giveaway: colette paperie

Hope your Monday is off to a great start! If not--then I have a feeling that meeting today's maker may help turn things around...
Fine paper + stationery fanatic Keli Catalano has dabbled in a bit of everything. Her creativity blossomed at an early age in her mother's flower shop, she then studied fashion in college, later started selling soap and now successfully runs Colette Paperie, a design boutique and paper art studio based in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Her designs are all thoughtful, unique statements. She stocks everything from gourmet soaps, screen printed dish cloths, to lovely custom stationery for every occasion. Do stop by and admire all the pretty Christmas cards, tags, and stocking stuffers!

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Today Keli is kindly giving away the perfect Christmas gift (everyone needs one. every year.) one of her brilliant 2011 calendars! {Happy Early New Year!}

Today there are 4 ways to enter & win:

1. Visit Colette Paperie and leave a comment telling which calendar is your fav.

2. Give Colette Paperie your thumbs up on facebook (then leave a comment to let me know you did!)

3. Spread the word by sharing a link to this giveaway on your own blog, twitter, or facebook. Leave a separate comment if you did.

4. Leave an additional comment sharing something special on your 2011 calendar...

Do all 4 to quadruple your odds of winning! The lucky commenter will be randomly selected and announced on Friday 11/19.

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Q|A with Keli:

1. Name your biggest source of inspiration.
I am a paper lover at heart, so it is so easy to be inspired by so many things. I love all things paper and textiles. I constantly look at Etsy and about a million little boutiques as well as bigger stores like Anthropologie. I'm also inspired by nature and make a lot of botanical designs. I want everything in my shop to have a point of view; a reason to buy it. You can get pretty cards anywhere and for really dirt cheap. I want to make a lasting impression with very special and unique items.

2. What do you love most about Colette Paperie?
I love the cutting, the folding, the wrapping, the tying up and the packaging of everything. I actually like the production of my items more than the actual designing. I also love that it is small enough that I can give all of my clients 100% of my attention and get them exactly what they are looking for. It's really fun building friendships online through a custom project.

3. What is one tool you could not live without?
My bone folder, of course. :) You can't get the plastic ones, they never fold well. It has to be real bone, which is pretty creepy - I know.

4. Any advice for other crafters and small business owners?
Oh, advice. I don't know if I would have listened to any advice. I have to learn all my mistakes the hard way! But you do learn, and you are a better businessperson as a result of it. Something I wished someone had told me (and they probably did and I didn't listen) is that you should really be prepared to spend a lot of money marketing your product. You can create wonderful products all day long, but you have to get people to look at them!

5. Where can we find more of your work?
All of my work is through my website www.colettepaperie.com.
Right now I sell primarily on Etsy, but we're working on a custom storefront through the website. We have a growing Etsy business and will never give up our little shop on there.

***Edit: Now through Friday 11/19, enjoy 20% off your etsy purchase if you mention Living the Swell Life in the notes to seller section***