WH BLOG

10 plus 10

February 10, 2019

Today is an exciting day for us here at WH Hostess Social Stationery.  We're celebrating TWO big milestones that happen to occur right at the same time.  Somedays, the stars just align, right?!  Ten years ago this week, I started this business. It's taken me on a few different paths along the way (you can read more about that down below), brought me so many interesting opportunities, and connected me to all of you!  And for that I am so grateful. Instagram is our favorite way to connect with you on a daily basis, so it's only fitting that we reached another BIG milestone on there today....10,000 followers!!  We're just absolutely touched that you follow along, love on our products and support our small business. For every order, comment, like and follow.....thank you!

To celebrate, we're giving you 20% off your order!  Valid Sunday, February 10 - Monday, February 11, 2019 on whhostess.com with the code: 10plus10.  Offer not valid on previous purchases, custom designs or wholesale orders.
In February 2009, I found myself looking for a creative outlet.  I had just spent the first chunk of my career as a clothing buyer and sadly, found myself unemployed and trying to figure out "what's next?"  Having just come off planning our wedding, I decided to start a little blog, called The Party Dress, to channel my inner hostess and share all of my ideas for entertaining.  The blog's popularity grew quickly and with it came some wonderful experiences: features in magazines, on blogs, and most importantly, it connected me to so many wonderful women, many of whom I consider good friends todays.

Within that first year of blogging, I had readers reach out to me to ask for help planning their parties. And then I had people ask me to help them with invitations and paper goods for these parties.  I decided to pull out that old graphic design schooling from college, and started playing around in photoshop.  (Fun fact: the very first piece I designed was a first birthday invitation for my best friend's son.  That friend now packs and ships every order that leaves our studio!) I had so much fun designing again, that I decided to launch "WH Hostess", named after the tagline of my blog: "inspirations from the well-heeled hostess."

The blog continued up until 2017, when I finally shut it down.  Mostly because I felt badly I wasn't giving blogging the attention it deserved. But boy, did it bring some fantastic opportunities!  I was named one of Martha Stewart's "Dreamers into Doers" and got to attend a conference in New York at her headquarters. I started The Party Dress Magazine, and we shipped out thousands of magazines over a couple of years, each chock full of inspiration not just from me, but from the best party + entertaining bloggers out there.  And then, in 2013, I wrote a book called "Stylish Kids' Parties".  It's a colorful, fun "how to" book on throwing timeless kids parties that appeal to both the child and the parent's design aesthetic. And all the while.....

We were growing WH Hostess into something I knew could be more than just invitations and party goods. Over the last 9 years, we've grown the online business to include a wide variety of products you can use and gift everyday. We launched a wholesale division a few years ago, and are so proud to say our products are carried in the finest paper + gifts stores in our country.  It's funny, even though it's been 10 years....I have a feeling that we're just getting started.

Again, thank you so much for following along on this journey.  It's never lost on me that you care enough to see what we're up to daily on Instagram, buy our products, stock us in your store, and share us with your friends. 

xoxo,
Kelly

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