The Pride Collection

Today I’m exceptionally proud to be releasing a line of cards that is near and dear to my heart. A collection I’ve been working hard on designing for months, but that is actually an accumulation of years of thought and experience.

The Pride Collection is a collection of greeting cards and stationery for the LGBT community and their allies, to show support and awareness to one another. It’s a collection that acknowledges the progress the LGBT community has made, but also understands that, unfortunately, coming out and living your life open, is still not fully the easiest thing to do.

I’ve always been someone who kind of stays clear of designing gender specific cards and never thought I would want to create cards that are specifically LGBT. But, about six months back I started piecing together within myself that I am proud of being exactly who I am. So why not celebrate all pieces of who I am? I usually prefer designing cards that are not gender biased and that could be used for anyone. With this collection I blatantly made designs that favor the LGBT community, but stayed within the area I favor designing, so most cards could be used outside of the LGBT community as well.

I’m fairly shy when it comes to my sexual orientation. It’s never been something I’m fully comfortable talking about. I told the people I thought I needed to tell, and then kind of let everyone else figure things out for themselves. I wish it could have been that way with everyone - me just living my life how I wanted to, without having to sit down and have a conversation about it.

In my world, there would be no such thing as having to coming out. I could just be the person I am, and go out on dates without fear of running into friends and bring home whoever I like, to meet the parents, without having to explain any of it.

That wasn’t how it was though.

When I sat down to start creating this collection I started pulling from my own experiences. It brought back a ton of memories…

The very first person I actively told I had an interest in women was my friend Courtney, in 9th grade, via passing notes in science class. I wasn't horribly nervous because Courtney is a very open and accepting person. She's easy to talk to and I knew it wouldn't make a difference to her. It made a huge difference to me though. I wasn’t ready to be out to everyone. At that point I wouldn’t even consider it coming out, as much as letting someone else in.  

After that it took another three years before I opened up to my best friend, my brother, Ryan.

Of course, Ryan already knew. He was the first person to know because he read my diary when I was 12 or 13. I just didn't know it because he had made the decision to let me tell him when I felt comfortable, just like he would tell me he was gay when he felt comfortable. We ended up telling each other one night, while driving around the North Shore Chicago area.

The first time I actually felt like I was “coming out” verse letting people in, was when I came out to my mom. It was a very big moment for me. Other than my brother and a few friends from High School, no one else knew yet. Having my mom know made it more real. I was asserting myself and making a choice to be open. I felt exposed.

My mom was stunned and said something about me being boy crazy and that it was a big surprise to her. I explained that my boy craziness wasn't a false representation of myself. I still liked boys. I just also liked girls. And, if anything was a false representation, it was that I had never told her about the girls I had crushes on or dated. But I was still the same exact person, with otherwise, the same interests as before. I still loved dresses and shopping. I still loved art and animals and strange beautiful things. I gave her time and she let her perception change of what possibilities she saw for my future; or rather who she saw me with in my future.

She was a bit teary eyed but by the end of the conversation we were driving to Target to do some quick shopping. At some point she put a rainbow headband, rainbow pony tail holders, and rainbow hair clips in the cart. That was her way of telling me everything was going to be ok and that she supported me. I will forever treasure the memory of that horribly tacky plastic rainbow headband.

My mom now knew but I didn’t have the courage to tell my dad yet, and asked my mom not to tell him either. My dad had more conservative views and I didn’t want to ruin our relationship. I didn’t want us to argue over politics and sexuality unless there was a good reason for it, which to me, at the time meant being in a committed relationship with a girl and seeing a future with that person.

I didn’t give him enough credit though, because when the time came where I gave the go ahead to my mom to tell my dad, he called me up and told me how much he loved me. The only thing he was upset about was that I felt my mom would understand more than he would.

I met my future wife, Chelsea, almost a year after coming out to my mom. Of course, at that point her name was Patrick. We went on dates for two weeks, skirting around our first kiss. Then one night "Patrick" made me dinner and I could tell “he” was nervous. At the end of dinner, after clearing the table, the conversation started something like this: "I like you and I think you like me. I've wanted to kiss you but I didn't want to unless we were dating exclusively. I don't really mess around with people. So I want to ask you out to be my girlfriend but first I need to tell you something. And just keep in mind, the door is over there if you want to leave."

At this point, I’m clenching the table, because, come on… what could it be?

"I'm transgender," Patrick said.

I was confused. "You were a girl?" I asked.

"No, I'm transitioning male to female."

"Oh, ok.”  *Long stretch of silence*

“But you like girls?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, can I kiss you now?”

Palm to face. I'm so awkward. Yes, I am serious, that is what I said. Pretty darn close, if not exactly. I was just so happy it wasn't something that would actually hinder my feelings for her.

And that was the start of our relationship.

Two years later, to that exact day, we were married. By the time we said “I do” Patrick was a year and a half into her transition and legally changed her name to Chelsea, and she became my wife.

We both wore white dresses. We walked down the aisle together, with our dads at our sides. Our families were there to support us. At our reception a week later, we had our first dance to “When I Get Up,” by Tegan & Sara. It was lovely and my heart was full.

Looking to the future I have a sunny disposition on things. I like the way the LGBT community is progressing and from where I sit, it feels as though the LGBT ally base is growing significantly.

Coming out and learning to be my most authentic self wasn’t all peaches and cream. There were friendships lost, bouts of crying, some depression, and a lot of growing that took place, but these days I prefer to focus on the more positive memories.

I was lucky enough to have a strong, supportive base of people by my side throughout the years, and they are the people who have helped inspire these cards.

So far The Pride Collection covers many subjects I've experienced myself or things my friends or family have experienced. I hope to create more cards as time goes on for this collection that help encompass more thoughts and experiences of a wider breadth of the LGBT community. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy The Pride Collection as much as I’ve enjoyed designing it!

View the entire collection by following this link: 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NoCoastPaperCo?section_id=17313492&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2

Why My New Years Resolution is to Shop Small, Buy Local and Use Cash

Shop Small, Shop Local. Its something I hear quite a bit during the holidays but the movement seems to lose momentum as the New Year unfolds. However, with it being something that not only helps your community, but also the environment, I've decided this year I'm not letting the idea slip away.

I'm always full of excuses: it tends to be a bit more expensive, in some cases there is less of a selection, and the one stop shop that big box stores offer is very convenient when I'm short on time. But the positives of shopping small and shopping local are so big, my usual excuses seem to be falling short.

Although I'm not one for making New Years resolutions, my interest in this topic has grown stronger and stronger during the past few weeks and since it coincides with that special time of year, I'm standing up and making a resolution. My New Years resolution is to shop small, shop local and use cash more often than I use my card.

Why Shop Small

Shopping small is all about feeling good; making yourself feel good, having a better experience, and also making the small business owner feel good. For starters, small businesses tend to be friendlier. Why? Because the person helping you is most likely the owner, the owner’s son or daughter, or the owner’s friend so they don't want to disappoint and they have a stake in the business, whether financial or just wanting to see it succeed. Since small businesses don't have hundreds of locations, their reputations mean more, which means they try that much harder to please their customers.

Also, small businesses make up 60% - 80% of all new jobs created and they tend to offer a more friendly and loyal work environment. By shopping small, you are directly and positively impacting someone's dream, helping with their livelihood and helping them to success.

Why Shop Local

Shopping local not only helps small business owners, but it helps YOU as well. When you shop local your money is going back into the local economy. According to the American Independent Business Alliance:

"On average, 48 percent of each purchase at local independent businesses was recirculated locally, compared to less than 14 percent of purchases at chain stores."

A great thing about shopping local is that many of the products you find in local stores are from other local business owners (ie: at the corner bodega or local co-op you might find bread from the neighborhood baker or jam made by your friends grandma). So by shopping local, you're rotating and sharing the money within your own community, building up and strengthening the local economy. You're also helping cut down on harmful pollutants caused by the transportation that is needed from shipping far away (ie: planes, trains, trucks, etc), because products tend to travel a shorter distance to get to that store.

Not only does the money you spend at local shops go to other local shops, but it also goes back to the community as well. According to the National Federation of Independent Business, around 90% of small businesses sponsor and support local charities. This can also include community events, sports teams and schools. That means your money isn't just supporting local business but it's also helping to support your daughter’s soccer team, your friend’s community theater production of Cats and maybe even that family down the street who just lost their home to a horrible fire. This is not saying that big companies don't give charity - they definitely do and they tend to do it in big, generous ways. However, choosing to shop small and local simply means your money is going to more localized charities and back into your own community, versus on a national or global level.

And, lastly, when a person starts shopping local, it helps encourage their friends and family to shop at these same stores as well. With more consumers entering local establishments  it helps encourage more people to become entrepreneurs and open more small businesses, which in turn can create more jobs and a larger local economy.

It all comes back to strengthening your community, helping people with their goals, and creating an environment where people can succeed in their individual dreams, by working together as a collective to support one another.

Why Use Cash (Not Plastic)

I'm already asking myself and I'm asking you (if you want to join) to shop small and buy local. Why does it matter if it's with cash or with card? Especially as I actually really dislike cash. I can't think of it too much or my hypochondriac mind races into overdrive about all of the filth that cash carries.

However, if my intention is to shop small and buy local, than using cash is really the next big step and the reason is simple - more money goes toward the store and less goes to big name credit card companies and banks.

Every time you use your debit card or credit card, a percentage of the sale (usually somewhere between 2% - 4%) gets taken from the business you purchased your items from, and goes toward the bank or credit card company. It's called a service charge. It seems simple enough and not that intrusive for a store to lose that minor of a percentage. But consider this: with one purchase, this percentage might not be that much. But, add up all of your transactions throughout the entire year, and then consider the other card-using shoppers the store has as well, and that business is losing a huge amount of money to plastic.

Essentially, you are handing over your hard earned money to banks and credit card companies, instead of to the small businesses and your community.

This is not to say that plastic isn't wonderful. In many cases it brings in more business to establishments that might otherwise lose business if they only accepted cash. But, if I'm already trying to support my community by shopping small and local, why not go that extra step, which really isn't that difficult?

Now, I'd like to say I'm ready to give up big box stores completely, but... I'm not. I love Target. I spend entirely too much money at Target and I don't see myself giving up my addiction anytime soon. The perfume counters at Macy's own me. I can buy a whole months worth of groceries at Winco for about half the cost of anywhere else. Seriously, half. And, I'm not asking myself to give up those stores and I'm not asking that of others either. This is what I am asking of myself and of those who might want to try this out with me:

• Buy your boxed goods and canned goods from your local box store, but head over to the local farmers market, co-op or corner bodega for your fresh produce and meat.
• If you're making a registry, whether baby, bridal or some other sort of celebration, try using local makers instead of big box stores. Don't know where to look for local makers? One idea is to check out Etsy's "local" option and make a registry using Etsy. You can find makers and sellers in YOUR area and buy directly from the creators themselves. (To shop local makers go to Etsy.com, type in the item you are searching for such as "baby clothes" and then go to the bottom of the left hand side and you can enter the geographic location you want to browse shops in!)
• The next time you're headed out on a date night, choose a locally owned and operated restaurant versus a chain. Yes, Texas Roadhouse is amazing and yes, sometimes a greasy IHOP breakfast is needed. But, maybe every other time you head out you could choose to go eat at the local mom and pop diner or the fancy steak house owned by your bosses brother.
• Walk into that locally owned clothing boutique you're always walking past and check out their funky jewelry collection. If you're looking for a new purse or fun blouse for a night out then labels are nice, but so are one-of-a-kind hand stitched leather bags with life-time warranties and locally designed and hand-sewn clothing. It's certainly an idea to mix up your wardrobe a bit.
  
  

Overall it's important to know it's not about giving up your favorite chain or big box stores all together. It's about making room for new places to shop and it's about easing into a lifestyle where the money you spend means more and has more of an impact.

My mantra this year for shopping small and buying local, is going to be "JUST TRY IT!" Because, a few months from now Target and Chilis are going to still be there. That small, local business you're always passing by that looks really interesting, albeit a little intimidating... well, it might not be around by the time you pluck up the courage to try something new.

Just a thought.

If you're interested in joining me by shopping small, buying local, and perhaps even purchasing with cash, write a comment below with some local stores you love in your city or region to get the ball rolling for others!

That Time I Smiled All Day Because One of My Cards Made it on BuzzFeed!

I woke up today with three missed calls from my brother and two missed calls from my mom. Of course my mind instantly goes too "Oh no, who's hurt?" I grab my phone and dial my brothers number. 

Our conversation went something like this: 

Me: "Is everyone ok?"

Ryan: "Yes." 

Me: "Oh, ok. Whats with all the calls?"

Ryan: "You didn't get my messages?" 

Me: "No... what messages." 

Ryan: "You're on BuzzFeed!"

Me: "What do you mean I'm on BuzzFeed?"

Ryan: "Check facebook, I posted the article. I was just browsing this morning and saw a card I found familiar and... "

Me: (Cutting him off) "ONE OF MY CARDS IS ON BUZZFEED!?!?!? OH MY GOD!!!"

Needless to say, a happy dance ensued and a grin has basically been on my face all day that looks something like this ----->  :-D

I actually think my card is probably the most tame one of on this list. I hope you enjoy!

If you missed the article, here it is: http://www.buzzfeed.com/lukebailey/merry-f-cking-xmas

And here is a screen shot of my piece on BuzzFeed!

The Story Behind the Name

I've visited the East Coast a few times. I've spent some time in Boston where I got to experience its old city charm. New York City has everything in abundance, including its endless culture. Washington DC emits the feeling of great importance and historical value. North Carolina held me with its gorgeous coastline, and Georgia with its Southern hospitality. 

Now, I currently live on the West Coast in sunny California. It's a beautiful state; the sky is almost always blue, I adore the gorgeous Sierra Nevada Mountains, and I can't get enough of the stunning Pacific coastline. Even the agriculture is interesting, with fields of grape vines and rows of trees populating the roadside making up the fruit and nut orchards. The beauty is plentiful. 

But, the simple fact comes down to this -- I'm a midwestern girl. The landlocked part of the country where the rolling fields are the main attraction, that is where my heart lies. 

So while I was bouncing business name ideas off of my brother I started describing the feeling of Iowa always being my home, no matter where I live. 

He casually said, "Well... You have the east coast, you have the west coast... what about "No Coast."

As soon as he said it, it clicked. 

No Coast Paper Co. 

I appreciate all of the places I've lived and visited, but at the end of the day, Dorothy had it right - there's no place like home.  Every time I see this business name, I feel at home with it. It works. It fits the business I am trying to create and it fits the products I am trying to promote.  

It's a pretty huge adventure, going out on your own to start a business. I'm excited to see how far I can go, and it's nice to know along the way, I'll always have a piece of home with me.

Striking Out on My Own... or Not.

So, it's official. 

I am on my own as a business owner.

I was co-owners of Shiny Happy People Publishing, LLC, with a friend, my best friend, Kristin Bivens (who also is on her own now - check out her shop Hey Alice) but we both decided with living 2,000+ miles away from one another, it might be time to try and strike out on our own. Or, hopefully, not strike out. 

I have to say, I'm feeling a lot of "feels" ranging from SO VERY EXCITED!!! to "Shit, what am I doing." Simply put, it's kind of awesome. 

But, what goes into a business when you go off on your own? Before, Kristin and I sort of split up the duties. Now, I'm wading through it alone. It's kind of fun. Daunting... but fun. 

I have endless amounts of lists going on right now but here's a little taste:

Business Name

Business License

Permits?

Logo

Branding/Vibe

Tagline?

Social Media Marketing Ideas (What SM do I want to use?)

General Marketing Ideas

Website (Photos or graphics? What sections do I want? What domain? Is my domain available? Should I have my shop on my website? Colors? What hosting site am I going to use? Etc)

Blog (What type of blogs?)

Products

Manufacturers (Ratings? Samples? Do I like the customer service? What's their shipping?)

My Costs

My Prices

Etsy Shop?

Seriously people - this list never ends. I figure one thing out, but it sort of nudges another one into my mind. Then another one, and another one... 

But, whether I'm ready or not (though I most definitely will be ready) my new online store opens November 1st. 

Check it out at www.etsy.com/shop/nocoastpaperco.

I'm so excited for this adventure. Thanks for coming on it with me!