Just Arrived: New Styles of Ann Millie Bags!

We are excited to announce that we just got a new shipment of Ann Millie bags in! There are many cute patterns to choose from, and different sizes too. Come check them out (They make a great Christmas gift)!

Cute Craft Project Alert!

Ekcetera has been in the process of redesigning our business cards lately. There are lots of old business cards lying around that we have been wondering what to do with. Kelly came across this adorable idea that will put all those old cards to good use!

http://kirstyneale.typepad.com/files/business-card-mini-book-instructions.pdf

Christmas is here at Ekcetera!

Ekcetera is your Christmas headquarters!

We've got photo cards, Holiday greeting cards, and of course unique gifts and stocking stuffers. Not to mention some cute decorations for your tree.

And don't forget about our do-it-yourself photo studio! Take your family holiday photo here and choose from our one-of-a-kind photo greeting cards!

Check out our website to see our holiday selection or stop into the store!

Mom-Preneur Shop-a-thon!

Help support Women & Moms by buying gifts from the Tip Junkie Mom-Preneur Shop-a-thon! Please support these women with your orders, visits, and by blogging about your favorite products. With so many struggling with the economy, we have the combined power and influence to make a difference in these women's lives and give their families a wonderful holiday, all while enjoying their fabulous products in our own homes and those of our loved ones. If you look hard, you might even find an Ekcetera coupon code! Start shopping today!

Be Inspired!

There are far too many good sites and blogs out there for Ekcetera to not mention them. You'll notice a new section of this Ekcetera blog called Be Inspired. It's a list of some of the prettiest [drool!!!], useful, and most inspiring websites we run across that are too noteworthy to pass up.

Check back often, our list will grow. And don't forget to wipe your drool off your desk when you're finished looking.

We do!

Ekcetera had a booth at the Twin City Bridal Association Wedding Fair last Sunday, October 12. This was our first big event (aside from smaller wedding fairs in past years) to get our name out in the wedding world. The show was a resounding success! We handed out too many pieces of information to count.

The brides loved our invitations and accessories to match. Since the show, the phone's been ringing with appointments! We are certainly ready to say "I do" to invitations.

Stories By Everyone

STORIES BY EVERYONE NOW AVAILABLE!!

ACCESS CODE: 43NS5R4K7B

Stories by Everyone is a new online photo book program by Scrapbooks Etc. Each quarter Stories by Everyone will produce an exclusive book that is only available through Ekcetera. This is in addition to the 8 different various sized themed photo books that are currently available. We love the pre-designed templates, but you also have the option to create your own design as well and upload an entire page as a jpg.

Stories by Everyone has a large variety of sizes, which we think is better than most other online photo book companies. They also have a "swatchbook" which is a set of pages bound together by a single post. It's something unique and fun!

For those of you who like to see before buying, stop in and see the book that is available now. You can also pickup a card with our Access Code on it to receive access to the quarterly book as well as FREE SHIPPING to the store with any book purchase. Just enter the code: 43NS5R4K7B when you checkout to receive the offer.

This Quarter's Book: We Are Family

What's in a name? Define what family means to you in the We Are Family photo book - a scrapbook Retailer Exclusive offering. When you order this limited time title and have it shipped back to Ekcetera for pickup, Scrapbooks, etc. will pay for shipping. So order now!

Get Them While They're Hot!

What do a roaring fire, fresh cleaned linen, and a McIntosh apple all have in common?

They are 3 of the many WoodWick scents now available at Ekcetera!

All told we have 14 different scents to choose from!  Scents like Zinfandel, Mojito, McIntosh, Tradewinds, and Amber Woods.  {to name a few} We also have WoodWick accessories to keep your candles and diffusers smelling great until the end.

WoodWick candles feature a natural wick made from organic wood creating the sound of a crackling fire and each highly scented WoodWick candle last up to 180 hours.

Ekcetera also has new WoodWick diffusers which are a flameless alternative to candles. Scents include Fireside, Linen, Cotton Flower, Cinnamon Chai, Applewood, and Vanilla Bean and give off a wonderful fragrance for 3 months.

The hardest part will be choosing your favorite! 

Don't Let Frames Have all the Fun!

Why not display your photos on bags, charms, pillows, or canvas? At Ekcetera, we've searched high and low to provide you with the most extensive and unique options for your photos.

It's as easy as 1-2-3! Simply pick your favorites, choose your options, and upload your photos online.

Have old photos, or can't find the digital copy? You can scan in your photos at home or use ours in the store.

Have questions? A little stumped? Email or give us a call at 651.552.6077, we're here to help!

Please allow 3 weeks for processing and delivery and check them all out on our website!

Easy Being Green

We are proud to introduce our new line of eco-friendly paper, now available at Ekcetera!
Green Paper Company is based out of Chicago and is made from the very same paper millions of people throw away every day. All of their papers contain at least 30% post-consumer waste and many colors contain 100%, offering vibrant colors, and an assortment of textures, including metallics.

This is very exciting for us because it now means that Ekcetera is the only retailer in Minnesota selling the Green Paper Company line, not to mention that we also have the largest selection of paper in the Twin Cities!

For more info, check out their website, or stop in the store to see the colors and textures up close.

Our paper selection is growing!

New at Ekcetera, we have a larger selection of paper to create your invites or announcements! In addition to our wide variety of solid colored paper, we now offer patterned paper. The paper comes in different metallic colors and styles such as paisley, swirling dots, and more. Stop in to check out the new line!

Attention Little Miss Matched Fans...

New Miss Matched Styles are now available at Ekcetera!

Shown above are mens Mixter 28, 29, 30, womens Marvelous

142, 143, 144, and kids Marvelous 172, 173, 174.

Get yours now by stopping into the store or ordering online.

Are you on facebook?

Come find Ekcetera! We have a new page on Facebook. Add us to your list.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ekcetera/46726810008

Looking for Inspiration?

Introducing...
Ekcetera ideas found throughout the store to help inspire your creativity.
Above are just 2 of the many ideas we've found.
So next time you're in, take a look around to get your creative wheels going!

Found: Custom baby gifts...

Pictures taken by Eve Gauthier

...available at Ekcetera!

These personalized baby onesies are truly one-of-a-kind. Custom from start to finish, names, pictures, expressions, etc. are hand embroidered onto durable, American-made, quality 100% cotton. The colors will not bleed and the thread will not tear out, and they can easily be thrown in the washer and dryer. (Mommies love that!)

So how do you get a hold of them? There are 3 easy ways:

:: stop in the store
:: call the store 651.552.6077
:: or email the store info@ekcetera.com

We'll ask you some questions about what you're looking for and in 2 business days, you'll be emailed some drawings to choose from for final approval. In 1-2 weeks, your very own, personalized, handmade baby onesie will be ready for the one-of-a-kind baby in your life.

Colors to choose from are white, green, light blue, yellow, pink (as shown), and lavender. Sizes vary by color. (Please allow more time for colors/sizes that aren't in stock)

These custom onesies will last long after baby has grown.

New Arrivals for Your New Arrival

Ekcetera is proud to announce that Baby Announcements are now available! Choose from a variety of designs on the website and upload your information quickly and easily. You can find these designs at http://shop.ekcetera.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=89_91.

Enjoy!

Motherhood from a new mom

Everyone talks about motherhood as something that you can't completely understand until you become a mother. I crossed from this unknown world to an instant awakening the moment my daughter was born the day before Mother's Day on May 10, 2008. Nothing in life can prepare you for going from the worst pain you've ever felt in your life to forgetting all about the pain moments later because your only thought is how much love you have pouring out for this tiny person you never thought you could love so much. It almost hurts, you love her so much.

My daughter Adelyn inspires me to be creative. I look at her tiny nose, tiny fingers, tiny toes, and hear her tiny coos and I'm filled with creativity. She gives me a reason for doing what I'm good at. She puts the world in perspective.

What gives you inspiration? What makes your world go round? I've discovered motherhood. Those that want to get it but don't...you will. It will be an epiphany. I had one when I had my daughter.

'Tis the Season for Weddings!

Summers in Minnesota means that it's wedding season. Let Ekcetera help you create your save the dates, wedding invitations, or wedding programs! We have been working on quite a few recently, and we are here to help you create your dream invitations. Here's to the happy couple!

Coming Soon to Ekcetera!

Imprintables and Baby Announcements

If you have a birthday party or bridal shower coming up, be sure to check out Ekcetera soon! We are designing a line of imprintables - cards where you hand write in the details. You will soon be able to choose from a variety of designs to best-fit the theme of your event. 

We are also designing a line of Baby Announcements! You will be able to choose from designed templates and we can customize the announcement to showcase your new baby. Cheers!

Is it Time to use the Do-it-Yourself Photo Studio?

Do your most recent family photos look something like this?

If so, Ekcetera can help!

Now is a great time to check out our DIY studio, when the lazy days of summer are approaching and the kids are home from school.

:: Do Grandma and Grandpa have a birthday coming up? Use the studio and our professional lighting and backdrops to show them how much the kids have grown. Pets welcome! So bring in the family dog/cat/turtle...

:: Parents of Seniors: Use our studio to take your child's grad photos. It's much cheaper and way more fun than most other places. Use Photoshop on our computers to doctor them up and add effects. Wanna print them? Use our state-of-the-art printers. Need help? Our staff is happy to help you along to make your Senior photos fabulous.

:: Expecting or already arrived? Announce to the world that your bundle of joy is here by using our DIY studio. Use those photos and place them in our *new* baby announcement cards. Our amazing graphic designers have been working for months on these cute announcements. Shoot, print, send - it's that easy (not to mention, fun.)

Here's what you need to know:

:: $24.99 for 1 hour in the photo studio
-we require a minimun of 30 min. of use-

:: $14.99 for the use of our SLR camera
-this includes a free disc with all your photos-

:: You're welcome to bring in your own camera, however, we do recommend that it's an SLR

:: and call to reserve a time/date 651.552.6077

We hope to see you soon!

Eve
Assistant Manager

Dear Friends of Ekcetera,

Could Winter finally be gone? Spring brings new life in nature and in the Garrett family as well! My husband, Dan, and I are so blessed to be expecting our first child on May 21. My pregnancy thus far has been going well. Over the last several months we have prepared for the coming of our daughter and we couldn't be more excited for her arrival in a few short weeks.

What does this mean for Ekcetera? Only a few (hopefully) minor inconveniences. I am not taking a formal maternity leave, but rather, will recover at home for a short while and be available on a limited basis. I am confident that my staff will do a fantastic job in helping you, our cherished customers, with your needs. We sincerely appreciate your patience while I recover physically and get acquainted with our new little one.

I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know about some exciting things happening at Ekcetera. As you may have noticed, we have not been sending out a workshop calendar in the last few months. I have been the primary instructor for classes and have been using the time to rest. We have some fantastic ideas for new workshops and classes. We hope to try some of our ideas in the Fall. In the meantime, feel free to schedule a one-on-one session with myself or one of our staff to learn more about your topic of interest.

The Design Studio ~ Coming Soon!
Many of you may not be aware of our commercial graphic and web design services. For the past two years, we offered these services from our design office in St. Paul. Now, our design studio is moving to Inver Grove Heights! Watch for the studio to open inside the Inver Grove Heights store. We will continue to offer all of our commercial and personal design services such as small business design, as well as wedding invitations, baby announcements, etc.!

In addition to the exciting move, there are several other things happening in the near future:

• New merchandise arriving all summer
• Expansion of paper and stationery offerings
• A new website featuring community message boards
• New Ekcetera-designed products

We are very excited to see how these changes unfold over the next several months. We ask for your patience with my pregnancy and the other items. We'll continue to do our best to provide high quality service to you however we can.

Thank you so much for your business! Your support means so much to us.

Sincerely,

A little Easter humor for you

A lady opened her refrigerator and saw a rabbit sitting on one of the shelves. "What are you doing in there?" she asked

The rabbit replied: "This is a Westinghouse, isn't it?",

to which the lady replied "Yes."
"Well," the rabbit said, "I'm westing."

Help stock the food shelf, receive 25% off!

It’s Minnesota Food Share Month in March! Ekcetera is participating along with other River Heights Chamber Member businesses in the “Heights” by holding Food / Funds Drives during the entire month to Support Neighbors! Stop in and donate non-perishable food items or funds to help get the Neighbors Inc. shelves restocked and treasuries replenished before summer hits! The more, the better!!!

For each item you bring in, you'll receive 25% off one item at Ekcetera. So, if you bring 3 cans, you will receive 25% off three items. Not valid on photo studio rental, classes, computer lab, software titles, or special orders. Now through March 31!

Amanda & Josh

Project: Save the Date magnet and postcard.
©2008, Ekcetera Productions, LLC.
Designer: Vanessa Kimball

Amanda and I go way back. Our families have been friends forever and we grew up across the street from each other. We used to play in our driveways performing little plays and dances for our parents. What patience they had to watch us and put up with all of the little girl drama we had!

I was excited to help when Amanda came to us for Save the Dates. She and Josh had their engagement photos done at Milestones Photography in Fargo, ND. They are fantastic! They did my wedding photos there as well. I highly recommend them.

Here's the magnet (on the left) mounted on the postcard that will be mailed in a matching pink envelope. They were pleased with the result, as were we. Congratulations Amanda & Josh!

Posted by Kelly (even though it says Vanessa at the bottom!)

It's been a while

Well, clearly the holidays got the best of us, as we haven't posted since then. I'll make this brief and resolve to post more frequently. Some upcoming things to look forward to at ekcetera are:

• Fresh, re-designed websites for both the main site and the shopping site
• Ekcetera branded stationery (notecards, announcements, invites, etc) fresh from our creative brains!
• A merchandise refresh in the store
• Some great new tools for use in the DIY computer lab - we're hoping to make lots of stationery DIYers very excited!

We don't have specific timelines for these things, but we'll be sure to keep you posted as they happen.

Until then...keep being creative!