1,000 Sales Ago…

1,000 sales ago, I was an extremely nervous and busy little paper crafter. I had just figured out my gocco screen printer and came up with enough designs to put a shop together on Etsy. I remember the exact moment - walking down State Street in Madison - when I decided, “I have to come up with one good design a week and I have to build up a small inventory of each.” I actually stuck to it, although - I think I only had ten designs when I opened my shop!

This was the very first of all of the PaperMichelle designs, so she has a very special place in my heart.

I am so happy that PaperMichelle has lasted this long - that people understand my humor - that stores try to SELL my humor (say what??) The most exciting part of it is that it gets better every year. I look forward to what the next thousand (ten thousand, twenty thousand…) has in store. Thank you all for the incredible support in my little endeavor. It is more fun than I can possibly express in a few words, so I will just continue to bless you with lousy puns.

NEW PM Designs and Art vs. Craft

I have been working hard getting ready for Art vs. Craft - a super cool show here in Milwaukee - which is next Saturday, November 26th. If you are in town, please come see me there! In the process of bulking up my inventory, I’ve added some new designs. Here are a few that I’ve added to the shop:

Gertie Makes Her PaperMichelle Debut

My girl, Gertie, is the inspiration for my latest design. She does this gross (adorable. awesome. hilarious.) thing where she steals dirty socks from the laundry just to have. She is super protective of these socks. She places them in meticulous piles, carries them around in her mouth and sleeps on top of them. I think she does it because she loves me so much. I’m sure it has nothing to do with dirty socks being salty and stinky. Nothing at all. Just pure love. I love you back, little homie.

The Big 3-0 is Coming

It’s true. In a few short days, I will be thirty. THIRTY. I’m pretty much fine with it, since I feel like I’m about twelve. I just hate that OTHER people think thirty is old and that I should be settled by now. (They obviously haven’t heard - thirty is the new fifteen.) No matter what I think about the whole thing - it is a benchmark. Benchmarks are supposed to be celebrated with pretty clothes, right? I found these three stunners from Planetclairevintage - and any one of them will fit the birthday outfit requirement perfectly. Hint.

Home Sweet Home

New in shop! I worked on this little collage this morning - my first day of summer vacation!

Blog Love - Paper*Cakes Finds

Thanks to Paper*Cakes Finds for including You Complete Me in today’s curation! Visit the blog for more paper lovelies.

Neusteters Dress from NodtoModvintage

The other night, I stumbled across this amazing 1950s Neusteters dress in NodtoModvintage’s Etsy shop. I hemmed and hawed, but ultimately - I could not bear the thought of someone else snatching this dress up! It now belongs to me and it is as fabulous in person as it is in pictures. I can’t wait to wear it to a summer wedding.

SNO-MG!

Mother Nature really laid into us here in Wisconsin last night. This was a blizzard of epic proportions - complete with 24 inches of snow. What better way to deal with hibernation than to make a treasury?

Weekend Vintage: Smells Like Teen Spirit

The 90s were a really amazing time - everything was acceptable; people felt free, fashion was strange and music was phenomenal. It feels like it wasn’t that long ago, but watching an episode of Seinfeld always reminds me just how long ago it was. I will say that I am happy some famously 90s things have not made a return (body suits and round sunglasses, I am looking in your direction,) but the last few years have definitely shown a revival of many 90s fashion favorites. Walking the streets of Brooklyn, you can’t help but notice an homage to the decade of Easy-E and Jane’s Addiction.

Treasury: Don Draper Approved

You know how I love the 50s/60s era, so I must also love MadMen by default. Check out today’s treasury in honor of my favorite, favorite Don Draper and crew.

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