Paper Passionista

National Stationery Show & New York City...here we come!!!

The highlight of every year for me is the National Stationery Show in New York, NY.  This will be the 17th consecutive year that we have attended this show where all things paper and beyond collide to give stationers a chance to see what's new in the industry.

A new addition to the Show this year is CREATIVE & LIFESTYLE ARTS, a separate but concurrent show that we're also looking forward to checking out.

The tagline for this year's show is "Catch the Passion".  With a name like Paper Passionista I think we've already got that one covered!  We hope to be taking time out to give you updates during the show as we discover new "treasures", as well as connecting with our tried and true industry partners, including Elum, Designers Fine Press, Checkerboard, bt elements, William Arthur (now part of Crane), and more.

During the time we're in New York, May 18-22,  Paper Passionista will be unavailable for any invitation consultation appointments, but if you have anything you wish for us to be on the lookout for please send us a quick email to info@paperpassionista.com and we'll add your request to our "search list". We will resume invitation consultation appointments on Friday, May 24.

Gatsby Mania has struck, and Paper Passionista is suggesting some perfect invitations

A party scene from The Great Gatsby movie, starring Carey Mulligan and Leonardo DiCaprio

With Baz Luhrmann's much anticipated film, The Great Gatsby, making its nation-wide theater opening this coming Friday, chances are running high that the summer will be filled with 1920's era themed cocktail parties.  If you're planning such an affair Paper Passionista has the perfect invitation and matching stationery suite items to set the tone for your soiree.

Bella Figura's Deco invitation has the right feel to invite your guests in style. The images shown here are featuring a wedding invitation, but Paper Passionista can turn it into just the piece for any kind of party you're planning.

Bella Figura "Deco" invitation

Perhaps you'd like your 1920's era party to be a nice blend of then and now? If so then Arabella Papers' Modern Deco invitation could be just what you're looking for.

Arabella Papers "Modern Deco" collection

Two more Great Gatsby era party invitation options come from the Soiree collection by Checkerboard. Both combining gold and black, you can go with the simple but elegant Pomp design or turn up the volume with Flair, incorporating feathery swirls with a metallic gold "belly band", putting your party details hidden inside.

"Pomp" design from Checkerboard's Soiree collection

Another option from Checkerboard's Soiree collection, this is "Flair"

Once you've got your invitations selected you may want to check out the 1920's era collection of men's suits at Brooks Brothers.  They worked with costume designer, Catherine Martin, and designer Miuccia Prada to come up with 40 different outfits for the film.  Brooks Brothers decided to follow it with a line in their stores. Several snappy striped suits are available, and you can add a straw boater hat to really nail the look.

The Gatsby Collection, available now at Brooks Brothers

Ladies will have fun dressing for Gatsby themed parties as well. First it's the hair - a short fun bob, and pin curls were all the rage in the 1920's - topped off with a feathered or jeweled headband, or a jeweled barette.  Then your face - smoky eyes, and bright lips should do the trick.  Add a fringed dress, a t-strap Mary Jane pump,  and your favorite long pearls and you're good to go.

Pieces from the Prada-Martin collection. (Photo : Facebook/Vogue) 

Oh yes.... don't forget the Moet & Chandon bubbly for your guests.  Cheers!

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby

 As a postscript to this article, my own father, Wendell Phillips Sprague, Jr., was a 1920's vintage gent, and today would have been his 92nd birthday.  Here's to you, Dad.  Happy birthday!!

This just in: The highly coveted Elum Designs and Umi invitations are offering 25 FREE with purchase

Paper Passionista is your custom Elum Designs and Umi by Elum dealer in the Greater Puget Sound. We would be happy to schedule an appointment for you to see these lines and get your order placed while you're able to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Email us at info@paperpassionista.com for more information, or to schedule an appointment.

Paper Passionista will be participating in the Golf Club at Newcastle's Wedding Extravaganza this weekend and they asked me to pass along this information. Please RSVP to the email indicated in the invitation below. Thanks, and hope to see you there!

Subject: Join us for our Wedding Showcase Extravaganza
________________________________________

On Sunday, April 21 we invite you to come experience our majestic setting from 11 am to 4 pm. We'll have the very best of the area's bridal experts on hand as well as our team of Catering Professionals to assist you in planning your dream wedding. This is the perfect chance to sample food, see the newest wedding trends, and to book services for your wedding while enjoying the exceptional Newcastle wedding experience.

Each room at Newcastle will be beautifully dressed up so you can visualize different elements of your special day, from the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception and grand exit. All guests will be treated to complimentary appetizers, decadent cupcakes and signature cocktails created by Executive Chef Jesse Olsen.

• Over 25 of the area's top wedding vendors - from florists, bakeries, photographers, wedding planners, music services and more
• Planning and decorating ideas
• Full ballroom setup featuring a dance floor and lighting package
• Two ceremony setups in the St. Andrews Ballroom and Prestwick Terrace
• Wedding Boutique Lounge - enjoy champagne and strawberries while you view the latest bridal fashions and meet with hair and makeup artists
• Grand exit setup highlighted by a vintage 1950's Rolls Royce

Please RSVP for this special event at events@newcastlegolf.com.

We hope you join us to learn more about what makes The Golf Club at Newcastle a favorite wedding destination. We look forward to meeting you and helping create your dream wedding.

Sincerely,

Erik Franklin
Director of Catering
The Golf Club at Newcastle

www.newcastlegolf.com

National Stationery Show plans are confirmed and Paper Passionista will be there

National Stationery Show, Jacob Javits convention center, New York, NY

As of today, Paper Passionista has final confirmation of travel plans for our 17th consecutive annual trip to the National Stationery Show in New York, NY, May 19-22.  This is a once a year opportunity to have face time with our existing invitation and stationery printers, designers and suppliers to the stationery industry. We also look forward to finding one or two new hidden gems to bring on board as Paper Passionista invitation and stationery partners.

I mention this trip now so if you have anything special or unique that you'd like us to be on the lookout for you can let me know and I'll add you to our list of "stationery personal shopper" requests.  Last year we went in search of special holiday cards for a couple of corporate clients, and the outcome was excellent. (One client received a note from a recipient of last year's holiday card saying hers was the best card they received all season!)

As you may have figured out by now, paper and stationery are my "drugs of choice" so I'm always excited when this annual trip draws near.  We schedule meetings and meals with friends we've made in the industry over the years, and for me it's the highlight of the year.  Last year our most exciting new find was Jenn Sprinkle invitations from Garland, TX.  Who will it be this year????

Bella Figura's wedding invitation of the month is Antique Luck, up to 20% off at Paper Passionista

Did you know that the four leaf clover petals represent faith, hope, love, and luck?  And did you also know that if you found an old horseshoe with nails still in it, the number of nails determines how many years of prosperous luck you will have? These facts were stated in today's Bella Figura blog post, announcing that their "special of the month" design is "Antique Luck". How perfect for the month of St. Patrick's Day, a day almost as big as Christmas in the O'Donnell household (Paper Passionista's owners).

During the month of March order the four leaf clover designed Antique Luck and receive 10% off on all your pieces even when you order just one component.  (Bella Figura normally requires six components ordered to receive this discount.) But even better, if you do order six components you will receive 20% off your order! May the luck of the Irish be with you this month!

Here are some design notes from Aimee O'Boyle, the designer of Antique Luck:

"I just adore the symbolism behind the four leaf clover and horseshoe and knew that I had to use those images in my design.  To give it an authentic vintage vibe, I incorporated hand drawn illustrative elements, like the ribbon banner, and paired it with a really clean stripe, which can be found on some of the coordinating pieces for this design.  The combination of fonts really speaks to vintage playbills and posters and I think it adds the perfect touch to the overall design." — Aimee 

 It's always possible to customize any of the Bella Figura letterpress invitation designs to suit your taste or theme, and here are a couple examples where that's been done with "Antique Luck".

To set up your consultation to look at "Antique Luck" in person just send a quick email to info@paperpassionista.com and we'll send you our pre-appointment questionnaire.  (Paper Passionista will not be taking client appointments on St. Patrick's Day.)

Learning to laugh at yourself will endear you to those around you

photo credit: Getty images via abcnews.com 

Were you watching the Oscars Sunday night along with the other 40.3 millions around the world? It's always a highlight of the year for Paper Passionista since we see so many movies and always have our favorites.  But this year we were really keeping our fingers crossed for our favorite, Jennifer Lawrence, nominated for Best Actress for her role in "Silver Linings Playbook".  And then the big announcement came, and SHE WON!!! She was looking beautiful in her Dior Haute Couture gown, and then, in the excitement of it all she tripped and fell up the stairs. You could hear the collective gasp.  In her post-award interview she said,  "I tried to walk up stairs in this dress... I think I just stepped on the fabric and they waxed the stairs... What went through my mind when I fell down? A bad word that I can't say that starts with F."  Oh my, I think we were all thinking that F-word on your behalf, Jennifer.

What impressed me so about Jennifer, age 22,  was her ability to pick herself up, dust herself off, and laugh at herself.  I think we've all had those "F-word" moments in our lives when things didn't go quite how we'd hoped - perhaps not on as stage as big as that of the Oscars - but we can all take a lesson from how Jennifer Lawrence handled her unfortunate mis-step.  She joked that the Oscar audience was only giving her a standing ovation because they felt sorry for her for falling, but she was laughing.  Are you planning a wedding and worrying about how you'll walk in your gown and worrying about what you would do if such a thing happened to you?  Don't waste any energy worrying about it - just remember that the key to any recovery is to learn to laugh at yourself.  When you do others around you will laugh with you, not at you!

Happy Valentine's Day from Paper Passionista

Wishing you and those you love a most Happy Valentine's Day from Paper Passionista.  In honor of those who are celebrating their love this year by getting married, two of our fine vendors are offering a special for you.  When you purchase 75 invitation ensembles from either William Arthur or Checkerboard before March 31, 2013 you will receive an extra 25 FREE!!

If you're not planning a wedding this year, but want to show your loved one you'd do it all over again with a traditional gift of flowers, be sure and swing by our friends, Countryside Floral & Garden on Gilman Blvd. in Issaquah for a great array of beautiful blooms and other gifts to say it just right.  Tell them Paper Passionista sent you.

Did this day sneak up on you and dinner reservations have not yet been made? In that case a super easy tool you can use to check an array of restaurants with reservations still available can be found by visiting Open Table. It will be so much more impressive for your Valentine to see that you thought ahead by making a reservation, rather than showing up at a restaurant and being turned away!  He or she doesn't need to know just when you made that reservation, and this will save you time and headache.

That's it for today's Valentine tips. Enjoy your day with the one you love, and don't forget to call your mother, if you're lucky enough to still have yours.  She loved you first.  Cheers!

New USPS rates go into effect today. Don't let your Invitations come back "returned for postage"!!

Don't let your invitations come back with this on them!

One of the questions most frequently asked by marrying couples after they've ordered their invitations is, "how much will postage cost for these invitations?".  I always recommend to my clients that they always take a fully assembled invitation set to the post office for weighing and assessment before purchasing their postage.  But for anyone choosing to ignore that advice I wanted to make sure you're made aware that First Class postage has increased again, effective today.  If you didn't get things pre-weighed and Forever Postage purchased prior to today here are your new rates: (when the chart refers to "odd size" this refers to anything square, round or otherwise non-machinable by the USPS, also including things that are too stiff to put through machines - think pocket invitations) If you have other questions about postage calculating or custom stamps you can have made for your wedding or event you might want to visit http://weddingstamps.us/postage-calculator.

Type/Weight	Rate
Postcard	$.33
Letter
1st class, 1 oz	$.46
1st class, 1 oz - odd size*	$.66
1st class, 2 oz	$.66
1st class, 2 oz - odd size*	$.86
1st class, 3 oz	$.86
1st class large envelope, 1 oz	$.92
1st class, 3 oz - odd size	$1.06
1st class, 3.5 oz	$1.06
1st class large envelope, 2 oz	$1.12
1st class, 3.5 oz - odd size	$1.26
1st class large envelope, 3 oz	$1.32
1st class large envelope, 4 oz	$1.52
1st class large envelope, 5 oz	$1.72
1st class large envelope, 6 oz	$1.92

Bella Figura has released their new designs for 2013. Amazing as always!!

Elegant Monogram invitation - part of the new 2013 designs from Bella Figura

Hi all! Just checking in with a quick note to let you know that Bella Figura's new 2013 designs (78 of them in all), have been released and they're now displayed in an album on the Paper Passionista Facebook page for your viewing pleasure.  Check them out, and remember that all of their designs can be customized to your heart's content - ink colors, fonts, paper thickness, pockets, corner treatments, die cutting, etc..

Also new for Bella Figura this year is an ink color set-up fee.  Rather than charge different amounts per piece for one, two or three (or more?) ink colors, they charge an up front set-up fee of $50 per ink color, and this can be applied to all the pieces in your suite - another good reason to buy everything at once, plus when you buy 6 or more different suite elements at one time they automatically give you a 10% discount on your entire order.  We love working with the talented and helpful folks at Bella Figura and know you will too!

Elisse is a unique design from the Bella Figura 2013 design group