Tell us a bit about your business.
I consider myself a freelance illustrator, and I specialize in lettering and maps. I also design wedding and personal stationery using all of my own illustrative and lettering styles. My work reflects my love and passion for travel, design, handwriting and beautiful paper. What makes my product unique is that all of my stationery is custom made for each client.

How did Couture Maps get its start?
A long time ago in my little Greenwich Village studio, I began working as an illustrator and started designing all sorts of strange and unusual stationery products, including hand drawn wedding maps and stationery.  Art school taught me the importance of breaking rules and making mistakes, so I set out to redefine the standard wedding invitation.

Many years later my map work became more widely accepted, and I decided to give them a name and their own website.

After doing extensive research, I was surprised and excited to find that there were no online sites that featured personalized illustrated maps. So I trademarked my business name, and began creating all sorts of maps and map products in addition to my stationery line.

How long have you been working in the industry?
I started my illustration career 20 years ago in New York City when I was at Parsons School of Design, and I began working in the wedding industry as a stationery designer soon after.

How has your process changed over the years, with the introduction of email and social networking?
The process in which I create my work has not changed over the years–all of my illustrations are created by hand in ink and watercolor without any digital design.

I started my career just before the popularity of the internet so I actually took the subway around the city to drop off my portfolios and met my clients in person. I definitely miss that aspect of my job!

When email began taking the place of face to face meetings, I had the luxury of moving my studio to wherever I wanted. Without the requirement of working near the publishing industry in New York, I decided to move to San Francisco, mostly because I wanted a new adventure.

Unfortunately I’ve been slow to embrace social networking into my business, but I do acknowledge that it can be a useful tool. Even though I know this is the direction the world is going in, I still love to write a personal note, purchase the postage stamp, walk to the post office and pop it into the mail.

Has your style always been as accepted by the wedding industry as it is now?
It was punk rock anti stationery when I first started, so it was not very accepted, and I was told that it was too unusual for the wedding market. However many art directors and editors loved it so I was lucky to get a lot of press.  At that time, I was working for mostly people in the industry.

After my first trip to Paris, my work changed course, and I began including a French flair that more clients could relate to.

When you did receive resistance to your personal style, how did you adapt?
Even though my offbeat styles and products were not originally embraced by the wedding industry, I worked as a freelance illustrator for the publishing, advertising and fashion industry so I was always busy.

It probably doesn’t make much business sense, but I always create things that I love and not necessarily what is popular.

All photos courtesy of Stephannie Barba

Here was the question I asked Ryan:

There are several husband and wife teams in It’s Better Together who have just started or are fairly new into their businesses and I thought you could provide us with some insight on working together. How did the two of you start working together, how did you transition from a couple to a professional relationship and how does that dynamic play out–when you go home is it strictly no more talk of business or is it more fluid than that?

Emerson and I have always wanted to work together in a way that combined traveling and new experiences.  So to some extent it was inevitable. When Emerson first started the business she was manning the van all alone. As she began to hire people I began helping here and there, everything from packing boxes, dealing with contracts, hiring, etc so Emerson could stay focused on design, content, and the stylistic aspects. It was really a very natural transition. From our perspective it was more of an evolution than a transition. Frankly its hard to picture it any other way at this point. But I believe a key aspect is that we share interests and taste but generally speaking have different skill sets and backgrounds. So our skill sets are very complimentary which I think is an important factor in making it work.

EmersonMade has been growing so rapidly that along with it being a full time job we spend most of our free time talking and working on the future. Much of the time is exactly that, i.e. work, but the benefit of working with your best friend is you view time differently. Fortunately for us a fair amount of our work takes us on field trips all over the country and world for sourcing, content, and photos. Ultimately you get a reflection of what you put in.  Our lifestyle has changed to deal with that attribute.  I would not say we have an on/off switch, but it seems natural is working well that way.

Image Credit: EmersonMade

{Today’s Guest Post is an interview with Monica Holtsclaw, the face behind Boom Box Bindery. Not only is she incredibly talented with books, boxes, and more; she has her very own bindery in her home!}

What is a bookbinder?
First and foremost, a bookbinder is one that makes books! When a book is created, there many details on which to focus – thickness of paper, strength of thread, adhesive properties, durability of cover materials, color theory and design aesthetics. When a person spends the time to think about all of those details, plus some, it doesn’t hurt to go the extra mile and make a protective box or enclosure for it!

Preventative measures can be taken when books are custom made for a specific purpose or person, but a typical trade binding is read once or twice and will rest safely on a shelf untouched for many years. That is until one day the book is pulled off of the shelf into someone’s hands who finds so much meaning between the pages that a certain chapter is revisited a million times and the book becomes broken because it is so well loved. That is the time for a bookbinder to come to the rescue and create a new plan for the future of the binding. By reenforcing and resewing the pages, and repairing the cover that has been exposed to general wear and the elements, a binder will return the book to working order.

What types of projects do you work on?
Bookbinders can be trained with many specialties, from paper conservation and restoration to historical binding techniques. My focus is making custom books by hand, restoring older books of sentimental value, and creating custom enclosures and boxes.

For the past year, most of my work has been for private clients creating custom photo albums, guest books, and archival clamshell boxes. When I’m not working on a job for a client I still keep myself busy in the bindery, either making books using unexpected materials, or putting books together that I list in my Etsy shop.

What are the benefits of having the bindery just a step away? Are there any downsides?
My bindery is in our home, which is a great benefit. With some of the work that I do, time is a big element. If something needs to sit and dry for four hours, I can glue it up at the end of the work day and go check on it after dinner! It can be tricky to strike a balance between chores and work, especially when I have a full day of bookbinding ahead, but guests are coming over in the evening and the dishes in the kitchen are calling my name. Usually, unsewn pages and half built boxes call a little louder, and it all works out at the end of the day!

We’ve heard that you might have some upcoming travels?
Yes! An amazing opportunity has come up for Boom Box Bindery. My husband, Josh, will be working in Paris for three months, starting in a few weeks, and I get to join him! If you’re curious about what might strike this bookbinder’s fancy while traveling abroad, stay tuned because I’ll contribute a few photo heavy posts to the It’s Better Together blog while I’m away.

{You can visit Monica’s website at www.boomboxbindery.com and her Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/boomboxbindery}

What does working on a computer all day, video games, watching TV, driving, eating, and riding an exercise bike have in common? They all involve sitting; and depending on your posture habits they will also involve rounded shoulders and a head that protrudes forward. Over time, this posture often becomes ingrained through our lifestyles and can lead to trigger points in your neck and shoulders, headaches and back pain.

The other day I was doing a bit of grocery shopping and did a double-take of a man who walked by. It wasn’t because of the way he dressed or anything he said; this man had the worst case of “computer guy” posture I’d ever seen. His upper back and shoulders were rounded and his neck extended out past them like a turtle looking for a snack. The thing that was the most shocking was the fact that he wasn’t grey-haired or using a cane; he was still in his 30’s.

Before you freak out wondering if that’s how you’ll look in five years, keep reading. First, understand and create awareness of how your workspace and body positioning affects how you function in your everyday life. Then, by performing a few simple exercises regularly and arranging your working area for optimal performance, you will be on your way to improving your posture and the way you look and feel. One of my clients was getting compliments at work about her posture and felt better after training with me in only four weeks.

Improving Posture
Areas that typically become tight in people who spend a considerable amount of time in front of a computer, laptop or drafting table are the pectorals, latissimus, neck, hamstrings and hip flexors. Areas that typically become underused are the mid back, core and glutes. Today, however, I’m going to give you three simple activities that will help address upper body posture. Perform these in order on a regular basis and soon you will be doing what you do best with less upper body stress and perhaps get some compliments of your own.

Pectoral Stretch

Pectoral Stretch

• Stand in a doorway with arm lifted outside of the jamb at 90 degrees
• Step forward through the doorway with same leg, creating a stretch in the pectoral region

Latissimus Stretch

Latissiumus Stretch

• Stand holding a door frame or another fixed object with the hand of the side you want to stretch
• Shift your hips back and pull slightly elongating your spine and stretching the latissimus (lat) muscles from your arm pit to your low back
• Keep your knees bent and your back flat

Scapular Wall Slides

• Stand tall with your head, shoulders and hips against a wall
• Lift and bend your arms and place your elbows next to your sides with your fingers toward the ceiling and the back of your arms and hands touching the wall as if someone told you, “stick ‘em up.”
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down and keep your elbows on the wall.
• Slowly slide hands and elbows up toward the ceiling keeping contact with the wall
• Still pushing shoulders, arms, and elbows against the wall, slowly lower them to starting position
• You will feel this exercise working your upper back

Exercises alone aren’t a cure-all if you don’t also address your workspace set-up. In my experience of observing workstations for all sorts of individuals from engineers and auditors to administrative assistants, many individuals aren’t aware of what constitues a healthy set-up and what possibilities exist to help them work more comfortably.  The best online resource and checklist I’ve come across is located on OSHA’s website.

Although the best posture is one that is rarely static, these are the five changes to my own home set-up that have helped the most:

1. Purchased a laptop riser, document holder, external keyboard and mouse and use them.
2. Placed my computer screen directly in front of my keyboard instead of to the side
3. Brought my computer screen closer to me at eye level instead of low or across the desk to decrease forward leaning (and started wearing my glasses).
4. Adjusted my chair height so I can type comfortably.
5. Performed the above stretches every day.

By improving posture awareness, performing simple exercises and making small changes to your workspace, you will be able to work comfortably from home without looking and feeling like you have a desk job. Good luck!

-Chandra

1. How did Kitchen M get it’s start?
I went to college in small-town Kansas where ethnic food mostly meant Chinese buffet and Tex-mex. One summer, I got accepted to an internship at UC Berkeley. It was my first time visiting the Bay Area and I was just amazed by beautiful foods and culinary art. I was eating out all the time in the three months, yet I felt like I had not explored all the great restaurants. I was so fascinated that I started taking pictures of food that I was eating. By the time the internship was over, I had 3-4 CDs, about 80% filled with food photos. So after I returned to Kansas, I started a food blog to share my dinner experience with family and friends.

2. Tell us a bit about Kitchen M and what you do.
I actually had no intention of making Kitchen M into what is it now, either a hodge-podge of my culinary adventures or a gallery of healthy takes on traditional recipes. I was simply enjoying taking pictures of food and blogging about it. But a couple years later, I encountered another internship opportunity which was a three-day food styling and photography workshop. It was one of the best and fun experiences I’ve ever had besides working at Walt Disney World. It really changed my view of food photography. My first published work was through a friend of mine from college. She was working on a cookbook with her mother and I was recruited. Now I’m working as a freelance photographer, and getting paid to do what I love is just astounding to me.

3. What advice would have for an individual wanting to start getting their work out into the community?
Just do what you love persistently and forget about profiting from it, if you even care about that. In any case, it will follow naturally.

4. What advice would have for an individual wanting to start their own company or collection of work?
Get out there and prove that you can do the work by just doing it – taking pictures! Creating a portfolio from that is a good start.

5. What things have you personally done to get your work out there, and build a name for Kitchen M in the online community as well as San Fransisco?
Use social network sites wisely. You don’t want to exploit your business or spam people’s website (it’s annoying), but do participate judiciously. Also it’s important that you value other people’s work. There are many talents out there that continue to inspire me today. Specifically in San Francisco, I try to promote local restaurants and events such as SF Chefs. Food. Wine.

6. What has been one of Kitchen M’s proudest achievements?
It’s not trivial when someone leaves me a genuine comment on my blog. It always gives me big sense of achievement that someone appreciates what I do.

7. Do you have a favorite recipe from you blog that we must absolutely try?
Kitchen M’s Tofu Cheesecake.

8. Where do you hope to see Kitchen M in the next five years? Do you have any specific goals?
I don’t have specific goals other than to improve the quality of my work and hope not to compromise my blog from what it is – a gallery of food and art.

DIY PR For Your Small Business
By: Julianne Smith | www.juliannesmith.com

When you run a small business, it seems that everything is a do-it-yourself effort. You are the accountant, the salesperson, the shipping department, the marketing executive, and oh yeah, you are the one actually doing your craft! I get it. I’m in this boat right now with my stylish wedding garter company. I’m trying to keep costs low and test the waters with different strategies to build my business.

Organize Yourself
Every small business should have a few short sentences, buzz phrases and answers to questions about their company. You should have a sample “pitch” drafted up. So, when the time comes to make your move, you are all set. You should be using your phrases in everything that you do, including Facebook, your website and when you talk to clients. If you have products, gather the 10 best pictures of your work and get them ready to be E-mailed. This way, when an editor asks you for examples if you work, you can quickly respond.

Sarah: How did Orange Blossom Ink get it’s start?
Lisa: I was the maid of honor in my best friend’s wedding and she asked me to design her invitations. Sarah worked down the hall from me and in passing, we’d had conversations while she worked on wedding invitations for a friend. I asked her about local printers to use and next thing you know, we’d spent an hour discussing weddings and thought, why not start a business? We had day jobs as graphic designers and as women in our mid-twenties, we had plenty of friends getting married. A few Facebook messages later, we had our first client!

Lisa: How did you decide on a business identity?
Sarah: I think the hardest part of starting a business is coming up with the name! How should we define ourselves? What were our values, our goals? A few days after discussing our small business ideas, we met for coffee and brainstorming. We started listing words we liked, along with what could tie us back to designers’ roots in the printing business. It took a few weeks. Nothing sounded quite right until one day over a Panera lunch, talk of the Florida state flower came up. Orange Blossom Ink was born. Next to the name, designing the logo was a breeze! We wanted our brand to be fresh, clean and modern, but still come back to natural goodness.

Sarah: What are the benefits of working with a partner?
Lisa: Other than having a friend and confidante, it’s a morale booster, a motivator. When one of us needs a little push, whether it’s designing, blogging, etc, the other one is there to lend a hand – physically and emotionally. We work well as a team

Lisa: Do you find difficulties running a business as a partnership?
Sarah: We’re more than business partners – we’ve become best friends and learned a lot about running a business together. I guess one of the things that makes a partnership different than a solo business is when we’re returning emails/phone calls, we always like to talk it over with each other first. The communication isn’t as quick as it would be if you only had to answer to yourself.

Sarah: Do you work on all jobs together, or do you divide them up? How do you agree on designs?
Lisa: We usually provide three concepts to each client, and do our best to each design at least one. When we’re busy with a few weddings at a time however, we’ll divide up the project management part (emailing and calling clients, getting quotes from printers, etc), so that all of our clients are receiving maximum service. Even if we’re working on a project solo, we’ll still show each other concepts to get feedback and critique. Often times when one of us has reached a creative roadblock on a layout, the other one can look with fresh eyes and give a new perspective.

Lisa: What are your next steps as a company?
Sarah: Definitely to keep growing and learning in both design and business practices. There are so many talented, business-savvy people in this industry and we’re so appreciative of everyone who’s taken the time to help us along the way. We have big dreams and while we’re taking it one step at a time, it’s definitely a defining moment to be able to step back and say “We’re really doing this. We’re running a business and we love what we do!”

The holidays are here and before you know it you’ll be receiving invitations for holiday functions and the neighbors will be bringing over cookies and cocoa.  But as a wedding professional there will also be holiday situations that arise in the work place.  What’s the proper etiquette on getting a gift for the boss?  Can I skip the office Christmas party?  Here are some points of etiquette to be aware of when it comes to gifting in the workplace and the office holiday party.

Gifting in the Workplace
If you want to give gifts to a supervisor or colleagues here are some things to remember.

1. Check your company policy.  Some companies have strict rules for giving and/or receiving gifts.  Before you spend any time agonizing over the perfect selection, be sure that giving any gift isn’t going to get you in some kind of trouble.
2. The type of gift you give should depend on the occasion, your relationship and your position in the company.  A professional gift is appropriate for someone you don’t know very well and it could be something the person could use in the office like a calendar or reference book.  A personal gift speaks more to the person’s interests and is appropriate if you know the recipient fairly well.  Think stationery, a cool photography book or subscription to Martha Stewart Weddings.
3. Always avoid gifts that are too expensive or personal.  A gift with a romantic overtone such as jewelry, perfume or flowers is never appropriate.
4. Generally speaking giving your boss a gift is inappropriate unless you have worked together for several years and have a good rapport.  A handwritten card or group gift from the staff are good alternatives.
5. Give in the right spirit.  Never give a gift expecting anything in return be it another gift or special favors.  This isn’t to say you can’t use this as an opportunity to thank you to your go-to guy or girl for all their help this year, just be sure you don’t have any ulterior motives.

The Office Holiday Party
It is in your best professional interest to absolutely attend your company’s Christmas or holiday party.  If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you from doing so be sure and send your regrets promptly.  If appropriate you can also follow up the event with a hand-written note to the specific host or hostess letting them know how much you regretted having the miss the gathering.  If you do attend, be sure not to bring any uninvited guests.  If you are allowed a plus one, it will be indicated on the invitation.  Don’t make any assumptions regarding extra guests.

Other things to note:

• Eat and drink in moderation.  Being gluttonous or inebriated is not appropriate.
• Dress appropriately.  Tight, revealing or sloppy clothing should not be the attire of the night.
• Encourage conversation about life outside of work but be aware that you are at an office function and what you say will be remembered by your colleagues

I hope this advice is helpful to you during this holiday season.  If you have any specific etiquette questions, I’d love to try and answer them for you.  Don’t hesitate to send your questions to ab@ashleybrookedesigns.com.  Happy Holidays!

-Ashley