Papercraft Miracles

How do you inspire hope?

One of the things that is most important to me as an artist is for the next generation of artists and entrepreneurs to have pathways to the same type of success that I have reached here at Papercraft Miracles. I have a lot of young artists and entrepreneurs who follow me here, and it’s important to me that I pave the way for their success. And so, I am in the process of creating an online course called: “The Art of Business and the Business of Art” that not only tells the story of how I built my business, but gives YOU all of the tools you need to do it for yourself. I am currently pre-selling the course for $250, which is almost HALF-OFF what the price will be post-launch. The course includes THE spreadsheets, budgeting tools, marketing templates, and so much more that I PERSONALLY USE every single day. So if you or someone you love would benefit from learning the business behind the art, click the link: https://zurl.co/1urB #artbusiness #makersgonnamake #artistsoninstagram #smallbusiness #artwork #artgallery #contemporaryart #artoftheday #artofbusiness #businessofart #arted #businessed #MBA #entrepreneurs #entrepreneurlife #success #businessowner #entrepreneurship

We’re sitting on something HUGE over here, and we can’t wait to tell you what it is! Want in on the secret early? Make sure you get on our email list! (Link in comments)

Nine years ago, I went back to work in the office after having my first baby. He was 3 months old, exclusively breastfed, and I had struggled so hard to pump enough extra milk to make a stash in my freezer for him. I had initially worked out a plan with my employer to allow me to work 2 days in the office and 2 days from home and I had purchased my own computer and programs to be able to do the same job from my house. And when I went back, I had to fight for a private space to pump milk (which they did provide me, but had not provided for another nursing mom previously) and I had to take pumping breaks every 2 hours (and over my lunch break) to make sure I could keep my supply up. Because I had to take that time to pump, there was no longer any community for me during my work day…I was isolated in a supply closet with my boss’s wine fridge, hoping no one tried to come in while I sat there hooked up to a machine with my top off. And even though I still did the same amount of work that I had done before I had a baby, even though I had invested my own money into the equipment I would need to do my job remotely, even though I stayed later to make up for the time I spent pumping in the office…someone complained to my supervisor that I “got to work from home when no one else did” and that I was “never at my desk” on the days I was in the office. They told me that I had to “either come back into the office full time or figure something else out”. I told them that they didn’t pay me enough to cover healthcare and daycare and it didn’t make sense to work my ass off to come home with negative dollars and pay someone else to raise my kid…so I was forced to quit. It was terrifying to not have a paycheck or health insurance, especially since we had a huge mortgage and the added expenses of a new baby. But my husband said, “We’ll figure it out. Just stay home and do your book thing.” I had been running PCM as a side gig for 3 years as that point but it was VERY part time. But for the first time since dreaming up this company 13 years earlier, I didn’t have to go work on someone else’s dream every day. And that is how I ended up doing what I love full-time.

Be the change you wanna be by changing the way you see!

We’re officially a WBE in Erie County/City of Buffalo!!

One of the ways that Papercraft miracles operates in a sustainable way is by creating paper and other products using waste materials from other companies and organizations. Recently, we partnered with Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy to create paper using invasive plants they were removing from the parks. We are really excited to share this video of the process and to be teaching a Papermaking workshop at Martin Luther King Park this coming Sunday, July 21 from 10 AM until the paper pulp runs out. Hope to see you there making paper. https://lnkd.in/egFaiNS3

Our founder Janna Willoughby-Lohr is a featured panelist at this amazing Leadership Forum on Women in Manufacturing at Phillips Lytle LLP on July 31st from 8-1030am. Ticket link in the comments!

Divide your irises y’all. Divide.

Check out this interview I did for the Positive Parenting Podcast about using art to heal from trauma!