Everyone who knows me knows about my craving for new and helpful tools to help me improve the services I offer.

I am always on the look out for new tools. I don’t buy the first time I see anything, unless I have a project that needs to get done within the next two weeks.

I use my jaunts to trade shows, businesses that have similarities to mine, like scrap booking or fabric stores, and other places that might have an idea or two that might work for our business.

And I do have to confess that I’m addicted to surfing the Internet to find ideas and other things.

So my latest toy/tool is a punch and binder all rolled into one. It’s called the Zutter Bind It All- it can make punched holes and then using their spiral binding forms , you cut the length you need and use the other side to close the spiral ends into each other to finish your book into a spiral bound item.

Now, I have to say this is not meant to do thousands at a time. But that’s the beauty of it for us- we can work in small quantities that are more customized for our clients. No one has to spend a ton because we only have a few to make.

I originally saw it at the National Stationery Show held annually in New York City every May. It was really cool to watch how easy it was to use and how quickly it worked. I knew that someday this tool would come in handy. And boy did it for a wine tasting book we just created.

We’ve done two books in the last week- one for the Automotive Designer (see Blog 21 for details) and now one for a wine tasting event.

The book we made for the wine tasting event was smaller, but no less precise. For the event there were 9-10 wines paired with food. We created a book to hold the menu, and a rating sheet for each of the wines. Annie, my staffer who does all of our graphic design work, covered the outside cover in a stock paper that she had used to create the custom invitation and the place cards. And our newest staffer, Dianne, tried two different glues- TOMBOW’s Mono Multi Liquid Glue that has a wide applicator and a pin-point tip and then 3M’s Spray Artist Adhesive. Both worked, but the spray was faster and we had a time crunch at that time.

The book was an instant hit with our client. She had imagined what she wanted and we were fortunate to have created it.

I was out of the store when Annie and Dianne were proudly showing off their collective effort. But the next day, I heard from the customer they were showing off to- and of course, she has enthusiastic and generous support for our efforts. She also got to kid me about my new toy- because she knows I’m a sucker for tools. She had to admit this was a good one and gave me a few more directions we could go with this new found skill.

So onward and upward, as the comic book heroes would say. And, since I am passionate about tools doing a good job in personalizing our service to our customers, I would love to hear about your favorite tools that help you provide that unique and special service for your customers.

As a small business owner, it’s not so easy to just lock the door and head off home when everyone else does. Especially, with this economy. I would say that that short period of quiet before I head home is when my best ideas come.

Not that I have any energy to do much more than write them down. But I find that this is a good, disciplined thing to do- first because I will be fresher in the morning and can look at this idea with a new viewpoint (or say to myself “What was I thinking?”).

Secondly, I feel that you need to seek viewpoints from others. So that can mean sending e-mails to people whose opinions I respect or running the idea(s) past my staff, who may be the implementers of this “crazy Boss” idea. (I always hated Bosses who would wildly “implement” their ideas, even though the Bosses had nothing to do with getting the “gosh darn thing” implemented).

Sometimes the idea gets tucked into storage for a time when it might be more feasible to do it. Sometimes, you may actually get wild, enthusiastic responses and start implementing it right away.

I like this informal process. Maybe it’s because of all my years in a structured, corporate environment where everything decision required input agreement from lots of upper level management.

Or maybe it’s a smug comment on my part now that “I’m the Boss” and “It’s my money” we’re playing with.

I hope not.

What I want to create is a collaborative effort, where every idea is considered, and everyone has a say. Now I realize that can’t happen every day, all the time. But, for most things it should occur that way. Why? Because our staff is in the best place to say whether the idea is likely to fit our way of working.

Next I try then to pass along the ownership of the idea so I don’t have to stand there and “watch” to see that it’s done right.

My staff will tell you that I’m full of great ideas. So would my group of advisors that I have lovingly dubbed my “Brain Trust”. I would say their biggest job is to choke me back and make me focus and stick to my knitting(meaning what makes the cash come in the door).

So, I say there’s nothing wrong with lots of ideas. Do your best ideas flow away on the breeze. (I claim a lot seeps out my ears at night when I’m sleeping- but what is sleep these days?) The proverbial “proof in the pudding” is whether and how they get done.

Maybe you have a great method of handling the organization of your organization. Or an idea trapper. Or some other activity that helps you stay on track during crazy, busy times. Please share them.

So in walks a young Automotive Designer, who was doing just that- hedging his bets.

He had put together his resume and his book of design work on a CD. Also, he had designed a very graphically strong “label” for his CD that truly represented his style and who he is as a designer.

But, imagine just putting that in a padded mailing envelope- with or without a cover letter. Does that strike you as being bland, boring and some what invisible, like every other piece of mail going through a corporate mailroom, hoping that standard kraft colored envelope finds its way to the proper destination?

And imagine what might be sitting in the “in box” of a Human Resources Manager right now- tons of mail. Letter size envelopes in grays, whites, light shades of blue, or something corporate like and dozens of manila colored flat mailing envelopes hoping to stand out.

Assuming the envelope gets opened, some intrepid individuals will try something gimmicky, like neon yellow or a Post-It note that says, “The Boss says this looks like a great fit!”

How do you increase the odds yours will get opened and considered? First of all, get the name of the person who should see your resume. That requires homework on your part. If you don’t know how to make the call to get that information, ask a sales person how they make cold calls. They have to do this every day of their lives.

If not, go to your local library (the insides I bet you haven’t seen in a very long time) and ask your local Reference Librarian for help. You will be amazed at what your local library can hook you up with in terms of very specific information.

Next, skip the gimmicks and come see us. Because we understand about packaging, and how the first impression is likely the only one you will get.

Take a look at what we did for our Automotive Designer. He was on the right track himself, but needed help executing the final steps to ensure that his CD showed off his best talents.

First, he knew he needed sketches of his work, to prove that he could draw and conceptualize ideas. It was clear a full size one was going to cost big bucks- not only in reproducing but also in mailing expenses. So we developed the proportional size book so his work demonstrated his abilities as a designer.

Why did we pick that size? It worked with the size of his CD and a box that we could fit both in together. The box itself was just white- so we followed through with his color scheme of red and black by using a paper fill to support the book and CD- then created a sleeve of black paper to cover the box. The best part- we took the cover from his existing, full size sketch book and created a “Label” that we sized to act as a “sleeve” or “band” that could slip off, intact, so it could show some design ingenuity as well as be re-assembled to pass on to another decision makers.

Shipping was merely a decision on where it had to go, how quickly it had to get there, and how much we wanted to spend to get it there.

Bottom Line- a very talented designer was able to put his work “out there” in a more compelling fashion. We certainly don’t take any credit for his design philosophy- but what we did for him was ramp his presentation up just a notch or two, so that his body of work would get noticed.

Stay tuned for an update on what his job search nets him. We have our fingers crossed- although I suspect he won’t need too much more of our help.

I was at Macy’s yesterday. Yikes- it was all out. Aisles of Christmas ornaments, decorative pieces for your mantle, stockings for the fireplace, boy, you name it.

Shoot, I haven’t even gotten to Halloween yet.

I know that many people are anxious about what the Holidays will be like. And what impact the Presidential election might have. And how the money invested for college tuition or retirement might fair. Worse of all, many people have lost their homes due to weather or foreclosure.

So I believe that we need to ignore Christmas right at the moment and focus on what we can do to help our fellow neighbors and people in our community.

Lisa’s Gift Wrappers has always been about supporting children and women. Our work schedules allow for flexibility in working your hours around your children’s school schedules. Not a novel thought, but it is ingrained in our culture to do that for our staff.

Harried mothers feel a bit of respite when they visit our store. We have crayons and paper to keep little ones busy for a few minutes while Mom has the time and breathing space to think and decide.

We are not only about this though. We help out many local charities with creating auction baskets that might bring in more dollars for that charity. We have done centerpieces that highlight decorative cookies for a Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) fundraiser. We donate our scraps of ribbon and paper to kid-centered charities where art forms an important step towards healing for a child that has lost a parent due to illness. Or a child that lives with a single parent and goes to a safe place after school until they can get picked up. We’ve donated crayons and colored pencils and erasers and markers to local groups for their art rooms.

It’s the materials we work with every day and sometimes take for granted.

Little things have helped our friends and families - our neighborhoods and schools - our churches and synagogues - pull people through these hard times.

We believe in giving back to our community. It might take baby steps- like donating books to a women’s shelter- to get you rolling.

Christmas will always be there. But let’s focus on the here and now and spend some time helping others.

Have you ever thought of collecting some of these things to add to your packages for that little extra zing? It says you have thought just a little bit more about the artistry of the top of your box- not just the bow or even the wrapping paper.

I invite you to take a walk through the fall colors in our store. You can even bring in your trimmings and we can create with you.

We have these new shades of green paper- moss, chartreuse and pale sage almost bordering on the mint side. All are perfect for making that fall statement.

And then there is my all time favorite- it’s got a burnt orange to dark red background with beautiful, abstracted mums and other fall flowers on it. It is such a great paper that any fall colors work- from the crimsons to golden yellows, the dark greens to the light greens, even a pop of orange in the pattern from time to time. Any ribbon combination will work here. So I usually suggest combining textures with different widths and playful, novelty ribbons to add some other interest.

You could also add dried items like bittersweet or other branch type materials. Maybe add a stalk of fresh mums to the top. Or consider tree leaves or dried pods or thistles.

Take advantage of what fall has to offer because as soon as the rains start here in Michigan, much of this dried bounty from Nature will be gone.

Maybe you’ve got a special item you like to use- we’d love to see your ideas on decorating packages in the Fall. Send them to us lisa@lisasgiftwrappers.com and we’ll be glad to post them for others to see.

So what does this have to do with September? For me, even though I am well past the days of going to school, some how September always seems to remind me of getting ready and then actually starting school.

Perhaps it’s the new pencils and the smell of getting them sharpened. (O.K., I know I’m showing my age here- but I don’t care for mechanical pencils. They just don’t seem to me to be the real deal).

Or maybe it’s getting the ruled, spiral bound notebooks for each class. Or the ruler, scissors and colored markers or pencils, maybe even glue or tape.

I think it’s the process. Thinking about the year to come and what I might learn and whether I will like my teachers and what will it be like in the grade or college level I’ll be in.

Maybe it was also about seeing my mother get ready to start her year as an art teacher. Making sure she had her supplies organized, ready to go.

I have always ascribed to the idea that you should never stop learning. So for an adult to take a class and squeeze it into our busy schedules, I say it has to be something that you have always wanted to learn.

So embrace the return of Fall and think about a class you might take. Go to your local library or community center. I would suggest a class that will stir your creativity like an art class, an exercise class, something where you will learn an entirely new skill or brush up in an area that you started learning years ago.

At Lisa’s, we love to offer classes in the fall and spring. We start with classes on how to wrap and make a wonderful bow. It’s simple. It’s fun. But best of all, there are other people there for the same reason, and meeting new people is half of the experience. This year classes are on Saturdays, October 25 and November 8. To sign up call us at 248-547-9094.

It’s not rocket science- but it’s the tips and tricks when the presentation is as important as your gift. You can check out our sister website, http://www.readysetwrap.com, for tips and pictures on wrapping if you can’t make it to one of our classes. And if you get stuck, just e-mail us at lisa@lisasgiftwrappers.com for help or ideas.

My dad was great at taking the shell of something and seeing all its greatness.

But sometimes that gets you into trouble. Or at least that seems to be my problem.

For instance, I bought this darling doll house kit for the daughter of a good friend, because a) I have a son so I wouldn’t be able to indulge that fantasy and b) I had always wanted to make one of these.

So, I bought the basic kit. Pretty simple if I had stuck to their plan. But O-h n-o, not me. A little tiny whisper said “wouldn’t the roof be cute with shingles?”- so I bought the shingle package. And since I can stencil, let’s ditch the basic stencil for the shutters and look high and low for the perfect stencil.

Of course, you’ve got to pre-sand and then prime and then paint everything with at least two coats of paint. (This treatment is better than what most homeowners do. Is someone for real going to live in this place???).

An update: The surprise I had planned is still in pieces in my basement, waiting to be finished. I know that I should get my butt in gear, so that one of my friends with little girls might get to enjoy it this century.

Any advice from those of you who have fallen into the big trap of “Incomplete-itis” or “Have too many projects going at the same time- you slightly over planner?” Please share.

So, standing in the line at Home Depot, waiting to pay for two door knobs, one for the in-process remodeling of our guest bathroom and one for the door opposite the bathroom, I got to look at the shelves ( and I do mean shelves) of magazines devoted to homes, cottages, decorating, DYI opportunities- you name it, they had it.

Second best to being creative, I thought to myself, is seeing what others were doing.

So I picked out a few magazines- grabbed my beverage and snack of choice to nosh on while reading, and decided an afternoon on the back deck surrounded by others being creative might get me in the mood to do something myself.

We had a freak thundershower that sent my dog, Jake and I scrambling to make it indoors before we got soaked.

But, it was a “dog” day of summer for me today. And, Jake, who is a German Short Hair Pointer, but at 73 lbs. thinks he’s a lap dog, is also the biggest couch potato you will ever know.

We hung out on the sofa for the rest of the afternoon. Hilarious- I heard the biggest sighs of contentment from Jake.

So there must be some truth to the “dog days of summer”. And maybe you have a favorite hang out space- porch, deck or where ever that gives you the space and time to just “ponder the possibilities”. Share them with us.

Good thing because I have had a stack of books by my bedside, along with catalogs that I save and magazines that have been read in a hurry and I can now go back and leisurely re-read them.

My most current find is Charles Harper’s Birds and Wisdom. “ Charley Harper was an American original. For over 60 years, he painted in a style he referred to as minimal realism….He liked to say “I could never get close enough to count the feathers in the wings, so I just count the wings”.” (from the dust jacket). Todd Oldham is the designer of the day- and he has probably the most to do with Charley Harper’s images getting a second look.

Charley was smack dab in the mid century or what was then, the 1950’s, when he started working. His work became more recognizable when he was hired by Ford Motor Company to be a writer and illustrator for their magazine, “ Ford Times ”, and stayed there a remarkable 30 years.

What is so captivating is how fresh his illustrations look today. And how he has captured the essence of the birds he drew in the fewest of lines. His color ideas are also refreshing and look so modern.

My next favorite book for eye candy is Eva Zeisel by Lucie Young. Eva is another of the great designers of the 20 th century. She is probably best known for two designs of china, one called Town and Country , made for the company, Red Wing and a second design, called Tomorrow’s Classic , for Hall China .

I happen to have a set of Tomorrow’s Classic dinnerware, which my parents had. It’s white with a black motif that looks like a starburst. I love this set because the lines of the pitchers and other serving pieces are so fluid. The dinnerware looks so amazing to me. And, over the years, I have collected vintage 1950’s tablecloths that work well with these dishes.

I put them away for awhile because small children have a way of dropping things. I look forward to bringing them back out now, especially because of this book.

Even more amazing is that Eva has had such a prolific career beyond designing china. She designed a tubular steel and canvas chair, which is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). She has designed interiors for offices and retail stores. Most recently, she designed pieces that Nambe’ has produced.

The last book I have been reading is COLOR: Messages and Meanings, a Pantone Color Resource by Leatrice Eiseman. Ms. Eiseman is the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute and founder of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training.

All I can say is what a feast for the eyes. Each section takes a color range and helps put into words the emotions, positively or negatively, that this color range invokes. Of course, color has connotations. For example some colors work for selling things, and some colors might be a turn-off. But this book is a great way to get your creative juices flowing and your mojo working!

The best part is the actual Pantone color number and how it’s been married with other complimentary, monochromatic and other color methods. It shows how color can work in many different situations. Certainly, the photographs of successful ads, interior designs, products and other uses help demonstrate the usefulness of this book.

The price of the book might steer you away- but I can’t seem to bring myself to buy the Pantone Color Charts, so to me this is the next best item for color references and ideas.

There is not a book that I don’t wish I owned. Maybe you’ve got a favorite- I’d love to hear where your design inspirations come from.

So, the most recent tool justification is a perforating disc for my cutting board. It’s really just there to trim paper or cut things to size.

But, Annie, our graphic designer, was doing a project where we needed to perforate a place card for a wedding. And well that turned out to be a great tool, which we have found lots of other cool things to do with this special cutting disc.

My newest cool tool is a board that allows us to score paper. I do know how to score paper by hand, but it is time consuming and most of the time I end up actually cutting through the piece when all I wanted to do was get a good fold. And to get a really great fold you have to know the direction or grain of the paper, which sometimes you have ignored in the process of printing something. So this scoring board allows you to avoid these issues.

I was like a kid when I brought the scoring board into the store and I immediately had to demonstrate its vast abilities.

It immediately came in handy when I made a custom cover for a significant proposal one of our customers was submitting. We were able to make a cover that had expanded sides to accommodate the thickness of the proposal as well as allow for flaps to overlap. So when the cover was opened, it would look a little like a flower opening.

Now I will say that a new tool doesn’t have to be the most expensive version- I think you need to take into consideration the wear and tear this equipment is likely to get. You can always upgrade, if you find that it is used often.

Everyone has a favorite tool that they use. You know some of mine- tell me what are your favorites and why you can’t live without them. I may just have to have one, too.