Stationery Scoop: the blog by paper company CEO Heidi Reimer-Epp

Where to find free printables for organizing

Does January ever give you the urge to organize? It does to me, something about new beginnings and a chance to do life better.

I've been saving my favorite free printables for organizing on a Pinterest board. So far, I've printed these to-do lists and used them for everything from packing lists to project brainstorming.

And from the pinboard called 2012 Dated Printables, I printed these calendars and wire-bound them to keep track of my direct reports' days off.

Check out these and many more free printables on my Pinterest boards. I'm adding new ones daily so be sure to sign up to follow me. Thanks!

{free printable} Inspiration for the New Year

Remember my Behind-the-scenes look at my very messy desk? I tidied and organized over the holidays, then decided to make some desk art. I have a favorite quote from Julia Child that keeps me motivated with my business and my creative pursuits. It seemed like the perfect message to feature in my workspace at the start of this new year.

Here's what it looks like in my home office:

The frame is a simple black one from Michael's that I used to use for this 2011 wall calendar. 

Download the free printable here: Free-printable-quote-jan12

Feel free to let others know about this printable, but please link directly to this post. Thanks and enjoy!

An updated and refreshed look for this blog

Happy New Year's Eve!

What are you up to today? Getting ready for a party tonight or preparing for a quiet evening at home?

This past week has been a wonderful time of organizing and preparing for the new year, including tidying up my very messy desk and doing some updates on this blog, Stationery Scoop. I refreshed the look of the blog with some new personal touches:

First, I created a new header. Inspired by cake-ology's amazing new blog header, I wanted to take a photo that reflected some of my favorite desk accessories. So I set up my camera in my dining room and staged my iPad, a favorite Waterman fountain pen and my current paper calendar by Mark's. The placemat is made out of bamboo and I bought them at a local wholesaler called Gales.

Moving clockwise, the Latte Art Social Icons from Cute Little Factory seemed like the perfect cosy way to communicate my social media links. I love the way they look and hope that they help people find me at some favorite social media sites.

The blue box that says "Heidi's Story" is a link to the story of how I became an entrepreneur. If you're interested in what happened and the adventures along the way, this is the place to start.

My new head shot replaced the old one, and it's about time. The other one was several years old and it was time to make it current.

So that's the tour around the blog and my new look. Let me know what you think!

Taking part in the 2012 Design Crush Calendar Swap

Ever heard of a calendar swap? I hadn't until I read this post about the 2012 Design Crush Calendar Swap. The concept is simple - get the name of your swapmate and send them a calendar to enjoy. We were encouraged to check out each others' blogs and Pinterest boards to choose something that the recipient would enjoy.

It was so fun to receive these two packages in the mail one day in November:

I made myself wait until right before Christmas to open them up. And what a fun surprise! The first one was a Taro Gomi Daily Doodle from Chronicle Books. So fun - every day has a playful prompt and open-ended artwork by the artist.

In addition, sitting now on my desk is this gorgeous weekly planner:

It has beautiful thick pages with a design that changes with the seasons. Plenty of room to plan and doodle.

Thank you Lauren for sending me the calendars, I really love them!

Behind-the-scenes look at my very messy desk

Hello and welcome back after Christmas and all the fun and busyness!

What are you up to this week? Relaxing? Attending more family gatherings? Catching up on Modern Family?

This is a picture of my desk. That inbox has several months worth of papers layered with bits and pieces - a watch that needs fixing, an electrical adapter to return to a friend, a mostly empty pack of gum, violin strings that need buying. You get the picture.

My goal this week is to clean up this mess and return it to a state of calm readiness. Seems like the right thing to do in the last week of the year, and the right way to start 2012. Stay tuned for before and after pictures...