Peonies

Just when I'm considering changing my business card design (which currently features peonies), I see this gorgeous array of full, fluffy, beautiful peonies. We had a storm come through yesterday, and many of the petals have since been blown off, or the stems are bowing low to the ground now, but many blooms still remain in full. And they smell so good! Truly some of my favorite flowers.

A day of rememberance

This morning we watched the Memorial Day parade on Broadway which runs down the middle of town in Saratoga Springs. Bagpipes were playing (which I love), and several veterans, current military-in-training, and a marching band went by, in addition to some very impressive fire trucks. A group I'd not seen before also marched past, tails in the air: the United States War Dogs Association, pictured below.

With the long weekend, pools opening, and sales, it's easy to forget the real reason behind this day: remembering the men and women who've served this country in the Armed Forces—I have family members who fall into this category. It was great to see such a positive turnout for the town's acknowledgment of this day.

NSS 2012 booth

Back from the Stationery Show now - exhausted but invigorated!

Being in that environment with so much creativity, talent, and excitement for the industry is really inspiring. And one of my favorite aspects was getting to see people we met last year, both retailers and "booth buddies" (our neighbors). We had fabulous neighbors again this year, including May Day Studio, Stephanie Hessler, Happy Cactus Designs, and From You to Me.

New to our experience this year was talking with magazine editors who stopped in our booth, and being featured in Stationery Today, the daily NSS edition of the leading trade magazine Stationery Trends.

Our new letterpress men's line was a hit! We received lots of positive feedback which is exactly what you want when you're trying something new. And we love the timing since Father's Day is right around the corner (June 17).

Now it's time to unpack, keep in touch with people we met, and start to think about next year...

Show bound

If you're in the area, come see us at the Javits in NYC! Booth 2146

You're invited!

Our third new line debuting next week is our imprintable invitations, with 6 designs to choose from. They could also double as place-setting menus for a luncheon or bridal shower. Let the party begin!

Letterpress anyone?

Also debuting Sunday is our new letterpress line, designed for men. I've always loved this medium and am so excited to offer these heavy card stock flats in time for Father's Day (June 17). Even in this day of emailing and texting, you can't beat the personal touch of a hand-written note sent the "old fashioned" way.

Boy-Girl party!

Another preview of one of the new lines we're launching in a ~week, this one of our new girls' line of birthday cards. I love the vibrant colors, with the oranges and yellows really popping. And of course, I tend to gravitate toward spring-like chartreuse green—perfectly suited for a cheery birthday greeting!

New designs to share

It's that time of year again, when we're making final preparations for the Stationery Show, and I thought I'd share some of our new creations we'll be launching. We have 3 new product lines and are so excited to unveil them in 2 weeks! Here's a sneak peek at some of our new greeting cards—these were designed to celebrate a boy's birthday. More to come over the next ~10 days!