My name is Jeannie Arslanian and I am the illustrator and photo image creator of most of the designs for Palifino. Sometimes my husband Steve Arslanian, comes up with a cool drawing and I work it into a paper! I started scrapbooking with my friends at a church in Eudora, Kansas. I have been creating scrapbook papers since 2008, but just created them for myself on my home printer. When I went to scrapbook, people would ask me where I got that paper and I told them that I made it and they said they wanted to buy some. So in 2013 I started to check out some local printers (in Kansas) and see what they could do for me. I had a very hard time finding a company that would print low quantities that I could afford. I also had a hard time finding a place that would print something quickly if I sent them a file. But all my searching found me at Minuteman Press in Olathe. They have been the most wonderful people to work with and I am proud of them for helping me out with the printing of these papers.
I have also done all of the ground work for searching for papers, and bring them to Minuteman Press. All of my paper products come from companies that renew the forests, they are acid and lignin free and very archival safe. The inks that are used are plant-based (mostly soy-based) and are heat set into the paper. Palifino's papers have a slight sheen to a medium gloss, which sets them apart from other crafting papers out there.
My education background is very varied. I first received degree in Computer Science, then Biology with a minor in Chemistry and worked many years in those fields. But in 1995 I decided to go back to school and get a degree in Communication Design (Graphic Design) with an emphasis in photography and illustration. I think it was then that Palifino was born. I seemed to expand my capabilities during those years and through those classes. I always came up with many designs in my classes and floored my teachers. In my 3-D class, my teacher would always say, "Who did that one?" and it was always mine. She said that I always had the most interesting designs. She even wanted to buy some of my creations from the class!
The name Palifino came to me in a dream when I was trying to come up with a name for the company. I did not have any idea that the first part of the word pali was sanscrit and meant things in a row, or designs or from the word palate or taste, fino means fine in Spanish. So placing the two together you get fine designs in a row - kind of like scrapbook papers!
Many people tell me that the name does not describe the company and what it has to offer and want to add to the name and call it Palifino Papers. But I just tell them that I am open to create more than just papers. I would like to get into designing fabrics and other items, but that will be in the future. I did not want to make the name all about papers, but it is okay if people want to describe our business with that name, because for now we are all about the papers!
Also, we are all about designing for you! If you have a particular need for a design, I am always open to explore new ways of communication with design, so feel free to send me an e-mail with something in particular and I will be more than happy to design something and post some new creations. If I find that they are liked or someone wants to purchase them I will get right to it and have them printed and be available for sale!
I want to thank all of my friends (they know who they are) for encouraging me to move forward with this endeavor to create a small business and enjoy creating crafting papers for people to use in their joy of scrapbooking, card creations and crafting! I also want to thank Diva Designs Crop for giving me a wonderful debue with my business in July of 2014. This event really captured my hopes for continuing my dream of manifesting a business that could help others in crafting and also allow me to explore more designs with brilliant colors! I love to come up with new ideas and explore many painting and drawing techniques to continue to create something for others to enjoy! Also, thank you customers for giving me creative tips and new ways to think about color and designs. You all really drive the creative process to help me come up with new and exciting things for our eyes to dive into! I am so grateful, I just cannot even explain it! THANKS TO YOU ALL!