Happy Monday friends!  I am so excited to share a new Small Business Spotlight with you this week!  Meet Kristin Thomas, the talented lady behind Addressed In White, a custom stationery and wedding invitation business based out of Youngstown, Ohio.   I first met Kristin in the Youngstown Tuesdays Together meet-up last month, and was immediately intrigued by her unique business and blown away by her talent!  Kristin has such an incredible eye for design, and creates beautiful pieces of artwork for her clients using watercolors, calligraphy, and custom design elements.  We met  at Generations Coffee House and chatted about Kristin’s business inspiration and design process, and I even got to witness some of her talent with watercolors firsthand!  In a world of cookie cutter stationery design, it is so refreshing to discover an artist who cares about providing a personal experience for her clients and creating something unique for any event.  Here’s a little Q&A with the artist herself….

When did you start your business?

I’ve been doing invitations and save the dates for friends and family for a couple of years, but I officially launched my business this past August. 

 

What was the inspiration for making this more than just a hobby?

It was something I just couldn’t stop thinking about. I would design invitations for people on the side, and really enjoyed it. It was something I could see myself doing for the long haul. So, for the past year I had been thinking about making it my career, and finally had the guts to put it out there.  I am so grateful to be given the gifts that God has given me, and to use them to make other people happy. I feel like I get to celebrate with them! I have met some wonderful people from starting my business, and I am so impressed by the talent that is in Youngstown alone! I am humbled by even answering these questions. I am thrilled to be doing what I love and am looking forward to where it will take me :)

What services do you offer?  Strictly wedding stationery, or do you accept custom orders of other sorts?

I started off offering wedding invitations, never realizing that there is WAY more I could do! I primarily design wedding suites ( invitation suites are made up of save-the-dates, invites, response cards, direction and accommodation cards, & thank-yous!) where couples can choose from something simple, to something more elaborate. I have tons of colors, papers, and envelopes to choose from, as well as laser-cut designs, photo-cards, and pocket invitations. I am currently in the process of adding bridal shower and baby shower invite collections to my website. I will gladly do my best to create something custom for any event! 

Do you have a background in graphic design, or are you self-taught?

I’ve always had an interest in art since I was a kid. I went to a really small high school so unfortunately we didn’t have the opportunity to learn design programs on the computer. I actually stumbled onto Photoshop during my senior year while I was working on our class yearbook. They were teaching us InDesign, but I had heard a little about Photoshop and started messing around with it. Wow is that intimidating if you have NO idea what you’re looking at! I found a tutorial on YouTube and fell in love with the way I could manipulate images and create unique art. 

After going to YSU for art education and being bored with it, I transferred to The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. That place opened a whole new world to me. I majored in graphic design and was exposed to so many creative people and ideas. After deciding I was just going to freelance making logos and business cards, it turned out I was getting a lot of invitation inquiries. I loved the freedom that making invites gave me. Each one is made to reflect the person or couple who’s being celebrated, which really makes it personal. 

There are still things that I’m teaching myself with the ever-changing trends in paper and stationery, but that’s what makes this job so exciting. I hope I never stop learning. 

What makes you stand out from online stationery services?

Today it is so easy to click and order something on Shutterfly or Etsy and have the print-out within a minute, or the package within a few days, but I like to make it personal. 

Brides take the time to try on gowns, taste cakes, have a trial run for hair and make-up, why wouldn’t you do the same for your invitations? This is going to be the first thing your guests see that will give them a glimpse of your special day. It’s going to set the tone of everything! I want to meet the couples I’m designing for to get a feel for their personalities so I can translate that onto paper. I have tons of gorgeous paper in different colors and finishes that you can actually see and feel before you order. My products are quality and I put all of my heart into creating them. When I sit down to design or hand-paint something, it’s for YOU. 

Project 365!