How often do you go to a card store and come out empty-handed because the perfect card for the occasion has not yet been created? Kiki Parry of West Windsor may be the answer to your problem. Her new business, Alternate Greetings, has combined her talents of creating cards with her retail and business experience, education, and life itself. “I have been making cards since I could fold paper. But in recent years they were good enough to get the response, ‘you should do this for a living’ so finally I’m making the leap from hobbyist to entrepreneur,” she says.##M:[more]##
Parry, born in New York City, moved to West Windsor in 1972, and lived in a 26-room mansion on Bear Brook Road, with her parents, Joan and Scott. She attended Maurice Hawk and Dutch Neck schools and graduated from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School, Class of 1988.
Her mother has been involved in the Historical Society of West Windsor for many years. Kiki, who did the layout for the Broadside newsletter, many posters, and flyers, is now a consultant. “I’m helping mom learn to do desktop publishing a bit herself,” she says.
She received a bachelor of science degree in communications from Boston University, Class of 1992. Her major was advertising with a minor in psychology. “The intention all along was to be an art director in advertising,” she says. “After fruitless attempts at entering that field in New York City, I took the role of advertising director of Training House, my father’s management development and publishing company.”
After working there for five years, she took a job as art director at Disc Makers, a CD manufacturing plant, outside of Philadelphia. She designed thousands of CD covers for the independent music industry and supervised other graphic designers. She left in 2006 to become a “work-at-home-mom” and let Alternate Greetings take off full-time. “I have loved to design cool custom cards for holidays and special events for myself, friends, and family for many years,” she says. “Why not the rest of the world!”
When she was in high school, Parry worked in Audrey’s Card and Gift Shoppe at the Acme shopping center. “I got my fill of Hallmark there, and learned a bit about what kind of cheesy, predictable stuff I did not want to design,” she says. “I also hear about people getting married and having babies who need their invitations and announcements designed, since they aren’t happy with the kind of stuff they are finding on the mass market.”
“I love cards. I love cards that are good. Everybody tells me how hard it is to find a card that is something they’d actually want to say, that’s where I’m trying to fill a void. Plus I have an odd sense of humor and love to make people laugh.”
Parry was also the lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter for the Rosemary Pure, an alternative band, from 1992 to 2003. The band performed in New Brunswick, Philadelphia, New York City, and Princeton. They also did some charity gigs including the Philadelphia AIDS Walk. They even once played at the World Cup game at Giants Stadium, — in the parking lot with the vendors. “Those were good times,” she says. “ I’m glad I did it in my 20s when 1 a.m. on a Tuesday seemed like a reasonable time to get on stage.”
Her husband, Michael Mosley, graduated from WW-P High School, Class of 1988. They did not get together till their college years and were married in 1999. A graduate of Duke University, he is a mechanical engineer and designs custom machinery at Advent Design in Bristol. “He’s a designer like me — but in 3D and with a sturdy grasp of math and science,” she says. “He is super-supportive of Alternate Greetings and I expect that when it takes over the world he’ll be by my side developing machinery to do what I can no longer do by hand.”
Their son, Griffin Alexander Mosley, will celebrate his first birthday on October 5. Having a baby last fall gave her the kick she needed to change careers. “Besides the fact his arrival was the impetus for going full steam ahead with the card company, he’s also inspired just about everything in the baby/pregnancy line,” she says. “His screaming newborn face even appears on a funny one: “Thinking of you at my new job. My boss tends to sleep a lot during the day. He also likes to drink till he pukes. Sometimes he cries till I whip out my boobs.”
“West Windsor has totally changed from farmland to urban sprawl and retail overdose. Living here is weird but I’ve made an adult life for myself. The neighborhood has changed enough to be unrecognizable from my childhood home, so it’s not like I’m strolling my son down the road where I used to play in the woods — cause that road is literally gone.”
Parry tries to balance her time by working during Griffin’s naps, at night, or when one of his nearby grandmothers is taking a much- appreciated babysitting shift.
Her cards are available at Princeton locations including Jordan’s Gifts, Princeton Shopping Center; Joy Cards, 6-B Chambers Street; and Milk Money, 51 North Tulane Street. They are also available in Philadelphia and Englewood, Colorado. For custom orders, wedding packages, invitations, birth announcements, or corporate identity with business cards, order forms, letterheads, logos, and packaging, visit www.AlternateGreetings.com or E-mail kiki@alternategreetings.com. Parry will also make an appearance at Whole Foods on Monday, October 8, from 3 to 7 p.m.
