Mom Starts Home Stationary Business

The Community Press:

When Kim Dietrich Elam decided to give up her job as a traffic engineer two years ago to be a stay-at-home mom, she never envisioned it leading to a new career in the creative stationery business.

Like many mothers at home with a new child, Elam snapped pictures of her daughter all the time.

She then became inspired to combine the photographs with her crafting and computer skills, and started sending custom photo greetings to family and friends from her daughter for every holiday.

“I just thought it would be fun to send pictures and keep my friends and family updated,” she said.

“I so enjoyed creating the cards that I couldn’t wait for the next holiday.”

Elam said she sent Halloween cards, Thanksgiving cards, Christmas cards, Valentine’s Day cards, Easter cards and even Independence Day cards. Between holidays she designed note cards, baptism and birthday invitations and thank you cards.

“I received a lot of compliments, and the more I did it the more I thought it would be a fun business,” she said.

This year the Oak Hills High School and University of Cincinnati graduate launched her own business - k notes.

Working out of the office in her Green Township home, Elam offers creative stationery and photography services for all occasions, specializing in creating custom announcements, invitations and note cards, including birth announcements, wedding invitations, shower and party invitations, holiday greeting cards and personal stationery.