strut magazine – 5.08

In step with: April McCrumb

PAPER ARTIST AND ENTREPRENEUR

by joyce wiswell | photo by brett mountain

April McCrumb always was a creative person, but she never dreamed she’d make a career of it. She did the sensible thing, going to college to become a special education teacher and limiting her hobby to the occasional art show. But when her handmade paper products began to really sell,McCrumb chucked the idea of a career in education to pursue her art full time.

She and husband Steve opened Catching Fireflies, the trendy gift shop in downtown Berkley, in 2000 – mainly because she’d outgrown her papermaking studio in their basement in Oak Park. Steve quit his teaching job to run the paper business, a.i. Paper Design (named for his wife’s childhood business, April’s Ideas), when its success soared, as did the store’s.

In 2003, the couple established a Berkley studio for the manufacture of April’s products – whimsical photo frames, message boards, photo albums and recipe stands – while also expanding Catching Fireflies’ retail space. They opened a third store in Rochester in 2006, after closing their Grand Rapids location.

Between a.i. Paper Design and Catching Fireflies, April and Steve now employ 16 people. They plan to grow their Web business and eventually open another store in metro Detroit.

It all requires a lot of juggling, but McCrumb, 33, thrives on being active. “I’m a busy girl, but it’s not out of control,” she says. “I love my life, and there are no complaints.”

8:30 A.M. RISE AND SHINE

“It’s a pretty nice deal, I’m not going to deny it,” McCrumb says of her eight to nine hours of sleep each night. Soon after rising, she’s munching cereal in her home office and surfing the Web.

9 A.M. LEARNING FROM OTHERS

A popular part of McCrumb’s Web site is her blog, which she continually strives to upgrade by seeing how other artists and gift shops do theirs. “I subscribe to a lot of blogs, and peruse all those first,” McCrumb says. “It’s my classroom in the morning.”

10 A.M. CATCHING UP

The peacefulness of her home office allows McCrumb to plow through mountains of paperwork – handling e-mail correspondence, developing marketing materials, planning trade shows. Afterward, she’ll toy with paper designs on the computer using Adobe Photoshop, a relatively new technique for her after years of hand drawing. Lately, a large chunk of her time goes to planning the Berkley Art Bash; McCrumb is chair of the June 14 event.

NOON INTO THE WORLD

Quiet time is over as McCrumb ventures into the world, dropping by the Berkley store to check in with her manager and retrieve phone messages

12:30 P.M. LUNCH FOR TWO

McCrumb arrives at the nearby paper studio to pick up Steve. “We go out for a casual lunch and catch up with what’s happening,” she says.

2 P.M. TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

It’s back to the studio, where McCrumb goes through the mail; meets with her graphics, studio and shipping managers; and orders stock and supplies for the stores and studio. “I inevitably have phone calls,” she says, “so it all always takes longer than I think it will

3:30 P.M. BEING CREATIVE

McCrumb finally gets to work her craft, designing and creating products. She also works on the businesses’ booth and presentations during the all-important trade-show season.

6 P.M. OFF TO THE STORE

On Thursdays, McCrumb visits one of the Catching Fireflies stores, taking stock of inventory and changing the window displays. Other days, she continues working in the studio on her designs, or runs personal and business errands.

6:30 P.M. DINNER TIME

Back home for the evening, McCrumb throws together a quick dinner, such as tacos or a casserole. “I’m not much of a cook,” she says with a laugh. Warm weather finds her puttering in the garden at the couple’s Beverly Hills home.

8 P.M. BLOG TIME

Ensconced at the computer, McCrumb works on her blog, in which she writes about everything from cool shops she’s discovered to new products under design. “It’s still work,” she says, “but it’s sort of also my hobby.”

11 P.M. OFF TO BED

After perhaps a bit of TV, it’s usually lights out by midnight. “I’m not one of those people who get by with five hours,” McCrumb admits. “I need my sleep.”