Small Business Saturday: Logan Square style

"Small Business Saturday"... we're big fans.  Right now, Spilled Ink Press is a 2 person + a cat operation, so it couldn't get much smaller- and the little guys like us need the loving support of our adoring public (that's the way we like to think of you- let us have our fantasy).

So here's how it works- I'll give you the Logan Square version for reference...
On Small Business Saturday- this year November 24th, you wake up at a leisurely hour.  No need to set an alarm for 4AM or some god-forsaken hour like that.  Take your time getting ready, you deserve this day.  Feel good about it.
Then mosey over to your local (non-Starbucks, sorry) coffee shop and enjoy a cup of amazing fresh brewed coffee... or tea... or hot chocolate.
That could be my new favorite place Gaslight Coffee Roasters, or New Wave, or Cafe Mustache.
Alrighty, feeling good and caffeinated.

Then comes the fun part- SHOP SMALL, SHOP LOCAL!  Plan your route.  Take your time.  Smile at your neighbors on the street and say hello to the shop owner when you walk in.  They love you. They need you. Feel the love.

Your first stop in Logan Square? Well, Shop 1021, of course. There is literally a corner of the store for every type of person you know.  There's the cooking section with amazing gadgets and cookbooks.  There's the travel section with awesome maps and books about far away places and local dive bars.  There's the bar section with whiskey stones, the perfect glasses, cocktail cookbooks, and unique wine bottle openers.  There's the kids section with organic toys and bibs and blankets (even the Go the F*ck to Sleep book... which makes many a customer giggle). There's the office section with interesting books on fonts (my favorite) and cool sketch books and notecards.  There's the pet's section, the Chicago section, the lotion and soaps section... seriously, it kind of rocks.

And THEN.  Then there's the cards.  The 2 doors by the register are our favorite, but we're biased, those are ours.  You'll know by the amount of hysterics happening when people read them.  There's also a section of cards written by comedians, so ok, those are pretty funny too.  And then there is a plethora of cards from local letterpress designers alike.

After you've purchased some gifts for the adults in your life, then you head on over to *Play, which has almost any gift you could want for the kiddo's.

After *Play, you can pop into Fleur, which smells divine when you walk in because it's a boutique flower shop.  Pick up some amazing flowers, and an eclectic gift or two for the botanic lover in your life.

And by now, surely you're hungry... so treat yourself to lunch at Dunlays on the Square.  Save room for dessert though and then head over to Bang Bang Pie Shop on California.  Seriously, you won't regret it.

Whew. That's a day right there.
If when you get home, you realize you forgot something out at the brick and mortar shops-- do NOT hesitate to check out Etsy.
And for those of you NOT in Chicago, not in Logan Square... please check out our Etsy shop here, and use the discount code SIPSMALLBIZSAT for free shipping! Yay for perks!

Black Friday

We have a confession to make.
We are a small business that is a very tiny part of the Black Friday machine.  We have cards in Target.  That's no secret.  We're incredibly proud of that (it took us a long time to get to this point)- in fact, we should be talking about it more!  But it's hard to slip that into conversation with a bride who is debating between "blush" and "rose petal" that we just happen to be a line carried at one of the biggest retailers in the country.

But tomorrow, now tomorrow... that's another story.  For the first time, we have a 6-card HOLIDAY CARD series being featured at Target (cue the music, it's kind of a big deal).  We're pretty excited.  The line is called "Laughing all the Way" (we have a title too!), and it's in a special display in the card aisle (a display! What. Is. Happening?).  You can't miss it!

So we'd absolutely love it if while you are enjoying the holiday music, pounding the pavement and getting some smoking hot deals at the big stores... that you maybe support some of us little guys by doing the following:

1-- If at Target, buy a card or two of these:

2-- Alright, you don't have to, we're not a charity case.  But if you're there... read them and laugh REALLY LOUD. Peer pressure is awesome.

3. But you shouldn't forget about the mom & pop stores on Small Business Saturday. Of course we have even more Christmas and Hanukkah cards available at our own retail space. Have we mentioned Shop 1021? More to come soon....

Trading Squares... Leaving Lincoln for Logan!

2650 N. Milwaukee = Shop 1021 = Spilled Ink Press's new home

Well, if you're following us on Facebook or see our excitement that occasionally bubbles through the twitter feed, you kind of have an inkling what's happening at Spilled Ink Press headquarters these days.

But if not, we've got some 'splainin' to do...
The short answer is, we're moving to Logan Square!
The long answer involves twitter chatter about the Bears last fall catching the attention of a pretty awesome Toy-store owner and subsequent Packer's fan in Logan Square.  We started following each other because of our mutual involvement with the 2011 Crave Book.  You know, we got that female-owned-business thing going for us, we're just cool like that.

Well, turns out Ann, before-mentioned owner of *Play, was cooking up a plan to open a rad home and gift store just up the street from *Play at 2650 N Milwaukee in the hottest neighborhood in Chicago, Logan Square, and asked us if we'd like to sell our cards there.
We get so caught up with the wedding side of what we do, we jumped at this opportunity and were flattered actually.
The conversation grew from there and as of one week from yesterday (June 2nd!), we'll be operating our little stationery gig out of Shop 1021 itself- the whole shebang: wedding invitations, greeting cards, thank you cards, shower invitations, baby announcements, etc.
Tony will still be slaving away at the invitation sweatshop, but because I'll be camped out at Shop 1021 quite a bit, we decided to move the sweatshop to Logan Square as well.  So in the next few weeks, we will bid a very fond farewell to Lincoln Square and trade the Davis Theater on Lincoln for the newly reopened Logan Theater (who is going to be our neighbor- literally right next door to the shop!) on Milwaukee.

We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Ann under the Shop 1021 umbrella, she's done an amazing job with the entire concept and vibe of the store.  Even the facebook banner is cool:

Seriously, we're pinching ourselves.

So that's the story folks.
After June 2nd, if you are a blushing bride and would like to set up a consultation to meet with me to discuss invitations... we'll be sharing a cup of coffee or tea over the official Spilled Ink Press consultation desk at 2650 N. Milwaukee (it's a pretty cool vintage desk, if I do say so).  If you'd like to just pop into the store and see what we've got to offer and peruse before setting up an appointment, hallelujah, you can do that now!
When that call comes to us (which does probably about once a week) asking what our "hours" are... guess what?  We'll officially have an answer for you!!
When you see our cards on Facebook and they make you smile and you want to know where to buy them...  guess what?  We have an answer for that too!
And after Tony's made your invitations with care, they'll be waiting for your anxious arrival at Shop 1021.

Thank you to everyone who's been supporting us over the last 6 years as we move through the growing pains and joys of a growing small company (particularly The Perfect Cup- seriously, if you're in Lincoln Square, that's the coffee shop you want to be at).  Being in a retail setting will have it's own adjustments that we'll learn and grow from too, no doubt about it, but everything about this feels right.

NOW... back to work.  This is beginning to sound like an acceptance speech...

It's Earth Day. Let's DO something.

Rep. Shelli VanDenburgh (Indiana).
She can kick any Chicago Alderman's ass. Read on to learn why.

Why hello there.
It's been a while since we've talked.  I know.  Life has a way of doing this to us, doesn't it?  I owe you many fun posts about what's happening, photo's that you'll "like" and swoon over... and I have both, believe me.

But for now, and at risk of being rude, I'd like to take a minute and get real.

It's Earth Day.  With all it's gimmicky goodness, it does allow for us to take pause.
Yesterday- our usual "pause" was our small break in work to shove some food into our faces and sit on our couch and watch a little TV.  This is Tony and my only time for concentrated recreation these days.

I turned on the TV and flipped to PBS instead of or usual Comedy Central or the DVR list. Playing was "Bag It", a documentary made in 2010 that I've learned has won numerous independent film awards.  I'm not one to jump to the latest Supersize Your Mom fads, so I'm not surprised I missed it.  The Cliff-notes summary is that it is about a man who starts out trying to avoid plastic bags and leads him down a rabbit hole of amazing discoveries about PLASTIC. (dum-dum-duuuum).  It doesn't sound like much, but boy... it was kind of amazing.
Anyway... I'm still angry and thinking about it.  I ran to Facebook and posted my usual mini-rant about endocrine disruptors (you know, the usual).  Then I googled a bit and found a petition to sign- I signed it- posted it to Facebook as well and asked friends to sign it.

Today, I woke up... still thinking, there's more to be done.
I sent my Alderman a quick facebook post asking him to watch the movie tonight on the Documentary Channel.  That's annoying, I know, but what the hell. He's like 3 years younger than me, so whatevs. I can send him a facebook message, I voted for him.
So then I found a list of the Alderman in the City of Chicago.  Turns out, their email addresses are pretty simple: ward01 [at] @cityofchicago.org, with the appropriate ward number for where you live of course.

Then I sent them ALL an email and asked them to "think outside the bag" (*insert word-play cringe here).

This is the point of my blog post.
How are we supposed to see progress in our priorities if we don't let those making the decisions know what our priorities are?

Chicagoans, I urge you to keep your Alderman on speed dial, ...or the email equivalent.  Let them know what you want.  Did you know last November, Alderman Joe Mareno from Ward 1 attempted to pass legislation that would allow for plastic bags to be banned in Chicago?  It was chopped down to essentially "strongly urging" merchants to offer recycling programs. (*insert sad trombone sound here).  Boo.
That sucks.  Had I been informed then, perhaps I could have helped let the city counsel know how I feel about.  Ok, I'm just one person, but I'm not.  We know this.  Social Media (capital S, capital M) makes us know this.

In my googling frenzy last night, I found out that INDIANA of all places has legislation out there for a bag "fee" (there's some debate on whether it's a fee or a tax).  If passed $.10 per bag will be charged and 25% would go toward green industry and 75% would go toward public schools.  The bill was purposed by Rep. VanDenburgh, a female Democrat from Crown Point, IN (everything about that phrase is awesome, by the way- that's where Tony is from) and no one is overly optimistic that it will pass in the red state that Indiana is... BUT, still, INDIANA is more aggressive than Chicago?  I think this bill is simple genius.  Call it a tax. Who cares? In Chicago, we tax cigarettes, we tax alcohol, why can't we tax something that is polluting pretty much every aspect of our lives? (seriously people, you NEED to watch this movie- you owe it to the BPA and pthalates coursing through your veins and making you infertile).

So in short, my personal to-do for this Earth Day:

1. Know your local government well.  Don't be shy. Make your voice heard.
2. Avoid plastic bags as much as you can.
3. (from Bag It): Avoid single-use items as much as possible. Reward companies that package things in as little crap as possible.
4. Watch "Bag It" and learn more.
5. Get Angry. Don't be intimidated about organizing.
6. Write lengthy blog posts and hopefully inspire someone else.

Committed Wedding Show Recap

Just over a month ago, the Chicago Green Wedding Alliance put on its first wedding show...Committed. A lot of work went into the show, and we can't wait to plan the second one next year. Thanks to Cage and Aquarium Productions and to Julia Franzosa Photography for these great pictures of our display.

#whatkindofbrideareyou

If you're looking for Tony and I on Sunday, we'll be at the Paris Club, rubbing elbows with some of Chicago's finest wedding vendors.  This is the Lettuce Entertain You's 4th Bridal Fair.  We are honored to be apart of the fun and fancy day.

What I'm most intrigued about is this particular show's set up.  At our Committed Show last week, we decided to organize the vendors by "departments", we hung signs that let couples know they were in the "invitations and stationery" department, the "cake, cocktails and confections" department, etc. etc.  It was interesting and different.
For THIS show, the vendors will be organized by style.  There will be 6 wedding/party "styles", otherwise known as the buzz words that help couples organize their big-day aesthetic.  They will be as follows:

• Traditional/Chic
• Rustic/Boho
• Vintage
• Whimsical/Casual
• Romantic/Elegant
• Modern/Edgy

Spilled Ink Press will be representing the "Rustic/Boho" and the "Whimsical/Casual" styles.  We're bringing our rustic button twine invitations for the rustic boho and for whimsical style we'll be sporting a few of our custom illustrated accordion invitations.  It was a tough choice picking which style we would like showcase as we create custom invitations, I feel like we've designed all of them*!  That's what I love about what we do actually, we get all kinds!
*Hmmm... note to self, an interesting blog series featuring each of these styles...

So with this unique and fun show organization paired with the backdrop of the Paris Club, I have no doubt this is going to be a top notch show.  Plus, my friends at Mignonette will be there, so that's always fun when I see a familiar face in the vendor crowd!

Come by and say hi!
Tickets are available here and by the sound of it, they're going fast ($10 per).
See you Sunday!

Are you Committed?

The long planning process is almost to an end... I can hardly believe it.  My fellow Chicago Green Wedding Alliance members and Tony and myself have come a long way (baby).  The Green Wedding Alliance is a group we had a hand in starting 2 years ago when we realized our priorities with our lil' ol' Spilled Ink Press needed to be as eco-responsible as we could possibly make them.  We started reaching out to other eco-savvy businesses in Chicago and discovered low and behold, we were all searching for the same thing: alliance.  Perhaps more importantly, we were all looking for a vehicle to get the word out about greener weddings.

So from discussions over a few beers with our friend Lynn at Pollen... cut to 30 + members... cut to a whole lot of planning later.... we welcome you to join us at Committed, Chicago's first exclusively green wedding show.
This show is for couples who are committed-- committed to each other (obviously!), committed to the environment, committed to throwing the bast damn party of their lives.  Because really, that's what a wedding is- you and someone you couldn't love more, coming together with friends and family to eat, drink, and boogie down.  Love is love, we're big fans, it's worth throwing a party for!

Because it's such a big deal, you'll be spending time and money on this party- choosing your vendors that will walk this journey with you is equally as big.  Committed will showcase Chicago Green Wedding Alliance members- the best of the best in Chicago; come and taste their treats, touch our paper, smell the flowers, look at the amazing photographs, all for yourself, all in one beautiful room at the Greenhouse Loft.
Tickets are still available here.  Peruse the vendors here.

Committed
Sunday, February 26th
Greenhouse Loft
2545 W Diversey (in the Green Exchange Building)
12-4pm

For a teaser on a few things you'll see at the show, click on the WGN still shot caption below!

This is me concentrating on not throwing up on Deana's shoes.

Green... the new black?

I'm just wondering... will green start appearing in 2012 wedding palettes?
I hope so!  It's my favorite color!!  Not the wedding fashion expert- or ANY fashion expert for that matter (oh boy, trust me), I'll let these Hollywood diva's dresses do the talking:

YUM!