DECO is turning 5! November 2, 2017 05:00

We are fortunate to be part of an amazing maker community in Raleigh. Just as important are the people and businesses that support local Raleigh makers. 

A huge supporter is DECO Raleigh. They not only support the local maker community but contribute to the community at large. If you haven't heard of DECO before, it is a brick and mortar located in downtown Raleigh, 19 W. Hargett Street. How they describe themselves on their website:

We love Raleigh and carry the work of more than 75 local artisans and makers. Our customers are our neighbors, friends, and the very BEST sources of product ideas for the store. We hope that DECO Raleigh is an adventure every time you visit, and we love nothing more than to hear laughter as our customers explore the store.

We believe in contributing to our community in a meaningful way. That's why we built Raleigh's first parklet, commissioned Raleigh's first sidewalk mural, founded the Flight Fund to support public art and organized a holiday pop-up store in 2015. We love supporting local charities, local start-ups and local do-gooders. Check out some of our projects. 

This week DECO is turning 5!!! November 1 - 5 they're celebrating each day with a local food goodie for customers and supporters, including treats from Videri, lucettegrace, Bittersweet, and Sweetwater Ices to name a few! UPstudio swung by yesterday (they had macaroons). 

For all of those living in the Triangle area we encourage you to come check out DECO. You can follow along on DECO's Instagram to learn more about all of the festivities this week. The Holidays are creeping up on us fast and this is a great place to get a head start on shopping.

While you're there feel free to snag a 2018 UPstudio Planner (in either gray or satchel)!

DECO recently announced that they have some exciting changes coming in the future, learn more and follow along on their blog, DECO Turns a Corner.

UPstudio Reviews by Earn Spend Live October 12, 2017 05:00

We're big fans of Earn Spend Live, and their ever growing community of women supporting women.  Their website and blog posts have an endless supply of helpful tips for navigating life and being an adult, which we definitely all need a little help with sometimes!  Plus, they love planners, and we love planners, so we're destined to be internet friends. 

ESL recently shared a couple of videos highlighting the UPstudio Planner, which we couldn't wait to share with you! (a quick note: if you are reading this post via email subscription, you may not be able to see the videos below, but can see them here and here!)  

The first is a quick feature highlight of the 2018 Planner: 

We've got our eyes on this new cover color <3 #plannercommunity #plannerlover @upstudionc https://t.co/cfYPFD4bgr pic.twitter.com/Hr806dASWf

— Earn Spend Live (@EarnSpendLive) October 10, 2017

The next video is a review of their top 6 planners for tracking habits and goals:

This is how you use a planner to track your habits and progress. @inkwellpress @DayDesigner @startplanner @upstudionc pic.twitter.com/bN40gMSPjj

— Earn Spend Live (@EarnSpendLive) October 7, 2017

For additional reviews of planners and more, check out their website, or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest.

Where you can find the 2018 UPstudio Planner... October 5, 2017 05:00

We are excited to announce that the Satchel 2018 UPstudio Planners are back in stock on our website! Snag one for yourself here.

The UPstudio Planner can be found in other locations as well. We thought we'd share the complete list today with you all. Note that both cover color options are available at all locations. If you're ever curious and want an up to date list on where any UPstudio products are available, you can always check our Featured page.

Online

• The UPstudio Shop
• Amazon
• Etsy (Scratch and Dents also available)

Local Raleigh, North Carolina, Shops:

• Deco Raleigh (19 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, NC)
• Quail Ridge Books (North Hills - 4209-100 Lassiter Mill Road, Raleigh, NC)
• So & So Books (703 N. Person Street, Raleigh, NC)

2017 UPstudio Planner Feedback March 23, 2017 05:00

We are almost three months into 2017. Which means three months into our 2017 UPstudio Planner. How is it going so far for you? 

We feel like the 2017 version is leaps and bounds above the inaugural UPstudio Planner in 2016 however there is still and will always be room for improvement. Believe it or not, we are already working on the 2018 version, discussing between the two of us and soliciting input from others regarding where we should target our growth for 2018. Taking note of items that need to be tweaked, things that need to be completely reworked, and potential new options we want to explore.

We appreciate your reviews and e-mails regarding areas of improvement and directions you would like to see the UPstudio Planner take. Please keep them coming! We also encourage you to share your comments on this blog post as well by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom. 

Here is a recently published youtube review by Tara from Earn Spend Live to help get the gears turning:

If you are viewing this post via our e-mail subscription, click here to check out the video.

Some additional questions to help spur conversation:

• Do you like that the week layouts start on Monday, or would you prefer a Sunday start?
• Currently the monthly layout week runs Sunday through Saturday. Many have shared that they don't like the inconsistency between the month layout and the weekly Monday start. Do you agree? 
• Would you like an academic calendar option?
• Is the overall planner the right size for you, would you like different sizes?
• Would you like a thinner only monthly version with graph paper at the end?
• Do you think you'll have enough graph paper for the year? 
• Would you like a different color cover? If so, what color? Red? Satchel/Tan?
• Do you find that you use the subtly ticks we added for the times? If you don't, do you find they are distracting from how you use the top large section?
• Do you think three subdivided sections is the right amount? Do you want more or less?
• Do you like the quality and thickness of the paper? Do you have any bleed through issues?
• Do you like the folders? We personally feel like they need to be more durable, do you agree?
• Do you use the page markers? Is two the right amount?
• Do you think any of the spacing needs to be adjusted? Areas with too much or too little space?
• Did you find any errors? 

We look forward to hearing your thoughts however you feel comfortable sharing them with us!

Ramble January 14, 2016 08:00

We've met a lot of really cool people recently, including local store owners here in Raleigh.  As you may have seen on our social media, the 2016 UPstudio Planners are being carried in Gather Goods Co. and So & So Books, and Ramble Supply Co. is featuring both Planners and Everyday Cards.  We're so excited to have started these relationships with some pretty fantastic stores, and wanted to take the time to highlight them as well.  Today we're going to focus on Ramble.  

Jessie Connor opened Ramble in November 2014, after moving from NYC and taking a sabbatical to do some travelling.  Her life in New York was exciting, but she started to feel bogged down by the day to day grind of being overworked.  As she contemplated her future, she made a tough decision to pack up and leave.  If she missed NY, then she would return, but if she didn't, it was a sign to start on a new adventure.  She literally explored different areas coast to coast before landing in Raleigh.

Having grown up in Wilmington and having family nearby, Raleigh naturally felt more like a place she could settle.  Jessie's brother owns another local store and encouraged her to take her expertise from her previous job and open up a store to highlight quality products from all over the world.  She did just that, and has been very successful for the past year. 

The Ramble Supply Co. shop is beautiful and simply adorned with a well thought out layout.  The A-framed displays and doorways create a unique character and coziness.  The vibe is friendly and comfortable, and leaves you wanting more.

Beyond just a storefront, Ramble hosts some amazing classes and events, from DIY's to First Friday's and parties that you don't want to miss.  Be on the lookout for their next event in January to learn how to make Kombaucha in a Fermentation Class.

 note: see Ramble Supply Co. website for event dates

We especially love this little corner of Ramble, which UPstudio is privileged to call home for a while:

Next time you're in downtown Raleigh, make sure to stop in at Ramble and say hi to Jessie (and her adorable new puppy, Dolly!)

Merry Christmas December 22, 2015 08:00

Isaiah 9:6

 From our families to yours: we hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Just some quick announcements... (don't want to take up too much of your time, cause you should be celebrating and spending time with your family)

1. Our 2016 Planners and our 2016 Typeface Calendar are now 20% off. (Yes, we are serious!) Prices as marked, no discount code necessary. 
2. If you live or work in Raleigh and want to check out our planners in person (and save on shipping) head over to So & So Books on Person Street, or Gather next to 212 E. Franklin Street. We are excited to be featured in both stores!
3. We just added a "Featured" page to our website. It shows up at the top of our webpage, or in our menu on your mobile device. This page will be updated frequently with where to find us or our products outside of our website. IE: events where you can meet us in person, shops where you can find our products, and places out in the world wide web where we are featured.
4. Speaking of features.. Knox from @knoxthedox featured us yesterday on Instagram! Looks like he uses our planner to keep track of all his girls. (By the way if you don't already follow this adorable dachshund from Raleigh, you should! #supportlocal.)

We hope you have a chance to slow down and enjoy time off work and time with your family to celebrate the reason for the season! We plan to do just that, we'll see you next week.

-Becky and Mary Beth

Dress Your Tech December 3, 2015 08:00

You may not have ever heard of DESIGNLOVEFEST, but I follow her blog pretty religiously.  It is a great mix of just about everything. It inspires me to be more creative on a daily basis.

One highlight is the "Dress Your Tech" section where once a week or every other week she features amazing desktop backgrounds. Not sure if you're in the same boat as me, but I hate the standard backgrounds on my computer, and I feel like I can never find the perfect picture to use that I won't get tired of in about five minutes (sorry hubby and son). The collection on DESIGNLOVEFEST is perfect for me; simple and creative, with a ton to choose from so I can change it every day if I tire of it. Most of the images offered are designed by pretty famous people specifically for DESIGNLOVEFEST. The best part: they are all FREE!

Here is one of my favorites, it is vintage DESIGNLOVEFEST from 2013:

Link to Download

This is my current desktop background, in case you're wondering:

Link to Download

I might be moving on to this fun guy next:

Link to Download

Or maybe this one?

 Link to Download

For those of you who want something a little more colorful and fun, maybe this one?

Link to Download

There are tons of options, and your tastes might not line up exactly with mine, so go check it out for yourself.  You just might find something perfect! 

We hope to see you all this weekend (and next weekend, and the following weekend!)

--Mary Beth and Becky

Final Installment on The Morning Stir August 19, 2015 08:28

On this rainy Raleigh morning we are enjoying our morning coffee inside while listening to the third and final installment of our discussion with Cristina Wilson from The Morning Stir podcast. We conclude our conversation talking about the origin of our branding, risks we've taken, and some goals for the future. Thank you so much for listening in and hearing more about our story thus far. 

Part I: UPstudio: The Origin Story

Part II: UPstudio: Surprising Changes From The Focus Group

Part III: UPstudio: What's the Biggest Risk You've Take so Far?

The Morning Stir on social media: Facebook, Instagram (#themorningstir), Twitter (#themorningstir).

Don't forget to sign up for our Newsletter to stay in the know regarding things on the horizon.

-- Mary Beth and Becky

(You can follow this link to add our blog to almost any reader that you use. Or you can click on the RSS icon at the bottom of the page, found in the "Follow Us" section. If you'd like to receive our posts via e-mail use this link.)

The Morning Stir Podcast August 17, 2015 08:30

Over the weekend we set down with Cristina Wilson from The Morning Stir podcast and shared a little about how we got started, what sparked some of our ideas, and some of what we have learned thus far. 

The first segment went live today. You can listen to it here.

The second installment will go live tomorrow, you can listen to it now by clicking here.

The Morning Stir on social media: Facebook, Instagram (#themorningstir), Twitter (#themorningstir).

Don't forget to sign up for our Newsletter to stay in the know regarding things on the horizon.

-- Mary Beth and Becky

(You can follow this link to add our blog to almost any reader that you use. Or you can click on the RSS icon at the bottom of the page, found in the "Follow Us" section. If you'd like to receive our posts via e-mail follow this link.)