The Beginning…
If you visited my “Meet the Designer” page, you’ve already read that I started learning how to design in 2008 and officially opened my first Trixie Scraps Designs shop in October of that year. The part of the story that you don’t know yet is how I got the name of my brand, which is a question I get asked often. To be honest, as I contemplated the leap into selling my work, I struggled for a while to come up with a name that I liked and one day, I shared that struggle with my husband. We women over-think things sometimes, don’t we? Of course, possessing a Y-chromosome made this whole biz name business pretty simple for Erick. It took him mere moments to suggest the nickname he and his dad lovingly call me… and Trixie Scraps Designs was officially born.
My next challenge was deciding on a slogan and mission for the business. And I must confess, there wasn’t a lot of outward reflection going on when I came up with all this schtuff. At first, it seemed natural to me to base these decisions on the way in which my work evolved, as I started to develop a feel for the types of products I liked to make. I’ve always tried to replicate a traditional “paper scrapbook” look, without all the bulk and mess of traditional paper scrapbooking. I love color, especially bright and bold colors, and that was obvious in my early work. And so my original company slogan, “Bright Bold and Beautiful,” took root. Did I have a mission in the beginning? If I did, it was never really written down anywhere. But, unofficially, I sought to provide pretty, highly useful products that former paper scrapbookers who had converted to digital would find appealing.
The Present…
Fast forward six years to the early part of 2014… being honest, some of the shine had gone off the penny. I was tired, creatively worn out and felt used up. Every time I would try to put pen to tablet, or mouse to pad, I hated what I came up with. It all felt so been-there-done-that. You see, I had worked tirelessly for the prior five years, perpetually caught running the hamster wheel for 50 to 60 hours per week, feeding the “must-have-new-products-every-week-or-else” machine that my business had become. And Trixie Scraps Designs, which I had so lovingly crafted, began to be the biggest source of stress in my life. Something had to give! So, I took an extended break… while I didn’t close up shop entirely, I gave myself permission to take a break from creating new products and focus on marketing what I currently had to offer. Over the course of 2014, I took the time and space to discover what I needed to re-energize my business again. And what I discovered was the need to re-brand and adopt a new philosophy and mission.
What I’ve learned is this… new product is important. But, what’s more rewarding for me is truly helping busy moms (and grandmoms! and even the occasional dad, or child-free, life-loving adventurer, too) to preserve their family’s story. In an age where so many families are disconnected… where so many of us stare at our screens at the dinner table, it is important to remember and document genuine connection to each other. To tell the little, everyday stories. And now… Trixie Scraps Designs has that mission in mind. I’ve adopted a new slogan —“Great Designs. Your Memories. Perfect Together.” It is my goal to find unique and new ways to engage digital scrapbookers, new and old, to help them preserve their family’s legacy with beautiful products, helpful tutorials, and support and encouragement. I hope you will allow me the privilege to help you write your life’s story.
The Future…
I’m excited again about this business and I have lots of things planned for the places we can go together. Look for the team and I to continue to provide you with weekly scrapbooking challenges on the blog. Every week, we will feature either a new “Masters Monday” tutorial or a “Wisdom Wednesday” inspiring quote, both of which we hope will inspire your layout work. I’m currently in the development phase of some members-only exclusive schtuffs, too… although, I’m not quite ready to let that cat out of the bag just yet. I’m super excited about the plan I’m working on because it will be the big piece of the puzzle that Trixie Scraps Designs needs to truly serve YOU and your family best.
Now that you know where I’ve been, where I’m at, and where I’m going… how about you? What challenges do you face as you endeavor to preserve your family’s everyday small moments? What types of products or programs have you searched for with no luck? Please use my “Ask for Help” page to do just that… I love hearing from you!
