The Stationers Guild

William Arthur, in partnership with Vera Wang, has just announced the introduction of the new Vera Wang On Weddings collection of personalized wedding stationery. This volume abounds with tactile embellishments, playful proportions, and a palette that is both elegant and unexpected.  Found below are excerpts of the news release.

Inspired by Vera Wang’s bridal and ready-to-wear lines, Vera Wang On Weddings reflects the classic yet modern and sophisticated aesthetic that has made Vera Wang a fashion icon. Vera Wang On Weddings is available at select fine stationers nationwide, and online at www.williamarthur.com.

With over 35 unique wedding stationery trousseau’s, an incredible range of whimsy and elegance is captured on each page including:

• Gold Border:  This spectacular design features a broad band of gold foil on both the card edge and the envelope flap. The type is at once dramatic and delicate. Shown engraved, this chic invitation is sure to captivate.
• Black Paper:  This fall, Vera Wang enraptured the fashion world with her Spring 2012 collection of black bridal gowns. Here, the same drama and romance is reflected on paper. Gorgeously engraved in a proprietary calligraphic font, this invitation marries spirit and sophistication.
• Garden Lace Folder:  This sensational design is inspired by both Vera Wang’s Ready-to-Wear and bridal collections. A whimsical garden of flowers and a mesh of laser-cut lace cut away to reveal a vibrant range of background colors. From Raspberry, Peony and Saffron to Grass, Lapis and Indigo, this innovative and tactile invitation speaks to the refined detailing within Vera Wang’s collections.
• Letterpressed Heart:  Bold and contemporary, the wording for this charming invitation is nestled within the clutches of an over-sized heart. The playful cross-hatching on this design accentuates the tactile nature of letterpress printing, while the peony ink adds an overt femininity.
• Painted Edge:  New to Vera Wang On Weddings, Vera Wang will be offering heavy-weight card stock with custom-painted edges, in dozens of ink colors. A true statement of luxury, this design is engraved in Lapis and Gold. The unique monogrammed wreath gives a nod to tradition, while revealing a whimsical sensibility.

With a broad and versatile range of colors, textures and details to choose from, the new Vera Wang On Weddings collection of invitations and stationery suites perfectly captures the designer’s unique balance of sophistication and charm.

William Arthur has been making great stationery and custom wedding invitations for more than three decades. This Kennebunk, Maine business is known for its extraordinary styles showcasing Vera Wang, Rita Renning and William Arthur’s own exclusive fashion styles. William Arthur’s wedding styles are most well-known with bridal couples and offer a selection of several printing and customization alternatives.

At present through April 2nd you can shop for William Arthur’s stylish stationery and spend less money while doing so. Get 75 or even more units from William Arthur and get 25 totally free. Don’t wait and check out a William Arthur retailer in your community or see other online wedding invitation and stationery options. You will be happy you did so.

Maybe you are on the lookout for new stationery or have just gotten engaged and will want to mail a save the date announcement or wedding invitations. Today is the occasion to order your stationery or invitations and benefit of this fantastic deal. William Arthur offer is readily available to you through authorized William Arthur dealers in stores close to you or at William Arthur’s online shop. Shop in your community with the help of a seasoned stationer to check out the full-range of William Arthur’s customization options and printing methods or take a look at William Arthur online.

The emergence of letterpress wedding invitations, letterpress save the date announcements, baby announcements and letterpress stationery within the last decade isn’t unexpected. Easily affordable second-hand letterpress printers have made way for a lot of gifted artisans and designers to apply their creativeness to produce beautiful invitations and stationery using this very old printing process.

Similar to the process used in engraving, letterpress employs polymer or metal dies to “press” ink into pliable card-stock, generally cotton. Every color is applied using a separate printing press run, which demands patience and considerable skill to have the close registration needed to properly align colors and motif designs.

Each May during the National Stationery Show in New York City, new letterpress vendors take center stage to introduce their fresh styles. Though letterpress was regarded as being a bit of a novelty some 5 to 10 years back, most of the recent letterpress printers simply do not have the flair, creativity and, in many cases, the ability and expertise to make attractive letterpress wedding invitations. In fact, many of the “new” designs provide little that’s new. Quite frankly, the stationery marketplace is saturated with letterpress.

Letterpress printers with deep traditions within profession, such as Julie Holcomb, Elum, Oblation (letterpress samples shown here), Press New York, Page and Real Card Studio are able to innovate and their firm hand and love for the craft continues to set the standard for letterpress printing.

While a few letterpress printers now sell online, nearly all letterpress artisans market their stationery by way of experienced retailers across the United States. In the words of pioneer Julie Holcomb, “If you are like most people, you have never ordered any kind of custom printing prior to ordering your wedding invitations. You can benefit a great deal from the experience of your local stationer, who orders all kinds of custom printing, from many vendors, all the time. They’ll help you make sure you’re covering all the bases and making decisions you’ll be happy with for a long time.”

Julie’s advice is definitely worth following. If you’ve got your heart set on letterpress for your wedding invitations, it is wise to talk to a professional stationer in your area.

Sheila P. May is the owner of Therese Saint Clair, a stationery store located in Greenwich, CT. A Found Member of the Stationers Guild, she writes frequently about national and  NYC Wedding Invitations trends.

This is the last week for Crane’s summer stationery sale where you can receive 25 FREE personalized stationery notes or sheets if you order 75 or more.  This great summer promotion makes you want to get off the beach and visit a Crane dealer in your neighborhood.   This great promotional offer is available at Crane dealers across the United States or at Crane online.

We’ve always had a love for cotton paper and striking designs and styles. I still think of how delighted I was by the engraved seal of a European royal family that appeared to float just above their menu card. My enthusiasm hasn’t diminished over these many years and I am fortunate enough to have a stationery store and can indulge my obsession.

There is certainly something special and personal about finding the time to send a hand-written note to a relative or good friend. I prefer to use a half-note with my engraved monogram while my spouse prefers the correspondence card with his name engraved near the top edge. We each enjoy the advantage of switching our stationery every few years whenever we get tired with the colors or a particular envelope lining. As such, we were fired up to receive a new Personal Stationery Album from Crane.

For over two hundred years Crane & Co. has set the standard for custom-made stationery and personalized announcements. In June, Crane released its brand new Personal Stationery album that contains everything a consumer needs to have for communicating in style: half-notes, correspondence cards, calling cards, pocket jotter cards and note pads. Crane has rejuvenated many of its vintage stationery choices along with including a number of completely new contemporary designs that are without doubt very likely to appeal to stationery lovers.

Crane’s Personal Stationery album contains a new page layout featuring a comprehensive stationery wardrobe for both business and social stationery. Its easy product presentation shows quite a few color and paper-size alternatives as well as attributes call-outs highlighting premium capabilities, artistry, etiquette and design suggestions.

The latest stationery album also is designed with a useful summary of Crane’s premium papers, double hand-bordered cards, engraving and monograms. There are some 80 envelope liner alternatives to pick from in addition to Crane’s proprietary fonts and motifs. Simply speaking, it is a virtuoso showcase of Crane’s rich traditions for making sophisticated stationery.

Sheila P. May
Therese Saint Clair

Now through August 2nd, received 25 FREE thank you notes or personalized stationery from Crane when you order 75 or more.  This great summer promotional offer is available at Crane dealers in the United States or at Crane online.   We recommend shopping locally at your local stationery store to see Crane’s great new designs and customization options.

I’ve always had a love for cotton paper and eye-catching patterns. I still recall how stimulated I was by the engraved crest of a European family that appeared to float on a correspondence card. My ardor has not yet diminished through these years and I’m fortunate to own a stationery store and can indulge my interest.

You will discover something very special and completely unique about making the effort to send a hand-written note to a loved one or close friend. I opt to make use of a half-note with my personalized monogram while my husband prefers the correspondence card with his name engraved across the top edge. We each enjoy the luxury of switching our stationery every couple of years whenever we get tired of the color styles or a particular envelope liner. As such, we were excited to take delivery of the newest Personal Stationery Album from Crane.

For more than two hundred years Crane & Co. has elevated the bar for personalized stationery and custom invitations. In June, Crane launched its latest Personal Stationery album that contains almost everything a customer really needs for communicating in style: foldover notes, correspondence cards, thank you notes, jotter cards and note pads. Crane has rejuvenated many of its vintage stationery styles and designs as well as incorporating a number of fresh modern designs which are certainly very likely to catch the attention of stationery lovers.

Crane’s Personal Stationery album contains a brand new page layout displaying a comprehensive stationery wardrobe for both business and social stationery. Its straightforward product presentation shows many color selection and paper-size options as well as features call-outs highlighting premium features, craftsmanship, etiquette and design ideas.

The latest stationery album also provides a helpful summary of Crane’s premium papers, double hand-bordered cards, engraving and monograms. There are approximately 80 envelope lining alternatives to pick from in addition to Crane’s proprietary fonts and motifs. In short, this is a virtuoso showcase of Crane’s rich traditions in making exceptional stationery.

Sheila P. May
Therese Saint Clair

In general, local stationery store owners feel threatened by the internet. It’s tough to sell quality stationery and custom invitations in a two-dimensional medium which is dominated by thousands of online printers masquerading as fine stationery designers.

Indeed, when I last checked (about 2 minutes ago) there were 37 million Google-indexed page results for the search term “wedding invitations.” To be honest, even Walmart looks good when compared to the thousands of shoddy stationery and invitations lines that now call themselves “green,” “beautiful,” “elegant,”or some other descriptive adjective that is either exaggerated or simply dishonest.

Despite online claims to the contrary, the customer is often disappointed with the outcome after spending several hundred dollars on wedding invitations or fine stationery. Frankly, there is simply no way for the consumer to make an informed decision without the wise counsel of an independent and experienced stationer who works with many lines and can help the consumer explore design, paper, printing and pricing alternatives. Where does the consumer get this advice and information? Sadly, only in a store since the internet search market is totally dominated by companies of questionable integrity pushing their particular brand.

Stationery store owners – like many local businesses – have been slow to embrace the internet and social media to promote this business, there is a paucity of quality and relevant information available to the consumer. The Stationers Guild has long encouraged qualified stationery stores to take a more active role in promoting their business online. Some have acted, but most have not seen the benefit of promoting their business online or, more realistically, understood the threat to our industry posed by online marketing specialists.

If your client has moved online for information and your business is not well represented in cyberspace and on social media platforms, your business simply doesn’t exist and will soon become as extinct as the Dodo bird.

Affiliate marketing is the last opportunity for store owners to effectively establish an online presence and encourage consumers to shop locally.     As such, I will be redirecting much of my time and that of the Guild  to aggressively support affiliate programs that support our vendors and preserve the rich heritage of fine stationery.   

If you are interested in learning more about affiliate marketing and how you can benefit in your market, please contact me at the email address below.   Alternatively, I will regularly be providing detailed information on how to do it yourself at our technical website, Rite4u.com. 

With 37 million web pages promoting wedding invitations it is a long uphill battle, but together we can make the cream rise to the surface.  Consumers deserve better quality than the hyped fast-food invitations which now flood cyberspace.   

Richard W. May
rmay@stationersguilld.org

I have always had a love for fine paper and attractive styles and designs. I still remember how fascinated I was by the engraved seal of the Czech royal family prominently displayed at the top of a State banquet menu. My obsession has not declined over these many years and I’m blessed to own a stationery shop and can indulge my passion.

There’s something wonderful and genuine about finding the time to send a hand-written note to a relative or good friend. I prefer to make use of a fold-over note with my engraved monogram while my spouse prefers the correspondence card with his name engraved near the top. My spouse and I enjoy the privilege of updating our stationery every couple of years as we get tired with the fonts and colors or a certain envelope lining. As such, we were excited to take delivery of the most recent Personal Stationery Album from Crane.

For more than 200 years Crane & Co. has elevated the bar for custom-made stationery and unique invitations. In June, Crane launched its all new Personal Stationery album that includes everything a person needs for communicating in style: half-notes, correspondence cards, thank you notes, jotter cards and pads. Crane has updated a number of its time honored stationery choices in addition to incorporating a number of brand new modern designs which are without doubt likely to interest stationery devotees.

Crane’s Personal Stationery album includes a brand new page design displaying a comprehensive stationery wardrobe for both social stationery. Its simple product presentation shows many color and paper-size alternatives in addition to features call-outs highlighting premium features, artistry, etiquette and design tips.

The latest stationery album also provides a helpful introduction to Crane’s premium papers, double hand-bordered cards, engraving and monograms. There are some 80 envelope liner alternatives to choose from together with Crane’s proprietary typefaces and motifs. To put it briefly, it’s a virtuoso display of Crane’s rich traditions for making elegant stationery.

Sheila P. May
Therese Saint Clair

One of the truly remarkable features of fine stationery is the craftsmanship and number of times that fine paper is touched by hand to produce the elegant stationery and invitations that grace important social events. Nowhere is this better exemplified than the craft of hand-bordering.

This year at the National Stationery Show, Crane & Co. will be proudly exhibiting this beautiful craft as Deb Larkin and Sally Rice will demonstrate their hand-bordering technique. I know from past experience visiting Crane’s facilities in Dalton, MA that this is a must-see exhibit and will likely be the signature highlight of the Show. This exhibit will run at the Crane booth from Sunday to Tuesday (May 16th through May 18th). Found below is a short video prepared by Crane historian, Peter Hopkins, demonstrating this beautiful art.

I encourage all stationers and buyers to visit the Crane & Co. booth and revel in this beautiful art form that is gradually being displaced by shoddy digital reproduction and full-bleed digital printing. See and feel the difference of real craftsmanship on 100% cotton paper.  It is well worth noting that Crane & Co. has been recycling for over 200 years.

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

I just received an announcement from Hank Beresin, Vice President of Sales for William Arthur, advising me that William Arthur had launched a new website affiliate program for their dealers.    The program is open to all registered William Arthur dealers.  The affiliate program provides dealers a 20% commission on each retail sale that links from a dealer’s website to William Arthur.  The website affiliate program is managed by  LinkShare, “a well recognized and respected third party agent who will track and manage all outgoing activity and payments.”

In a very simplied form, the William Arthur website affiliate program works like this:

1. You signup for the program by linking to the website provided in Hank’s letter (I am not providing hyperlink for reasons of confidentiality).
2. You complete the application at LinkShare (about five to ten minutes of your time).
3. You then provide the William Arthur Sales Department  your “Site ID number” which is generated by LinkShare.
4. Using  your unique LinkShare’s ID number, you will be prompted to auto-create some html code that must be copied and pasted into your website.  Some have images and some are text links.  You can and should use both. 
5. Insert the LinkShare code into your website and each time a visitor clicks on that link, it will take the visitor to the William Arthur website.
6. Your unique code tells William Arthur and LinkShare that you are the referring website and should the client buy online from William Arthur, you will receive a 20% commission.

Let me provide a hypothetical example.  Let us assume that you write a Blog article about William Arthur or include a link to William Arthur on your website.  Instead of using the standard hyperlink to the William Arthur website:  http://www.williamarthur.com , you will now use the  special SiteID html code generated by LinkShare.  It might read (entirely fictional):  http://www.williamarthur.com/linkshare/?!xdbTr33.  Somewhere in the html code provided by LinkShare is a unique code that identifies your website/Blog as the referring website to William Arthur.  If the client closes the sale online with William Arthur, you receive a 20% commission on the sale.

While one can debate the conceptual merits of this program and online selling in general, I for one applaud this bold initiative by William Arthur.    It sends a clear message to its dealers:  Let’s work together to promote the William Arthur brand in whatever media or distribution channel the buyer prefers to use.  Furthermore, it is a strong inducement to storefront dealers to adopt “21st century” marketing and advertising strategies.    The quicker we start using these affiliate marketing strategies, the stronger we will become as independent dealers.  This is just the first of many changes I see sweeping through the industry.   As independent dealers, we have the best product(s) in the industry and far more experience and knowledge than online newbies.  Get started now!  This is one industry where a little knowledge goes a long way.  As Heraclitus said “A man with one eye is King in a land of the blind!”  Go for it!

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair

P.S.  Heraclitus also threw himself into a volcano to prove that he was a god.  Just settle for being a king.

At the National Stationery Show in May, I had the opportunity to chat with Sugandha  Rosenhaft, the President and Creative Director for Arabella Papers.  The occasion of the meeting was to introduce Arabella’s new Custom Bar and Bat Mitzvah Invitation Album, scheduled to be released later in the summer.

Sugandha Rosenhaft of Arabella Papers

Sugandha, shown above with sample Bar/Bat Mitzvah invitations in the background, was justifiably excited about these substantial and attractively designed invitations.  For a stationer, there are few events more rewarding than working with a family to craft an invitation for their daughter’s or son’s Mitzvah.  The paper stock is substantial - often layered in an array of bold colors - and each invitation incorporates motifs, monograms or font styles that complement the color scheme of the invitation.

Sample Arabella Bat Mitzvah with Die-cut Flower

Arabella Papers, with its patented Bellpress printing method, truly outdid themselves with this stunning new album that we recevied last week.   I was most impressed with the contemporary and sharp new invitation designs as well as the large array of customization options. 

Sample Bar/Bat Mitzvah Invitations from Arabella Papers

While some of the customization features may seem overwhelming, Arabella Papers has greatly simplified the process with a clear and articulate explanation at the beginning of the Custom Bar and Bat Mitzvah album.  For instance, they show 6 basic invitation paper styles – including one circular invitation - that range in price from $5 to $16 (including envelope).   To the basic paper style can be added “upgrades,” such as a wallpapered back to the invitation, or “additions,” that range from liners to direction cards.  For those working on a budget (and who isn’t these days), this upfront explanation saves much time and anguish in sorting through the cost of specific customization options.

While Arabella Papers is rather new, they have left a strong imprint on the industry with their fresh new designs, bellpress printing process and a very responsive staff from their Atlanta facility.  If you are not familiar with Arabella Papers, I strongly suggest that you schedule an appointment with a Guild Member stationer that carries Arabella Papers. 

Richard W. May
Therese Saint Clair