attention span runs the gamut between high design, trashy TV, eclectic sentimentalism and satirical comedy—and a lot of our work reflects this range of interests. We’ve been best friends since college, so I guess you can say this has been brewing for a while.

2.) What’s inspiring you these days?
John Hodgeman, beat samples, magnolia blossoms, my Nikon D80, vintage beauty, progressive color, woodcut illustration, chocolate-dipped gummy bears, India, friends finding success, girls’ lunch, fresh herbs, Dwell

3.) Tell us about something you’ve made or done lately.

Well, Junky Heirloom as a whole has come about within the last six months, so I guess that’s something we’ve made lately. We’ve also had so much fun creating Lark for Sycamore Street Press (word on the street is that those Sycamore Street Press people are pretty cool). We also made some toast just now.

4.) Is there anything else we should know about you?

We have weird twinner lives, i.e. we live next door to each other, we work at the same job, we finish each other’s sentences, we know each other’s email passwords. If we ever start mixing up our husbands, we’ll call it quits.
..............................................................................................................................................................
Thanks Amy and Kristin!
If you are reading this and you will be at the NSS today or tomorrow, be sure and stop by their booth - #1344. Other wise, see more of their beautiful goods at the links below:

junkyheirloompaper.com
mostlyhappenchance.blogspot.com
lark for sycamore street press

Giveaway / Ikumi Watanabe Limited Edition Print

"I should say this drawing reflects my current emotional challenge as I struggle to recapture my self image being back home. Taking a close look at each character individually -- they don't seem to belong to each other, yet I wanted to bring a sort of togetherness and friendliness among them. Also, I was re-reading The Little Prince and found the sunset episode very striking. Even heartless looking creatures have such dramas." - Ikumi Watanabe

Even though we're smack dab in the middle of the NSS flurry, I've been looking forward to introducing our newest print from the Sycamore Club*. This month's artist is the talented Ikumi Watanabe. I love her sweet little drawings. She studied visual arts in Utah, and now enjoys taking pictures, drawing, writing songs, and promoting artists in her home country of Japan (when she's not too busy with her day job as a translator).

And I would also like to point out that the adorable little soft turtle in the photo was made by my favourite dress. Visit her little Etsy shop to see what she has to offer or to make a custom request.

Now -- on to the giveaway! Just leave a comment below, and I'll pick a winner at random this Friday, May 22nd.

* The Sycamore Club is our letterpress-print-of-the-month club. Each print is in a one time only limited edition of 100, and I hand print them on my letterpress with soy inks on 100% cotton paper. You can purchase an individual print in our shop, where you can also purchase a membership to the Sycamore Club and get a pretty new print in your mailbox every month. (Domestic shipping is free with memberships.)

the sycamore q+a {no.29}: Joan Schnee of Green Paper Company and On Paper

Today I bring you a Q&A with another favorite participant in the National Stationery Show -- Joan Schnee. When I first moved to Columbus, I worked at her paper boutique (On Paper) , which is filled with a beautifully curated collection of paper goods. It was difficult not to spend my entire paycheck on items from the shop! Joan was also very supportive of me starting Sycamore Street Press. She was the first boutique owner to buy my cards, and when I did my first craft fair, she sat down with me and gave me scads of really helpful tips. While I was working at On Paper, Joan started her second business - Green Paper Company (booth 3226-3228), which makes post consumer recycled stationery and other paper goods. I find her dedication to making the paper industry more eco-friendly and stylish incredibly inspiring.

1. How did you get into paper?

I have been into paper for as long as I can remember. My parents told me that I would take sheets and sheets of paper out of their desk drawers each morning, bring them in to my room and create projects- things that appeared to be books and the like. I also LOVED to play school- primarily for the love handouts- printed with that oh so fabulous dido machine-I just adored the purple ink on paper! As I got older, I always kept a journal, made collages and began hoarding paper, ephemera and handmade paper of all kinds.

Eventually I learned to make paper- but it wasn’t until much later- I was almost thirty. A long time in coming and I fell in love with the process. I studied at Rugg Road in Boston and Dieu Donee in New York. I made collages using painted pulp and mixed media and while the art itself was not great- the process was. It was an amazing experience, and now, being so busy- one I really miss. (see above photo)

I knew that one day I would have a retail venue that would feature paper. I lived in NY for many years and was hugely inspired by Kate’s Paperie. When I moved to Columbus I thought it would be a wonderful place to open a shop. It would be awhile- but eventually, (7 years to be exact!) I abandoned corporate life and opened my dream store- “On Paper”. (see top photo)

2. What’s inspiring you these days?

On Paper has been quite a success and is now in it’s twelfth year. It’s so rewarding to know that a simple shop can bring joy to peoples lives and really touch them. Not a day goes by where someone doesn’t stroll in and gasp- “This is so beautiful!” and the tactile experience of being surrounded by all of the textures and papers is quite extraordinary. It STILL inspires me!

For the last two years, I have turned much of my energy to Green Paper Company- which solely focuses on post-consumer recycled paper. I have been able to take my passion to an entirely new level and one that has not only a creative focus, but a strong environmental focus as well. I feel really fortunate to have taken what was once a hobby and to have evolved it in to two businesses

I recently started to blog- and have two: one for On Paper and one for Green Paper Company.
At first I was wary of the idea but I am finding that it is hugely inspiring! Every day- I learn more and more about environmental concerns, processes and positive things we can do to be proactive to make small changes in our own lives that will effect the community at large.

Blogging reminds me so much of my journaling days and has re-kindled my perception of observing details- from the smallest to the big picture. It’s making me so much more present and is really influencing how I see.


3. Tell us about something you’ve made or done lately.

Green Paper Company released an extensive collection of note cards (see photo) and imprintable invitations in February- it was our first decorative collection and included gift wrap as well. SO exciting! The last few weeks we’ve been busy working on a new release for Holiday ‘09 that we will exhibit at the National Stationery Show. It’s a completely different look graphically than this last release and is inspired by 19th century engravings. It’s been really fun working with two different visual styles. The current one is very bold, colorful and graphic, the next is very layered, distressed and much more traditionally inspired. Totally excited for the show! Our booth (#3226-3228) will be similar to the winter gift show, but is twice the size! . (see above photo)


4. Is there anything else we should know about you?

- I am always shocked when people call me an entrepreneur. I really don’t fit the classic profile- I’m too much of a worrier! I am really much more a testament to the credo: “Do what you love and success will follow”.

- I started Green Paper Company after seeing Al Gore deliver a live presentation of “An Inconvenient Truth”. Sounds a bit corny but - his call to action- to try to find something in your life, in your area of expertise to make a difference greatly inspired me to take my passion for paper to a whole other level. It was shortly after attending that lecture that I conceptualized the business and began to seek investors.

- One of the best days of my life was when we made our first round of magnolia paper- just thrilling!! (see above photo)

- Almost everyday I wear a Heather Moore necklace (see photo below) with three tags. One has the date I opened On Paper, another our first sale for Green Paper Company and a third tag says “What goes around comes around”. I’m really proud of what I have accomplished and that third tag is my constant reminder that there is still so much more to do- on so many levels.

- Starting Green Paper Company has been awe inspiring and the past two years have been an incredible personal journey. I have completely changed my awareness about the way I tread on the earth. I try to bring integrity, earth conscious honesty and quality in to every thing we produce. I hope the genuine intent will always shine through.

- While there is still so much to learn, there is one thing I do know for sure: I have a Human Resource guardian angel. I have been blessed and honored to have so many talented people drawn to my businesses and be incredibly devoted to evolving the vision. I could NEVER do it without them!

Thanks Joan!

We're using some of her magnolia envelopes for one of our new cards, so it was really interesting for me to see that photo of it getting made. I look forward to seeing all the new Green Paper Company goods at the NSS! Check out the links below to see more of On Paper and Green Paper Company:

www.onpaper.com
www.greenpapercompany.com
www.onpaperink.blogspot.com
www.greenpaperco.blogspot.com

Last minute details...

Here's a peek of what we've been working on...

I'm due for a last minute trip to Kinko's to get the catalog, line sheet, and press kit materials printed off. Oh - and I'm still packaging, packing bags/boxes, photographing, etc...Here's to a late night of work!

But tomorrow it'll be goodbye to preparations and hello to the excitement (or is it the terror?) of the Big Apple and the National Stationery Show! Sitting in the car all day on the way there will be a relief.

the sycamore q+a {no. 28}: Jennifer Blanco and John Earles of Product Superior

As soon as Kirk and I decided to commit to doing the National Stationery Show this year, we decided to get on the NSS website and see what we could find out. We checked out the vendor catalogs on the site, and were immediately smitten with Product Superior. They combine vintage inspiration with a contemporary approach for a series of products that look fantastic! Jennifer and John were generous to take time out of their busy schedule as they make their final preparations for the NSS (booth # 2067) to answer these few questions:
1.) How did you get into paper?

Jennifer is a graphic designer by trade and has always had what some may call an unhealthy obsession with the printed good. Metallic wrapping paper, stacks of pages from vintage and modern magazines, and any printed matter reflecting the old days are the kinds of items she proclaims as “neat!”. She has always made torturously elaborate and patently impractical greeting cards for any relation she could think of mailing them to. We're also both big fans of postage stamps, vintage flight manuals, ocean liner posters and other printed items—often making us the nerds of dinner party conversation. I love printmaking (I’m an artist and illustrator) and have spent more time constructing elaborate scale models from paper than I would care to admit. And prior to a year ago I almost never, ever sent greeting cards.

One day Jennifer came home and declared that we should make our own greeting cards and other paper goods—realizing that doing so was akin to making small pieces of art which could inspire and connect people. Discussion yielded that we should start making the kinds of things that appealed to both of us and others like us. For me that meant items that were wonderfully illustrated with a masculine touch. For Jennifer that meant solid design, lots of color, and a sense of history. Together we started Product Superior Ltd. Shortly after, I started sending greeting cards.


2.) What’s inspiring you these days?

Mid-century design, Art deco, Japanese prints, DDR postage stamps, MOPAR, 60’s General Dynamics publications, golden age ocean liners and sea travel, the BMW artcars at Grand central station, Wired magazine, photography


3.) Tell us about something you’ve made or done lately.

Jennifer just designed the signage for our booth at the National Stationery show, May 17-20 (booth # 2067) which I’ve spent the last week painstakingly hand painting. We also fabricated our own displays. I guess I should say fabricating because we aren’t *quite* finished.

One thing recently finished that we’re particularly proud of is Le Clique Foto . It’s a collaborative photography blog for all of our friends and family who are interested in the artistic side of photography. We have contributors from various walks of life and careers all sharing their photos for the sheer joy of it.



4.) Is there anything else we should know about you?

We'll be in Brooklyn's 5th Annual Renegade Craft Fair June 6-7 at McCarren Park.

Aside from design, art, and photography, we're also avid bikers and own 6 bikes collectively: for street, dirt jumping (we try), and downhill mountain biking. Now that the summer is here, the mountains are open and we just can't wait to take a trip.


Thanks John and Jennifer!
I'm so impressed with their impeccably hand painted sign. It'll put my NSS sign to shame!
If you'd like to see more of them, please find them at booth #2067 at the National Stationery Show, or follow these links:

www.productsuperior.com
www.productsuperior.blogspot.com
www.lecliquefoto.blogspot.com