Grand ReOpening and Launch Date

Happy Friday! So much progress is being made on my new website that I finally feel comfortable announcing the Grand ReOpening and Launch date for the new & improved Beth Hart Designs (drumroll please)... Monday, August 5, 2013!

In just about 2 weeks, I'll be launching my new logo, branding and website, and I'll be reopening for business! We'll be celebrating in a very special way, so stay tuned for the details. This will be my final blog post on this platform because my new website will have the blog built-in, and I'm so excited about all the goodness that will be shared there! Thank you so much for your patience with me during this time... I greatly appreciate your support and encouraging words!

Extending the little break...

Hi there! Well, here it is - late June - and my website is not yet ready to be launched. I've learned a lot about myself over the past month... I have a hard time saying a very short & small word, "No."

I absolutely love working with my customers, and I love designing custom paper goods for them. But I also know with all my heart that I'll be able to help my customers so much more with a new and improved website. Usually summer is a slower time for my little business, but I've been amazed at the number of orders you've so kindly entrusted to me! Thank you so very much.

I've had to extend my little break until late July, and I've put up an automatic away message in my email to hold myself accountable. I'm so sorry that I won't be able to work on your orders for another month, but trust me, the best is yet to come! Thank you for your support and encouragement, and be sure to check back in a month to see the brand new Beth Hart Designs website - it's looking oh so good!

Taking a Time Out

I'm not sure where the time goes, but here we are in late May... school's almost out for the summer, the lazy southern summer afternoons are beginning, and summer vacations are about to be in full swing! I love this time of the year - no matter how hot and humid it gets!

Here at Beth Hart Designs, I have decided it's time to take a little time out, but there will be plenty of work going on behind the scenes! Today is the last day to place orders until further notice in mid to late June. I'm working hard to catch up on current orders, and I'm building a better brand along with a new website that will better serve YOU - the most important part of my business! I'm also hard at work on a collaborative design project that I'll be excited to announce soon!

This "time-out" was actually a pretty difficult decision for me to make. In the 5 years I've been in business, I've never taken a break from customer orders (other than over the Christmas and New Year's holidays). I love working with my clients to design and create just the right paper products for their special occasions. But if I'm honest with myself and with you, I desperately need this time to catch up and rebuild the new and improved Beth Hart Designs. I've been promising myself for years that I'd take time to build a website that truly represents me and my business - a website that I can be 100% proud to show off. Now is the time to make this happen, and I truly appreciate your support and understanding!

Stay tuned for the exciting re-launch of the new Beth Hart Designs in mid to late June! You better believe we'll be throwing one heck of a party to celebrate!

Monday Motivation - Discover New Oceans with Courage

Good Monday Morning! I know it's been a little quiet here on the blog, but I'm working hard behind the scenes on some very exciting projects. April is the birthday month for Beth Hart Designs - I can't believe my business is 5 years old! These past five years have been such a blessing and such a learning experience. I'm beyond thankful to my customers, family and friends for giving me the opportunity to do what I love.

Starting this journey five years ago took a leap of faith and a lot of courage. I've had several hills to climb but thankfully a whole lot of growth along the way - both professionally and personally. My business has gone through a good bit of change, and a good bit more is on the way. I've been blessed to have taken some amazing opportunities to work on my personal growth - including attending The Stationery Academy last summer and attending the Authenticate workshop last week. Both of these were led by Whitney English Kolb who is an amazing teacher and an inspiration for so many creative entrepreneurs. She has an abundance of knowledge, experience and courage from her own journey that she so graciously shares to inspire and encourage others. Thank you, Whitney!

I'm so anxious and excited to share my rebranding and new website with you in late May/early June! I feel like I'm finally going to be able to share the real Beth Hart. Without giving too much away, there will be a new element to Beth Hart Designs - something that I'm really passionate about and something I've never done professionally before. I'd be telling a fib if I said I wasn't nervous or scared about putting myself out there to begin this new chapter of Beth Hart Designs. But I'm determined to be courageous and follow my gut.

At some point, we all have to face decisions that require courage. In order to become the best we can be, we have to look fear in the face and move forward. We have the option to either let fear and uncertainty hold us back or to move onward with courage to discover new oceans and new lands of opportunity. I choose courage, and I hope you will too!

What's Happening Wednesday - Brand Inspiration

I'm using my lunch break on this rainy day to brighten, refresh and better define my brand. With the start of this new year, I've naturally been doing a little personal and professional soul searching. I've asked myself numerous questions that essentially get to this point:

Why am I in this paper design business and how does it answer to my higher calling?

I absolutely love what I do, and Beth Hart Designs is such a large part of me and my life. I'm proud of the hard work I've put into BHD, but I know there is plenty of room for improvement! The about page on my website helps to define a little more about me and why I'm in business. But I ultimately want all aspects of my brand to reflect the love I have for Southern style and the faith I have in my heavenly Father.

So I'm ready to get to work and give Beth Hart Designs a fresh new look. My current website is terribly outdated, and there are oodles of designs and products I offer that no one even knows about. Shame on me! So I'm building a sparkly new website, editing my logo a little, establishing my collections of products and designs, and making sure that BHD represents everything that I value and hold close to my heart. It's so exciting!

If you follow me on Pinterest, you'll see that I've been busy pinning many ideas for color and pattern inspiration on this board. To sum it up, I've included my favorite pictures below:

I can't wait to share the finished product with you this Spring - don't you think Spring is the perfect time to launch a new beginning and have a fresh start? I better get back to work! Happy Wednesday!

Remembering The Reason For The Season

As I sit here checking off the last few orders for 2012, I'm breathing a sigh of relief and counting the many blessings that have come my way. What an amazing Christmas season it's been! We have fulfilled almost 200 orders since the end of October - I'm blown away by your support!

My Early Bird Special kicked off this busy season with many of you taking advantage of the extra discount on Christmas cards. I then participated in Christmas Village here in Nashville which was a huge success! My very favorite part of this show is meeting many of my local customers face-to-face who normally conduct business with me through email and over the phone. It's such a treat for me to establish more of a relationship with my customers, and I want to thank those of you who stopped by to 

introduce yourselves!

Beth Hart Designs went on the road the following week to the Junior League's Market in Birmingham, Alabama. This was a smaller show, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support and business that we received - it too was a very successful market! I was blown away by the warm hospitality that the Junior League showed by helping us unload and load our displays & merchandise, by cooking amazing food for the merchant break room, by walking around to our booths offering food, drink, or relief for a short break, and by greeting people with a warm smile and a true volunteer spirit.

These shows would not have been a success without the helping hands of my husband, my parents, and my sweet friends. These events are a huge under-taking, and I could not have done it without them. "Thank you" seems so very insufficient for the gratitude that I feel!

Following these Christmas markets, my parents were gracious to host an Open House where I was able to sell more of my merchandise and visit with some dear friends who have meant so much to my family. Kim Hudson of Local Color Art Prints also brought some of her beautiful landscape and architecture photographs to sell at the Open House. It was a wonderful night, and I'm very grateful for the friends who came and my parents for hosting!

As the orders were rolling in and the work hours were becoming longer and longer, I'd be telling a fib if I said I wasn't overwhelmed. There were moments when I wondered if I could really get it all done, moments when I had to repeatedly apologize to customers for the longer-than-normal turn around times, moments when I was worn completely out, moments when I thought the whole world had decorated for Christmas while my fall wreath was still on the front door, and moments when I wished I had more time to spend with my husband, family and friends.

Then there were the precious moments when I was reminded of the real Reason for the Season, moments when I was overcome with thankfulness and gratitude for the support of my little business, moments when tears of joy flooded my face because of the blessings I know I have received, moments when my heart was warmed because of the beauty that comes with this time of the year. These moments presented themselves at the perfect times - once at the Women's Christmas Dinner at church when we quietly sang "Silent Night" a-cappella, once at Dickens of a Christmas in downtown Franklin when little children wished me a sweet "Merry Christmas," once when a customer took extra time out of her day to let me know how much her Christmas cards meant to her and how much she loved them, once when Joyce at my printing company spent extra hours to complete a very large round of orders for me, and once on a Sunday morning when we sang "Great is Thy Faithfulness."

I cannot express how appreciative I am for your business and support of Beth Hart Designs. I absolutely love what I do - no matter how overwhelmed I may feel - and I owe it to you for keeping me busy and allowing me to live out my business dreams! I am giddy with excitement for the new designs, merchandise and over-all changes that 2013 will bring! (And I will be looking to hire some part-time help next Christmas in order to shorten those turn-around times!)

I am taking some time off to celebrate this season with my family and friends. Beth Hart Designs will reopen on January 2nd with a renewed spirit and energy for the new year! I hope you find those precious moments this season to remind you of why we celebrate Christmas. The Gift that came so long ago is still the greatest gift of all. May you find joy, love and peace that surpasses all understanding this Christmas and throughout the new year!

Monday Motivation - Growth

Happy Monday! Well, 'Tis the season... I've got a busy week ahead full of designing, fulfilling customer orders, working on Christmas cards, new merchandise printing for my Christmas shows, and so much more! I love this time of the year because I have the joy of designing many new things and interacting with so many wonderful people!

Although I have a lot going on, I really try my best to maintain perspective. I can easily get wrapped up in the busy-ness of each day, but I truly desire to be intentional... intentional in my relationships with my husband, family & friends, intentional in taking each day as a gift from above, intentional in paying attention to the beauty around me, intentional in remembering those who are hurting or going through hard times, and intentional in my personal and professional growth.

I think it's so important for us to always aim for growth. We become better family members, friends, professionals, and children of the Father when we are constantly and consistently trying to grow. I found the following quotation from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and I'm trying my best to take it to heart. Sometimes it's easier to set life on cruise-control and just get through it - especially during this busy season. But I have so many ways I want to grow both personally and professionally. There are some really exciting endeavors ahead for me and for Beth Hart Designs... but to make these things happen, I must push myself to do something {lots of things} beyond what I've already accomplished and mastered. I challenge you to grow by trying something new, something even a little scary - but something that you know will make you better!

Monday Motivation - Doing the Impossible

Happy Monday! I wish I could have posted this motivation earlier in the day, but thankfully I've been very busy! I was blessed to meet with two creative entrepreneurs this morning to gain inspiration, share ideas, and talk through the day-to-day life of being a business owner - community is so important to me, and I'm grateful to have so many wonderful people in my life! My meetings were followed by a trip to my paper and printing companies, and I'm finally back at the computer cranking out designs!

While I was out and about this morning, my email and phone were blowing up! I'm so grateful for all the business you're sending my way... Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! When business really picks up, I often begin to feel overwhelmed - wondering how in the world I will get it all done! But I ran across this motivational quotation that has helped me break down my never-ending to-do list and at the same time has inspired me to move towards making the impossible happen! I feel confident that if we all take a deep breath, say a little prayer, and get busy working, we will make great things happen! So I better get busy... hope you have a fabulous and productive week!

The Stationery Academy...

I can't believe we're already half-way through August... where did July go? One thing I do know is that July brought me a life-changing opportunity called The Stationery Academy. I briefly referenced my experiences in one of my Monday Motivation posts, but now that I've had a little time to think it through and soak {some} of it in, I'm ready to share more!

I began Beth Hart Designs in 2008, but only since I got back from The Stationery Academy have I really understood where I was going to take my business... and I have confidence in that decision. I have always believed in my design abilities, but my biggest fear has been that I won't be able to reach my full potential because I don't know how. Thanks to the amazing speakers at The Stationery Academy, I feel equipped to map out a plan that I feel will allow me to reach higher and achieve the goals that I have for my business.

Here are a few of the things I learned and how I plan to implement them throughout Beth Hart Designs:

• I need to more clearly define my design style which in-turn will define my brand. Emily McCarthy shared some fascinating tips with us that can help us find our true design style. She is an amazingly talented designer and challenged us to find inspiration from things around us that we love - not from other stationery designers. She really built up my confidence, and I am so excited about the possibilities that can come from me looking deeper within myself! I have been working on a few collections that I feel truly represent me and my style. Stay tuned!

• I need to build an Etsy store and increase my online presence. The super-creative Rachel Shingleton of Pencil Shavings Studio is the ultimate social networking genius! I had the pleasure of being one of her roommates, and I learned so much from her. She has such a love for social media, and her positive attitude has started to rub off on me - a person who often feels overwhelmed by the internet! She has built a thriving Etsy business, and Etsy is something I've been afraid to tackle... but I'm learning that I've been missing out by not getting on board. I plan to have an Etsy shop open soon, and I'm increasing my social media presence (slowly, day by day). I'm really excited to see where these steps will take me!

• I need to make my client experience a top priority. I love helping customers by designing just the right "look" for their special events, but I've realized that I'm often in such a hurry to get orders completed and shipped out that I forget to include the special touches. I'm working on my packaging, I want my customers to know how much they mean to me, and I want to add a little something special to my orders that will help set me apart from the rest. Amber Housley has established an impressive client experience in her own business, and she shared so much eye-opening information at The Stationery Academy. I'm so glad she shed some light on this important feature that will help to better establish my brand!

• And last, but certainly not least, I know where Beth Hart Designs is going thanks to our wonderful leaders Whitney English Kolb and Natalie Ellis Chang. I arrived at The Stationery Academy unsure of what direction I was heading. I have so much going on within BHD - I have a wholesale line for retailers, I offer custom party designs, I offer wedding designs, I participate in Christmas retail shows, I offer free-lance work for other businesses, I rent a small retail space at The Shoppes on Main in Franklin, the list goes on... and I feel so busy doing all of this half-heartedly. I want to be great at what I do and give it 110%, not just part of me. Whitney and Natalie challenged us to look deep within ourselves and define who we are, what our values are, what strengths we have, and so much more. I didn't know just how much all of this soul-searching would mean to me. I desperately need to make Beth Hart Designs a true representation of me and all that I have to offer. I'm so very excited about the direction of my business, but there is so much {hard} work to be done! I am planning to spend some time re-reading the homework that we were given and start laying the foundation for the future of the new and improved Beth Hart Designs.

I owe a huge thank you to Whitney and Natalie for putting The Stationery Academy together. I know that my business will be better because of their vision and hard work, and that is so valuable to me. Whitney and Natalie have been my long-time stationery industry heroes, but especially now more than ever! Thank you for "paying it forward."

Look at all these goodies I brought home! Talk about successful branding!

Monday Motivation - What You Become

Good Monday Morning! I hope you enjoyed your weekend and are rested and ready for a productive week ahead! I have so many fun projects to work on this week - projects for both my customers as well as the business development of Beth Hart Designs! Tomorrow, I will be sharing my experiences and lessons learned from The Stationery Academy... so stay tuned!

Since my trip to The Stationery Academy, I've been making lists and setting goals for how to improve my brand. I've been digging deep to figure out what it is I wish to accomplish as the owner and designer of BHD. I know that I want to work hard to provide excellent designs, products and services, and I want to inspire a deep passion for Southern living, style and hospitality. But mostly I want to honor our Father in everything I do. More importantly than what I will receive by reaching my goals, is what I will become by achieving my goals. My business means much more to me than just the products I offer, and I'm so excited about the future of Beth Hart Designs!

So while you're working hard to reach your goals, remember that in the end it's more about who you will become rather than what you will receive. Here's to a great week!

Monday Motivation - Failure Does Not Exist

Wow! What a weekend I had! I left Thursday morning for The Stationery Academy feeling a little nervous and unsure of what was to come. I knew that Beth Hart Designs was in need of some guidance  and direction, but what I received was so much more than that. I'm still soaking it all in!

I attended the 2 (full) day workshop with the most amazing business women and designers in the stationery industry, and I learned so much from all of them. I am very excited about the future of my business, and because of the Stationery Academy, I am now confident that I'm capable of doing great things!

The development of the new and improved Beth Hart Designs will be an intentional, fun, detailed, exciting, time-consuming, and slightly scary progression because I'll be laying myself {all of me} out on the line. I'm going to make my business and brand something I'm 100% proud of... and something that will reflect me, my style, my heart, my passions, and my love for Southern living and hospitality. What's going to carry me through this development will be the wonderful support system of family, friends, and clients that I'm so blessed to have around me... Thank you!

I have so much more to share with you about my experiences at The Stationery Academy... it's going to take way more than one blog post! But for today's Monday Motivation, I want to encourage you to pursue your dreams and go reach your potential - knowing that you will not fail. We had to address our fears this weekend, and many ladies feared failure. The wise and encouraging Nicole of Libby Lane Press let us all know that we cannot be afraid of failing, because in our minds we have to know that failure does not exist. Amen, sister!

I came home yesterday to my amazing and supportive husband of 6 years {July 29th is our anniversary} with the knowledge and confidence that my business will be great because I won't fail. I have 22 new friends and motivators from The Stationery Academy, and I'm already so blessed by my family and friends here at home... my cup runneth over!

What's Happening Wednesday - Busy Bee!

Whew! It's already Wednesday! Where do the days go? Thank you so much to all of my customers for keeping this workin' girl in business... I really can't express enough gratitude! I also owe a BIG thank you to my favorite printing company for coming through for me and my customers this week! I'm blessed to be surrounded by so many good people!

It's been a very busy "short" week for me as I am preparing to head to Pensacola, Florida in the morning to attend The Stationery Academy! I am beyond excited about this opportunity! I can't wait to learn from some of my stationery business heroes and meet all of my fellow students! Be sure to tune in next week when I will be sharing about my experiences and introducing you to all of my new friends!

I better run! I've got lots of orders to package and ship out before I leave... I'm a busy busy bee! But before I go, I'll leave you with a photo from my last beach trip. I found this handsome fella at The Red Bar in Grayton Beach. I love his way of thinking!

Monday Motivation - Today

Happy Monday! Here's to the beginning of a new week - a week full of exciting possibilities!

Lately, I've been thinking about the development of my design business. Sometimes I feel as though I'm just treading water and not making as much forward progress as I'd like. I have big dreams and goals, but I often get caught up in the daily routine of answering emails, sending proofs, submitting and picking up orders at my printing company, ordering supplies, packaging, shipping, etc...

I feel so abundantly blessed to be this busy, but I find myself wanting a little more out of each day. I LOVE designing new invitations and products, I LOVE building my business, and I LOVE serving my customers. I realize that it's time for me to "grab the bull by the horns" and make things happen! I am giddy with excitement over the potential successes and possibilities that are in front of me! I know that with hard work, comes great rewards. And I choose to make TODAY count so that tomorrow is that much better. I can't wait to share with you all of the designs and products I've been working on, and yes, the new wholesale line really is coming soon!

So... no more treading water! I encourage you to start being successful TODAY by working hard and dreaming big so that tomorrow is that much sweeter!

Who I Am...

I've recently been challenged to be more personal in my business... tell a little more about the girl behind Beth Hart Designs. It's been a bit difficult, but I've finally developed a biography that I can proudly say truly represents me and why I'm in business - it expresses who I am and what I believe. Enjoy!

I’m a Southern girl.  A lover of life.  A child of God.  A blessed woman.  A firm believer.  A wife.  A daughter.  A sister.  A friend.  A designer…

Hi! I’m Beth Hart.

I love Southern hospitality… all aspects of it. From sitting with a best friend drinking sweet tea (or a glass of wine) on your front porch to hosting a swanky shin-dig at which you get to feel oh so sophisticated in your best dress. Southern hospitality is warm and gracious and makes you tingle with excitement at the very core of it.

What better way to portray Southern hospitality than with the perfect invitation or a personalized note card? Paper is a true icon of Southern hospitality. A hand-written note can do wonders for a bruised ego or a broken heart. The ideal invitation can excite your guests for the soon-to-be party-of-a-lifetime. With paper, birthdays are anticipated, weddings are glamorous, anniversaries are milestones, new born babies are introduced, Christmas greetings are shared, Life is celebrated.

I believe in paper, and therefore I’m a designer of paper.

I came to love paper through several life journeys… beginning with my heritage. I’m the daughter of a mother who treasures sending out heartfelt and meaningful Christmas cards. She also possesses the gift of writing and has touched so many lives with her handwritten notes – a true ministry. My grandmother was a hat-maker, yes a real-life milliner, who designed and created hats of all kinds for all types of people. Her work was superb, and her vigor for life and business makes me wish she was still here to inspire me. I’m blessed with a creative heritage, and for that I’m very grateful.

Southern hospitality runs deep in my education. From attending middle and high school at Battle Ground Academy, founded in 1889, to exploring the rich history of The University of Mississippi (fondly called Ole Miss) throughout college. I’ve learned to value education, work hard, be a teammate, lean on God, cheer at football games, graciously be a Southern lady, and flourish throughout life’s lessons at these incredible institutions, and for that I’m also grateful.

So there you have a taste of me, a bit of Beth Hart. A lover of music, fashion, sunshine, old hymns, antiques, twinkle lights, Sunday drives through the countryside, history, tradition, lazy days at the lake and of course, paper. I desire to be good at what I do and reach out to others to inspire stylish design and encourage Southern hospitality.

To go along with this biography, I needed some new professional photos. So I called up my good friend Molly of SimplyMPhotography to help me out. I'm amazed with her work! She possesses real talent - a true gift! She made me look good and was so patient with the sun & wind to work in our favor... I couldn't be more pleased! Thank you Molly! Below are a few of my favorites from the session:

Digging Deep

The world of stationery and invitations has changed dramatically since I began my little business in April of 2008 (I can't believe it's already been 4 years)! The internet has brought about so many possibilities for designers to expose their work and reach people that normally would have never known about them. We have all the social media of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc... and Etsy is stocked full of amazing designers who are able to sell their work to a world-wide market. It seems overwhelming to me to even begin to tap into this expansive world and somehow set Beth Hart Designs apart...

So I'm digging deep! My friend, Molly of SimplyMPhotography, is a talented photographer and fellow business owner with whom I love "talking business" and sharing ideas. We both struggle to find ways to creatively market ourselves and set our work apart from the rest. It's especially challenging with limited budgets and only one employee - ourselves! But it's so nice to work through it together, and we are equally encouraged when a customer loves our work!

I'm learning that most customers today desire a somewhat personal relationship with the people with whom they do business... they want to connect with that designer, photographer, caterer, etc. on a level where they feel comfortable and feel as though they are being treated not only as a customer but as a friend. I strive to do this on a daily basis, but I've also been confused with thoughts that I need to become a "big business enterprise." But is that really what I desire? Of course I'm planning to continue building my business to new heights, but I don't want to lose that personal connection with my customers. That's what makes me thrive!

So I'm digging deep! I'm working hard to develop my brand into something that makes me proud, thrills my customers, and sets me apart from the other thousands of stationery designers out there. I'm so excited to launch my new biography and headshots (to be taken by Molly on Monday! Yay!) which will allow you to know a little more about me and the desires I have as a Southern girl just trying to live life to the fullest and run a stationery business.

I'm working hard to bring you new products and designs. I offer so many things that only a fraction of you know about because my website is in need of some major TLC! I'm so thankful for and blessed by my faithful customers who trust that I can provide just what they need even though they don't see it on my website. Thank you!

And so, I'll leave you with another print (yes, I offer frameable prints!) that pretty much sums up what I desire to be said about me and the way I live life and run my business... don't we all want to feel this way?

Stop Talking. Start Doing!

It was one of my New Year's Resolutions... Start a blog. Well here we are already into April (where has the time gone?), and I've been making plenty of excuses for not starting a blog for my little business called Beth Hart Designs. But today, I decided to Stop Talking and Start Doing! I am so blessed to be following my dreams, and hopefully I can use this blog to share more of my dreams, provide inspiration, and introduce new designs & products to you.

I am both excited and nervous about this blogging adventure... only because it's new and different. But I promise, if you'll hang in there with me, that I will do my best to show you honest little "snapshots" of my Southern life and style.


I'm so honored to be sharing this journey with you... thanks for reading!


I'll leave you with a challenge: What do you need to stop talking about and start doing?