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<p>What is success exactly? That is the question Kristen Ley began asking herself following the meteoric rise of her paper and gift brand <a href="https://thimblepress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Thimblepress">Thimblepress</a>. Taking her creations from Etsy shop to Target shelves in a few short years was a dream come true, but at what cost? </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-16-copy.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012302"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Thimblepress&#8217; Daily Dose of Happy Greeting Cards</figcaption></figure>



<p>Caught up in a mindset of &#8220;hurry rush do,&#8221; Kristen became scattered. &#8220;I was spinning out, doing way too much, and not taking care of my mental and physical self,&#8221; she wrote me. &#8220;I had put off doctor&#8217;s appointments for years, I was cutting my own hair, and I was eating a very poor diet that kept me in a perpetual cycle of sickness. I was a mess.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-13-copy.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012301"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A peek at Thimblepress&#8217; Faith offerings</figcaption></figure>



<p>So, Kristen decided to look inwards, slow down to an almost complete halt — including on social media! — and truly reevaluate what was actually going on in her business and heart. </p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-34367" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-34367 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="34367" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-23349 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites category-sponsored-post tag-keaykolour-papers tag-color tag-design tag-hybrid-design tag-materials tag-mohawk tag-mohawk-maker-quarterly tag-paper tag-sarah-schwartz tag-the-paper-chronicles tag-werners-nomenclature-of-colours" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/mohawk-maker-quarterly-15-its-all-in-the-materials/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=200%2C200&;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=293%2C293&;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=75%2C75&;ssl=1 75w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=390%2C390&;ssl=1 390w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/MOH_MMQ15_12.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/favorites/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Favorites</a><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/sponsored-post/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Sponsored</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/mohawk-maker-quarterly-15-its-all-in-the-materials/">Mohawk Maker Quarterly #15: It&#8217;s all in the Materials!</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2018-11-13T14:35:55+00:00">November 13, 2018</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="23349"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-1-copy-683x1024.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012307" width="770" height="1154"/></figure>



<p>As a result, she completely restructured her business — and mindset — ;so that Thimblepress serves her, not the other way around. These days you will find Kristen not only developing her own product range, but collaborating with others for a true design win-win. Whatever role you play in our community, you&#8217;ll be inspired by this industry powerhouse&#8217;s grace, strength and wisdom.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/The-paper-chronicles-3-copy.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10012306"/></figure>

Kristen Ley of Thimblepress
