Stephanie Creekmur | A Paper Boutique Specializing In Personalization & Southern Charm

Summer Essentials Giveaway!

2013-05-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

I am so excited to be part of this amazing giveaway from the girls behind the Essentials Workshop for Photographers! My gold foil Southern Saying Pencils (back in stock!) are up for grabs as well as some other fantastic items! I love everything in the bunch! If you are a relatively new photographer and are able to make it to Richmond, VA this July - I highly suggest you head on over and register! And be sure to enter the giveaway! :)

Branding | AmyCakes Bakery

2013-05-08T18:12:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to be sharing this brand board today! Amy is a friend of mine who owns and operates the adorable bakery Amy Cakes! I designed her logo back when she first got started and we recently gave it a facelift! She is about to open up a brand new storefront (If you're ever in Miamisburg, OH - check it out!) so it was the perfect time to make a few changes! I can't wait to stop by and see her bakery the next time I'm in Southwest, Ohio! Congratulations, Amy!

Make It Happen | May Goals

2013-05-01T11:39:00.000-05:00

It's May 1st, y'all. How in the world did that happen? Time flies, as I've said many, many times before, which just emphasizes the thought for today. Today is the perfect day to start living your dreams. Can I get an AMEN? I have received a few emails asking how I got started with my business and any advice I might have for someone just getting started. My number one piece of advice is to just start. This is something I'm thankful I didn't think too much about in the beginning. Four years ago I got an idea and I just started. My business name was terrible and my first website was built using Webs.com. It was awful. But it's what I was able to do at the time. Slowly but surely my business and brand have evolved (and is still evolving) into something I love and am proud of. If I had waited for everything to be perfect I would still be waiting. There's no time like today, folks - get to it! ;)

And now, for my goals for May! Again, I'm keeping the list pretty short and easier to manage! :)

Get my apartment in order! Last month one of my goals was to get out of boxes which I have done a pretty good job at. This month my goal is to focus on getting organized! This also goes along with my word for 2013 (Organization). My bedroom and kitchen are in pretty good shape, but my bathroom and living room still need a lot of work!

Paint my rocking chairs and table. My aunt and uncle were kind enough to gift me not one, but TWO rocking chairs and a side table for my porch. They are handmade and absolutely beautiful! They are currently natural wood so they need primed and painted and I'm hoping to get that finished this month!

Wrap up graphics project for the website. While I decided to Go Ugly Early a few weeks back, that doesn't mean that I have stopped working towards my ultimate goal. I am in the process of working with my wonderful calligrapher again for a few more commissioned phrases and I am also now working with an extremely talented illustrator. These next few pieces of the Stephanie Creekmur puzzle are going to be so fun and I'm so excited to share them with all of you! It's all things I would have loved to have from the start, but remember - do what you can today with what you have now! It's OK if you have to do things in stages!

Will you be setting goals for May? How will you hold yourself accountable? Let me know!

Hold Your Horses | Derby Party Ideas

2013-04-25T11:22:00.000-05:00

I am so excited about this Derby Party Ideas shoot styled by the fabulous Courtney of Pizzazzerie. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her on more than one occasion! This time she used my gold foil Hold Your Horses print as the backdrop in her Derby themed party! I also hand lettered a recipe card for Lavender Mint Juleps which you can download over on Pizzazzerie! :)

Amber Housley Inspired | Top 5 Reasons Why You Need to Go!

2013-04-19T13:47:00.001-05:00

As I'm sure many of you can relate, it has been hard to pull myself away from the news these past few days. I've had CNN live streaming all morning while trying to get some work done. All of what I have to do is so trivial compared to what is going on in the world, but life goes on and there is work to do! Prayers being lifted up for everyone in Boston!

On a lighter note, I wanted to share about an opportunity that has played a huge part in my business growth. Last year I had the opportunity to attend the very first Amber Housley Inspired workshop (my recap). As I've said before, in the beginning of 2012 I decided that I was going to make my dreams come true and I was no longer going to think of my business as a hobby. Come March, I attended AH Inspired and it was a huge turning point for me and my business. I've had several people email me asking about it and so I thought I would share my top 5 reasons why you need to attend!

Registration is now open and the earlybird rate ($729) is available through June 15th. There is also a scholarship opportunity and if you are considering attending the summit I highly recommend you head on over and apply!! You will not regret it!

Top 5 reasons to attend AH Inspired:

01. Amber. Not only is Amber sweet as she can be, but she is so willing and passionate about helping other creative entrepreneurs. I have been so blessed to have known her this past year and I'm thankful that I have someone to look to for guidance and inspiration.

02. The speakers. The speakers were FABULOUS when I attended a year ago. I have made so many friendships and connections because of them and just to be in the same room and soak up all of their knowledge was amazing! I've been able to work with Courtney of Pizzazzerie and because of her have had my work featured on the Huffington Post blog! How crazy is that? If you haven't checked out the line up for this year yet, do yourself a favor. My jaw dropped with excitement! I'm hoping to be able to return as an alum because it is going to be stacked with amazing women that I admire and would love to learn from!

03. The content. I was challenged not only to evaluate my business but also to look at myself and what I valued. There were a variety of topics that were covered and the content has just grown and improved since I first attended. The workshop is now two days so it is filled to the brim with helpful and inspiring information. They'll give you the tools and confidence you need to run your business. Amber is on top of all the cool apps and websites that help you smoothly run your business!

04. The Facebook group. This has been such a great resource of information. Anytime someone has a question, all they have to do is go to the Facebook group and ask. Shortly after another group member will have an answer. There are so many talented women who have attended AH Inspired that are involved in all different fields (stationery, blogging, cooking/baking, party planning, photography, etc.) so you get advice from all different angles. It's also a place where we lift each other up when a goal has been accomplished. Just launched your new website? Tell your AH Inspired friends. They will be your biggest cheerleaders. Just to have the support from other creative entrepreneurs is worth attending.

05. The community. I can't say enough about this. I do not know what I would do without the connections I made at AH Inspired that day. I have made even more connections with other women through those that I met through the experience. I now am part of a Stationery Designers of Nashville group that was started by two AH Inspired attendees. It has been so nice to be able to connect with people who just get what I do and who have a passion for it as well. If I got nothing out of the experience except for the friends I made, it would be worth it. Way worth it.

I can not say enough about Amber or her workshop. It really was an important part of my journey and I will always remember it as a huge factor in how I've made (and will continue to make) things happen. If you own a creative business or dream of doing what you love, I highly recommend attending. And don't forget to apply for the scholarship! :)

If I haven't convinced you already or if you have any questions, just shoot me an email! I could go on and on about the whole experience!

Joy Comes in the Morning

2013-04-16T16:04:00.001-05:00

This verse has been comforting this morning as I had quite a hard time falling asleep last night, for a couple of reasons. First, yesterday would have been the 25th birthday of my sister Courtney's very best friend and an honorary member of our family, Jamie Nicole. She passed away in a fatal car accident when she was just 17 years old. It's impossibly hard to believe that someone so full of life can be gone in an instant, and yet she was. The year I was 17 was one of the most wonderful times in my life so far, so to think she's forever 17 and away from the hurt and pain of this world makes it a little easier to think about. That and the fact that I know I'll see her again thanks to the grace and mercy we are given.

The second reason I had trouble falling asleep is because I could not stop thinking of the tragedy that happened in Boston yesterday. It's hard to believe there are people out there that truly wish to hurt, injure and kill innocent human beings. It's a scary world we live in and it is only going to get worse. My heart just breaks for everyone who was there yesterday. I can't imagine the panic they must have felt on what was supposed to be a fun day filled with celebration.

But, thankfully - I woke up this morning and the sun was shining and I was reminded again that JOY, not evil, comes in the morning.

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5

I was also reminded this morning of a verse that was comforting after the passing of Jamie Nicole.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pay. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21:4

While the thought of spending eternity anywhere seems like a very long time (hello, forever?) it is nice to know that where I will be spending it has a description such as that. Days like yesterday are reminders that this is our temporary home, and thank you Jesus for that.

During a tragedy it's so easy to focus on the evil people who are responsible, but it's so moving (humbling, comforting, etc.) to see many more forget their own needs and rush to help others.

Saying Goodbye to Icon Lilly Pulitzer

2013-04-07T18:00:00.000-05:00

Pattern is Crash Landing by Lilly Pulitzer

I was so sad to hear about the passing of fashion icon, Lilly Pulitzer. The story of her company ("it all started with a juice stand", ya know) and the journey of her brand is so inspiring. The bright colors and bold patterns are a constant inspiration. While I was trying to choose a favorite Lilly print for the graphic above, my search quickly came to an end when I read the description for Crash Landing.

"A little known fact: when designing her first logo, Lilly chose to feature butterflies. She loved their free-spirited essence and the vibrant colors and patterns on their wings. In Crash Landing, we put butterflies back where they belong - front and center. This fashion-forward print combines stripes with subtle butterflies coming in for a crash landing on a collection of beautiful blooms."

Rest in peace, Lilly. Your style has inspired generations and I'm sure it will for years to come.

Make It Happen | April Goals

2013-04-05T00:00:00.000-05:00

I know I've been kind of quiet this week but I am finally starting to feel like a normal person again! I've been down with bronchitis. Yuck! I just wanted to pop in and share what I'm hoping to work on this month as well as wish you all a wonderful weekend! See you, Monday! :)

Devote more time to my relationship with Jesus. I'm going to be completely honest here, I have totally slacked off in this department the last few months. I went to church on Easer for the first time since I think Christmas. CHRISTMAS. That was months ago and while I love my church family in Germantown, it's time I find a place that's a bit closer. I've said many times before, having a relationship with the Lord is a struggle for me. It's something I want to have, but it just doesn't come naturally. It feels like homework to me and if you knew me in college (or any level below that), you know I don't do homework well. I hope to continue to grow and trust in Him.

Unpack all of my boxes in the new apartment. I move into a new place on Monday and I am so excited. I know that it's going to take some time to get settled in and have everything decorated just right, but I want to get those boxes unpacked quickly! No dilly dallying! :)

Perform a random act of kindness. I consider myself to be a rather nice person, but I want to really make someone's day. Whether it's paying for the person behind me in line or simply holding the door open for the next person coming through, I want to go out of my way to show love. You never know what kind of day someone is having or how much of an impact something so small can have.

I shared my goals for March pretty late in the game, but I did do well on them! Have you set goals for April? I'd love to know what they are and what you're planning to do to make sure you accomplish them! Good luck! :)

Selling on Etsy: How to Set Yourself Apart

2013-03-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

Check out more Selling on Etsy posts.

In my last Selling on Etsy post, I shared my pros and cons of running an Etsy shop. It's quickly become one of my most popular posts so I guess there are a lot of people out there who are interested in selling on Etsy or in how to make their existing shops better! I know I am constantly trying to figure the beast out and it is a constant learning process!

Today, I want to talk about ways to set yourself apart from other Etsy sellers in your industry . As I mentioned in the pros and cons post, it can be hard to establish relationships with Etsy buyers. This is because they will lump shops into one category. When asked where they got a particular item, instead of sharing the shop or artist's information, they simply say the item was purchased from Etsy. This was quite frustrating to me, because one of the joys of owning your own retail business is being able to connect and relate to your customers. I knew I needed to make more of an effort to let my brand shine through the Etsy platform and these are just a few ways I've done so.

Create Your Brand. Whether you sell on Etsy or not, if you run a business this is very important. I'm not going to go into everything a brand is today, but I will say that it is so much more than just your logo. Make sure to infuse your brand throughout your Etsy shop and your customer's experience. Create a style guide for your business and look to it when creating any graphics for your shop - shop banner, reserved listings, available color choices, etc. Another way to let your brand shine is to author a blog. Obviously my main objective in business is to get visitors to shop, but I also want to connect with my customers and readers. I use my blog as a starting point and here they can learn about me and my business as well as see new projects I'm working on. My blog is where I can create trust with potential customers. I let them know I'm a real person who likes the same things they do. Sharing your story is a great way to connect with your audience, so be yourself. Another way I make sure to represent my brand through Etsy is to send a handwritten note with every order. I like to personally let each customer know how thankful I am for their business and it's a small way to establish a relationship with them. If you read my blog or follow me on any social media platform, you know that I am giddy over handwritten notes. Nothing makes me feel more special than someone taking the time to send me a little something in the mail so I like to do the same for my customers.

Product Photography. This is something that I believe can make or break the success an Etsy shop has and is also something I still struggle with. I go back and forth on how I am going to display my products all the time. For instance, I know that when I'm shopping online, I prefer to see photos of the actual product instead of a digital graphic. I am not great at taking product photos so for my Southern Charm wall prints, I hired Jenni from J. Noel Photography. The photos show off my prints so much better than just a digital graphic would. In contrast, my return address stamps sell much better when the thumbnail photo is a digital rendering on an envelope as opposed to a styled photograph. While I do try to have real photos of my stamps, I use the digital version as the thumbnail so the design of the stamp is most visible. Keep in mind the types of products you are listing and how you can best showcase them. Do an Etsy search for whatever the product is and see how others are listing their items. You'll probably notice that a lot of the listings are very similar. Come up with a way to not only stand out and catch the eye of a potential buyer but also to best showcase your product. If you are going to take photos yourself, be sure to have ample natural light, a decent camera, appropriate backdrop and some sort of photo editing software.

Communication. Making purchases online can be kind of scary. You're trusting that the company is who they say they are and that their products are as great as the photos look. One way to instill trust is to be available to your customer. This does not mean 24/7 - set office hours and stick to them. Let your customers know when you will be working and if they contact you with questions or concerns, respond within a reasonable time period. If a customer emails me at 8 o'clock at night, I try and respond first thing in the morning. Another way to establish the relationship is to personalize the "message to buyers" that Etsy will include with the receipt. It's a small way to make sure your brand is visible through the Etsy platform.

Packaging. This is one of my favorite parts and a big reason why I think my customers keep coming back. When I order something online, I know how special and excited I feel when the company goes that extra step to create beautiful packaging. I also know how disappointed I am when it just comes in the USPS Priority mailers. Bor-ing. That kind of packing is fine, but be sure to consider your brand and what you are selling. The products in my shop are all special little extras - they aren't necessities - so I know when someone makes a purchase from me, they are buying a special gift either for themselves or for a loved one. I want to make sure that the package it comes in is just a fabulous as what's inside. "Surprise and delight" all the way! Thank you, Amber for that little line that speaks volumes.

Constantly Evolve. I look at and edit my shop listings daily. I make little tweaks here and there to constantly improve the quality of my shop and my customer's experience. Pay attention to your stats and how people are stumbling upon your shop. For instance, I have a lot of brides that purchase my return address stamps for their wedding paper goods, so the keyword "wedding" has come in handy. Know what is working for you - what is selling, what is not, and what doesn't speak to your brand? Get rid of products that aren't your best and sell items that you, yourself truly love. Don't be afraid to abort a project or product that isn't doing as well as you had hoped. Flexibility is key. This is going to be a learning process, but pay attention to your customers. They will be your best teachers.

Pay attention to those 5 areas and I promise you, you will see improvement right away. My sales started doubling each month and have continued to grow. Running an Etsy shop is a full-time job and you really will get out of it what you put in!

What have you done to help your brand shine through your Etsy shop? Let me know in the comments!

Make It Happen | March Goals

2013-03-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

Quoteable from Fifth & Hazel

I realize that March has just about left us, but I didn't want to miss out on sharing the goals I've been working on this month with y'all! While it's easy to create a huge list of projects I need to complete or areas I need to improve, I've been trying to keep my main goals for each month pretty short (only two for March). Hopefully this will keep them more attainable, and so far so good!

Spring Products Launch. I was able to launch a few new products on the first day of spring and they have already done really well, so I'm happy with that! I have a few others that are in the works and I hope to release at least one of them in the next few weeks!

Operation Organization 2K13. I am getting ready to move to a new apartment so I have been doing lots of purging! This has obviously been very beneficial in helping me achieve my goal of organization. I love the idea of starting fresh and I'm so excited to not bring anything in to the new place until it has a home! I want to really evaluate the items I have and hold on only to those things that are necessary. Clear the clutter, baby!

Recap for February's goals: Again, I did decently. The thing I am post proud of, is the progress on my website. I decided to Go Ugly Early, and it has made a world of difference. Unique visitors to my site has increased 3x and it is just a more enjoyable place for me to share what's going on. It's not what I had planned, but for now I'm doing what I can with what I have! :)

Did you set goals for March? How do you hold yourself accountable? Let me know!

27.

2013-03-26T16:30:00.000-05:00

This birthday seems very big to me. Am I still considered to be in my mid-twenties or have I crossed over into the late-twenties category? I'm going to go ahead and say that ages 20-23 are early twenties, 24-27 are mid-twenties, and 28-29 are late twenties. Sound good? Great. Mid-twenties it is! Moving on...

Out-take photo by Teale Photography

How is it possible that this birthday is here? I remember being an age, not so long ago, when 27 sounded old. Very old. Now that is has arrived, I certainly do not feel old but I do realize that the saying "old enough to know better, too young to care" probably no longer applies to me. And maybe it hasn't for the past couple of years, but I like to think that it did.

I have enjoyed my twenties so much and I hate that they are starting to wind down, but I hear being in your thirties can be pretty fabulous as well. You spend lots of time in your twenties really figuring out who you are, how you want to live your life, the people you want to share your life with and what it really means to grow up. Luckily, it also means trying new things and making lots of mistakes. The important thing is that we learn and grow from those mistakes so we're not still making them when we leave this exciting decade.

The older I get, the sappier I am on my birthday. It used to be about the presents and everyone making a fuss over me, (which is still nice, don't get me wrong) but now its so much more than that. Life really is fleeting (Psalm 144:4) and its so important to focus on what matters. For me, that means making time for the relationships in my life. I have been so blessed with a caring family and an amazing group of friends that I don't ever want to take them for granted. It also means using the talents I've been given to not only make a living but to help others while doing it. It's easy for me to get caught up in material things and the next big purchase I'm going to make, but those types of things don't matter. Helping people does.

Thank you so much to those of you who have sent me text messages, emails, posted on my Facebook wall or tweeted me! You sure know how to make a gal feel special! :) To say thank you to y'all, I've created this 8 x 10 wall print you can download for free (click image below). Aiming to be gracious is always on my self-improvement list as I'm sure it is for many of you as well. Thanks again! Enjoy! :)

Hello Spring! | New in the Shop!

2013-03-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know about y'all but I am super excited that SPRING is finally here! Good riddance to my least favorite season! I'm also super excited because today I am sharing just the beginning of new products that have found their way to the shop! I've been slowly adding new items each day and will continue to do so in the next few days, so be sure to keep checking back!

First up, you can now find these gold foil southern saying hexagonal pencil sets in the shop! If you follow me on Instagram (@StephCreekmur) you have already been briefed on these pretties (& I already gave a set away!) but now they are available for purchase! They are the perfect accessory for jotting notes on pretty notepads.

Next up? Postcards! This year you may have noticed, I am trying to make more of an effort to send handwritten notes to my loved ones. Sometimes you just want to send a quick hello or thank you, and postcards are the perfect solution for that! I think this "Greetings From Nashville" one is my favorite, but be sure to check out the other postcards in the next few days because they're pretty fabulous as well! :)

Remember these "Howdy" shipping stickers I shared with you from my packing supplies? Well, I have received quite a few emails and messages asking if I can add them to my shop for various states. While I don't want to add the stickers I'm using because they were designed with my brand and customer experience in mind, I have created these With Love State Stamps. I think they are adorable and would made the perfect finishing touch for any package or invitation being sent!

And the last for today's reveal - return address stamps! There are THREE new designs available! Just in time for wedding season! I get a lot of DIY brides and these are the perfect finishing touch for your wedding invitations! They also make great shower gifts. It's OK to stray from the registry if you are gifting special and personalized gifts such as these!

OK! That's all for today folks! But as I said, I still have more goodies to share with you so stay tuned! :)

Selling on Etsy: The Pros & Cons

2013-03-18T16:25:00.003-05:00

In the last few months I have received some emails asking about Etsy. How much I like or dislike it as well as how I get my listings to show up in search results. While I am by no means an expert, I have come across a few tips and tricks that have helped me steadily increase my sales and I am always hoping to learn new ways to help my shop succeed. SO, I thought I would add this feature (Selling on Etsy) to the blog and I hope that it will help those of you already running an Etsy shop as well as those of you who are thinking about opening one!

To answer the question of whether or not I like Etsy, I obviously am a big fan. Without it, I wouldn't have a place to sell my goods at the moment. But, just like many things in life, there are pros and cons, so I thought I would start out sharing my thoughts on those.

Pros of Selling on Etsy

01 | Easy to Open Up Shop. Setting up your Etsy shop is so easy. There aren't that many options for customization, which as you'll see below, I view as a con, but it does make for easy set up. They walk you through step by step until your shop is up and ready to go.

02 | Etsy Advertises. I don't know much about how this works, but I have traffic driven to my shop daily from Google product listing ads that are paid for by Etsy. Obviously, if I make money, Etsy makes money, but it's nice to know there is someone else promoting my shop.

03 | It's a Small World. By selling through Etsy, my goods have been put in front of the faces of people across the planet. I don't do any paid advertising and I rely strictly on social media, word of mouth, and Etsy searches. People all over can search "return address stamps" on Etsy and my stamps will show up nearly on every page (including the first). If they were to simply search "return address stamps" on Google, there is no telling how far down in the results my shop and stamps would be. Etsy has given me the tools to be accessible to the public.

04 | Stat Checking. I love that Etsy keeps track of traffic to my shop and listings as well as how people are finding me. I know exactly what keywords people are looking under when they find my listings. This helps when listing a new product. I can figure out the types of keywords potential customers are searching under and use that to my advantage.

Cons of Selling on Etsy

01 | Establishing Lasting Relationships With Customers. This is something that I myself have been guilty of, but a lot of times when someone is asked where they got an item (that they purchased from Etsy), their response is typically, "I got it on Etsy". They don't mention the seller who has worked so hard to create their products. For example, one of my customers blogged about her wedding invitations. She had purchased one of my return address stamps to use with them and when telling her readers about it, she simply said "I got it from Etsy". She did link to the stamp she purchased in my shop so I'm thankful for that, but there was no mention of my name anywhere. Unless a reader decided to click through, they would have never heard of me. Now, I am not putting blame on my customer in any way. As I said above, I'm guilty of this as well and I completely understand. It is however, a con of running an Etsy shop and it can make it hard to distinguish yourself as a legitimate shop owner and not just a hobbyist, but it can be done. I'll share more on that in an upcoming post!

02 | Visible Number of Sales. Your sales are on display for everyone to see, as well as the date you opened your shop. This allows everyone to see how well your shop has done in the time period your shop has been "open". For me, this hasn't been very helpful. As you can see, I "opened" my shop on December 1, 2010 and I (at the time I'm writing this post) have 514 sales. These numbers say that I've done OK and have had on average, under 300 sales a year. In reality, I created and sold my first listing in October of 2011. So in about a year and a half I have made 514 sales. That ratio is much better but customers don't look into that. They only see what is right in front of them. The number of sales you have gives new buyers confidence in you and your shop. If they see you have hundreds or even thousands of sales, they might be more likely to buy from you since others have as well. This obviously can pose a problem for new shop owners. It may take awhile for your sales to start growing, but I promise once they do, they won't stop! :)

03 | Minimal Customization. Besides your Etsy banner and how you style your photographs, there isn't much opportunity to distinguish your shop from others on the Etsy platform. This contributes to con number one. If my shop looks like all the other stationery and paper good shops, what is going to make customers choose me? There are lots of answers to this question and I hope to cover it in an upcoming Selling on Etsy post!

04 | Fear of Negative Feedback. I've said this many times before, but people do not like to read. It doesn't matter whether I have something listed in my shop policies or in the listing, chances are someone won't read it. I have found myself breaking my own rules in order to avoid negative feedback. The reality is, that even if the customer misunderstood or made a mistake, if I don't eat the cost and make it right, they can still leave me negative feedback, which is also visible to the public. I do like the feedback feature as someone who buys from Etsy, however someone can make an accusation about you or your shop and you have no chance to defend yourself. I've been blessed with wonderful customers and have 100% positive feedback but there have been times where I lost profit in order to correct a customer's mistake (typo in return address information) to avoid getting any negative feedback. I want my customers to be completely satisfied with their product, but this is my business and my ultimate goal is to turn a profit.

Do you run an Etsy shop? I'd love to hear from you!

What kinds of pros and cons have you found through your experience? Let me know in the comments section!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2013-03-17T12:30:00.001-05:00

Sale | Return Address Stamps

2013-03-12T17:05:00.000-05:00

Who Wants to See a Picture of Me?

2013-03-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

It seems a little weird to have a post dedicated to just pictures of myself, but here we are! These are from a shoot I did with Nixon Photography last July. I was so nervous before it started but Michelle and her assistant Ali made me feel so comfortable! Besides the weather not cooperating with my vision, (I wanted soft sunlight and got a near tornado) I am so happy with how they turned out! And if it had been nice and sunny we never would have gotten that amazing shot with the flag flying in the breeze. You win some, you lose some, right? :)

I'm signing off for the week! I will be flying to Columbus in the morning to visit some friends but I'll be back to work Monday morning! See you then, friends! Enjoy your weekends!

Save the Handwritten Note

2013-03-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Photo by Teale Photography

I don't know about you, but I absolutely love getting mail. Obviously, I'm referring to anything other than a bill or a promotional flyer. Whether it's a care package from my mama or a thank you note from a friend, it fires me up, so I like to return the favor! There is just something about someone taking the time to actually put pen to paper to say thank you, to tell you they love you, or just to say hello. It makes a girl feel good! It's definitely a dying form of communication and I'm on a mission to save it! Let's all put in the extra effort this month to send a few handwritten letters, shall we? :)

Oh, and if you'd like to have some of those note cards pictured above, you can get buy them here! ;)

I'm Filled With Gratitude!

2013-03-05T16:12:00.001-06:00

Thank You Kindly wall print. Photo by J.Noel Photography.

As of March 3rd, it has been a year since I attended the very first Amber Housley Inspired workshop here in Nashville. (You can read my recap here.) I've said it before, but I really feel like when I woke up on January 1, 2012 I had hit the reset button. I knew that I wanted to take my business to the next level and I was going to do whatever I could to make that happen. Enter AH Inspired. It couldn't have come at a better time, and it couldn't have been located in a better place. It was exactly what I needed. My business has grown so much in the past year and I owe a lot of that to Amber, the other speakers, and the ladies I had the honor to meet that day! I have had some amazing opportunities come my way that would have not been possible without attending.

Besides the wonderful content and getting to meet superstars like Amber, Courtney, Jessica, Sara, and Kelle - I now have a network of other strong, creative, small business owners that I can go to for guidance and support. It's so important to surround yourself with people who get you and who are rooting for you. After the workshop, two of the ladies started a local stationery group. That has been an amazing thing to be a part of and just another reason I'm so grateful I was able to attend AH Inspired.

So, THANK YOU to all the wonderful women I met that day! You are fabulous and I'm so lucky to have met y'all! :)

Coming Soon: Southern Graces

2013-03-04T21:41:00.002-06:00

Photo by Teale Photography

I don't have much to share, quite yet, but I did want to let you all in on something that has been in the works behind the scenes! My friend Ashlee (she designs interiors and events) and I are starting a new lifestyle blog. We have some pretty lofty goals of where we see Southern Graces going, but for now we will have a home on the web to share all sorts of goodness relating to life here in the South. As an extension to both of our brand missions, Southern Graces will celebrate finding the special moments in the everyday and we hope to always live and love with grace and southern charm.

The website isn't up and running yet, but please head over and become our friend on Facebook!

New Products Coming This Spring!

2013-03-03T15:34:00.001-06:00

I am so excited to share everything I have been working on! I don't want to give too much away but let's just say that I am going back to the basics!;) If you want to be one of the first to hear about the new products as well as receive special offers available to subscribers only, be sure to sign up for the newsletter!

I'll be back tomorrow to start the week off with some gratitude! Many thank you's are in order, so y'all come back now! ;)

Reclaim the Belly-Laugh

2013-02-24T22:14:00.000-06:00

This weekend I had the itch to paint, so I brought out the acrylics and got to work. I don't paint very often (I think the last time I painted was in college) so it's no masterpiece but I do love this quote! Laughing really can cure just about anything in my opinion and there is almost nothing better than laughing until you cry! :)

Sweet Southern Charm Print Collection

2013-02-18T13:37:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday so far! I realized that I haven't shared the complete Sweet Southern Charm collection here on the blog. I shared the first nine prints available here and then shared the collection of 15, here. I'm happy to say that the collection now totals 20 different, witty southern sayings that I love so much. These have been my bread and butter and have really helped get my little shop out there. I owe my first two print features to them because back in November my shop and these prints were featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. My Sweet as a Peach print was also featured in Southern Weddings Magazine, Vol. 5. I am so thankful and even still a little giddy! You can purchase your own Sweet Southern Charm prints in my shop! :)

Happy Weekend & a Sneak Peek!

2013-02-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

Happy weekend, y'all! It has been such a good week for me and I hope it's been the same for you. I had planned on sharing the Stephanie Creekmur manifesto yesterday, but the graphic I am creating is not 100% ready, SO... I'm going to share the next best thing! Today I received some new packaging supplies I created and I could not be more happy with them! There are new stickers for shipping boxes and pretty, new thank you cards. Each card has a line from the SC manifesto on the front and a gingham back for my handwritten notes!

Here is an up-close look at the front and back of my new thank you cards. These will be included with every order! I love that I no longer have to write out the #StephanieCreekmur hashtag information for Instagram! This will cut down on so much time! I am so happy with how everything turned out and can't wait to get packaging! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2013-02-14T15:29:00.001-06:00

Hello friends! I'm just popping in to say hello and to wish you all a very happy Valentine's Day. And to give you a little reminder with the help of Colossians 3:12. I hope you have had a wonderful day and I hope you have a relaxing night filled with love! My sister and I are going out to dinner and I'm excited to get to spend some time with her. She will be leaving to head back to Ohio in the morning! I'll be back tomorrow to share a very special post so please come back by to see what it is! :) Until then...

Blogging 101 | Make It Easy On Your Audience

2013-02-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

One thing I have learned through running a blog and an Etsy shop is that people do not read. You can have all the information spelled out right in front of them and they will still have questions. I'm just as guilty of this as the next person because I am a skimmer. I skim articles, product listings, etc. This has gotten me into trouble from time to time as well as resulted in a little buyers remorse because I failed to read carefully.

So, if you have a blog, whether it's a hobby, your main source of income, or if you are like me and it is part of your business and brand, the lesson here is to make visiting and reading it as easy as possible. I think all of the tips I listed in the first Blogging 101 (The Anatomy of a Post) apply here, but below are 8 more things you can do to make your blog an enjoyable space.

01 | Keep it visually clean. Less is typically more when it comes to blog design. Be sure that your links and navigation are easy to locate as well as your most recent posts. "Magazine" style blogs are becoming more popular but be sure your readers aren't overwhelmed and that they know where they are supposed to go.

02 | Open external links in new tabs or windows. It's always great to link to your previous posts that may be relevant as well as to outside sources, but please have this link open up in a separate window or tab. If I am reading a blog post and it links to an outside source but does not have this link open up in a new window or tab, chances are I am not going to head back to their blog. I have now had my attention brought to something else and unless I hit the back button, I may never return. Isn't the whole point of putting out great content to get readers to see it and stick around for discussion?

03 | Be yourself and create unique content. There are obviously hundreds of reasons why this is a good rule to follow but for today's sake, do it because you don't want to bore your audience. The blogging market is so heavily saturated with information and you don't want to waste anyone's time sharing information that has already been shared a million times. If you are going to post on a popular topic be sure you are making it your own and sharing with your voice. For example, there are a number of 'blogging tips' posts out there but the topics I'm choosing to focus on are things that I find to be helpful or that are pet peeves of mine. It's all my opinion and how I think blogging can be more enjoyable, not necessarily how someone else will see it.

04 | Ditch the Captcha passwords. It's hard enough to get people to comment even if they really love your content. Why make it any harder on them by adding this annoying step? I understand the reasons people may include them in their comment form, but in my opinion you are pushing away otherwise willing commentators.

05 | Make it easy for viewers to comment. In addition to No. 4, be sure that your audience knows where to go to leave a comment. I have been on some blogs, and because the way the design is set up, I was unable to locate the comment link. You know what happened, I left without leaving a comment and now I can't even remember what blog it was. You are trying to create an active community and if you make it too difficult, your audience won't participate.

06 | Create headings or lists. I have made this point before, but people are lazy and don't like to read (yours truly included). When you create headings or lists, it breaks up the information and makes it easier for people to skim your post and still (hopefully) get the point you are trying to get across.

07 | Be consistent. Posting daily is not necessary for every blog. Consider your brand as well as your audience and find your sweet spot. For me, I like to post a couple times a week. Blogging isn't my main source of income but it is an important piece of my brand so I want to make sure that I am giving it the time it deserves. If you post too infrequently viewers may think you have gone out of business or have given up on blogging.

08 | Limit the amount of curated posts. Sure, I love to see your favorites of the month, or new products you've come across, but I get bored when all a blogger does is curate. I can find that stuff on my own and if you're curating from things you find on Pinterest alone, chances are your followers have already seen it. Space out your curated posts and maybe share one once a month. The other posts need to be content that you have created.