Sitting in the living room this afternoon, where our display for the One of a Kind Show is now set up and taking up our house, I've decided to put some music on and enjoy the sunshine coming through the window. My brother brought home his record player and all his records this past month and he has one of my favourite albums - hence the lovely listening.
There are always those people as part of your wedding party that you just couldn't pull the special day off without. Bridesmaids, special friends, mothers, fathers, and, of course, the Maid of Honour (the MOH). In all the hustle and bustle of the big event, it is easy to get swept away and not stop and really appreciate how important these special people are and how much they mean to you in moving forward with your new life.
It's that time again! The One of a Kind Show in Toronto is right around the corner and we are gearing up to present some new card designs once again. As it turns out, we have a different booth size than we were anticipating and, so, we've had to do some playing - here is a sneak peak of what you might see starting on the 26th of March at the Direct Energy Center.
In addition to a new layout we are also introducing a number of new card lines for this coming show. We like to keep things fresh and continuously update our look and concept. These cards will be EXCLUSIVE for the One of a Kind Show in Toronto as it will be the first time we've presented them to the public. My last post was a taste of what you might expect and my next will be of a second design for Wedding Favours, Shower Cards, or Special Occasion gifts. Check back again tomorrow for an advanced look at what to shop for this spring at the One of a Kind Show.
If you'd like tickets to the upcoming show, message us! We have a number of free pairs to give away and would be happy to give you some!
Also, let us know what you think of our layout so far! We would be more than happy, however, to see what you think of it in person!
See you soon!
Drew
So, as usual, I wasn't on the ball and completely missed the Oscars this year. It's unfortunate in some sense but also - not really. I still got to see all the hilarious moments from the BEST - Ellen. True, it's late, but I figured I should give a little something back to her because of all of her Twitter Breaking / Pizza Delivering awesomeness.
In honor of the upcoming day which usually involves some cards and some love, we're thinking you should get a free card! We like you, so why not! You can choose from any $3.25 cards and mix and match between magnet cards and embossed note cards, should you desire. Basically, it is a great way to give more!
Have a look through our katndrewcards ETSY Shop and pick out your favourites for Valentine's Day and whichever other Holidays you may want to stock up for!
Drewser!
and so it begins... As of the past couple months, our place has been over-run with Kat n' Drew Cards. Cards on tables, in the living rooms, filling up multiple rooms.. and it is getting kind of hard to find what we need. We, more than likely, have 10 pairs of scissors somewhere but do you think I can find one pair? Negative. So we've decided to expand some empty space and make a place just for the cards and the creating :) So we figured we'd do a little before and after and during piece to keep you in the loop how things are working out.
This is currently the only sane space we have... pretty, yes, but not very practical by way of building cards
So we are going to knock down some walls and make some space! The insulated wall backs onto our current studio. So basically the old studio and this new area will become one big workspace for Kat n' Drew!
As you can see, we are going right back to the studs with this one. We will certainly keep you updated as we work away with this. As a matter of fact, you can find updates periodically on our Facebook. Follow us on Facebook and watch our studio transform into a beautiful butterfly... well, you know what I mean
Drew
Evening Everyone!
As you may or may not have seen, we've added an interesting little tid-bit to our shop just recently in the form of Free Shipping to anywhere in Canada! If you pop onto our Facebook Page, you'll find the coupon code to enter when you check out and you're all set!
As for orders headed to the states - we've greatly reduced shipping on everything across the shop. There isn't a code to enter, you'll simply find the shipping costs low at check out!
We hope you enjoy and take advantage of the extra savings!
Thanks All!
Drew
Good Afternoon All! I'm coming to you on this special week with a wonderful little personal celebration. It it Shawn Michael's Birthday this week! Son and Brother to us here at Kat n' Drew Cards and in honour of him turning (23? I think?) we are offering you something special.
Hands down, Christmas and Birthday Cards are the cards that we seem to buy and give the most to our nearest and dearest. So because Shawn's Birthday is a nice little mixture of both, we will be giving deals on both Christmas AND Birthday Cards.
Take a look through our shop here at Kat n' Drew Cards or our ETSY at katndrewcards.etsy.com and find some cards you like at the $3.25 price point (This will include Magnet Quote Cards and Charm Note Cards) - Choose and Purchase any 3 and you get one Free!
We've cleverly (at least I think so) named it the buy 3, get one free! deal for Shawn Mike's big week :)
So browse through, find some favourites, and let us know as you check out which card (your 4th) you'd like us to send along with the others!
I've been thinking more and more about the story section of this blog and find myself liking the idea even more than when I started. Cards really do follow the stories of our lives - the biggest occasions - and give us the chance to reflect on how cool we really are!
More than that however, by posting these stories about all of our lives, the seemingly regular stories that we might find mundane, we are really showing the world how exciting we all are one person at a time.
When you stop to think about Movie Stars or Pop Stars and how much they are followed and envied by the general public, you start to notice how little there actually is behind most of the stories.
"They got a new outfit" - "They're dating this person" -
and we neglect the big picture in our own lives while we pay attention to all of the "exciting" things that the celebs are doing. The point I'm trying to make here is that most of our lives are far more interesting and full than many of the lives of people we follow and idolize. It's not that they are all uninteresting but they are not always the most important stories in the world.
WE should be the ones people follow! -
or rather, when we step back and look at all that we accomplish, all we dream about, all of our relationships and jobs and journeys, you can start to see how believing in yourself and your significance makes you bigger than any star. Sure, we aren't on TMZ but our stories are still interesting and our lives are still bright.
I like that the everyday person has their own interesting stories to share - that we don't have to be fed our entertainment and emotions from shows and movies all the time. And I like that, if even in a small way, we are helping people realize just how much of an adventure and grand story their lives are.
True I've been thinking about this for a while but it also comes as I notice a neat posting that pictures what stars might look like if they were "average" people. We are all stars! sometimes it just takes believing in our own journey :)
oo and have a look at the average joe movie stars from Planet Hiltron
also! the top photo is from Madison at LivingLifeNoRegrets
We recently had the opportunity to get an interview with Tracy at Unique Creations Artisan Market in Niagara Falls. We have had some product with Tracy, the woman who runs the market, for some time and - since we've started telling stories - asked her for some of hers. From our point of view, the store is definitely a find. There are tons of neat, unique items there and they're from local artisans - what more could you ask for!
What's the story behind how unique creations started? What inspired you to begin?
People always say you should do what you love. I left a job that I was very unhappy at and while trying to come up with something I'd love to do, I came up with this idea.
What's the most fulfilling part about the whole journey?
My grandfather was into woodworking and stained glass as is my mother, along with quilting, knitting, crocheting, sewing, or almost 
anything else she puts her mind to, so the creative gene is in me. I paint some, but not well enough to make a living at it, so that wasn’t going to be the thing. While on vacation, Tim and I went to an antique barn where there are multiple dealers in one place, and had a great time looking at all the different things. Shortly after we got back it came to me. Why weren’t there stores for all the talented artisans out there to share space and sell what they make? Aside from a craft show once or twice a year, where can you find these people? I ran the idea past Tim, and he liked it. After doing some research, we were shocked to find out there are store like ours out there, just not in our area. We spent the next 6 – 9 months looking for people we felthad quality merchandise who might be interested in this concept, eh voila, Unique Creations Artisan’s Outlet was born.
What have been some of the biggest challenges to overcome on your road to being awesome?
The most fulfilling thing for me is when people come into the store, and
love it. It often feels like Christmas to me in here, especially when
new product comes in, and it makes me happy when people are as excited
about all the things as I am. We deal with so many talented creative people, and it’s fun for me to see what they do.
Having never been in retail before, neither of us realized how hard it is to let people know about the store. I think that has been the most challenging aspect thus far.
Do you have larger plans for the business in the future? Where do you want to be in 3 years?
Ideally our dream is to move to a larger store where we could have more display space. Also it would be great to have room for some of our artisans do workshops for people. What’s better than sharing the things you can do with others who want to learn? Tim enjoys being at the store but can only come in on Saturdays. In the perfect world we’d like to be able to work the store together, and also be able to travel around looking for more talented people to share our space.
What are some of the types of treasures you carry?
We have approximately 80 different artisans represented in the store, so there is a lot to choose from. Among other things, we carry many different types of jewellery, beeswax & soy candles, paintings, photography, glass & woodwork, knitted pieces, and cards for all occasions!
In one word how would you describe the experience at Unique Creations
People who “get” the store seem to enjoy taking their time looking around - which I love - so I’m hoping that people find the experience here enjoyable. It’s a relaxed atmosphere and there’s so much to see, so what’s not to like? :~)
Take a look at Unique Creations or Find them on Portage Rd in Niagara Falls at the Town and County Plaza
Ok! Here it is! Part two of Tania's story :) Hope you enjoy!
"The best part of it all is that we are all different, and so my baby will have advice and love of all kinds. When my child is heartbroken, my oldest sister Betty (with her romantic personality) can give hope. She is the sensitive artist, making art out of photography, music, and paint. If my child needs loving but strict advice (not to mention makeup and fitness advice, if I am having a girl), then there is Lily. She is the free spirited, pink loving, makeup expert! Now if straight honesty is needed, then there's Soozee with her straight forward answers - and oh how she loves cuddling! My baby will not be needy of hugs around her. She is the chocolate lover, hug giving, sarcastic answering one. Last but not least there's Briana! We may not be blood related, but she has surely earned her place in our crazy sister world. She has been our home, and shared our sadness and our happiness, been at our weddings, birthdays, holidays. Most recently she has had the loss of baby Sophia, and that she is even here for me now, as hard as it has to be, is beyond appreciation. I know if my child wants to play and have fun, Bree is the one to go to! She's always ready to make you laugh and has a witty remark for everything! Even now in her sorrow, I can see her always funny personality shine through. I know her daughter is proud of her."
Special Gifts for Special People
"Being so grateful and excited that my
baby would not lack love, hugs, laughs, safety, I decided to get each
of them a gift! Something that would express without words that I
would always love them, and that now my child would as well. I stumbled
upon Kat n' Drew's shop of charms & cards and I was so delighted
by their approach to gift giving! I had Kat (whom was amazing) create
a charm for a bracelet for each one of my sisters, that would match
their personalities. I had stored them hoping to reveal the sex of
the baby and would get another charm to add to their bracelet as soon
as I knew. However, my sister Lily came down to visit, so I decided
since we were all together it would be great to give them the first
charm now. We gathered round and I pulled out the light turquoise
jewelry boxes holding their charms. It was a sweet experience to
share this together as I had not expected to have them all in the
same place. I am now looking forward in a week to know the sex of the
baby and to be able to share even more memories of this process with
each of them."
"I look forward to continue buying my sisters charms for each special time in their lives and also, of course, to being Kat n' Drew's loyal customer. I don't think I could have found a better place to build memories with."
We simply cannot thank Tania enough for sharing her story - it really is something special and we are proud that we could help be a part of this story. Thank You Tania! I wonder whether the baby is a boy or a girl!
