Missing Nora

 Like many of you, I have enjoyed countless of Nora Ephron's movies so I was sad to hear about her passing earlier in the week. My favorite movie was "You've Got Mail". I have quoted that movie over and over and watch it hundreds of times. ( "F-O-X!" " I sell cheap books, so sue me" "152 insights into my soul!")

Coming in a close 2nd is Sleepless in Seatle. We did this adorable Sleepless in Seatle Baby Shower invitation a few years back. My husband wrote the text and its a great one to keep on file!

What' was your favorite Nora Ephron Movie?

Sleepless in Seatle Baby Shower Invitaiton M.F.E.O: Made For Each Other

I cant look at this image in our portfolio without thinking of the following from You've Got Mail

Kathleen Kelly: I love daisies.
Joe Fox: You told me.
Kathleen Kelly: They're so friendly. Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?

Kathleen Kelly: Don't you just love New York in the fall?

---

Joe Fox: Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms.

Who could forget these last lines? Jeeze I am tearing up!!!

 

Joe Fox: Don't cry, Shopgirl. Don't cry.
Kathleen Kelly: I wanted it to be you. I wanted it to be you so badly.

 

My Lucky Day

Yesterday I had the unexpected opportunity to  hear author Gary Vaynerchuk speak and get a signed copy of his new book, The Thank You Economy. Yippee! Gary shared some great business tips for those of us running our own business. I loved his recommendation to invest marketing money in our existing clients and to create a "Thank You" organization separte from a "Customer Service" organization. After all, one is proactive and one is reactive right? I hear great things about Gary's first book Crush It. I think th gist is quit your day job and follow your dream...  

Image Inspiration

Happy Monday! I hope everyone's summer has gotten off to a great start. I love this photo I saw of the lighthouse in Fenwick, CT. Its the inspiration for our Hampton Paper lighthouse below.

Turning a House into a Home: New Additions

We welcome with love our new additions. Relief was my reaction when these re-upholstered pieces arrived last Friday. It so stressful wondering how they will turn out and if I would like them and if you are like me, calculating how much it will cost to have them redone if I didn't like them!!!

I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I saw these coming thru the front door. OMG - totally love. Now I can focus all my attention on stressing about the bedding I ordered for Thomas room.

Wait till you see!

The fabric I used on this chair is Highland Court Jacques Celery.

 Playing "Dress Up" with my furniture and fabric. The Scalamandre Striped Taffeta (90010M-006)fabric on the right is going on a chair in the same room. Its just went into production again. Yippee! I am considering the Kravet , Marais Plaid - Peridot (24916)on the left for pillows for the sofa which wont be ready till August.

Holy Cow! (can you tell what book I just read from that expression?)What a difference this fabric makes on the chairs and the room. Do you remember before it was a dark pink from my old house. This fabric is so fresh and young. Even my husband liked it!
Fabric is Scalamandre Louis Check Green (36333-005)on Creme from The Essentials Collection.

Both Rugs are from Coe & Sons in Bethesda, MD.

A Little Bit of Magic

Do you believe in magic? We at Hampton Paper do! We have gotten a number of request for an image for a party with a Magic theme so we made one! Yep, this image is 2 images we combine to make one with a Magic theme.  We just sent these cards out last week for an upcoming birthday party and I wanted to share it with you as I love the message. So clever! "Thanks for the magic of making presents appear and cake disappear with me for my birthday"

Feeling Nostalgic

I was driving home from the gym on Tuesday evening, on a beautiful June night, one with no humidity which is rare for Washington, DC this time of year and Meatloaf's, Bat out of Hell came on the radio. I was instantly reeled back to 1978. I rolled the windows down, opened the sun roof, cranked up the volume way to high for a woman of my age and sang my little heart out.

The summer of '78 was when my dad introduced my sister and me to this album. We listened to it non stop all summer. It was the tune he turned on the record player (yes, record player, technology wise we weren't even up to the ones that you could stack records at that point!) at 6:15am sharp on Saturday mornings to wake us up to get ready to go to Jones Beach.  By 6:45 we were down in the garage of his Apt on 69th Street in NYC  - piling in his silver BMW - around the block to the deli to get our sandwiches and on the road to Jones Beach by 7:00 am. ( I know total torture) My dad loved the beach and he would only go to Jones Beach # 2 or #6 so we paid the price by hitting the road early. We listened to the album in the car on the Maxwell tape he recorded himself (my dad never bought the pre-made tapes as the quality wasn't up to his standards!) cranked up the volume, all windows rolled down - not a care in the world.

That summer was also the one that I took my first trip to Fire Island. Now before you make a face, back in 1978 Fire Island was a total hot spot and everyone wanted to spend the summer there. Lucky for us, good friends had rented a house for the summer so we were in! One quick ferry ride and I instantly knew what all the fuss was about. My dad introduced Meatloaf to his friends Stuart and Ellen and I remember  standing in the kitchen singing Paradise By the Dashboard Light.

So, on Tues for just a moment I was back in the summer of '78.

 What's the summer song that brings you back to a great summer day of years gone past?

A Note From Mom

I must admit before I had kids I totally didnt appreciate a notepad like this. But now that I am the mother of 2 I see how many notes I write every day and what a time saver it is to have a note pad like the custom one we created for a client below. A few people have seen it and requested one too so we are adding it to the portfolio. Avail on Etsy here. If you like this idea, you are going to love the other two new products we will be launching.

2  40 sheet bound notepads that measure 5 1/2 by  8 1/2 for $48.00