Trunk Show, December 7th - Come see me!

This Saturday, December 7th, I'll be at a trunk show at COLOR BKLYN, new retail shop in Prospect Heights. Come see me & get your holiday cards!!

Paper Porn :: Fall Stationery

{fall stationery, hand stamped stationery, leaves stationery set of 10, recycled stationery by NatureGoods}

Here are several things I love together in 1 card - kraft paper + stamps + fall leaves. {le sigh} I especially love that the leaves are stamped in white!

** Love stationery & paper products? Follow my Paper Porn board on Pinterest or submit something you like to: Kbatty {at} ymail.com or tweet @kmbatty **

A Walk Down Memory Lane :: Bermuda 2012

As I mentioned yesterday, this time last year, New York was looking around at the devastation from Hurricane Sandy. And we were escaping to Bermuda for the wedding of Tim & Lora Konrad. We felt REALLY guilty. For about a minute. 

Looking back through these photos provides an instant mini vacation. I had to share more from that trip!!

Pink beaches, billowy clouds & clear ocean water. Yes. I'll take it. Even though it was a little chilly. For me. Most of the New Yorkers were not only in the swim suits, but swimming. Me? I wish my blood was thick enough…I did happily catch up on some Vitamin D in my beach chair, just with most of my clothing on.

Most everyone stayed at The Coral Beach Club. It is beautiful & frozen in time. We LOVED it!! It has been meticulously maintained. This is an old-school place to stay with excellent service, beautiful grounds & the sweetest bar (above) you've ever had happy hour in.

Friday night, the families welcomed everyone with a cocktail cruise on Hamilton Bay and dinner at The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. 

  

The ceremony on Saturday was at The Unfinished Church in St. George's. It was amazeballs!! Started in 1874, it was never finished due to a variety of reasons & is now, along with the town of St. George's, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The reception went down back at The Coral Beach Club. There were drinks, there was dancing…there was also a bonfire on the beach & wish lanterns we all set off into the night. Again…amazeballs…I took those 2 pictures above with the Hipstamatic app on my iPhone. Pretty impressed with myself. Thank you bonfire for amazing back light!

I don't usually talk about fashion here, but I have to mention my fabulous accessories from Love of Pretty. Sarah McBriar is the proprietor & you may remember her & her lovely jewelry from the Dekalb Market. Sarah & I made a little exchange…my design labor for some jewelry. I have worn these earrings (similar here) and the Gold Pearl Anchor Bracelet about a million times since then. They are 2 of my favorites. 

Again, congrats Tim & Lora on year 1 of marriage. Best wishes for many many more!

Lora & Tim :: Bermuda 2012

Just about this time last year, as New York, New Jersey & Connecticut were feeling the sting of Hurricane Sandy, Mr. B & I were boarding a plane for Bermuda. We met Lora & Tim through Mr B's work & quickly the 4 of us adopted each other as friends. We were psyched to get the invite to their wedding...Bermuda in November? Yes, please!

Adding to my delight, Lora asked me to help with some of her wedding pieces. Here is what we came up with…

The illustrations: Lora sent her wedding invitations through Paperless Post, using Starfish and Shell by Virginia Johnson. She wanted to continue with the whimsical sea shell illustrations so, using her invitation as inspiration, I created watercolor illustrations of other commonly used shells to use in her pieces, like...

Weekend itineraries: Each guest found this packet waiting for them in their rooms. Local information & maps, as well as details from the bride & groom on the what-when-wheres of the weekend.

Wedding programs: 4.25 x 11 inches - tall & skinny, but packed with style & information. These (and the itineraries above) are digitally printed on 110lb Ecru Felt paper.

Thank You notes: I am so proud of these I could burst! Pink cards with starfish illustrations on the front. Coral envelopes lined with custom liners that I printed digitally & put in myself. Plus!! A great new address label that wraps around the envelope.

Table numbers: Not exciting, but essential. They were printed on the same ecru Dutch felt paper as the programs & itinerary sheets. They helped tie all the pieces together & added to the the beachy-chic decor Lora had going on.

Guest book: Prepare yourselves folks…Tim & Lora went for a message in a bottle theme for their guestbook. We made custom notepads and placed a sheet at each place setting. Guests were then instructed to give Lora & Tim some marital advice to read on a future anniversary. On the way to the buffet, they dropped their messages into an enormous bottle…it was functional & a sweet little piece of decor at the same time, especially as the table was decorated with wedding photos from both of their families.

Tim & Lora, Congrats on your 1 year anniversary!!

Come back tomorrow for more from our trip. Bermuda is beautiful and I couldn't resist the opportunity to post more!

PS for some reason Blogger is making my digital files like that notepad SUPER dark… {fuming…}

Wedding Doilies in Action!

A client from this summer sent me this picture of the hand stamped doilies I made for her. How adorable!! I love her napkin rings.

Thanks for sharing, Alicia!

photo by Elnathan

Tuesday Talk :: Nightly Doodles

It's Tuesday, November 5th…Election Day!! And since it is also the first Tuesday of the month, it's time for Tuesday Talk.

{Jen's selfie!}

This month I present Jenipher from Nightly Doodles. She is a fellow Etsy team member. She is an illustrator. Her shop motto: Encouraging and Silly Artwork for Children…I guess that means I'm a child at heart because I love her whimsical style & encouraging words.

Let's chat:

Hi! Introduce yourself:

Hi I’m Jenipher! I have a business called Nightly Doodles, where i doodle vibrant colorful, encouraging doodles to brighten you day! Like the perfect New Yorker, I’m a lady of many hats. In addition to “Nightly Doodles”, I have a jewelry business called “Cherry Runway”, do social media for two businesses and babysit.  TA DA!!!

{Achievement Card, Graduation card, "I'm SO proud of YOU", Hand drawn typography cupcake greeting card.}

Your Etsy profile says you love cupcakes. Yummmmm! Where do you buy your cupcakes? Favorite flavor??

Anything with chocolate mint is my GO TO flavor, for just about anything in the whole wide world, lol. My fiancée and I pretty much are always on the lookout for cupcakes, so I can’t give you an exact place where I buy them. Billy’s Cupcakes, in NYC, is really good though! Also Raphsodic Bakery in Orlando Florida,  is amazing!

Tell us something NOT in your Etsy profile.

I’m writing a book! :)

My goal is to have a super honest, encouraging, vibrant book for ladies mostly, in a zine type format to promote more towards teens to help them feel less alone. Right now I'm thinking quick sad or funny, truthful stories about my life and lots of my new "lovely girl" drawings. Think: getting made fun of, then 10 years later being told I am strong and impressive for still "waiting" for the right person. Or not realizing I literally wasn't dumb until 2010. It’s essentially a colorful book about taking hurts and finding joy!

{Love Notecard, 4 1/2 x 5 1/2, Sappy, Romantic card (Cream, Black and Aqua) "I'll Stick with You".}

When did you start doodling?

In 2010, while going through a hard time in life, I started a doodle project called "Nightly Doodles". I have continuously drawn one doodle just about every night and posted it to various web pages to inspire others and keep myself accountable. I am really proud of how those 'Nightly Doodles' have grown into hangable artwork, tote bags, and even baby onesies! My drawings are mostly whimsical punny doodles and happy, encouraging words of wisdom and that EVERYONE [especially women and girls] NEED to hear!"

...affirming people is very very important to me. My drawings are my small contribution to make the big world a better place; one smile at a time. I really do hope the messages I share inspire people to feel like they are NOT alone and help them through hard times, just like they have helped me.

How did you decide that your doodles should be cards?

That’s super cool actually! I was actually posting little black and white pen drawings online, then dropping color on them with Photoshop, and a gallery owner approached me to encourage me to sell them! That gave me the confidence to apply for a grant… and I won! Crazypants!

{New York City, 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 card, ICON hand drawn illustration card.}

What do you love about stationery?

Oh man! I’ve ALWAYS loved stationery! I love that it’s an affordable way to support artists, and that it’s so easy to find something super special for someone you care about.

{Punny Birthday Card, Funny boat birthday greeting card, (lime, pink, purple).}

Describe your online store:

It’s a mixture of super cute, whimsical, some times funny/punny cards, prints and zines. When you go to my shop, you pretty much enter my brain. So … welcome! Would you like a cup of tea?

What made you want to join EtsyNY? How as team membership helped you?

I actually wanted to join the month I moved here and missed the meeting twice that year! I was crushed, but since it took so long to acclimate to NY life, I’m pretty glad I didn’t join until this year. Within two weeks of joining Etsy NY, I was accepted into the Spring Cavalcade AND Better Than Jam on Governors Island, which was a complete blessing!

{Maid of Honor card, Wedding, "Will you be my maid of honor", Sappy, Romantic, 4 1/2 x 5 1/2, Wedding Congratulations, (pink black and white)}

Tell me the best greeting card you’ve ever received!

That’s easy! In 2008, YEARS before my fiancée and I started dating, he sent me a beautiful Papaya card. When I opened it, he filled BOTH SIDES in teeny tiny writing with the most thoughtful and sweet letter I’ve ever received. Inside was also a “Good for one Wish” token which he then used when he proposed to me this past March! YAY!!

When you want to send someone a card, what do you send? Where do you shop for cards?

My shelf in the living room where I keep my Nightly Doodles cards? No, but really, I’m always on the look out for something unique or adorable. Or just artwork to hang in my apartment.

{Encouraging Doodle Dog, Funny Doggie, 8x10 art print, (Beige, Blue, Purple) digital illustration print.}

What are your business plans for the rest of the year? Any predictions for things to come in 2014?

I’m participating in Lilla Roger’s licensing class; “Make Art That Sells” in November. Hooray! But! My PASSION is with my book I'm writing! It's the book I wish that I'd had when I was a teen.

Jenipher! Thanks so much for hanging out in my little corner of the internet. You guys can read more about her book here on her blog. Also, if you want updates on how it's coming along, visit Jenipher on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. And!! If you like the examples of Jenipher's work in this post, then you'll want to run over to her Etsy shop for loads more.

PS I conducted this interview with Jenipher over the summer. She & her fiancé have since become husband & wife. Congrats to them!!

BOO!!

Happy Halloween!

What's in My Stationery Stash: The tip of the iceberg

As promised in my previous stationery stash post, let's look inside my baskets to see what I keep around.

A looooooooong time ago, I came across these cards on sale at Hallmark. I bought 3 boxes!! I am still working my way through them. They are blank on the inside which makes them perfect for ANYTHING. I used them the other day for a thank you note & just for funsies grabbed 2 extras out of the box to send to random friends just to say hi. 

I've said before, if you see a card you like, just buy it. You'll find a reason to use it! The card above I bought in Amsterdam & I wish I'd bought a thousand of them. This card above sort of says "wedding" but I bought a bunch from this illustrator with all different pictures of girlfriends hanging out. This is my LAST ONE. I'm so sad. They have been great for all kinds of occasions. 

By the way, Amsterdam, in general, had amazing stationery & paper stores. If you go there, seek them out. You will not be sorry!!

So, clearly this is a baby-themed card. I couldn't decide what to get a girl friend a year or so ago, so I bought more than one card & thought I'd decide which one to send later. Plenty of friends are having babies these days, so this will not stay in the stash much longer I'm sure.

Oh...one of my favorites!! I picked this up at Black Ink in Pacific Palisades, CA while visiting family. GREAT card shop if you're in the LA area & head out to the beach. The card was made by Copper Willow & is one of a few in this size & style that I got. The rest have been used already!! This one is an anniversary card. The inside says: another year together. Happy Anniversary. It's a little difficult to see in the photo above, but the ink on this letterpressed card has a little metallic shine to it.

But wait! There's more! I seriously pick up cards...or make them for myself...all the time. But, that's enough for now. I want to keep you yearning for more!

Anyone keep cards on hand? Birthday? Thank you notes?? I would love to see & hear about them. Head over to Facebook & show me your goods!

Paper is Wearable

Halloween isn't really my thing, but I could get into with a DIY project idea like this. It's a paper wig!! Choose your paper carefully & you could have any color or theme you can think up. This gem comes from Whimseybox, a subscription service that sends DIY projects to your home each month. Their blog is FULL of great ideas as well!

Get the full tutorial here.

NSS or Bust

{the floor at the National Stationery Show, via MyMomShops.com}

Big announcement!!!

I WILL BE EXHIBITING AT THE 2014 NATIONAL STATIONERY SHOW!!

OMG, just typing that makes my hands & feet sweat. That's what my body does when I get nervous. My hands & feet turn into a hot mess. That was probably TMI...

I love selling at markets, but I don't love doing it every weekend or even every month. Greeting cards is a very occasion based business to be in. Even though many more people are sending them these days, it is still hard to justify the costs of markets each weekend. And don't even get me started on the time it takes to do them. 

Boy, do I miss the Dekalb Market & having a regular retail location. That was the best.

So, to grow my business, I am looking to wholesale. I am looking forward to forming relationships with stores & sellers who interact with my target market, who have insight into what they are buying. My goal for the show is to write 5 orders with potential recurring clients. Some stationers write 3 orders at their first show, some 20...some don't write any at all. My business goals are not just about selling my products but about forming relationships with people who like what I have to offer & want to work with me as much as I with them.

Sending cards, notes & sweet paper items is so much about relationships - not only those that you have with friends which inspire you to send cards or use fun wrapping paper BUT ALSO!! The relationship that I have with all of you, my clients & potential clients... Well, at least the one I have in my mind that inspires you to send cards... {insert big toothy grin}

So, my goals for the show are to have products that showcase my talents & start building new exciting relationships through them.

Stay tuned as I share the details on how this will all come together.  Come hell or high water, on May 18th, the doors of the Jacob Javits Center here in New York will open & I will be ready!!

What's in my Stationery Stash

I have said it before & I'll say it again: The secret to sending cards & notes is to have them handy!! To show you that I practice what I preach I'm giving you a peek into... {drum roll...wait for it...}

...my Stationery Stash. It is a many varied & wondrous thing.

At the moment, I keep it in a few places. It's grown over the years, as I moved to different apartments, homes & so the containers, boxes & baskets have changed with it. Right now, most of it is stored in this silver wire basket. Easy to see what I have, easy to flip through & find what I need. I also have some of it in a blue metal magnetic basket that hangs on my fridge. Very handy!

Notice I've kept everything together in one convenient place there?? Stamps, pens, cards all next to each other.

What's in the basket? Stay tuned. I'm going to show you...

Paper Porn :: Men's Stationery

More cool stationery for the man in your life! From William Arthur, another reliable resource for classic designs that never go out of style. See the selection here.

Check out my previous post on men's stationery for other masculine options.

** Love stationery & paper products? Submit something for Paper Porn: Kbatty {at} ymail.com or tweet @kmbatty **

Tuesday Talk :: Farewell Paperie

Happy October 1st! It's the first Tuesday of the month and today on Tuesday Talk I am chatting with Jen & Lisa of Farewell Paperie.

{Lisa (l) & Jen (r) and Harley}

Why Jen & Lisa? Go to their Etsy shop & check it out...I'll wait...SEE?!?!?!? Awesome cards, great sense of humor & all letterpressed. {le sigh...} 

Are you ready to find out more?!!

{Holy Bleep You Had A Baby}

Where do you find your inspiration?
We used to work bicoastally, so there were a lot of different types of communicado going on between us.

Our texting, emailing, skyping, and chatting cyberspeak got pretty ridiculous sometimes, and we quickly found our brand voice to be at its best with that same fun, conversational messaging. We'll just bounce random lines and phrases back and forth and craft them until it's perfectly amusing to us.

{Annoying/Amazing card}

I love your use of color & typography. What fonts are you using a lot these days? Any go-to colors?

We are looking at fonts all the time. We are kind of type nerds and scour the internet and pinterest for what's new and interesting. It's hard to say what fonts we are using a lot these days. It seems like a lot of art deco and handwritten fonts are in right now, so may be leaning towards those. Colors we are loving right now are minty green and Fuchsia.

Since there are 2 of you, how do you split up the creation of your cards/lines, as well as other general duties?

It's a total collaborative effort. We used to work together in advertising then transitioned over into our business, so we are very used to working with each other. It's been 6 years now since we started working together, so we definitely know each other's strengths and weaknesses. Our work flow is so seamless, we have our status meeting then just get working. It's crazy jedi-mind trick stuff.

Naturally since you guys use a letterpress & I just got my first press in January, I want to know all about your press. What was your first press?

We have a C&P 10x16 named Bill that we got in San Fran. Somehow his name just came out one day. Bill.

We just bought a Windmill at the end of July and named her Helga. She's big and burly, so the name just fit.

{I like-like you card}

Letterpress has really blown up again in the last few years. What kind of advice can you give someone new to this form of printing? 
Letterpress is a beautiful form of printing, but it definitely tests your patience. There's always something new to learn, so try to soak up as much info as you can.

{Their booth at NSS 2012 via their blog, Paper Relish}

How as the National Stationery Show changed your business? Where on the East Coast can I get your wonderful cards?

The NSS has helped our busies grow so much. If it weren't for the NSS we wouldn't be in half of the stores we are in now. It's just a great way to not only get in front of store owners, but to get connected in the stationery world as well.  Are cards are all along the east coast. Check out our "stores" section on our site to find out where to buy our cards.

{Sapling Press - Dear Fork Letterpress card. If you don't laugh at this you are a robot}

What stationers/designers do you admire?
- Amy Graham: She was a the forefront of the letterpress movement.
- Lisa from Sapling press. Her cards are so funny and smart and you can tell right away they are her brand voice
- Carrie from Anemone Press. We love her use of bright colors and cute imagery. From a printing perspective she's impeccable.

{I love you more than bacon and then some}

What is the best/funniest/most memorable greeting card you’ve ever received?
Lisa - A post-it note from my husband on Valentine's day. He said nothing could compare to our cards, so why try to find another card

Jen - My mom gets me a really sappy card every year for my birthday that says "Daughter" at the top and then has a really long poem inside. Those kinds of cards are what made me want to create designs that were funny, thoughtful and something a loved one would appreciate receiving.

Other than the shelves of your studio, where do you go when you need a greeting card?
We seriously shop on our shelves all the time. It's just too easy ;)
If I'm at paper source or a local shop, I tend to look for our friends cards and buy those.

{Any Occasion Card Set}

Finish this sentence: A friend has just told you they are terrible at sending greeting cards. “What?!” you exclaim. “All you need to do is…”
…remember how much junk mail and bills sucks and how much fun it is to get a surprise in the mail. It will put a smile on anyone's face.

Thank you Lisa & Jen!! I so appreciate your participation in my tiny corner of the internet.