Babies and Grads!

Spring seems to be the time for baby showers - I have been to 3 just in the past month! and with May just around the corner it is time to start thinking about Graduation announcements too. Our Personalized Expressions (PE Pro) Line of invitations is a great way to get an elegant, polished look but without the hassles of hand writing or printing your own invitations. Great for Baby shower invitations, birth announcements, Confirmation and First Communion annoucnements as well as Graduation annoucements - or just a party to celebrate spring! This fabulous line of invitations also has matching notecards, pads and stickers!

Check out the full line here: http://www.custom-programs.com/personalizedexpressions.htm we are still working out the kinks of online ordering for these - but you can fax your order in - a PDF is availble on this page for download and mention code PESPRG to get 10% off and free shipping if you place an order for these before June 1, 2008.

Computerized Addressing!

As another option to hand addressing your invitations or hiring a calligrapher, I often suggest computer calligraphy to brides. Computer calligraphy gives your invitation's envelope a custom look and can be completed quickly, especially for rush services.

Computerized calligraphy can normally be turned around in 1-2 days and we can set up a proof before you even have all your names and addresses in place - then once you send in your gusts list we can just run with the format you have already approved.

Custom Programs offers an abundance of lettering styles and we can now also do "exquiste addressing" which gives an added TOUCH of sophistication or whimsy for couture styling using graphics, flourishes or monograms. Visit our website to get more information and templates for submitting your guests names.

Broken Finger!

Hi all! Please bear with me these next few weeks if you experience delays in getting answers to your emails...I broke my finger - taping up a box of invitations of all things....who knew the invitations business was so dangerous! That industrial tape gun just got away from me, my poor finger just wasn't fast enough to get out of the way.

Anyway, I have to keep it "buddy" taped to the finger next to it, so everything is a bit more slow going these days, especially typing...so please be patient if you don't get an answer to your email back right away, it it taking about 24 hours at least to get back to all of them! ;-)

Thanks for your patience!

Reception Stationery

I always love seeing our products "in action" here are a few placecards and table cards from a recent wedding using the ever popluar "starfish" theme. Let us know if you have any pictures of our work from your event you would like to share - we would love to publish them!

Postage Rate Increase!

Yes, the post office has done it again...announced a postage rate increase beginning May 12, 2008. I send a lot of samples and large envelopes, and was *just* starting to remember what the postage was for each! darn it!

Anyway, summer brides be sure to stock up on the FOREVER stamps for your RSVP cards if you are planning on sending your invitations anytime in April, May or June - just to be sure the RSVP gets back to you in time no matter when your guest decides to drop it in the mail! See more details on the rate increase here: http://www.usps.com/prices/welcome.htm?from=bannercommunications&page=prices The first ounce of a first-class letter will rise to 42 cents and the cost to mail a postcard will also go up a penny, to 27 cent.

Most invitations are currently taking $.58 stamps, and in May this will go to $.59 but always have your invitation checked and weighed at the post office to make sure! for this rate, invitations need to be Rectangular, At least 3-½ inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inch thick
No more than 4-¼ inches high x 6 inches long x 0.016 inches thick. If your envelope is larger than this or square you will need an additional stamp see the guidelines here: http://www.usps.com/businessmail101/mailcharacteristics/cards.htm

To avoid marring your pretty invitations with all those "make-up" postage stamps you may want to consider doing custom stamps....you can use your photo or purchase one of their pre-made designs. Custom Programs can do this for you for an extra fee and use the same motif or monogram you are using on your invitations! See more information on custom stamps here: http://photo.stamps.com/Store/wedding-advisor/ or here: http://www.zazzle.com/knot?ZCMP=pl3knot

Another tip: if you have a thick envelope like for Envelopments® invitations - or your invitation uses a bulky item like a rhinestone or ribbon, take your finished invitations to the post office and request that they "hand cancel" them. This saves one trip though their automated machines at least, and may save some of the mangling that can occur when it is sorted later! (I have heard that the teller can choose not to do this for you though - especially if they are busy - I heard one bride had to visit 3 post offices to get this done - and then ended up using their stamp to do it to free up the teller!) Good Luck!

Color Trends and Invitation Consultations

It is still early in the year but so far I have had lots of requests for gold colors this year. Golds & blacks, gold & green, gold & purple. And some others are increasingly popluar as well, purple & brown and of course the ever popluar "tiffany" blue color are big so far.

I always look forward to consultations whether it be email, phone or in person - every bride is so different and has such a unique look for her wedding. I often come away with a totally new color scheme - colors I would have NEVER thought to put together! Envelopments® new Color Concepts does this beautifully - we are in the process of updating our website with this fabulous new color system, but in the meantime you can view them on Envelopments website to get some ideas for your own invitations.

Envelopments Stock Update:
Envy card stock is on backorder (paper weight is available). The mill has this item on backorder until the end of April. Please contact customer service to check stock/item availability before ordering.

Turnaround Times:

Envelopments strives to get you your orders as soon as possible. At the moment, the standard turnaround of 1-2 days has been challenged due to the busy wedding season, influx of orders and launch of our new line. Please allow 1-3 days for processing before your order is shipped.

We believe our efforts to stay on track with order fulfillment will keep orders leaving in a timely manner, however, we recommend confirming availability and turn-around times on orders that require extensive custom services, large orders as well as any other rush needs during this peak seasonal period. All expedited orders, whether you are requesting 3-day, 2-day, and overnight or rush shipping, ship by the following day if all items are in stock.

CHA Show 2008

My husband and I just returned from the Winter 2008 CHA Show at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Ca (across the street from Disneyland!) - luckily we are about 15 minutes away from Anaheim so this does not require major travel but we normally go no matter where it is - and it is fun to see new locales when it is a bit further from home.

We always take a full day to see everything - they have everything from new papers and adhesives to yarns and paints...everything a crafter could want!

We stopped a a few booths in particular were our favorites - Pazzles - a creative cutter that can do custom die cuts as well as embossing and engraving - this looks promising and we hope to incorporate it into our product line and services for this year.

Xyron - cool product that laminiates, creates stickers, and generally makes things adhesive - this will be so great for adding the small embellishments and die cuts to programs and invitations!

Kandi Corp - a hot fix rhinestone applicator - and they also sell the hot fix swarovski crystals, pearls and all kinds of other embellishments for adding a little "wow" to invitations. And SO much easier than gluing by hand!

Ka-Jinker - a quick click attachement tool...this works like a retail tagger...you load your embellsiment (they had a good variety of sequins and different shapes and sizes of buttons) it's little needle punches though paper, fabric or whatever and leaves the little "t" on the revese side and your sequin on the front side...very cool, and so easy and less messy than gluing!

KoKuyo - Tape runners and adhesives - We have carried these for a number of years now and of all the adhesive places at the show - I like these the best for a small hand held tape runner. They are great for scrapbookers and fantastic for mounting the Envelopments® products for DIYers. And my kids love using them instead of glue sticks now!

Scotch - Of course their ATG tape gun and tape...I use this for EVERYTHING...even my kids school project and posters. I think of this as the industrial version of the KoKuyo tape runner and love using it!

and last but not least - Envelopments® - I always stop by their booth at the CHA and National Stationery Shows - it is great to put faces with the names of the great customer service staff they have - and it is always fun to see their new samples and talk to desingers Deborah and Ramon about what they may have planned for the future...this show there wasn't too much I hadn't already seen since the new Design Studio was just released last month - but they always have great displays and samples to look at!

Next....the National Stationery Show in May in New York City....we usually make this one a priority but with a new baby this year we may skip it - or do a "power run" red-eye trip and just see the show for a day...stay tuned!