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!

Monday Motivation - Watch With Glittering Eyes

Good Monday Morning! My husband and I just returned from a long weekend in Charleston, South Carolina. It's one of our favorite places to visit for several reasons - delicious food, beautiful views, rich history, good shopping, and it's just oozing with true Southern Charm. We spent hours walking through Charleston's historic downtown taking in the amazing architecture and sophisticated gardens. I'm in love with those stately front porches, intricate iron gates, gas lanterns and beautiful courtyards.

I left Charleston with a renewed and refreshed spirit, motivational energy, and tons of inspiration for not only my business but also our lifestyle. So many days of my life I spend "in a hurry" - trying to cross things off the list without taking a moment to enjoy the Creator's beautiful masterpiece around me. Taking time out to explore the world around us and recharge our batteries is crucial to a well-balanced life. My friend and mentor, Whitney English, often reminds us that we need to allow for more "white space" in life, and I totally agree. The following quotation by Roald Dahl is an eloquently worded reminder that we must take time to watch the world around us with glittering eyes in search of the magic that lies in the most unlikely places.

I will be taking some time these next few weeks to complete and catch up on unfinished customer orders. I will also be using this time to finalize my new branding and website so that I can finally be 100% proud of the business I've built over these past 5 years. This Wednesday the 22nd will be the last day to place orders for the next few weeks. I hope you understand that I desperately need this time to recharge my batteries so that I can better serve you - the customer - the most important and appreciated part of my business! Thank you for your support, and stay tuned for the exciting re-launch of the new & improved Beth Hart Designs!

Monday Motivation - What You Were Made To Do

I've been neglecting my blog for several reasons - business is busy (I'm so thankful), winter makes me want to hibernate, and I'm rebranding Beth Hart Designs.

I can't wait to share the new and improved BHD with you in May! I've designed a new logo, established colors, patterns, and fonts for my brand... and most importantly I'm building a brand new website that I think will finally represent me, my business, my products, and my passions. I am truly thankful for my customers who continually put blind faith in me and my designs... because if you look at my current website, you'd think I was one of the most limited paper companies out there. It's been driving me crazy! So it's time to do something about it!

My journey with Beth Hart Designs has been wonderful, but I know that I haven't fulfilled my purpose or reached my potential. At the Stationery Academy, we learned that it's so very important to put our best work out there that represents us as designers and creative entrepreneurs so that we can attract our ideal clients. I'm in the process of defining my ideal client so that I can reach out to her. I'll be sharing that definition with you soon.... I'm so excited about the possibilities that will come from my efforts to represent the real Beth Hart!

Everyone has a purpose and potential. The key to fulfilling your purpose and reaching your potential is believing that you are fully capable. Our Father has designed us to do great things, and He will help us along the way. I'm learning to throw my "agenda" onto His shoulders because I know He has far greater things in store for me than I can ever hope for. "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." (Ephesians 3:20).

It's Monday - a fresh start to a new week! Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do!

What's Happening - Three Blind Vines

Happy Wednesday! I wanted to take a little time on my lunch break to share with you a pretty big project on which I've been working... Three Blind Vines. I'm a board member of The Next Generation Heritage Foundation in Franklin and Williamson County. Our annual fundraiser is Three Blind Vines - a fabulous wine tasting event with a silent auction, delicious food from local vendors, and live music.

The theme in the past has revolved around the fashion trends from the Roaring 1920's. This year, the board decided to adopt a new theme based on styles from the late 1950's and early 1960's. The hit TV show Mad Men on ABC was where most of the inspiration came from along with the film Catch Me if You Can and the original Ocean's 11 featuring the Rat Pack. As a Graphic Designer, I volunteered to take on the role of Branding the event.... everything from establishing the logo to designing ads, posters, flyers, brochures, programs and more! I've had the privilege of taking a small ownership in this event that our board has worked many hours to make a reality.

Three Blind Vines is this Friday night, February 22nd from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. I encourage you to come taste the great wines, eat delicious food, and enjoy live music all to benefit the amazing Franklin Theatre. For more information and to purchase your tickets, please visit the website.

The inspiration board and event branding designs are below... Hope to see you this Friday night! Cheers!

Monday Motivation - Be Yourself

It's the last week in January - hooray! I love January for the new beginnings and fresh starts, but I'll be honest - I'm never sad to see it go. I love sunshine and warm weather, and January makes Spring seem so far away. So come on, February!

I'm in the midst of rebranding and launching a new website for Beth Hart Designs. I learned from the Stationery Academy that I need to first define who I am and what I value - then build my business to reflect just that. It's easy to compare myself and my design style to other professionals, but I ultimately want to set myself apart from the rest. What makes BHD different from any other paper design company? It's me, Beth Hart. I need to be myself and the rest will fall into place. I know that I'm doing what I love, and I have faith that my Father will help me reach my full potential.

It's not always easy to be yourself or stand out in a crowd... sometimes it's just easier to blend in and be like everyone else. But I think we were all created to let our own unique light shine. We all have a purpose which can't be fulfilled by being like everyone else. So go be YOU, and shine brightly!

What's Happening - Valentines for Kids!

Valentine's Day is one of my favorites! Not necessarily because of all the red, pink, hearts and lovey dove stuff... but because you can let others know that they are special with a simple card and a treat! I launched a few designs for children's Valentine's cards last year, but I've added a few more to the mix. Here is the full collection...

These cute little cards are personalized for $1.10 each which includes blank envelopes. They measure 5.5"x4.25" and are printed on a heavy white cover stock. The minimum order amount is 10 cards, but you can order any number after that... 11, 14, 18, etc.

I will be selling these in my Etsy shop very soon, but until then you can email your order to: bethhartdesigns@gmail.com

Adult Valentine's cards will be featured here on the blog tomorrow... be sure to check back! Happy Wednesday!

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!

A New Year and New Beginnings

Happy New Year! I can hardly believe that 2012 is over, but I'm so excited about the possibilities that 2013 holds! I was so very blessed in 2012... it was my first full year being self-employed with Beth Hart Designs. And I have you to thank for making that happen so successfully. I really and truly appreciate your business and your support so much.

I have lots of new ideas and am setting pretty big goals for this new year. I know that some hard work will be involved, but my batteries have been recharged and my creative mind is running full speed ahead. It's amazing what a little down time can do! I hope you were able to relax and recharge over the holidays so that you too can accomplish great things in 2013.

While I plan to share my ideas and goals with you along the way, this post is more about inspiration and motivation to make the most of this brand new year. One thing I know with all my heart is that I'm doing what I love and what I feel called to do. I know that design and inspiring others are my passions, and while I always feel that there is room for improvement, I am certain that I'm working in a career that's perfect for me.

Of course, there is more to life than just our careers. I think we all have the dream to fulfill a higher calling - strive towards something greater than ourselves. My personal goals for 2013 include the desire to simplify (get rid of all the physical and mental clutter) so that I can focus on what really matters. I hope that by defining what's most important, I can live a more purposeful life that brings glory to the One who matters most.

This brings me to Les Miserables. The musical has meant so much to me for as long as I can remember. My mom and I would sing along to the soundtrack when I was young, and I've been fortunate to see the live performance twice. The release of the movie this Christmas was a dream come true (I've seen it twice with my mom as well). Hats off to Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway for their most amazing performances. Les Mis is a compelling story of grace, dreams, love, mercy, passion, forgiveness, redemption, new beginnings, and fighting for what you believe in - answering to a higher calling. Not only is the story amazing and applicable to real life in so many ways, but it's set to the most beautiful music I know. If you are not familiar with the story, I encourage you to read about it so that you can appreciate the music that much more when you see the film.

I've always been moved (often to tears) by the music of Les Mis, but with the dawning of a new day and a new year, these songs have inspired me even more so:
To make the most of new beginnings and second chances...
To show grace, forgiveness, mercy and passion...
To love others unconditionally....
To fight for what I believe in...
To dream a dream...
To answer to a higher calling.

And so I encourage you to shoot for the Stars (in their multitude) and Dream the Dream with a Heart Full of Love in 2013. Define what matters most and make that your focus in this new year. We have a clean slate and a fresh start to become who we want to be and to make incredible things happen. Cheers to you! And Cheers to 2013!

Here is a print design with one of my favorite lines from Do You Hear the People Sing - it's about answering to a higher calling and the new life that can begin when your dreams, passions, desires and purpose are in rhythm.

What's Happening Wednesday - Parties & Note Pads

Happy Wednesday! I'm so glad the sun is brightly shining after some dreary, rainy days! I've been a busy designer these past few weeks, so I'm excited to share a little snapshot of my favorites with you! Below are a few custom party designs I've recently done... I'm loving these creative themes that my customers come up with!

I'm also very busy working on my merchandise for both Nashville's Christmas Village and Birmingham's The Market! They are just a little over a month away! One of my new products is this set of notepads to help you plan your meals and grocery shopping for the week. They will be packaged together with 50 sheets per notepad, and they will be available in my Etsy shop very soon! I'm really excited about using these myself... I need all the menu planning help I can get!

2012 Christmas Cards and Early Bird Special

Happy Wednesday! It's time to kick off the Most Wonderful Time of the Year... The 2012 Beth Hart Designs Christmas Cards are finally here! I'm so excited about these new designs, and I'm happy to share them with you!

The Early Bird Special is officially on! Now through October 20th, you can receive 15% off your Christmas card order... all you have to do is mention "Early Bird," and you're all set! You may either send your order to me at bethhartdesigns@gmail.com, or you may purchase one of the Top 12 designs in my Etsy shop. To view the entire Christmas Card collection, please visit my website by clicking here. Remember that colors, fonts, and wording can easily be changed to your preferences. I look forward to working with you!

I owe a huge thank you to my good friend Molly of SimplyMPhotography for providing the beautiful photographs you see in most of my designs. Be sure to book your Christmas card session with her today!

Monday Motivation - Optimism, Hope & Confidence

Good Monday Morning! I was blessed to spend the weekend in the mountains with our wonderful friends from our community group! We did a little relaxing, hiking, eating, football watching, and of course had lots of fun! My husband and I are so thankful for these people in our lives... Good friends are gifts from above!

Now it's back to reality with a week full of designing, proofs, printing, and checking off the to-do list. I'm so excited about working on my new Christmas cards, and I hope to share those designs with you by the end of the week! The Early Bird Special will run through October 20th... so stay tuned!

Lots of work has to be done this week, but I found comfort in this quotation from Helen Keller. It helps us remember that a positive attitude, faith, hope and confidence can lead us to achieving great things! I'm so much more encouraged to conquer the to-do list when I'm optimistic that everything {and more} can be done! I wish you a very productive week filled with optimism, faith, hope, confidence and lots of achievement!

What's Happening - Bridal Showers and More Chalkboards

Sorry I missed posting this yesterday for a "What's Happening Wednesday" entry... let's just call it "What's Happening Thursday" for this week! Somehow the days keep running away from me!

It's that time of the year when couples get engaged to be married. I'm so excited for my good friend Molly and my neighbor Courtney! Yay for both of you! I've been busy designing new Bridal Shower invitations, and some are now available in my Etsy shop! Here are just a few...

I'm slowly getting into the Christmas spirit so I can finish designing my 2012 Christmas Photo Cards! {I might have to start listening to Christmas music for the extra motivation!} I hope to have the new collection completed within the next week or two, but until then I'd like to share some new chalkboard Christmas prints with you. These were inspired by one of my loyal customers, and they are now available for sale in my Etsy shop as well. Happy Thursday!

Design Inspiration - Black and White Stripes

I'm so very excited to begin this new blog series titled "Design Inspiration!" I really, really love Interior Design and Fashion, and I often find inspiration from both worlds to create new paper products for Beth Hart Designs. At The Stationery Academy, the super talented Emily McCarthy encouraged us to look around and find things we love for design inspiration. I took this advice to heart, and that's why I'm so thrilled to share this new series with you!

I'm planning to share my favorite patterns and trends, while I debut a brand new Stationery Suite design. You can follow my inspiration board on Pinterest to see what's getting my creative juices flowing! I will be adding these designs to my Etsy shop so you can purchase them for yourself or a friend!

And now the debut of the "Black & White Stripes & Dot Suite"

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!

What's Happening Wednesday - Chalkboard Prints & Gift Tags

Happy Wednesday! I've been overwhelmed by your support for my new Etsy Shop! Thanks so much for adding me to your circles and picking me as one of your "Favorites!" I'm so excited about the future of this little business!

I've noticed the recent trend of "chalkboards" being used in weddings, at birthday parties, and as decorative accents for all occasions! I love this style and have started offering poster prints with a chalkboard look and feel. The two prints shown below are available in my Etsy shop, but you may also order custom prints with your own favorite quotations, Bible verses, or memorable information! These posters are sold as 16x20 prints, but you may order other sizes as well. Please contact me if you have any questions or if you wish to order!

Believe it or not, I'm also working on my new products and designs for Christmas! I love Fall and want it to last as long as possible (I dream of Pumpkin Spice Lattes every day), but I also realize that Christmas will sneak up on me if I'm not prepared! So I've added two new designs to the Gift Tag collection - available as tape-on/tie-on cards or as adhesive stickers. They will be for sale in the Etsy shop very soon, and you may order them blank or personalized. I'm dreaming of designing coordinating wrapping paper, but that may have to be a Christmas 2013 project! Stay tuned for the release of my new Christmas card designs along with the famous and well-loved Early Bird special!

What's Happening Wednesday - A Little Thing Called Etsy

Happy Wednesday! I'm so excited to share with you what I've been up to this week! It's this "little" thing called Etsy. I finally opened my shop! Sure it still has a looong way to go, but by gosh I started! {Confession: I actually opened a seller account in February of 2010, but I got a little overwhelmed and never did anything with it! Shame on me...}

After my trip to The Stationery Academy, I decided it was time to get a "real" Etsy shop up and running. I had always thought that being on Etsy would cheapen my brand, but what I discovered was that I've been missing out on reaching a huge audience. I knew Etsy was "big," but I didn't understand just how big - or how beneficial it could be for a designer like me. I'm so excited about the opportunities that may present themselves by having an Etsy shop... and I'm hopeful that I'll reach many new customers and gain a whole new online community!

I'm in the very beginning stages, and all I have listed are baby shower invitations. But I plan to add wedding papers, personalized stationery, matted wall prints, calendars, Christmas cards, children's birthday invitations and party supplies, serving trays, luggage tags, the list goes on! So if you'd be so kind to "follow" my shop or add me to your "favorites" on Etsy, I'd be so thrilled! I'm just a tiny little piece of the Etsy puzzle, but I'm so very excited about what's to come!

The Beth Hart Designs Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BethHartDesigns

Here she is in all her beginning stages glory!

What's Happening Wednesday - Football Baby Showers

Happy Wednesday! I'm loving this time of the year... Fall is almost here! Which means football is almost here! And as most people know, football is kind of a big deal here in the South. Thanks to a little inspiration from a customer, I have put together a series of baby shower invitations representing none other than fans' favorite football teams! These designs can be customized to your favorite team's colors... what a great way to celebrate the upcoming arrival of another football fan!

Represented Teams: Auburn, Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss and Tennessee - Others Available!

And now time for my shameless plug... Hotty Toddy! (That's a little thing we say at my beloved Ole Miss)

What's Happening Wednesday - Birthdays and Calendars

It's Wednesday! Time to fill you in on all the good things happening here at Beth Hart Designs!

I just love working on children's birthday parties! The cute and creative themes that my customers come up with never cease to amaze me! I offer custom children's party designs starting at $25, and these designs can be carried throughout all of the great products I offer... invitations, thank you notes, banners, welcome signs, placemats, favor tags, food place cards, cupcake toppers... the list goes on! Here are a few of the designs I've been working on this week:

The slightly cooler weather has me thinking about the end of the year... Fall and Christmas products are coming soon! I finished up the new 2013 Desk Calendar design this morning, and I'm so excited to share it with you! These calendars are $15 each which includes 12 month-at-a-glance cards measuring 5.25"x5.25" and a clear stand for display. They make the perfect desk accessory! Be sure to order one for you and a friend!

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!