Ekcetera

Ekcetera: Featured in MNBride Magazine

2011-08-05T11:52:00.007-05:00

We're proud to announce that Ekcetera was recently featured in the Fall/Winter 2011 issue of Minnesota Bride Magazine. One of our lovely custom invitations was chosen - thanks Dave & Jonna ;) Take a peek and let us know what you think! Click here to read the article.

Has SEO has changed forever? Meet Panda.

2011-07-18T08:03:00.008-05:00

Image: Michael Elliott / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you own a website, hopefully, at minimum, you've thought about SEO, or search engine optimization. With Google's latest search engine update called, Panda, the rules of SEO have changed. In my opinion as a designer, it's a change that brings a huge sigh of relief, because it more closely resembles the way I've been evaluating websites for years. But to the rest of you, it probably brings some anxiety and frustration because some of the things you thought you knew about SEO may have changed, leaving you even more uncertain how to get your website to the top of the list.

Fear not. Google's Panda release makes SEO less of a "game" to play and more of a true reflection of if your site is informative, easy to navigate, and all-around a good site that viewers want to visit and return for more.

One of the biggest things that Google has transformed over the last several years is the degradation of using keywords to determine a site's ranking. Yep, you heard me right - keywords. If you've been online for any length of time, you probably had it drilled into you that you needed to pick keywords and focus lots of attention choosing and analyzing the right keywords for your site. Well, take that mindset and flush it! A couple of years back, Google stopped using keywords in its algorithm and today they have little to no value in ranking your site. What's more important is what is in the title meta tag in the code of your site and to a lesser degree, the description tag.

And that's just the beginning. I'm going to save you hearing this twice and just direct you to this excellent video by Rand Fishkin, CEO & Co-Founder of the web's most popular SEO Software provider; SEOmoz. It's a very good explanation of the basic concepts that Panda employs and not too much techy-speak. Don't get overwhelmed by the little technical things he discusses, just listen to the big picture.

And after you watch, if you find yourself wondering if your website will survive its rankings with Panda, send an email to info@ekcetera.com for more information on getting a site review, complete with a report outlining your strengths, areas of improvement, and a prioritized list of things to work on. Mention this article and receive a special discount!

Don't forget to sign up for our FREE newsletter for more information about design, marketing and running your own business as a woman entrepreneur.

Article written by Kelly Garrett: President & Chief Designer of Ekcetera, wife, mother, entrepreneur, web developer, techie, and everyday woman.

Part Three: How to Hire a Designer

2011-05-17T09:38:00.013-05:00

Alright, we're starting to feel comfortable with what we know and what we don't know. If not, part one and part two will get you up to speed. You've decided to hire a designer to help you create your business graphics, stationery, or website. Or, maybe you're still unsure if you can make the investment, but are at least in the process of educating yourself about how to work with creatives (because it can be a rough ride sometimes...I'll sheepishly admit this because I'm definitely a creative!). There's one thing you need to understand about creative people and designers. The best ones tend to lack certain communication, organizational and business skills. (No offense to my fellow creatives, but let's be honest - that's what makes us best at what we do)! Their ability to disregard organization and order allows them to think outside the box and come up with something that your linear brain has a hard time conceiving. The opposite applies to creatives who hire other creatives. You'll both tend to be bouncing around with new, exciting ideas and will have a hard time staying on task and having a clear direction for the project.

So how to choose the best creative service provider for the job? Here's a list of things to shop for:

A good portfolio. This one seems like a no-brainer, but it's important to know what makes a portfolio a good one. Be aware that depending on what type of client the designer worked with, their contribution in a design may be varied. They may present a major ad campaign from a huge corporation like Target, for example. You find yourself thinking, Wow, you designed an ad for Target! However, when you dig a little deeper you discover that Target's branding guidelines are so strict that the ad design was actually conceptualized by a senior manager, laid out roughly by an art director, and trickled down to the designer, who only decided to nudge the text (which, by the way, color and font were already chosen by another executive) a couple of centimeters to the left. Lesson: It's important to ask the designer how they contributed to the design, in what capacity they worked on it, and how they came up with the idea. This will help uncover their strengths and will lessen the surprises when something they design for you is vastly different from what they showed you in their portfolio.
Portfolio items match the project you're hiring them for. Again, this isn't rocket science, but it's important they have experience designing the type of project you're asking them to design, as well as experience in the same industry you're in or style similarities. Designers often excel at one particular type of design or style. If you want a super-feminine swirly swoosh pattern (don'tcha like that ultra-technical description?!), you'll want to find someone that designs for other female business owners. This type of designer often dabbles in stationery and invitation design. They'll probably have fewer corporate clients, because corporate design often calls for a more serious, cleaner style. Lesson: Spend time thinking about your desired style, find some words to describe that style, and find someone with a portfolio that matches that style and type of project you're hiring them for.
Communication skills. Like I was saying before, designers tend to live in a world of free-flowing ideas and endless possibilities, so getting them to hammer down exact details and be excellent about follow-up and be pro-active about communication is not going to be their instinct, but that doesn't mean that all designers are poor communicators. You just have to search for them. Lesson: Be very clear about your expectations in the project and don't be afraid to request specific communication practices. Search for someone who already has good communication, but give them a little slack if they're not up to your standards. It's very rare to find a truly excellent designer that has perfect communication skills. It goes against the way they were created.
Find out what they know and don't know. Don't just assume that designers have studied marketing. I think this is the most common mis-conception when mompreneurs hire designers. The reality is that most designers have never taken a marketing course in their life! Find someone, or a firm, that has a background in marketing. Understand how to separate the design (art) aspect from the strategy aspect of the project. So many designers claim to be branding experts, but when I study their work, it's obvious that to them, branding means they know how to create a color scheme and how to make everything coordinate well together. It does NOT say to me that they know how to make my image convey the true spirit of my business and how to speak clearly to my audience. I'm not sure they will keep my business goals in mind when creating my logo, but I can be sure that it will match my new coral handbag that's in style this season. Be sure to convey your business goals to them and if they don't have marketing background, remind them of those goals and your audience over the course of the project. Lesson: find out if their strengths lie in the art aspect, or the business aspect of design. Ideally, find a designer or agency that has both, but don't assume that just because they say they are branding experts, that they really know what that means. Make them prove it!
Find a good fit. I see mis-matched designers and clients over and over again. The way to get the best result when working with a designer is to make sure you are compatible with the designer in the first place. Some people just mesh well together and that creates the best synergy for creating the best design. Design extends beyond a tactical job you are hiring someone to do. It crosses the boundary of order and organization and requires someone to intimately try to search inside your brain and pull something out that you are not able to pull out yourself. You are often unable to speak the words that convey what you want to appear on the page. The designer has the complicated task of magically translating your unspoken ideas and to do it in a way that appeals to the customers you are trying to reach. They often make decisions based on a "gut feeling" and those feelings are often right. Lesson: Find someone you trust because you have a good feeling about them. Give them a little breathing space and trust them. Try to make their life easier by being as clear as you can be about what's inside your head. Don't make them pull something out of thin air.

The thing I'm going to leave you with when it comes to hiring a designer is to remember the unattainable project triangle. Are you familiar with the concept? Think of your project as a triangle of good, fast, and cheap. You can achieve two of the three points of the triangle, but can never achieve all three without one suffering. This leaves you with three options for your project:

Quick design, with high quality, but it will not be cheap.
Quick design that is cheap, but will not be high quality.
High quality design that is cheap, but will take a long time.

As a designer, I wish all clients that came to me would remember that all three are unattainable. It's really important to determine which two you want and focus on those two, rather than constantly trying to achieve all three.

Next time, we'll get into the meat of your graphic identity. Hopefully you're starting to feel more confident about tackling your marketing.

Part Two: DIY vs. Hiring: One size does NOT fit all

2011-05-17T09:37:00.014-05:00

I hope you checked out my last post that introduced my series about marketing for mompreneurs. Now that we know we're all on the same page with our marketing basics, let's talk about how to accomplish getting your business out there to the world. I find that one of the most challenging parts of being a Mompreneur is knowing when to DIY and when to hire someone else to do the job. If you're like me, you may want to be a DIY'er. We'd all like to add that to our list of titles we carry. I think that because we're Moms, we're programmed to feel like if we don't do it ourselves, somehow it won't get done or up to our standards. Believe me, I'm the guiltiest of them all when it comes to trying to DIY. I'm also blessed to have a husband who is equally guilty. I've tried it all, from literally building a retail store interior with a hammer, nails, and some paint, to avoiding hiring legal counsel because I could research things on the internet and make my own, smart decisions about business situations.

It wasn't until I heard one client's perspective on DIYing that made me reconsider my DIY stance. He said, "I'm not a designer, why should I try to design my business cards when you'll do it so much better?" Something about what he said sat with me and my new perspective on trying to do it all to pinch a penny is this: there is a time to try to save money and a time to hire someone. You have to find that balance for your personality and for your business. You'll find that your stance on DIY vs. not will change as your business grows.

Many of us want to know exactly what's going on with everything in our businesses and that often feeds our urge to DIY. We can't stand the thought of someone else taking control over a piece of the business you're working so hard to develop and grow. But, let me pose a question for you...Do you REALLY need to know how to do whatever it is that you think you should do yourself, or can you hire someone else to do it and save yourself the time, energy, and worry that comes along with DIY. You have to weigh the time you spend researching, making mistakes, and doing it for yourself against the time you could be spending finding new clients...what is the opportunity cost of NOT hiring someone? How much money am I missing out on because my time was spent doing this instead of making money? Another wise thought I've heard is how much time do you spend actually doing the things you're best at? We spend so much time doing the things we're not very good or mediocre at that we're not really using our talents to the best of their abilities. Think about how much you could actually accomplish if you focused almost entirely about what you're best at and let other people handle the things you were only "ok" at. What accomplishments you could make!

Having said that, choosing to do something ourselves usually stems from a lack of funds to hire someone else to do it. That's most definitely the case when just starting out by bootstrapping. In these cases, it might be best to start small - hire someone for only a few hours or for only the most difficult of tasks so you can make more revenue that can then buy more time and more help.

I have a personal bias and expectation for myself to learn as much as I can. I'm genuinely interested in all of the aspects of running a business and want to learn about them. However, once I've learned the basics, I don't need to keep doing it and fumbling my way through the more advanced things (been guilty of that far too many times).

My point is...It's important to know what are your strengths, weaknesses, and what things you genuinely want to learn about. When you decide to hire someone to do the job, realize that one size does not fit all. Just because Web Firm A sells a package for $10,000 dollars does not mean that ALL web packages are $10,000 or that you need to buy one that expensive. Nor does it mean that a $200 web package is going to give you what you need to make your business successful. Remember that every service you could purchase out there has some other alternative, so it's important to evaluate your options and do what you can to learn exactly what you're buying so you can make the most educated decision possible.

So if you're going to hire someone: Make a list of the top 3-5 things that are important to you when finding a business to hire and what results you wish to see. Then, search for 2 or 3 business that meet these criteria to compare and seek information about their products and services. It's likely that one will stand out as a clear fit with your business and your needs. Don't get wrapped into their "schpeals." They are going to convince you that they have exactly what you need, but the best businesses are the ones that aren't afraid to tell you they MAY NOT be a good fit for you and are very clear about who they work best with.

And for those of you who continue to go the DIY route and end up banging your head against a wall more times than you should, challenge yourself to think smarter and use your time more wisely. Make use of chat forums and ask questions quickly, rather than spend hours trying to figure it out for yourself before you ask for help. Sometimes just walking away from something and coming back later can do wonders for approaching the problem with a set of fresh eyes.

And if you Mompreneurs haven't figured it out yet, let me write it on the wall. Running your own business, raising a family, and being a super-woman isn't easy. As far as business goes, the markting piece can really be a humm-dinger. But don't worry. We're in this together, you and me. Check back again, when we'll talk about the professional design process.

Dizzy Mompreneurs: Marketing, Graphic & Web Design

2011-05-03T11:27:00.019-05:00

Hey all you Mompreneurs out there! Do the words Marketing, Graphic & Web Design make you dizzy? Maybe you're like me and think you have some great ideas, passion, drive, and a little bit of stubbornness that tells you to carve your own path in this crazy world. You can't stand the thought of some company telling you how to spend your day - AND how to raise your family. You want to do it all: create a business empire that will rise to the top as the saving grace that this pitiful world needs, seek world peace, financial freedom for all, cure disease, advance technology, all while having your own little corner of the world that is clean, organized, on schedule with laundry done every day, a hot meal on the table at dinnertime, while you win an award for top volunteer at your kids' school...all without having to put hundreds of miles on your minivan each week, while getting enough sleep to make you look like a beauty queen, and with enough time to get weekly massages and start up a new hobby! [Cue a choir of "ahh's" and bright, shiny sparkles swirling around you standing on top of a throne.]

Ok, MAYBE that's a bit ambitious. But, we've all had those dreams, haven't we? That's what makes us the Mompreneurs we are. Even if you don't have children yet, but have the dream that someday you will do it all, you are just like me. I started to live my dream when I was in college. Now that I'm a wife and mompreneur, I know that the dream takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but is well worth the struggles. Now that I've overcome many of the hurdles in starting up a new business, I wanted to share some of my knowledge and experience with other Mompreneurs. When we own a business, we are most likely experts in whatever product or service it is we are selling, but how many of us have studied marketing or graphic and web design? Probably not many. It just so happens that I have - A LOT. What good is your product or service if you can't get it to your customers? So many Mompreneurs overlook the importance of marketing and that is why I'm here to help. I'm going to guide you through the dizzying task of marketing your small business over the next 10 days.

There are so many Entrepreneurs and other Small Business professionals I run into that feel overwhelmed - even nauseated - when thinking about marketing themselves or their businesses. Even more frustrated, are those who have trouble figuring out what the term "marketing" even means; after all, "isn't that something that large corporations spend billions of dollars on, creating outrageous TV commercials and ads? I'm just a small business, marketing isn't relevant to me." Well, my fellow Entrepreneurs, heads up. Marketing IS something you need to do in your small business. It just happens to be that the over-used 'marketing' buzz-word is such a huge umbrella to classify many activities, it often makes people's heads spin. In addition, there's so much disparity coming from the world of designers and marketing professionals, no wonder you're sent into a tailspin.

I'm here to bring you good news! You CAN figure all of this out. Unfortunately, I don't have a magic formula - otherwise we'd all be millionaires because we'd be marketing the heck out of our businesses! - but I do have the basics, broken down for you in ways I hope will help wrap your head around the art and science (because, yes, it's both) of making your business stand next to the likes of those corporate companies on your shoestring budget. It'll take some work and a lot of thought, but you'll be better for it both in the eyes of your customers, and in your own feeling of having all of your ducks in a row.

Here's how I'm going to break down the topics:

Marketing vs. Sales vs. Advertising
DIY vs. Hiring out: One size does NOT fit all
The Professional Design Process
Your Graphic Identity
Your Brand Identity
Your Website
Social Media
Your Marketing Strategy
Bootstrap Marketing
Pulling it all Together

So roll up your sleeves, and let's get started.

Part 1: Marketing vs. Sales vs. Advertising.

Let's establish some general concepts so we can be sure we're covering the basics. In small business, the distinction between Marketing, Sales and Advertising is small - often invisible - as one person (often the owner) is usually wearing all three of these hats. Therefore, the need to divide these categories is much smaller. In larger companies, however, each area is often treated much more individually and each has its own distinct functions. I'm always surprised, when I work with larger companies, that many of them push sales efforts outside of the marketing umbrella and rarely have a succinct strategy in place that make the two gain from each other's efforts. It seems like an obvious thing to me - to have sales and marketing be on the same page, working towards the same goal - but I'm continually surprised to see this isn't the case in many companies.

So what is the difference between sales and marketing, you ask? Imagine marketing as an umbrella that covers all the activity that is done, both inside a company and outside, that relays messages and interacts with your customers and in the marketplace. It's ANY interaction between your company and the world. This includes anything that is not intentionally done as "marketing" - even the perception the world has about your company. All of this is marketing. It is an activity that is done, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not, to let people know you exist. Let's face it, the world is so huge; even though you feel like your business is the best thing EVER, you've got a lot of divided attention to grab to let people know you exist. Today's media-centered world makes it seem simple. Well, the "if you build it, they will come" mentality just isn't true for most of us Entrepreneurs. That's where marketing comes in... Have I convinced you yet of the importance of marketing your business? Good, let's move on.

How about sales? Most obviously, this is the act of selling your product or service to your customers. Good companies have a well-defined sales process, or a consistent, repeatable way of approaching a customer, informing them about your product, learning about their unique needs, presenting solutions to their problems, and closing the sale. They are responsible for welcoming the customer at the door, taking them by the hand, walking them through the process of buying from you, and waving at the end of the driveway as they drive off. Like mom and dad after the kids go off to college, sales people check on the customer after the purchase to make sure everything went as expected.

Finally, advertising consists primarily of the exact messages or campaigns you send to your customers telling them about your business. It relates more to the specific campaigns or messages you send to your customer. The biggest mistake Entrepreneurs often make with advertising is a lack of being consistent with your message to create a brand presence (more on branding later). Also, your ads should be targeted to speak to a specific audience you are trying to reach. You're not going to get anyone's attention by plastering your logo as large as you can get it on the ad. In fact, I try to convince my clients to make their logos smaller in their ads and instead, come up with a captivating headline that catches the right customer's attention. A favorite example I like to use is this: Imagine it's 10pm at night and you have a leaky faucet that can't wait until morning before it floods the house. You scan the yellow pages and see Bob's Plumbing, Pete the Plumber, Joe Schmo Fix-it, Your Local Plumber, etc. and then you see Late Night Repair! We'll take care of it so you can get your sleep. Who are you going to call? You don't care if it's Jim-Bob, or Paul that comes to your door, but someone who you know will help you so you can hit the pillow fast; now you're ready to dial the phone.

The plumber example is a good one for commodity services like plumbing, repair, etc., but my guess is that many of you Mompreneurs are selling some sort of creative product or service, perhaps something you make or find unique. So, you may not have as much competition as a plumber, but the concept is what's important. You still need to find a way to distinguish yourself from the other options that are out there and find a way to catch the attention of your target audience when they are overwhelmed with so many messages directed at them each day. Rather than focusing so much on yourself and your desire to make your logo as big as it can be because we all know how awesome you are (no joke - I truly believe in your rockstar ability - otherwise you wouldn't have considered being a business owner in the first place), you need to first consider your audience and really dissect what will attract them and make them feel like their prayers are being answered. Remember, humans are selfish by nature. The way to get someone to flock to your business in droves is to appeal to their most primary need - self actualization (remember Maslow's hierarchy for those of you who took college psychology?). While they might entertain your catchy business name with a quick, passing glance, nothing is going to make them stop dead in their tracks more than something that screams, "I will pamper YOU and fix something that you have been endlessly searching for an answer to!" That, my friends, is the way to develop an advertisement AND to get your customers' attention.

Is this coming together yet? I hope that you can connect the dots between your advertisement that speaks to your customer and the fact that it only one specific piece of your overall brand and marketing strategy. This strategy needs to be consistent to avoid confusing your target customer. You need to know who it is that you serve, what motivates them to purchase something, and how exactly it is that you meet their varied needs and can help them solve their problems. Then, the sales process needs to seamlessly guide them through the act of doing business with you and needs to remind them continually why you are the best match for them and can understand their most primitive needs (self-actualization or independence, autonomy, belonging, etc., remember?).

Ahh, there it is. The big picture. Congrats, you're now a Marketing 101 graduate. Stay tuned for the next part, when we begin to take apart the pieces of marketing and learn when it's best to do it yourself and when it's best to hire someone to help.

If you know others Mompreneurs who run their own businesses, share this with them and feel free to take credit for being the genius who discovered the keys to marketing themselves and you can enjoy learning about this stuff together.

Until then...

Kullen's Krew

2010-04-19T16:07:00.002-05:00

I just finished designing a logo for my nephew's Autism Walk team. He's a little cutie - turning 2 next week - with Autism. We're going to the ND Autism Center walk for Autism 2010 on May 15 to be a part of his (and sister Taytum's) teams. YAY KULLEN'S KREW!!

Happy Birthday Mac!

2010-03-29T14:58:00.002-05:00

Just finished printing labels for Mac's 1st Birthday Party. These 2.5 circle glossy labels will adorn the treat bags he's giving away to his guests. Have a great time smashing cake, Mac!

Pick 3. Spend 50. Save your local economy.

2009-04-07T14:30:00.006-05:00

By Cinda Baxter, Founder of The 3/50 Project
4/7/2009
Cinda Baxter

No one needs to tell storefront retailers times are tough; truth be told, we were the first ones to see the mysterious tea leaves, being the closest connection to consumers. As early as last June, stores began seeing serious drops in revenue.

In the words of Erin Burnett, business news anchor for MSNBC (and my new favorite media voice), “I do think a lot of this is psychology,” referring to how determined the media seems to be to make things sound as hopeless as possible. “I’ve been collecting words the media has been using to describe the crisis: carnage, apocalypse, bleeding, hemorrhaging, crash. There is something to be said for a loss of perspective and a sense of hyperbole that’s taken over.”

Hear, hear.

Folks, it’s time the message changed, and if the media’s not going to do it...well.... who will? Yup. You.

Enter The 3/50 Project.
In a nutshell, The 3/50 Project is built on a simple concept—consumer loyalty to independent storefront businesses equals stronger local economies.

Pick 3. Spend 50. Save your local economy:

Pick three locally owned stores you’d miss if they disappeared, then return to them. Say hello.
Pick up a little something that will make someone smile. Those purchases are what keeps those businesses around. If just half the employed US population committed to spending $50 in locally owned stores each month, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. Imagine what would happen if 3/4 of them did that.
For every $100 spent in locally owned stores, $68 returns to the local economy through payroll taxes, property taxes, sales tax, payroll, and other business related expendatures. When purchasing from a chain or franchise, that amount drops to $43; if it’s spent online, nothing comes home.

Since the idea first popped up in a blog post mid-March, The 3/50 Project has taken off like a rocket.

To learn more about The 3/50 Project, visit http://www.the350project.net/.

Bridal Mania!

2009-02-03T14:11:00.010-06:00

It's that time of year again... wedding season!

We will be hosting an Invitation Workshop in the store Thursday, February 19th at 6:30 pm and Saturday, February 28th at 10 am. No matter what your style or budget, Ekcetera can help you create wedding stationary to match your personal, creative style. This free, informational workshop will feature tips and tricks on creating the perfect first and final impressions for your wedding, including advice on creating your own invitation, cost-saving tips on how to make your invitations fit your budget, invitation etiquette and working, design ideas, and coordinating your wedding stationary.

RSVP by Monday, February 9th to emily@ekcetera.com.

Ekcetera will also be at the Bridal Expo this Saturday at the Maplewood Community Center. Please stop in and check out our new spring invitations including fabulous invitation label wraps and envelope enclosures! The Maplewood Bridal Expo is from 1pm-4pm on Saturday, February 7th. For more information, please visit http://www.maplewoodcommunitycenter.com/.

It's time for Minnesota Bride's annual "Best of...". If you love Ekcetera as much as we do, please take a minute to vote for us for "Best Invitations" and/or "Best Overall". It's easy, just go to http://www.mnbride.com/, click on "Vote for the best of 2009." Then you will need to vote for your favorite vendors in at least six categories. Voting ends March 1. Thanks!

Visit us at the Wedding Fair!

2009-01-09T13:11:00.008-06:00

We are getting excited to be a part of The Twin City Bridal Association Wedding Fair! The event will take place on Sunday, January 18th from 11am to 5pm at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Visit twincitybridal.com for more information. Come check out some of our new Spring and Summer Wedding Invitation designs!

Just Arrived: New Styles of Ann Millie Bags!

2008-12-11T15:52:00.004-06:00

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!

2008-12-10T11:53:00.003-06:00

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!

2008-12-02T14:00:00.004-06:00

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!

2008-11-17T13:42:00.003-06:00

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!

2008-11-16T23:09:00.002-06:00

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!

2008-10-14T16:12:00.000-05:00

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

2008-10-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

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!

2008-09-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

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!

2008-09-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

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

2008-08-19T16:02:00.000-05:00

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!

2008-07-30T14:11:00.000-05:00

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...

2008-07-16T12:19:00.000-05:00

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?

2008-07-08T13:54:00.000-05:00

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?

2008-07-08T11:40:00.000-05:00

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...

2008-07-01T11:55:00.000-05:00

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

2008-06-26T10:24:00.000-05:00

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

2008-06-20T19:29:00.000-05:00

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!

2008-06-12T10:49:00.000-05:00

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!

2008-06-12T10:26:00.000-05:00

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?

2008-06-10T13:55:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-07T15:46:00.000-05:00

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

2008-03-19T17:51:00.000-05:00

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!

2008-03-04T21:20:00.000-06:00

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

2008-02-26T12:55:00.001-06:00

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

2008-02-20T15:06:00.001-06:00

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!

NEW Holiday Cards Just Released!

2007-11-06T12:05:00.000-06:00

Ekcetera now has photo cards for you to spread holiday cheer this season. Come take a photo in our do-it-yourself photo studio and drop your portraits into our photo card templates, or bring in a favorite snapshot from home and we'll do all of the work for you!

Photo Greeting Cards can be ordered online at http://shop.ekcetera.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=89_90 or in the store.

All of the designs are exclusively designed by Ekcetera.

Happy Holidays!

Webster's Pages

2007-10-23T09:38:00.000-05:00

We just received a great order of papers, Webster's Pages. They have such beautiful and elegant pages. I love the designs and use them for inspiration. They even have a line of holiday paper out. I know it's crazy to talk about Christmas before Thanksgiving, but I am defiantly ready for the season!

Fun Couple.

2007-10-23T09:32:00.000-05:00

I met such a FUN couple on Saturday at the store. They came in and were very excited about the store. We ended up talking for about an hour. It's so great to talk to people who are into the same things you are. Paper, design, macs, internet, the topics went on. I enjoyed it. I hope to see them around again. They said they'd spread the word to all their friends about the store. :)

Laying it all out.

2007-10-14T21:17:00.000-05:00

Check out the coffee table book I created for Vossen's photography. This is their sample album that they are going to show their clients.

http://clients.ekcetera.com/vossen/

Coffee Table Books

2007-10-12T10:32:00.001-05:00

I'm really excited to be designing coffee table books. We are starting to team up with photographers and create great layouts and designs showcasing weddings and other special events for people. I like it because it's fun, but I also enjoy it because it takes sentimental images of peoples lives and lays them out into a story. People really respond well to them and I like giving people that feeling.

I know I'm designing one for my wedding and it's a really great keep sake to have and to show my kids and grand kids.

Great things are comin'

2007-09-20T15:48:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling optimistic about this Fall and Winter. We've had a steady pick up in business at the store lately, and design projects have emerged. We're developing a line of Photoshop templates for people to use as greetings (preview on http://shop.ekcetera.com under downloadable designs). We're also working on our signature greeting cards we spoke about in the last couple of posts. Today, we received word about a relationship with a local photographer who is interested in having use develop templates for coffee table books to offer their couples for their wedding photographs.

All of this makes me very excited for the weeks and months to come. There's a lot on the table, but I know we can do it! We'll be needing to hire an intern to help design some things and have already seen some great candidates. We'll also be needing to hire help at the store. Someone who can play more of a management role to free up my time a little. Of course, all of this comes when we're not prepared. We end up playing a little bit of catch-up. Ideally, we could have staff on hand BEFORE a surge comes so we're ready. But, those are the digs when you're in small business.

Somethin's in the air and it's not allergens!

My turn!

2007-09-14T13:29:00.001-05:00

Gotta love Vanessa's signature line! Can't wait to see those on our shelves. In the spirit of new card lines, I'll have one as well. Here's my signature, Sentiments by Kelly.

Sincerely Yours

2007-09-12T15:47:00.000-05:00

I'm coming out with a line of holiday cards this upcoming season. They will be exclusively sold at Ekcetera. Keep your eyes peeled for my signature line.

Sincerely yours,

Vanessa Kimball

Creative Insomnia

2007-09-12T09:43:00.000-05:00

With this upcoming Christmas season, Ekcetera is brining our customers new lines of Christmas/Holiday designs for your family photo greeting cards or fun and trendy cards and stationery. The ball has been rolling for me and unfortuniatly I was unable to sleep last night because of it. Although this is a good thing to allow designs to fall out of my head and have them come to life, on the other end, I am yawning more this morning.

Might have to keep my sunglasses on.

2007-09-11T09:05:00.000-05:00

Inver Grove Heights day was great on Sunday. The business expo was nice to meet people in the community and make some connections. The weather was nice and cool as you all may know. However the sun was out and keeping us warm. I was not expecting to put on sunblock in mid September on a 55 degree day. So yes I got sun burnt. Ick. I look like Raggedy Ann mixed with a racoon. My noes is bright red and I have huge white circles around my eyes. Very trendy look if you didn't know.

It was nice to see everyone out and about.

IGH Days

2007-09-07T13:51:00.001-05:00

Come visit us on Sunday at the IGH Days Business Expo. We'll have a booth there.

More info: www.ighdays.org

Kids Crop on Friday!

2007-09-04T17:30:00.000-05:00

We're hosting a crop for kids on Friday, Sept. 7 from 6:15 - 8:15pm.

Info: A night out for the kids to crop! Kids will complete one 8x8 layout (2 pages) and can spend the remainder of the time working on their own pages. Includes materials for the 8x8 layout. Please bring adhesive. Cost: $16.

Here's more info about the Little Scrappers Company: www.littlescrappers.com

Call to Register!

Ekcetera is located at: 5719 Blaine Avenue Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076
651-552-6077
http://www.ekcetera.com
Hours: M-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 1-6pm

12x12 Printing Now Available!

2007-08-31T13:26:00.000-05:00

We now have 12x12 paper (Matte & Gloss) for printing your digital scrapbook pages. Pricing is right around $6-7 per sheet depending on the quantity.

Last night we had a family that came in and had taken some photos in the photo studio earlier in the day. It was a mom whose son was going away to college. She wanted to put together a care package for him to take with him. She got a Woodwick Diffuser and we made a 12x12 layout that she printed and framed in a K&Co frame. I think she did a really great job with both the photography and the layout! It makes me so excited to see people get creative with us!

September Calendar Online

2007-08-27T17:22:00.001-05:00

September's Workshop Calendar is now online:

http://www.ekcetera.com/EkceteraSeptemberWorkshops.pdf

Shout out!

2007-08-24T13:17:00.001-05:00

Since we announced the opening of our blog yesterday, let's start some communication and see who's reading it. That's you! Respond to this post by commenting below. We want to know if you're out there!

Birthday Parties at Ekcetera!

2007-08-23T13:40:00.000-05:00

Last night we had our first Birthday Party at Ekcetera. Lea and 7 of her friends had a blast making flower vases and a photo frame display for their bedrooms. The party was a success! The mom of one of the girls booked a party for her sister next week. This morning Lea's mom called to tell us how much fun they had. They were a great group of girls. We had a blast! Thanks Lea and friends!

I heart Amy Butler Designs!

2007-08-22T16:53:00.000-05:00

So along with the new products that we have coming in this fall, I finally got my Amy Butler bag that I've been eyeing for the longest time. Now I must admit I'm not much of a traditional scrapbooker. I don't carry around my scrapbook supplies and I don't go to crops or craft classes, but I had to have this bag. I'm glad they call it the "creative" bag, so it's mulitfunctional.

I got the Sola bag (the bag on the right). I love the funky floral pattern on the outside contrasting with the stripes on the inside. For me it's perfect for my work papers, computer, lunch, and it has nice pockets on the inside and a pocket on the outside for my cellphone. The reason why I love it so much is because I love love love Amy Butler's style and patterns. You should also check out her site for her dynamic products and inspirational pieces. http://amybutlerdesign.com/

Excited about Fall.

2007-08-16T18:57:00.000-05:00

I'm excited for this upcoming fall. We have a lot of new products coming to the store. We'll have a touch of traditional scrapbooking items. However I'm excited for more of our off the page projects and our Amy Butler Bags. I've just got to have one!!

Independent Artist Trunk Show

2007-08-14T19:35:00.000-05:00

Had a wonderful arrangement of talent and creativity at our Independent Artist Trunk Show on Sunday! Here's a list of those presenting and their websites, check them out!

Jewelry by Kristine
Little Scrappers
Grand Strand Beads
Rox - Paper - Wood, Designs in Paper
Jane’s Prints
Cyndy Arey - Creative Memories
Heather Rabanus – Heritage Makers
Art by AJH
Momento Inc.
Just Another Day
Sweetness in Starlight
Julie Shefchik

Back From CHA

2007-07-23T19:38:00.000-05:00

Vanessa and I returned yesterday from CHA in Chicago. We are SO excited to bring you some new products in the coming months. You will really see a change at the store. We are bringing in LOTS more creative supplies for you to make fun and exciting projects and explore your creativity. Maybe Vanessa will post and give her reaction to our trip.

We'll share more with you later on the new lines and products we'll be bringing in. Looking forward to it!

A New Blog!

2006-05-13T18:09:00.000-05:00

I just opened this blog so that I can keep a record of Ekcetera's progress as the company grows. I'm going to work on putting up some links to other sites so I can share the wealth of information I come across as I surf the net!

Welcome and enjoy!