Who says kids should have all the fun with cute little valentine’s day notes? Surprise your friends and co-workers with the cutest little valentine’s mini prints that’ll leave them feeling loved and adored!

With a few simple supplies, you’ll be able to whip up your own secret messages for your friends to discover. Deliver them alongside a sweet treat or their favorite stationery for a handmade and fun touch this Valentine’s Day!

D.I.Y. VALENTINE’S HIDDEN MESSAGE

PROJECT TIME: 10 MINS

MATERIALS

Having something to write with is the key to getting all of those ideas that pop into your head, down on paper! Come by our shop and test out our amazing collection of pens and find your favorite. We think everyone should have their go-to black ink pen!

Best notepads For An Intentional Year:

Whether you are weekly or monthly overview kind of person, there’s nothing quite like being able to look over what you have coming up at a glance. Having it all in one place to serve as a visual reminder is an incredible way to spread out all your to-dos and meetings so you don’t get overwhelmed.

We also think weekly notepads are a great way to track your to-dos!

Best Correspondences + Notes For An Intentional Year

We can all agree that snail mail just makes every day better. Taking the time to write a thoughtful thank you note or just sending someone something just because can help spread a little more kindness out into the world.

There’s no better way to be prepared for any and all occasions than to have a stack of your go-to cards and notes. That way, when the mood strikes to write- you’ve got everything you need right there in your desk drawer :)

Best Office + Desk Supplies For An Intentional Year:

Happy new year friends!

A new year brings a fresh start and there’s something just magical about it don’t you think? Over the past few years, I’ve been working on finding ways to improve the flow of my days and work weeks and I just couldn’t pass up a chance to share with you guys. It’s easy to feel motivated and feel that new year “high” but these 7 tips have helped me stay productive and motivated not only for the new year, but for the remaining 11 months of the year.

I’d love to hear what y’all think, and if you have any tips share them in the comments below :)

7 WAYS TO STAY PRODUCTIVE

1. WRITE IT DOWN

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you feel like you have too much to do or when you don’t know where to begin. I try to start my week out by writing down EVERYTHING I need to get done during that week. I’ll look over my schedule and give every task on that large list a specific day so it spaces things out and breaks things up.

I also am a big stickler to picking 5 things. Actually only picking 5 single things on my list to tackle each day where I’m not allowed to work on anything else on the list besides those 5 first. This really lets me prioritize what’s really urgent or important. It’s something I encourage our studio assistants to do when they come into work for the day- that way they can stay focused and flow into how the day goes at the shop.

2. TAKE A BREAK

When you’re feeling distracted, instead of forcing the work- lean into the flow and take a break. I really think it may seem counterintuitive to stop working when you’re busy or feel like there’s a lot to do but taking a short break- even if it’s just 10 mins can really help you reset and refocus. I’m a fan of of going outside for some fresh air, a quick walk around the block or to check the mail, sometimes I’ll even use it as an opportunity to grab a glass of water to rehydrate or even sit up against the wall to do legs up the wall.

3. ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY MEETINGS

What I’m about to say may upset some people… but I really feel like meetings are a waste of time. At least they can be. I do understand the importance of a meeting and know that from time to time it’s important- but filling your days with meetings can actually be a waste of time as you have to constantly switch gears between meetings that takes up valuable time in your day vs. just getting things done! I try to only schedule a handful of meetings a week- and only when they’re necessary! And when I do have a meeting, I have a really clear agenda to move through so it’s actually a meaningful time spent.

4. SET A TIMER, PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY

I actually do this regularly- I set a timer for 30 mins- an hour or even two hours and leave my phone out of sight. That way I can really dive into what I need to work on and focus on it- I know that when my phone alarm goes off, time’s up!

5. FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER

Tell a friend what you are working on- someone who can check in with you. I really believe in sharing what you are working on with someone you work with, or someone who can hold you to what you say you’re going to do. Someone who asks you how your project is going- and I think the simple act of declaring what you are doing outloud allows you to hold yourself accountable.

6. CLEAR YOUR DESK

I am so guilty of this, when I feel like there’s a lot going on in my life or on my plate it tends to reflect the state of my desk in the office. Aka, it’s like a tornado blew through my office when I have a ton going on. To start each day, I take a few minutes to go through what’s on my desk so I can literally make space for myself and my work. Clear desk, clear mind!

7. SET ASIDE TIMES FOR EMAILS

Don’t check your email every 5 minutes. Set aside a few times a day to check and respond to emails. I know a lot of people who block their emails into chunks based on the time of the day- that way you’re not spending a few minutes here and there to go through your inbox but can dedicate a solid part of your day to it and dedicate the rest of the time to work!

And just like that, another year has come and gone! I know everyone always says how fast time goes by but I swear 2018 came and went in a blink of an eye- don’t you agree?

We celebrated SO much this year- I feel like as a small business, specifically a brick + mortar shop, we finally found our stride in 2018. We moved from our original space into the space I had only ever dreamed about. I’ve told so many of you (in real life) how our new space was the space I had always wanted- but it didn’t exist back when I was looking for a space back in 2014. It did take me almost a full year to find our original E 6th location. And I’m trusting more and more that there was a reason that was the place I was meant to be in as I got The Paper + Craft Pantry started. Our old space allowed me to really play, navigate and learn all about the business and it really allowed me to grow it where when the time came to move, it was a natural and rather seamless transition.

I’ve shared a year in review for the past few years- you can peek more at 2017 and 2016 ! It’s really fun to go back through the archives and read the words I had typed to document our years in business. I’m proud of the growth not only as a business, but also personally.

2018 was a year of growth. A big year of growth all around for The Paper + Craft Pantry- I’ve learned a lot and if you’ve been following along, you’ve seen and been a part of it all :) Here are the big 5 things that happened in business for us this year.

MAKING A FINANCIAL MINDSET SHIFT

Y’all, this was the first FULL year I paid myself every. single. month. It may not seem like a big deal but it’s huge considering I was only taking out what I needed for bills etc for the past 5 years. But this year, I was able to allow the business to support me month to month. The business has also been able to continue to pay our lovely and hardworking studio assistants- which in turn has allowed me to pursue other opportunities for The Paper + Craft Pantry.

I allocated funds strategically this year- anticipating for inventory purchases, for marketing and event expenses, and even for our move this summer.

I really believe that I finally got comfortable and acquainted with the business’s finances even though for a long time I told myself I was not good at it. This book really made a huge impact for me and if you’re interested in getting more familiar with your finances, particularly your business’s finances, I highly recommend it!

2018 was a good year because I was able to release a lot of stress in relation to money and was able to come from a place of abundance.

SAYING NO MORE

I’ve learned how to graciously say no. I don’t think it will ever be “easy” for me, but I’m getting better at setting boundaries. I have declined meetings, sponsorship opportunities, media opportunities, partnerships for a variety of reasons. But I know my limits. I know the limits of my business and I’m okay with giving myself (and the business) space. I no longer feel the need to fill every day with a meeting, or an event or anything that isn’t a 100000% yes.

HIRING + GROWING A TEAM

Growing pains y’all. The more we grow as a business, the more I’m realizing I need support. I needed to create space in the business to allow for more help in running the day-to-day. It’s been difficult, personally, to allow the right people to step into the business as well as a huge learning curve to identify the right people and have them in the right roles so they can flourish.

I’m someone who likes to take my time, I don’t like feeling rushed to find the right people. I also feel like it’s so important for it to be a right fit on both sides. To me, every one who works at our shop is an extension of our business, a representation of what our business stands for. I also know the importance of a first impression with a guest who comes into our shop- I don’t think it should matter if I’m the one there, or a new studio assistant, the experience should be the same.

This was a year of filling out the people side of the business, getting systems into place so we can grow our tiny but mighty team, and learning how to onboard as quickly as we transition through our team members. Because in full transparency, turnover is very real in part-time retail!

ELEVATING EXPERIENCE

From the moment someone walks through outdoors, my single wish is that they know they are welcomed. They’re greeted by our signature shop scent (now available in a diffuser oil blend!) even before they are warmly greeted by myself or our studio assistant. They’re able to browse our shop at their own pace as they discover new stationery treasures at each turn.

The same goes for our workshops, thought goes into everything- down to the last and seemingly minute detail. I know that our guests and workshop students can take their business (and money) elsewhere but the fact that they choose to do so with us, means the world and I want it to be evident for the entire time they are in our shop + studio.

We’ve been brainstorming, dreaming and planning how to continue to deliver the most top-notch experience. To continue to surprise and delight every single person who comes in!

NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH

It’s been a long time coming (literally, I said I wanted to do this right after we opened in 2015) but opening a physical store was a lot more work than I ever could have anticipated. I run the retail shop as it’s own entity and the workshop side of the business as it’s own. So it’s very much felt like I’ve been growing and building on two separate businesses for the past few years!

You can read more about our product launch here and you can now shop our entire collection online!

Putting your work out there can be really difficult and I almost forgot what it felt like- for all the stationers and designers who reach out and the ones we work with. They constantly put themselves out there with their work not knowing what the response could be. And let me tell you, that’s some scary stuff! But none the less, they push through the fear and just continue to create. And that’s so freaking admirable in my opinion!

The response over the past few weeks since our launch has been nothing short of warm and just incredible. I am so thrilled to be able to share even more paper with y’all in our shop as well as send some P+CP goodies out in the world.

TLDR;

2018 was a year of:

• getting comfortable with the financial side of the business- which enabled me to come from a place of abundance and to focus seriously on growing our business as a whole

• saying no more to keep space open for myself and the business. Something that I

  plan on continuing into 2019

• growing our small but mighty team with intention

• elevating our guest experience in store and online

• launching our new product line

See you all in 2019 :)

xo, Pei