Each month, it is a huge undertaking to create the perfect gift. Let me give you an insiders view:
#1 Wait for the official message to come out from the Church Headquarters.
#2 Read and ponder what would be creative, cute, catchy and something that sisters will want to give others!
#3 Come up with 2 or 3 ideas to toss around... usually the Queen of VT (aka the owner's wife) will wake up in the middle of the night with an idea. Inspiration, maybe?
#4 Decide on the idea. Now onto finding the perfect paper, packaging, ribbon and treat.
#5 Find a darling scrapbook paper that fits with the message, our idea, and the season. Call to order it and it is has been retired. Or there is not enough stock available.
#6 Search for another "perfect" paper. Adjust our idea to fit a different look.
#7 Order the paper.
#8 Have the design drawn up by the Queen of VT, and hand it off to a designer.
#9 Go back and forth with designer at least 10 times until it is just right.
#10 Send it to the printers with specific instructions and a bribe to print ASAP!
#11 Find the perfect treat. Has to go with the season, match the message or the paper, and we must be able to order enough of it from our vendors. Also has to be the right price.
#12 The treat part sometimes holds us up!
#13 Order ribbon - and have it shipped faster than normal. We are on a time crunch, you know!
#14 Call printer, is it done yet?
#15 Pick up from printer... sometimes take somewhere else to get cut. Depends on the month.
#16 This month, 650 sheets were cut wrong. Cannot use them. Cannot order more - the company is all out. Aaagghh!
#17 Move on!
#18 Buy a corner rounder. Each corner has to be rounded on all 4 sides of message.
#19 Design and print tags. Each tag needs to be individually punched and inked.
#20 Start the assembling of our wonderful VT gifts! Staple the candybar, punch the holes, cut the ribbon, tie together, add tag, add Pioneer Party sticker... whoo! One done and a whole lot more to go!
I actually didn't go into as much detail as I could have... it is a huge process. One that goes all month long. We make them daily all throughout the month and have been known to order more supplies the last week of the month to make sure we don't run out!
We ship out anywhere from 100-200 a month all over the United States.
Thank you to our out of town guests!
And thank you to the locals that visit our store! We love seeing your faces each and every month.
I hope you enjoyed reading about the process of making the VT gifts each month. I have lots more stories about how they come together.... but maybe later!
Here are the pictures of this month's gift:
We chose to use Pres. Monson's talk entitled, "The Divine Gift of Gratitude." Fitting with the month of November and Thanksgiving. There were so many great quotes! We loved how it turned out and hope that you and your sisters will enjoy it as well. Especially the rounded corners, inked edges, and the love that goes into each and every one!!
- Emily
