Craft Social in Cincinnati??

THIS IS AN AWESOME IDEA! I already have a full time job and 3 kids so it can't be me, but I think SOMEONE needs do do this!

One of my favorite blogs How About Orange had something to do with the Chicago Craft Social. It's an idea that has been rolling around our store for years now: getting artisan crafters together with other crafters to learn and do what they love most. Seeing it in action makes me squirm in my seat for one here. A big room (ahem, Crossroads??) someone to organize tickets and crafters. Low costs. Crafter Camaraderie.

Check it out and someone PLEASE DO IT. I will help any way I can and I know lots of great crafters who would attend and run a table.

The Wedding Chicks

Check out this good wedding blog called The Wedding Chicks. It's a good one (ahem, other than mine, of course...) and you know I have a thing for yellow. ;o)

Last week for the Designer's Fine Press letterpress sale! 25% off orders paid in full by August 31st. Check out the blog for more details: www.margotmadison.blogspot.com

Final Sale for Letterpress!

This is the last week to receive 25% off our letterpress albums from Designers Fine Press!

Remember that you don't need to know your final wording in order to get the deal. You only need to pay for the product in full. Many of our brides and mothers-to-be are purchasing the invitations and announcements but following up at a later date with the final wording.

It's a great way to save up to $200 on a suite! Sale ends on August 31st.

The Painted Memory

Many of my customers enjoyed Grey Hall's postcard calendars last year. She painted some wonderful and unexpected scenes from Cincinnati and sold them with an easel to be enjoyed year round. So many people asked about who this wonderful artist is and I can now give you the information you requested!

Grey has (finally!) put her work on-line for the world to admire. Her blog details the travels and memories she has put into paintings. And there is a very cute guy on there too...who's that Grey?

The Painted Memory website is where you can view and order her paintings. They make wonderful gifts for brides as seen in the painted wedding dress, and then on the tray.

Laptop Decals on KTLA

One of our retailers, logan and blue, promoted the laptop decals on the morning show in LA!

Thanks Kirsten!

Greenacres Foundation and Event Center

So Lindsay and I went to a networking party for The Knot last week and I CANNOT get over this place and how incredibly beautiful it is. And I mean truly, literally: I. cannot. get. over it!

Think English country cottage (for the wealthy) with well manicured landscapes, beautiful stables, barns, long winding tree-lined drives. The sweetest looking brown cows peering lazily from their fenced pasture. If I had could be a princess and live here forever, I would.

It was a rainy night, and that added to the mystical beauty. A steamy fog nestled into the midline of the tree landscape into the valley and I was speechless. There are paved walkways dividing the more formal gardens, and a recessed fountain that would make spectacular wedding photos. Well anything would look good in a professional photograph.

Sadly, NONE of the photos we took or those on their website do this place any justice. And I'm so happy the Greenacres website did have my favorite detail: that friar and maid carved on separate corbels outside the entry. Unassuming, poking fun; a detail that I think is so often overlooked when folks are building such large and beautiful houses.

Anyway, brides, if you are still looking for a venue you must see this. It also has a little chapel inside the house if you need it. Lots of parking is available.

I should also mention that this place is meant to be a nature educational facility. They have horse riding classes, wine tastings, cooking classes, naturalist talks and walks and so much more!

Spoonflower

Ann Segal, a photographer and client of mine came in on Friday and gave me this amazing contact for Spoonflower. This is a company that will print your designs on fabric! The creative possibilities made my brain go into overdrive and then shut down completely. It's just too good to be true...

Designs are from $18 to $32 per yard. They print on quilting weight or upholstery weight fabric and there is NO MINIMUM ORDER! {insert expletive bleep here} You can browse what is offered to the public, or get started with your own designs.

I am not going into the fabric business in addition to stationery, though now it's tempting! It's so amazing how the printing industry is changing so quickly and in such wonderful ways. I'll be dating myself here, but I remember that designs for brochures and other business collateral had to be one or two color to be budget friendly. Now the possibilities seem endless and so high in quality. What a great world to be in for the compulsively creative!

Reply Postcards

We have seen quite a trend here to do reply cards as postcards instead of the traditional card/envelope duo. Brides are breaking away from all kids of traditions with their invitations and this is a good one to include in the invitation progress category.

Why? It saves printing costs. It saves paper. It saves postage.

Here are just a few samples to see how it works. Most brides choose to print everything on one side, but some like the look of printing on both sides as well.


As long as the card is larger than 5x3.5" and smaller than 6x4" then you can use the standard postcard stamp. Some have asked if the card gets lost in the mail and, though I can't vouch for the USPO, we've not seen any problems with this.

Milk Moon Kids

I had a pleasant visit from Lauren of Milk Moon Kids yesterday! She and her sister-in-law are selling these sweet and modern children's prints. The Milk Moon Kids esty store is also open for business.

I love the simple illustrations and the delicate color schemes. I also love that she showed up at my store with a 2-year-old and 8 week old baby in tow. It reminds me of the days when I was starting up my business with a baby in my arms or asleep in a pack-n-play in my storage room. It's a creative and crazy time!

We'll be carrying some of the single cards at the Margot Madison Stationery retail store soon and I wish them both luck in their artistic ventures.