re-introduction.

Hi! I am Stephanie, the artist behind all the paper goods you will find here! It’s been awhile since I wrote up a fresh introduction about myself and in my line of work, I think it’s way better to get to know me a bit. There’s a lot of communication that takes place between my clients and me during our time working together and I aim to make each one of them feel totally comfortable sharing their honest thoughts and feel like they can trust me as their guide. We are creating core memories here!

So let’s get into it. I love indulgent experiences. A delicious meal, a great bottle of wine, a gorgeous facial or relaxing massage. My husband and I fell in love over our shared obsession with food and not so ironically, he owns restaurants and I worked for him way back when. A friendship turned into a romance, my favorite kind of love.

I’m extremely practical and logical. I analyze just about everything I come in contact with. The way a store operates, the conversation I had with my neighbor. It never ends. Which is why I actually need to watch a show or have music or a podcast on while I’m painting, to stop my brain from constantly churning. If something doesn’t make sense to me, I need to figure out why it is happening or make it stop. Literally. I like to think it’s one of my best and also maybe one of my most irritating qualities, maybe just for my husband ;)

I have 2 sons, currently ages 4 and 1.5. I was terrified to become a boy mom. It sounds silly but I was like, I’m a girl how am I going to know anything about a boy? Meanwhile, I do have a brother and boy cousins and friends…also I’m married to a man. Just a little bit of ridiculous, irrational anxiety for ya. Turns out though, I love raising boys and their sense of energy and adventure is inspiring. I won’t lie, parenthood is the hardest journey I’ve ever been on and in ways I didn’t expect. Parenthood is also, what made me work harder and smarter and what motivates me everyday to grow this business and show my boys that following your passions, even with struggles and uncertainty and fear, is worth it.

My favorite activities to do on the weekends when I’m in “mom mode” are putting together some kind of sensory, creative activity for the kids. With no surprise I’m sure, I am a total crafts and projects parent. I am always setting up paints, ooblek, coloring stations, water activities, baking with my oldest, anything you can get your hands into and get messy with. My fondest memories of childhood are being outdoors, adventuring in my backyard, finding bugs and using my imagination. Playing in my giant barbie house and using stickers as “art” on the walls. Transforming the bottom of my closet into the “apartment” when my barbie collection outgrew the barbie house and they needed more space to live. I’m cracking up as a type this because I am the same to this day. When I see Logan creating an imaginary world in the playroom with his trucks and dinosaurs, I am at total peace and feel like all is right in the world.

When I’m in “Stephanie mode,” my favorite activity is, surprise surprise, painting! It’s a funny thing now that my job is all about creating and painting but I also just enjoy painting for fun. My husband will tell me “go out, see your friends, take a break” and I’m like, this is my break. I’m a total introvert at heart and feel the most charged with energy when I’m holding my paintbrush. Outside of my creativity, I now find great pleasure in running literally any errand without my kids! It’s a freedom I miss most about pre mom life so it’s important that each week I take some time to get in my car sans little boys and go somewhere. Usually it’s target or the post office but I make sure to grab a fun drink and soak up the time. And as I mentioned, getting a massage or facial is always an activity of choice. I love self care and practice daily that if you don’t care for yourself first, you won’t be able to care for others. I have to care for a lot of people, so I need to fill my cup first.

Being a parent feels to me, like being two people. I’m still just Stephanie. A woman who loves being silly and dancing to loud, usually inappropriate music, with my family. But I also adore being with my kids and find their little hands and minds totally fascinating and adorable. I don’t feel like the two Stephanie’s need to necessarily become one. I aim to make time for both and be present in each one while I’m there.

I run my business out of my home studio Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The other 3 days I’m with my family. Having a reprieve from both roles is how I find the most success. I often get asked how I run this business and raise the kids and there’s no secret. It’s having child care, a routine and staying focused. Oh and a therapist, of course! My love of therapy is endless and I’m on a mission to get everyone I know into therapy. I look at it as “me time.” Who doesn’t want an entire 45 minutes each week, that’s all about you? Your goals, your struggles, your time to learn new communication skills and tools for success. It’s magic. It’s hard work and it can be overwhelming at times to realize how much power you have in your own life but once you harness it, you can have the life you always dreamed of. I know because I feel like I’m there in so many ways.

This post became way longer than I planned but there’s so much I love to share with people so they get a sense of my passions, my values and my work ethic. I will never let one of my clients leave an experience unhappy. There is tons of communication and open discussions about budgets, printing methods and all the options you have to choose from in order to create a really person, stationery experience. One of my top priorities will always be, how do we make this artwork live beyond your wedding day? And in answer to that, many of my past clients will mention their love story illustrations, map designs and newly, the custom Ketubah’s. All of your stationery can be mounted and frames as art for your home and these in particular, are absolutely beautiful hanging in your home.

My product line was born because I am constantly bursting with ideas that have to come out through my hands and my brush. I used to paint a bunch of random nonsense as I tried to learn my painting style and what I enjoy painting most. It’s a never ending journey but I’ve learned a lot along the way and have a more thought out product line now than ever before. I release new collections seasonally and also randomly when I have a new idea. I truly aim to create art and products that I myself will use inn my day to day life or use as art and decor for my home. Family and entertaining has been a big inspiration behind my most recent endeavors, like my kids coloring placemat pads. I want to have fun while including my kids and that always brings me back to art. There’s no age limit for coloring so these pads are really for everyone. I love seeing all my friends, customers and family use and enjoy these creations of mine so thank you all for being here and supporting a small business.

I hope you enjoyed getting to know a little about me. We are constantly changing as we evolve and move through phases of life which is why I love doing a reintroduction from time to time to see how my business, my family and I have grown. Below are some random photos of my life because I’m all about the visuals.

xx Stephanie