We're Focusing on Intention This Quarter

The team at Be Amazing Paper Company is focusing on Intention during the second quarter and we're starting with listing ways that we can be more intentional in our day to day life.

Here's a little journal download to help you get started if you're interested in joining us.

Click Here to Download!

When is the Last Time You Danced?

It’s been too long since I danced...

Our life over the past year has been nothing short of a tornado. Coming out of COVID lockdown, scouting out a new place to live, moving from Florida to Mississippi was just the start. My consulting business was becoming overwhelming and I knew in my heart that I couldn’t keep up the pace.

That was over a year ago that I surrendered to that voice that whispered in my ear that said…"this is the place and this is the time…for you to do that thing."

Richard and I love our Alexa in the kitchen. Not for what you might think. Yes we love that we can yell out what we need to add to the grocery list…but more importantly, for us, she plays Pandora music and we love to listen to music when we’re in the kitchen cooking together.

But over the last year Alexa hasn’t played much music…instead she sits quietly in the corner and her biggest job this year has been to give us the weather, when asked.

Music and dance have been missing from our new home and I didn’t even realize it until last week. While cleaning the kitchen I asked Alexa to play my channel as I started cleaning the kitchen…and just like that…it hit me that I hadn’t really played music 🎼 in our new house and I hadn’t danced in too long!

What is whispering in your ear? What do you need to surrender to so that you can dance again?

Another Mother's Day is Upon Us...

No matter how old we are…we never stop needing our mother…

For the past few weeks I have been sharing writing prompts on Friday mornings (I skipped last Friday because it was a crazy day and I completely forgot to do it - Sorry!)

This week I wanted to incorporate a writing prompt in with my blog post. I wanted to create a writing prompt that was in line with something that happened to me this week.

You may or may not know that both of my parents passed in their 60's and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about picking up the phone and texting or calling my Mom to tell her about something that has happened during the day; something I know she would love to hear or something that would make her laugh.  (She had the most amazing hearty laugh...ask my Aunt Sandy or Aunt Freda...they loved her laugh as much as I did!) 

So with Mother's Day quickly approaching this event that happened this week felt a bit more sad.

We got some big news that we had won Best in Mississippi 2022 for Best Fine Paper Goods! And although I was stunned when we originally got the news a month or so ago it didn't actually feel real till those Mississippi Magazines were delivered to the shop this week and I saw it in print.

My first response was to text a picture to my hubby to celebrate all the hard work we have put into this sweet little paper shop...but my second response was...I wish Mom were here to see this. She would be so proud and I would send her a copy of the magazine and she would share it with all her friends back home. 

But she's not here...so I let the thought slowly slip from my mind.

The following day while working on some new printing designs...Sonya from The Bookstore in the Window texted me to congratulate me and I responded that it was such a great honor and that I wish my Momma was around to see it. And she responded with "you do good work," and I felt the lump in my throat and the tears start to form in my eyes. 

It was time to head home so I packed up my bag and headed to the car...it was there...sitting in the parking lot in front of the library that the tears came hard quick. Yup...the big ugly cry. Sonya's words echoed what I could have imagined my Mom saying to me and well...that was all she wrote and it hit me hard.

So when I got home I wrote my Mom a letter. For me, it's the best way to talk to her when I need to tell her something important...it's the best way to release the feeling of not being able to tell her something I really want to share with her.

Many of us have lost our parents and as you all know...even after a while of not having them around there are still a few bad days here and there. So I wanted to share this letter with you on this Mother's Day and encourage you to grab your journal if you feel the need to share something important or beautiful with your Mom on this Mother’s Day.

And if you’re blessed to still have your Mom…well send her a letter anyway! Letters are special and from the heart - it would be the perfect Mother’s Day Gift!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Momma's out there! We hope you have a wonderful day!

---

Hey Momma!

It's Wednesday, April 29, 2022 and today I received the Mississippi Magazine in the mail and it's now official that we won the Best in Mississippi 2022 Fine Paper Goods! Can you believe that? I feel so blessed to have won against some of the most amazing and fun paper stores in Mississippi. 

I mean...we haven't even been open a full year yet...right? How cool is that? I know I have told you several times over the last year how much I love doing this and how fun and amazing this is for me. You know how much I loved being a business consultant over the years but it was time for something different and I don't think I could have found a more perfect place to land than where I am now. 

I have to admit that I had a bit of a moment in the car on the way home tonight knowing that I couldn't pick up the phone and talk to you or share this experience with you. But as I always do...I just imagine how excited you used to get whenever I accomplished something big or small. With you it never mattered how big the accomplishment was...you never let it pass without telling me how proud you were of me. 

I wish you were still here and could visit us in Laurel...you would love this sweet little community Mom! 

I love you and miss you terribly!

E-

How Well Do You Know Your Journals?

They say that when you’re journaling that you’re having a relationship with your mind. It’s a way for you to listen to what is going on in your mind.

Journaling helps us gain mental clarity; it can help us release stress, manage our eating habits, track our goals and even solve problems. Journals are one of my biggest sellers in the shop and we sell many different types of journals. However; we still have people come in and ask what is the best type of journal…and the answer to that question is multi-faceted so I wanted to take a minute to share the different types of journals you can purchase and what exactly you can do with a journal.

I hope this quick list helps you make a better decision about what type of journal will fit your need.

Types of Journals

1. Guided Journal - A guided journal is one that offers you prompts and helps you get your thoughts out in writing. For folks who have trouble getting started, a guided journal, as it's name suggests, guides you through journaling each time you pick it up.

2. Bullet Journal - A bullet journal is a journal filled with lines of dots, or bullets. Unlike the lined journal the bullet journal gives you a bit more freedom for laying out your journal and adding sections. If you like to draw or are creative bullet journals are great to work in.

3. Lined Journal - A lined journal is simply a journal with lined paper in it. You use it to write it in like you would a lined piece of paper. Lined journals are used for many different things.

4. The Blank Journal - the blank journal is normally composed of blank pieces of paper and can be used for many different things such as doodling, art, as well as writing. This blank canvas can be used to create many different writing formats.

5. Pocket Journal - the pocket journal is usually a smaller pocket size that will fit in your pocket or purse. These are usually use to capture notes and ideas that come up while on the go. 

The above types of journals is just a quick guideline to help you understand what types of journals are available for purchase. What you use your journal for can range from many different needs. Here are a few that we have seen - but journals can be used for just about anything. The great thing is that you get to decide how and for what you want to use your journal for:

1. Food Journal - many people keep a food journal to help them manage the food they eat. I use a food journal and use it to make my weekly menu's as well as to create my shopping list each week. It helps me stay intentional with my keto eating and only purchase exactly what I need for the week. It helps me create menus much easier as I can copy from past weeks. I also write down new recipes that I create and keep them in my food journal.

2. Project Journal - project journals help you plan out a project and keep track of the steps needed to complete the project. I use my planner for my projects, but a planner journal functions in the same way.

3. Gratitude Journal - many people find that keeping a gratitude journal of all the things that they are grateful for is a way to keep positivity and appreciation in their lives. Focusing on all the good things that happen in a day instead of the bad can improve your overall attitude and keep someone who may be prone to negativity, thinking positively. 

4. Art Journal - you don't have to be an artist to create in an art journal. It's simply a way to release your creativity and ideas. Many people can express their feelings through art instead of words...this is the perfect journal for this type of creativity.

5. Fitness Journal - much like the food journal, the fitness journal helps you keep track of workouts. It's a place to track your weight, food and training information. Keeping it all in one place helps you manage the process of working much easier.

6. Travel Journal - travel journals are used to keep track of places you traveled, what you saw, where you stayed. You can keep track of your packing lists and shopping needs as well as tuck pictures, tickets and other fun artifacts from your trip.

7. Stress Journal - I first heard of a stress journal when working with a business coach. She instructed me to spend 5-10 minutes every morning writing down the things that were stressing me about my business. Getting them out of my head and on paper allowed me to release them in a way that was causing stress and instead allowed me to then work through them in the journal. 

8. Ideas Journal - the idea journal is great for those big picture people who have so many ideas that they can't act on them. Put all your new ideas in a journal so you get them out of your head and on paper. This way you don't lose them and you can act on them when you are in a place to better thing through them.

9. Letter Journal - a letter journal can be used in a few different ways. You can use the letter journal to write letters to your future self...or to others. You don't have to give the letter to the people you write them too...but it allows you to get your thoughts out on paper. Sometimes this can be therapeutic if you are angry or upset...you write the letter to release the anger or sadness. You can decide if you need to anything further with it or leave it as is.

10. Couple Journal - a couple journal can be used a few different ways. If you are apart the journal is a good way to talk to each other and share your thoughts. It's always fun to get the journal back and read several days of letters from your love. You can also use the couple journal as a way to talk to each other if you can't do it face to face. If you struggle with communicating the couple journal is a great way to get your feelings out and shared with each other.

Here are a few different types of journals that we carry in the shop. We have a large selection of different colors and styles and all are available online and in the shop.

Why my word of the year is always... 'intentional.'

Every year I select my 'word of the year'...and every year I pick the word intentional...and there is an intentional reason that I pick it every single year. Let me explain why...

Most people start their year out be selecting a word that they want to focus on through out the year, and in most cases the word is different every year. But for me...my word is the same and that word is 'intentional.'

I have picked that word for many years in a row now and I will keep picking it until I feel that I can move on to another word because I have mastered this one. You see...being intentional is really hard and every day I have to remind myself that my actions and my thoughts need to be intentional because when I don't, I find myself feeling out of sorts and traveling on a path that I didn't intend to be on.

Because being intentional requires me to think about what I say, when I say it, and how I say it. When I am not intentional with my words I can hurt people. I can say things that might not be thought out. Things that may sound sarcastic or judgmental ...and those are two things I never want to be to the people I care about. 

Being intentional with my actions helps keep me moving forward on the path I want to be on. When I am not intentional with my actions I veer off path and find myself in places I don't want to be and not accomplishing the goals that I have set for myself.

Being intentional with my love and respect helps remind me to cherish the people in my life that love me and care for me. Being intentional with my relationships helps me let the people in my life know how important they are too me and how much I respect how they support me and show up for me.

Being intentional in my own personal and spiritual growth helps me better understand how to be a bigger person in this world. When I am intentional I read more and apply what I learn in a way that helps the rest of the areas of my life flourish. When I am not intentional I can become tired, sad and anxious...making life dark and dreadful. 

Being intentional with my finances allows me to live my life in a way that feels good for me and my family. When I am not intentional with my money I spend it on things that are not in line with my goals and life choices. 

You see...I have picked this word several years in a row and I have still not mastered the word intentional. Because being intentional is hard and I am not perfect. So I will keep working on being intentional with my thoughts, actions, love, relationships and finances until it becomes a habit for me...a habit that makes me a better person...one that make choices with the best of intentions.

What's your word for 2022? 

Traditions That Stand the Test of Time...

It's hard to believe that we're at the end of the month of October already. November is around the corner and along with it comes the Thanksgiving holiday. This time of year always brings back memories of my parents and how we celebrated the holidays when they were still with us. 

Everything I learned about cooking came from spending time cooking with my Mom & Dad. All the traditions around our Thanksgiving menus are memories that I will never forget or let go of...I have worked hard to pass down those traditions to my kids and grandkids and I hope that they will create new ones as they grow with their own families. 

My parents, especially my Dad...passed his passion down to me; he loved to make every holiday perfect and so much fun for us as kids. Cool fall weather took us pumpkin hunting, finding the perfect Christmas Tree at the local Christmas tree farms, ice skating on the ponds, and baking...lots of baking. Our house was always filled with the smells of food and the smells of the holiday...apples, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie. I wanted my kids to grow up enjoying their childhood and creating memories of their own; but also taking a bit of mine along with them...a little bit of my parents.

Traditions are passed down from generation to generation...part of the reason that I opened the paper shop was to help continue traditions like sending cards by mail; writing letters on beautiful stationary and putting a stamp on it and dropping it in the mail. It's about reading a paper book and not one on your iPad and writing in a paper journal instead of typing on a computer. All of these things are important to me and continuing traditions that have always made me feel warm and comforted.

Don't get me wrong...I love technology...but I love paper more!