HAPPY NEW YEAR

I'm a little overwhelmed as I realize that 2010 is a few short hours away. This time last year, I sat in a red office (yes, eww, it was red) surrounded by LSU paraphernalia, working on my husband's desktop PC, dreaming of owning my own business - a line of wedding invitations.

365 days later, I'm in my own little yellow studio, surrounded by my favorite paper-goodness, working on my 27 inch iMac :: insert angel's singing ::, looking forward to the launch of something I've put my heart, soul and spirit into for the past year. I have grown in many ways during 2009 - but 2010 brings a whole new adventure for me.

My toast to all of you for 2010 ::

May you live with a spirit of authenticity.
Be true to your style, your art - whatever it is that you're good at. Own whatever it is that you are not. Your "crumbs" as Bryan and I call them. Own them.

May you live with a spirit of adventure
Life. Is. So. Short. Take it. Own it. Crush it. So often we worry about what we have to do when (as Nike put it best) we could just DO it.

May you always act from a place of love.
Remember where you have been and where you are going - always act from a place of love. And remember, being the bigger person is NEVER never, never the wrong idea. Act from a place of love and surround yourself with people who fill that part of you.

May you truly live within your arch of creativity.
Surround yourself with that which inspires you. Let it inspire you. Be open to change and becoming your authentic self.

And last, (and this is certainly a wish for myself) -
May you always remember to roll with it.
Roll with the ups, the downs, the wins and the losses. When life hurts, let it hurt and fuel yourself with the emotions that come from it. When times are up and you are on top of the world - cherish those moments and let them fuel your spirit. Build, within yourself, a strength from each of these.

Happy New Year, everyone! Make 2010 count!

Cheers,
Emily

2009 in Review

I've been doing a lot of thinking about 2009 (and 2010 for that matter). What a YEAR it has been. Both personally and professionally it has been a year of so much growth for me. My husband and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary - our first full year of marriage. I celebrated my first full year in Tampa. And I completed my first full year as a business owner.

Has any of that been easy? No. Has all of that been amazingly rewarding? Absolutely. First and foremost, my husband. He is seriously amazing. No really. He has helped me fold 300 stardream wedding programs during a Bears/Packers game. That - alone - makes him pretty amazing. But he also makes me coffee JUST about every night as I sat perched in front of my iMac working on this business. Supported/brainstormed/jumpedupanddown/thrownthings with me. Who could ask for more.

Lets take an honest look at 2009 ::

• Bryan and I visited NYC for the first time ever. I was enthralled. In love. Sold.
• January 1, 2009 - I hit the ground running with ELP. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.
• Then accounting, trademark law, html, paper weight, licensing . . . what?
• iMac. I'm officially an apple snob. And I loving it... so what does an apple snob do? Macbook Air. iPhone. Love love love.
• Tampa starts to become more and more of a home. And I learn just how much I love and miss my little hometown of Pensacola, Florida.
• I have learned that the relationships you build are so much more important and valuable than the sales you make.
• I discovered Twitter. Well, this is still a new discovery for me. If you don't use Tweetdeck - try it. It made all the difference in the world for me.
• Making Things Happen 2010 - truly an incredible experience for me. Learned that "getting real" with yourself and facing your challenges head on is actually a huge time saver - as well as a way to find and become your authentic self.

And at the end of 2009, I think the best lesson I've learned all year is one of authenticity. 2009 was a year of discovery - 2010 will be a year of fun (and a commitment to making time for that), of learning and of commitment to pure authenticity. Above is my ELP inspiration board for 2010.

Here's a little online cheers from my family to yours for a 2010 full of joy, adventure and happiness!

Images above from Meg Baisden Photography, Southern Weddings Magazine, Paloma's Nest, Clare Owen & Emily Ley Paper: Etsy

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!  I came home to Pensacola with every intention of relaxing, unplugging, removing myself from my work.  But after MTH2010 I am so fired up.  All I want to do is keep moving forward!  Granted, I've done much of this work in my PJs, next to the Christmas tree, on my laptop, surrounded by friends and family.  This Christmas, I am so thankful, so humbled and so excited about what the coming year will bring.  The response to the video blog on MTH2010 was absolutely fantastic.  I'll be doing more video blogs periodically - I love to write, but its very natural for me to talk (in the same way I'd talk to a friend) and tell a story on camera.

So cheers to downtime, to celebrating the year's ups and downs, to planning for the coming year and for spending time with those people who refill your spirit.  See you all in 2010!

Making Things Happen 2010

Making Things Happen 2010 was an incredibly awesome experience. Grab a cup of coffee and a blanket - this is 9 minutes long. I had lots to say and share thanks to Lara Casey, Jeff Holt and Kyle Barnes. The main lesson: think hard, be introspective, feel the FEAR and DO IT anyway. Now off to tackle this beast of a change I'm making to my business. Stay tuned! So. Fired. Up.

Happy Holidays!

I thought this photo was appropriate with the holidays coming up. In my attempts to learn my Canon, I've been taking a few random shots at random times. This photo is my sweet little neice holding a cup of starbucks [actually hot chocolate]. To me, it captures whats important about the holidays [starbucks] - kidding. Family. The people you love. Downtime.

This will likely be my last blog post before the launch of the BRAND SPANKIN’ NEW Goodpaper online stationery boutique and blog. So much to do between now and then! I’m beyond thrilled with what Goodpaper is becoming and cannot wait to share it with all of you. But before I go, a few [EXCITING] things:

GRAND E-NNOUNCEMENT
If you’d like to receive the Grand E-nnouncement of the Goodpaper launch, please enter your email address in the box to the right.

SHOP CLOSING FOR THE HOLIDAYS
My Etsy shop will be closing December 18. It will reopen with the launch of the new site on January 6. Over the holidays, I’ll be traveling home to spend time with my family and working on last minute touches to the new site! I'll be available via email, but it will be spuratic. My new MacBook Air (thanks Santa!) will help with that!

MAKING THINGS HAPPEN INTENSIVE
I was beyond thrilled, yesterday, to find out that I was chosen as a scholarship winner to attend Lara Casey’s Making Things Happen Intensive in Watercolor on December 21. Click here to watch her announcement video from Breckenridge! Goodpaper is on the brink of so much and this is going to be a fantastic way for me to funnel my efforts affectively, strengthen my strategic plan for 2010 and meet some of the best and brightest in the wedding world. I. Am. Stoked. And honored… thanks to Lara Casey and the SW Magazine team for believing in what Goodpaper is all about. I promise to write a detailed and extensive post on what I learn, who I meet and how, I'm sure, Goodpaper is affected by the brilliance bound to be in the room [on the NEW blog!]

A SINCERE THANK YOU
As I wrap up 2009, I can’t believe what has transpired. Goodpaper (formerly known as Emily Ley Paper as you might remember) started as a crazy idea between my husband and I. He is quite the entrepreneurial risk taker and I – the detail oriented, OCD, design-crazy, Southern gal. Together, we put together this business and have watched it grow from something very small into a business that has touched over 100 brides this year alone. Thank you so much for your part in turning my crazy dream into a reality. Thank you for beleiving that Southern style is the way to go, that ettiquette has its place but should truly be your own and that busy-design isnt always better design. Thanks for commenting on my blog. Thanks for frequenting the Etsy shop and for keeping in touch after your big day was over. Thanks for being patient as I worked out the kinks and learn the ropes. Thanks for trusting me with one of the biggest days of your life. Goodpaper is truly a labor of love and the business – and myself – are blessed because of you.

Wishing you joy and happiness during the Holidays and in the year to come!

Cheers (and see you on the other side of this crazy launch!)
Emily

Operation :: CLEAN OUT THE GOODPAPER STUDIO

(CLICK IMAGE ABOVE TO ENLARGE)

Whew! I've been meaning to do this for a while but it's FINALLY TIME! If you are a stationery designer or just an all-around-crafty-person, Goodpaper wants you to know about our Envelope Sale! Sets available (including quantities) are listed above. Please email emily@ilovegoodpaper.com for pricing. Help us clean out our studio and prepare for new Goodpaper inventory!

Our Personal Christmas Cards

Just finished up our personal Christmas Cards. As a stationery designer, I have a reputation to uphold :) But I LOVE this year's cards! I used pocket folders this year so that the pocket could hold our annual letter and our photo could be mounted to the other side. Happy holidays!

HOLIDAY SALE GOODNESS!

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HOLIDAY SALE! The Cyber Monday Holiday Sale went over so well, I've extended it until December 10.

100 sets of personalized stationery, including an assortment of these envelopes are now just $50 with FREE SHIPPING! Hurry, stock is limited! Choose from any design in the Etsy Shop. Make your purchase here and include the design you'd like in the "Comments to Sellers" section.

Cheers,

Emily

Today

Today I am frustrated and a bit grumpy. I am not a good product photographer. But I am learning. And Im going to fake it. That or I'm going to find someone who is and pay them lots of money. Sigh. My GPS... no, my TREASURED GPS... was stolen from my car. In my nice neighborhood. I want it back. A friend did things to make me sad. And I am up to my ears.

The silver lining. I am up to my EARS. Seriously. I am so thankful to have such a wonderful customer base. I cannot wait until January. Today... I am thankful.