Information & Education

Nov

14

Crane & Co. Craftsmanship: A Photo Collection

Today we thought you’d enjoy a guest post courtesy of Jessica from Crane, with a behind-the-scenes look at the incredible craftsmanship that goes into the Crane & Co. brand of stationery and invitations.

crane & co. thermography operator

We are constantly in awe here of the intricate, beautifully hand-crafted work the employees in our printing and stationery factories do day after day. Many of them have been here for decades painting borders by hand, engraving names and images with enviable patience and making sure each and every detail is absolutely perfect before our customers open that Dalton Blue box.

With that in mind, here is a collection of images – taken by our wonderful resident photographer, Trisha — of some of the hands that make such fine craftsmanship possible every day.

Crane & Co. Pink Ribbon Baby Stationery
Adding the finishing touch — a pink ribbon — to our Ecru White Baby Notes.

Crane & Co. Die Cut Envelopes
Getting die-cut envelope liners ready to be placed inside our 100% cotton envelopes.

Crane & Co. duplex cards
Precision is just one of the details we pride ourselves on, which means each duplexed invitation is hand-measured for a perfect border.

Crane & Co. hand bordering stationery
That colorful border you see on each Crane & Co. invitation or note card you receive is lovingly hand-painted by one of our oh-so patient and skilled borderers.

Crane & Co. personalized stationery
A Crane & Co. employee checks the alignment to make sure all the type on this personalized stationery is equidistant from the edge.

Navy Swiss Dot Invitation
A belly band is carefully placed around a custom-made invitation.

Thank you to Crane & Co. for this informative and enlightening collection of photos. What do you think? Did you ever realize the amount of hand-crafting that goes into these pieces?

We’d love to show you more of this premiere line of wedding invitations, event invitations and stationery here at Salutations in Chapel Hill and Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Nov

03

How to Take the Perfect Holiday Family Photo

Holiday / Information & Education

By Amie Otto, Photographer Extraordinaire

As the temperature drops, our thoughts inevitably turn to the holidays. The decorations, the family dinners and then the stress creeps in… it’s time for another holiday photo for your card! Relax, it’s not as hard as it may seem. Gather the family, find a photographer and remember these elements that make a great family photo.

Togetherness
Family photos should have a sense of connection. Typically, this is through touching: holding hands, hugging, leaning on one another. But sometimes it can be as simple as a look between the parents.

A Pleasing Background
When it comes to background, keep it simple! Places with lots going on are distracting not only to the photo subjects, but also to the viewer. You want something that blends in nicely, that compliments the subjects rather than distracting from them.

Relax
Everyone does not have to have the exact same perfect smile, have their hair just perfect or be sitting up perfectly straight. Sometimes the best photos are the unscripted ones, the unexpected moments between kids, a laugh the whole family shares. These shots show a slice of personality and are usually favorites.

So, relax, it’s not that scary! Holiday photos can be fun and a great part of your family legacy.

Do’s and Don’ts

DO: Include the whole family in the photo. Your family and friends want to see you, too, not just your kids and pets.

DO: Pick a time of day when your kids are most happy and relaxed. Just before nap or bedtime is never a good idea.

DO: If you are using a professional photographer, let them direct you. DON’T yell, threaten or try to get your kids to do what you think they should be doing for the photo. That’s what you hired the pro for! Trust that they will get what they need.

DO: Know when to say when. When kids are done, they are done. DON’T try to get “just one more shot” when they are clearly finished. You most likely will not get the shot and it will just cause more irritation for your child.

DO: If you are including a family pet, bring a pet wrangler. This is someone to have the treats, make the sounds your animal responds to and make sure the pet is contained properly.

DON’T: Make every family member wear the exact same outfit. If you routinely go out all dressed identically, then great, go for it, but if not, it will look kind of odd in a photo! It is better to coordinate, rather than match exactly.

DON’T: Wait till the last minute to make an appointment if you are planning to use a professional photographer. The fall is one of the busiest seasons, and the best studios book up weeks or months in advance.

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Oct

21

Ahh-dirondack Chairs

Information & Education / Inspiration

Few things say “Ahh, a day at the lake” like an Adirondack chair.

Did you know that the first Adirondack chairs were called Westport chairs? The chair was named after a small town on the edge of Lake Champlain in the Adirondack Mountains, where it was created in 1903 by a man named Thomas Lee. Mr. Lee was a hobbyist, experimenting with different chairs to use outdoors at his summer home in Westport, New York. After having his large family provide feedback, the hands-down winner was the chair he built with a slanted back and seat and wide armrests.

Thomas Lee showed his creation to a carpenter he knew in town named Henry Bunnell. Mr. Bunnell saw the potential for large sales to the people who came to spend their summers in the area each year. Without Mr. Lee’s knowledge, Henry Bunnell obtained a patent in 1905 for the “Windsor chair” ~ a chair that would become one of the most popular designs in outdoor furniture. Over time, the chair came to be known as the “Adirondack chair” after the region in which it was created.

While the original was made of hemlock, painted in either dark brown or green, today you can find Adirondack chairs made of cedar, pine, and the more prized teak and cypress. The chairs are even going eco-friendly, with some being made from recycled plastic. The popularity of the Adirondack chair has resulted in the spinning off of several adaptations, including Adirondack rockers, gliders, benches, tables, ottomans. Many are painted in varying colors and can include designs cut out of the chair backs.

Any way you go, it would be difficult not to fall into a relaxed state of mind while lounging in this American classic.

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Oct

19

Paper Prodigy: Jen Stark

Information & Education / Inspiration

Artist Jen Stark is the creator of these amazing and colorful paper sculptures. Through the use of simple paper-cutting techniques she creates complex structures that reveal how remarkable common materials can become. The ideas are based on replication and infinity, echoing patterns and intelligent designs found in nature.

Says this paper prodigy about her work {in Artlurker},

The thing I like about sculpting in the way that I sculpt is that it can be done simply, although not so obviously. Just cutting and folding seems the most elegant, the most pure. With a few cuts and a few layers I can create pattern and depth and make my eyes dance around lines that aren’t really there. Its not so much the fact that everyone uses paper, it’s the fact that you can take something that is so set in its ways and find unique ways of working with it.

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Oct

12

Paper Prodigy: Elsa Mora

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

Elsa Mora is a Cuban born artist who makes all of her papercut pieces by hand, one cut at a time, using an X-Acto knife, a self-healing cutting mat, and paper.

Her work adorns the cover of Paper Cutting Book: Contemporary Artists, Timeless Craft, by Laura Heyenga, Rob Ryan and Natalie Avella, published by Chronicle Books.

This is one of her most recent miniature paper rings. Just look at the detail!

How about this bit of amazing called The Hand?

Or this one called Visionary?

Here is the description in Elsa’s words:

The girl had a vision, a dream about exploration and about going away. So she cut herself some paper wings. Her wings took her to the most unexpected and mysterious places. The journey was beautiful and painful at the same time. At some point the girl wanted to go back home, but she realized that her real home was her own mind, so she kept dreaming and flying until the end of her life.

You can see more of Elsa’s papercutting talent on her blog The Heart of Papercuts: A Blog Entirely Dedicated to the Magic Art of Papercutting. How cool is that?

Elsa Mora’s talents are multi-faceted. She also draws, paints, and makes dolls, dollhouses, jewelry, miniature books and works in porcelain.

Her main blog is Elsa Mora’s Blog. You can find many of her unique items on her Etsy store.

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Sep

30

5 Tips to Organize Your Home Office

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

Are you losing in the battle against clutter? Here are 5 tips for reclaiming the organization you crave.

1. Dive in.

To be sure, a cluttered desk and office can be very intimidating. So start small. There’s no need to wait until you have an entire weekend to devote to organizing {when exactly is that likely to happen?}. Pick a drawer, shelf or pile and dive in. If you can only devote 30 minutes here and there, that’s OK. You’re still one step closer to an organized office. And, you may just find that the sense of accomplishment in knocking down a pile of two-year-old magazines will spur you on to tackle three more piles.

2. Exit the paper trail and get on the information superhighway.

Many times, we hang on to pieces of paper that contain information that can be easily accessed online. With tools like Evernote, there is no longer a need to bury ourselves in paper articles that we may read “someday”. You can easily create an online filing system of notes, bits of information, web page bookmarks, recipes, and articles that you’d like to read or may need to reference in the future.

3. Be a discriminating sentimentalist.

For personal mementos, create a storage system for keeping only those items that you will truly want to look back on in years to come. You don’t need to keep every Snoopy greeting card that your great-aunt Sally sent you that just says “XOXO, Aunt Sally” under a commercial greeting. You will want to keep the hand-drawn greeting card from your daughter that says “You’re the best Mommy ever” {which could prove to be a useful reminder during those rough teenage years}.

4. Maximize surface area.

A clean and clear work surface helps to keep stress levels low and productivity high. To the extent possible, keep computer equipment off the desk. A keyboard should be stowed in a keyboard tray under the surface. A flat-panel monitor takes up far less space than those clunky CRT monitors. {See programs like Best Buy’s e-cycle for ways to recycle.} A printer can be housed on a printer stand or on top of a filing cabinet.

Small desk tools and supplies, such as a stapler, tape dispenser, paper clips and sticky notes can be stowed in a drawer. Supplies that you need to access less often, such as file folders and computer paper, can be stored in a cabinet.

5. Make it pretty.

Head to your local stationery store and stock up on some attractive desk accessories that will give you the inspiration to get your home office space organized and the motivation to keep it that way. Things like file folders, magazine boxes, photo storage boxes, binders, and notebooks are available in so many attractive patterns and colors. Make a fashion statement and express your personality through the home office accessories you choose.

With a bit of effort, your home office can be both a haven of productivity and a pleasing, motivating place to spend your time.

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Sep

28

Paper Prodigy: Su Blackwell

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

Edensor, Derbyshire

British-born Su Blackwell is an amazing talent. This paper prodigy frees storybook characters and structures from their two-dimensional homes and brings them to life through sculpting cut-outs from books.

Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood {detail}

About her work, Su Blackwell says,

I often work within the realm of fairy-tales and folk-lore. I began making a series of book-sculpture, cutting out images from old books to create three-dimensional dioramas, and displaying them inside wooden boxes.

Wuthering Heights

You can watch this wonderful video created by Crabtree & Evelyn about Su Blackwell and her work.

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Sep

21

Paper Prodigy: Brian Dettmer

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

The art created by Brian Dettmer is nothing short of jaw-dropping genius. This Atlanta-based paper prodigy works in the medium of what he calls “altered books.” Says the artist about his process:

In this work I begin with an existing book and seal its edges, creating an enclosed vessel full of unearthed potential. I cut into the surface of the book and dissect through it from the front. I work with knives, tweezers and surgical tools to carve one page at a time, exposing each layer while cutting around ideas and images of interest. Nothing inside the books is relocated or implanted, only removed. Images and ideas are revealed to expose alternate histories and memories. My work is a collaboration with the existing material and its past creators and the completed pieces expose new relationships of the book’s internal elements exactly where they have been since their original conception.

Brian Dettmer starts with old books, often those that are bound for the landfill, and transforms them into objects of wonder in a new form.

Take a look at this video of an interview with Brian Detter on CBS News, where you can get a glimpse into his incredible talent and the way he works.

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Sep

19

Gratitude 101: How to Write a Thank You Note

Information & Education / Stationery

While the thought of writing thank-you notes can be daunting in this age of email, it is much easier than you think and so much more appreciated than an email. Without further ado, sit down with some beautiful stationery and show your gratitude. Here’s a quick how-to to get you started. . . .

1. Greet the Giver ~ although an obvious one, the “Dear Aunt Jane” line is often overlooked.

2. Express your Gratitude ~ without any unnecessary lead-ins, simply say “Thank you so much for the fill in the blank.” If the gift was money, thank them for their generosity but do not directly mention money.

3. Discuss Use ~ say something nice about the gift and how you will use it.

4. Mention the Past, Allude to the Future ~ let the giver know how they fit into your life. {“It was great to see you at Jenny’s birthday party, and I hope to see you soon.”}

5. Grace ~ express your thanks one more time.

6. Regards ~ Simply wrap up the note using whatever sign-off feels right to you (love, yours truly, etc.).

7. Get it in the Mail ~ address the envelope, stick a great stamp on it, and post it.

Think of the sense of accomplishment you will feel, how appreciated the giver will feel, and the continued stream of gifts you will receive from a happy giver!

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Jul

22

Salutations named 2011 Stationer of the Year and more

Information & Education / Miscellaneous

The year is only half over and it has already been one of the most amazing years in my career as a stationery retailer. We have been so busy {always a good thing in the world of retail} that I haven’t taken the time to let you know some of the fabulous news and accolades that Salutations has had the good fortune to receive.

The year 2011 began with my new year’s commitment to a new direction ~ that any new lines brought into the store must be eco-friendly, sustainable, fair trade and/or charitable in some meaningful way. This commitment has been eye-opening, encouraging, and very gratifying all at the same time. It truly is a pleasure to work each day with companies that both care about people and the planet, and produce some of the finest, trend-forward products on the market today. I am heartened by the shift that I am beginning to see with more and more companies realizing the power that they have to make a difference and incorporating those efforts as an integral part of their businesses.

In February, I was thrilled to be invited on an expense-paid trip to SpringFair International in Birmingham, the UK’s largest stationery and gift trade show. This was an exhilarating show, filled with inspiration and exposure to new products. While there, I had the pleasure of meeting a handful of really stellar retailers from all over the world. We were {quite literally} treated like royalty, with a castle tour and dinner in the Great Hall of Warwick Castle {an experience that is not to be missed if you are ever in the area}.

In April, Salutations was named the 2011 Trendy Stationer of the Year in the first-ever award sponsored by Stationery Trends magazine. {I know I’m tardy in sharing this news ~ tooting my own horn has never been one of my strong suits.}

Entrants were judged by professionals in the stationery industry, including stationery manufacturers and other stationery retailers, making the award all the more meaningful. We are ecstatic to have been recognized by our industry for the work that we do.

In May, I had the honor of speaking on a panel at the Future Conference, which kicked off the National Stationery Show in New York, to discuss the ways that the stationery industry is embracing the advent of digital into a very analog world. The panel immediately followed the keynote presentation by one of my heroes Seth Godin, a marketing guru, best-selling author and fantastic speaker. Meeting Seth before the conference was a real treat. {In the span of three minutes, he asked two of the most salient questions about my two new businesses.}

Speaking of that, May and June marked the launch of two new businesses for me. The Guild of Original Designers {GOOD} empowers creative professionals to protect their original work from copying through information and education about copyright infringement, access to discounted legal services, and the use of the GOOD logo as a deterrent.

Blog Boutique provides ready-made blog posts created by a panel of professional bloggers, which business owners can download and publish on their own blogs quickly, easily and affordably. You’ll soon start to see more posts about fashion and other lifestyle issues on this blog, as Salutations is one of Blog Boutique’s customers!

In June, Melanie Meyer was promoted to the Store Manager in the Charlotte store. Melanie has been with Salutations for the past four years, serving as the Assistant Manager. She is an amazing individual with a wonderful combination of intelligence, friendliness, service and business savvy. Congratulations Melanie!

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.

It’s the life in your years.

~ Abraham Lincoln

As you can see, 2011 has been a year filled with highlights. I am very grateful that you all have allowed us to share in your highlights, as we’ve been privileged to help you celebrate the many momentous occasions in your life-filled years. I cannot wait to see what the balance of 2011 brings!