For many of us, the holidays bring back memories of snowman sweaters courtesy of Aunt Doris or being dragged around the neighborhood for the annual carol-a-thon with your siblings. How funny it is that the very traditions you probably rolled your eyes at as a kid warm your heart now. What are the holidays without the traditions that come along with it? 

For the folks here at Smudge Ink, we’re looking forward to family scrabble games, making cookies and gingerbread houses with our kids, eating latkas, croissants and mom’s oatmeal bread…and most definitely staying in our pj’s all day. It is these rituals, along with time spent with family and friends, that make us forget about the stress of the holidays and allow us to focus on being together. However you choose to celebrate the season — enjoy it! — and know that we wish you a happy, safe and relaxing holiday. See you in 2013!

Most of the Smudge Ink team at our annual holiday party last night.

This week we’ve been busy organizing and brainstorming for our annual Sip + Shop event. We’re super excited to invite everyone over to the studio for some beer and early holiday shopping. The poster is really coming together, and although I can’t reveal the final design yet, I am including some sketches below. Emily Goodale, our beloved print shop manager and a talented illustrator, is the designer, and her artful hand always helps set the stage for this fun fall event. This year the Sip + Shop will be on November 1. Details to follow soon, I promise.

Last Friday we went out for lunch at Bloc 11 to celebrate our friend and co-worker, Colleen O’Neil. After living in Charlestown her entire life, she will pack up her apartment (and her dog, Cagney) and move to the North Shore to start fresh and explore her passion for geneology. Colleen spent the last six years working in our fulfillment group, preparing and triple checking orders before they ship to our customers. Of course, she mastered the job, and we have absolutely no idea what we will do without her. I’m not kidding! Among the many things we will miss are her sense of humor, generous and caring spirit, oh yes, and her exceptional proofraeding skills. And while we are sad to see her go, we are also happy and excited for her as she ventures into the next chapter.  Good luck, Colleen!