Blog Birthday Giveaway Day Four - Customized Papertrail Notepad

Do yall love the Shopaholic books as much as I do?  I will never forget the chapter in the first book where Becky Bloomwood had to go to the store to buy her boss, Luke, luggage.  She bemoaned what she thought was a chore until she realized she had discovered a whole new side of the shopping world she had not previously known about.  

That is how I felt when I discovered the world of stationery.  All of a sudden the door to a whole new world of consumer products opened and I walked ran right through. Notecards, invites, polka dots, stripes, ribbons, glitter - had this realm of cuteness really been there all along?   

If you are like me and love stationery, this giveaway is for you!  My dear friend started a home based stationery business called Papertrail three years ago, and her line is just adorable!  Her look is sleek and modern and her color combinations are fresh and fun.  Today, you have a chance to win a great personalized notepad in an acrylic case.  I chose the pink and green interlocking circles pattern because it is just so darn cheerful!  Imagine how cute your to do lists would be!

Jaime spent some time chatting with me about her business.  I think you'll enjoy getting a peek into the inspiration for Papertrail.

What inspired you to create your own line of stationery?  I have always had a mind full of ideas and am detail-oriented. When it came to planning bridal showers for friends I found that I loved creating their invitations on my own rather than purchasing them. Over the years it turned into baby showers and then after I had my daughter it was a whole world of new things….announcements, note cards, invitations, gift tags, etc. I quickly learned that my creativity was better captured via my computer so I started researching programs and software to use. One day I received a gift in the mail from my a very creative friend and it was note cards that she had printed for fun. I fell in love. I started making them myself and giving them as gifts and soon people were asking me where I got them and how they could order more………and voila……..that is how Papertrail was born.

Coordinating pink and green interlocking circles notecards

I love the black, white, and pink color combo in this notecard design.

If you had to describe the style of your line, how would you describe it?  Hmmm…this is a tough question. I would say my designs are classic with a modern flair. I love neat lines, unique color patterns and whimsical images.

Whimsical is just how I would describe the precious design for this gift enclosure.

You have an adorable seven year old girl and a five year old boy.  Do they help contribute to your ideas for new patterns?  They absolutely contribute to my ideas! It is wonderful to create new things for a boy and a girl. I can get my fill of pinks and greens but then switch gears to fun puppies, monkeys or most importantly, all things sports.  

Pink and green floral thank you notes.

What piece of advice would you give other budding entrepreneurs about starting a home based business?  Pick something that you absolutely love to do because it takes a lot of discipline and time management to make a home-based business work, especially if you are a stay at home mom while you are doing it!

Papertrail invitations to a baby shower & a summer cocktail party - I'd like to be attending both of these!

If I am a NOLA girl, you are definitely a St. Louis girl.  What is it about St. Louis that makes it such a special place for you?  There are many things about St. Louis that make it a special place for me. I have always loved driving back to St. Louis as a little girl after a trip and spotting the Arch in the distance. It was always a contest to see who could spot it first knowing that shortly after the Arch sits Busch Stadium in the skyline. I have always been a sports fan and a HUGE Cardinals fan. I grew up adorning myself with Cardinals gear and angling for ways to get into as many games as possible. I still have my replica of the 1982 World Series ring in my jewelry box and get just as excited to go to games now as I did as a kid. The best part about living here again is seeing how my kids have taken to this brainwashing and are following in my footsteps as a big Redbird fan. :) I love all four seasons and if you are lucky you get to experience every season while your favorite team is playing. (I can elaborate here if you think people won't understand what that means. :) ) There are so many things that "brand" St. Louis and when you travel around the country you see little things that remind you of home……the Clydesdales, anything Anheuser-Busch, soft pretzels, toasted ravioli, the fleur-de-lis. Each time you see one of these things you feel that connection that warms your heart.

What is your current best seller?

I would have to say a tie between the holiday cards and the note pads. The note pads make wonderful gifts because they are completely custom and affordable. The holiday cards are my favorite thing to design because I love customizing a card to the beautiful pictures I receive from my customers.

I love the  brown & blue color scheme in this Christmas card (those was our winter wedding colors)

Finally, while you haven’t been there yet, when you visit NOLA this fall how do you picture your perfect New Orleans day?  Oh man…only one day? How much time is in this day?! :) The best part about visiting New Orleans this fall is knowing that I will be in the best hands with the best tour guide in the world! I always love to plan my trips around food so I would love to start the day with brunch at Commander's Palace. Following brunch we would take a walk through the Quarter before heading to a Super Bowl Champion Saints game at the Dome. Finally, after freshening up we would head to The Swizzle Stick Bar for drinks and dinner at Cochon. We would end the day by listening to some live jazz and a nightcap along with some dessert from Chef Steph at Dickie Brennan's.

To enter to win this Papertrail personalized notepad, you can:

1. Become a follower (let me know if you already are!!)
2. Become a fan of Papertrail on facebook by clicking here
3. Leave a little comment telling me what design you like best
4. Leave a comment letting me know you've blogged about the giveaway!

**I will be drawing for all of the prizes on Sunday, so you have until then to enter all of the drawings!