Monday, December 29, 2008

Kiva Loan - Reyes Garcia Badillo

We weren't planning on making another Kiva loan before the new year, but we couldn't pass on the opportunity to support another business in our industry. This entrepreneur's situation appears to be very similar to our own and we are happy to lend to his business.

Here is the info from his Kiva loan page:

Name: Reyes Garcia Badillo
Location: Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
Primary Activity: Printing
Loan Requested: $450
Repayment Term: 3 months
Loan Use: Purchase work material

Translated from Spanish by Jimena Lopez, Kiva Volunteer

Reyes started this business because he needed an activity to take care of this financials. He used to have a similar job until her was fired, so he decided to start its own business with the help of his wife. He opened his business in August 1996 using all the knowledge he acquired in his old job. He bought all the necessary supplies, such as screens and reflectors for silk-screen print developing and he opened a shop at home where he currently works. After years of experience and using his sales person skills acquired in a previous job, it wasn’t hard for him to start his own clientele always guaranteeing the best prices. With time, he purchased better tools, such as computers and others being this the only way to successfully manage this business for over 12 years. He needs a loan of $450 that will be canceled in 3 months to invest in material and to take advantage of the Christmas season to finish all the calendar requests he has already booked.

Reyes inició el negocio porque tenía necesidad económica, ya que trabajaba para un negocio similar, y lo desocuparon, fue entonces cuando decidió trabajar por su propia cuenta poniendo el negocio el mismo con la ayuda de su esposa. Comenzó en Agosto de 1996 con los conocimientos que había adquirido, compro lo necesario para iniciarse, como son pantallas y reflectores para revelado de la serigrafía y puso en taller en su propia casa, que es donde actualmente aun lo tiene. Con la experiencia que adquirió y como también se desempeñaba como vendedor, no se le dificulto iniciar su propia cartera de clientes, dando mejores precios, lo cual le facilito iniciar su negocio, después fue adquiriendo mejores herramientas de trabajo como son computadoras y demás y es así como ha permanecido 12 años exitosamente. El necesita un préstamo por MXN $6000 que pagara en 3 meses para invertir en material y aprovechar la temporada navideña con los pedidos de calendarios que tiene ya contratados.


Please join our Kiva Lending Team

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Obama Campaign Identity Development

I came across this interview today of Sol Sender of VSA partners, the strategist who led the design team behind the Obama campaign's identity development. It is stories like this - intelligent, thoughtful, inspiring - that makes me feel a little nostalgic for my past work in corporate design with mNovak Design and Westwood One.

If you in the least find mark design intriguing, or if you were just moved and excited about the success of the Obama campaign this past year, it's worth the watch (2 parts).

Part One


Part Two

Friday, November 21, 2008

And we're LIVE!

It has been a long road to a website revamp but we've finally done it! The online home of Uncommon Envelope is upgraded and improved in many ways and we can't wait to share it with you.



We have focused our energy on making many changes and upgrades geared toward making your online experience with Uncommon Envelope more functional, exciting, and diverse. Here are the new features we are most proud of:

Our style is the same but we’ve refined the face of Uncommon Envelope and made navigation through the site more intuitive. In addition you’ll notice three new featured links on our home page:

READ: You are here so you probably know this, but we’ve officially launched a UE blog so you have a place to check in, check out our latest thoughts and products, and sound off in comments. Subscribe today!

SHOP: As mentioned in our last post, we’ve opened an Etsy shop so you now have a place to purchase Uncommon Envelope’s growing line of retail stationery suited for everyday use. If you don’t have one already, sign up for an Etsy account and mark us as a favorite seller!

GIVE: Learn about Kiva.org, Uncommon Envelope’s pet cause. Kiva is one of the coolest philanthropic concepts we have encountered and it allows us to help crafters and entrepreneurs around the world get their start. You can also join our team while remaining in control of your own contributions. Joining our efforts will help make a bigger impact!

In addition, perhaps our most exciting improvement, Improved Portfolio Functionality!
You spoke and we listened – while cleverly coded, the old portfolio wasn’t doing the trick. You’ll notice some vast improvements here to make sure your browsing experience is easy and enjoyable.

So, welcome to our new home! We can’t wait for you to visit. Make sure you let us know what you think, then pass it on to your friends!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Etsy!

We have finally gotten our Etsy shop up and running! We are really excited about this, if you can't tell.

For those of you unfamiliar with Etsy, it is an online storefront geared towards crafters. I personally thought everyone knew what Etsy was until I recently had a couple friends visit from the east coast - both highly appreciative of craft - and they had never heard of it before. What?!

Right now our shop features 10 different blank-inside greeting cards - the first of our upcoming retail line! You should note that we are making an effort to ensure that all of our retail cards are as eco-friendly as possible so you can shop with a conscience. This means:
  • 100% Cotton, tree-free paper shell and envelope
  • 30% or greater Post Consumer Waste recycled inner liner
  • Soy-based inks
  • Man-powered letterpress printing
  • Biodegradable cellophane packaging
The cards available right now are split into two collections:

The Wisdom Collection is a classic looking exploration of uncommon wisdom for everyday life.



The Hello. Collection features playful geometric patterns combined with playful greetings.



So be sure to check out our shop and mark it as a favorite in your Etsy account, then shop away! We'll keep you posted on the upcoming arrival of additional items available for sale. Also, if you like something you see but are inspired to personalize it in some way, contact me and let's discuss! I am always happy to work on new projects.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Book Arts Inspiration

Work by Jennifer Koshbin

For those of you who don't know me, or if I have moved one too many times for you to keep up with me (which is most likely the case!), one thing that is relatively new in my life is my involvement with Seattle Center for Book Arts (SCBA). January will mark my one year anniversary as a member of the Board of Directors for SCBA. I have to say that this organization has more than inspired me during that time. Not only have I had the opportunity to be exposed to some amazing art, but more importantly my fellow board members have enriched my life. Such good people, and such talent! I am sure I will post about these new friends individually at a future time.

With SCBA I have been gearing most of my efforts toward managing the marketing of our programs, classes, and events. One of those marketing efforts is the SCBA Blog. Recently I posted a feature on some book artists around the country that, in my opinion, just rock the book arts world. Just jawdropping altered books. Work like this amazes me, reminds me of how powerful a medium book arts is, and inspired me to create something new from something that already is - a concept that I will work on through my retail line. It also serves as a reminder of why it is so important that I continue working so hard for SCBA.

I will keep you all updated on happenings for Seattle Center for Book Arts, and if you feel the need to support SCBA financially or in any other way (volunteering, event attendance, etc.), let me know and I will make sure you get more info than you could wish for!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Welcome!

Thank you for tuning in to listen to Uncommon Envelope's running dialogue. We hope to keep you updated on studio news, new products and designs, features of work-in-progress, comments on what else is happening in the design world, and little spots about other organizations we are involved in.

Uncommon Envelope has gone through an amazing growing period over the last several months! We have been redefining our goals and re-establishing our presence in the industry. 2009 will only prove to be more exciting with much more growth on the way:

* Fresh, "Buildable" wedding suite designs that will be available for order - we like to think of these designs as a step down from custom, but ready to personlize in exciting ways! This will keep the line flexible to suit the many different styles and budget sizes of our clients.

* A new collection of lifestyle stationery that will be available through our site and in select retail stores - an exciting new addition to our portfolio that will allow our fans to enjoy using UE paper products everyday!

* And, last but not least, a baby girl - our budding little designer - due in January!

So, stay tuned and subscribe to get the latest news as soon as we send it! We are looking forward to hearing your comments, and of course we welcome tips - if you see something we may be interested in, let us know!