Hello, cupcake!

Recently, I’ve received several calls, from different exhibitors in the National Stationery Show, asking if it would be okay for them to serve cupcakes in their booths. I’m thinking, what is going on here? All these requests for cupcakes!! Okay, we know they’re easy to serve, we also know that if you’re of a certain age, it was still okay for mom to bake 24 cupcakes for your kindergarten class to help you celebrate your birthday. So for some of us, cupcakes conjure up a great memory.

But here we are, and they are still going strong. After all, New York has its famous Cupcake Café – and I know many exhibitors in the Show have visited it! It’s so close to Javits – on 9th Avenue between 40th and 41st Street – an easy walk on a nice day! Here’s a photo of one of their delicious cupcakes. Yum!


I am totally excited to see all of the amazing cupcake wrappers offered by Paper Orchid at the Show this year. Here’s a picture of one – look at that intricate laser-cutting to make those butterflies! Just lovely.



Check out this cute birthday card – and wrapping paper - from Snow & Graham! (Ladies, can’t wait to see you again this year at the Show!!)


That wrapping paper is single sheet, by the way, and exactly how I like to buy gift wrap these days.


Boatman Geller has cute stationery (more pink and brown!)



Mrs. Grossman’s has these cute stickers! I like that the cupcakes on these stickers have sparklers on the top. I think a lot of folks actually are serving them that way these days. What fun!




I know I’m only scratching the surface here on the cupcake “thing!” I’m sure there are loads more exhibitors in the National Stationery Show who will be featuring cupcake product. My question is, when exactly did this get so hot? Jess and I were musing about this the other day, and we couldn’t quite put our finger on it. All we know is that it most certainly is a “thing!” By the way, if you’ll be offering cupcakes in your booth at the Show, please save me one! (My favorite would probably be chocolate with vanilla buttercream frosting!)

- Kelly

One More Thing!

Hello again! I can't believe I forgot to mention that Sarah Schwartz, trend expert and stationery correspondent for Party & Paper Retailer and I will co-moderate the New Buyer webinar that I mentioned in yesterday's blog. I just had to let you know!

Have a great weekend,
Patti

It’s Cool to Learn; It’s Really Cool to Connect!

It’s amazing how much new technology has changed the way we do business. It wasn’t that long ago that we used a typewriter to create National Stationery Show contracts AND badges…imagine that; were wowed by the FAX; and we knew the voice of every exhibitor in the Show. While we surely aim to maintain a highly personal relationship with our customers, we are more widely using new technologies to enhance how we do what we do.

To this point, we just completed a 3-part exhibitor webinar series. The program covered the basics of exhibiting at the National Stationery Show, and it was a huge success! The topics included marketing, logistics & operations, and booth design & display. The technology tools were fantastic; the speakers were in independent locations (in one case, I was on a business trip and spoke from my hotel, while my counterpart was in another part of the country. Becky Taylor, my PR colleague, operated the program from the home base in White Plains). And, the 45-person audience was spread across the country and overseas. Amazing.

The Operations program included our partners from Freeman Decorating – and it was so helpful to the new exhibitors; it demystified the whole Javits/New York thing that people have in their heads. Kelly led the Design & Display program with Mike Oleskow of Max & Lucy and Modus Operandi, and in a word, it rocked. So many of the new exhibitors are artists, so we know that creatively there is no question of their sense of beauty. BUT, building a display that is inviting and which promotes sales is a whole new game. We got a big thumbs-up from our exhibitor customers and we know they’ll be in a more ready position as a result.

In a few weeks, we’ll deliver our third annual New Buyer Webinar. This is geared to first-time attendees. We have two veterans supporting the program, one a retailer that has attended for many years, and the other, a long-standing exhibitor. Both really know their stuff and are wonderful people! Becky Taylor is again orchestrating the program – she has become a real pro! Click here for more information on this Webinar.

We are all about customer service. Personalized and on-target customer service. It would be great to hear from you on this very issue – even if you’re not currently an exhibitor or attendee! What topics matter to you/your business at it relates to the National Stationery Show or larger industry issues? We intend to expand our Webinar series, in particular, and would greatly value your ideas.

6 weeks to go!


~Patti

Think Spring. Think Weddings!

Easter just passed, the bathing suits are on the racks, the winter hats are back in the closet…it could only mean one thing – it’s Spring Time! And with spring being the most popular time to get married, I want to extend a great big public “thank you” to my 5 friends (yes 5) who decided to get married between March and June of 2008. They sure are making this an eventful (literally) time of year for me. By the time the weddings are over and the National Stationery Show has passed I’ll be an official wedding trends guru!

This past Friday I attended one of my closest friend’s wedding and it was absolutely beautiful. She combined a little old with a little new, and wrapped it all together with the colors of spring. Not quite sure what I mean? I’m going to take you on a photo recap of the celebration to explain.

The wedding was at Anthony’s Pier 9 in New Windsor, NY. If you don’t know NY weather, let me give you a quick tid-bit of information, March in NY is colder than December. So although Friday was technically spring, an outdoor wedding was not an option. But Nicole (the bride) found a way to have an outdoor wedding, indoors.



I loved the flowers Nicole picked out. Each bridesmaid had a spring colored bunch of tulips and each groomsman had a matching rose or carnation. What a great way to incorporate spring colors into a wedding!



Now onto the cocktail hour where the big debate was whether the favors were little rocks or little candies. Any guesses?


Time to sign the guest book! Here’s where you’ll see that modern feel to her wedding but with the traditional, timeless accent of little pearls & doves – I love it!



The head table was beautiful – simple and elegant.


And last, here’s me and my husband lookin’ all fancy! 1 down, 3 more weddings to go (we’ll be missing the one in Niagara Falls unfortunately)!



Now speaking of weddings, the NSS Girls are cooking up some very exciting bridal additions to this May’s Show. We’re talking more than the elegant invitations & announcements, more than the fun bridal accessories & favors, even more than the already exciting seminar presented by The Knot – all of which are key features of the Show. Think big. Think new. Think fun. Think Show Biz. Details to come soon! I hope you’re getting as excited as we are – 7 weeks ‘til Show time!

**Jess**

An early Easter

Yikes! Easter is early this year. Of course, we’ve known that, and surely you’re more ready with your products (shipped and displayed) than the throngs of folks buying cards at the last minute (that would be now). For those of you with stores, I am sure you keep statistics on which card holiday is the most last minute. How do the holidays stack up? I don’t think Easter is the most of the “last minute purchase” group, but this year it might be! Anyone want to chime in on this one? I’d love to hear.

My mom is a big card-sender, and this Easter is no exception. But this time, since we won’t be together, she sent me a box via UPS to the office. Inside was my card, from Ambassador.


My mom always chooses a “for my daughter” card no matter the holiday. She also sent me 3 packages of Peeps chicks – yellow, purple and green; 3 candy bars; and a pink kitchen towel, by Tag, featuring bunnies and carrots, and a pink potholder with Easter eggs on it . I love that there is so much product out there to help celebrate the holiday.

I was surfing the net, wondering what was out there in Easter card land, and I found this hand-crafted card by Pickled Paper Designs. It was on a blog, and the designer is Amy Sheffer. Amy says on her Feb. 10 blog that she has a rapidly approaching card-selling venture! Well, Amy, if there’s any place to get your cards into the market, it’s at the National Stationery Show!! Very cute card. I love the ribbons.


Easter is, of course, the holiest of the Christian holidays. DaySpring offers a very wide selection of religious Easter cards (and other products), for a wide variety of tastes. This card is available in a pack of 8, and contains a message and Bible verse.


I like the foiled, flourish design on the front - very pretty.

I really would love to hear from retailers – what is the most “last minute” card holiday? Though Mother’s Day (this year, May 10th in the U.S.) is one of the more popular card-sending holidays, according to the Greeting Card Association. I wonder if there are all those sons out there buying the cards on Saturday and even on Sunday. Write in and tell us!

Happy Easter, Happy Spring!

Kelly

Irish, one day a year!

I don’t know about where you live, but here in the NY area, St. Patrick’s Day is BIG! I am not Irish, but St. Paddy’s day has been a part of my life, well… “ever since!” When I was little, we used to hang shiny green shamrocks (you know the kind – cardboard and foily green) on our windows and doors, and we used to watch the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The day was capped-off with corned beef and potatoes for dinner. And you know there was Irish Soda bread. Yum. Also, my Mom used to dress my sister and me in matchy-matchy green outfits (that girl scout body suit came in handy sometimes…) for this holiday. What was that about? Green ribbons in our hair and everything!!! I guess it is, for us here on this side of the country, just another advent of spring! We’re ready for warmer weather, and the bright green of those shamrocks give us hope!

The party and stationery stores in our area are filled with St. Patrick’s Day products. Check out the PartyCity website. I like this paper plate from Amscan. The green with green and the whimsical design is just happy. It puts a smile on my face.


There’s so much product out there (napkins, cups, tablecloths), it would be easy to put together a party in a snap! For those of you who’d like to get even more festive, beads and boas and hats, (of course, hats!!!) abound!

I was in my local CVS store yesterday - they have Hallmark cards. There are just so many from which to choose! I’m starting to think that the luck ‘o the Irish might bring a little pot of gold! Erin go bragh, indeed!

Check out these cute stickers from EK Success. They’ve got everything here that conjures up memories of the holiday! They’re great for scrapbooking, of course, but I might even stick a good old four-leafed clover on my computer!



Did you know that See’s Candy has St. Patrick’s Day products? I love See’s Candy, and it used to be pretty hard to get, as it wasn’t sold out this way (they’re a West Coast company)! I’m sorry, but I just can’t help myself to drooling – just look at these milk chocolate candy potatoes!!


They’re huge!! And forget bunnies, how about a chocolate leprechaun? Wow. And gold coins are a natural for this holiday.

After seeing all there is surrounding this holiday, I’m ready to host a party, Irish or not! Can anybody teach me to jig?

Kelly

The Biz Behind the GCA

Kelly and I attend Greeting Card Association(GCA) meetings 3 times a year. Just last week we were in Washington, DC for a day of action-packed sessions, and I have to tell you, I am still thinking about it. In addition to the obvious business interests in common, this group of passionate manufacturers and suppliers work their tails off to serve the interests of “AUNT MINNIE”, the citizen mailer, in the lobbying efforts to keep postal rates down, as well as promote greeting card consumption through an active public relations committee. The leadership is 100% volunteer-driven. In addition to Postal stuff, members collaborate on so many different aspects of the business; it’s fascinating to be a part of such a generous-minded, brilliant group of people who compete strenuously in business, but work together seamlessly for the good of the industry.

I’m not writing an advertorial, but I am sharing my sense of what happens when talented people collectively commit to a cause. If not for the GCA, postal rates could be much higher. I’ll bet you don’t know, for instance, that the GCA is the only lobby for the first-class mail stream. Think about how postal rates, if not contained, could impact the sale and sending of greeting cards – and how sad it would be to miss the happy mail moments that come only from a hand-written envelope, typically a letter or a greeting card! How about square cards/envelopes? Bet you didn’t know that these are difficult to process by machine. Colored envelopes? A similar quandary. The GCA has subcommittees that work tirelessly to find solutions collaboratively with the US Postal Service so that greeting card publishers are not thwarted creatively and so that Americans will continue to send cards through the mail.

Then, of course, there’s all the schmoozin’. Serious schmoozin’ and serious fun. The friendliest business people I know either come from the tradeshow business – or the greeting card business. Here are a few shots from that January meeting. If you are in the greeting card business, you should check out www.greetingcard.org to learn about the GCA and the great programs it offers. And, when the time is right, join the GCA to meet and network with all the great people in this business!

Chip Owen, Avanti, Susan January, Leanin' Tree, Mike Oleskow, Max & Lucy, Kelly Bristol, GLM, Steve Laserson, American Greetings, George White, Up With Paper, Sara & Laura from BJ Communications


Susan January, Leanin' Tree, Mike Oleskow, Max & Lucy & Alison O'Connor, Greetings Etc.


Jack Withiam, GLM with Marianne McDermott, former executive director of GCA & Patti Stracher, GLM


Andrea Liss, Hannah Handmade Cards & Patti Stracher, GLM



We’re counting down to NSS, so I’m signing off for now. Stay tuned! And, keep us in tune with your thinking. If you’re planning to come to NYC for the Show, book your travel and housing through the nss website now. Looking forward to seeing all of you!


Cheers,

Patti

Across the Pond - Spring Fair 2008

This industry is just so energizing, isn’t it? I recently attended Spring Fair at the NEC in Birmingham, England. What a show! I love attending Spring Fair – for the networking, (with old friends and new), seeing the creativity in the industry “over there,” and hearing about business in general.

One of my first stops at the Show is always at the stand of Progressive Greetings. Progressive Greetings covers the National Stationery Show each year, and you’ve “met” the editor Jacquie Brown and the advertising director, Warren Lomax in Patti’s blog after attending the Henries this past fall in London. Now here, please also meet Angie Bryant, who is also with Progressive. She’s actually waving to everyone! She and I met several years ago (we thought it was probably 2003) when she last attended the NSS. She is a blast, and she loves this industry. (How can you not?)



Greeting cards are a huge part of the British culture, and Hall 3, which housed the greeting card section of the Fair had about 500 companies exhibiting – almost all of them showing greeting cards!

As it turns out, the British send more cards than those of us in the States. According to information on the UK’s Greeting Card Association website, the average number of greeting cards sent there is at 55 per person per year. In the US, according to our Greeting Card Association’s stats, the average US household purchases 30 greeting cards a year, and the average person receive 20 cards per year. Wonder what we’re doing with the extra 10? Saving them, perhaps, like me, for an unexpected occasion? (It’s always good to have a few baby, birthday – and sympathy – cards on hand).

One of my goals of attending Spring Fair was trend-spotting. I have to say, I think that both sides of the ocean are on the same page, mostly! Again, black design – like a black damask pattern over another color, or a silhouette look – was strong here. I saw some great examples of this at Nella and at the booth/stand of a new company called Over the Moon. (And I was over the moon about some of this company’s products – little thank you cards specific to any occasion!) I thought about getting the one about the cat for my cat sitter! See cards from Over the Moon below.



I also got to talk with David Faraday, the Director of hiPP., a gift wrap/packaging company, whom Patti and I met at Spring Fair last year. This company will be exhibiting at the National Stationery Show for the first time this May, and I’m so excited. They have great gift bags and packaging – some with beautiful flocking. Look at these blue bags, below. Who wouldn’t want to receive a gift in one of these bags!



At Roger LaBorde (they’ll be back in the NSS this year!) I saw so many beautifully layered color combinations. In their “First Press” line I especially liked the “salon floral” grouping which featured bright flowers in pink and raspberry and a greenish gold with black silhouetting. The colors were layered on top of one another – a very lush look.

I also talked with Sarah Watts, the business manager of Penny Kennedy. Sarah brought Penny Kennedy to the National Stationery Show last year with its own booth. This year, the line will be at the Show, with certain products being distributed by the Nelson Line and others by Calypso Cards. Of course, Sarah will be at the Show, and will be found hopping from booth to booth in support of both her distributors!

I asked Sarah if she’d seen a trend in what her buyers were ordering at the Show. She told me that their metallics are really strong sellers, and the blue with silver papers always do well.

I also talked with a new company showing letterpress products. In the whole hall there were only two companies with letterpress – a hard concept for those of us in the States, I know, but letterpress (a process only some 500 years old) has not caught on in the UK the same way it has in the States…yet! I should say that one of the two companies with letterpress was from the US. The other was this new British company, Blush Publishing. I’m hoping Blush will join our Show, but if not, I plan on checking in with the owner from time to time to see how he’s doing with getting the British to love letterpress the way we do here!

One of the nights I was in town, I had dinner with Eli Nelson, of the Nelson Line. Eli has been a distributor in the industry for 20 years – in fact, his first NSS was in 1988! Eli has a good eye and has a lot of great lines as a result! After dinner, we met up with the 2 sisters behind the company desertRose – Vicky and Sandra Daniel. They’ve been in business for a number of years, and most notably, they have this fantastic white design on color – for example, their winter berry design on blackberry colored paper or their holly brand design on platinum – this look is different and beautiful! Here’s a picture of the group of us (that’s Sandra, on the left, Eli, Vicky and me). I hope we’ll see them in NYC this May!



Finally, thanks to the good folks at TPS for hosting me as an attendee of Spring Fair this year. It’s always nice to see the industry in action! I can’t wait for our Show this May!

PS – Did you know that Mother’s Day is not in May in the UK? It precedes Easter there! This year, it will be on March 2. Who knew? If anyone reading this knows why the dates are different, I’d love to know!

Kelly

A Passion for Cards

I just got off the phone with a reporter from the New York Times Sunday Business section. She was exploring the impact Sandra Boynton has had on the greeting card industry, and was interested in my perspective on how the industry has changed over the years, where it is today and what the National Stationery Show means to the greeting card business. I had a lot to say!

I talked about the Show and its history – did you know the first Show was at the Hotel New Yorker in private suites? It then moved to the New York Coliseum formerly on Columbus Circle and remained there for at least 35 years. Javits has been its home since. The Show was started for the “carriage” trade – department stores primarily – to do business with greeting card companies. Norcross was among the early greeting card exhibitors, as was Gibson Greetings, Hallmark and American Greetings.

In any event, in reflecting on the last 20 years and Boynton’s impact, I commented that she fueled the alternative card movement. In the early 80’s hundreds of new card company companies entered the industry. These companies didn’t deliver traditional seasonal/occasion cards; they presented cards that talked candidly, tenderly, humorously, acerbically about the day to day “non-occasions” in our lives. Companies like Nobleworks, Paper Moon, Palm Press, Colors By Design, and Avanti were among the early leaders – in addition to, of course, Recycled Paper Products which published Sandra Boynton for 30+ years…

The industry has continued to grow, thrive and prosper – even in our “techy” age where thumbs and index fingers do the communicating. Cards help people communicate in the most personal way. And all reports for the industry are favorable; there is actually a backlash to the impersonalization of our social culture. Cards are the perfect antidote to this, and if we end up in a longish economic slump, cards serve an even greater purpose as gift and sentiment in one!

Do you send a lot of cards? What is your favorite kind of mail to receive? Leave us a comment to let us know! Personally, I love the “happy mail” – anything hand-addressed with a pretty stamp.

Have a great long weekend,

Patti

Spreading Love: at the Shows & at Home

As many of you are aware the National Stationery Show is produced by GLM, the same company that produces the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF). So since we’re a fairly small company, we all help each other out in many ways throughout the year, particularly when the Show is soon to be up and running. That being said, I’m working in the Show Office at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC doing what I do best - helping brand new exhibitors figure out what to do, how to do it and where to go! This gorgeous building has 3 floors of the newest additions to the NYIGF.

It’s been a great experience because many of our exhibitors just got into this Show. I got to chat with Cat Fish Greetings,

try out a brand new pen by Yoropen (2007 Best New Product winner who exhibits in our Pen Pavilion)


hang out with the great guys behind Fusion Designs


discuss booth display ideas with Marsupial


and meet the artist/designer of one of our newest companies in Stationery, Jordy Blueprints


Now back to the world of stationery, I just realized that Valentines Day is only 7 days away! If you’re like me, you have not done anything to plan for it yet. But the February 2006 US Census Press Release brings me comfort in knowing that I’m not alone. It reports that nearly 50% of Valentines Day Cards are bought within 6 days of February 14th! See what else it says:

Top Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day (based on U.S. household participation)
Greeting Cards 65%
Date Night 44%
Candy 38%
Flowers 32%
Gift Cards 29%
Plush 21%
Other Gifts 17%
Perfume/Cologne 12%
Jewelry 11%
Sources: Hallmark/Retail Industry Leaders Association/NRF

Clearly greeting cards have the most impressive showing here, and it’s no surprise to me because cards can either stand alone or accompany a gift. But you don’t often receive a gift without a card (unless you’re receiving a gift from my brother – but that’s another story!)

According to the Greeting Card Association, 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second-most popular greeting-card-giving occasion. This total excludes packaged kids valentines for classroom exchanges.
I think all of us should take ½ hour today or tomorrow (ok, by Monday!) and shop for the perfect Valentine for the all of the loved ones in our lives.

Wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
Jess