The Stationers Guild

Julie Holcomb, one of the pioneers of fine letterpress printing, is offering a 15% sales promotion on wedding invitations and all wedding papers through February 29th. Julie Holcomb does not sell online and her stunning letterpress invitations on thick cotton paper can only be purchased through a limited number of leading retailers across the United States.

For close to three decades, Julie has been a trend-setter in fine letterpress printing. Her classic designs, edged borders and unrivalled attention to detail place her designs at the apex of letterpress printing. When bridal couples ask about letterpress, stationery dealers fortunate enough to carry her line will generally lead with Julie Holcomb.

Clients can now supply their own art which will be digitally enhanced and applied to the back of invitation to further increase the level of personalization. If you are considering letterpress, visit Julie Holcomb’s website to learn more about her environmentally-friendly letterpress printing and locate a store in your neighborhood that sells her beautiful line.

The growth of letterpress invitations, letterpress save the date cards, baby announcements and letterpress stationery within the last decade isn’t surprising. Reasonably priced second-hand letterpress printers have permitted a lot of skilled artisans and designers to apply their creativeness to make gorgeous announcements and stationery using this very old printing technique.

Similar to the process utilized in engraving, letterpress makes use of polymer or metal dies to “press” ink into soft card-stock, mainly cotton. Each and every ink color is applied using a individual printing press run, which calls for persistence and much skill to have the close registration needed to accurately align colors and motif designs.

Every May during the National Stationery Show in New York City, new letterpress vendors take center stage to market their latest styles. Even though letterpress was considered to be a bit of a novel idea some 5 to 10 years in the past, most of the new letterpress printers and designers simply do not have the good taste, originality and, many times, the talent and expertise to produce eye-catching letterpress wedding invitations. In fact, most “new” designs offer little that is unique. Truth be told, the stationery market is over loaded with letterpress.

Letterpress printers with deep traditions within profession, including Julie Holcomb, Elum, Oblation (letterpress images shown here), Press New York, Page and Real Card Studio still build on their craft and their firm hand and passion for the craft continues to set the standard for letterpress printing.

While some letterpress printers now sell on the internet, the majority of letterpress artisans market their stationery by using skilled retailers across the United States. Quoting 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 truly worth following. If you have your heart set on letterpress for the wedding invitations, it is advisable to see a professional stationer in your neighborhood.

Sheila P. May is the owner of Therese Saint Clair, a stationery store located in Greenwich, CT. A founding member of the Stationers Guild, she writes frequently about national and regional custom wedding invitation trends.

The increased popularity of letterpress invitations, letterpress save-the-date cards, birth announcements and letterpress stationery over the past several years is not surprising. Affordable second-hand letterpress printers have permitted a lot of skilled artisans and designers to apply their creative thinking to create beautiful announcements and stationery using this centuries-old printing technique.

Similar to the printing process used for engraving, letterpress makes use of polymer or metal dies to “press” ink into pliable papers, mainly cotton. Every ink color is applied using a separate press run, which calls for persistence and great skill to obtain the close registration needed to correctly align colors and motif designs.

Every May for the National Stationery Show in New York City, new letterpress firms take center stage to market their latest styles. Even though letterpress was looked upon as a bit of a novelty some 5 to 10 years back, most of the new letterpress printers and designers simply lack the flair, creativity and, more often than not, the talent and experience to make attractive letterpress stationery. In reality, most of the “new” designs offer little that’s unique. To be honest, the stationery market is over loaded with letterpress.

Letterpress printers with deep roots within profession, like Julie Holcomb, Elum, Oblation (letterpress images displayed here), Press New York, Page and Real Card Studio still build on their craft and their sturdy hand and love for the craft continues to raise the bar for letterpress printing.

Although some letterpress printers have migrated online, the majority of letterpress artisans market their stationery through experienced retailers across the United States. Quoting 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 worthwhile following. If you have your heart set on letterpress for the wedding invitations, it is prudent to see a professional stationer in your neighborhood.

Sheila P. May is the owner of Therese Saint Clair, a stationery store located in Greenwich, CT. A founding member of the Stationers Guild, she writes frequently about national and local Custom Wedding Invitation trends.

Reflecting on the 2011 National Stationery Show, I came across this  Blog post entitled “Don’t take it personally”  by Seth Godin, who was the Keynote speaker at the NSS Future Conference.    Here is an extract from his post:

QUOTE (Slightly Edited)

“Don’t take it personally.”

This is tough advice. Am I supposed to take it like a chair? Sometimes it seems as though the only way to take it is personally. That customer who doesn’t like your product (your best work) or that running buddy who doesn’t want to run with you any longer…

Here’s the thing: it’s never personal. It’s never about you. How could it be? That person doesn’t truly know you … All they know is themselves.

When someone moves on, when she walks away or even badmouths you or your work, it’s not personal about you. It’s personal about her. Her agenda, her decisions, her story.

Do your work, the best way you know how. Is there any other option?

UNQUOTE

Indeed, is there any other option?  Sure, you can exit the playing field and move on, having let someone else’s opinion determine your relevancy and/or artistic value.   Seth Godin’s advice is for leaders or “tribal chiefs” as he refers to them who are not intimidated by failure and certainly not the opinions of others.

With these words of caution from Seth Godin, I would like to reflect on some of the major trends I saw emerging from this year’s National Stationery Show.    Most certainly, you shouldn’t take my views “personally” since my objective is to create a dialogue and not to discredit anyone’s work or business strategy.   The business is hard enough for another naysayer in our midst.

Stationery Trends & Observations

1. The Chinese have Landed:   This is the first time that I can recall a strong Chinese presence at the NSS.  It seemed that they occupied a dozen or so booths and while I didn’t see a great deal of activity, their presence signifies that more cheap imports will be arriving soon.    I admire the craftsmanship and work ethic of the Chinese; however, their business model is very much different than our own.  Designers and manufacturers who outsource production to China do so at their own peril.    You may win the cost-efficiency battle, but you are most certain to hasten the demise of your brand and, quite possibly, the industry.
2. Too much Letterpress:   I adore letterpress, but there are simply too many suppliers.   Let’s face it, most anyone with an old press and Photoshop can produce “unique” and “eco-friendly” stationery and invitations.   As a stationery store, I am reluctant to take on new lines since many of the designs look the same.  While I commend everyone on “doing your own thing,” it seems to me that only the established lines that maintain quality standards and continue to innovate will survive.
3. Pricing Models -  Established Lines Hold the Line:    I have long been concerned that manufacturers and designers of quality paper products would succumb to the temptation to lower quality to compete with the “fast-food” paper companies that now dominate our industry.   Meetings at the NSS convinced me that a line in the sand has now been drawn and serious brands will no longer follow Alice down the pricing hole to oblivion.    I welcome this change and believe that consumers will opt for higher quality products at price levels that can sustain the industry.  Maybe this is wishful thinking, but this is the first time in several years where industry leaders have said “No mas!” to price cutting. 
4. Online Sales & Affiliate Marketing:    It is good to see that Crane has re-established an affiliate marketing program.  Other companies that sell online should do the same thing.  While this is all well-and-good,  these affilitate programs will be of little use to bricks and mortar stores unless they take advantage of them.  Affiliate marketing is like learning to ride a bicycle:  lot’s of bruises and scrapes as you learn to ride and pretty easy after you get the hang of it.    I fear that many stores will not do so and the benefits of leveraging one’s sales by providing an online option will be missed.  In effect, Crane and others have given  stores a vital piece of online real estate and it is our responsibility to make it work.   In order to accelerate that process, I will shortly be expanding the functionality of the StationersGuild website into an affiliate marketing laboratory to test various online marketing strategies.  In addition, an affiliate website, Rite4U.com will be focused on best practices to build, maintain and market your local business online.  There is a lot to learn and it is changing each day, but at least you won’t have to repeat my mistakes.

Again. let me thank the organizers of the National Stationery Show and particularly Patti Stracher for keeping the flame burning.    Everybody approaches NSS differently and if I have stepped on anyone’s toes, “don’t take it personally.” We are in the boat together.

Just received an announcement that Jamie Ostrow has resurfaced and has set up shop in East Hampton, New York.  While her website in not yet up, Jamie has contacted many of her dealers to encourage them to order her new letterpress invitation album and stationery album.  Her holiday album is also available and we understand that she is also working on a Wedding Invitation Album. 

According to Jamie, she will be manufacturing on premises “so that we can control all phases of productions, from order taking through shipping.  Some of you know that for the last several years, we relied on outside printers, now we’re back on our own presses.”

The biggest change Jamie’s loyal customers will notice is that Jamie Ostrow has now moved to letterpress rather than engraving.  While her sharp design, contemporary font styles and very clever wording remain, letterpress will give her  invitations, stationery and holiday cards a “softer” edge.  Personally, I think her clients will be pleased. 

If you are interested in receiving more information about the Jamie Ostrow line, please email Jamie at jamie@jamieostrow.com

Richard W. May

One of my special treats at the National Stationery Show is to visit the Saturn Press booth and see their old-fashioned designs on letterpress greeting cards.  It is a welcome relief to see something done in good taste with a printing process that brings back memories of a time when craft and tradition were still appreciated.  The Stationery Show has changed a lot in recent years, but Saturn Press confidently sticks to their traditions.  I am most happy that they have chosen to do so!  Sadly, Saturn Press will not be exhibiting this year and I for one will miss them.

Saturn Press was established in 1986 by designer Jane Goodrich and her printer James van Pernis.  Based in Swan’s Island, Maine near Bar Harbor, Jane had set about acquiring “letterpress stuff” from typesetters and printing companies that were “modernizing.”   With the simple premise that quality should never be compromised for expediency, Jane and James used their heavy presses to create a tactile impression that modern printing cannot duplicate.   Their client “saw something authentic, they saw something real.”

Now some 25 years pioneering a resurgence in letterpress printing, Jane and James (humorously referring to themselves as the “Grandpa and Grandma of Letterpress”) note that “we had no idea we’d be the link between the retiring generation of printers who rarely printed beyond black ink, to the new generation of designer-printers, who cherish the beauty only letterpress can create.  Let the craftsmanship continue!”

Saturn Press does not have a website or even an email address.  Honestly, who would want one after experiencing the beautiful scenery and light of the Maine coast.   In their most recent catalogue which contains beautiful samples of their greeting cards, bookplates and calling cards, they remark “Shopping the Internet is like standing beneath Niagara Falls with a teaspoon in order to get a sip of water.”  How true!

They continue with their letter of introduction to their new catalogue:  “So enjoy the catalog, comfortably knowing the only teaspoon you will require is the one needed to stir your tea or coffee, and the pages will graciously accommodate any spills.  In perusing our offerings you may find that your cup runneth over, but we guarantee you won’t leave feeling all wet.”  How gracious and reassuring.

We have been buying Saturn Press cards for years and will continue to do so.  My husband compares it to an “out-of-body experience” or “time-warp” when you run across their lovely greeting cards.  To appease my husband, we always buy six boxes of his “favorite” holiday greeting card (#0565 Juncos) which has two birds sitting on a leafless branch with the following quote by Rainer Maria Rilke, “And now let us welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.”

I had planned to include a few images in this Blog post, but realize that digital impressions do not do justice to the beautiful creations of Saturn Press.  Thank you Jane and Jim for preserving the craftsmanship and beauty of fine paper and printing.

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

From January 16th through April 12, Crane & Co. will offer two distinct promotional offers to Guild dealers who carry the Crane wedding, Kate Spade and Martha Stewart wedding collections.    If you are planning a wedding, drop into a Guild member store in your neighborhood to see these exciting Crane wedding invitation collections.

For all engraved and letterpress orders, you will receive  free invitation and return address dies (a $148 value for the two dies) on orders of 100 or more invitation.  Letterpress dies are not returned.

For thermography and flat print orders, clients will receive free return address printing on their outer envelopes (a minimum $58 retail value) on orders of 100 or more invitations.

Visit a qualified stationer in your neighborhood to learn more about Crane’s exciting new wedding invitation promotions.  See the difference in ink colors from live samples available at a qualified Crane dealer near you.  Remember, ink colors change dramatically depending on the printing process employed.  Expert advice is always welcomed on an occasion as important as your wedding.   Poor internet resolution distorts colors and the printed outcome will probably not conform to your expectations.  Some things are best done in person.  Selecting your wedding invitation is one of them.

Sheila P. May
Thérèse Saint Clair

Elaine Barker of Paper Potpourri in Haverhill, MA is typical of many independent stationers who operate through brick and mortar stores throughout the United States and Canada. Elaine has been in business for 31 years and has been in the same store location for the last 15 years. Her reputation for designing custom invitations and personalized stationery attracts clients from all over the state of Massachusetts.

Elaine won this year’s coveted “Billy Award” for the best custom wedding invitation at the William Arthur conference in Kennebunk, Maine. The award is determined by a vote of her peers who vote on samples of custom wedding invitations that are submitted from leading stationers across the country. Elaine’s simple yet very personalized wedding invitation and supporting wedding papers stood out over the many outstanding designs submitted by her fellow stationers.

Elaine (left) and Evelyn Choie of Vera Wang

I had an opportunity to sit down with Elaine to discuss the creative process that went into the design of this stunning wedding invitation ensemble which reflected the very unique resort in Northern Michigan. The effervescent Elaine says that “I take great pride in providing personalized service and I love customization.  It is deeply satisfying to see the sparkle in a bride’s eyed as she sees her wedding invitation for the first time.  I see my role as helping couples and their families translate their vision of the “perfect” wedding into beautiful papers that reflect vision.”

This wedding was particularly memorable.  In February, Elaine sat down with the bride-to-be and her mother to sketch out the preliminaries of the wedding event such as timing, locations and likely color combinations.   Two months later, the bride’s mother provided Elaine with lovely hand-drawn motifs that would be used to tie all of the wedding papers together under a common theme.  Elaine notes that everything illustrated on the invitation packet was a significant part of the bride’s experience in growing up in the area of Northern Michigan. The bride was the 5^th generation of the family to summer on the shores of the area. The lighthouse on the invitation was the location of the reception; the sailboat on the Events and Activities Card was the family sailboat, the “Sophia Helen” named for the bride’s grandmother; the sailboats on the front of the navy pocket represented the local ”Northern Michigan” fleet, whose design dates back over 75 years, which races in the harbor; shown on the respond card was the motor launch called the “Pointer” which formerly served as transportation between the resort and a nearby town. The Pointer is now used to take people out for brief cruises and was used for the rehearsal dinner; a bicycle was used on the accommodation card as they are a favorite means of transportation in the area; a “carriage” was used on the direction card as no cars are allowed on the resort during July and August. Even the stamps on the envelopes were personalized with the mother’s hand-drawn motifs, the lighthouse on the invitation envelope and a seagull on the respond envelope and also the back flap of the invitation envelope as seagulls are her favorite bird. It’s fun when the whole family gets involved in the design process.”

Green and blue were the color combinations used for the wedding papers.  The bride decided that letterpress printing would bring out the subtle colors of the Northern Lake Michigan coast line and sky and opted for Vera Wang paper and the William Arthur paper pocket to assemble the wedding papers.  Needless to say, the groom, bride and her mother were thrilled with the outcome and so were their guests.

Elaine’s expertise and penchant for customer service is not uncommon among members of the Stationers Guild. Elaine notes that “my fellow stationers all love the beautiful papers we work with everyday. More importantly, we cherish the special relationships that are formed with our clients in helping them plan for significant events in their lives.”

Sheila P. May

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