Twenty Ten in Review

Interprintations - 2010 in review!

What a fun, frantic, fabulous year it's been in the Interprintations studio! I am so proud of all the accomplishments I was able to conquer this year, and am filled with anticipation to see what's to come in 2011!

I tested our luck at our first bridal show in September - with great success! We are already getting positive feedback & booking brides for summer/fall 2011.

Our Etsy shop saw 143 new customers this year! The customer feedback has been phenomenal. Our designs are selling themselves & our customers are spreading the word about Interprintations - we couldn't be more proud. =)

Our Facebook page has accumulated 147 fans - thank you to all who are following us!
{...and for those of you who are not, here's the link!}

I joined a wonderful local organization called AlphaChicks - an organization for strong, professional women entrepreneurs in the Indianapolis area. I have met some fabulous women & made some great business/networking connections. I'm so glad to call myself
an Alpha Chick!
{This is more of a personal feat for me, but I still wanted to share in case there are any other Indy-area women entrepreneurs reading our blog!}

Thank you to all of our friends, family, fans & customers for your continued support. Interprintations would not be where it is today without you!

I hope everyone has had a prosperous & productive 2010! Cheers to a promising 2011!

Unexpected Absence

I should start off with an apology, as I know I've been sort of M.I.A. lately. I meant to return to the blogging world as soon as we returned from our mini vacation to South Carolina, but things just got crazy in the studio upon our return!

I had a handful of consultations with summer brides, rush orders were placed for save-the-dates, and I had to squeeze in the last of my holiday shopping somewhere in there. Before I knew it, Christmas was here and my blog had gone neglected.

....So I am now spending the week playing catch up, and promise you many updates in the coming days. I'll be featuring new items, baby shower ideas & tips, and some sneak peaks of our latest collaboration with Boldly Chic Events!

You won't want to miss it......stay tuned!

Heading South for the Winter...

No need to adjust your screen. You read the blog title correctly. We're headed south for the winter! =)

Ok, ok....it's just for a few days....but I couldn't be more excited! We're leaving today and will be spending 5 days in Charleston, SC. We're heading down there for the wedding of a close friend, so we decided to make a mini vacation out of it. =)

Probably to no surprise, we already have a jam-packed itinerary! I can't wait to shop at all the little boutiques {especially Vieuxtemps), have cocktails with the girls at the Rooftop Bar, and head to the main event (the wedding & reception!) at The Historic Rice Mill Building!

Needless to say, the shop will be closed for a few days. However, we plan to have plenty of recaps and photos to share when we return on Tuesday!

Coupon Craze

If you know me, you know I am a true bargain shopper. I don't leave the house without a stack of coupons in my purse.

Whether it's groceries, clothing, makeup, office supplies.....you name it, and I can find you a coupon for it. =)

As I've been completing my holiday shopping over the last couple of weeks, I thought about how I should share my coupon hunting tricks. So in an effort to help you save a few $$ over this holiday season, here are some helpful tips...

1) Google "(store name)" and "printable coupon"...be sure the use the quotations! You may have to check out a few of the search results, as some may be expired. But this is a fairly easy way to find an active coupon for your shopping destination.

2) Check out this site before heading out the door...it has all of the active coupons for most popular department stores, craft stores, hardware stores & bookstores.

3) A lot of stores will take their own expired coupons - so don't throw them away just yet. Next time you go to the store, bring them along just in case! {Bed Bath & Beyond is a big one - they will take any of their coupons, no matter how old the expiration date. So stock pile those mailers to use on Christmas, birthday, or wedding registry gifts!}

4) Be a cardholder! You don't necessarily have to use it - but holding a store credit card entitles you to more {and better!} coupons. Case in point - JCPenney mails their card holders $10 certificates {$10 off $10+ purchase} every month or two. That's $60-$120 in free stuff. I hardly ever use my JCP card, but just being in their system entitles me to frequent coupon mailers.

5) Before you head to the grocery store, check Red Plum for food & beverage coupons! Also, watch for the Red Plum & ValPak mailers in your mailbox. These are great coupon resources, so don't toss them out without sifting through them.

6) Want to save a little on your stocking stuffers or holiday party invitations? Enter the coupon code HOLIDAY2010 for 10% off your next purchase in our Etsy shop.


Hopefully this helps make your holiday shopping a little easier. =) Happy Holidays!

Fabulous Functionality

I'd like you to meet my latest obsession, vintage frames...

I've been going to consignment shops and used furniture stores like it's my {second} job. Aching to find these ornate, old-fashioned objects of my affection. Alas! I've finally found some that will hold me over for a while.

My mom graciously accepted the challenge of redoing these for me. {I'd be so lost without her!} Our master plan is to paint these white & add chalkboards inside. Fabulous AND Functional. =)

Once finished, the large frame will be hanging in my in-home studio, making it easier to write notes & keep track of current designs/orders pending. The smaller one will go with me to bridal shows - I thought it would be cute to advertise sales, write cute wedding-themed quotes, or whatever inspires me the day of the show. =)

The larger one I found at my new favorite place to shop, Gilley's Antique Mall in Plainfield! I'm not exaggerating when I say you can get lost in there. It goes on forever. {I still haven't seen everything there - I plan to go back very soon!} The smaller one I snagged for a measly $4.00 at a consignment shop in my hometown, Crawfordsville. I love a good bargain. =)

Does anyone else love all things vintage? What is your favorite vintage purchase?

I'll take Snow {with a side of soup, please!}

I woke up this morning, expecting to head right out the door to run some errands. Little did I know, this is what happened while I was fast asleep last night....

Then I turn on the TV, and hear about all of the Indianapolis drivers who seem to have forgotten {as they do every year} how to drive in a tiny little dusting of snow. So I decided to stay in for the day. =)

And what goes better with cold weather than a warm bowl of soup??

I picked up a bag of this at the Christmas Gift & Hobby Show (immediately after I tried a delicious sample of it!}......

....and decided to whip some up for lunch & dinner. =) I just had to add a pound and a half of chicken, some diced tomatoes, and I had myself a large pot of Cheesy Chicken Enchilada soup! Enough to last both of us all day, as well as freeze a large portion for another snowy day.

I plan to order quite a few more mixes from this wonderful company. {Is anyone else thinking stocking stuffers??}

I hope everyone out there is enjoying the first day of December! Only 24 days until Christmas...