Happy Monday everybody! I just wanted to write a quick post to thank Hanna Day-Woodruff for the great write-up she did for us on the Star City Blog. She did a great job giving recent info on all of the changes going on here at the papermill. She even put just a touch of sass in her post- which is exactly how we like it!

Read the article here!

Thanks again, Hanna!

Also: We just got a shipment of some great imported papers for all of you paper junkies! stop in and check em out! See you soon!

Do you ever have days that you spend the entire day trying desperately to focus and be productive but for whatever reason you just can’t?? Today was one of those days here at the papermill. Here I am, writing this at about 4:30 and I don’t feel like I’ve actually done anything since lunch. I have, of course, but what? I want to say it all started at lunch time. when I made the horrible mistake of going outside. Knowing how beautiful the weather is when you have to be indoors is a torture that a person should really avoid subjecting themselves to if at all possible. I was unable to avoid it somehow today. I was eating my soup at my desk and poking around Facebook reading comments and the like, and before I know it Christopher and I spiraling out of control on a fan-related creative tangent.With the lack of motivation that was already apparent in the mill today, this was a bad thing for anything productive that was supposed to happen for the rest of the day.

Today Porridge Papers reached a milestone in our internet-based history. We can now proudly say we have 100+ fans on our Facebook page. One of said fans had commented that she should get some free paper for referring a friend. Immediately a lightbulb lit up and Christopher and I had started planning for the free prize to be mailed to the first 100 fans of our Facebook page. All we had to do was post news of our fantastic idea and within 20 minutes we were already over 100 fans! Now all we have to do is wait for our fantastic fans to get their addresses, throw some ink on the press, and send ‘em out! (okay it’s a little more complicated than that, but not by much)

So in celebration (or mourning) of a productive afternoon lost- but well spent- here is a completely random photo!

And thanks again to all of our fantastic fans! Hopefully you’ll like the gift!

If for some silly reason you’re not already a fan of Porridge Papers on Facebook, what are you waiting for?!?! We just adore giveaways! This may be the first Facebook-related giveaway but it certainly isn’t the last!!!

Hello Hello! It’s been a minute! I am happy to say that I am recovering nicely from the cold that wiped me out earlier this week. One thing that a cold is good for (if anything) is giving you time to lay around and let your mind wonder. After doing a lot of poking around the internet and quite a bit of daydreaming, even a little baking, I’m back on my feet and ready to put some good ideas into action.

just a few snapshots of recent goings on around the shop.

We’ve been doing a LOT of brainstorming around here lately. LOTS and LOTS of great things are in the works. We’re working on expanding our retail and wholesale lines to include more finished and customizable products, we’re playing with expanding our line of stock plantable papers to include some funky and vibrant colors, and we’re getting some great letterpress projects under way to fill our schwag bag for our Sweet 16 party in October. In hopes of building a stronger local network and really pushing the envelope for some fun projects, we’re working closely with some great local artists, companies,  and designers. The schwag bag is the main focus right now but we’re hoping that the ideas will keep flowing and we’ll get to keep making fantastic pieces for sale in the store and beyond!

Speaking of great ideas, we have sold our paper to great minds and talented bodies all over the world and we have seen a few shining examples of fantastic work done with our papers. We’re quite proud of our customers’ work and we’d like to show it off. If you, or someone you know, has done something you’re proud of with Porridge Papers, let us know! Send us photos, samples, information about the design, and the ideas behind the project and let us do a little bragging for you. Over the next few weeks we’d like to start featuring these projects and goodies on a section of our blog.

We’d also like your suggestions and ideas for different unique stationery companies that you might like to see carried in our store. We’re always on the look out for fun and quirky paper goodies to fill our shelves with. Let us know if you have any bright ideas!

i couldn’t help but post this! paper can be used for so many things and here is an example that i would have never have thought of. everybody with an iphone or for that matter a phone that would fit should make one of these out of handmade paper.

Julien Madérou has designed a paper iPhone dock that you can download and make yourself!

http://www.dessinemoiunobjet.com via design-milk.com

New bags!

Finally we have some awesome shopping bags to contain the goodies that are sold in the retail space. Letterpressed bags, even! Few companies will go so far to show off their skills… but we here at Porridge Papers like to try and letterpress EVERYTHING! Some would argue that having a two-color letterpressed shopping bag is a smidge ridiculous. oh, no. Not for us, folks.

Today just seems to be full of the ridiculous and absurd. Those of you taking a stroll down South Street this afternoon will notice a certain aroma in the air… Sweet memories of Mr. Bubble bubblebath slowly return… or maybe you suddenly get a craving for some Double Bubble… “What on earth…?” you ask yourself.

You can’t tell from the photo but that pulp is REALLY smelly.

Just ask Kim.

We’re busy making the bubblegum scented glitter paper for our Sweet 16 party this afternoon. One might think that scented paper is the most awesome idea ever… and it is- as long as you’re not the one making it. Kim, however, isn’t so thrilled with it at the moment. She’s going to smell like bubblegum for weeks! Rest assured, though, when those calls and e-mails start pouring in with giddy comments on how great these invites are- it’ll all be worth it.

In other news:

Saturday free-form workshops start this week! Our first project: Button Making! Come in this weekend and visit Kim form 10-3 and she’ll share her button making expertise with you! Buy a baggie of button parts (15 buttons for $10 or 5 for $5) and go nuts with our paper scraps!

See you then!

Smell ya later! (sorry, I HAD to)

Its been a ton of fun rearranging and redecorating everything in our retail space. The outside of the building is getting tons of attention (and it should! it looks FABULOUS).  It feels good to be focusing this much on our little shop and our local customers. We have a handful of people that come in that really just love the place. To me, the most fulfilling part of my job- or any job for that matter – is knowing that people really appreciate what you’re doing. Not only do we get a ton of paper geeks that walk through the door, but folks that have never seen a letterpress, or if they have they have fond memories about them, kids will stare at them in awe while they’re running. Some people come in and just comment on how nice it is to have a store like ours in the neighborhood. Others exclaim that it’s about time they can find the papers and cards that fit their tastes. To say the least, its very satisfying on many levels to talk to the people that come in. I love being able to share what I do with people. I love watching their faces light up as they run their hands over our business cards, or seeing their expressions when I tell them about the papermaking process. I’m very excited by the idea of getting to share the things I love about this place with more and more people.

Christopher and I have been tossing around ideas for different free-form workshops and other little community get-togethers that we would like to coordinate. At least once a month we’ll be sharing some of our paper toys and our skills with our customers so they can come in and make something unique and awesome! Starting next Saturday- BUTTON DAY! Stop in from 10-3 next Saturday and buy a baggie of button parts. you can buy 15 buttons for $10 or 5 for $5. We’ll have our button maker out and ready to use with some of our awesome scraps of imported papers and old photos, magazines, comic books, and other paper paraphernalia. Bring in some of your own button-able paper goodies and mix and match with ours!

If you would like a friendly reminder about our upcoming workshops, check out the  Local Page to sign up for our e-mail newsletter. We’ll also be sending out updates regarding any upcoming sales, specials, news or events. Also, if there’s a paper-related project that you’d like to toy around with, give us a shout and we’ll see if we can’t make a workshop out of it!

We’ve had a few people ask if we’ll be open on Monday for Labor day. No, sorry, but we will be closed. One of our favorite things at Porridge Papers, is a good three-day weekend. We like to savor them as best we can. Stop by on Tuesday and we’ll be here, rested, relaxed, and rejuvenated!

In non-paper related news- Christopher had surgery on his knee Thursday. The surgery went quickly without a hitch. He’s resting up this weekend and should be hobbling around the office next week. Check back soon for updates! Have a great Labor day weekend!

Or all awesome local businesses, rather. Porridge Papers is looking to collaborate with other rockin’ local businesses to fill our Sweet 16 party and it’s respective Schwag Bag with locally made goodies! If you know of any local businesses that might be excited and interested by such a project, send ‘em our way- and FAST! We’re hoping to have these projects in the works by October 1st!

ALSO:

It’s finally done! (well it’s 98.75% finished, anyway)

Hooray!

Now we just need to finish the projects that we’ve got in the works on the INSIDE of the building. Big things are happening, folks… BIG things.

that’s right Nebraskans (and those willing to travel)! the Porridge Papers local page on the site is up! be sure to sign up for the e-mail newsletter and stop by to check out new goodies, workshops, and other such nonsensical fun.

check it out here

and keep your eye out for more pictures of the new paint and other info on the projects that are in the works!

happy tuesday!

They’re finsished! The new sign looks fantastic!! see!?

stencil is up!

looks great!

now we just have to get the rest of the building to match!

We’ve started painting the outside of the bulding! Porridge Papers is becoming a brighter, more fantastic shade of green- one brick at a time. Today Christopher and Blayne are up painting the logo and signage on the top of the building.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures!