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National Stationery Show 2011 – Part 6

I’m back with more goodies from the 2011 National Stationery Show!  Are you all enjoying the recaps from this year’s show as much as I’m enjoying putting them together?  I hope so, because there’s still a lot more to come!  Toronto-based Pantry Press made a return to the Stationery Show after a 7-year absence, and I was thrilled to see their beautiful letterpress work up close.

Loving this collaboration of letterpress imprintable invitations and note cards featuring Lena Corwin’s artwork

Pantry Press

Dear Hancock displayed the most adorable collection of illustrated note cards and art prints – from sweet Father’s Day cards to thank you cards to an adorable papel picado love note card that was my particular favorite.

Dear Hancock

Hammerpress is another perennial show favorite; I always love the layered colors and delicate letterpress texture in their card and calendar designs.  I’m super excited to see the tear-away wall calendars making a return this year along with lots of other new designs!

Hammerpress

Artist Leah Duncan wasn’t technically at the Stationery Show – but I couldn’t resist including her in these round ups.  Leah exhibited at an art licensing show called Surtex, where she displayed her illustrated patterns and collaborative projects.

How awesome are the Keds with Leah’s illustrations?!  I want a pair!

Another cute project – fabric business card holders

Leah Duncan

The Sweet Bella booth was chock full of awesome office stationery, from notebooks to washi tape, along with bright note cards and travel-inspired post cards.

Love message bottles!

The fabric calendar actually unravels – so cool!

Sweet Bella

For those of you with a slightly more sarcastic sense of humor, you’ll adore the cards from Walk Up Press.  I’m also loving the customizable letterpress prints and less snarky love note cards.

How cute are those letterpress lunch bags?!  And I’m loving the personalized letterpress prints as a wedding or engagement keepsake, or even as an alternative guest book.

Walk Up Press

Check back tomorrow for more from the 2011 National Stationery Show!

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

National Stationery Show 2011 – Part 4

As promised, I’m back with more from this year’s National Stationery Show, with beautiful images from photographer Brian Tropiano.  I’ve been running around the show trying to catch up with old favorites and check out the work of new exhibitors, so the last couple days have just flown by!  First up, a first time exhibitor that is a familiar face around here – Dingbat Press!  Adrienne from Dingbat Press did an amazing job with her booth; each wall is covered with silver leaf!  I’m loving Adrienne’s letterpress initial note cards and funny chess greeting cards.

Dingbat Press

Smock is no stranger to the Stationery Show, but their sister company Bella Figura was also exhibited for the first time at this year’s show.  There was a lot of color going on in the joint booth, from greeting cards to gift wrap to gift boxes to calendars to wedding invitations.  So fun!

Smock and Bella Figura

The Ladies of Letterpress booth is a bit of a doozy – with TEN designer/printers exhibiting in a shared booth.  It’s a lot to take in all at once, but there’s so much amazing work from a group of seriously talented stationers.  This year participating printers included Thomas Printers, Anemone Letterpress, Cleanwash Letterpress, Heartfish Press, Ink Petals, Wildhorse Press, Dandy Lion Press, Studio SloMo, Lulabelle, and Paper Lovely.

Ink Petals

Paper Lovely

Lulabelle

Dandy Lion Press

Heartfish Press

Thomas Printers | Studio SloMo

Gorgeous wedding invitations from Studio SloMo

Cleanwash Letterpress

Anemone Letterpress

Wildhorse Press

Sigh, I love that balloon print from Wildhorse Press…

Photo Credits: Brian Tropiano for Oh So Beautiful Paper, please do not repost without permission

*Smock, Bella Figura, Thomas Printers, and Dingbat Press are sponsors of Oh So Beautiful Paper; for more on my edi­to­r­ial poli­cies please click here.

A Glimpse at the Life of a Stationery Rep

Well, hello there!  Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Carina with Crow and Canary.  I’m an independent stationery rep and all-around champion of modern, indie designers.  I’m simply delighted to have the honor of guest posting on Oh So Beautiful Paper.  Being immersed in the stationery world, OSBP really is the go-to blog for paper lovers.  Below is a little glimpse into my business.

My day typically starts like many small business owners, trying to tame my email in-box and striving to strike a balance between the things I need to accomplish on my appointment calendar/to-do list and my enthusiasm for social networking – namely Twitter, but I also Blog and Facebook when time allows.

NSS badge and name tag

Blog Calling Cards

Badge from the 2010 National Stationery Show and custom name tag by Moth and Squirrel (top) Blog calling cards (bottom).

This is my fifth year in business, so I have the pleasure and fortune of being approached by a multitude of designers about repping new lines on a near daily basis.  Going to my mailbox is particularly fun, on a good day I’ll be laden with boxes containing new samples, catalogs and random line submissions.  It’s quite inspiring to see what’s new and I never tire of pouring over the latest and greatest from the awesome designers I represent.

Birddog Press Kit

Two Trick Pony Rep Kit

Enticing press/rep kit from BirdDog Press (above) and Two Trick Pony (below).

I frequently meet with retailers to show them new samples and seasonal cards and gift items that will soon line their shelves.  I am incredibly lucky to work with a wonderful bunch of buyers and shop owners including Perch in San Francisco, Yolk in Los Angeles and Tilde in Portland, the list really goes on and on.  One of the biggest challenges of my job is not spending my entire budget at the awesome boutiques and bookstores that I call on – I really think of it as an occupational hazard.

Yellow Owl Workshop Cards

Austin Press Cards

Cards by Yellow Owl Workshop (above) and Austin Press (below) at Prize in Ashland, Oregon.

 

Another excellent perk of my job is the amount of traveling I do in the name of my business.  I’ve been to all of the major wholesale gift shows on the West Coast and make the journey to New York at least once a year for the National Stationery Show or NYIGF.  Occasionally, I’m able to time my trips with other fun events such as the Renegade Craft Fairs or Unique LA.  In 2009, I was lucky enough to be in San Francisco during the SFCB annual event: The Road­works Steam­roller Print­ing Street Fair.  It was a blast and I loved chatting with some of the printers that participated.

Roadworks

Roadworks Prints

Large linoleum cuts at The Road­works Steam­roller Print­ing Street Fair.

At the end of the day, I count myself as quite lucky to have a job that I love so much.  Perpetuating the act of sending real mail in a digital era is not as challenging as it sounds.  Because, really… Who doesn’t love to receive a Birthday or Thank You card in their mailbox?  I’ve yet to meet a person that can say that a lovely card doesn’t bring a sense of joy to their day.

“A Glimpse at the Life of a Stationery Rep” is a guest post by Carina Murray of Crow & Canary

{happy weekend!}

Happy Friday everyone!  Yesterday we got our first real snowfall here in DC – just a couple of inches, but I love the magical feeling of the first snow of the season.  The city gets sooo quiet; and my neighborhood of Capitol Hill looks particularly pretty with a little dusting.  This weekend we’ll be finishing up our holiday shopping (I know, I know, I’m such a procrastinator), staying warm indoors, and drinking lots of hot chocolate.  But in the meantime…

…a few links for your weekend!

This week on Oh So Beautiful Paper:

That’s it for me this week!  Oh, and don’t forget to enter the New Year’s card giveaway from Wild Ink Press – the contest closes tonight at midnight!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday!

{image credits: honey and jam via mary ruffle}