Apr
24
The most important holiday of the entire year will be here before we know it: Mother’s Day. Yes, I have deemed this the most important holiday for several reasons, but mostly because mothers make the world go round. They spend their lives raising us; they’re a shoulder to cry on when we need it; they give us advice and are never afraid to be honest; they encourage us; and they never give up on us. Mothers exist in so many forms, and I am very lucky to have a handful of them in my life. I am also very lucky to see so many of my close friends blossom into incredible mothers, and I am excited for all the new mothers to celebrate this year. As I have said before, I am a competitive gift-giver. Most of the time, I gear to make my mother laugh with gifts, because so much of our relationship is based on joking and laughing together. Occasionally, I’ll mix the sentimental with the funny, so we can laugh and cry and eat ice cream cake. (My mother always requests an ice cream cake.) As I’ve begun collecting gifts for this year, I’ve been trying to...Read More
Apr
22
Earth Day is one of my favorite days of the year. It’s a day when I’m reminded to be kinder to my home and to appreciate how incredible this planet is. Earth Day’s main aim is to inspire awareness of and appreciation for earth’s environment; we only get one! I do my best to recycle, use my reusable water bottle daily, reduce my use of Styrofoam cups, and use my reusable grocery bags. Taking shorter showers, turning off the lights, and using reusable containers for my lunches are other actions I try to take to help preserve our wonderful planet. Of course, I’m not perfect, and these actions are often difficult to make habits as we lead our busy lives. At American Stationery, we do our best to “go green” and provide items that are friendly to Earth and to you. If you’re ready to restock your stationery with note cards and thank-you cards, I hope you’ll consider these items, which are made on the highest quality 100 percent cotton paper. The first is the Letterpress Note with the Monogram. We already know I love the monogram, so the fact that I can have it printed on 100 percent cotton...Read More
Apr
22
I don’t know if there is something in the water or what but, it seems like a lot of people I know lately are pregnant. I personally, am decidedly done having children but, many of my friends haven’t even started. Because of this, I am getting very excited to buy baby stuff to help keep the inevitable baby fever at bay. Many moms-to-be get very excited when it is time to start decorating the nursery. What theme to go with, what colors, to add a day bed or not. The list of decisions moms and dads face when designing the nursery are vast and vary from family to family. But, one thing all nursery’s need is a Rocking Chair. This is a beautiful rocking chair handcrafted with your child’s name. Each rocking chair is custom made when ordered to fit your child’s name perfectly. The letters are painted in your choice of vibrant primary colors or chic pastels with non-toxic latex paint. Imagine your child sitting in this chair and rocking, reading a book or pretending to and enjoying this fine crafted item for many years to come. This chair is made for children ages two to ten and will...Read More
Apr
20
In just two short months, many schools will open their doors, and students will run out screaming and celebrating the beginning of their summer vacation. It’s almost hard to believe that we are nearing the end of another great year. Students have studied until they fell asleep and expanded their minds, even when they complained about homework and tests and projects…oh my! The teachers have been there every step of the way. Through all the great teaching and learning moments to the less than glamorous complaining and whining, they have stuck by our students’ sides. Working before and after the school day is over, and even working at home on the weekends, teachers put in countless hours and effort to ensure students are successful. I’m sure everyone remembers those strong moments of being impacted by an educator. Our students are experiencing that today, and it is so important to say thank you. Whether it is a hand-written note or an elaborate gift basket, our teachers deserve some recognition for the hard work they put in day after day, year after year. I’ve gathered up some wonderful American Stationery items that our teachers are sure to love. The first are the...Read More
Apr
17
There’s nothing quite like opening the dusty blinds and cracking open a window on that first 60 degree day of spring. Sunshine beams into your home, fresh air swooshes in, and instant happiness fills you. Even the animals are happily sunbathing in their favorite spots around the house. After what always seems like the worst and longest winter, you’re feeling rejuvenated and motivated to start on that list of home projects you swore you’d begin in the spring. Well, there’s no time like the present. Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today. Get out your mops, buckets, calendars, and bins; the annual spring cleaning and organizing binge awaits you. There are plenty of ways to begin this task. You can organize your closets, wash the walls and windows, clean the carpets and furniture, reorganize your bookshelves, and if you’re really looking to brighten up the home, repaint the bathroom or kitchen and add in new textiles to create a fresh mood. My two favorite aspects of spring cleaning and organizing is buying new bins and baskets to organize different products and items around the house and focusing on personal organization. I am that person who has four...Read More
Apr
15
We all have our favorite things. Whether it is food, sports, or author. But, one of the first things you ever truly have a favorite of is a color. I can remember hot pink being the new big deal for me and all other little girls who grew up in the late 80’s and early 90’s but, as I grew older my love fell to the color green again and again. Maybe it is because I grew up a farm kid and the wide open spaces of green pastures and gardens ready to be dug into are comforting. Maybe I just wanted to not conform to the typical blue and pink. I think it’s probably a mixture of both. I love the calming feeling a nice grass green or sage gives me. Green looks terrific with my skin tone. So why not? I tend to love all things green. Whether it be fabric for my clothing or decor for my home. Green gives me a sense of tranquility. At American Stationery we have plenty of items available for you in whatever color is your favorite and that includes my favorite. The Rhomboids Desert Stickers and they are so funky I...Read More
Apr
13
Spring has sprung and with that, we have several new items to unveil to you. By clicking on the new arrivals link on the website you can take a peek at them. Personally I am excited by all of the new items for the children. Especially the artsy stuff. In my house, we are pretty creative and we like to get messy. With two young boys that means I am always coming up with new ways to not only be creative but, keep the mess in check. Luckily, with some of these new items offered by American Stationery we can get messy in style and keep some of it under control. Cooking is a big part of most everyone’s life and my family is no exception. We like to grow our own food and make our own dinners. My seven year old is currently very into cooking and baking. It’s a lot of fun watching something you put in the oven come out much differently then when you put it in there. Of course it also allows me to teach about, creativity, math, and science so it’s a bit of a sneaky way of learning. Something that my seven year...Read More
Apr
10
If you’re anything like me when it comes to gift giving, you’re competitive. You like to give the best gift, something personal, something thoughtful, and watch the recipient nearly cry from happiness. Everyone enjoys a gift that truly speaks to their personality, their interests, or their style. Recently, I’ve become obsessed with monograms, and I’m assuming you have, too. It’s the perfect way to personalize anything and everything; it’s the gift that says, “Hey, I’ve really thought about YOU!” And the best part: you can slap a monogram wherever you see fit. If you aren’t familiar with how the monogram works, I’ve included some tips below. Adults can use a one-initial, two-initial, or three-initial monogram for personalization. Single-initial monograms feature the last name initial, and the two-initial monogram combines the first and last initials. Pretty simple, right? These are not as common as the three-initial monogram, but they are equally great for personalization purposes. The three-letter monogram is the most traditional, and there are a variety of ways in which you can design it. One of the most common for single adults is to order the initials first, last, and middle, with the last name initial being larger in the...Read More
Apr
8
This is Part II to How to Start a Business – Part I Plan your operations. Who will lead, and who will follow? Define your organization, from the receptionist up to the CEO, and what part each plays in both function and financials. Knowing your organizational structure will better help you plan your operating costs, and fine-tune how much capital you will need to function effectively. Keep in mind that your business will continue to evolve and that this will be a rough idea of who is needed to keep things functioning; as the business grows, you’ll likely make changes to the hiring plans to fit what is happening at the time. Also, in a number of cases, the “staff” is you and whomever you can consult, such as your lawyer and accountant. This is fine, as long as you show that you’re prepared to pay for external advice and help until your business is ready to take on staff. Cover the financials. Succinctly, this describes how much you plan on spending, and how much you’re making. Since this is the most dynamic part of your plan, and perhaps the most important for long-term stability, you should update this monthly...Read More
Apr
6
Have an idea? It might be a product you’ve always wanted to make, or a service you feel people need. It might even be something people don’t know they need yet, because it hasn’t been invented. Starting a business involves planning, making key financial decisions and completing a series of legal activities. Are you one of those who dream of owning your own business? You’ll be your own boss, and the captain of your destiny—–maybe even a captain of industry. Is it hard? Without a doubt. Is it challenging? Absolutely. Do you have to be wealthy and well-educated with a lengthy resumé? Not at all! Can you do it? There are some tried and true ways head down the path of creating your own business, and there is no time like the present to get started! Have an idea. Start with a simple question like: “what shall we build?”. The idea is not to create a business plan, just to generate some ideas. Many of the ideas will be duds, and there will be quite a few ordinary ones, but a few will emerge that have real potential. Define your goals. Do you want financial independence, eventually selling your business...Read More