Oh So Beautiful Paper

These next two designers had two of my favorite booths at last year’s National Stationery Show – and some seriously impressive booth design for first time exhibitors!  Adrienne from Dingbat Press (Booth 2063) had the most amazing silver leaf booth design, while Rebekah from Wild Ink Press (Booth 1971) created a stunning hand painted pattern on gray chalkboard paint.  I’m dying to see Rebekah’s ombre booth design for this year’s show and to see what Adrienne has up her sleeve, but in the meantime check out this preview of some of the new cards they’ll be debuting at the show in a couple of days!

Wild Ink Press

Dingbat Press

Yay!  I can’t wait to see the new collections in just a couple of days!

Photo Credits: Wild Ink Press + Dingbat Press

I love the diverse range of design styles amongst exhibitors at the National Stationery Show – and these two sneak peeks couldn’t be better examples!  Katharine Watson creates beautiful stationery and textiles from hand-carved blocks (you might remember her guest post on block printing).  Her latest collection, debuting at the show this weekend in booth 1842, was influenced by the three months that she spent in India working with local block printers earlier this year.  So pretty!

Katharine Watson

Hannah from Pie Bird Press is known for her bright and colorful letterpress stationery.  This year she’ll be exhibiting as part of the Crow and Canary booth (3024-3026) along with Two Trick Pony, Enormous Champion, Gilah Press, Paper + Cup, Red Cap Cards, and many more of my favorite designers – it’s going to be a fun booth to visit during the show!

Pie Bird Press

Photo Credits: Katharine Watson and Pie Bird Press

My walking list for the National Stationery Show is already well past 100 booths (which is both awesome and overwhelming), but the Sugar Paper booth is definitely at the top of that list.  The ladies of Sugar Paper are returning to the show after a couple of years away, and their latest collection looks absolutely amazing!  With lots of new greeting cards, art prints, even calendars and new gift wrap sheets making their debut, I can’t wait to see the full collection at the show!

Yay!  Thanks Chelsea and Jamie!

Photo Credits: Sugar Paper

The next National Stationery Show sneak peek comes from one my most highly anticipated debuts at the show – Belle & Union!  Formerly known as Lowcountry Press, I’ve been a big fan of designer Meg Sutton’s work for a while now (remember these awesome wedding invitations?) and I can’t wait to see the new 2012 collection at the show!

From Meg: Belle & Union was established in 2011 with the purchase and restoration of an 1897 Curtis & Mitchell Printing Press and a dream to make writings, wrappings, and wares with our own unique sensibility.  All of our products start with pen to paper, with each having its own unique hand lettered text and hand rendered illustrations.  Our 2012 collection is inspired by Americanisms, little phrases of sentiments from ages past and present, and represented across our line of greeting cards, boxed notes, jotters, note pads, recipe cards, tea towels and gift wrap.

Thanks Meg!

p.s. I love the sweet story behind Belle & Union’s new name.  Meg does all the design, but her husband does most of the printing – and they wanted a name that reflected the both of them.  He’s a Northerner from Pennsylvania, while Meg is a Southerner from Texas, but it was the South that brought them together.  They love how union has many meanings, representing both their union in life and love and their work, and thus Belle & Union Co. was formed!

Photo Credits: Mary Britton Senseney