May 17

National Stationery Show Update

photo credit: http://mylocalstay.com

We leave for the National Stationery Show bright and early tomorrow morning. A reminder, we’ll be closed through Tuesday. To update you on our happenings, here’s what has been going on…

Samples and Press Checks: I’ve sent our designs to the printer and picked them up this afternoon. They’ve been sorted and packaged and ready for retailers to look through.

Katherine from our 2013 Collection

Album: I love the way our Album came out. The cover is metallic silver and inside each design suite inside has a divider page with what we call a line sheet (all the options) and pages showcasing all the pieces of each design. In the back is a pocket with paper samples and item samples.

Booth: Last month, I designed our booth panels for our space. Trade secret, just in case something happens to our product, (knock on wood) we print the designs on foam core walls and then, I’ll adhere the real samples to the board.

Press Kits: This was fun for me because I was able to dust off the ole marketing skills. We put together a mini folder with our Company Profile, Founder Bio, Suggested Stories, Press & Testimonials, Collection Info, a personal note from mio and a CD with images and all the information any publisher or blog owner would want. Burning those puppies took the entire day.

press kits

Packing: Guess which suitcase is being checked? The album, samples, order forms, press kits, business cards and supplies are going with me on the plane. Clothes can be replaced and rained on if stuck out on the tarmac. Not sure where it is all going to fit yet, but we have to get it all there!

full suitcases

Etiquette Book: After some chats with a friend about all this Etiquette information I have, I decided that I should publish a book. We picked up a sample of it this afternoon and it will be available for retailers to purchase this week! I’ll try to get some up on Etsy in the coming months a well.

Invitation Essentials: The Modern Details of Wedding Invitations

Website: We’re also doing some website updates. We have a place-holder for our wholesale information right now, but behind the scenes, we’re working n an online ordering portal.

We are taking appointments at the show, if you are a retailer and want to come chat about our designs and how we can serve your store. Shoot us an email and I can get something set up for you. wholesale@somethingdetailed.com

I am so thankful for all the support from family, friends and fellow paper pals. Follow us on Instagram.com/somethingdetailed, Facebook.com/somethingdetailed for live updates!

We’ll be back in the office on Wednesday!

May 10

friday feed: sun-dried tomato and goat cheese pasta

I’m not going to lie, I love Giada. And I have been craving pasta lately. Maybe it’s the crave for energy I will need for next week (next week, oh my God). Fresh basil, pine nuts and goat cheese atop fresh pasta with meatballs in a light sun-dried tomato sauce. This combination is delicious on pizza as well! Enjoy.

sun-dried tomato and goat cheese pasta

Angel Hair with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:15 min

Inactive Prep Time: — Cook Time:20 min

Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped (oil reserved)
1 small onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup dry white wine
8 ounces angel hair pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and sun-dried tomatoes and simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the tomato mixture and toss to coat, adding some reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the goat cheese and parsley and stir. Mound the pasta into bowls and serve.

We added fresh turkey meatballs – from the meat counter at Publix. Make sure you season them – they are very bland. Add some pine nuts and fresh basil if you have those around too. And the fresh pasta from Buitoni in the little fridge display on the pasta aisle is much better than the dried kind in the box. Trust me on this – it makes a difference!

May 08

Finding Strength

These past couple of weeks have been testing. As a young, female business owner, I often run into people who doubt me or don’t take me seriously. People who don’t think I’m capable of building my little stationery empire. They think this is a hobby and that working from home consists of soap operas, laundry and being a “kept” wife. None of which are the case. (Especially the laundry part.)

It should give you strength. Those doubters should fire you up, encourage you to work harder and prove them wrong. Sometimes ideas will work and sometimes they will not. Living in fear of doubt or failure (whether from outsiders or from within) will not foster success. Find strength and let those fears be your fuel.

May 07

Office Hours for Memorial Day

We have a lot of exciting things going on, and over the next few weeks I have implemented some different office hours. If we are already working with each other, you are already aware of these time changes, but if you are trying to touch base with us and it’s taking a while, please have patience – we’ll get back with you as soon as we can!

Next week, we’re heading to the National Stationery Show. We leave on May 18th and return on May 22nd. And, of course, we’ll be closed for the Memorial Day holiday.

Office Hours

May 20 – 21st: Closed for the National Stationery Show

May 27th: Closed for Memorial Day

July 4th: Closed for holiday

May 06

NSS or Bust: prepping in 4 months

I am beginning to ask myself this everyday: am I crazy? The answer is yes, I know that for a fact. Most people prep and plan the whole year for the National Stationery Show in New York. I am doing it in just 4 short months.

For those of you not familiar with the industry, NSS is the stationery show of the year. If you have a local stationery store you love, it’s likely they are heading to NYC in a few weeks to do their shopping for the year. NSS has a little bit of everything: social stationery, wedding albums, gift ware, crafting products, supply side, Surtex (want to how Target comes up with all those cute patterns on their pillows? They are licensing it from a pattern designer), industry parties, educational seminars…it’s our fashion week.

National Stationery Show Floor – huge!

Last year, I attended the Stationery Academy. We talked about our goals and big ideas, which one of mine was to exhibit at NSS. In my mind, that was 2014 or 2015. So, when Whitney English (our fearless leader) posted on our private Facebook group that she was hosting a booth of StatAcad alumna (around Thanksgiving), I ignored her. Then, someone backed out (for good reason) and there was a spot open again. I felt a tug on my heart and emailed her for more information. After speaking to my dad and husband, we all decided I should go for it. That was February 2nd.

So, without having planned for this at all and a few dozen good wedding invitation designs in my back pocket, I set off to plan, not knowing the giant to-do list that was on its way.

We’ll be doing a wedding invitation album. If you have been in your favorite local stationery store, you may have noticed all the huge binders of cards they have available. That’s were we are hoping to be. When you want to order an invitation, you walk into said store and flip through those binders (hopefully mine) and the store places the order through me, as the wholesaler. It allows for Something Detailed to be a national brand.

Here is a little sampling of what I’ve been working on for the past few months: album collection, custom album design, booth design, press kit, marketing mailer, website updates, giveaways and handouts for the booth, policies and procedures, order forms, show specials, my “brand outfits” for the booth (a fun part), the search for some really comfortable flats, pricing, sourcing product, interviewing local printers, product photos…and I still need to get started on some Bar/Bat Mitzvah and anniversary designs. (We’ll also have our Christmas Cards available as an add-on kit.)

“Glitter Glam” Save the Date design from our Wholesale Album – already very popular on Etsy

I hope to share my journey with you. Right now, we have a lot of plates spinning in the air, and I am ready to check off the first item as “complete”.

For all you custom brides out there, this does not mean that we’re not taking custom clients anymore. It’s just another part of our business. You are the inspiration; the reason we started in this business in the first place. (Read more about our Why here in our Manifesto.) We’re still taking custom clients, or you can order from our album soon, but space will be limited.

For retailers: come see what I’ve been up to in booth 2630, along with 5 other fabulous designers. We are all so different and have different items to offer – it will be a one stop shop for you.

For future exhibitors: if you’ve been wanting to exhibit, you just have to do it. As my friend Amber Housley says, if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough. It’s so true. I took a leap of faith and am growing my wings on the way down (another Amber quote!). It’s sort of like deciding to have children – if you wait until you are ready, you’ll never do it.

For the next 3 weeks, I will be working hard to finish everything (my motto is Go Big or Go Home! So nothing will be half done.) I’ve had to miss out on baby showers, dinner parties, QT with my family, Saturdays exploring my city and (not to mention) some financial sacrifices, but I am super excited about what’s to come!

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for the inside scoop.

Stayed tuned!

May 03

friday feed: esquites

A few weeks ago, we went on vacation to Key West for our wedding anniversary. There is a little cuban place right around the corner from where we always stay in Key West (we feel like locals there!), called Paseo. Paseo means walk, stroll or ride. I am convinced it means you “stroll” back to your guesthouse because you are so full when you leave. One of the things we ordered was this grilled corn, and it reminded me of a recipe I tried from Marcela Valladolid of the Food Network: Esquites. Esquites means snack, and these little corn cups are frequently sold by street vendors in Mexico.

This little cup is full of flavor and the creamy cheese topped with fresh cilantro is the prefect presentation for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Enjoy!

Cooking Tip: To cut the corn off of the cob, use 2 bowls, one large and one small. Turn the small bowl upside down inside the large one. Cut the husk off the cob and set the flat end (vertically) on the small bowl. Run your knife down the cob to cut off the corn. All the corn falls into the bowl, ready to mix with your ingredients!

Creamy Corn Cups (“Esquites”)

Recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid

Prep Time:: 10 min
Inactive Prep Time:: –
Cook Time:: 7 min

Level:: Easy

Serves:: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 ears sweet corn, husked and silks removed
4 tablespoons mayonnaise or Mexican sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
6 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco or mild feta cheese
Ground chili powder, for sprinkling
Salt, for sprinkling
Lime wedges, for serving, optional

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the corn to a platter and allow them to cool slightly. Using a serrated knife, remove the kernels from the corn. Divide the corn between 4 individual cups or small glasses. Put 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon butter in each glass. Sprinkle with cheese, chili powder, and salt. Serve with the lime wedges, if desired.

Recipe Alteration: This is really good with fresh cilantro sprinkled on top!

May 01

Manifesto

A couple of weeks ago now, I attended Authenticate – a workshop for dreamers – creative entrepreneurs to help develop their vision, purpose and mission. It forced me to turn off my cell phone, kick off my shoes and think about my personal brand and to find direction. A welcome ~~(forced)~~ break. When you build your brand on who you are, you build your brand authentically – a brand that no one can duplicate and a product that no one else can offer because it is true to who you are.

Whitney English, a creative entrepreneur, stationery expert, brand consultant and generally lovely person, lead about 20 women from all over the South, in a discussion where we shared, supported and dug deep to fill in the blanks and answer some hard questions.

Over the next few weeks, I want to share with you what I learned and discovered. I am still filling in some of those blanks and still struggling with the words to share my message. One of the exercises was to create a Manifesto; what I Believe…

What do you believe in?

Apr 29

Memorial Day Weekend Wedding

This Georgetown, SC wedding is the perfect inspiration for a Memorial Day wedding.

This is how you pull a theme throughout a wedding design. The chevron, the pop of coral red, the gown, the groomsmen’s suites, all the personal touches and of course, the paper (below!). It’s red, white and blue with class, tradition and style.

The bride’s wedding vision was executed by Sara Barnhill of Stunning and Brilliant Events in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The bride’s vision was a southern, coastal, country club affair that incorporated a nod to the Kentucky Derby. Each detail was unique and styled perfectly and effortlessly. These amazing photographs were taken by Paula Player of Paula Player Photography. I love her style and she captures the most beautiful moments. I love these two women! Together, their talents capture some beautiful moments.

Kristin, the bride, and I worked on a few different pieces for her ceremony and reception paper details. Her focus was on her guest. We created a fun wedding program, that even included a quiz on the back for guests to read while they waited for Kristin to make her big entrance.

Photo: Paula Player Photography
Stationery: Something Detailed

At each place setting, she included a thank you note and a Mad Lib with a little golf pencil for guests to fill out and turn in as a guest book full of advice.

Photo: Paula Player Photography
Stationery: Something Detailed

Since all of her guests traveled to this South Carolina wedding, they each received a welcome book in their rooms at the resort. It was packed full of things to do, the weekend schedule and all the contact information they would need.

Stationery: Something Detailed

We are tickled to be featured on Style Me Pretty, the blog-of-all-wedding-blogs. It features beautiful weddings everyday, and is a wonderful resource for brides looking for ideas. You can see the post on Style Me Pretty, here. The full gallery is amazing. You can see that here.

Apr 26

friday feed: guacamole with pico de gallo

This is my favorite guacamole recipe. You must make your pico the night before and let it sit overnight in the fridge – that is the secret. And save some for yourself before everyone else eats it all – you’ll be glad you did!

Guacamole with Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo

5 Plum (Roma) tomatoes
½ large or 1 small onion
3 jalapeño peppers
Cilantro
Lime Juice
Salt
Quantities are approximate

Pico de Gallo
Dice jalapeño, tomatoes and onions. (leave seeds in your jalapeño for a hotter pico. Adjust amount of jalapeños to your preferred temperature.) Next, chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Just remove and discard the long leafless stems before chopping. No need to remove the leaves from the stems completely. Place all of these ingredients together in a bowl and give it a good stir.
Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again. Let sit overnight in the fridge.

Guacamole

3 Avocados
Pico de Gallo
Lime Juice
Salt

Guacamole
Start with buttery-soft avocados. They should feel soft to the touch and look a little brown on the outside. That means they are ready! Half them lengthwise and remove the pits. Next. with a spoon scrape the “meat” out onto a large plate. Next, with the bottom of a clean cup (or with a fork) mash the avocados, making sure to leave it relatively chunky. Add just a couple of shakes of salt to taste. Next, add a generous helping of Pico de Gallo. Fold together. Lastly squeeze the juice of half of a lime over the top. Give it a last stir.

Hope you have a lovely Cinco de Mayo weekend!

Apr 23

tuesday tips: unique wording for your rsvp cards

I promise I’m not flaking out on you, but no video today… sick sick girl without a voice! Tuesday Tips videos next week. – Jennifer

source: http://imgur.com/qWYFblQ

This week I wanted to share some unique ideas for your response cards. I was inspired by this post from the Huffington Post Weddings.

Wedding-Invitations-Etiquette-Nashville-Something-Detailed (2 of 7)

I thought this was so awesome! It’s a sassy way to keep it real. Traditionally, your rsvp card would include “delightfully accept” and “regretfully decline” – or some version of that formality. If you’re not up to being that forth front, but don’t want to be super formal, I’ve collected a few other ideas below:

looking forward to celebrating with you | we’ll celebrate from afar

can’t wait | regrets

we’d be delighted | so sorry we can’t make it

our bags are packed | toasting from afar

see you there | sorry to miss it

we’ll celebrate with you | we’ll be there in spirit

I always get questions from brides all the time about how to be creative with their wedding invitations in the response card. So, I hope this helps some of you get the creative juices flowing for your rsvp card responses. Call us if you need any help…best of luck!