enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

IMG_2581

I was so excited to get some behind the scenes photos from Jolby + Friends who did press checks up in Portland on Monday. GET TO WORK BOOK™ is in production. Covers are being printed this week, insides next week and then a there will be few weeks of binding and they'll be out the door to be carefully packaged up and headed to YOUR front doors.

IMG_2547

Quick refresher…the books are being printed and assembled in Portland, Oregon. The paper and chipboard covers are 100% recycled from post-consumer waste and milled in the USA. This first batch will be freight shipped down to me in San Diego and then shipped out from here. (Long term, I will most likely be cutting out myself as the middle man and having them shipped from a distribution center in the PNW. But one big step at a time!)

Anyway, logistics aside…I loved seeing the production photos and thought you might too.

IMG_2508 IMG_2512 IMG_2519

First thing, as you can see the covers are being printed on a double width stock (two to a page as well, but that's not the important part). One of my issues with the prototype was that the cover was a little thin. To print the way we wanted AND to keep that great tan colored cover, we needed to stick with the thinner chipboard, BUT to get around it, we are folding the cover in half (back on itself) and creating a double thick stock. (See below.)

IMG_6633

I have a sample of the new cover and it looks (and feels!) great! Producing it this way will create a sturdier cover, give more support at the binding and cover up any embossing that comes through the backside from the check mark. (It's a triple win and I'm so glad we were able to come up with this solution.)

IMG_2571

Second thing, LOOK AT ALL THAT PAPER. LOOK AT THOSE PRINTERS. I sort of want to be there just to…smell it.

IMG_2546 IMG_2557

Third thing, remember, the illustrated calendar pages (see them all here) are printed on a thicker paper stock and will be perforated to pull out from the book and hung on your wall. So yes…you get a day planner. You get goal setting and project breakdown pages. And you get 12 unique art prints. (Sometimes I feel like an infomercial. "But wait! There's more! Order now and I'll throw in some heart eye emojis!")

IMG_2533 IMG_2524 IMG_2556

Fourth thing, it's so fun for me to see this become real. It feels legit (I mean look at the size of those printers) in a way that nothing I have ever done (except recite a full episode of Friends) has. It's hard to explain and I probably will never be able to put it into words – though I tried on Tiffany's podcast. I am just awkwardly proud and really excited to get this out there. And then I'm ready to continue working on making this brand something special and motivating and worth your continued investment.

Thanks for letting me share some behind the scenes today!

Haven't see the video walk through yet?! Watch it here! Ready to hop on board and get to work?! Pre-order your 2015-2016 GET TO WORK BOOK™ here! And yes, there will be a just as amazing 2016 version. Look for more details on that in early September.

ps. all my thanks for your excitement over our announcement yesterday. We're shaking things up as much as possible around here in 2015 and it feels pretty great.

Posted in ,

37 responses to “GET TO WORK BOOK : it’s becoming real!”

  1. Leah Noble Avatar

    Holy mother! You’re amazing. I cannot WAIT to hold this book in my hands and USE it too. 🙂 🙂

    Like

  2. Taylor Avatar
    Taylor

    I am soooo excited to get my hands on this!! Yay!!

    Like

  3. Jenn Avatar

    I love seeing these types of photos! I’ve been thinking about making my own book of sorts and I wondered how and where you were getting yours published/printed. Super cool!

    Like

  4. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    You can not over share too much of the production. I find it so interesting. I wish I was still in school so I need a 2015-2016 planner. I’ll just have to wait until the 2016. Saving my pennies now!

    Like

  5. Caroline Avatar
    Caroline

    It looks really amazing! Unfortunately I have already a planner for this year… But I will buy the 2016 version! One for me and one for my mum! It`s the perfect christmas present!! Thank you Elise

    Like

  6. Nicole Norman Avatar

    I work in customer service for a plastic manufacturer so I love seeing these behind-the-scenes shots of the presses! A lot of it looks familiar. Getting so excited for these!

    Like

  7. Kristi K. Avatar
    Kristi K.

    As a graphic designer, I have spent hours and hours doing presschecks over the years, and lemme tell you… the ink smell is DIVINE. Can never get enough.
    I was waiting to get this book until you do a calendar year (Jan.-Dec.), but the word illustrations are so divine, I might order this book just for them. Decisions, decisions!

    Like

  8. Johanna Avatar

    Hah – I always thought it was rather stinky! Although I still love it, as you just breathe in “it’s getting REAL” with that special smell. It still feels both intimidating and so satisfying to send something off to be printed. Way to go, Elise!

    Like

  9. Melissa Avatar

    Will the 2016 book be Jan-Dec?

    Like

  10. Debbie Avatar

    I purchased this one, and will again get the 2016 one. I can’t wait to get this in my hands and see how it works for me. Elise, you’ve done a marvelous job. Thank you!

    Like

  11. Elise Avatar
  12. Elise Avatar

    That’s amazing!!
    Illustrations will be the same so you could wait and get ’em. 🙂

    Like

  13. amy s Avatar

    i CAN NOT wait to get my hands on this!

    Like

  14. Allie Avatar

    I used to work for a book printer, and I would spend my lunch breaks sitting by the press-floor, just watching the books be printed, cut, and bound. It’s so much fun to watch.
    I am SO excited for the planners to get here, and even more excited to see your packaging & branding! I think your planner will come at a great time– I’m getting a little bored with my current planner set up at the moment, and so I need something to “mix it up”!

    Like

  15. April Avatar

    Whoo hoo!!! This is so exciting!! I can’t wait to get my hands on this new planner….good things abound!!

    Like

  16. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    Yeee! So exciting! I loved these photos. My parents owned a small commercial printing business. I love, love, love the printing process! Thanks for sharing!

    Like

  17. Brianna Avatar
    Brianna

    Oh man! You’re making me want to click buy right this second, because my current calendar method sucks and I need a method that works. And of course, THIS WILL WORK.

    Like

  18. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    Elise, do you keep more than one calendar? And if so, isn’t that crazy making??
    For example – I’m dying to buy my own GTWB. I am launching my own small business this year and plus I think it’s a beautiful book. (Like everything you do…)
    But then I wonder – what about my daily calendar? The one that keeps track of my errands, chores, doctor appts., etc? I don’t want to write things like “go to Trader Joe’s” next to “call Client XYZ”. Yet I do need all of that information.
    In essence, I have a lot of ‘different’ calendars to keep track of. For a perfect solution, I am envisioning some sort of plastic layover sheets on each day, the kind we used to look at in anatomy books in school? Where you peeled back one sheet and saw the bone system, then the next sheet showed the circulatory – remember those?
    So I guess what I am asking is, how do you calendar the multiple parts of your life? You seem to have such a firm grasp on your time. Will you write doctor’s appointments and misc chores on your GTWB? Will you keep one book for work (your blog and art etc.) and another for your daily home life?

    Like

  19. Kristin B Avatar
    Kristin B

    The behind-the-scenes processing is so interesting! Can you really recite an entire episode of Friends? If so, which one?

    Like

  20. Alyssa Weaver Avatar

    I’m always interested in learning other people’s planner processes, too.
    I’ve tried the color coded method: yellow highlighter for work, pink for business…etc.
    Now I find myself using two planners. I’m wondering if there’s a happy medium somewhere, or if I just need to stick with one or the other until it becomes habit??

    Like

  21. Anna Avatar

    This won’t be helpful if you prefer using a paper planner, but I’ve found Trello (a free online tool- I promise I’m not a spokeswoman!) to be really useful for managing my to-do list. I have one board for personal tasks and one for work, and you can create checklists within larger tasks and move things around into different lists. Could be worth a shot!

    Like

  22. Lauren Pittenger Avatar

    I can’t wait to get mine!

    Like

  23. Rob Avatar
    Rob

    cool!

    Like

  24. Renae Avatar

    Those pictures remind me of the printing company my husband works for. Even the printing presses look like the same one he runs!

    Like

  25. elise blaha cripe Avatar

    hi Julie,
    Yes! It’s all-in-one for me. Dr’s appts, Paul’s call schedule, my work schedule, podcasts, home stuff, to do lists… all in one. I figure I have to do it all in one day, why make it more complicated than it needs to be?
    BUT. I think this might be “best” for me because I work from home. It all happens in the same place. If I found myself in an office 5 days a week, I could see having a totally separate work calendar.
    I hope that helps a bit! I don’t think there is a wrong or a right way – just experimenting to find the BEST way for YOU. 🙂
    elise

    Like

  26. Lina Avatar
    Lina

    Looking forward to the Jan-Dec calendar format.

    Like

  27. Kristina B Avatar

    I LOVE that you said you wanted to go there and smell it WITH the “…” “Is this gross or weird?” hesitation. HA!
    I also wish I had smellavision….

    Like

  28. Birgitte Avatar

    Ooh, sorry if someone has asked this already, but are you planning on continuing with the academic year planner as well, or is this first a sort of one-off before strictly calendar year planners in the future? I for one (as I’m about to start working as a teacher) would be an academic year-planner buyer!

    Like

  29. lee Avatar

    Behind the scenes photos are always so much fun…even moreso when paper is involved! =)
    For financial reasons (i.e. having a great planner that will work through the end of the year), I’m waiting to buy the 2016 calendar-year book – but it is still so awesome to see all the development going into this amazing concept.

    Like

  30. Candice Avatar
    Candice

    I was just wondering how thick/what is the gsm of the chipboard cover? I’m interested in purchasing the Get to Work Book but want to make sure it will hold up to daily travel to and from home, work, uni and kid things. I put my diaries/planners through a lot – I’ve always passed on chipboard covers for durability reasons. However the get to work book has me rethinking. Thanks ever so much.

    Like

  31. Birgit Avatar
    Birgit

    Yes, same here. I am itching to use it asap but prefer a “normal” annual schedule. So will have to wait patiently for Septermber 2015 to order :O)

    Like

  32. Sarah C. Avatar
    Sarah C.

    What a treat to see these behind-the-scenes shots! I love the action involved in a project.
    I love paper, and although I have a paper planner already, I preordered the GTWB because I want to support YOU. You are a wonderful online presence, and I try to support small businesses whenever something strikes my fancy. Since I know you have large plans for the GTWB brand, plans that go far beyond your blog readership, I wanted to share a little thought with you: If I saw the planner and did not know of the creator, I would not have purchased it. The reason? The cover. I understand the “Get to Work” idea, yet such large branding on the cover defines it as the creator’s planner rather than MY planner for me. I spent more than a decade in corporate marketing, so I am in full support of branding and understand it can be tricky. The Project Life materials are good examples. Those items are branded ALL OVER the place, yet the one place you do not see it? The front cover of the albums. Same for your “Progress Not Perfection” sheets, which were a hot item beyond your blog. That page was branded, but because of the location and size of the identity, the product was still about the user, not the creator.
    Again, I pre-ordered, and I wish you great success with the entire venture! And to be clear I LIKE your visual identity. I think it is charming, and I hope GTWB becomes a massive success, in all ways! Just sharing a perspective. (To be clear, I am not saying that my perspective is “right,” just as I would never say another perspective is “wrong.” I am just sharing a perspective. Nothing more!)

    Like

  33. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    I’m going to wait for the calendar year one too! Thanks for sharing the behind the scenes!

    Like

  34. Ronnie Avatar

    Totally ordered this today for Rick. CANNOT wait to surprise him with it!!!
    Ronnie xo

    Like

  35. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    I am so with you on being at the printers just for the smell! My dad used to own a printing company, and the smell of press and papers is one of my favorites and always brings back wonderful memories 🙂

    Like

  36. Laura Hager Avatar

    This is amazing! I’m so glad you shared these. It’s really inspiring. I can’t wait to have my copy!
    Laura
    http://laurahager.blogspot.com

    Like

  37. laura h Avatar
    laura h

    I work in a print shop and I promise it’s nicer to look at than to smell. 😉 Those fumes will get you hiiiiiggggghhhhh.

    Like

Leave a comment