NSS ’12 : Craveable Cards, Part 1

May 28, 2012 // kristen // 0 replies

If you’re looking to get some paper cravings going, then the National Stationery Show is certainly a great place to do that. Here are my picks for most craveable cards of the show, and stay tuned because there will be at least two more parts to come. What can I say? There were SO many awesome cards that it would’ve been impossible to compress them into one post!

Maginating has some of the cutest cards around, and I love how they incorporated foil stamping into some of their new designs. Check out the iridescent foil on the congratulations card – so cool!

Super cute, illustrated letterpress cards by Ilee Papergoods:

This bunny birthday card by Dear Hancock made me giggle:

As did these adorable birthday cards by Fugu Fugu Press:

I’m all about Yoda (he’s so wise), so this card from Paper Boat Studios’ new origami collection instantly caught my eye:

So many sweet, illustrated letterpress greetings in the One Canoe Two booth:

For those of us who have waited a little long to send a thank you (and who hasn’t at one time or another), this card by Sugarcube Press will really come in handy:

Printerette Press had oodles of fun, new greeting cards in their pom pom adorned booth:

photos by Kristen Magee

NSS ’12 : The “Food on Paper” Trend

May 28, 2012 // kristen // 1 replies

I briefly touched upon the “food on paper” trend last week, particularly with the mention of Belle & Union, whose booth featured plenty of tasty paper goodies. But a number of stationers at the show blended food with paper to create clever, “pun intended” humorous, and evocative items, all of which are a part of this growing trend. As someone who is really into home canning (I try to make at least a few batches of jam every year – mmm, jam), I also appreciated the focus on gardening, home canning, and simple/homemade food.

I love how SusyJack* incorporated her original patterns into this incredible collection of recipe cards, coordinating tea towels, and personalized recipe boxes. As soon as I saw these, I instantly thought, “talk about the perfect gift idea for a cook or baker!”

A little peek at Two Trick Pony’s 2013 calendar:

The “Backhanded Condiments” and “Howdy Foodies” collections by Wild Ink Press:

A clever get well soon card by Wildhorse Press:

Plenty of tasty letterpress greetings at Studio Olivine:

Rifle Paper Co.’s 2013 Garden wall calendar:

Adorable little Recipe Dice by Leafcutter Designs:

Mmm … ice cream cone letterpress card by Anemone Letterpress:

Peanut butter & Jelly and Salsa & Chips cards by Gilah Press:

A sweet and clever illustrated card by The Nic Studio:

“You’re the Milk to My Cookies” letterpress card by Two Paperdolls:

A collection of tasty-looking letterpress cards by Dingbat Press:

And more love for pb & j by Orange Twist:

photos by Kristen Magee

NSS ’12 : Booth Details

May 24, 2012 // kristen // 0 replies

Several booths that I spotted during my NSS adventures not only held great collections, but they also contained little, eye-catching details that made me think, “ooh, that is SUCH a clever thing that they did there.”

Kristiana Pärn’s booth not only displayed her darling cards and art prints, it also featured playful paper cutouts of her characters here and there:

Studio Olivine’s oversized sign instantly caught my attention, as did their lovely letterpress cards (more on those later):

The Everything Little Miss team executed the chalkboard theme so well, and I loved that they blended tradition with trend by hanging neon paper cranes in the corners of their booth:

The ladies of Paper Lovely & Fat Bunny Press were also rockin’ the chalkboard look, and they cleverly changed up the color of the chalk “awnings” to reflect whose side of the booth you were on. Great signs, too!

Old Tom Foolery’s booth was slick. Great signage, and it was so smart of them to build in custom areas where they could display framed versions of their new “Words of Wisdom” prints:

Leah Greenberg’s bold and whimsical fabric backdrop was the perfect compliment to her fun line of illustrated paper goodies:

And, of course, Wild Ink Press’ ombré booth walls were showstoppers:

photos by Kristen Magee

NSS ’12 : The Booths, Part 2

May 24, 2012 // kristen // 1 replies

It was great to see Moglea’s new line of letterpress goodies in person. The lovely collection, which launches online this summer, includes a gorgeous calendar, oodles of pretty greeting cards and some of my favorite items from the show, hand-lettered and illustrated envelope liners that coordinated with sleek and simple letterpress notes:

Wildhorse Press’ booth was so sweet, and the hand drawn frames in which the cards were displayed were so fun and clever, as were their great new letterpress greeting card designs. Love the milk carton “Missing You”:

The Social Type’s booth was ultra sleek, the perfect backdrop for their gorgeous line, and I really wish I would’ve gotten a clearer photo of the back wall with their logo. But I was so happy to see all of these beautiful cards together in one place that I guess I got a little wobbly with my camera:

Blackbird Letterpress’ booth beckoned to me with it’s sunshine yellow walls, and inside I found so many awesome new products – multiple calendars (including two very clever perpetual calendar designs), palmistry coasters (great conversation starters), and their new collections (the “Seaside” collection is shown at the bottom in the photo below). I also loved how they displayed their clever die cut cards:

Bison Press works with a number of different artists, and their booth was filled with a wide variety of great paper goods, including wonderful gold foil stamped cards and journals and a collection of cards featuring watercolor paintings of beer cans. A great guy card idea!

Angela Liguori and Albertine Press were booth partners, and I really liked their use of more neutral, industrial elements like pipes and metal boxes as display elements, which gave the booth texture and interest while allowing their colorful goods to shine:

photos by Kristen Magee

NSS ’12 : The Booths, Part 1

May 23, 2012 // kristen // 2 replies

One of the most exciting aspects of the Stationery Show for me is seeing how everyone styles and displays their goods. The booth really is an extension of a brand, a sort of large scale packaging project that companies design to present their line to potential buyers and clients. Here are some of the booths that really caught my eye:

One of the most charming at the show, the Belle & Union booth was filled with clever, hand-lettered letterpress greetings and darling, screenprinted sheets of gift wrap. The burgeoning “food on paper” trend was well represented here, with pickles, sticks of butter, refreshing summer drinks, and fruits popping up all over. I cannot wait until this line is available online later this year!

Katharine Watson’s booth instantly drew me in with rich, warm walls that perfectly complimented her beautiful collection of block printed goods. And I love that she had some of the hand-carved blocks that she uses to create her pieces on display in the booth. Amazing!

The Pei Design booth made me so happy. Their branding and booth signage served as the perfect backdrop to their squee-inducingly adorable lineup of letterpress greeting cards and fill-in invitations.

Chalkboard-inspired booths dotted the show floor, and Kate & Birdie did a fantastic job incorporating the trend into their booth design. The use of green chalkboards, as opposed to black, softened the look, complimented their line so well, and made this booth (and all of the lovely paper goodies within) a real standout.

The Seed House booth, which was within the Ladies of Letterpress display, was the perfect extension of this perfectly styled and detailed collection of curiosities. The booth itself reminded me of a curio cabinet filled with pieces lovingly collected over time.

For lovers of neon (myself included), the Fig. 2 Design booth was THE place to be. I couldn’t get enough of the fresh, neon-colored letterpress greetings and invitations, and their new neon wrapping paper is awe-some.