Cheree Berry is the CEO and Creative Director of Cheree Berry Paper - the eponymous creative firm delivering a dose of cheer and dashes of color for nearly fifteen years by way of brilliant paper products. CBP team recently put our their “Neighborly Notes” hang-tags as a way to thoughtfully (and safely with distance) check in on neighbors. Leave it to Cheree to turn a generous gesture into something witty, sweet, and fun.

“Can there be a silver lining in a pandemic? If so, mine would be family mealtime each day; perpetual bike rides in our beloved Forest Park and lots of note writing.” -Cheree

What are you doing to keep your kids engaged throughout the day, while you’re all at home, and how are you approaching your work? 

We tackle our homeschooling first thing in the morning when the kids are fresh. If we can’t get the fundamental learning done by lunchtime, it’s probably not going to happen that day. But our specials (art, music, PE) take place in the afternoon as a family, typically with bike rides, Alexa sing-alongs, and made-for-friends craft projects. Overall, we celebrate a lot of small wins at our house, like playing board games as a family, my oldest becoming a tech pro, and organizing our Legos by color (thanks Lego Masters)! Oh, and I’ve been updating my holiday card address list. Looks like it’s going to be a big mailing this year!

As for work, as a CEO, also finding lots of 1% wins. “We’re all in this together” applies across the board! I have new hours, and I’m making the most of Zoom calls and thinking about how to stay relevant when the event world has paused. On a positive note, our Golden TP stationery was born. As well as our Neighborly Notes - hang-tags to safely connect with neighbors! As Apple’s Coronavirus ad portrays, Creativity lives on!

How are you lifting your spirits and keeping sane in the midst of this new normal?

Can there be a silver lining in a pandemic? If so, mine would be family mealtime each day, perpetual bike rides in our beloved Forest Park and lots of note writing! And I’m glued to the weather forecast on the hunt for the sun icon. Sunny days are always the better days at our house during this pandemic. 

How are you staying connected with your loved one during social-distancing? 

All the acts of kindness happening are just enough to make me well up! My son’s birthday was April 10, so we experienced our first family birthday in quarantine times. One we’ll never forget. He had a Zoom party with his friends. In advance, we dropped off party favors, a collection of fun things to open and share to keep the conversation/party going (7-year-olds!). Later he had a party from afar, by car! The fire department even joined in, so you can imagine how emotional I was! And, we have been fortunate to receive so many creative “Hellos” from friends, family, and even strangers. 

What is your ultimate S@H garment that’s giving you coupled confidence and comfort?

I love Clare V. She makes everything très chic yet cozy. Her OUI sweatshirt is my fave, as it’s a bright, cheery color, and the message is perfectly positive for today’s climate. I’m also living in Loeffler Randall sneakers and Splits 59 athleisure wear. Jeans. What are those? 

How are you reinventing your Mother’s Day this year?

Mother’s Day always starts with breakfast in bed at our house! And PJ parties are all the rage for us now! Maybe we’ll do virtual brunch with my mom and send the Schwan’s truck over with some chicken kiev - our frozen family favorite as a kid. Perhaps I’ll swap my stretchy pants for a sundress and capture a family photo. Or maybe not, everyone needs a haircut!

ARE YOU INSPIRED BY CHEREE? KNOW SOMEONE THAT WOULD BE, TOO? SHARE HER CANDID MOMENT.

About this Interview Series

As Mother’s Day approaches I’ve thought a lot about the importance of shining a light on all moms, particularly in the midst of this unprecedented new normal. The world is changing, but honoring and celebrating mom remains intact. Mother’s come in many forms; some gave birth to us, some just became a new mom, some adopted us, some are grandmothers, some enter our lives later in life, some are a best friend, and some found us in times of need and invited us into their lives. As part of my Candid Interview series, I had the pleasure of connecting with inspiring women who are mothers, founders, and dynamic individuals who are sharing their stories of navigating the now and how they’ll reinvent Mother’s Day this year amidst this ongoing pandemic. -LKS

This article was originally published on May 4 by Town & Style St. Louis.