Search results (tags) for: "stationary"

Nelladesigns Gets Voted In and Prepares Us for the New Year

2009-12-28T11:30:00-05:00

Thank you to all who voted in last week's poll, which asked you to pick a favorite calendar, thank you note, journal, or other item that starts the New Year off on the right track. And you picked us a winner: nelladesigns with her 2010 Calendar! Congratulations!

This lovely work, along with some of the top picks shown below, will be featured in the Members' Choice Gift Guide.

Get Involved in the Next Round
For next week's round, we have a special request for nominations from sellers whose shops enjoyed success this holiday shopping season. We want to know which of your items or lines did particularly well. What were the items shoppers were most enthusiastic about? Paste links in the comments below. We want to hear why you think these did well. (Congratulations on your success, by the way.)

Voting Posts | Voter FAQ

Etsy Finds: Dedicated to the One I Love

2009-02-04T08:19:00-05:00

Is your heart all aflutter with the affection of a new (or old!) flame? Show how much you care with a handmade love note. Each of today's Etsy Finds would melt the coldest of hearts. Looking for more love notes and Valentine cards? Have a look through our love notes and wrappings Gift Guide.

i heart u Valentine's Day Card Gocco Screenprinted

By DoALittleDesign, $2.50.

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Valentines Day Special - Polaroid Valentines Day Cards

By jerseymaids, $12.

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resting within...fine photographic print card

By provincijalka, $4.

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Happy Valentine's Day Card Natural Kraft

By TheHollister25, $3.

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I love you, magenta letterpress card

By pistachiopress, $3.50.

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Fabric Valentines - Set of 8 Flat Note Cards

By Lockette, $14.

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Ama Card

By essimar, $4.50.

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Love Record, Single Gocco Art Card

By twoguitars, $3.

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s.w.a.k.

By trystbykerry, $36.

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Looking for more Etsy Finds? Try these links:

Gift Guides | Guest Curators | Trends | Gift Ideas | More Season of Love

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Holiday 2008: Our Favorite Cards

2008-11-14T13:18:00-05:00

According to popular vote, the best of the best Holiday Cards 2008 is (drumroll...) a tie!! Insult Family & Leave in Huff - a Modern Twist on an Old Favorite by dippylulu! Congrats!

And the always amusing CarolLeeDesigns and her "Restraining Order be Damned - I'll See You at Christmas" - Hatemail card.

Apparently, Etsians have some family issues...and a sense of humor about it, which is good. Seriously, congrats to these fine artists! Below you'll find the top 21 cards you voted for! Look for some of these cards in the Gift Guides too.

We will launch our next round of voting on Monday, November 17th — Holiday 2008: Ornaments. So stay tuned!

See the original call for votes post.

Holiday 2008: Choose Your Favorite Greeting Cards!

2008-11-11T16:34:00-05:00

UPDATE! The results are posted here!

Come on down to Etsy's voter tool and select your favorite holiday card from a pool of 60! Since there are so many talented Etsy artists to choose from in the Paper Goods Category and Holiday Category, help the Storque editors pick which top cards should be featured in the Gift Guides and here, on Etsy's blog.

Click here to vote!

Voting ends at 12:30pm (EST) on Friday, November 14, 2008. Tell your friends to come and vote (see the "email to a friend" link below ). Tell 'em to come in a hurry so they can get their cards before they sell out! Don't be like me: one of those slow pokes who forgets to send holiday cards until halfway through January!

Paper Goods Category | Holiday Category | More Cards Posts | Etsy Greetings Team

Vote here

MixedSpecies Unboxed

2008-05-27T17:40:00-05:00

David Crosby-Etheridge, Jr made a delightful video unboxing cards from Mixedspecies. Very cool that that they're friends with Dave.
See more videos in the Multi-media section.

Father's Day Showcase | Gift Guide for Him | Father's Day Gift Guide | A Dude's Perspective

Mother's Day: Special Notes for Special Ladies!

2008-05-04T23:51:00-05:00

Dear Etsy Shoppers,

When I was a kid, my mother preferred an endearing, crayon-scrawled handmade Mother's Day card from her darling daughter. But now that I'm older, it isn't quite as cute to send one of my (still crayon-scrawled) drawings to mum. Below you'll find some nice handmade cards, fit for the picking, by talented artists. You can find all sorts here.

Sellers, post a link to your shop in the comments if you have Mother's Day cards listed!

Handmade Weddings: Thank You!

2008-04-11T17:13:00-05:00

Here's a big thanks to all the bloggers and Etsians that contributed to the Handmade Wedding Series! If you can believe it, there are many topics we didn't have time to cover this go-around, but we'll just have to save them for the next wedding series.

So have fun on your honeymoon and don't forget to write your thank you notes to your friends and families!

Etsy Finds: Sorry!

2008-04-02T11:00:00-05:00

Didja screw up yesterday?

April Fool's Day joke went too far? You pulled the wool over someone's eyes...and inadvertenly irked the crap out of them? Is no one in the office is speaking to you this morning?

Do you, friend, need to apologise to someone out there?

Use these Finds to make amends today!

Sorry - Apologetic Greeting Card

To the point, but with an adorable edge. By MakingStrangers $4.

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I'm Sorry Cocktail Ring

Nothing makes things right like plastic jewelry. No seriously, this is real cute. By reddeliciousthings, $20.

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Knit Coat greeting card

"Although this card is blank, I think this would be perfect for an apology. Doesn't she look like she's full of regret? Maybe it's just the diamond studded knit coat. Or the hair helmet. Or that fact that she's naked under there." By McYarnpants, $4.50.

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SORRY - mini cards

For those of us that have offended 6 or less people. You can basically hand these out like business cards if necessary. By chickrocks, $6.

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FORGIVE THEM

I was so excited when I found this shop I nearly peed my pants. Her work is almost entirely original sharpie drawings of Frieda Kahlo on white paper. I don't know, it just seems like the greatest thing ever. "Here Frida is a nun, looking very concerned." What? Amazing!! By FriedaInHeaven, $15.

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So Sorry Pendant

For when you want your apology to be more abstract. Also for people who like Feist. I think that might be everyone. By shinyblackshoes, $20.

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Decorative Blank Card

For when you need your apology to be even more abstract, and have colors. And you are apologizing to your favorite graphic design professor. (I'm sorry I switched majors, Professor Day. But look at me now! Yours, Anda) By kingpopcorn, $4

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SORRY

REALLY BASIC. By breadandbuttershop, $3.50.

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SO SORRY Bracelet

Whoa, I love this. No sorrowful occasion required at all. By cage40, $8

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Handmade Weddings: Pushing the Envelope with Calligraphy

2008-03-19T15:53:00-05:00

When she was not working with "RUSH ORDER BRIDES," Katy of KisforCalligraphy.etsy.com found the time to write this piece for the Handmade Wedding Series so that couples attempting calligraphy on their invites are well-informed! And for those who want to leave the pen and ink to the experts, her piece will help you target the type of calligrapher you want and how to get on track with a custom calligraphy order through Alchemy. The art of Calligraphy is ancient and unique — and what could be more handmade than hand lettering?

It always brings a smile to my face when I think about all the times I have been asked about what I do for a living and I say, '" am a Calligrapher," and the look of puzzlement and confusion follows. So I explain that I am a lettering artist. You know, handwriting. The next questions are equally amusing, "What do you do, I mean, who do you work for? Can you make money?" I usually answer, "I work for anyone who desires a calligrapher…Mainly I work with many wonderful brides (and grooms too!). And yes, calligraphers can make money; I just have yet to figure out how!"

I have been a professional calligrapher since March 2002. I definitely have my own style of calligraphy — partly due to the fact I only use one style and brand of pointed pen nib (trade secret!), gouache and acrylic. And I have created at least 8 fonts I can call my own. But I truly feel that my calligraphy attempts to capture the spirit of my client; it is imperfectly, genuinely handmade!

Your wedding invitation is the first glimpse of your big day that your guests will see. Your invitation allows them to be part of your events, all the more reason to personalize your invitations with handmade elements that speak from your heart. Don't be afraid to push the envelope and make your invitation your own! A custom monogram, a favorite pattern (a fabric remnant), a theme or your favorite color(s) are a few ideas to get you started. I advocate incorporating a personal element through the entire event.

Hand addressed envelopes are a necessity; I stand firm on this rule. Hand addressing separates your invitation from the hoards of junk mail people receive. At the very least, hand address your envelopes yourself or have your niece or nephew address them! If you budget permits, hiring a professional calligrapher will give any invitation the special handmade flair. Calligraphers on Etsy often have their own unique style, so take a look at the options and figure out the look you are going for. You could also peruse the flickr search results for photos of real wedding calligraphy and see what strikes you. MyFonts will give you some ideas. Ask yourself if you are responding to:

script
italic
handwriting
whimsical
formal
informal

This will help out a calligrapher or entice the right one to your Alchemy request.

As for pricing...there is no set price, much like any art form. The Graphic Arts Handbook for Pricing is the standard for pricing but it covers quite a span! I have seen ranges from $1.25 an envelope to $3 per address line. The types of mediums, quality, experience, font choice and colors all go into pricing. For buyers who want to make an Alchemy request, I would say on average between $1.75 and $3.00 per envelope and $150 to $200 per invitation design.

Some more tips:

Order your printed matter at least 16 to 20 weeks (4 to 5 months) in advance of your event.
IMPORTANT: order extra envelopes at least 15 to 20 extra per 100 envelopes!!!! Human error is inevitable!
Also, be sure to take into consideration that most invitations will be for couples and/or families. (A wedding of 200 guests often requires only 100-150 invitations)
Choose your reply by date on your RSVP accordingly. You want to give your guests enough time to respond but not too much time!
Hire your calligrapher as soon as possible. Most calligraphers require 2 weeks in advance to finish your envelope addressing depending on their style and their mediums.
An invitation to a formal event should be in the mail preferably 6 to 8 weeks before the event (8 to 12 weeks if you did not send 'save the dates').
Keep your guest list in order and updated! Remember to include a column for their proper titles (Mr., Mrs., Ms., etc) for each guest. I highly recommend including a column for preferred first names of all your guests so you will be in the know when it comes time to think about the seating chart.
Usually a calligrapher will automatically spell out abbreviations, but some require everything to be typed out exactly the way you want it! Guest lists are not easy and can be stressful so never hesitate to ask questions!
The Crane’s Blue Book of Stationery is a great reference book to answer all your social etiquette questions. It can usually be checked out at your local library.
One common etiquette mistake I see all the time is the separation of the man's first name from his surname when informally addressing a couple. For example, the correct address should read 'Jane and John Etsy' not 'John and Jane Etsy'!
If you are unsure of a zip code, an address (or lack there of), the United States Postal Service offers two free services for you to find the correct information. You can either call 1-800-275-8777 and use the automated zip code retrieval system or you can go to www.usps.com and click on "find a zipcode."
It is ABSOLUTELY critical to have your complete & assembled invitation weighed (preferably by a postal worker) to determine the exact postage needed for each invitation. Everything changed in 2007. The postage amount is now determined first by size then by weight! Remember postage goes up again on May 12, 2008.
If you are planning to have your invitations hand canceled be sure to check with your post office first. Some branches do not have time to hand cancel envelopes. Some postal branches have recently warned their employees not to hand cancel.

Take care with these important tips and reminders before you order your wedding invitation, your calligrapher and before you take that last and final step to mail your invitation! And in case you were wondering, K is for Calligraphy, well sort of. K is for Katy (that's me!) and for Kalligraphie!
Indelibly Yours, Katy

Further Resources:
Katy is available for custom calligraphy orders directly through her Alchemy page.

www.calligraphicarts.org/
www.usps.com/
www.zip4.usps.com/zip4/welcome.jsp
www.zipcodeworld.com/worldpostalcodeaddressing.htm
www.verseit.com/VerseIt_AddressingEnvelopes.cfm
www.zazzle.com/kjamison/product/172574293534092122
www.paper-source.com/

Wedding Gift Guide | Wedding Category | Wedding Showcase | Handmade Wedding Series

Etsy Finds: Valentine's Cards

2008-01-29T11:02:00-05:00

When I was a small girl, we used to exchange Valentine's Day cards at school. My mom and I would usually make a few for the family, those "special" Valentine's, but for class, we always bought some Valentine's from a big box store.

With my personal committment to buying handmade as often as possible, I wanted to let you moms know that it can still be affordable to buy cards from sellers on Etsy! Or, If you are a crafter yourself, you probably know the joy that can come from a family time craft night.

So, search for the supplies you might need on Etsy to make your cards, or enjoy some of my favorites from the site, like this luv machine card set by beesandbears. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! (If you think Valentine's Day is just another Hallmark Greeting card day, then shop Etsy for some cards you won't find in Hallmark!)

Handmade Correspondence in the Twenty-First Century

2008-01-09T17:51:00-05:00

My grandmother’s refrigerator was always covered with handmade cards we kids had sent to her as thank you messages for presents. She and my mother taught us the value of handmade things – and how to return the favor by sending a hand-written thank you note in return.

In today’s world, sometimes buying a card, locating a pen that still writes, jotting a note, finding a stamp and getting to a mail box can seem like a lot of work, especially when a couple of clicks will send your thoughts and feelings around the globe in seconds. Who can even keep track of postal rates, after all?

Bicycle Card Set by vanessakimball

Snail mail greetings on one-of-a-kind handmade cards have gone the way of the dodo, haven’t they? Not quite.

There’s a community of artists and crafters who are using the internet to both acquire unique correspondence materials - like handmade greeting cards - and to find friends with whom to exchange them. Upon receipt, members post photos of their handmade greetings to share the cards with others.

Cool Blue Leaves Personalized Stationery Set by crescentmoonpaper

But you don’t have to send something around the world to honor the dying art of hand-written correspondence. Perhaps you could write out your New Year's greetings on some handmade cards available from the EtsyGreetings Street Team. (Or anywhere else on Etsy!)

Personalized Stationery Set of 8 by InvitaPaperStudio

Further Resources:
History of Mail Art
Flickr.com/groups/LetterLovers
Nervousness.org
PostCrossing.com
EtsyGreetings.blogspot.com

Gift Ideas: Premium Paper Products for Your Pen-Wielding Pals

2007-11-30T09:50:00-05:00

In this golden age of "electronic mail," "weblogs," and the "internets," many of us have stayed true to the old pen-and-paper roots of communicating our musings. I, for one, have never given up the tactile art of putting pen to paper and letting the ink flow in tune with my thoughts and ideas.

If you are in the business for a present for your writer and artist friends, remember, there is no bigger treat than scribbling away in a gorgeous handmade journal or sketchbook and sending a letter to a friend on luscious handmade stationary.

P.S. Check out more lovely paper items in the associated Treasury!