SO, ABOUT LAST NIGHT...

I will start this by saying I'm obsessed with paper and people that make paper pretty. I'm especially obsessed with Anna Bond, Creative Director and Founder of Rifle Paper Co. So when I heard that she was going to be in town for a pop up shop at my favorite paperies store Mac & Murphy I knew I needed to do anything to go meet her. After many a phone call to get someone to cover the last few hours of my shift and some scouting to find a friend that wouldn't think I was a freak for being excited to meet a stationary designer, off I went to Canon St with Chelsea.

Photo courtesy of @ang.e.miller

Photo Courtesy of @jensane - GO CHECK OUT HER INSTAGRAM. It's one of my favorites.

Photo Courtesy of @annariflebond

Luckily Chelsea and I arrived before the crowd really started to grow. Immediately I ran for the stack of limited edition prints she had created for the event and knew that although it was going to be way too expensive and totally ridiculous of me to buy such a frivolous thing, I knew that moments like this don't always happen and that I would be thankful for it no matter the cost. Chelsea and I made our round oohing and ahhing at all the greatness that is Rifle Paper Co. when I finally spotted one of the owners. She greeted me with enthusiasm and asked if I wanted to meet Anna... um, YES. That's just a crazy question.

So over we go to the corner by her wrapping paper and carved recipe boxes where she casually says "Oh, Anna, you know the new designer I was telling you about that started selling in the toy stores? Here she is!" (Okay, new designer? And you were chatting to Anna Bond about me last night over dinner and drinks? What the actual ---- just happened. I could have passed out.) She then reaches her hand out to introduce herself and I the same and I have a 2 minute conversation with her about how amazing her products are.

Then Ami, the owner, informs me that not only are they sold out of my cards, but that they sold out in a WEEK AND A HALF. Like... seriously.

This is my life right now. It might not be much but this is me - I moved all the way to Charleston two days after graduating from college with an almost stranger to work two jobs, and now one, all while pursuing my passion in paper good designing while trying to live the good life and grow up gracefully and live with as many adventures as possible. I sincerely never expected this for me. I spent the first six months living in this city trying to look like I wasn't crying as hard as I could almost every single day because I missed my family and my friends and I was always broke and felt so alone. Now I'm loving my job (for the most part - work is work, am I right?), creating lasting friendships with wonderful people, and doing all of that while finding myself through those adventures. Plus, I'm creating a name for myself in an industry of artists in the city I had wanted to live in since I was seventeen years old. I'm selling my cards in three, hopefully soon to be four, stores and they're selling at a quick speed. Damn, my future kids should feel proud.

So she says I need to come back next week and she will reorder - I mean, yes of course anytime any day, rain or shine or monsoon hurricane... I will be there!

After seeing the rest of her collection in the back office, Chelsea starts probing me about giving Anna my business card and I of course start freaking out. I'm a pretty out-going person, but I'm terrible at networking for myself... but Chelsea is in marketing, and she's brave, plus I love her so I let her make me step out of my comfort zone. After stalking Anna for a good ten minutes, I asked her to take a picture with me and picked our conversation back up. I sucked it up, gave her my card (she said she'd love to check out my work - omg yes.), told her again how amazing her work was, and went to Senior Tequila for daiquiris and burritos.

Could she be anymore fabulous?

My goodies I scored. I cannot wait to hang this up in our new place in August.

It was an absolutely amazing night. I'm still floating about on cloud 9.

I'm so blessed by this life I'm creating for myself - I can't wait to see what year two of Chas living brings me.