NSS 2013: best of the rest

i'm a few weeks away from having a baby, so i'm not going to NSS this year. but never fear, dear readers -- i've got a correspondent going in my stead, so you'll still see the best & brightest of this year's show. plus, i've got a few posts this week & next to give you a heads up on booths to keep an eye on. here's a quick roundup of a few that have just caught my eye.

the national stationery show officially kicks off on sunday! so exciting. before i wrap up my previews (see the rest here) i wanted to give a quick shout out to a few other booths i'm keeping an eye on. if you're going to the show, come back here and let me know what you think!

booth #2166 -- pepper press

this is a new designer to me and i can't wait to check out more from the graphic-designer-turned-letterpress-artisan ursula jaroszewicz. love that "greetings from brooklyn" map card!

booth #2374-2380 -- ladies of letterpress

the ladies of letterpress booth collection was one of my favorite stops at last year's show -- such an amazing group of talented printers! this year, they'll have goods from noteworthy paper & press, black heart letterpress, 12fifteen press, pressbound, steel petal press, ari press, les bois letterpress, grey moggie press, creativity cards and bowersox press. whew!

booth #1758 -- egg press

i'm pretty much obsessed with everything that comes out of the egg press studio, and this year's showing at NSS sounds like it will be no different. they'll have sneak peeks of 55+ new items, a collaboration with droga chocolates, specials on wholesale orders and more. or, if you can't make it, keep an eye on their shop beginning may 23rd and get 10% off all online wholesale orders through may 31st with the code NSS2013. woo hoo!

booth #2236 -- fiyel levent

this is fiyel levent's first year at NSS as she launches her new stationery collection, following a string of design success in interior design, custom installations and architecture. i love the bold colors and geometric patterns!


all of my 2013 national stationery show coverage.
the national stationery show takes place may 19-22 at the javitz convention center in NYC.

NSS 2013: crow & canary

i'm a few weeks away from having a baby, so i'm not going to NSS this year. but never fear, dear readers -- i've got a correspondent going in my stead, so you'll still see the best & brightest of this year's show. plus, i've got a few posts this week & next to give you a heads up on booths to keep an eye on -- like crow & canary. 

booth #3124

crow & canary is a sales rep agency for some of the coolest stationery and gift designers in the biz. they'll be showcasing 15 of these clients in their NSS booth this year (#3124), including some of my faves like rock scissor paper and dude and chick. here are a few cards to keep your eyes peeled for:

[ghost academy]

[dude and chick]

[rock scissor paper]

[two trick pony]

[lark press]

all of my 2013 national stationery show coverage.

the national stationery show takes place may 19-22 at the javitz convention center in NYC.

NSS 2013: farewell paperie

i'm a few weeks away from having a baby, so i'm not going to NSS this year. but never fear, dear readers -- i've got a correspondent going in my stead, so you'll still see the best & brightest of this year's show. plus, i've got a few posts this week & next to give you a heads up on booths to keep an eye on. today, check out farewell paperie. 

booth #2158

it's no secret i love farewell paperie -- they've got snarky cards, a love for turquoise, AND they live here in seattle. this is their second year at NSS and i'm loving the new stuff that's on tap -- plus, they're debuting a "partywell collection" full of awesome party supplies that is sure to be a hit...but you'll have to visit their booth to see it in person! in the meantime, take a peek at some of the cards you'll find:

[all photos courtesy of farewell paperie]

all of my 2013 national stationery show coverage.

the national stationery show takes place may 19-22 at the javitz convention center in NYC.

NSS 2013: caroline creates

i'm a few weeks away from having a baby, so i'm not going to NSS this year. but never fear, dear readers -- i've got a correspondent going in my stead, so you'll still see the best & brightest of this year's show. plus, i've got a few posts this week & next to give you a heads up on booths to keep an eye on. here's more about caroline creates.  

booth #2630

caroline creates holds a special place in my heart because they're a sponsor of the stationery place -- BUT i'd be a huge fan even if they weren't. this is caroline's first time at NSS and she'll be in the stationery academy booth with five other talented alumni, so be sure to stop by and take a peek at the caroline creates wedding collection.

[all images courtesy of nine photography]

caroline creates was founded out of a love for paper and wedding stationery. our goal is to create quirky yet modern stationery and products that are not only fun to look at, but good to the earth. i like to call it being green without all the granola. this is what drives the materials and products we use.

our wedding collection is not for the typical bride or couple. it is for people who love good music that nobody has heard of, tattoos, going to the modern art museum, hitting up local pubs and that new vegetarian restaurant, and drinking coffee on the porch. it is for brides who want something different for their wedding and stationery.

all of our invitations and coordinating pieces are printed on 130# recycled white card stock and our envelopes contain 30% post consumer waste. choosing materials that are good for the environment but still stylish are important to us. we hope you love the collection and that it works for that special wedding you have in mind!

all my 2013 national stationery show coverage.
the national stationery show takes place may 19-22 at the javitz convention center in NYC.

NSS 2013: parrott design studio

i'm a few weeks away from having a baby, so i'm not going to NSS this year. but never fear, dear readers -- i've got a correspondent going in my stead, so you'll still see the best & brightest of this year's show. plus, i've got a few posts this week & next to give you a heads up on booths to keep an eye on. today, check out parrott design studio. 

booth #2168

parrott design studio was one of the first letterpress studios i fell in love with back when i started blogging, so i've loved keeping an eye on sarah's work over the years. i love the pretty colors & fonts in these new cards -- and apparently i'm not the only one, because the cards in this first photo were nominated for Best New Product in the "paper love" category at this year's show. make sure you stop by the PDS booth at nss and enjoy all the paper goodness -- sarah's also got some fun behind-the-scenes show prep going on via instagram, so check that out too.

[photos 1-3 by li ward from fat orange cat studio / 4-5 by sarah parrott]

Parrott Design Studio is a boutique letterpress studio in Providence, Rhode Island, established in 2007 by designer Sarah Parrott.  We invite you to explore our collection of happy letterpress goods.  Our designs are simple and lovely, fun with a touch of whimsy, inspired by vintage ephemera, flora and fauna, and candy-colored hues. Each card is printed one by one, on one of our three antique presses.

Sarah loves sketching flowers found in her garden, hand-lettering, pops of neon, kraft paper, and glittery gold goodness.  Most designs begin with a pencil and a notebook.  We love the details and produce most projects from design concept to letterpress printing in-house. 

Born and raised in Portland, Maine, Sarah resides in Providence with her husband and their two pups.  She can be found baking and making ice cream, listening to records, gardening, antiquing, snowboarding, working on their 1930’s bungalow, and dreaming of living on a farm in Maine.

all of my 2013 national stationery show coverage.
the national stationery show takes place may 19-22 at the javitz convention center in NYC.

seattle locals: need a photographer?

i've been on the lookout for a good photographer here in seattle for a while, and finally discovered one through my seattle blogger group! lisette wolter-mckinley lives in west seattle and works as both an interior designer and self-taught photographer, and she is SO talented. i mean seriously. her instagram feed is one of my favorites because the most gorgeous images pop up there throughout the day. lisette also writes a fabulous blog filled with tips on cool things to see & do in seattle and beyond.

anyway, lisette offered to take a few photos of jack, so i was all over that. we met up at the sculpture garden on one of those glorious, sunny seattle days and she got a few good shots of my little monkey. as you can see, he was in perfect toddler form that day (read: grumpy and challenging) but she still managed to perfectly capture his personality.

if you're looking for a good photographer in seattle, lisette is your girl! browse her beautiful website or contact her at lisettewoltermckinley(at)hotmail.com.

NSS 2013: man vs. george design

i'm a few weeks away from having a baby, so i'm not going to NSS this year. but never fear, dear readers -- i've got a correspondent going in my stead, so you'll still see the best & brightest of this year's show. plus, i've got a few posts this week & next to give you a heads up on booths to keep an eye on. today, check out man vs. george design. 

booth #1867

i discovered man vs. george design at last year's NSS and have become a huge fan of this quirky husband-and-wife team. they'll be in booth #1867 at this year's show, with tons of their clever & cute new cards to show off. (and good news if you're staying home, like me -- all these cards are also available for sale online through their etsy shop.) here are a few of my favorites -- be sure to stop by and tell tilney & ryan hello from me!

this one's not new, but it's my all time favorite from MVG :) so clever!:

see all my NSS 2013 coverage here.
the national stationery show takes place may 19-22 at the javitz convention center in NYC.

NSS 2013: a newbie's guide

well! it's may, and that means the national stationery show is coming! sadly, i can't go this year because i'm just a few weeks away from having a baby (wait, that's not sad! i can't wait to get this baby out of me meet this little guy :) so i couldn't swing the trip to NYC, but never fear -- i've got a special correspondent heading to the show in my place, so you'll still see all the good stuff. and, to get you really excited, i've got a few posts lined up over the next few weeks with previews of what you'll see in a few of my favorite designers' booths at the show.

so, to kick off all the NSS mayhem, here's what to expect if you're heading to the big show for the first time. i originally published this post last may, but knew it needed a rejuvenation. (catch all my NSS 2012 coverage here.) without further ado, here's what to expect if you're a newbie at NSS 2013.


let me start out by saying that as a first-timer national stationery show, i was SO excited to check out the trade show floor. i knew it would be filled with aisles and aisles of amazing paper, but i had no idea it would take me so long to get through everything! ha.

between taking pictures and chatting with designers and scoping out the pretty cards, i definitely moved slower than anticipated. a day and a half at the show is not enough, people -- it's that good.

even walking into the javitz convention center was thrilling! NSS happens at the same time as surtex and ICFF, so the place is packed with design-y people and there's an air of excitement and anticipation. or maybe that was just me ;)

once inside the show, there are literally acres of booths all full of the latest & greatest in stationery, gifts and beyond. wall full of ribbon? got it. beautifully decorated backdrops? sure, why not. gorgeous paper at every turn? yep, as far as the eye can see.

above: mr boddington's studio booth with amazing paper flowers | smock wrapping paper | linoleum block prints from left field cards | all the ribbon you could ever need from ampelco ribbon company

the best plan of attack i have is this: take note beforehand of the booths you HAVE to see. aim for those first, but prepare to be completely sidetracked a zillion times before finishing that list. wear comfy shoes. give yourself time for adequate perusal of each booth, including friendly chats with the designers and stationers because everyone is so welcoming and kind -- plus, you'll discover unexpected new treasures on every shelf if you look closely. bring snacks for sustenance. come back a second day (or third;) to fill in the gaps or revisit the booths you didn't see enough. collect business cards and press kits. then go home and rest your feet.

below: bunting & turquoise walls in the pistachio press booth | pretty paper decorations throughout the show | chalkboard walls & pretty cards from ecojot

grace bonney from design*sponge wrote something about the convention center being like a casino: no windows, no clocks, just a cavern of never-ending walkways. ha! so accurate. although... i didn't mind being trapped in this one, not one bit.

is it your first time at the show this year? i can't wait to hear what you think -- i have a feeling you'll love it.

good idea: mother's day 2013

mother's day is on sunday! did you remember? i barely got my act together to send gifts & cards to the moms in my life last week, but it's not too late for you. check out some of these cute cards and free printables i've found, and you're saved. (whatever you do, don't head for the card aisle at target. i felt part of my soul die when i browsed the racks of "humor cards" a few days ago.)

maybe the most beautiful printables i've EVER seen, via the alison show:

let the littles help out by coloring in these cute card templates, via dandee:

a sweet card (and mini coupon printables!) for mom, via one charming party:

if you're lucky enough to live close to your mom, why not throw her a little tea party on sunday? these printables from confetti sunshine will help (plus check out all the other tea party ideas too): 

my mom & MIL both live in other states, so we'll have to settle for a friendly mother's day phone call this weekend. as for me, i'm just hoping my boys will do all the cooking on sunday -- that's the only celebration i need. ;)