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!

Monday Motivation - Seize the Day

Happy Monday! We've all heard it a million times... "Carpe Diem = Seize the Day." But these words really hit home yesterday morning when our pastor said them during his sermon. He reminded us that we have all been put here on earth for a purpose... every one of us has a significant role. We're only given a short amount of time to play these unique roles, so it's important to make each day count.

I'll be honest, sometimes I'm just looking forward to what tomorrow will bring. I don't take the time to unpack each day and make the most of every single hour, minute and second. But what if I started living each day for that day? How much less anxious and worried would I be? How much more productive would I be? How much more of a positive impact would I have? How much better could I fulfill my unique role?

I'm making 2013 the year of "Carpe Diem"... taking each day one at a time and making the most of it. What if you made 2013 your year of "Carpe Diem?" Today has just begun, and it's yours for the taking!

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!

Monday Motivation - Get Going!

Well I don't know about you, but I've had a hard time shifting from "holiday mode" to "get things done mode." With New Year's Day falling on a Tuesday, I just wasn't motivated to initiate my resolutions mid-week. Sure I was working and getting (a few) things accomplished, but now it's time to get in gear! I have so many ambitions, goals and good habits to form... so with the start of a new week in this new year, I plan to Get Going!

I have big ideas and goals for my business, and I have numerous personal resolutions for 2013. Like many people, one of my personal resolutions is to live a healthier life. Last year, I lost about 25 pounds by eating better and exercising, but as the year came to a close, the weather got colder, the food got heavier, and business got busier, I lost the ambition to keep up with a healthy lifestyle. In return, I put on a few of the pounds I had worked so hard to lose.

I've struggled with my weight for most of my life - you could say it's been a roller coaster ride for me. One day I may share a more personal side of this story, but for now we'll leave it at that! I do know for sure that when I'm eating better and exercising, I have much more confidence, higher self-esteem, and tons of motivation to accomplish great things! A healthy lifestyle allows me to become a better person which (I hope) positively affects those around me.

So today is the day that my husband and I Get Going on our healthier lifestyle. We are holding each other accountable - to stay on track with eating better and exercising as much as we can - whether it be going for a walk, a run, or a bike ride. I'm sure there will be days when we fall off the wagon and won't feel like committing to this lifestyle, but we know it's what's best for us.

So I encourage you to Get Going on your 2013 goals and resolutions. And if you're wanting to implement a healthier lifestyle like me, this print design is for you! I'm thinking I'll hang a few copies of this around my house for motivation!

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.

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!

November... Tis the Season!

Whew! November sure got here in a hurry... where does the time go? I apologize for the short blog post {and lack of blogging altogether}, but I'm in the midst of preparing for Nashville's Christmas Village and The Market in Birmingham. I hope you can come visit me at one of these shows!

As we enter this busy and sometimes overwhelming time of the year, I'm reminded of how much I have to be thankful for in my life and how much I long to have peace throughout this season. We often overlook Thanksgiving because the Christmas rush becomes so dominant, but this year I really want to make an effort to give thanks to the One from whom all blessings flow. I think I'll find the peace I'm looking for by being grateful rather than anxious and overwhelmed by all that is on my never-ending to-do list. I hope and pray that you'll find this peace and share it with others. I'll leave you with this little verse that carries so much weight... hopefully we can all remember it and take it to heart throughout this time of the year. Tis the Season!