Pulp Papery

Holidays!

2011-09-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. You are saying to yourself, "It's only September Pulp Papery! Can't I get through one Halloween without mention of the holidays?" I hear you...I really do...but these holiday cards from Prentiss Douthit are just so darn cute I had to share a few images with you. Plus I come bearing gifts for you early birds out there...a discount if you work with both the wonderful Chantel of Eleakis & Elder Photography. See...I am not so bad after all.

Open House :: Thursday, August 4th

2011-07-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for our Open House on Thursday, August 4th! I am excited not only to celebrate this next chapter of Pulp Papery, I am also excited because there are so many wonderful business women helping me make this a great event! I am listing them here as they all deserve a big, big thank you from me.

First is our good friend and event planner extraordinaire Cara Crowley of Cara Crowley Interiors & Events. Knowing that I had a lot on my plate with the move, Cara took the bee theme from my invitation (I am moving to The Urban Hive after all) and sketched out the most darling of decorations. I can't wait to see her sketch transformed into real life!

Second is Jeannie Howell of the Manifest Center. Jeannie and I go way, way, way back (once a YCHS Honker, always a YCHS Honker) and over dinner one evening she told me about her involvement in the Manifest Center and how she loves conducting tarot readings. I asked if she would want to do some "mini-sessions" at the Open House and she said yes! How fun is that going to be?

Third is Audrey Gardemeyer of Botanica Floral Designs. I met Audrey at an industry event in San Francisco where her work was on display. I was so impressed with her designs and even more impressed with what a lovely person she is. I can see why Audrey is in high demand and when she offered to provide the floral arrangements for our Open House...I couldn't have been more excited! SP was excited too since Audrey is a fellow Cal Poly alum (Go Mustangs!).

Fourth is our friend Shannon Ander of Ink Spot Calligraphy. Shannon has graciously offered to lend her hand (pun intended) and create signs for the event. Shannon's work is so beautiful that her contributions will absolutely put the fine touches on our event decorations. It is also great that she is helping out since she will be working with me at our new studio...yay!

Last, but certainly not least, is Christee Owens of Icing on the Cupcake. Have you had one of her cupcakes? They are beyond delicious. If I walked down to her 1121 Alhambra Boulevard location every time I thought of buying a cupcake...I would have to move in. Here is the most amazing part about Christee...I haven't had the opportunity to meet her yet and she still graciously offered to share her amazing cupcakes with us. I don't think you can get any nicer or more generous than that. Thank you so much Christee!

I hope you can all make it! As you can see from all of these amazing women that are willing to lend little old me their amazing talents...it will be a great time!

Pulp Papery Studio @ The Urban Hive

Open House, Thursday, August 4th
5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
1931 H Street :: Midtown
(at the corner of H and 20th Streets)

Don't forget...all inventory at 3020 H Street will be 50-75% off until July 30th! Hurry and stock up...things are going fast!

Moving Sale!

2011-07-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Change

2011-07-12T04:55:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This will be a long post. Enter at your own risk.

It is time for change at Pulp Papery. As of August 1st, we will be closing our retail doors and opening Pulp Papery Studio, where we will focus on custom and personalized work such as wedding invitations, party invitations, custom stamps and embossers, personalized holiday cards and stationery. We will also continue to offer Waste Not Paper and Envelopments bulk card stock and envelopes by special order.

I know that I am not closing completely, but as I start the process of closing out our retail department I am feeling a bit sentimental and reminiscent [read: get out now while you can]. As I look back on the last six years, I can't believe all that has taken place in such a short amount of time. Most people don't know, but my chosen profession six years ago was a college professor of Political Science. My bookshelves are still lined with texts from my political theory, international relations and religion classes; all purchased to be used for my yet to be written dissertation on concepts of freedom and the relationship of freedom to religion in South East Asia, specifically the Indian subcontinent. Hello...are you still awake? I can hear you yawn from here.

In any case, I don't think I would have had all of the wonderful, weird and sometimes trying experiences I have had if I didn't accept change. I know that change is inevitable and I also know that you are better off listening to the voice inside you that says, "Okay...this chapter is done. Time to move on to the next. Yes I am talking to you. I know you are comfortable. I know it is scary. But you have to take the leap...come on...just...another...step..."

That little voice started to gnaw at me in 2003 when I moved back to Sacramento after SP and I got married. After a year of temporary assignments and a very lukewarm reception to my résumé, I started to wonder if I needed to rethink some things. At the same time, my sister and good friend were making plans to open a retail store in Sacramento...enter Pulp Papery. It was nothing that I had ever done but what I had always done wasn't working either. So I listened to my little voice inside and decided to take the leap with them.

It has been a labor of love from the beginning. While it has been one of the hardest things I have ever done, it has also been the best education I have ever had. I absolutely knew when I signed on for this challenge that I would wave goodbye to free time, financial security and the ability to have a bad day. To be honest, what I was not ready for was being criticized or reviewed for things I didn't have in the store, for things I did have in the store, for the "type" of customers we had in the store, for the prices in my store, because I didn't make enough conversation or I made too much conversation...and the list goes on and on. For those that had enough of a bad or mediocre experience at Pulp Papery to write about it, I apologize. Believe me when I say that I have read every single review and those are the ones that make me lay awake at night, shed a few tears and rack my brain to figure out how to be better. I know that there is only so much one person can do but there is something about having your short-comings pointed out by strangers that can make even the strongest person question their abilities.

On the flip side, and the side that I was not expecting and is making me tear up as I write this, are the wonderful customers I met over the years. I have seen some of you get married, have babies and buy your first teacher's gift for your child's Kindergarten class. I have held newborns for new moms so they could have a chance to get out, relax and talk to someone that can talk back. I have cried with some of you when you needed help with planning for a memorial. I have helped pick out which photo to use on holiday cards, what résumé paper to use for first job applications and what stationery to order for first anniversaries.

Also special to me are the couples I met who allowed me to help them design and print their wedding invitations. It is the part of Pulp Papery that I created and built by myself and it is the part I am most proud of and am looking forward to being able to focus on. I owe a big thank you to all of those couples for the inspiration. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have known how much I love designing and this next phase of Pulp Papery wouldn't exist.

To those of you I have met at the store and become friends with over the years, had the most amazing conversations with, that allowed me to be a small spectator in your lives, that always supported our store even if we didn't have exactly what you were looking for, that wrote such nice things about us and stuck with us through thick and thin - thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for making the shop and me a part of your day. On those days when I didn't think I could do anything right, one of you always came in and always said how much you loved the shop. You gave me a tremendous boost exactly when I needed it without ever knowing it; and for that I will always be grateful.

There are a few other thank yous that I need to say. First to my employees, past and present, I couldn't have maintained the store and my other jobs without you. There are some that deserve a special "shout out." First, there is my good friend Cara Crowley, who started coming into the shop when we first opened, who then worked for us part-time while she built up her event planning business and whose friendship I can't imagine not having. If we didn't open those doors, I wouldn't have met her and it would have been my loss. I am so glad that my new adventure will also mean more time working on events with Cara.

Second, a couple of my "sales gals" were really just good friends that helped me when I needed to catch up on work or needed a day off - Rachel and Cindy thank you for pitching in on those Saturdays or when I called you panicked because someone called in sick or for bringing me lunch on those days I was here by myself. I also owe Rachel a special thank you for always lending an ear when I needed advice. Without you we wouldn't have known how to handle our cash register, how to manage employees or organize inventory. On a personal note, I appreciate you for always being there when I needed to vent and for always being on my side.

We were also lucky to have Joan, a style-maven that always urged customers to think outside their inner color wheel and contrast their colors rather than complement them. Thank you Joan for sticking with us for as long as you did and for being so patient with me while I learned how to be a boss.

More recently, we were lucky to find Shannon, which I really can't take credit for. We had finished with interviews when her résumé showed up in our e-mail and all of girls here said, "we like her!" Upon meeting her, I also liked her - and not just because she is a loyal and frequent library patron and fellow lover of all things Anthroplogie. Shannon has definitely influenced us with her artistic sensibility, genuine interest in our customers and her sense of humor. I am very much looking forward to continuing working with Shannon in our new space.

Last, but certainly not least, is Heidi. She has been with us the longest and I can't tell you how many times Heidi has come in early, stayed late, helped with parties that I was planning, told me to go home when she knew I just needed a break, changed her hours whenever I needed to change mine or to accommodate someone else's schedule. She has been steadfast in her support of me and for that I will always feel indebted to her. Thank you Heidi for teaching all those classes, for always making sure the drawer had change and for being such a loyal friend.

To my sister Sureena and friend Amy, thank you for letting me start the store with you, letting me put my own mark on it and for supporting me changing our initial vision into something new. If it wasn't for you two, I would still be teaching classes all over the state of California at all hours of the night hoping to get a full time teaching position or waiting for yet another employer to actually turn my temporary job into a permanent one as was always promised whenever I started somewhere new. You always promoted me as the force behind Pulp Papery and are quick to correct people when they don't know that I have been involved from the start. Thank you for believing in the talent that I didn't know existed and for being proud of what Pulp Papery has become.

To my parents, my mother- and father-in-law, nephews and nieces, cousins and friends who haven't seen me in the last six years - thanks for sticking with me. I have missed or had to cut short family get-togethers, birthday parties, games, school programs, bridal and baby showers, weddings, receptions, brunches and dinners. You planned around my shop hours and held events on Sundays and/or after five on Saturdays and put up with my last minute schedule delays because I was printing invitations or covering for someone at the shop. I appreciate it more than you know.

The person that deserves the most thanks is SP. The majority of our married life I have owned Pulp Papery and there hasn't been a time where he hasn't supported me 100%. At times, I worked 60-80 hour weeks, without pay and without a glimmer of hope that this experiment would amount to anything. He has gone to family functions without me, work functions without me, has been quick to defend me when others didn't understand why I couldn't make it and was equally quick to tell me not to worry about it if I just needed to stay home. His most often quoted line to me is, "No one knows or understands how hard you work. Don't worry about it if you need a break." He has brought me countless lunches, done the laundry, grocery shopped, made dinner, put gas in the car, kept our lawn alive and even run the cash register when I was in a real pinch all while working equally hard to get his own career off of the ground. SP, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for recognizing all of the work I put into the store, for constantly reminding me that I was doing the best that I could and for all of your support during this big change in my life. I hope that I have offered the same unconditional support to you.

I won't lie - not having the retail part of Pulp Papery will be hard. However, I am very excited to have the time and energy to devote to the part of Pulp Papery that drives me and to see where it goes. I hope to see you at the store during our sale. I also hope to see you at our new space for your invitation and stationery needs. We will be having an Open House Thursday, August 4th from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. Stop by, say hello, have a cocktail and check out the new digs: Pulp Papery Studio @ The Urban Hive :: 1931 H Street :: Sacramento. Until the next post...XO, Manpreet

Repost: The Way We Live - by Cara Crowley

2011-05-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our friend Cara started a new blog segment on how people design their spaces and she chose Amy Astone for her first feature. Since Amy, my sister Sureena and I started Pulp Papery...I thought you all might enjoy it as well!

Real Wedding: Ronald & Carla

2011-04-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

{Photo By: Chantel Elder of Eleakis & Elder Photography}

When this lovely couple entered the shop to order wedding invitations...the timing couldn't have been more perfect. The design they had in mind included the use of yellow and gray ink, which just happens to be my current obsession when it comes to color pairings. Our friend Chantel of Eleakis & Elder Photography shot their wedding and she included a shot of the invitation we designed. Thanks Chantel for sharing your beautiful images with me...and congratulations Ron & Carla your wedding looked gorgeous!

Vendor Spotlight: Cara Crowley Interiors & Events

2011-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

{Photo By: Chantel Elder of Eleakis & Elder Photography}

One of the best parts of owning Pulp Papery is that I get to meet some really great people in the industry. They are nice, fun-loving and hard working folks who I am glad to know. As an avid blog follower, I have seen a lot of other sites highlight the talented people they know in their region. In thinking about Sacramento and how much I love our city, I wanted to do my small part to introduce the talented people I have gotten to know over the past seven years. As such, I am adding a new segment to my blog where I take a moment to introduce you to these fabulous people!

First up is Cara Crowley of Cara Crowley Interiors & Events. In addition to her work as an interior designer for residential properties, Cara also plans parties from weddings to backyard barbecues. I hope you enjoy meeting Cara and the new segment of the blog!

Name: Cara Crowley

Company: Cara Crowley Interiors & Events

How long have you been in business?
Seven years.

Why should someone hire an event planner?
This is a really great question and one that I get a lot. I feel that there are many reasons to hire a wedding planner. First, a wedding planner is a great sounding board for ideas. While it is nice to have so much information at our fingertips with such great blogs and DIY websites, it can get a little overwhelming. A planner can help you take all of those influences and sketch out a "big picture" vision of your wedding that is cohesive and truly representative of what you want your big day to be. Second, they are also a great resource when comes to finding and securing vendors such as florists, invitation designers, venue locations, etc. and can possibly negotiate rates and/or pass on discounts. Last, but not least, hiring a planner frees you up to live your big day to the fullest. Whether your hire a planner to help you from start to finish or you hire one to get you through your wedding day, it is great to have someone you can count on to have all of the details of your day organized and on schedule.

What type of client do you find yourself most working with?
I find myself working with brides and grooms in their 30’s and 40’s who are looking to plan more intimate events. High on their wish list for their wedding is creating a wonderful space where they can celebrate their day, the love they share and the story that they share. There is always a big focus on family and friends and hosting a really great party.

What is the number one quality you possess that makes you uniquely suited for wedding consulting?
My experience. Before I started my own business, I worked in a small boutique flower shop and an invitation design house working directly with wedding clients. My education in both Interior Design and Fashion Design also help me navigate the wedding and event planning process.

What is your favorite part of the wedding planning process?
The first meeting...it’s like a first date. When you have a meeting with clients that you connect with and they trust you to help them coordinate one of their most important days - it is magical.

What is your favorite part of the day?
My favorite part of a wedding is towards to end when the formalities of the day are over and the bride and groom can really let go and enjoy their celebration.

Where do you go for inspiration (blogs, magazines, sites, etc.)?
My favorite wedding magazines are: Southern Weddings and Martha Stewart Weddings. I gather inspiration from wedding blogs as well as party and lifestyle blogs, which I read daily. Some of my favorites are: 100 Layer Cake, Snippet and Ink, Oh Happy Day, Hip, Hip Hooray and Making It Lovely, to name a few. I also gain inspiration from making day trips around our area to scout new locations and meet new vendors for upcoming weddings and events.

Thanks Cara for taking the time to participate in our first Vendor Spotlight! If you have further questions for Cara, feel free to contact her at cara@caracrowley.com or visit her blog (which has been nominated for the KCRA A-List Awards). If you would like to submit questions for future vendor spotlights, simply e-mail them to me at pulppapery@pulppapery.com.

Royal Wedding: You Are Invited!

2011-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Stop by Pulp Papery April 29th and help us celebrate the Royal Wedding! We will have light refreshments and hope to stream video of the celebration. So if you are excited enough to have a cup of tea but not excited enough to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to watch the festivities live...stop by and celebrate with us. Cheers!

We Need Your Help!

2011-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Wedding 101: Cupcakes, Cocktails & Conversation

2011-04-06T10:43:00.000-07:00

When I was planning my wedding, I found that I didn't really know what I should expect from my vendors. I definitely had experience planning larger events, however, it seemed that when I prefaced any conversation with a potential vendor with, "I am getting married in October..." the rules changed.

That feeling always stuck with me and when we opened the store, I had in the back of my mind to host an evening where brides and grooms could come with their friends and family, have a drink or two, talk to vendors and ask the questions they have been wanting to ask in a more personal setting: What does an event planner do? Why do invitations cost so much? What do photojournalism style wedding pictures look like? With the help of my friends Cara Crowley and Penny Sylvia we are launching our first free event where we are inviting you to stop by and ask all of the burning questions you may have about how to go about planning your upcoming wedding. Even if you are not getting married and just want more information about how to go about planning your next event stop by and say hi! We L-O-V-E celebrations of all kinds and would be glad to help in any way we can.

Wedding 101: Cupcakes, Cocktails & Conversation
Thursday, April 7 :: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Admission: Free!

Belles-lettres

2011-03-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

My mom always tells me the story of when I realized I could read. We were driving down the street and I was staring out of the window looking at all of the signs passing us by. I was sounding out the letters to a sign when all of a sudden it dawned on me that I had put together a word. Voilà - reading. To this day I read signs that I pass by {thank goodness I have learned to say them in my head} and from that moment on I felt like I unlocked a secret world. When I watch my niece sound out her letters and see the delight on her face when she sounds out a word...I can still feel that excitement and I hope that she holds on to that feeling as well.

I am still fascinated by letters and words...they can do so much. Strung together they can tell stories - love stories, sad stories, funny stories and stories that make us too scared to go to bed. Pulled apart - letters can also tell those same stories. The swoop of Bickham always feels elegant and romantic. The clean lines of Futura convey a straightforward and contemporary quality. Even Comic Sans has a definite point of view - a view that can be read here thanks to a heads up by our newest member of PP - Amy. {Warning: Comic Sans' defense of itself is a little profane...but it is, well, dare I say...pretty darn comical.}

As usual, I digress and have made you read a long drawn out explanation of my picture above and the whole point of this blog. On a recent trip to the Alameda Antiques Faire I took some pictures of various letters and when I put them together I just thought, well, "Belle-lettres." When I was downloading these pictures onto my computer I couldn't help but think how beautiful they all are and thought I would share them with you. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Personlized Gifts

2011-03-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

I always find myself looking for cute little gifts this time of year. There is always a birthday, shower or graduation during the Spring and with my schedule...if I don't buy something in advance and have it ready to go...the person we are celebrating may just end up with a pat on the back and whatever gum I have in my purse. As luck would have it, while I was plotting out my events and their corresponding gifts the new Boatman Geller album came to the shop. I don't know about you, but I always get a secret thrill whenever I have anything personalized...it just seems so fancy. Even more, I think it is a great gift option because most people (yours truly excluded) don't order personalized things for themselves. More often than not, when a customer orders a stamp or stationery for someone they always say how much the person they got it for loves it.

When I turned to the first page of the new album this new elephant design caught my eye and demanded that I place an order immediately for personalized notepads. Then I remembered that I was trying to find gifts for other people...and that is the best part about Boatman Geller. They have a wide variety of border options, color options, icon options and font options to suit any taste. They also have a lot of gift options to offer so that I can get something for everyone on my list. Some of the options are stationery {maybe for the new grad}, invitations/announcements {maybe our housewarming party}, notepads {hostess gift}, melamine plates/platters {for the bride & groom} and recipe cards {mother's day}. Alright...off I go to imagine my name on those great melamine platters....and luggage tags....and.....place mats...and.....

DIY: Paper Banner

2011-02-25T19:33:00.000-08:00

I have made quite a few banners for events over the years and thought you may be interested in knowing how to make your own! I made one for our shop so I could document the steps but you could easily make one that reads, "Happy Birthday," "Congratulations," "Welcome Baby," etc.

What you will need:

5x5" Card Stock
5.5 x 5.5" Card Stock
Adhesive Transfer Tape/Craft Tape
Black Glass Glitter
Glue
1/4" Hole Punch
1/4" Ribbon - 2-3 Yards

Print each letter of your sign (i.e. "Happy Birthday") onto the 5x5 card stock using black ink. (Using capital letters of a non-script font will make the banner easy to read).
Using the transfer tape, adhere the 5x5 printed pieces of card stock onto the 5.5 x 5.5 pieces of cardstock, creating a 1/4 inch border.
Trace over each letter with glue making sure to smooth out any large dots of glue.
Sprinkle glass glitter onto each letter, shaking excess off. Let each pieces of cardstock dry thoroughly.
Once glue is dry, using the hole punch, punch holes in the top two corners of the card stock. Be sure to punch the hole through both pieces of stock.
String each letter onto the ribbon, leaving room at each end to easily hang the banner.

You can print the letters of your banner in any color, simply use glass glitter in a similar color. It is easy to make your banner complement the color scheme of your event.

Real Wedding: Ron & Ashley

2011-02-15T20:07:00.000-08:00

I am not sure when I met Ashley to tell you the truth. For some reason when I think back to the time we became friends I have vivid memories of a sunken fire pit and colorful cocktails, which makes me think it was probably at the old Peppermill. What I do remember is how easy it was to be around her. Ashley is one of those gals that has your best interest at heart whether she knows you or not. She is genuinely interested in you and your life and it is reflected in her very beautiful, very sparkly blue eyes. I don't have a chance to see her that often as her job takes her across the United States and back. However, when I do see her it is like no time has passed and that is the kind of friendship I cherish.

When Ashley told me that she was engaged, I was so happy. When they finally set a date, I was thrilled...and not because it took years for them to find a date that they would both be free. I was thrilled because I could finally get started on designing their wedding invitations and I couldn't wait to get started. She did so much for me at my wedding the least I could do was to offer her this small gift.

I knew I wanted to do a letterpress invitation. Ashley has a vintage flair about her and that printing style matches her completely. Beyond that, we had to decide which direction to go. I offered her a couple of different design ideas. The first was a little more girlie using a light aqua and bright orange color inks on bright white Crane Lettra paper. The other was a nod towards Ashley's sweetie pie's Texas roots. Bright card stock from Waste Not Paper in poppy with eggplant ink designed like an old Western wanted poster. It didn't take long for them to decide on the Western invite and we were off to the presses...literally. As serendipity would have it, the US Post Service came out with the "Cowboys of the Silver Screen" postage stamps at the same time. They were the perfect touch for the invitations. To complete the final package, I had the addresses done by our in-house calligraphy guru Shannon of Ink Spot Calligraphy.

The wedding day arrived and it couldn't have been more perfect. The ceremony was held outside on a lovely Santa Barbara evening. As the guests gathered for the ceremony, SP and I felt increasingly honored to be invited to share in their special day. Of course, I cried when they said their "i do's" (as usual)...but I don't think there was a dry eye in the crowd. I wasn't surprised because there was something different about this wedding. Not to be too sappy, but there was a lot of love in the air.

Congratulations Ashley and Ron! Thank you for allowing me to share in your special day. I wish you all of the happiness and love this world has to offer.

Dream Wedding Show

2011-02-11T21:51:00.000-08:00

(marthastewart)

We are excited to be apart of the Dream Bridal Show in Sacramento on February 20. Come by and check out our booth if you are going to be there.

Art!

2010-12-02T22:26:00.000-08:00

I have always been inspired by people who can look at random images, put them together and add their own art and flair to create a brand new piece. In all of my stationery travels, I think that no one does it better than the artists at Papaya Art. They have such a wonderful product line and their images are full of color, whimsy and inspiration. As I was perusing their catalog to order my holiday gifts I thought I would pull a few images for you to order through the shop. We have a lot more images you can choose from should you want to come by order your Giclee or Art Panel print in person. Or you can simply shoot us an e-mail or give us a call and tell us which Giclee or Art Panel you would like!

For the holidays, if you order 2 prints we will give you 10% off and if you order 3 or more prints we will give you 20% off. The Giclees measure 14x14", are gallery wrapped along the sides and stretched over 3/4" wooden bars. The Art Panels measure 12x16", are mounted on a panel, printed on recycled paper and embellished with glitter details. Each Art Panel features a coordinating ribbon and is packaged in a protective case. The fine print: Orders must be placed by December 10th for December 20th in-store pick-up. Order fulfillment is subject to availability by Papaya Art and once an order is in place, it cannot be cancelled or changed. We will require a 50% deposit to proceed with the order.

In related news, we are giving away free Papaya Art 2011 weekly planners if you play our etiquette trivia game on Facebook. Become a fan, post your answer and see if you win!

Lucky Number Seven

2010-10-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

It is SP and my wedding anniversary this week and in honor of the big day, I thought I would write about our wedding. I love that I get to be involved in the details of my clients' weddings, so it only seems fair that I share a little about mine.
By now, you have probably gathered that I am a little quirky, although I prefer eccentric. It feels like a more dignified way of calling someone crazy. As such, you are probably not surprised that being involved in our wedding planning was certainly not for the weak. At the time, I lived in Santa Barbara, SP lived in San Luis Obispo and our families lived in Yuba City/Live Oak. To spice things up a little bit, I decided that I wanted to have our wedding in San Francisco. To make things even spicier, we had to plan our wedding prior to my departure to India where I had scheduled a trip to travel and study for a little over two months. Once I did the calculation, I realized that we would have a little more than three months to plan our wedding. To make things exponentially spicier - these were the same three months that I had to study for my oral/written exams for my academic program and SP had to build (from scratch) a working machine for his final project at university and pass courses with names like "Differential Equations" and "Thermodynamics."

Most sane people would say, "Move your date to next year." At least, that is what I imagine they would say since I clearly don't know any sane people. Our wedding date came to be for one primary reason: my dad. Little things like the length of time to get invitations, a dress, or the fact that the proposed wedding date was smack dab in the middle of my future father-in-law's harvest schedule did not concern my father in the least. As you have noticed from my previous blogs, my family is a party planning machine. While this may have been his youngest daughter's wedding, at the end of the day it was just a party and he could plan that with one hand tied behind his back. When I suggested that we should maybe push the wedding back due to scheduling issues he balked, "Why do you want to put off the inevitable? Don't you just want to get this thing going?" At the time I was kind of hoping for a little sentimentality. After all, it was my wedding day. However, I have to say it was probably the best gift he could have given to me. He has always been straightforward, to the point and doesn't see the need to mince words. In his book, a spade is a spade and it is one of the many qualities that I love about him. Due to his pure logic and matter-of-factness it made me take things down a notch and go with the flow. As long as SP and I were married at the end of the day - everything would be fine.

Suffice it to say SP made it through his projects and classes. How, I don't know since the poor guy ended up going up to San Francisco to meet my sister so they could meet vendors and solidify contracts on more than one occasion. I only made it through because my sainted mother moved in with me to help me get through my studies. I can't tell you how great it was to come home from work and school to find a warm meal on the table and my laundry washed and folded - thanks, Mom. Before I knew it I was on my flight to India and SP had booked the The Regency Center for the reception, A Day in May was working on the invitations (we didn't have the shop at the time and these ladies are more than talented at design and letterpress) and Gertrude and Mabel Photography (two of the coolest gals in SF) were on board to shoot our wedding day.

My time in India is its own blog post. Since the majority of people read this because of the shop, I will dispense with the stories that don't directly pertain to paper, weddings and the like. I am already overstepping my bounds here. However, I have to take a moment to give credit where credit is due. My parents fly back to India every year but they usually fly back when the weather is, let's just say, not as hot as a 750° oven with 2000% humidity. Not only did my parents fly out in the middle of monsoon season to travel with me for a few weeks and get some wedding business taken care of, my sister did as well. If that is not unconditional love I am not sure what is.

When I arrived back in the US in August I was happy to be home and ready to start the wedding craziness. Unfortunately, upon arrival at SFO and as my parents and I waited at baggage claim for my suitcases it became increasingly clear that one of my suitcase was not going to appear on the baggage carousel. It wouldn't have been so bad if that particular suitcase wasn't the one containing my wedding lengha (dress), my bridesmaids saris and SP and his brother's custom made, hand embroidered uchkins (traditional Indian jackets). Thankfully, the suitcase had simply missed the connection and was traveling from JFK to SFO the next day. Whew.

Once the luggage situation was figured out, we had no other choice but to hit the ground running. Invitations were sent, a bachelorette party was given by my sister (Puerto Vallarta will never be the same) and a bridal shower was thrown by my very sweet, very loving mother-in-law. Everything ran pretty smoothly except for the tiny issue of my parent's home...the location of all the traditional pre-wedding parties. They were building a house during this time and as most of you who have done any building or remodeling know, when your contractor tells you, "I'll be finished in two weeks." you know you are really looking at two months. Maybe two years. Suffice it to say, the day that all of our family and friends were coming into town to start the festivities, my parent's home still had to pass inspection. As is my family's style, with a U-Haul outside the house with all of their furnishings inside and a group of people waiting for the green light so we could start unloading....the inspector was inside going through the home to either tell us that we passed or failed. I don't remember her name, but when she gave my dad the go ahead, I am sure we all gave her a very inappropriate hug.

People came, the parties started and the celebration commenced and it all culminated on a beautiful fall morning in San Francisco under the dome of the Palace of Fine Arts. Well, almost. Remember when I said that everything would be fine if at the end of the day SP and I were married? Yeah. I thought that would be a simple request too. It so happened that our officiant decided he did not want to perform the ceremony. We had a choice - freak out or figure it out and thankfully we were all on board with the latter. My bridesmaids kicked it into high gear. One pulled out the Yellow Pages and started calling up all of the churches, temples, synagogues she could find. Another stayed in contact with my dad and our wedding planner at the wedding site. A couple others headed downstairs to an Indian store called Kashmir located in the lobby of our hotel and asked if they knew anyone we could contact. The owner of the store was ready to jump into action when we heard that our officiant decided that maybe 1/2 hour before the wedding wasn't the time to focus on cultural differences and different interpretations of our religious tenets and ended up performing our ceremony. After the wild ride of the past eight months was over, it was time to hit the reception and start the party.

The reception was great and filled with people old and new. Like most couples, I wanted to have more hours to talk with everyone, dance with everyone and hug everyone for traveling to Yuba City/Live Oak and then San Francisco for our wedding. One of the best parts of the day, was a gift a friend of our family gave to us and that was to continue the evening at the Redwood Room with our closest friends and family to dance the night away and reminisce about the week we just had before we would part ways and go back to our lives as usual.

I try to count my blessings every day. However, each time I think about our wedding I can't count to a number high enough to equal how lucky I feel. My family is crazy. But, and I may be biased here, they are the best family a girl could ask for. Even more, SP's family are the kindest and warmest people I have met and is the best family a girl could marry into. As for SP...well, what can I say. Despite my kooky nature, my horrible taste in jokes, my abhorrence of talking on the phone, my crazy hours at work, my fierce dedication to my independence, my addiction to Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Chocolate Chip ice cream and Anthropologie sales and my wildly inconsistent temperature issues - he still claims me as his wife. Happy Anniversary, SP! Here's to the next seven.

Peachy Keen

2010-09-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

My brother-in-law dropped off a box full of peaches from his orchard the other day and it got me thinking about farms. SP and I grew up in a small farming town a little north of here. It is a big agricultural community and our families were a couple of the many families who farmed for a living. As a young person, I didn't really appreciate all of the fresh food that surrounded me. In my defense, fruit and farms equaled working. You can imagine my consternation when I had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning to go out to the farm while my friends were enjoying their summer vacations swimming.

As I got older, so did my parents, and they began to pull away from farming themselves. I didn't miss it at the time since it meant that I wouldn't have to figure out ways to not go to the orchard or run parts for my dad. It wasn't until I left for Los Angeles to go to college that I realized how lucky I was to have the experience that I did. The majority of people I went to college with were from larger cities and were very disconnected from where food comes from. I remember during my freshman orientation that we had to share a little something about ourselves. When it was my turn, I mentioned that I grew up in a small town and that my parents owned orchards. This is a small sample of that conversation:

A Freshman Guy: What does that mean?
PP: They grow fruit. They primarily grow peaches and prunes. The peaches are sold to a cannery and we dry our own prunes and send them to a packer.
AFG: What?
PP: They have orchards, where they grow trees and on those trees are fruit. They harvest that fruit and then sell it.
AFG: They sell fruit? How can they compete with the grocery store?
PP: {Having been born under a bad couple of signs, my nature is usually to go from cordial to smart a-- in 2.2 seconds, hence my reply} Do you think that every grocery store has some trees, a barnyard and fisheries in the back of each store?
AFG: Well, um, no. I guess not.
Group Leader: Well, okay...thanks for sharing. Next person...PLEASE!

Suffice it to say, I wasn't the most popular gal in my group. In retrospect, no matter what my response was I don't think I could have beat out the gal whose father was in the movie business. Go figure.

These days, it is a very different story. It is very inspiring to find so many people interested in food, where it comes from and who grows it. The resurgence of farmers' markets and eating seasonally is making being in agriculture during this time quite exciting. My sister and I have taken over our family farm and replanted it with walnuts and are anxiously awaiting their production. In the meantime, I will continue to take full advantage of my brother-in-law's free fruit, my father-in-law's free rice and my local farmers' market to make the best of each season.

To help me put good use to these great fruits and vegetables, I have been referencing a lot of farmers' market inspired cook books. The one that I love the most is Jennie Schachts's Farmers' Market Desserts, not because it is all about my favorite meal of the day, but because she has a great mix of old fashioned and new recipes. I have included one below to give you a taste of the cookbook..and a reason to use one of my favorite fruits. If you like what you see...stop by the shop or your favorite local bookstore and check it out! In the meantime, I think I am going to take my peaches and make some ice cream. Yum.

{Photo Top Left: Chronicle Books | Photo Top Right: Unknown}

{Photo Bottom Left: CA Rice Commission | Photo Bottom Right: Stromer Realty}

Finding Your Style

2010-09-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lull in posts! SP and I are looking for homes in the hood and the search is occupying my every waking moment. Heck, it is occupying my every sleeping moment since my dreams (read: nightmares) have been filled with fears of redoing the plaster, getting building permits, replacing windows and the like. I keep hearing that it is a buyer's market...but as usual the market I am looking at is definitely not on sale. This doesn't really shock me since my singular talent is to find the one thing not discounted in a discount shop. For example, I will find the one thing that costs $1 in the 99¢ Store. You may be asking yourself, "what does her house hunting malaise and inability to bargain shop have to do with paper?" and you would be right to ask. While I rarely have a point to my stories, this one does have a point...maybe.

During the hunt, I've had the opportunity to walk through many houses. It is such a personal glimpse into people's lives and what I get the most inspiration from are the colors and accent pieces people use to express themselves in their home. From classic elegance to contemporary chic - I love how color in any manifestation can transform objects. Coincidentally, the majority of my meetings with couples getting married over the past few months have centered on questions regarding color themes and styles on wedding stationery. A lot of my couples have been flummoxed on what colors and styles to bring from their wedding onto their invites. I have every confidence that my clients do know what looks good to them. The only problem was that they were not able to translate their taste onto a 5 x 7 piece of paper.

When thinking about how to help people design an invite they will love, it hit me. I started asking my clients what kind of mood they like to set in their own home or what they both thought their future home would look like. When posed with this question they had endless descriptions. Warm tones, complementary colors, contrasting patterns. They wanted an English garden feel in their front yard or they wanted to use unexpected materials like stone and gravel for a more contemporary look. Shutters, no shutters. Stucco or brick. The more we talked, the more they honed in on the type of setting they liked. Once my clients and I got the conversation about color and mood going, I only had to say this: just like the architectural style, landscaping and paint on the walls set the mood and tone of that home, color and style on an invitation also convey a feeling and set the mood for your event. It is almost like, dare I say, curb appeal for your wedding. A traditional invitation of white or ivory cardstock and black engraving, lets the guest know what type of event to expect - formal. Switch out the black ink for aqua and add some gilded edges to an ivory invite and you still have formal, but with almost a French twist. Add an additional pop of color and you have contemporary spin on an old classic. That is just color - don't get me started on fonts or print processes or motifs.

In any case, during our conversations I think I showed my clients that they need not feel intimidated about coming up with styles for their invitations. Color really is simply the extension of your personal style and the mood that you want to create. Whether you are formal and traditional or whimsical and a little bohemian, start taking a look at the environment you love to be in. Do you like formal spaces and the use of neutral colors in your home? Is your blue wedding cake with gold accents one of your favorite parts of your reception design? Do you like using patterns and colors to create a more contemporary feel? If you pull in these elements onto your wedding stationery - you will have an invitation that reflects the mood you want to create for your big day and give your guests a little taste of what to expect at the main event.

{Top Left: House Beautiful | Top Right: Crane & Co.}

{Middle Left: Martha Stewart Weddings | Middle Right: William Arthur}

{Bottom Left: Style Me Pretty | Bottom Right: Envelopments}

Surprise! (Redux)

2010-08-04T17:53:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous blog, while planning SP's surprise party, my mother asked me to plan another surprise party...this time for my sister. When my sister turned 40 (um, I mean 20...sorry, sis) she was expecting my second nephew and we were limited to ice cream and cake on her big day. Now, don't get me wrong. There isn't a scoop of ice cream or a slice of cake that she's met and hasn't liked. I didn't get my cake habit out of thin air. However, being the devoted younger sister that I am, I try to listen to my slightly older sister diligently (read: by force). When I listened to her talk to her friends about turning 40 and the nice small family dinner we had to celebrate it, I knew that she still wanted to have a slightly more raucous affair.

Now, to set the stage you may need a little background. To know my sister is to love her. You need someone to pack up some boxes because you're moving? She is your gal. Need a tow because your car has broken down? Look no further. Need to keep things on the down low because you are hoping for the element of surprise? Lose her number. Keeping a secret is not her forte.

Her: I know what you are getting for your birthday.
Me: I don't want to know. I want to be surprised.
Her: Well okay, if you don't want to know that you're getting a bike...I won't say anything.
Me: Ah, man! I wanted it to be a surprise!
Her: Well, I didn't tell you it was red. Oh, shoot. Sorry. Don't tell Mom.

Even more, all of the days prior to any holiday or birthday, my sister would quiz me on what her present that year was. Her favorite tactic was to offer two or three outlandish gifts and then hone in on the more realistic one.

Her: Am I getting a plane?
Me: No.
Her: Am I getting a house?
Me: No.
Her: Am I getting a planet?
Me. No. Don't try I am not going to tell you this time.
Her: Am I getting the new Barbie Dream House?
Me: How did you know? Who told you?
Her: You just told me.
Me: (Sigh). Please don't tell Mom that I told you. Again.

As I write this I realize that this line of questioning doesn't seem sophisticated enough to trick anyone. But in my defense, my sister has the interrogation skills of an INTERPOL officer when it comes to finding out about gifts, secrets, rumors. And at five years old, the promise of ice cream for full cooperation was worth the defection. Heck, let's face it...at thirty-six years old that same promise still works.

Given all of this information, I couldn't help but to accept my mom's proposal to plan a birthday party for my sister and to make it a surprise party. She wouldn't get me this time. Under the threat of certain peril, I informed the family what my plan was and we were set.

First, of course, were the invitations. While my sister can hold her own when working on our family's walnut and prune orchard, at heart she is a girl's girl. I wanted the invitation to be feminine with a pop of color. Ultimately, I chose Fabriano Medioevalis paper. The luxe feeling and the deckle-edge of this fine paper make it simply yummy. For the ink color, it had to be peacock blue - my sister's favorite. I designed the invite with my new favorite font from myfonts.com and a sassy chandelier motif from Envelopments.

Second on the list of things-to-do was to find a location. My parents wanted to have a sit down dinner and I wanted my sister to have the opportunity to kick up her heels and dance the night away. We settled on dinner at Mason's (now known as Cafeteria 15L) and dancing at Mix. I also called my friend Chantel Elder from Eleakis & Elder Photography to see if she was available to take pictures for the party. She fit in so well at SP's party, I knew that she would do an equally great job for this surprise party.

The next thing to do was to pull together the decor. Because we were hosting the party at Mason's, I wanted to mimic the sleek and modern decor on our tables. I also wanted to bring a in some feminine touches since this was a party for my sister. Once again I called upon my friend Cara of Cara Crowley Interiors and Events and we went to work on designing the room.

The first thing we did was to source some beautiful dupioni silk in the same peacock blue color as the invitations for the tables. Cara did her magic and cleaned/sewed up the edges to create beautiful tablecloths for each of our two tables (see her blog for more tips on how to make tablecloths). The second thing we did was to find mercury glass votives and vases for the tables and the bars. We filled the votives with white candles and the vases with white hydrangeas. The last step was to put a menu, place card and favor box at each place setting. For the favors we decided to do white boxes with the same peacock blue double-faced satin ribbon from Midori filled with peanut M&M's, my sisters favorite candy.

The last thing to do was wait for the big day to arrive. Luckily, no one spilled the beans. I knew we were in the clear when she called me that night and asked if SP and I wanted to join her and her husband for dinner that night. Not being the greatest liar, I think I feigned bad cell service and hung up on her. As the guests started to arrive and that familiar buzz filled the air I couldn't wait for my sister to arrive. When she walked into the room and heard the "Surprise!" she was floored. As she looked across the room and registered all of the faces that filled the room I knew it was going to be a great celebration. After dinner while dancing at Mix, I stepped out onto the balcony and looked at the dance floor. My sister was there with all of her friends...singing, dancing, laughing and celebrating life. Success...I won this round. I love that.

Be Our Guest

2010-07-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

If you haven't gathered already, I really love parties. My favorite memories from childhood are when our house was abuzz with adults talking and laughing... glasses clinking and food plates clanking. We had a dinner party at least once a month and I loved falling asleep to the sound of my parents talking to their friends, laughing about the old days and wondering aloud at what would come in the days ahead.

While my path to owning a stationery store was certainly not a straight one, it really isn't a surprise that I ended up in a business that centers on people gathering together to celebrate their lives. When I came upon the Rag & Bone Bindery booth at the New York Stationery Show this year, I knew that I was meeting a group of people that shared my love of events. Their new Guest Books for both Bridal and Baby Showers are so thoughtful and sweet and their new cover options are so delicious that I couldn't wait to place my order.

The books open to a title page where you can fill-in the details of the who, what, when and where of the shower. They even have a space for the host to write a message to the guest of honor and a place to write in the menu for the event. However, what sold me on these books are the way they designed the spaces for the guest to sign their name. They are not simply lines to indicate the attendance of a guest. These pages are titled with prompts such as, "when I found out you were engaged, my first thoughts were..." , "why I think you are going to be a great mom...", and more.

In my mind, there couldn't be a lovelier way to begin a life with your partner or begin a new life with your baby then with the words of your family and friends cheering you on, wishing you well and offering their gentle advice. I can imagine what it would feel like to reread your guest book in the years ahead. It must be reliving the party...glasses clinking, voices laughing and feeling the warmth one feels when you look around the room and see nothing but happiness and love just for you.

The Write Stuff

2010-07-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of great things about going to New York for the New York Stationery Show each May. First, I get to meet all of the people that answer all of my questions when I call them. One of my favorites is meeting Prentiss Douthit of Prentiss Douthit. All of us at Pulp Papery and even a few customers have a secret crush on Prentiss. His design aesthetic and eye for detail is amazing. More importantly, I can't tell you how charming everyone in his company is. After talking with Prentiss, his wife and their sales team, I wanted to buy out his entire booth and then return home with them to Alabama and drink sweet tea.

Second, there are always workshops and seminars regarding the stationery industry and trends. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet with other business owners and swap war stories as well as meet with industry leaders. This year, we got to meet Darcy Miller of Martha Stewart Living fame! I don't know how they are going to top that next year.

Third, is finding new product. It is always so inspiring to me to be around such a great bunch of talented, dedicated and wonderfully unique folks. A few of those folks were the gals at Ecosystem. What drew me into their booth were their bright and vibrant journals and planners. With colors like Lagoon, Watermelon and Clementine their displays looked like candy. Needless to say, I was hooked. What kept me in their booth was their story. Ecosystem journals, planners and notebooks are used with only 100% post-consumer recycled paper and are made in the United States. More than that, they also go the extra step to ask for confirmation from their suppliers that the paper used in their production is 100% post-consumer recycled fiber. If that isn't enough, each journal and planner has a unique number printed on the back pocket that you can register online to make a lost book more easily found.

These very cool and very earth-friendly products come in a variety of styles and shapes. From author to artist to architect, Ecosystem has the write journal for you.*

*Author's note: Okay, okay. I can hear your groans. I am sorry for the pun...but I just couldn't help it! Besides, you knew it was coming when you read the title of my blog entry.

Cake Dance

2010-07-09T22:44:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of baking and a big fan of cakes. When I go to Rick's Dessert Diner - I don't share my slice of cake with anyone. I love cakes so much that when I was young, my mother used to come home to me baking up some sort of cake - coconut, chocolate marble, pineapple, vanilla. The typical picture she walked in on was me standing on a stool, covered in flour, every pan I could find out of the cupboard and the Betty Crocker cook book my mother was given when she first came to the United States opened to the baking section. To her credit, she never said anything but, "What are you making today?"

I still have that cook book. Every now and then I open it up and reread the sections on "Kitchen Know-How," which consists of how to plan ahead, organize your housework and combine jobs. My favorite piece of advice can be found in the paragraph on how to "refresh your spirits" by combing your hair, thinking pleasant thoughts and having a hobby. While things have changed quite a bit since the early 1960s, the recipes inside are timeless and always remind me of childhood.

Until Melissa Gray's All Cakes Considered, I had yet to find a cook book that inspired me with the same baking gusto as my mom's old Betty Crocker "New Picture" Cook Book. Annabelle Breakey's photographs of such confections as Brown Sugar Pound Cake, Lord and Lady Baltimore Cakes and Apricot Jam Cakes are enough to make you want to run to the store and stock up on baking powder, vanilla extract and confectioner's sugar. Moreover Melissa Gray's baking tips and techniques will make even the most anxious baker feel at home in their own kitchen.

If you have time, stop by the shop and flip through the cook book and see for yourself. I would bet that you will find yourself at home, fork in one hand, cake plate in the other and the aroma of sugar and vanilla in the air.

Surprise!

2010-07-02T13:48:00.000-07:00

I love surprises. Love. Them. I think it is the sweetest thing in the world to know that someone you love is walking around all day long thinking, "it is just another day." Little do they know that people are at home, getting ready and heading out just to celebrate them. I had a chance to throw a surprise party for my Sweetie Pie (SP) this past October. He had the good sense to be born on Halloween and if that doesn't scream party...I don't know what does. It started out as a simple idea. I had recently bought a new book of ornaments/drawings from my local bookstore and there I saw it. A design of a fortune teller's palm with the description of the lines and that old time-y feel that only Dover illustrations can convey. Instantly I thought, "there has to be a way I can use this in an invitation." As I was mulling over possible designs and details for the party my friend called me to let me know that she recently acquired a letterpress. It was perfect. I knew exactly what I wanted to do. Crane Lettra stock, black ink, letterpress. Handsome, tailored, with a nod toward the old-fashioned. Just like SP.

It is always fun to design invitations for my client's events. I love that I get to be involved in the beginning stages of someone's celebration. Whether it be a birth, a union or a celebration of memories, I think it is quite a privilege bear witness to people's lives. I have to say, however, that planning an event from start to finish is even more fun. Once I completed the sketch of SP's invite it was time to pick the location of the event. It is no secret that our friends are jukebox and band type folks and I wanted to find a venue that expressed that same vibe. Cool, uncomplicated with a touch of rock and roll. While scouting locations that fit my budget a friend told me that Old Soul at 18th and L rents out their space after hours. Could it be true? I have been in love (seriously, IN LOVE) with their almond croissants since the day they opened their doors. I sent one e-mail and there was a quick reply from the event manager and it was set. She totally got me. This is a short version of our meeting:

PP: Could I have a band?
OS: Absolutely.
PP: Could I bring in my own drinks?
OS: You bet.
PP: Could you do the food?
OS: We would love to.
PP: When should I have the rental company drop the tables and chairs off?
OS: Oh, don't worry. We can do that for you.
PP: You guys are prefect! Will you marry me?
OS: Ummm...aren't you throwing a party for your SP? Besides (uncomfortable cough)...I think my three o'clock just got here.

Now onto the entertainment. During the wee hours of the morning I got on my trusty laptop and did a quick search. I landed on a website called Gig Masters and there I found both of the artists I was looking for. I knew I wanted a band and the Dover illustration of palm screamed the need for a fortune teller. With a few clicks of the keys I booked the Lightning Hand band and Tarot by Jacqueline for the event.

Next up: decorations. Luckily, I can call Cara of Cara Crowley Interiors & Events my friend. When embarking upon the task of decorations, she was a great resource and sounding board. I knew I wanted to create hand-glittered signs using our Papaya and Black stock from Waste Not Paper. Using the 5x5 and the 5.5 x 5.5 inch square cardstock, I printed each letter for "Happy Birthday" onto the Papaya stock. Then, I used the black glass glitter to highlight each letter. I used craft tape to mount the two pieces together and then used the Midori black rayon trimming to string each letter together. I made three more signs using the variety of shapes we carry in the store. Printing each sign in black ink, using my trusty Elmer's glue to hand glitter each letter and using the craft tape to create layers.

As the responses rolled in (almost everyone came!) and the decorations and entertainment came together, I thought it would be a shame not to document this event. As usual, Cara knew just the person to call. Chantel Elder from Eleakis & Elder Photography. From our first conversation, I knew that she totally understood what I wanted for the party. Plus...she is from my hometown. It was a win-win!

Finally, all of the pieces came together. Austin Powers and Felicity Shagwell costume for SP and I. Check. Hand carved pumpkins by our in-store craft guru Heidi. Check. Food, booze and music at Old Soul. Check. As we walked in the Austin Power's theme song came on (Soul Bossa Nova), everyone yelled, "SURPRISE!" and SP had no idea what hit him. As all of our family and friends came up to us to wish him a happy birthday, I thought "Whew. First surprise party down...one more to go." Yes, I had one more surprise party to go in less than thirty days. Stay tuned!