Oh So Beautiful Paper

National Stationery Show 2012, Part 4

Nole — Thu, 24 May 2012 06:00:11 PDT

Sigh… the 2012 National Stationery Show is officially over. And while I’m happy to be back home (and even happier to rest my aching feet!), I’m already going through pretty paper withdrawal and missing all my friends in the stationery industry. I was excited to see a ton of new exhibitors at this year’s show, so today I thought I’d focus in on a few of the first-time exhibitor booths. First up, the whimsical stationery from Rocket Ink; every design features hand lettering and/or a hand-drawn illustration or pattern. Beautiful!

Rocket Ink

Pei Design might win the award for most adorable stationery collection from this year’s show. I love the clean and modern aesthetic of the letterpress cards and fill-in invitations, not to mention the foil stamp pattern note cards and edge painted notebooks!

Pei Design

I loved all the modern black + white minimalism happening over at Pawling, from an incredibly cool topographic 2013 calendar (and corresponding cards) to geometric pattern newsprint gift wrap, art prints, tote bags, and notebooks.

Pawling

The Regional Assembly of Text was one of several Canadian exhibitors at this year’s show. This Vancouver-based duo presented a collection of super-cute note cards and corresponding buttons. So fun!

Regional Assembly of Text

There were so many fun things happening over in the Jigsaw Graphics booth! I’m constantly re-organizing and re-arranging things in my home, so I instantly fell in love with the dry erase labels and tags – so perfect for someone like me. And the customizable letterpress stationery is pretty amazing; Jigsaw Graphics can take any signature and/or illustration, scan it in, and create personalized note cards for kids and adults. Turns out that kids really love to write letters to their friends, so hooray for the future generation of letter-writers!

Jigsaw Graphics

I loved the home library vibe of the Papillon Press booth (another Canadian exhibitor!). Their collection of letterpress greeting cards was both pretty and incredibly funny – such a great combination! I particularly enjoyed the Victorian card series with phrases and tips from an antique etiquette guide.

Papillon Press

I’m so happy I came across The Permanent Collection booth – so many fantastic letterpress cards and prints! And I can’t get over the large scale letterpress prints of wedding vows and birth announcement details… such a great way to commemorate a momentous occasion (and surprisingly affordable, too!).

The Permanent Collection

I’m still working my way through all the photos from the show, but I’ll be back with more soon!

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper

Calligraphy Inspiration: Nancy Hopkins Handlettering

julie — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:00:44 PDT

Ed Note: Hi Everyone! I’m taking a quick break from National Stationery Show coverage today to get more photos and posts ready to share with you. I’ll be back with more from the show tomorrow! – Nole

The thing I love most about calligraphy is its emotive qualities. Sometimes, it seems we have enough trouble trying to put thoughts and feelings into words. But to then have those words illustrate these things, simply through line and form, is pretty amazing; it’s quite the challenge. Nancy of Nancy Hopkins Handlettering seems to enjoy the challenge by the looks of her portfolio. With 15 years of experience specializing in commercial and event calligraphy, and clients like Saks Fifth Avenue, Bank of America, and Martha Stewart Magazine, she has certainly made a name for herself transforming the written word. – Julie

A mix of calligraphy and hand lettering along with a great use of space adds charm to addressed envelopes.

The perfectly imperfect line quality of some of her styles are swoon-worthy. The words are given such personality and texture, don’t you think?

Don’t forget to visit Nancy’s website for more of her work. She recently updated the website – and with many fantastic examples and with 26 lettering styles available, it’s almost guaranteed that she has a style perfectly suited for your needs.

Letterpress printing: Olivia San Mateo

Photo Credits: Sabine Elser

National Stationery Show 2012, Part 3

Nole — Tue, 22 May 2012 06:00:43 PDT

I’m so excited to share more from the National Stationery Show! There has been so much amazing stationery to see at this year’s show, I’ve barely even made a dent in the last two days. First up for today, I loved all the colorful and modern stationery from Two Paperdolls, from bright greeting cards and a mustache-theme calendar to a gorgeous new album of wedding invitations. I’m particularly smitten with the line of Mad Men-inspired cards!

Two Paperdolls

Last year, Adrienne from Dingbat Press created a booth covered in silver leaf – and this year she switched things up with a booth made from hundreds of coaster-size kraft paper circles. Amazing! I love Adrienne’s new collections of initial notebooks and colorful self-mailing stationery sets.

Dingbat Press

After making her Stationery Show debut last year, Catherine from Printerette Press put together another beautiful booth full of sweet letterpress greeting cards and a brand new wedding collection. So pretty!

Printerette Press

I’m so excited to see more designers producing boxed writing sheet sets, and I love all the whimsical designs from Fawnsberg – not to mention the greeting cards and rubber stamps featuring their signature hand lettering.

Fawnsberg

The Dauphine Press booth was ridiculously pretty this year – chock full of gorgeous wedding invitations with metallic foil details, colorful edge painting, and lovely patterns.

Dauphine Press

So much pretty paper eye candy from Fine Day Press – from the beautiful new watercolor calendar to foil stamp patterns and letterpress greeting cards!

Fine Day Press

Page Stationery made their Stationery Show debut this year with a brand new wedding album and lots of really fun day-of wedding stationery, including letterpress printed ceremony program covers and double-sided reception signs. Such a great idea! I also love their collection of “manly” boxed stationery.

Page Stationery

I’ll be back tomorrow with more from the show!

Photo Credits: Stephen Michael Garey and Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper; please ask permission prior to reposting any images.

National Stationery Show 2012, Part 2

Nole — Mon, 21 May 2012 08:00:34 PDT

As promised, I’m back with more from the National Stationery Show – with a lot still yet to come. After exhibiting as part of the Ladies of Letterpress booth last year, Elizabeth from Wildhorse Press moved to her own booth full of adorable greeting cards and prints. I even love the illustrations Elizabeth drew around each group of prints and cards – so sweet!

Wildhorse Press

I couldn’t wait to see the new cards and invitations from Claudia at Fig. 2 Design Studio in person. I’m completely smitten with the color-dipped initial note cards and new neon gift wrap sheets!

Fig. 2 Design Studio

The booth design from Mr. Boddington’s Studio is always amazing, and this year was no exception – the team covered the walls in huge tissue paper flowers! Mr. Boddington’s Studio also introduced a lot of new stationery at this year’s show, from patterned boxed stationery sets to day-of wedding stationery like escort cards and table number cards to large-scale wedding guest books and birth certificates.

Mr. Boddington’s Studio

There were so many beautiful new cards and prints from Sycamore Street Press this year. I’m loving the pops of color, foil-stamped details, and sweet illustrations!

Sycamore Street Press

Even though they just introduced a ton of new products at NYIGF back in January, Rifle Paper Co. had so many fun new things in their booth for the Stationery Show! I love the new boxed stationery sets, coasters, gift wrap sheets, and particularly the fun holiday stickers (I’m pretty sure my little niece would be all over those stickers if she had the chance!).

Rifle Paper Co.

Last, but definitely not least for today, fun new goodies from Susy Jack*! The beautiful new collection includes gorgeous recipe card sets, tea towels, calendars, and cards and notepads featuring Susy’s signature patterns. So pretty!

Susy Jack*

That’s it for today! I’ll be back with more from the show tomorrow!

Photo Credits: Stephen Michael Garey and Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper; please ask permission prior to reposting any photos.

National Stationery Show 2012, Part 1

Nole — Mon, 21 May 2012 06:00:57 PDT

It’s finally here! And oh boy, you guys, the National Stationery Show has barely even started and I can already tell it’s going to be a fantastic show – I have so much to share with you over the next week! I’m still working my way through the booths and aisles, but I thought I’d start off with a few booths that caught my eye on the opening day. First up, Alee + Press, with an awesome industrial-inspired booth design that was chock full of colorful greeting cards and gorgeous wedding invitations.

Alee and Press

Next up, a new stationery company that isn’t even a year old but is already creating some really fun designs – the Brooklyn-based Left Field Cards. Designer Amelie loves baseball and decided to create an entire line around the sport. She started with designs that are illustrated and hand carved into linoleum blocks, then created plates based on those designs and letterpress printed the entire collection. Very cool!

Left Field Cards

I absolutely loved the sneak peek from Meg at Belle & Union, so it was no surprise that I also loved her debut at the Stationery Show. Her booth was full of adorable letterpress printed cards, screen printed tea towels and gift wrap sheets, recipe cards, and lots of other fun little touches. So cute!

Belle + Union

I practically made a beeline for the Sugar Paper booth at the show, and I love everything in the new collection – from the greeting cards to the art prints. There was so much color and joy reflected in the new cards and prints, yet everything felt classic and sophisticated. Such a great combination!

Sugar Paper

I still in awe of the ombré blue walls that Rebekah from Wild Ink Press created for her booth this year, not to mention her beautiful stationery! So many pretty patterns and colors throughout the entire collection…

Wild Ink Press

Liz from Linda + Harriett completely knocked my socks off with her fabulous graphic booth design, gorgeous new 2013 letterpress calendar, and the seriously amazing (and GIANT) large-scale calendar with designs inspired by quilted paper. I’ve always considered calendars to be a form of wall art, but Liz took it to a whole new level. So amazing!

Linda + Harriett

Finally (for now), the team from The Social Type made a fantastic Stationery Show debut with a modern collection full of sweet and colorful greeting cards and patterned gift wrap sheets. So pretty!

The Social Type

I’ll be back soon with more from the show!

Photo Credits: Stephen Michael Garey and Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper, please ask permission prior to reposting any images