NSS Community-Based Site Live!

Today we “go live” with the National Stationery Show’s new website. More an industry site than purely a show-centric one, we hope it inspires you, and as it develops, becomes a regular stop in your daily clicks. I know, I know another website to follow, but let me tell you why this one will be worthy for you and your business to keep up with.


We’re setting the bar high and aiming to engage professionals on all sides of the business. The reason is simple: to communicate on a regular basis with our industry community well beyond the 4 days each May that we convene.

www.nationalstationeryshow.com will feature industry and business news, product features, flash polls, links to blogs, and other websites we find valuable, and will present what’s timely and relevant about the Show to exhibitors and buyers. It will be dynamic and participative. And, above all, we hope it builds community.

And speaking of community, don’t you find that this word is so often used to describe our industry? It surfaces in almost every business conversation I have, whether in a meeting, in the midst of a phone call with a customer, a planning session with the team, or during a special event. Community is a defining characteristic of the Show, as all sectors of our industry come together: manufacturers, retailers, distributors, reps, designers, licensing agents, suppliers, consumer and trade press. This is a hallmark of NSS (no pun intended!) and something that, if I do say so myself, is pretty unique in the spectrum of shows and business events that are out there. As our community grows, changes, and spans every corner of the world, we hope that the site becomes a global “town center”.

The soft launch will help us uncover any glitches, any clumsy navigation, and maybe even a mistake! But, in a true community we can and should be ourselves – bumps and all. So, go easy on us, but be sure to let us know what you think of this initial debut. And, allow me to invite you to be a part of this community. Please visit the site often, take our polls, contribute ideas, visit the product gallery and enjoy!

-Patti

A Sneak Peek

Okay, readers. You are a privileged group! We can’t contain our excitement any longer, so we’re giving our blog readers a tiny glimpse at the new vibe of the National Stationery Show. And our new vibe isn’t just a new look – it’s a new philosophy and outlook on our obligation to the industry as its leading event. This new vibe can be summed up in just one word - Community.

Gone are the days of the National Stationery Show as just a 4-day event…although no doubt among the most productive four days of your year! We are about to unveil a new website that will intrigue and inspire you year-round with breaking industry news, new product features, industry polls and more. Creating a sense of community is our goal, and we think you’ll agree that we have achieved just that.

Be sure to check out www.nationalstationeryshow.com in another week or so to see our dynamic, community-based new website. Spend a few minutes taking in the latest industry headlines, scoping out some great new products and learning about the Show itself. And did I mention the user-friendly navigation? We always enjoy talking to our customers, and will miss those “where can I find…?” phone calls.

Let us know what you think…and of course, send news, product announcements and anything else you think might be a good fit for our new website.

Happy navigating,
Melissa

Creativity Fuels

Creativity is a big part of what the National Stationery Show is all about. Our exhibitors are creative. Our attendees are creative. Our staff is creative.



The one thing I’ve realized with the technology vs. paper debate I’ve heard about for years is that no matter what, all great products are because of great creativity; and the world will never stop buying great, creative products.


How often do you go into a store not planning on buying anything, and end up with “the cutest thing ever?” There is something inside all of us that has this “I just have to have that” adrenaline rush when we see something new and creative. I know I’m on a budget, I know I already have 4 unused notebooks at home in my desk, but that color…that design…that paper…I must own it. Sound familiar?

Maybe you’re not a notebook nut like I am. But maybe it’s pens; maybe it’s magnets…how about frames and photo albums? Desk novelties and mugs. Or it’s the newest design of post-it and organizational systems. No? Well maybe it’s your kids. It’s the folders and stickers and plush toys. That back to school shopping you just finished doing. If you’re in your 20s or 30s maybe it’s a girly laptop sleeve or a men’s leather messenger bag. It’s a new makeup bag or pocket mirror. Or it’s an iPod cover or cell phone case.



Whatever your guilty purchasing pleasure is, I bet it’s because of someone’s creativity. Some designer/manufacturer/retailer/marketer/sales representative/store manager saw a fresh, new idea and got creative.

So, we want to know:

1 – what fuels your creativity?
And
2- what’s your guilty purchasing pleasure?


We love to hear from our readers – please post a comment below!

*Jessica*

Card Sending Begets Card Sending!

The 2009 National Stationery Show hosted the launch of the national grassroots movement called HOPE is in the cards. The mission is to spread HOPE across America one card or letter at a time through the mail - what a concept!

The greeting card business - and the US Postal Service - have been dramatically impacted by the proliferation of technology tools that people use to communicate. And not to mention our culture that is quickly losing touch with the meaningful gesture of putting pen to paper to communicate. The HOPE program has the potential to remind us of that "mail moment" - the wonderful feeling you get when you see a hand addressed envelope in your mailbox.

I am proud that NSS is among the founding sponsors of HOPE. We are behind Russ Haan, its founder, to forge ahead with incredible ideas to build momentum. One such is the first Week of Hope that launched two days ago and continues through September 7th. You won't believe some of the amazing stories, some of which you can read about on the Hope site.

Retailers across the country are united in their support of the program. They're bringing it to their customers and their communities in ways that help promote traffic to their stores and ultimately sales. The fundamental gesture in common is that every customer that purchases a greeting card gets a free first-class stamp from the retailer. It's that easy.


Do your part and send a card during the Week, for as so many in the industry put it "card sending begets card sending."

-Patti

Robotic

This past week, I was “out and about” (code for attending or working some other trade show) and I could not help but notice what must be a trend – robots! There were robot products and images all over the place. Where is this coming from? I saw little robot key chains, images of robots on t-shirts, paper products, tote bags - and more. All the products were meant for adults, but the robots had a certain look to them – they were kind of cute, not scary. And most of the robots I saw had square heads, not the round-ish head like that of the robot on the classic TV show “Lost in Space.”

Today, we received an exhibit space application for the NSS from a company with something like robot paper dolls (3-D). This product is meant for kids, of course. Look for it at the National Stationery Show in May 2010 – the company who makes them will be getting a booth.

Has anyone else spied this trend out in the market? Where have these robots come from? I thought the craze for robots that rose from the movie enterprise that brought us cute little R2D2 had run its course (for now). Has “The Robot” dance made a comeback and no one told me? Are we being invaded? Is this some social commentary on how technology has affected the population at large? (Just kidding).

I feel a bit like a robot today, (Friday), after having been away from my desk for a solid week! I'll be back to my usual self on Monday, and I can promise you, I'm way too "animated" to ever be called robotic!

Have a great weekend and a good week ahead!

Until next time -

Kelly

Getting Back to Nature

I love the Adirondacks. Located in upstate New York, the Adirondacks National Park is the largest national park in the lower forty-eight states. I have gone there with my family every year since I was born, some years more then once.

This year I was on the lookout. Of course I knew that there were greeting cards in the ADK (as it is referred to by those who go there), but I never really realized just how many different types there were. As I looked over the cards in probably two dozen different gift stores, I realized that there was one broad category of cards that predominates there – nature themed cards were everywhere.

One company who I had the pleasure of speaking to at the 2009 NSS was “Haymaker Press”. A Vermont based company; they specialize in nature photography from the Adirondack and Vermont region. Their cards really evoke the sense of peace and beauty of the area. Just looking at a picture of a still lake surrounded by green, rolling mountains has the ability to calm me.



But it is not just nature photography that predominates. Take this beautiful boxed Christmas card set of snow on birch trees from “Peter Pauper Press”:



Nature has a way of calming the soul. I believe that everyone needs a little bit of nature in there life in order to thrive (I need a lot). Help someone you know thrive, you never know who needs a peaceful mountain lake in their life!

- Aaron

When the message really matters, it’s paper!

Over the past few weeks, several items arrived in my mailbox, and they have reminded me once again about the power that paper has to inspire, touch and brighten our lives.

First, I was delighted to receive a lovely wedding invitation, showcasing a beautiful, floral-inspired design from imprintables pioneer Colors by Design. Several days later came a handwritten note of thanks from a friend. Then our mailbox overflowed with cards helping to celebrate my husband’s birthday. All of these items from the social stationery industry could seem insignificant in the rush of our daily lives, but for my husband and me, they delivered messages of connection, caring and celebration that made us feel cherished.

Like everyone, I receive hundreds of emails per week—a never-ending flood of information, requests, spam, unwanted sales pitches, and every once in awhile, an occasional laugh. But except for business purposes, I have never kept an email, let alone saved one in my keepsake box for treasured memories. And I know that the greeting cards, invitations and personal notes I send other people are tucked away in their keepsake boxes as well.

There’s no doubt we are living in challenging times right now. Many people feel disconnected, unappreciated, and under siege. A card, a personalized note, an invitation—these are small actions make a huge and positive difference in someone’s life. I know that the power of paper continues to make a wonderful difference in mine. I’ll surely do my part to keep this enduring tradition going.
--Debra

A Whole New World of Paper Possibilities!

Long before I started at GLM®, I was an art major in college, hoping to do interior design. My art classes required me to sketch all my design projects on graph paper. Graph paper or lined paper helps the artist to correctly measure and accurately proportion their drawings according to the original reference point. Now, if you ever used graph paper, you’ll remember that it begins to get extremely difficult to differentiate between the actual drawing and the lines from the page especially when drawing with black pen or pencil. The dark, harsh lines cause your eye to sway from the drawing to the line. This sway causes the lined paper to compete with the drawing, rather than display the drawing. This distraction can, in fact, drastically alter the completed drawing. Instead of the viewer seeing the picture, they also see dark squares and/or dark lines intruding on the finished work. There is another crucial factor in drawing; this is known as the eraser. Once an eraser hits the surface of lined paper, it can cause the dark lines to smudge, further destroying the art. As an alternative to lined paper there is plain paper. Plain paper is just a blank slate, hoping to display art, writing, etc. However, when an artist uses plain paper they almost always have to use a ruler to make sure that the picture is level and proportionate. I thought there was no other way, until recently…

Whitelines® a new company, was started because of this very struggle. Just as the company name describes, Whitelines® has developed a paper with white lines. So that the dark markings from pens, pencils etc. do not interfere between the lines on the paper, making the writing, sketches, and drawings really stand out.


Whitelines® sells a plethora of products such as: notebooks, graph paper, notepads, journals and more. Each of their products helps to show off the picture and not the line. This is a genius idea, that not only helps artists but also mathematicians, bringing geometry equations to a whole new level!


I was so happy to meet a couple of the guys behind the company and this brilliant idea at the National Stationery Show® this past May, and I look forward to seeing them again next year! To all the artists out there, check out their website www.whitelines.se for a whole new world of possibilities.

Until next time,
Rachel Veach

My Daughter's Baptism - Oh the Decisions!

August 30 marks my daughter’s first momentous occasion – her baptism. So this oh-so-proud mama has been on the hunt for the perfect invitation and party accessories…right down to the napkins. What I’ve discovered is that the market for baptisms is expansive, with both practical and luxurious options. Who would have thought? And the colors! I never expected to see baptism invitations with bright hues and patterned ribbon embellishments. In fact, I very much expected to start my hunt for invitations, favors and party décor and be done 30 minutes later. Instead, 4 hours later I returned home with several options floating in my head.

But alas, the winner of the invitation is revealed...SanLori Designs! (And for the record, my deadline for this blog forced the decision.)



And after much debate, I decided that my daughter’s guests will leave her baptism party with these cute little Crystal Angel keepsakes, which are custom cut from crystal and packaged in a cushion-lined gift box adorned with a customized ribbon featuring my daughter’s name and date of her baptism.



…and of course…the napkins “I just had to have,” as my husband says.



Who would have thought a baptism would be so much work. Long gone are the days of just a few options…and only white options!

Melissa

Comfort is in the Cards….

It’s probably no surprise that I grew up a greeting card addict. I had boxes and drawers filled with cards, piles stashed under my bed and even in my book bag. My friends and I designed and wrote cards after school for years – an old fashioned version of a play date I suppose. I actually thought at one point, I’d write cards for a living. But, I found a better niche for this card-passionate, aspiring PR professional, first working for the Greeting Card Association and later – for 20 years - as the show manager of the single most important event for greeting cards – the National Stationery Show.

So, when HOPE is in the Cards (www.hopeisinthecards.org) launched @ the 2009 show my propensity for activism kicked into gear. I vowed I would pick up the torch again to promote the power of the written word in this age of digital sentiments that have little staying power once the delete button is pushed. I’ve decided my focus will be local, taking the lead from Russ Haan, HOPE’s founder, and get into the elementary schools to orient tech savvy kids to the high touch concept of ink on paper. Our social culture is starving for this, in my humble opinion and it’s up to the next generation of humans to carry on the tradition.


Now, fast-forward to two weeks ago when so suddenly, my father passed away. The greeting cards have been pouring in since, and I cannot express with enough emphasis the comfort that I derive daily from every read, every passing by the area in my home or in my office where these sweet offerings embrace me. I have come to rely on them when I least expect the grief to take over, and more than ever this reinforces the quality that cards possess to comfort, support, help heal, help cope, feel the love of another human being, understand the power of the written word – this only next to the hug of my husband, mom or very best girlfriend.


The cards I received vary in style, size and shape, printing sophistication, paper quality, eco chic, philanthropic orientation. Some are versed, others are blank. Some are layered, others are flat. Still others are handmade. I counted the number of companies whose cards I received – 17 in all! And, while stylistically very different one from the next, the enduring fact remains that when the message really matters, there’s absolutely nothing more powerful, more personal than ink on paper. Yes, indeed, comfort is in the cards.

-Patti