I like…

imported from bethlehem

December 20, 2011
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This year Steve & I have a different perspective on Christmas since we spent a week in Bethlehem this past May.  We had the opportunity to meet with a variety of Palestinian business owners who face difficult challenges doing business in the West Bank. 

The group we were traveling with met with the Anastas.  They own a tourist shop in Bethlehem.  Originally their shop was on busy street, but unfortunately in recent years the security wall that separates Israel from the West Bank has drastically changed the traffic flow & customer volume.

Another place we visited was the inspiring Tent of Nations.  This land is owned by the Nassar family & they’re using it to bring people of various cultures together to build bridges of understanding, reconciliation, and peace.

It’s hard to imagine the Prince of Peace was born in this land of conflict near shepherd’s fields like these.  Hearing these people’s stories filled with passion for peace was incredibly moving.  I personally felt overwhelmed & couldn’t imagine living in their reality day after day.  My spirit would be crushed, but their strength, vision & hope for the future is unwavering.

We also spent time with Israelis and visited a nearby settlement. There is such a rich history of this land & such strong opinions about the future of it.  Steve & I left this part of the world heart broken about this ongoing conflict.  How can there be peace?

We’re really looking forward to our church, Kensington sharing more about where it all began this Christmas.  If you’re looking to attend a Christmas service this season & live in Metro Detroit, we invite you to experience this non-traditional, dynamic & moving service.

We’re blessed to be part of church that is all about bringing heaven to earth.  We strive to do the same in our business & personal life.  Thank you for allowing us to continue to pursue our dreams.  We’re grateful everyday for this amazing life God has given us.

dreaming of fireflies

July 11, 2011
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One of my managers surprised me with one of these lovelies for my birthday and it just made me smile… like fireflies do.

Bizzy betty

Which prompted me to search for other firefly finds like…

Firefly painting

this glorious image

Firefly stamp

sweet – sweet stamp set

Firefly moment

what a moment to capture!

Firefly card
I need to own this card

Firefly night

Is not this the most magical setting for an unforgettable night?

Like discovering wonderful gems on the world wide web?  Simply subscribe to this blog and we’ll email you our brightest finds.

flowers, fur & yoga

June 5, 2010
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I spent the bulk of my Memorial Day weekend whipping our yard into shape for the summer.  Sadly our two furry friends were of no help – besides offering comic relief throughout the afternoon.  I captured some of the moments with my iphone & used the camera bag app to make them more colorific  or age them back to the 70's… all while listening to a great Andy Stanley Podcast.

Garden1 

Garden2 

Well, after 2 days of weeding & planting flowers, my body was in need of a reboot and this yoga master definitely helped me recharge my tired body.  I'm by no means, proficient at yoga…(I only took one session at my local community center) but I love to take advantage of all the great classes you can find on Youtube — all you need is a laptop, yoga mat & an hour to reboot.

Like seeing how I spend part of my week?  Then sign up to receive these 'about town' blog posts in your email inbox HERE.

another great magazine gone

January 14, 2009
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Cottage living 

First Mary Engelbreit Home Companion, now Cottage Living too?  Apparently I'm in the minority when it comes to magazine subscriptions since my two favorite are no longer available.  So sad. 

Since I'm in the market for some new monthly reads…what magazines do you read for a little inspiration?

catching fireflies – a summer’s delight

June 1, 2008
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Firefly1This lovely article titled Catching Fireflies from Metro Parent caught the attention of one of our crew and I thought I’d share it with you.

Summer nights sparkle thanks to these meadow meanderers - by Jennifer Sullivan

Firefly4

The life of a firefly seems romantic, doesn’t it?  From about May through August, these twinkling insects can be seen dancing across the dark summer sky in search of a soul mate.

Fireflies, or lighting bugs as they are sometimes called, aren’t really flies; they’re actually beetles.

There are many different species of fireflies, many of which are bioluminescent, meaning they have the ability glow.  According to Rochester Hills entomologist Dick Taylor, fireflies produce a cold light in their abdomens, caused by a chemical reaction.  Different species of fireflies possess different flashing patterns, varying in sequence and duration.Firefly3

On warm summer nights, males can be seen flying about attempting to attract a mate.  Females, which stay close to the ground, will flash in response if interested.  Her luminescent body acts as landing lights for the incoming male and mating takes place – sometimes.

Even insects aren’t immune to rocky relationships, and because female fireflies are predacious, the males literally risk their lives when it comes to the dating scene.Firefliesshenandoahriver_b

Females will actually eat other species of fireflies, thus making courtship for the boys complicated.  The females have the ability to mimic up to 11 different species.  Taylor says, therefore being able to trick the male and lure him into her trap.

"By eating the males, the female acquires a poisonous substance which makes her distasteful to predators like birds and spiders," Taylor says.

If the female is sincere and mating does take place, she will lay her eggs and the cycle continues. Even so, as summer comes to a close, the firefly’s days also are numbered.Firefly2

So before the dance of the fireflies ends, Taylor encourages youngsters to observe these fascinating insects both in the wild and in captivity.  Fireflies are best found in meadows, along the edges of streams and near woodland trails.  Observing their true flashing patterns is best done in the wild, Taylor says.  Try to find different species by observing the frequency of their flashes.  Taylor also points out, "Wherever they are flashing, kids should look on the ground to see if they see a female flashing back."

Lizafirefly_b_2

To get a glimpse of them up close, Taylor recommends heading outside about a half hour after dusk and capturing them with a butterfly net.  Put them in a glass jar with some damp leaves and don’t forget to poke a few holes in the top.  Remember, these little critters won’t live past a week when captured, so be sure to always release them back into the wild.   

I’m thankful for…

November 20, 2007
By

Best_13_2

I have so much to be thankful for.  If I had to list all of the blessings God has given me, they would easily fill up numerous pages of this silly blog.  But as I take time to reflect on the past 12 years of my life, I’d like to thank some very special people who have helped make this little company what it is today.

About_the_artist_8

Okay… what college guy do you know that would give up most of his weekends to travel around Michigan doing art fairs with his girlfriend?  Steve unfailingly was there in good weather and bad, great shows and sleepers, early morning set-ups and late night crafting sessions. 

People often ask, "How is it working with your husband everyday?"  Doing the art show circuit together is some of the best pre-marital counseling out there.  After that, the rest is truly a breeze.

Today he’s still helping out with the ‘grunt work’, now it’s just behind a desk dealing with the everyday business that needs to be taken care of (including lugging goods to and from the stores – some things never change)Danielle_blog

Danielle first joined the a.i. paper design crew in 2002 to help make our frames and albums… but in the matter of 6 months, we knew she had the moxie to help catching fireflies take flight.  As our very first store manager, she set the bar for the level of customer service you’ve come to expect at our whimsical gift gallery. In fact, I believe she is one of the big reasons we were voted Best Gift Shop by the Hour Detroit readers this year.

It’s very evident that Danielle cares about catching fireflies as much as Steve and I do.  That is a rare thing in today’s world of business and we are truly grateful for her enduring loyalty and dedication. 

Todd_blogAnother question I often get asked is, "How do you have time to make all your own products?"  Well… I don’t – and that’s where our wonderful studio manager, Todd comes into the picture.  He came on board in 2003 and makes sure all our handmade wares look their very best.

It’s definitely a full time job keeping track of over 200 designs, 20 eaves troughs of ribbon spools, 16 large shelves of handmade paper, numerous stacks of stained wood bases and countless drawers of various beads, buttons, charms and findings… not to mention making sure all the orders from our 800+ wholesale accounts are filled on a daily basis.

Todd is a true pro when it comes to juggling all these responsibilities and takes pride in every a.i. paper design product as if it was his own.Denag_blog

Dena rejoined our family in 2006 as our Rochester catching fireflies manager and we’re so happy to have her back.  Believe it or not, she is the one who encouraged me to start doing craft shows back when we worked together in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

Throughout the years she has helped us make our goods from time to time while also maintaining her very own handmade business.  Her creative flair and eye for looking at things in a different light can definitely be seen throughout the Rochester store.

Dena’s zest for life, caring attitude and love for all things fun and unique couldn’t be a better match for our whimsical gift gallery.

Sara_2blog

Sara is our most recent addition, coming on board in the fall of 2006.  We still haven’t officially given her ‘title’ yet because she does so many different things like… answering our phones, updating data bases, mailing out catalogs, photographing and writing descriptions for the products on the website, pulling web orders, writing press releases, designing advertisements-labels-postcards and this beautiful new a.i. paper design wholesale catalog -I could go on…

Needless to say, she has been an amazing asset to a.i. paper design and catching fireflies.  Steve affectionatley calls her ‘little April’, because like me, when given and idea or project – she immediately runs with it and always gives it her all.

Thanks to these wonderful five faces and the rest of our hard working staff, our company continues to thrive and grow every year.

a sweet thank you

June 11, 2007
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Deb_10I’m happy to feature artists that I like on my blog.  What better way to spread the word about talented people who follow their bliss?

But I was truly surprised to find this special treat in my mail box today from an artist I featured. 

Thank you for the sweet handmade note and stylish letters.  I wish you all the best Deb!

pretty pansies

April 19, 2007
By

PansiesI am very impatient when it comes to planting flowers in the spring.  I loaded up my flower boxes and urns with pansies on April 1st this year … and then it snowed for two weeks (not the April Fools joke I was planning on)

I thought my efforts were a wash but to my surprise these resilient ladies toughed it out and are now showing off their sassy colors.

Here’s a little pansy trivia for you. The pansy gets its name from the French word pensee meaning "thought". It was so named because the flower resembles a human face and in August it nods forward as if deep in thought. Because of the origin of its name, the Pansy has long been a symbol of free thought.

made in china

April 19, 2007
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China_3I see that sticker on lots of products I buy, but haven’t given it much thought past that.

My friend, Michelle Allen has begun producing a line of clocks and home wares in China recently and has documented her latest trip on her blog.

China_2

I really found her postings fascinating.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but some of the photos resemble our a.i. paper design studio (big tables, jars of findings, baskets filled with frames… just a lot less people)

China_1_2

See some of Michelle’s clocks we carry here.

attn: dark chocolate lovers

February 28, 2007
By

BarmoncherriI picked up this rich wonder at the Hershey’s Time Square Store while I was in NYC for a recent trade show.  Ironically it isn’t made by Hershey but boy is it amazing!

A portion of Dagoba’s story reads, "We use both time-honored and modern methods to transform the prima materia of cacao into edible gold. Our line includes pure blends, single origins and innovative infusions to share cacao in its fullest diversity – including slight changes across harvests that reflect the ebb and flow of our lives. In creating flavor infusions, we use only pure essential oils and local ingredients whenever possible. Our infusions perfectly balanced formulations that offer surprise and health benefits."

Who knew about health benefits? (…like I need any reason to eat dark chocolate)

· Cacao is high in antioxidant polyphonols which fight free radicals that damage body tissue. Per ounce, chocolate has more antioxidants than fruits, vegetables, tea or wine. In fact, 1.5 oz of dark chocolate has as much antioxidants as 5 oz. of red wine. Higher cacao content means higher antioxidants. Dark chocolate has twice the antioxidants of milk chocolate.

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hello there

April McCrumb

I'm April McCrumb ~ a creative gal from Michigan that loves to share clever gift ideas, simple recipes, my favorite tunes & all things crafty.  Thanks for stopping by my whimsical world. I hope you enjoy your visit.

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