The Story

I’ve always had a love for all things paper — pretty notecards with the letter E on them; heavy cardstock with a light texture that felt nice in your hand; customized pieces of stationery that I knew (even at a young age) made an impression when someone received it. To be honest, oftentimes I loved it to a fault. I loved it so much that I hung on to it, treasuring it… and never actually using it because I wanted to save it.

In middle school, I created customized stationery for a group of friends (to the best of 1990’s technology, that is) for Christmas one year. Each friend’s set was created with their interests in mind and displayed the formal “from the desk of” with their name. I thought it was the coolest thing — and I’m sure I was the only one. (Sorry, girls, I realized later that the latest Bath & Body Works lotions would have been far more exciting and preferred!)

Nonetheless, I loved everything about the process — creating something that was intended to resonate with each person. To represent them. To express their true, inner self before their words even touched the paper. To help them connect with someone meaningful.

Looking back, I thought my joy was in creating something unique for each person, but what I didn’t realize then was that I loved something so much greater: helping people make real, personal connections, especially as we experience life’s ups and downs together.

In the world of ringing phones, beeping email alerts and text messages, as well as endless other attention-seekers, I love opening the mailbox to find a handwritten note from a friend. In that moment, the outside world stops. There’s something incredibly meaningful behind a few handwritten lines – someone’s personal thoughts – and the extra effort that goes into this simple act. No quick text message. No convenient delete or back button. No perfect formatting. Just an honest, simple note sent across the miles, no matter how many. 

And, on the other side, I love nothing more than closing my laptop and writing a few heartfelt lines to a friend, especially when they need to know that someone cares. 

In the world of beeping phones and electronics, let’s get together and make real connections. Send Some: Love. Inspiration. Hope. Gratitude. Sympathy. Congratulations. 

 

But wait! What about the other stuff? The totes, the printables, the gift tags?! Well, I can’t say that I never wanted to tackle new items, but it all came at the greatest compliment — my clients asked to see my designs on new products. And that’s all it took. I’ve started down the path of new items, and I continue down it! Lots of trial and error later, I have a fun suite of items and many more to come!

Thank you for your support of Stationare. I look forward to getting to know you!