A PSA from ELP

Today's post is a public service announcement for all my lovely friends, customers, and brides out there.  When I was in high school and college... I thought it very "cool" to be the tan Florida girl... tanning beds before big events... loooong days at the beach... even the occasional baby-oil-back-yard-afternoon.

Well... until this weekend.  I spent the long weekend in Charleston, South Carolina with a childhood girlfriend enjoying a girl's weekend before her big day in late June.  During my visit, her maid of honor mentioned to me that she had Melanoma when she was just 18.  Holy cow... I thought... I've never been checked for scary moles or even worse... skin cancer.

So upon my return, I quickly made an appointment at the USF Health Dermatologist office and took my freckled self over for an afternoon appointment.  Low and behold the doctor removed two spots - one on my lower right arm and one on my upper left thigh.  First things first... ouch.  Second, I was shaken up.  The doctor told me that my spots were probably fine... but would, if they came back cancerous, be Melanoma - based on their coloring.  I'd had both moles for as long as I can remember... but had never looked at such teeny (somewhat normal looking?) moles like they could be dangerous.  

So now I wait... and see what the biopsies reveal.  I realize that many of you reading this will have already gone through something like this... having spots removed and tested... and hope you'll leave your words of encouragement :)  I'm scared... only because I've never heard the C word and my name in the same sentence.  I'm a glass-half-full kinda girl, so I'll keep my chin up... and hope I don't receive a certified letter in the mail in the next three weeks.  That's how they tell you if it's cancer (awful, I know).

So my thought to share with you all... is that Mystic Tan is cool.  SPF is good for you.  And snow white is the new it-skin-color :)

I'm sure all is well and I've just had another mole removed like everyone else... but its scary nonetheless... will update soon :)

mmm mmm good

I’m back, I swear. It’s been a while… or so it seems. I’ve been swamped and swimming in wedding invitations, programs, stationery, product design, pricing strategy, learning all the wonders that are adobe, flirting with quickbooks oh my… it has been busy. But all the while, I am falling more and more in love with this thing called ELP. And today when I was playing and doing what I’m not supposed to when I should be doing something else… I came across a few other bloggers from my stationery world… and fell in love all over again with my paper.

No really… I love my brides and I love my new business, but most of all I love thank you notes. Never underestimate their power. I love seeing my personal “logo” in the form of a monogram and I love making other people happy. All of you will see the real story of how ELP started when my new site is launched. Im aiming to have everything ready to go for a grand-re-opening in January. Holy moly so much to do and it’s already month 6 of 12.

Reading these blogs I read today… it made me think of how much I love to write… and not the fancy schmancy writing I sometimes do on this little blog but the kind of writing that just comes out… whew… onto the page when you think outloud. It’s freeing.

The new elp… it will be so exciting. It will have a focus on monograms… and all wedding/stationery things that have to do with monograms. I love branding a wedding, an event, a love story, a person. New logo… new colors… new website… new packaging… new designs… new products… much elp love to come in the future.

In other news… Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Schuyler Grove!

Happy Friday!

Well, here we are again! I’m officially the worst blogger on the planet. I have been so busy lately that I haven’t even had a chance to look at this blog. ELP is doing fantastic. New yellow office/studio. Some new (and fabulous, by the way) brides. Website under works. Amazing new wedding paper/envelopes found. Thankyouverymuch Waste Not Paper for Luxe Fino. Loving it. Wrapping up a few very big projects. Life is good… I need a glass (or five) of wine.

Happy Friday!

Wedding Wire

Oh it's been a while! It's been so busy around ELP lately. I'll post photos of the new "studio" tonight and more updates on how things are going! For any brides that I'm working with or have worked with - if you have a moment, I'd love it if you could write a reference for ELP for other brides looking for wedding paper pieces and/or personal stationery. Even if I haven't done your invitations - but your other pieces, that'd be FANTASTIC! Thank you so much - it's such an honor to work with all of you :)

Review Emily Ley Paper at WeddingWire