05/14/2014

Hello Brick & Mortar: How a Retailer Preps For NSS

The 2014 National Stationery Show is a few days away. If you’re exhibiting at the show, your crates are on their way and so are you (hooray!). Last week, we talked about how to catch a retailer’s eye. This week I thought I’d give you a little peek into how I prep for NSS. So far it involves a lot of ‘getting excited’ and very little ‘buying of train tickets.’ â€“ Emily of Clementine

Illustration by Emily McDowell for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Step 1: Delight in your mailers. The weeks leading up to NSS are similar to what I imagine it would feel like to be a girl in a Louisa May Alcott novel with her dance card filled up. Which is to say: very attended to and very good. (Thank you!)

The mailers this year have been exceptional; color, creativity and the sweetest personal notes! After the show, mail can be a little bit bleak. (In other words, not a terrible time to follow up with a little note to keep you in our hearts/minds.)

Step 2: Map it out. I mean this literally. I’m a very visual person and find it helpful to create an actual map of my route. This year I had help from my wonderful intern who put the mailers in order by booth number. We then talked through each vendor, creating categories of: current vendor, prospective vendors, vendors I definitely want to make an order with, and people I want to make sure to say hello to (nb: this has a lot to do with personal notes…). After that, I create a veritable yellow brick road of mailers. This gives me a visual road map that I can rely on when the lights of the show start to blur.

Mapping it out on Instagram. Am I standing on a chair or floating? You decide.

This mapping helps me prep for how I will spend my 2-3 days at the show. I will plan to break my days down into two categories: First, I make orders with my existing lines that need re-stocking. Though I’m very excited to add new lines, my current vendors have my loyalty. Second, as I walk, I take notes on (and photos of) lines that I’ve had my eye on and new lines that catch my attention. I want to take in as much as possible and note why I’d be adding these lines – do they offer something new? A product or category I don’t currently sell? Or am I just plain smitten with them? This is often a big, big list. So I take this list back to the hotel. The biggest question I ask myself is: do I REALLY love it. In the moment, in a booth, with a wonderful vendor it can be incredibly tempting to just make order after order. For this reason, I try to wait at least a day to mull over my options and make orders with new lines on my second or third day.

Step 3: Never Stop Looking. I’m constantly on the hunt for stationery. My walking list will continue to grow up until I step foot in the Javitz. I have vendors in the back of my mind who didn’t send mailers, mailers that didn’t catch my eye at first blush, and vendors who come out of nowhere at the last minute. To incorporate them into my larger walking list, I rely on:

Pinterest. I keep a Pinterest board for stationery throughout the year. I pin new lines as I fall for them and revisit the board a few times a year (most notably on the train on the way to the show.)
Instagram. Instagram is a daily hangout and in the weeks leading up to the show I frequently jump over to the #nss2014 and #stationeryshow hashtags* to see what you’re creating. I love discovering new lines and catching sneak peeks of your preparations. Also, I think it’s a great leveling-of-the-playing-fields for getting all stationery lines in front of retailers’ eyes. (*I know we discussed hashtags last time, and I’m with the camp who just feels that #nss has too many non-stationery related happenings.)
Blogs. I check in on Nole and Carina’s NSS sneak peeks and to scroll back through their prior year posts to see how lines have evolved. I also frequently find myself in new places from their blogs and then back on Pinterest pinning what I love. I love the Etsy blog for giving me background on vendors. And Emily McDowell had a great post this week for fellow vendors. I agree with everything she said. And, I would only add that even if your walls fall down, phenomenal cards on the floor are better then half-assed cards on a beautiful wall.
You! I rely on my current vendors to tip me off to new members of the stationery community. I also appreciate all of the pre-show emails that are coming in to remind me of you!

A snapshot of my Stationery Board on Pinterest. Everchanging.

Step 4: Construct a plan for orders. This is the part where I have to quit daydreaming and start doing the hard work. I should take a moment to say that I don’t run a stationery store. Clementine is a lifestyle and home decor store. That said, I have happily let stationery grow like ivy into every nook of the shop. I have grown my stationery lines from 2 to 30+ over three years and though I plan to expand, I can’t expand infinitely. (This year I plan to add 3 lines, maybe 5. Ok 8 max.) So I make my walking list and walk the show with these this refrain: Will my customers love it? Is it in my budget? Does it offer something new to Clementine? And, do I really, really love it?

Step 5. Walk it. I love almost every aspect of vendor interaction at the show: Visits with lines who I’ve carried since the beginning, hellos with vendors I adore from afar, and rounding the corner to be totally struck with a new line that rocks my world. I love that some booths are stunning theater-like sets and others are minimalist and let the cards speak for themselves. I’m not looking for one thing, I’m just looking to be delighted in roughly 2000 different ways. And I’m pretty confident that will happen.

A section of Clementine’s current stationery offerings. I’m so excited to see what it looks like a year from now!

See you at the show!

Photo Credits: Bottom image by Jessica Anderson Photography. All other images via my Instagram.

05/07/2014

Hello Brick & Mortar: How to catch a Retailer’s Eye at NSS

For those prepping for NSS, I know you’re elbow deep in painting your booth and not sleeping. This post is not intended to add to your list of to-dos. It is meant to 1) put the finishing touches on what you’ve already done and 2) have a task ready when someone asks how they can help. â€“ Emily of Clementine

Illustration by Emily McDowell for Oh So Beautiful Paper

1. Pre-Show:

Send a pre-show email. If you have an hour/an intern, send a reminder email to retailers: Include a sneak peak and remind us of any show specials. This is also a great way to encourage orders from retailers who aren’t attending.
Document your process and #hashtag it: Photos of booth building and sneak peeks are my amuse bouche on instagram these days. They’re low-effort but can put you on retailer radars quickly. {side note: what hashtags are we using? #stationeryshow, #nss, #nss2014? Let’s agree on one and put it in letterpress}.
Put your booth number in your social media profiles. Now.

2. Your Booth: It looks great already, this is just a final checklist from a retailer’s view.

Flowers and candy. Flowers draw people in, candy brings them closer (so put it further back). I don’t want to give you another task, I want to give it to your kind friend/partner who asks what they can do to when you’re overwhelmed.

Wild Ink Press 2013 booth. Who can resist those peonies? Photo via Wild Ink Press

Parrott Design Studio and Letter & Lark made their booth feel like home with hanging succulents and potted plants. Via Letter & Lark

Rifle Paper Co. has mastered the art of floral and paper mixing. Photo via Oh So Beautiful Paper from Winter NYIGF 2012

Make your social media handles visible. Last year I took several photos of booths and cards, but the vendor was engaged in a conversation and I couldn’t properly credit them. You can solve that easily, like so:

Farewell Paperie 2013 booth, with their @farewellpaperie easy to find. Photo via Farewell Paperie

Make sure your booth number is visible. Can you see it from every angle (or at least 2)? I once spent 20 minutes and 3 trips down the same isle trying to find a booth that I swear just didn’t exist.
Your Business Cards, plus. Make sure a retailer can quickly see your business name, your social media handles and your show specials, even if you’re in the middle of an order with someone else. A stack of business cards may be enough, but I’d suggest a simple table tent card (with large font) visible to someone who is hovering in the aisle. That can encourage a retailer walking by to stay, come back, and/or to credit you if she takes an instagram shot of your booth.
Bring a bit of your studio into your booth. An Open Sketchbook took this to new levels with their 2013 booth, but you can give retailers a glimpse into your work with just a few well styled tools.

Yellow Owl Workshop 2013 booth. Photo via The Sweetest Occasion

3. You:

Smile. So simple, right? Just like a thank you note, it makes a big difference and can invite a hesitant retailer in to your booth.
Hand out your card. It can be awkward to ask retailers for their cards over and over. I find that when someone hands me a card, my reflex is to hand one back. So rather than asking constantly, be ready to give yours.
Relationship building. If a retailer places an order, this is a great time to ask a few questions that will help clarify and strengthen your relationship going forward. I addressed what to ask in this post. Even if you don’t get an order, this is a great opportunity to connect. Don’t be afraid to ask retailers what they’re drawn to in your line, and consider suggesting your ‘must see’ booths in the show. (You know, what goes around, comes around.)

4. Your Promos & Swag. Don’t stress about this in the final week. Use this list to help winnow what you bring; to divvy up last minute tasks; and to remind you of that drawer of leftover goodies.

It’s only happening this week: Show specials are great because you could decide to run one at the last minute. I suggest promos that encourage retailers to buy more (ie, free shipping or an extra set of cards for all orders over $200 rather than just free shipping on all orders.)
It’s useful: I still have my These Are Things tote, which I needed after one day of catalog gathering. The floral magnets from Sycamore Street Press are still on my fridge. I also thought the suitcase tags from 9th Letter Press were a great mix of super cute and functional. These things were all useful and I think of each company each time I see them. (Which reminds me, this is a great read pre-show).

9th Letterpress 2013 luggage tag giveaway. Photo via 9th Letterpress

It’s crafty. Albertine Press postards are one of my favorite giveaways: trimmed from prior year calendars (brilliant), they made great promos. You* (aka your intern/devoted friends) could repurpose deadstock cards or material trimmings to make bookmarks/ornaments/garlands/something else Pinterest makes you think is a good idea.
It makes you memorable. There’s a reason you are going to NSS. Ladyfingers Letterpress offered hand lettering demos that were such a hit and a true treat, different from the normal retailer/vendor interaction. It was also uniquely them. Whether you’re a great hugger, or a phenomenal hand-letterer, you’re at NSS for a reason. Remember your youness. And, Bring It.

Ladyfingers Letterpress amazing hand lettering demos at NSS 2013. Photo via Ladyfingers Letterpress

5. Post Show.

Send a follow-up note to key retailers: Namely those who made orders and those you want to make orders. I know, I’m cringing at giving you this suggestion when you are already so busy, but this is often the touch that gets the order. If you’re really on the ball you could bring a stack of cards to the show (if you have any lying around), as you take a retailer’s business card, clip it to one of your cards, et voila! A ready to write/mail stack when you return.
Celebrate!

Pistachio Press & Blackbird Letterpress with, arguably, the best instagram photo of 2013

See you soon! (Now, get some sleep…)

04/30/2014

Hello Brick & Mortar: Bumps, Births and Unexpected Changes

I just moved my brick & mortar shop. It happened under the most ideal circumstances: a slow time of year, generous offers of help, and I moved next door with an interior door that opened to the new space. We didn’t even have to walk outside. Everything went off without a hitch. Still, it was completely overwhelming. ~ Emily of Clementine

Illustration by Emily McDowell for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Do you remember working for someone else and carefully squirreling away sick and vacation time and then cashing it in? Me too. It’s the one thing I really miss about working for someone else. Working for yourself means that whether planned or unplanned, time off can cause a panoply of anxieties and imagined disasters. Oh, and it’s not paid. But with some planning and kindness I’m certain we can make a few molehills out of mountains.

1. Expect (and plan for) the expected. Birth and sickness; marriage and divorce; home or studio moves; business expansion or re-organization. Whether joyful or sorrowful, planned or unplanned, there are a host of life events that will happen and they will put your business on the back burner. The best plan, of course, is to have a plan that works for you.

Iron Curtain Press print via my instagram

Monies. Financially, it’s great to have 3+ months of expenses in savings. I know, I know, but it’s good to have a goal. If you’re bad at saving monthly, set up a savings account that you don’t touch, but make deposits into when times are a bit more flush.
Make a plan and tell people. If you’re getting married or planning for the National Stationery Show, you have time to talk to your staff, family, and friends about how they can help and support you. But it’s also good to have at least a rough outline of what you might do if something more emergent comes up. Never underestimate the love you’ll feel when others jump in when you have to bow out.
Always assume you won’t have time tomorrow. Each morning on my drive to work, I make extravagant plans for what I’m going to do that day. Yet by 4 o’clock each day I’m checking off one thing I planned to get done and 18 things I didn’t know would come up. The lesson, of course is: Stock up when you have time. Print cards, update your website, make sure your bills are orderly. If you have that all squared away, please write a post on how you did it. I shutter at the thought of someone having to jump in to pay my business bills or manage the store in my absence, but knowing it’s a possibility makes me far more organized than I would be.
Live your life. My biggest challenge, owning a small business, is establishing the line where work ends and life begins. I don’t have it figured out. I may never figure it out. I love what I do and it contributes to so much personal happiness. Yet the attention I give to work, impacts my family, my health and my freedom. I try to shy away from judging my own actions as right or wrong and focus instead on making choices that feel like mine and standing behind them. Take time off to care for your family, hire help when it’s overwhelming, dissolve and leave unhealthy partnerships, and take that leap when it thrills you.

Anise Press, Live Your Life Print

What should you communicate to your retailers during times of personal change? You only need to communicate if your personal/business changes will cause delays. If there’s something happening in the future that you can plan for (a wedding, a baby, a website overhaul), it’s great to send a quick note (mass email is ok) alerting us to your absence and letting us know who (if anyone) will be filling in for you. You don’t need to over-share and I don’t recommend it, but you are human. I adore you because you’re human and, especially if something joyful has happened, it’s exciting to hear snippets of how your life changes shape your business.

2. Give support when you don’t need it. Whether it’s heavy lifting, social media cheerleading, a meal, or just the offer to listen, being a genuine source of support for those you appreciate is the best way to build your own safety net. You could also send a card, if you have one lying around.

Odd Daughter, Sometimes Life Demands Ice Cream

What does this mean for your relationship with retailers? We’re in this together. If you’re aware of things we’re going through, a kind note of any type is always (always) appreciated. You better believe I delighted in every card and note I received from you all during my move. Thank you, thank you. And then Belle & Union sent me a whoopie pie, so she won that day.

Belle & Union, Whoopie (in letterpress and confection via my instagram).

3. Gather your troops. The support you need will be different depending on the circumstances. But regardless of the situation, always be aware of whether and how you communicate what you’re going through. I think it’s helpful to surround yourself with at least three types of people (all of these traits may be found in one person, but it doesn’t hurt to diversify).

Cheerleaders: For whatever reason, in whatever way, these people make you feel better. As soon as you feel better, thank them, thank them, thank them.
Confidants: You can cry and swear and complain in front of these people. You can over share and feel ok tomorrow. Thank them, when you’re done crying.
Heavy lifters: These are the people who show up to help you pick your kid up from school or to schlep your ridiculous store 30 feet to the north. Thank them with something tangible (also, with words) and return the favor.

My view from the new Clementine, a view sweeter because of the people who helped me make it happen.

4. Double your estimates. Remember the important rule we’ve all learned from reality-tv renovation shows: double your estimates for how long it will take and how much it will cost. When I moved the shop, my initial plan was to close for 3 days. Kindly, no one laughed when I told them this, but after the first day of moving (when 15 amazing women literally picked my shop up and moved it next door) I’d revised that estimate myself, pushing my re-opening back a week. As a brick + mortar shop owner, closing for a day is hard, a week is excruciating. But I quickly realized that giving myself a week was worth it for important things, like my sanity. And staying married.

What should you communicate to retailers when your timeline is pushed back? Nothing, unless we’ve agreed on a deadline that will pass, or we’re waiting for something. Then, the truth. Just send a quick note with a revised timeline. Don’t over-share the reasons. Offer something (free shipping, extra product) if it’s a real inconvenience, but chances are, we can wait another week.

5. Hire someone. They say that when you start feeling thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. The same is true for hiring staff, the moment you realize you need help, you probably should have done it months ago. My staff is very small, but absolutely invaluable.

6. You notice your absence more than anyone else. That list of things you have to do tomorrow is in your head. Your goal of getting your catalogs done this week, is your goal. Your feeling that you’re behind on your National Stationery Show mailers is your feeling. I’m not suggesting that sometimes you do make mistakes that impact your business or your retailers, but we probably don’t notice as much as you do. That said, get it done. You’ll sleep better tonight. And as always, I can’t wait to see it. Also:

Card by Emily McDowell, which I plan to buy in bulk at NSS

6. Share your best practices. If you’ve been through a big life or work change, what were your fears? What good or bad advice did you get and what got you through? (That’s a for-real question, answer below!)

03/26/2014

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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).

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

02/12/2014

Hello Brick & Mortar: Real Customers, Love Multiplies Love

In early February of 2005, I stood in line at a post office in Washington, DC with a stack of envelopes sandwiched between my hands and my chin. The lady in front of me turned and said “Well, don’t you have a lot of sweethearts!” It made me ineffably happy. It was the end of my third year of law school and I was doing fine, in the sense that your third year is your last year. But I had spent a week on my floor making 50+ valentines with the sneaking suspicion about happiness and where I might find it. The moral of this story is: I am a ridiculous fan of Valentine’s Day and it comes as a surprise to absolutely no one that I’m no longer practicing law. â€“ Emily of Clementine

Illustration by Emily McDowell for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Makers, the cards this year are truly amazing. I purchased about 1/8 of what I wanted. Here are the first round of Valentine’s Day picks from my fantastic customers. The second round comes on February 13-14th (you’ll notice, there are only two dudes in this post and they’re both under 3).

Deina & Elliot ~ Macon York, I’m Still In Love With You, a love note to Deina’s husband in the weeks before their 2nd baby!

Anne ~

Drey ~ Sycamore Street Press, Friends Forever, sending the same note to two friends, both in love transitions to remind them of their bond as friends.

Adrienne & Jack ~ Betsy Ann Press, xoxo, for Jack’s older sister who gives him endless hugs and kisses.

Kate ~Belle & Union, Bushel and a Peck, for her husband, a song they sing to their twin boys.

Katie ~ Mr. Boddington, I would go anywhere with you. True words, for her husband.

Lucy ~ May Day Studio, You are my sunshine, a song she and her fiancÃ© sing to each other.

Marshall ~ Scout’s Honor Co, Perfect Pair, for her boyfriend who said no Valentine gift, but he wears these shoes, so…

Rachel ~ Rifle Paper Co, You’re a Fox, for her girlfriend, who loves foxes, has fox gloves and saw a fox on her walks back home. In conclusion, foxy.

Sas ~ Happy Cactus, Fruity Valentines, sweet hellos for her nieces and nephews.

Nan ~ Anemone Press, a card for her mother, who is!

Ilana ~ Banquet, Neon Heart, the ultimate Valentine.

Love to you of you; makers, buyers, lovers. Now go, send your cards, slip your notes. Send them to your sweetheart, your long lost loves and anyone and everyone who fits into your heart. Go forth and multiply that love.