USPS Introduces New Invitation Stamp!

The National Stationery Show played host to the official announcement and unveiling of the U.S. Postal Service's Butterfly Stamp, a 64-cent, 1-ounce postage stamp developed in collaboration with the Greeting Card Association. 

The stamp was designed to serve the needs of greeting card manufacturers, like me,  and you (my customers) using square or irregularly-shaped envelopes (you know what I'm talking about!).  No more pretty stamps mixed with not-so-pretty stamps to accommodate the oversize postage issues.... and with a Butterfly design, I might add!  The first stamp design in the new series features one of the most recognizable butterflies in North America, the monarch.


I know that many of us have spent time at the Post Office trying to figure out proper amounts for sending out special invitations and announcements.  This stamp officially ends the confusion and hassle of trying to figure out how much postage, exactly, is needed on these non-standard envelopes.

Interestingly....the 64-cent stamp was introduced at the 64th National Stationery Show.

Shopping in The Big Apple

A little taste of New York window shopping

(shown top to bottom)

Anthropologie

Louis Vuitton

Scoop

Swatch

Lunch at the Antique Garage in Soho

Pearl River Mart 

Burberry

New York! New York!

I love going to New York every May for the National Stationery Show.  Having just returned from the 2010 show, this year was no exception  I consider it to be one of the perks of my business and it has become an annual Spring ritual.   This year was my sixth trek to the Big Apple and I was joined by my dear friend Stacey, whom I have known since I was in Junior High School.   She is a fabulous designer (and helped me with last year's remodel of my house) and attended the International Contemporary Furniture show (just down the stairs from my show) so it was essentially a dual purpose trip for both of us!   We enjoyed a four night stay at The Pierre hotel, a luxurious property located right on Central Park, and a step up from my usual accommodations!

Here is a picture of our room, which was quite lovely and comfortable I might add, and our view of the city from our room.  

Slippers by the bed at night and a weather report for the next day's forecast were just a couple of the little amenities we enjoyed.

We made ourselves right at home in the hotel bar, a cozy little nook off the main lobby

where we have been told there are often celebrity sightings.  We weren't so lucky in spotting anyone but heard the cast of Saturday Night Live was there just days ago.

Before I get to some of the details of the Stationery show, I must gush about "Billy Elliott" on Broadway.  WOW!  It's no wonder this show received 10 Tony Awards and was touted by Time Magazine as "The Best Musical of the Decade."  We were speechless, and thank goodness Stacey had the forethought to bring along some kleenex!  If you ever get the chance to see this musical, I cannot say enough about how wonderful it is.  A truly remarkable experience!  Oh, and I forgot to mention, music by Elton John!

We saw another great show too but this one was a play on a more comical note called,  "God of Carnage," starring Lucy Lui and Jeff Daniels.  Very funny.

Aside from the fabulous hotel, the great theater and delicious New York dining experiences (we hit not one but two Mario Batali restaurants, Otto Enoteca Pizzeria and Lupa), I did find time to attend The National Stationery Show!  I spent two days perusing the many aisles of great products and amazing creativity.   I love this show.  Held in the Javitz Center, it brings the best of the stationery world (including designers, products and resources) together in the only such gathering of its kind.  I am always overwhelmed and inspired by the scope of creativity found under one roof.  Amazing!   Aside from the Inspiration I always experience by attending, I am on the lookout for the latest and greatest Favorite Finds for Social Butterfly Designs -- more about this aspect later (as always, I am very excited about what i found).  

Here are a few snapshots from the show:

After a late night flight last night, I am now home with my family and slowly getting back into my regular routine.  It was a really great trip and stay tuned for a couple of more post updates in the week ahead.  If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading!!

My Favorite Mother's Day Project

I have made it a tradition over the past several years, while my three kids have been in their early years of Elementary School, to go into their classrooms and do a special project for Mother's Day with the kids in their class.  I have done this for about 6 years now and it's always a lot of fun.  This past month I worked with my youngest daughter's Second Grade class (Mrs. Mears at Seaside Elementary School) to create a unique and beautiful drawing of their mom that I then turned into notecards for them to present to their mom on Mother's Day.   Above you can see the finished product.

Above is a sample of an original picture drawn by one of the students of she and her mom.  I then scanned the photo in my computer and printed a credit on the back (i.e. "Me & My Mom by Name of Artist, May 2010).  I then print a set of card of cards, wrap them in my signature packaging, tie a feathered ribbon around them and add a "Mother Blessing Ring" that says "To Love, Nurture & Protect" on the back.  Once these are done, I mount the artwork on a black linen cardstock and cardboard background and bring them back to the classroom for the kids to decorate the frame.

I brought in a bunch of square-sized cut colored cardstock and decorative 

hole punches for kids to use to decorate and design their frames.

This work of art (below) happens to be what my daughter Audrey

created for me (I'm the one on the left!)  I promised her I would act surprised

when I open it on Mother's Day.

 

I am hoping there will be some happy moms on Mother's Day when they see their special second grader creations.  Myguess is that most of them will not use the notecards but save them as a keepsake to have and cherish for years to come.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE GREAT MOMS I KNOW, INCLUDING MY OWN.

If you would ever like to turn any of your own children's artwork into a special set of notecards, just contact me by e-mail at jill@socialbutterflydesigns.com.  They make great birthday cards and gifts too! 

Butterflies....Butterflies....Butterflies

This past weekend I participated in a wonderful event put on by the Las Candalistas called "Walk on the Wildside."  It is held annually at the Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall grounds overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  This year's theme was, drum roll please.....BUTTERFLIES!  Needless to say, I felt right at home and even had a colorful butterfly banner hanging atop the corner of my boutique booth!

We had wind beyond belief on Thursday and Saturday was gorgeous.  The ladies that put on this event are so creative and they cook all the food served for lunch themselves, as well as offer a wide array of baked goods for sale, along with a wonderful selection of "Found Treasures" (of which I found a few treasures of my own) and, of course, a lot of great vendors to shop with.  It's truly a delightful day.

If If you ever get a chance to attend, this event is well worth checking out!  I rate it a 10!!