WOW.... I have not written anything since January... Shame on me....BAD BAD BLOGGER...
Well... it seems to be all I can do to fill the orders for invitations and stationery, create new art for designs, order paper and envelopes, keep up with all the consignment vendors and products... whewwww.
But here are a few tidbits of the latest news...
I have changed store hours... I'm now open
Monday - Friday from 10-5 and late Thursdays till 7:00 p.m....
I now take APPOINTMENTS ONLY on Saturdays.
It has given me a much needed break after 2 years of 6 day work weeks.
On my first Saturday off... I headed straight to the Memphis Farmer's Market, which is one of my favorite places to go and is a great source of some of the local artisans whose work is featured in my store.

I always love the beautiful flowers and there is usually local musicians performing.  If you have not ever gone -  you MUST check it out.  The fruits and veggies are fresh and locally grown and supporting your local small farmers is something that I think is really important. 






I am hoping to have some of these cute aprons in the store soon and trying to get this fabulous potter to have her things in Original Ink also.




My Saturdays off have given me opportunities to do some of the things that I love:  work in my garden, have lunch with my hubby, bake bread, go to a horse show, have breakfast with my hubby, go fishing, shop for new shoes (only ugly shoes... I am the queen of ugly shoes) read a book, have dinner with my hubby, sit on my patio and enjoy the sunshine, draw plans for a chicken coop, ride my bicycle, take a walk with my hubby.... I do love my husband!

The spring wedding season was a busy time for me and Original Ink had the opportunity to work on some wonderful wedding invitations and paper suites.

Then there was graduation time with lots of fun graduation party invites, thank you notes and graduation gifts.  

I was given the opportunity to work with Andrea Harris - who does party consulting for children's parties. (let me know if you need party planning consultation and I will get your her information)  She was planning her precious 1 year old son's first birthday.  Here are a few images from little Lleyton's Country Carnival themed party.

This spring I also worked with a fun Bride -to-Be who had a Save the Date theme in mind that involved mason jars and fireflys....

This was the result of our creative juices and her labors (she did most of the assembly). The little folded Save the Date had a magnet on the back top third of the little card.  The card went in a miniture mason jar with an antique styled lid.  We packed the jars in little square brown boxes nested in natural brown shredded packing "grass" and shipped them with a big round ecru shipping label on the outside of the box, printed with the cute little lightning bugs that we named "Larry the Lightning Bug"... so a row of little Larrys separated the return address from the guest's address .... all printed in co-ordinating font and colors.

and of course the bride reported that they were a HUGE hit!

Things have slowed down a bit now and I am working on some summertime party invitations and beach themed weddings. 

I will blog again... much sooner than last time I hope!

I want to tell  you all about my fun central Tennessee Arts and Ag tour that I went on with my sweet hubby who indulges my irrational infatuation with living as a farmgirl.  I will share the cute photos of the goats!

Until then,

Be creative... be unique... be original

Kathryn

Can't believe it is almost 2012

I cannot believe I have survived the last few months. If you had seen all of the orders that deluged Original Ink since my last post you would understand why I have not posted on this blog since October.  It has been a WOW experience with lots of ups and downs.  And I MUST tell you that it would have been impossible to have gotten through this season without the help of my TEAM:
my store manager, Kim Shirley, my layout and printing assistant, Aaron Miller, my production assistants, Anna Miller and Claire Bowers, and last but not least - my right hand man who would do anything I needed- my husband Lawrence.

      From left to right: Kim, Claire, Kathryn, Anna & Aaron

Claire and Lawrence at the assembly table

Original Ink designed and produced thousands of Christmas cards, party invitations, stickers and tags for our fun and creative customers in addition to our new Original Ink calendars for 2012, which were a hit.

We found local artisans that created unique items for our store and enabled us to offer our customers very special handmade gifts for their Christmas shopping. From the artisan goat's milk soaps, hand knitted baby hats, gourmet pecans and pottery ornaments (just to name a few), there was something to meet the needs on everyone's list.  And now it is time to dive into a search for new items for the store in 2012 and time for me to get the creative juices going and paint and draw all the things that are swirling around in my brain.

We welcome your input and requests for new inventory suggestions at Original Ink so email or call and let us know what you need and want.

I look forward to seeing you and making beautiful and fun things for you in 2012

NOW, HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS FROM 2011

YEA!! Fall is finally here!

I am SO glad the blistering hot summer days are behind us and I LOVE feeling a bit of cool fall breeze on my face these days.  I actually got out to a couple of FALL CRAFTS FAIRS locally and cruised the artisans looking for NEW and fabulously ORIGINAL gift items for the ORIGINAL INK STORE...
FIRST OF ALL.... SALE TIME....
I have MORE TEAM CUPS and NAPKINS than I need and YOU NEED them for your TAILGATE and COLLEGE SPORTS EVENT PARTIES... so here you go.... a SALE:
25% OFF ALL COLLEGIATE PRODUCTS.... COME AND GET 'EM!!!

WE do have 2 new handmade items featured at Original Ink. One is beautiful Baby/Child's hand knitted sweater.....It would easily become a family heirloom  that would be handed down for generations.  It is beautifully made of the softest cotton and fully washable.

 
We also have the most adorable pair of baby UGG Booties... so cute!
I have replenished our stock of pottery bud vases - perfect little gifts... and I have new BABY BIRD Keepsake Cups for baby gifts...tiny birds adorn the handles.

Our Soy Candles are just THE BEST... Pair one with a lovely linen tea towel or some fall patterned Caspari paper napkins or guest towels for a perfect gift to take to your Thanksgiving Day Hosts.

New ARTWORK by a NASHVILLE artist is one of my favorite new additions.

and more ART by other artists

WE have the CRANE & CO Holiday Card Custom Album at Original Ink and are ready to take you order for Holiday greeting cards... 10% off special offer through October 31st.

I have added some new ARTWORK of my own to the Original Ink Design offering for the Holidays.

So... come order your Photo Cards, gift tags, stickers and greeting cards early.

Spooktacular Designs

SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN DESIGNS ARE HERE!

The smell of Fall is in the air and we are busying ourselves in preparation of Halloween Fun!  Whether you're planning a ghoulish gathering, trick or treat fest, or birthday bash we have a SPOOKTACULAR invitation just for you.  Come on over and let us get something "brewing" for your occasion!

Some of our samples: 

Drop in and visit us soon and view or new selection of note cards, stationery, gift items, baby items and jewelry! And don't forget, Christmas is just around the corner so start thinking about your Christmas Cards.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

Happy Haunting!

The Original Ink Team

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Visit us on the web at www.originalinkdesigns.com

Original Ink

7528 Second Street

Germantown, TN 38138

(901) 758-0889

Gearing up for FALL!

Well friends, time is flying and soon I will be letting you know all about the Early Bird Christmas Card ordering special.  It will be sometime in September.... so stay tuned for that!
We have gotten in some great things for Tail Gate parties: Team CUP and NAPKINS.... and I am creating new designs for great washable stickers for labeling the little ones cups and bottles for day care and mothers-day-out.
We have some very pretty new jewelry: freshwater pearls in white and black ... bracelets, neclaces and earrings.

NEW POTTERY will be here soon as well as the beautiful fall designs for the Caspari paper plates and napkins. WE have the most wonderful SOY CANDLES and some beautiful NEW ARTWORK.
So come in and check out all the new things.
I have added the CRANE Holiday Card Album for the most beautiufl Holiday cards as welll as wedding, mitzvah and holiday albums from Carlson Craft so we have more designs for you to choose from.  The albums we have of Inviting Company photo cards and invites are VERY CUTE and we also now have a wonderful selection or note cards, note papers and pads from Embossed Graphics... order and their products are usually delivered within 5-7 days.. They have great embossed and raised ink products.

As for me... well the 90 hour work weeks will hopefully be coming to an end soon.  I have my TEAM in place and we are diligently working to get our infrastructure of orgainzation in place so we can keep pace with all this great new business.  I look forward to introducing the Original Ink TEAM to you soon.

I have given my dear husband, Larry, a break from building display items for the store. His last contribution was making The GIRLS... 2 wooden manequins .  I named them after my mother, Eunice, and her childhood playmate, Fringella.  As the weather cools, Larry will be building new steps for the deck entrance as well as a handicapped ramp. We have painted the front doors a buttery yellow and put out American flags .. I love all the colors and this new cooler fall weather has lifted the summer duldrums and put a bounce in our steps here at Original Ink...
Hope to see you soon.
Kathryn

Sorry... it's been crazy busy here!

I have not posted anything for WAY TOO LONG!   That has been mostly because I have been meeting myself coming (as the expression goes) with so many printing orders and all the other time consuming parts of owning and operating a business...whew.... exhausting (but I'm still loving it!)

My ribbon cutting and grand opening was Thursday, June 23rd and we had a good turn out.
The local Germantown chamber of commerce members were in attendance and very welcoming. Friends and customers came and gave lots of encouragement. We all enjoyed refreshments and getting to know each other.  The responses were all favorable and everyone assured me that the store was going to be a HUGE hit in the community.

So..I guess I will be busier than ever!... I am slowly putting together a potential dream team of helpers.  Once that is in place I hope to have more time to paint and create new designs for you all. 

Meanwhile, the gift selections in the store have been expanded to include some BEAUTIFUL JEWELRY (by local artists, of course!).  We have some gorgeous necklaces, earrings

and some UNIQUE COCKTAIL RINGS - hand fashioned from vintage Czech crystal buttons... HOW ORIGINAL!!

 AND... really cute pins and clips in flower shapes made of pretty fabrics and felts.

Our local seamstress has been busy fashioning custom LAUNDRY BAGS (great for the big kids going off to college) in FAB FABRICS...featuring college colors and sorority mascots. 

We also now have the CUTEST APRONS for Mother and Daughter.

Coming soon...CUSTOM KOOZIE COVERS... sophisticated fabrics with a beautiful monogram.. give your favorite CAN some CLASS!

THE NEST(the baby room)  has been filled with the sweetest, unique little layettes, wraps, stuffed animals and more for baby with custom monogramming and embroidery available.

There are completely CUTE stuffed animals and the most ORIGINAL...

 hand made stitched felt hair clips for you little girl

And for the new MOM.. we have very chic diaper bags and of course Original Ink's very original thank you notes.

Original Ink carries the Elizabeth W line of fragrances... a GREAT gift.

AND!!!! the ART and PARTY room is finished.  It is a great space that feature paintings by local artists and provides a venue for small group gathering of 12-15 persons.... does your BOOK CLUB, KNITTING CLUB or BIBLE STUDY group need a place to meet.  Come check it out and see if it might be just the answer to the problem of where to gather for your small group.

MORE IDEAS IN THE WORKS FOR THE ART AND PARTY ROOM - STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES.
SO.. that is the latest from Original Ink.  Please come in and see us if you have not already.  I think you will be amazed.  Folks have said that Original Ink has been a well kept secret but that cat is about to LEAP out of the bag. (another expression... my momma had a lot of em')
So come shop early.  Many of our gift items are hand made and one-of-a-kind ...so come in soon.