Archive for June, 2011
Tuesday, June 28th, 2011
How often do you get asked to create a one-of-a-kind gift for Oprah? As it turns out, one of Oprah’s friends from her early television days in Nashville had received an invitation to join Miss O on one of her last show tapings. But that friend didn’t plan to greet Oprah empty-handed. Oh no, she intended to present Oprah with a personal and heartfelt gift: a poem written just for her with words strung together about dedication, honor, hopes and dreams. But laced with healthy dose of Southern humor. Now this poem couldn’t be handed over in any old way, it had to be presented “in style!”
Our client asked us to design a beautiful, somewhat over-the-top gift box to hold the poem. Something that would stand the test of time, make a statement and get Oprah’s attention. Immediately a gorgeous box came to mind as a way to deliver the the poem in a gracious manner, and that could then be kept as a memorable keepsake.
An over-sized, custom-made wooden box was covered in gorgeous textured paper and painted by hand a vibrant sage green. Inside the shallow box sat the poem which we had hand-calligraphed on soft cotton paper and then mounted on a fabric-covered wooden board. The entire package was then wrapped with a beautiful green silk ribbon and readied for travel to Chicago for the show!
 
Oh, to be there when she opened it! That would have been a true gift.
Tags:custom boxes, One-of-a-kind Gifts
Posted in Gifts | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011
One thing’s for sure, no matter the day and no matter the time, you can always catch an unladylike snort or burst of laughter from in-between our racks of greeting cards. We have Naughty Betty to thank for that! We just couldn’t resist sharing some of our more popular {and decidedly deliciously wicked} birthday cards:
 
 
 
… and if you think these are amusing, you should see the wedding cards.
Available at The Papery, located at 57 North 3rd Street, Merchant’s Row in Old City, Philadelphia. 215-922-1500.
Tags:Birthday Cards, Funny Greeting Cards, Gifts for Her
Posted in Greeting Cards | No Comments »
Monday, June 20th, 2011
A few years ago one of my friends, Melissa Paul, formerly a wedding planner in Philadephia, came in to the shop with an interesting idea for cocktail napkins. It seemed one of her brides was looking for a clever way to get their friends and families to mix and mingle at their wedding welcome party. Basically, the bridal couple was looking for an ice breaker for a room full of people that had never met before. Preferring to keep things simple and as cost-effective as possible, Melissa wanted to design cocktail napkins that would double as a trivia game. Once we determined it was not only possible but incredibly fun, we officially dubbed them “Trivia Napkins” for lack of a better title. Now, a couple years later, they’re one of our favorite details to offer clients hosting any kind of party. They’re very popular with our brides and grooms for their wedding receptions, as well as for rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, anniversaries (a riot!) and for bar/bat mitzvahs.
For the original project with Melissa, we designed four different napkins with four different trivia questions. One question per napkin. Three were multiple choice (see the photo above for an idea) but the fourth napkin design was a simple true or false question. Ordinarily, cocktail napkins are an inexpensive way to personalize or brand your event. One plate gets made to print the monogram or design onto the cocktail napkins. But with our trivia napkins, not only is the plate larger but with multiple questions multiple plates are required. As a result, there are higher costs. But for many brides and grooms, it’s a cost that’s worth it for the novelty and playfulness they provide. And frankly, when we say there are higher costs, we’re not talking crazy amounts in the whole scheme of things. These napkins are great to start a conversation with or to chuckle about as you wait for your cocktail at the bar. In fact, we’ve actually had guests squirrel them away in their evening clutches and bring them in to the shop to order for their own events!
[Photos: Gabe Fredericks (top); Laura Novak (bottom).]
Tags:Clever Ideas, Cocktail Napkins, Party Papers
Posted in Events, Weddings | No Comments »
Friday, June 17th, 2011
As a stationery and fine gift shop, it’s expected that we’d stock greeting cards for every possible holiday. Father’s Day included. For weeks I’ve been bustling about the store, doing my thing, passing the rack of Father’s Day cards without really focusing on the holiday and what it means to me personally. And then, a customer actually asked me “How are you celebrating Father’s Day this weekend?” and whammo, all of a sudden the sentimental feelings crept in and it’s all I’ve been thinking about. It’s more than what I’m doing to celebrate, it’s really about how fatherhood has affected me in my own life.
I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion because I’m lucky to have two incredible fathers in my life: My father, Ed and my husband, Michael. Father to two children, me and my brother Edmund (seen above on the right), my Dad is my hero, my constant friend, my patient mentor and tireless ally. My husband Michael is my rock of Gibraltar, my life’s partner and my truest companion. Funny how they say you marry your father, and honestly, though very different men, I do see the similarities when I consider how they parent their children. I know that their families come first, no matter what. Their deep love knows no bounds, they find humor in everything, and their unwavering dedication to family is impenetrable. Children are just a part of the fabric of who they are as individuals.
Father’s Day is about how these wonderful men have influenced who I am as a person, as a wife, a daughter, a friend and companion. It’s about acknowledging how they continue to inspire and influence me every day by sharing their love, their support, their honesty and their senses of humor. They’ve spent a lifetime working hard, taking care of their families in any way they could, for the greater good of their kids, without any thought for themselves. They’re an inspiration.
As I watch my husband joke around with his son (which they do often as you can see from the photo above) or as I listen to my father share a glass of wine with my brother, I’m reminded of how fortunate I am to get to spend my days with these crazy guys. I’m so proud to say that I’m Ed’s daughter and so grateful for his kindness and wisdom. And I’m lucky to have Michael as my husband, who not only keeps me laughing every single day but shares his love for his son with me. (oh, I’m never gonna hear the end of it for this corny but TRUE post.)
Tags:Father's Day, Holidays, My Family
Posted in Life in General | No Comments »
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