So it begins...

...Labor Day weekend. Enjoy your long weekend - relax, spend time with family, shop, enjoy some great barbeque, work in the yard, sneak in an extra bike ride or long run (I am running 18 miles on Sunday), eat ice cream, get to the swimming pool before it closes for the summer, watch college football, sleep in, go to a baseball game, sell lemonade. We will see you on Tuesday.

Pica Press

We are so excited to be carrying this great line of stationery, invitations and announcements. We love the graphic type, bold colors, envelope choices and the fun accompanying labels and stickers. We even have their equally fabulous holiday line of photo cards and invitations. Because this line is new for us - we are going to be offering some really great deals only for those of you who read this blog. So, stop into the store and ask about Pica Press Papers and we will give you 10% off your entire order. The line has a really great price point and is available flat printed or letterpressed. We will be the only store in the Kansas City metro area carrying the line - so if you love it - come see us!

Snow & Graham 2009 Calendars

We sold out of these so quickly last year - you may want to get your Snow & Graham calendar early this year. We have all three styles in stock now. We have the wall calendar, desk and mini calendar. That mini one is so cute. We also have lots of other great Snow & Graham items in stock - including their so cute note cubes in all the great patterns for which they have become known. We also have some really cute wrapping papers which also make great envelope liners. Check out the new Snow & Graham website. Navigate to Odds & Ends, I Spy - there are some fun ways to use their wrapping papers. The website is great - you can really see all the great stuff - makes me want a new website - more on that later.

[photos courtesy of Snow & Graham]

Fall Wedding Boutonnieres

We are quickly approaching the fall wedding season. (Hooray! I love fall!) Our store is now filled with great fall colors - oranges, greens, browns, mustard yellows, etc. We love it! I came across these amazing and whimsical boutonnieres that would be so perfect for a fall outdoor wedding! Just something a little different. You can purchase them online at Etsy.com under lalalaurie. Not getting married, but still love them ... I also think they would be so cute on a great fall blazer or pinned to a scarf! Don't you?

[photo courtesy of Esty.com - lalalaurie]

Soda Love

Today is Saturday - the day I work alone in the shop! We are either really busy with twelve customers, or I am sitting here looking for things to do! So, I am designing my window display for fall - I was going to do a candy window (see my last blog), until I found this. I was thinking it would be fun to do a window full of colored soda bottles, orange, black and brown. I went to the Jones Soda website and found this cool thing. You can submit a photo and a caption - personalized soda! I am going to get some for my kids parties, holiday hostess gifts, birthday parties, etc. I love it when I come across things like this! This will definitely make it to the "Really Great Ideas" file! Go to www.myjones.com!

Anyway - just something fun for Saturday. Customers ... gotta go!

[photos courtesy of Jones Soda]

So Sweeet!

It seems so crazy, but we are already well on our way to a busy 2008 holiday season. For the last two weeks we have been designing custom Halloween invitations and Christmas invitations! So, we have been scouring for inspriration! In the process, we came across this amazing candy display...and if you know us, we don't think there is a better combination than sugar and paper!

[photo courtesy of Rebecca Thuss]

Eight Things to Love on 08-08-08

1. Chandler & Price Pilot Letterpress (more on this later)


2. Hunter Wellies


3. Amy Smythe Birthday Cards


4. Amsale Blue Label Morgan Gown - Maybe I could wear this with the Wellies


5. Summertime drinks in an ice-filled galvanized tub


6. Soodie & Brian are getting married today!


7.Oversized gold link bracelets


8. The 2008 Summer Olympic Games

So Proud!

Okay, I am going to take a minute and make a quick diversion from my findings regarding my stationery shop. I have a seven year old son who just spent the last three days playing in a golf tournament. Now just getting out there three days in a row would be exhausting for most of us - but in 100 degree heat! Anyway, I am so proud. He took fifth place in his flight and had that smile on his face the whole time. Well, most of the time, except when his Gatorade got warm.

Davis, that is my son's name, was really inspiring out there. Watching him play was a real treat and worth every minute. I think this is something I will never forget!

By the way, they use paper when they play golf, the scorecards. I knew I could connect golf to paper!

Photo courtesy of Dave Bax

Chris Kenny

So...we are always looking for great ways to use paper - and wait until you see this.

Chris Kenny produces an unexpected kind of poetry with his three-dimensional ‘drawings’ and constructions made from twigs, fragments of maps and strips of found text. Objects or phrases of the same type are mounted on pins and organised in a way that suggests an intention to rationalise the differences between them.

We just love it when we find something that inspires us! To see more of his works visit www.englandgallery.com and search under the artists Chris Kenny.

The Return of the Calling Card

I recieved my weekly copy of TIME magazine on Saturday and opened it to find a great article on the return of the calling card. We have always thought these little cards made a big statement, seems like the editors at TIME magazine now agree!

"'Is it technology fatigue? A colorful way of branding yourself? We're not sure,' says Peter Hopkins of Crane & Co....calling cards - essentially nonbusiness business cards - have brought a welcome dose of energy to the stationery industry. Among the buyers: playdate-seeking parents eager for a sane way to exchange contact info, retirees who miss having business cards and itinerant young professionals whose cell phones and e-mail addresses are their most reliable locators."

Clearly, whoever you are, a calling card is a great idea. It is a great way to to express yourself. The options for these cards are truly endless, colored paper, custom logos, letterpressed, you name it. We can't wait to help you with your new identity!

Photos courtesy of Mr. Boddington available through Bennett Schneider

Linda & Harriett

We picked up this great line at the National Stationery Show in May. We fell in love with their letterpressed animal notecards and notepads, which we now have in stock. The line is so crisp and bold, we love it. Our favorite thing, these flower pins. These are made by hand from letterpress misprints. The paper petals are sewn together with a vintage button on top and pin on reverse.

Around here, you will find us wearing them, everyday. We think they add a touch of whimsy to the perfectly wrapped gift or a bridesmaid's dress!