Seasonal Stationery: Mother’s Day, Part 1

Mother’s Day is coming up! If you’re searching for the perfect card for your mom, grandmother, or wife, I’ve got you covered. I’m rounding up a few of my favorites below, with lots more to browse over in the Market List!

2014-Mothers-Day-Cards-Part1

1. Emily McDowell; 2. Parrott Design Studio; 3. Ladyfingers Letterpress; 4. Dear Hancock; 5. Grey Moggie Press; 6. Idlewild Co.

2014-Mothers-Day-Cards-Part2

7. Anemone Letterpress; 8. Quill and Fox; 9. Kate & Birdie; 10. Honizukle; 11. Ink Meets Paper; 12. Sycamore Street Press

Lots more Mother’s Day cards in the Market List right here!

{images via their respective sources}

Pascale + Maurice’s Colorful Cinco De Mayo Wedding Invitations

How about a little neon to brighten up your Wednesday? Heidi from idieh design sent over these vibrant invitations created for a Cinco de Mayo wedding, featuring neon fuchsia and neon orange paired with bright blue edge painting and kraft paper envelopes. So fun!

Cinco-De-Mayo-Wedding-Invitations-idieh-design

From Heidi: Pascale and Maurice wanted to merge tradition and trend in a fun and artistic way. Their wedding would take place on Cinco de Mayo weekend, so they chose to honor the Mexican holiday with a “fiesta-chic” theme. They wanted their invitation suite to incorporate a whimsical color scheme inspired by the very colorful Mexican culture.

Cinco-De-Mayo-Wedding-Invitations-idieh-design2

We decided on an extra-thick invitation with vibrant neon fuchsia and neon orange to let guests know it was going to be a fun, festive, and bold celebration. The graphic Mexican banner subtly enclosed the couple’s initials within the cuts of the design. The invitation was backed with a vibrant chevron pattern that utilized spot coating varnish for a glossy finish.

Cinco-De-Mayo-Wedding-Invitations-idieh-design3

Bright blue edge painting on the main invitation provided a finishing touch. The entire suite, including the adorable response card, was packaged in a kraft envelope lined with a black and white polka dot patterned liner. 

Cinco-De-Mayo-Wedding-Invitations-idieh-design4

The bold graphics and colorful palette continued throughout the wedding day with the over-the-top playful ceremony programs, the whimsical table numbers, and the cheerful escort cards.

Cinco-De-Mayo-Wedding-Invitations-idieh-design8

Thanks Heidi!

Check out the Designer Rolodex for more tal­ented wed­ding invi­ta­tion design­ers and the real invi­ta­tions gallery for more wedding invitation ideas!

Photo Credits: Michelle Herrick Photography

Hello Brick & Mortar: Order Up!

If you’re in the mood for a simple nuts & bolts post, here it is: Ordering. Namely, how to get your retailers to do more of it. Assuming you like that sort of thing. ~ Emily of Clementine.

OSBP-Hello-Brick-and-Mortar-Clementine-by-Emily-McDowell-Illustration

Illustration by Emily McDowell for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Let’s get gushy for a second: I love ordering. I devour your catalogs and squirrel them away. I take you to the beach and pull you out in front of the fire. At my shop, I’ll gladly fawn over issuu when I have 18 other things to do. Ordering is the dinner & dancing of our relationship. It’s where I commit and you send me a beautifully wrapped box. It’s the most fun.

Yet there are enough trips and starts in the ordering process that some orders are never started and others go unfinished. Let’s break it down and see how to get those orders coming in.

When and why do I make orders?

  • I make an opening order when: I fall for your cards & I think they will sell. Often, this is because you reached out personally (and maybe because you kept in touch).
  • I make a re-order when:
    • I run out of a several things that have sold well.
    • A customer requests something that has sold out.
    • A holiday is coming up (maybe).
    • You find a way to entice me.
    • You check in.
    • Your line fits and offers something new to customers.

ClementineBirthdayCards

A display of Birthday cards at Clementine. Color, size, variety. I often order based on how your line would complement my existing lines.

 

Your Catalog. Your Calling Card: 

The best catalogs (paper or online) have nice, bright photos and clear terms. Retailers are different, so ideally you have a paper and online option. Here are some pros and cons of each option:

  • Paper Catalog:
    • Pros: Well, we all love paper, so there’s that. Flipping, circling, dog-earring. I like them best when they’re mailed to my shop. I like them least when I’m lugging them through Penn Station.
    • Cons: I have to have it with me to order and I still have to write the order down and send it to you. Also, it seems to be standard for catalogs to have terms and prices in the front or back. This means I have to flip back and forth frequently (especially if you have cards, card sets, gift tags, prints….) This takes a while and is the #1 reason it takes forever to fill out an order.

NSS catalogs

Some of the catalogs that traveled home with me from NSS 2013. Pretty, but pretty doesn’t carry itself.

  • Issuu: Most of you use issuu, so I’m assuming most are familiar. I like it. I dont’ love it, but I like it.
    • Pros: It’s online so I can pull it up anytime. Your updates are instant. I don’t have to dig in my files. I can send you a quick order. You can link to it easily in emails to me.
    • Cons: I still have to write/email out my order and it’s harder to “flip” through if the prices/quantity requirements are at the back. Also, sometimes the format gets wonky, especially on an ipad.
  • Online: If you have good photos and an easy website, this is pretty much just a pro except that many (myself included) do love a tangible catalog. That aside, let’s look at several online options:
    • A wholesale site just for retailers. Shopping online is my ideal form and results in my most frequent orders, because it’s quick. Especially, if you have a large line.
    • Etsy Wholesale. Did you know Etsy has a wholesale site? I’m pretty smitten because it’s a one stop shop for me. You have to apply, but I think it’s a great option if you’re not ready to build your own online shop. Also, if you already have an Etsy site, I believe transferring products is pretty easy. (Don’t quote me on that, but I think the fabulous ladies of Etsy will be checking in on this post today, so feel free to ask questions!)
    • Your existing retail site with a wholesale code. If you sell online and haven’t built a wholesale shop, a great in-between step is to simply send your retailers a wholesale code for 50% off. You may still have to work out shipping, that’s ok.

Stop the presses! What haven’t you heard from me?

  • I have to fax something in. (Wait, I’m genuinely curious, do any of you receive orders by fax?) Requiring forms that I have to fill out and send is going to delay my order. Find a way to be flexible in gathering credit card and tax IDs so that all I have to do is hit ‘submit’ or wait for your call.
  • I like you too much. Counterintuitive, I know, but  I have several lines that I liked so much it took forever to complete the order because I was trying to whittle it down. This is why it’s so important to be in contact. Silence does not always mean I’m not interested. Personal contact or an incentive can put you at the top of the stack.
  • Your line is very large. Similarly, if you have 25 pages of product, deciding what to get can take a while.
  • Your photos aren’t great/Your terms aren’t clear. Look at your own website and have a friend critique it too. A tiny, dark or fuzzy photo wont sell itself even if the card is great in person. Similarly, if I can’t find terms or contact info clearly, I may delay.
  • Your order minimums are too high and/or are inflexible. I generally order in 6s (singles) and 3s (packs/prints) even when you don’t require, because your colleagues have conditioned me to do so. Ask around, see what’s standard. But also make sure minimums and terms make sense for your business. If you are ok with orders of any size, say so.
  • I never hear from you. When should you reach out? I covered that topic at length here. In short: ask each retailer what they prefer, and always be in contact a few times a year. If you are always too busy to reach out to your retailers, it might be time to hire a rep.

What makes me order (more frequently)?

  • Flexibility. If you accept orders via web, email and/or over the phone, I’m more likely order. I mean, I’m probably never going to call in an order, but making it clear that you’re flexible sends a message and I’m more likely to email you a quick order because I know you’re open to it.
  • You’re responsive and open to dialogue. This isn’t for everyone, but if you’re open to the idea of turning a card into a print, or altering your existing products, it could lead to a dialogue between us that strengthens our relationship and gives me a new stake in your products. Obviously not all ideas are good ones and retailers should never direct your creativity, but they can offer insights into what might sell that could help your brand grow.

LLwoodlandset

Letter & Lark’s Woodland animals were singles. Colleen responded immediately to retailers’ desire to have them as a set. 

SHCOantlers

Scout’s Honor Co’s Antlers, was originally a card. I requested it as a print and Annemarie didn’t miss a beat saying yes. Also, take a page from this lady when you’re sending notes to retailers. 

  • Online, online, online. Look, I’m in the process of moving my shop, so I understand the feeling of being (incredibly) overwhelmed. If you don’t have an online wholesale shop, don’t fret. But I do make online orders far more frequently. I like to see the cards together and be able to adjust quantities in a cart. That’s something a paper linesheet can’t do (plus, the math).
  • Good photographs. I understand the ease of drawing your cards, but sketches are often very different from a letterpress card. Whenever possible, take a (nice, well lit) photo and upload at a visible size.
  • Social Media. I’ve been on the fence about how much social media affects my buying, but over the last few months I can say, without a doubt, that I’ve made orders based on sneak peeks or incentives I’ve seen (primarily on instagram, a bit on facebook).

MaconYorkInstagram

Macon York’s Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Card which I saw on Instagram, had to have, and essentially started the order there.

  • I think you’re fantastic. I know, this is somewhat intangible, but my favorite lesson of the last few years is that I want to have business relationships based on kindness, humor, generosity and a bit of bravery. If you like a retailer’s aesthetic, be in touch. Don’t be turned off if they don’t reply to your intro packet, if they make a first order and then don’t re-order. I’ve built great relationships with people even when their line isn’t right for my shop, I love those conversations and I am always happy to talk about how a line may become right for my shop, or someone else’s. Stay in touch. We’re all busy. If you believe in your product, keep going.

Have another question about orders? Post it below! Also, are you getting excited for the Stationery Show? I am! But if you’re not going, I have a post for that too. Next time…

xo! Emily

Seasonal Stationery: Easter Cards

It’s sloooowly starting to feel like Spring on the East Coast, which is helping me get excited for Spring holidays! Between decorating eggs and Easter egg hunts surrounded by spring flowers, Easter always feels like such a happy holiday to me. So today I thought I’d round up some of my favorite – and most colorful – Easter cards!

2014-Easter-Cards-Part1

1. Sugar Paper; 2. Parrott Design Studio; 3. Fine Day Press; 4. Rifle Paper Co.; 5. Wit + Whistle ; 6. Dear Hancock

2014-Easter-Cards-Part2

7. Golden Pines Paper; 8. One Canoe Two; 9. Sycamore Street Press; 10. Smock; 11. Betsy Ann Paper; 12. Ink Meets Paper

More Easter cards in the market list right here!

{images via their respective sources}

Friday Happy Hour: The First Kiss

Happy St. Valentine’s Day! In the spirit of the holiday, here’s a drink that’s a little cheezy, a little pink (well, red), and lots of fun to enjoy with someone else: the First Kiss. – Andrew

OSBP-Signature-Cocktail-Recipe-Red-Champagne-Cocktail-7

OSBP-Signature-Cocktail-Recipe-Card-The-First-Kiss-Shauna-Lynn-Illustration

Illustration by Shauna Lynn for Oh So Beautiful Paper

The First Kiss

2 oz Hibiscus Gin
3/4 oz St-Germain
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Limoncello
Champagne

Combine the gin, lemon juice, and liqueurs with lots of ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe or a flute.  Top with champagne and enjoy with someone you love.

OSBP-Signature-Cocktail-Recipe-Red-Champagne-Cocktail-21OSBP-Signature-Cocktail-Recipe-Red-Champagne-Cocktail-6

Last year, we showcased our first Valentine’s cocktail, the Love Letter, which also used hibiscus gin. It’s very easy to make – just steep some hibiscus tea bags in English Dry gin for at least a few hours and a day or two for best results – and adds a tremendously botanical flavor to the gin. Hibiscus can be a bit astringent, though, so I paired it with St-Germain and Limoncello (Cointreau would work in its place too) to add plenty of sweetness and fruity, floral notes for balance. And champagne seems to perfect not to include on Valentine’s Day, though it makes for a pretty good drink even without it.

OSBP-Signature-Cocktail-Recipe-Red-Champagne-Cocktail-8

It’s enormously easy to make all sorts of personalized infusions like this. Ethyl alcohol – the stuff that makes booze boozy – is also a fantastic solvent. It will pick up tons of flavor from anything it touches, like gin’s juniper berries or whiskey’s caramel and vanilla notes from the wood barrels in which it’s aged. Herbal teas like hibiscus are perfect for this: easy to drop in a bottle and pull out when you’re done, with a huge variety of possible flavors. So consider spicing up your bar and impressing your friends with some rum, gin, or Tequila infusions. And let us know when you do!

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper