Summer Camp Greetings

So the girls are off for their summer fun – one is at camp and the other, seeing the world. Boy, are they lucky! I remember my years as a camper; first ½ the summer, then the big 8-weeker kicked in, and then on to a career as a CIT and Counselor! No matter what age or stage, one of the best parts of the day was when the mail came in (in those days the package “restrictions” weren’t rigid and the boxes of fun, and candy, of course, would pour in). If you send your kids to camp, you know what I mean about “package restrictions”!

If I could send packages to my daughter, I would pack them with fun things she could do in her bunk with her buddies – lanyard string, stickers, jacks, mad libs, beads, silly string, a deck of cards and her favorite Starburst candy – not ½ the snack cupboard, money, extra clothing, clandestine electronics and the like that created the whole package restriction thing in the first place! So, to what do moms and dads turn in droves? Greeting cards! We send cards somewhat in excess I must admit – and would do so regardless of whether we could send packages or not!

There are so many fabulous cards out there, some camp-specific, but many are more general fun, cute and adorable “I miss you types” like the Carlton Card I sent today that simply says “Me? Miss You?” And on the inside, “Only all the time.” Of the 20or so I have stockpiled to use this summer, this card is the only one that doesn’t have a picture; the design is all about the typeface. But, I will tell you that animals rule in the “I Miss You” department – monkeys, puppies of all breeds, mice, bears and of course, kittens - are the most popular images. My arsenal includes cards from Avanti, American Greetings, Design Design, Recycled Paper Products, Carlton and Hallmark, versed with sentiments including:

“If I sent you a card every time I thought of you, you wouldn’t need a mailbox…You’d need your own post office!”

“On a scale of 1 to 10…I miss you a million!”

“Just sending you a little hug…Did you feel it?”

“You’re always on my mind… And always in my heart, miss you.”

On the back of the envelope, I, of course, embellish with stickers of all varieties and glitter. The one time I literally sealed with a kiss (kissing the back of the envelope like my mom did) she was mortified and begged me never to do that again! Corny, I know.

I run to the mailbox everyday so I have my “aha” moment when her letter is there awaiting me. She’s equipped with some of the best Camp stationery and postcards “this side of the Hudson” designed by Penny Laine Papers and purchased from the store I call “Camp Central,” Scarsdale Child’s Play.

So, in a couple of hours, I’ll be thumbing past the bills and credit card solicitations, eager to read about water flumes, ziplines, soccer, chili dogs, painting, jump rope and more contained within the envelope carefully addressed in the script of my eighth grader and embellished with, you guessed it, stickers and glitter.

Happy summer!

-Patti

Holiday Cards We've Received

Now that you know which cards we sent, it’s time to tell you which cards we have received! We hope you have enjoyed our month of holiday blogs and are anxious to hear our stories and insights as we enter 2008 and get closer to Show time! We would also love to see YOUR favorite Holiday cards. Leave us a comment or 2!

**The NSS Girls wish you and your families a wonderful holiday**------------------------------------------


I have received many elegant, stirring, beautiful, complex-designed, funny, provocative, thoughtful, celebratory, kitsch, sarcastic and warm n' fuzzy holiday greetings over the years. My favorites tend to be those that are simple, reflective, and beautiful in the hand of the paper and in the design. The message in this Encore Studios card moved me greatly; the inside says "and shine it on the world." It touched a lot of the elements that speak to me, but also treated the message of Peace -- something that is always integral to my personal greetings -- in a remarkable juxtaposition. I don't mean to sound so lofty, because I am as humble as they come. But, it accomplished both the universal message of Peace while expressing the hope that in my soul, I find a peaceful place and share it with others.


Peace.

Patti



This fun card is from Design Design. There’s lots of reasons I show it here. I love the glitter, and the green circle behind the Christmas tree, along with the red & white peppermint candies. The card flips up, and the message inside says “Wishing you sweet greetings this holiday season.” The message, of course, is related to the candy design on the front. And, the sender, who happens to work at Design Design (Tom Vituj, he’s a creative director there) probably thinks I’m sweet, too. The best part about receiving this card is, in fact, that it is from Tom, and that I think he’s sweet too! Aren’t I a sap? Seriously, though, I can hear Tom when I read this card, and I can picture him, too. I love that a greeting card can conjure up a nice memory of a friend. I hope you send and receive lots of holiday cards this season to stay connected to friends. I also wish you a very happy, healthy holiday season! Don’t eat too much candy!
- Kelly



I receive many cards during the holiday season but my favorites to receive are photo cards of friends with their children or family. I've received two so far this year- one from the Robinson Family (Lori Robinson) and the other from my good friends for more than 20 years, Norma & Mike Vazquez. But since I couldn’t pick between those two and I misplaced another of my favorite cards - a die cut snowflake from my realtor Aggie - I chose to show you a card I received from Jessica Lane (a former GLMer- mnemonic for a GLM employee). I love how the glitter on this American Greetings card adds that Christmas feeling to the ornaments on the tree. Nothing says Christmas like the colors silver, red and green!

Wishing you a happy holiday – see you in 2008!
Arque




When I think of what Christmas means to me, the first thing that comes to mind is my family. Spending the holidays with them is the most special gift of all. We all lead very hectic lives and sometimes we do not take a moment out of our busy day to call a family member just to say "I Love You" and thanks for being such a big part of my life. Unlike friends who come in and out of our lives, family is such a constant and you can always count on them to love and support you no matter what. When I look at this special Christmas card, by Paper Magic Group, it reminds me of a family of trees. They were made to look exactly the same, yet each one is so different and unique like my brother, my sister and me. I wish for many things at Christmas, but the one thing that I am so very thankful for is my family.
- Rosanne


One thing I’m learning this season is that Christmas card receiving has a lot to do with age. A lot of people in my age group are too old to be filling out Christmas cards and handing them out, but too young to have a mailing list & special stamps. So, I have received a few photo cards (as Arque mentioned as well) and a few cards from my older relatives. The card I chose to show you I received from my parents. Paper Magic Group created this simple but warm Christmas card. To me, it represents all of the joys of the holiday season – bright colors, decorating the tree, innocence, love, friendship and of course, presents! So as I scramble to finish my shopping and the mall parking lot continues to drive me insane, it’s nice to look at this card and think about all the reasons I love Christmas.

Merry Christmas & have a great New Year's!

Jess