I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Thanks to Chassity‘s great tips on a few things to consider when starting an art collection last week, I’m officially on the Etsy train (and this pretty print she shared is a new favorite). I recently fell down a rabbit hole looking at amazing abstract art (with plenty of affordable prints) on the site from the likes of Hayley Mitchell, Lola Donahue & many others. And THEN I discovered so much other goodness and I know I probably haven’t even scraped the surface yet.
I have a million birthdays, housewarmings and engagements coming up soon, and I’m always on the lookout for inspiring sources for gifts. And for the showers I’m planning to help throw, I’m already eyeing a few handmade touches like these gorgeous wood laser cut name tags that I know will be a huge hit. I’ve gone ahead and rounded up ten of my most recent Etsy finds in the slideshow above…but do tell me what else you’ve found! Cheers, Kat
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Madalyn Print 16x20 ($75)
I am absolutely enamored with the bold, vibrant vibes of Hayley Mitchell. Her entire Etsy shop is full of irresistible prints that are begging to join my gallery wall at home.
The luxurious, natural bath & body sets by Etta + Billie are "farm to bottle" and I can't get enough of them. All organic, safe and sustainable ingredients to boot.
The abstract, whimsical art of Lisa Golightly in her Etsy shop Kiki & Polly immediately transports me to sun-kissed summer days. Her prints make for fabulous and affordable additions to any collection.
These adorable, handmade porcelain pots compliment each other perfectly and are just begging for a few succulent or cacti friends! I love that they're hand-shaped and pinched and smoothed by the artist herself.
By now you know Team WOM is obsessed with letters, so it'll come to no surprise to you that this letter board was right up our alley. I love the old-school, retro vibe!
These custom calligraphy address stamps by Lauren Saylor of A Fabulous Fete instantly elevate any correspondence, and will be used for years to come. They'd be great for upcoming celebrations and events, but I say use them on your every day snail mail, too! Check out the rest of Lauren's gorgeous goods in her Etsy shop while you're at it.
Okay, Lucile's Kitchen is adorable. Her Etsy shop has all of the kitchen art prints, food illustrations and watercolor recipes that you could want...which by the way would make perfect gifts! Love love love.
For all of the beautiful tablescapes I see on the reg, I usually fall hardest for the spread's place cards when done right. And these wood laser cut name tags serve as the prettiest place cards, don't you think?!
All the spots, please! Almost reminds me of MKR's super popular wallpaper at home. These pillow covers would look amazing on my sofa at home...and now it's only a matter of time until I pull the trigger on them.
The original paintings and prints by Lola Donahue are some of every abstract art lovers' dreams. I have all of the heart eyes for these statement pieces, and I'm keeping tabs on when more original pieces are uploaded.
I’m one of those people that really does enjoy working out. I feel great after doing it, and when I’m in the swing of it, I can keep up a consistent routine. But when I fall out of that routine? That’s a different story. Whether that’s traveling to Atlanta for work, going out of town with friends, catching a cold or nursing an injury…these hurdles completely derail me and have me feeling like I’m all the way back at square one. I know the importance of sweating every day, but I’m guilty of making excuses when stress—and basically just life in general—get in the way.
Luckily, I have a very active set of friends, all just as obsessed with ClassPass like I am. We always share our schedules of classes around town that we plan to attend that week, helping that workout motivation whenever it wanes, as well as offering time to catch up as we’re racing through our busy days. But lately I’ve found it goes even a bit further than sharing schedules, and I’ve included a few of these tricks that have proven to help me recently in the slideshow above. Click on through, but please tell me any other tips you have, too! Cheers, Kat
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Dress the Part
There's no denying that new workout gear can get you a little more excited to head to the gym or studio. Find pieces that make you feel good and get you excited about moving.
Every time I schedule a morning workout class, I make sure to lay my clothes out the night before. This way, I can't make as many excuses about getting out of bed so early. It takes the guessing out of it when you're still feeling groggy!
I don't know many people that can workout without music. Sometimes I'm lazy and rely on a Spotify playlist, but whenever I prep a playlist beforehand, I know I'm in for a treat because all of the tunes are tailored to my current mood. #GameChanger
Approaching fitness as a chance to get social helps me a ton. We schedule classes together as friends, using it as a chance to catch up even on a busy day. Having a designated workout buddy for the gym and beyond is great too; you can push each other when that morning alarm sounds!
I struggle with negative self talk when it comes to my fitness routine sometimes. I beat myself up for skipping a class, for pressing snooze, for avoiding the bootcamp I know I should probably try.
I'm working on practicing positivity instead; by owning my decisions if I do choose to skip a class, by letting myself sleep if I'm exhausted, and by understanding that my routine is in my control and I am strong enough to push harder than I give myself credit for.
Tracking progress can remind you how far you've come, and can be uplifting if you ever find yourself struggling to get back at it. I enjoy how much stronger I feel, along with of course the physical signs in the mirror. Consider keeping a traditional log or use easy apps that show your consistent commitment to staying in shape. Progress can mean a new yoga pose you finally nailed, seeing new definition on your arms, a faster pace on your neighborhood run, etc. (or all of the above!).
I've found that I definitely go in phases with workouts that resonate with me. Luckily, I can sample countless studios around town to keep a variety with my routine with ClassPass.
By branching out with workouts, you can find alternative ways to get those endorphins, even if you're not a "runner" or would never find yourself in a spin class.
On the days you just know it's not happening, have a "lazy" plan in mind. This could mean a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood, an easy dumbbell routine while watching the news, or a few rounds of stairs in your apartment complex. By doing a "lazy" workout, you're still better off than doing nothing.
We all know to drink H2o during a workout, but what about throughout the day, too? I'm always amazed by how staying hydrated affects my motivation to even get to the gym, and how I can feel it during the workout if I haven't had enough water that day. Think pale yellow urine (sorry, had to go there!).
I'm including this one because it works, friends! Consider setting goals and giving yourself rewards like new clothing, fresh flowers (always), or maybe even a vacation after reaching a significant milestone. Personally, I wouldn't want to include food as rewards since it's counterproductive here, but do what works for you.
Let’s just say that The Grovestreet Press, a New Orleans based letterpress and design shop, has us falling in love with snail mail again. Founders Kate and Anna are to thank for that; the best friends and cousins design and produce refreshingly tasteful greeting cards and prints that we can’t get enough of. Their Instagram, for one, is a testament to their great aesthetic…think quintessential Southern flair with irresistible preppy details. And with a peek at Nola’s charming streets and drool-worthy grub, we’re itching to go down and visit the girls STAT.
We recently sat down with Kate to hear more about what it’s really like to start a business with your best friend, how letterpress REALLY works, their favorite hotspots in Nola, and what’s next for this talented duo. Cheers, Kat
WOM: Please take us through your professional journey (how you two started, what made you think consider working together and starting your own business, how you decided on your niche, etc.). GSP: Anna and I are cousins and best friends (frousins!), and we’ve been close ever since we were little.Our moms are sisters and very close, so we grew up seeing each other every time our moms did.This created a special kind of bond that’s really the foundation of our business – we inherited our moms’ tastes and personalities, too, which is something that could never be repeated in any other type of friendship.We grew up in Lake Charles, LA, a smaller town in the ‘heel of the boot’ of Louisiana, right on the water. We both left for college.Anna studied graphic design, and I studied English.We reunited in New Orleans as adults, and combined our knowledge and shared tastes into the craft of letterpress, which we always say is where the study of design and words meet.We’ve definitely had to settle into our niche a bit over the first phase of our business.The process wasn’t so much a search for our niche, but rather culling through the many things we are drawn to and deciding to focus on one strain of it purposefully and fully.
WOM: Give us a “Letterpress for Dummies” run-down. How do you make your custom print letterpress cards? How did you learn the process?
GSP: We have two antique presses at our shop.They’re on site, right behind our retail storefront, so visitors can browse our products and have a peek at how they were created, giving our shop a museum-like quality.We explain the process to people who stop in regularly, hoping that the visitors leave with an appreciation for the craft and a basic understanding of the history of printing.One press is a Chandler & Price platen press, on which we print most of the cards – it’s a clamshell style, that opens and closes like a wide open alligator’s mouth, touching the printing plate to the paper that rests on the platen.The other, which we use mainly for our larger art prints, is a Vandercook proof press.It uses the same method (letterpress is a form of relief printing), but the paper rolls on a cylinder over the printing plate that lays flat.I know this is complicated!It’s worth looking up on YouTube to see it in action if you never have – much easier to understand visually.YouTube is actually how I first learned about letterpress (the irony in the technology!). I stumbled upon a clip of a press in Massachusetts printing the cover of a book, and I was mesmerized. I remember emailing the link to Anna right then, saying “when we go into business, this is how we’ll print our cards!”Anna doesn’t really remember this… but so it goes 🙂
My mom was at the vet in their hometown not too long after I fell in love with the idea of printing, and she mentioned the new interest to the vet’s wife – mainly out of general interest, because her father had been a commercial printer. She paused and said “well, we actually have an old press here!At the vet’s office!We’ve held onto it for sentimental reasons, but Kate can have it if she’ll use it.”And sure enough, under a stack of cat crates, there was an a Chandler & Price press. I spent the following summer refurbishing it and teaching myself about its operation.
Long story short: I moved to Chicago for a couple of years, where I apprenticed under a typsetter and printer at a popular printship, while Anna was finishing college. I was ready to come back to the South and be closer to my family, andso, once Anna was done with school, we both found ourselves in New Orleans.It was sort of on a whim that we decided to give the business a go, but it turned out to be a very happy whim!
WOM: We’ve loved discovering you and keeping up with your success in the press over the past couple of years. When did you realize that GSP had “made it”? Was there one moment when you realized this was all going to be a hit, or were there a bunch of little moments?
GSP: Definitely a bunch of little moments!We’ve made a lot of connections over Instagram, which has been really wonderful for us.Some of those little moments are just having a big insta-name start following up,and some are big press opportunities.We had a small feature in Country Living right when we were getting off the ground, and it was incredibly surreal.So surreal, in fact, that we didn’t even remember to tell our moms! My mom called me in happy tears from the jetway in an airplane after landing, after having stumbled across the feature while reading magazines during her flight.
WOM: Where do you find inspiration for your cards?
GSP: As I mentioned before, we really edited our tastes and consciously chose a direction / “feel” that we wanted to give with our designs.Our moms are both collectors of American antiques, and we’ve been inspired by the classic style of New Orleans in our time here, so the American heritage style is what we were drawn to more than any other.We often say that our designs are Americana vintage with a little quirk.
WOM:We’re BIG advocates of snail mail here at WOM. Could you two narrow it down to a favorite card to send (probably impossible, we know!)?
GSP: That is really tough!Our cocktail cards are our most popular right now (and we have another coming out soon!), but I think our favorite will always be our pup Mildred, riding in the car, with the caption ‘She understands Sit and Stay; She simply prefers to roam.’It’s just a general greeting card, which means that it would be sent with no particular purpose other than just telling a loved one hello – a sentiment we also really love and want to encourage.
WOM: What’s the craziest time of year for you guys? GSP: We gave up custom work a little bit ago to focus on expanding our retail line, which means that the busyness has been steady.
WOM: Is there a specific way you like to fill your “creativity tanks”? Favorite way to unwind after a workday? GSP: The Old Fashioned is the signature cocktail of GSP, and we have an ongoing Old Fashioned taste test going on.It’s always our go-to when trying a new bar, so we can rate it against others, and we’ll often stop for one on our way home after a workday, or get one at the bar next door to the shop when we need help making decisions towards the end of the day.
We both love New Orleans so, so much, and we don’t ever want to get jaded at what a gem of a city we live in.When we need to fill our creativity tanks, we’ll often make a trip to a beautiful part of the city in the name of taking an Instagram photo or coffee break and try to step back, appreciate the architecture and history, and relax surrounded by it.
WOM: How has balancing friendship and entrepreneurship been so far with your success?
GSP: Our friendship is the reason for our success!Being able to be completely candid with the person you work closely with is the most important.I’m not afraid to tell Anna when I don’t like one of her designs, and she’s not shy to tell me that she thinks a picture I’ve taken is boring.We’ll sit in silence at the shop for hours, if one of us can tell that the other is annoyed or tired and needs quiet time.Enjoying each other’s company outside of the shop, too, when we’re ‘refilling our creativity tanks’ adds so much – we can reference experiences and travels we share when we’re working, and we know exactly what makes the other tick.
WOM: What bumps have you hit along the way?
GSP: So, so many.We taught ourselves most of what we now know – about the specifics of stationery production and the ins and outs of business licenses and the such.We’ve experienced all the missteps that come with being self-taught.I don’t know what we were thinking, but we didn’t even think to buy envelopes for our first card show!It’s little things like that – Anna having to learn a new way to digitize her sketches and figuring out the complex world of shipping methods.And bigger things – rearranging 1500 lb presses to accommodate a retail storefront in what was just going to be a studio space, or deciding to step away from wedding invitations.It’s all been a process, with decisions often made because we were faced with a bump in the road. Just like that C.S. Lewis quote: “Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.”
WOM: Unfortunately in the creative industry, there can be a lot of copy-cats. Have you had to deal with any?
GSP: Not many, thankfully!At least not many that we’re aware of… yet.We did have one little incident with a recreation of a tote we designed for West Elm, but it was for someone’s wedding, not for resale.I’m hoping it stays this way!
WOM: What are your tips to others starting out on the same path as you did? GSP: We hear the word ‘passion’ thrown around a lot in the creative industry, and I kind of hate it.Following your passion is a terrible idea! We are fortunate that things lined up the way we did that allowed us to explore the small business world, but at the end of the day, it’s still work.And work should be difficult.Your passion needs to be tempered by reason – the decision to start a business should be a prudent one, with the advice and help of many people.You’ll fall out of love with something and become disheartened quickly if you don’t think about it as work, something that requires trudging through rough patches.
WOM: Anything new and exciting coming down the pipeline this year? Anything you can slip on what’s next for GSP? GSP: There’s lots were excited about.We’re continuing to expand our card line, but we’ll also be introducing our first non-paper items into our regular wares.We have a set of Southern Saying felt pennants on order that we designed and are going to test on the market.We have plans for totes, tea towels, notebooks, and other little gifty items.
WOM: And because we can’t NOT ask: what are your favorite Nola hotspots and must-try restaurants?
GSP: New Orleans is just bustling right now.It feels like there is some highly anticipated restaurant opening every week!The New Orleans classics that have been around forever are classics for a reason, though, and shouldn’t be ignored.Commander’s Palace and Galatoire’s, for instance, are worth the splurge. You also get a little ticket to time travel when you visit for a meal – they transport you back in time to old New Orleans.Fresher favorites: Cochon Butcher is right around the corner from our shop, and we recommend it to every hungry passerby who’s famished after a long Garden District walk.Willa Jean is in the new South Market Shopping district not too far from us, too.They serve updated Southern favorites (amazing biscuits!) and have a drink called Frosé Y’all, a frozen rosé cocktail.
WOM: Oh! And one last one we promise…favorite Instagram accounts to follow?
GSP:Our best insta-pal is @JackieGreaney.We met her through the ‘gram, took a trip to Rhode Island with her to visit @kjp and @sarahkjp, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since.@Lsteffan has a great eye for capturing New Orleans architecture, and we’re super excited for @ernapier‘s big debut on HGTV!