Stelie Designs

WOW!  I was looking back and noticed, I blogged 5 times since November and looking back farther, I noticed, I didn't blog much the entire 2013!  Clearly blogging was put on the back burner, something I like to do, but not the top of my list.   I was looking to free up time to continue growing my business and blogging kind of fell off.  I'm still looking for ways to grow Stelie Designs, come this fall, I will have all kids in school full time. (bittersweet) In an effort to bring designing back to the forefront, I needed to either 1. hire someone or 2. outsource something.   Something I mentioned in this post  almost 2 years ago, but wasn't quite ready probably because I hadn't found the one was outsourcing printing.   Well...the day has come, instead of hiring someone to print and cut in my office, I am hiring a small local (30 minute drive) printing company to print and cut.  They were ...

I made a packet of my paper samples + color chart + business card for brides to take with them after stopping at my booth.   { Marlowe invitation set}  To break up my walls of shelves, I added 4 frames.  3 with a full set, to give brides an idea of offerings available { Avalon + Easton fall sample sets}  Tomorrow we set up then Sunday it's go time!  Can't wait.

2013 for Stelie Designs is about leaping.  Taking leaps out of my comfort zone. Taking leaps to grow this business.  My first leap is doing a Bridal Show, UNVEILDED ! Happening this weekend....eek. slight panic..deep breaths... I sketched up a plan then digitally drew up my plan seen above.  My amazing husband built our wall & shelves to test in our unfinished basement. After putting it together, we took it apart and got started painting. I'll be at the Minneapolis Convention Center Sunday, February 10 from 11-4 with my dear friend & former business partner. Wish me luck!  I am so very very excited and a bit scared + nervous.

i love owning my own business, it is rewarding but it also comes with decisions.  my own decisions on what is the right thing to do.   right now, i'm torn between raising my invitation prices and/or outsourcing my printing... it has been weighing heavy on my mind for a couple months.  do i keep wedding invitations in house (notepads & stationery will continue to be printed here) like i've done since the beginning? do i keep the control over my output quality?  do i keep it in my hands, something that gives me personal satisfaction? but i'm not sure if that's important to my clients.  if i do this, i have to raise my invitation prices a bit, because while i love what i do, i need to make money, as well as, compensate for my supplies cost increasing. [printed in house] do i outsource to a printer i am happy with but think my own printing looks better?  do i outsource where the...

I'm thinking of making a visual change to my shop  because A.) I have way too much extra time on my hands or B.) I love change. If you chose A, then you are craaaazzzy...I have 4 kids, a husband, a home, and a business.... If you chose B, then you are the winner!!!! The winner of self satisfaction for guessing correctly. Now onto business. I'm thinking of changing up my first photo. See my plan below. or you can see how the test looks in the screen shot below of my actual shop. now that you've seen the proposed, what do you think? Yes or No? I only have 174 items in my shop to change (easy though time consuming.) Wondering if it's really worth the effort. I appreciate your input!

i've basically abandoned this little blog the last month or so.  why? you ask. oh you didn't, well i'll tell you what's up anyway. 1. since my older kids started 1st grade, every day, all day, 5 days a week. it's quite time consuming & am hoping to get into a better routine before the year is over. it entails reading every night, reading every morning, practice spelling words every morning, etc. etc. (way too much busy work for me, but that's a whole 'nother story.) 2. on the days my mom is here, i used to get into my office 8ish, now it's after 9 since i see my kids off on the bus. 3. i'm actually doing a full holiday launch instead of a little here and there, like in previous years. including digital photo cards + return address labels.  the launch is starting this week. 4.  i've been working on new stationery + notepad designs for this holiday season as well.  5. my 2 year olds are at the high maintenance stage.  if you have or had a two ...

OMG!!! my webpage is done & i am so giddy with excitement.  go check it out here . i worked with a wonderful woman.  kimberly, from cucu design & honizukle press .  she is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. she is patient. she is talented. she is a mom. she is wonderful to work with. she is now a friend. she is highly recommended by me.

~ i reached 1000 etsy sales! ~ i reached my etsy sales goal for 2011 ~ i reached my goal on 6.15.11 ~ i reached my goal 6 months ahead of plan. ~ i reached my goal because of all you wonderful buyers. ~ i reached my goal and am so thankful for my business. ~ i reached my goal so thank you!

for outdoor product shots in the winter... bundle up, shovel or sweep a small path on my front walk, lay down my items, keep them from blowing away, shoot away, freeze my fingers, and hope i get some good shots. all in the name of stelie designs.

this is how i'm feeling.  "life is GOLDEN" ~art print by me~ 2010 was a great year for stelie designs!  january and february are typically my slowest months. so far. so untrue. business is busier than ever.          january of 2011 is my best month yet and it's not even over. life is golden. i work from home. i see my kids all day long as many times as i want (well on non-school days) i have the best clients. the best clients from all over the world. i have the bestest family. life is golden. bring it. 2011 is going to be the best year yet.

mama's happy now offers....  stelie designs cards, notepads, calendars, art prints. when amanda, the wonderfully upbeat and talented owner, found me. i was excited to jump into wholesale sooner than planned. if you live in the metro area, i highly recommend stopping by their october sale. there is so much to see and buy. a couple new cards being sold there... and one of the new blank notepads

REPOST :: originally title Happy Earth Day! 4.22.09 Original post..... I couldn't ask for a better day today to celebrate the Earth. The sun is shining brightly, my hasta's are popping up, the grass is getting green and spring is finally really here. Stelie Designs thinks about our planet earth and the environment all the time. I use 100% post consumer recycled white and natural papers & envelopes. They are made from a company that is FSC certified, works to be carbon neutral, processes chlorine free, and uses solar, hydro, and wind power at their mills. My printer doesn't emmit off gases, the ink uses very little packaging which is then recycled. I use biodegrable cello sleeves and recycle all scraps, paper, etc. On the home front, I use homemade cleaning and laundry products, recycle, wash full loads of laundry on cold wash cycle, paint as much as I can with low or no VOC paints, reuse what I can, buy organic and local when possible, teach my kids to turn of...

REPOST :: original posting 10.14.2007 I love to read blogs and am fascinated with reading people's thoughts, events, and creative ideas. As one of the last people to have a blog, I hope you find it interesting and/or informational Being the mom of 2 1/2 year old boy/girl twins, I always have funny stories that I want to cherish. Someday when my kids are grown they will be able to see what our life was like at this time. I am a Designer who quit corporate life in late May, and am finding that I love, love, love being home full-time with my babes. However, my babes only pay in kisses and hugs, so to help out financially, I decided to resurect my cards and invitation business, Stelie Designs, back from a friends and family only to a growing business again. Stelie Designs was created in 2000 with myself and a good friend, when I left a Design Firm, and she left corporate retail. Stelie is our names Stephanie & Julie combined. Now after 7 years and 5 kids, I am going it alo...

last month i had the privilege of meeting a new client in person. something rare since my clients are all over the world. that is a whole other post.   after, she sent me an email that said "you clearly love what you do and it shows!" its true. i do love what i do. i've been thinking about this ever since. then last week while watching private practice. [and printing] violet was talking about emotions/feelings. bliss was mentioned.  light bulb. that's it. bliss. {print by lettercdesign } then i remember i saved this print in my etsy favorites. full circle. this is bliss for me.  then i did an etsy search for follow your bliss and found all this . stelie designs is my bliss.  [my family is too. but that again is a whole other post] what is your bliss? i'd love to hear it.

i'm behind in blogging, tweeting, and facebook...because these go out daily... thank you to all my customers for making this a successful holiday season for Stelie Designs.

I've been toying with the idea to sell my wall calendar [along with a few other items] in pdf form so one can print and cut themselves for less vs. paying for me to print, cut & mail. The thing is...I'm a control freak who wants to ensure each of my designs is executed in excellent quality that I have personally looked over, but I feel in order to grow my company, I have to give up some control. Right? What are your thoughts?