Monday, February 28, 2011

March Stationery Giveaway

Welcome to the March Stationery Giveaway!


 We have many new sponsors this month. If you have time, please take a moment to click on their links and check out their sites. Thanks!

4 designer cards from Hard Cards just for you! These humorous cards offer a little bite with their humor. One of the cards says "You're the love of my life." Inside the card says "But I'm Young. A lot could happen."  Visit their site to read/see more cards. Their motto?

Times are hard and so are we!


 This note pad and set of note cards from Inviting Company also offers a humorous and colorful cards and sayings. The note cards featured here say "There comes a time in the day that no matter what the question...the answer is wine." You can visit their blog for more product news, info and updates.

This gorgeous 7x9 Green Garden journal from Papaya has unlined pages and lies flat.In the past I would consider this journal too nice to write in, but would buy it for the looks. Now I am working on getting past that and writing my thoughts and notes in all the journals I have.
 Check out the Papaya blog too! Very colorful and entertaining.

Peppertree Designs is a new sponsor at Letters & Journals. This month they have donated these purse-size  mini notebooks (3) colored with soy ink and using 100% recycled paper. Peppertree publishes an assortment of original cards and is "about fun, whimsical originality." 

Next we have a set of Thinking of You cards from PiPo PressPipo Press offers both pre-made and customized cards, stationery and invites.  From their About Us page is the abbreviated story of how PiPo Press came into being as well as how they got their name.
'storyhour at weston library, 1 miss joy, 2 moms, 3 doodlebugs. a friendship begins. playdates, preschool, another baby, sleepless nights, and too-many-to-count coffees. a company is born'

Everyone needs a Cat notebook to keep track of their highly original and exotic thoughts on life and cats. This one was created and donated by Product Superior Limited who also donated a set of 5 pencils and this AWESOME 8x10 All Around Town NYC: Rooftops and Watertowers print.

New and original this month is a set of luggage tags from Puro Papel. What's unique about this set of luggage tags, besides the design, is the enclosed marker to write your information on the back side of the tags. Not only do you have a unique identifier to help select your bag from the queue of luggage on the conveyor belt, you also have it personalized. If you don't travel, consider this the perfect hostess or shower gift.


This hard bound artist's journal is from Running Rhino and offers 60 unlined pages with acid-free paper with an elastic closure. Running Rhino & Company offers a huge selection of journals; artists, sketch, spiral bound, etc. They also have note cards, birthday books and guest books.



If you like some vibrant colors and bling on your note cards, then you will be ecstatic to receive these beautifully designed cards from SE Hagarman (website is currently under construction). SE Hagarman specializes in swanky stationery. To show you what swanky is, we will have individual cards will featured on Facebook.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Inspired by Photo Note Cards

I'm inspired by these photo cards to make my own note cards using photos I've taken. I received this one recently from a pen pal in NY and am just charmed by its exotic simplicity.

The photo card above is a miniature photo card (2.5 x 3.5) that I purchased at a craft fair recently with the idea that I would use this as a template to create my own cards with photos or portions of photos that I've taken.
This final photo note card is from a local nature preserve where I go for walks. I love the seasonal picture of this tree captured in its winter bareness, yet still grand and regal. (The credit for this card goes to Shirley Doyle from Nature Photographs in Minneapolis.)

Maybe next time I will have some of my own to share.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Write a Love Letter and Win Stationery

Kristina McMorris is hosting a contest to promote her new book, 'Letters From Home'. The prize? This nostalgic memory box of gorgeous stationery from Oblation Papers and more (value $150).
Just write a love letter or submit a previously written one to her by March 31, 2011. The letter can be real or imaginary. Guidelines posted on Kristina's website make some suggestions:
Some ideas include...an actual WWII letter; an imaginary note from Juliet to Romeo, from Donald Duck to Daisy, or from Amelia Earhart to a secret love with whom she might have run away. It can be a letter you once received, a copy of one you've sent, or one you should have written long ago. It can be a message to God, an estranged relative, a deployed serviceman, your favorite celebrity, and the list goes on.
 Go ahead. Write your heart out!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Edward Gorey Postcard #3

Keeping with the Edward Gorey Postcard theme, here is the third card going out in this 26 card series.

"I won't get up today'; he said. 'I'll spend it lying here in bed'.
~ from The Stupid Joke by Edward Gorey
I'm planning to use black and white stamps to match the artistry on the cards.  I also have a few Edgar Allan Poe stamps that I think would add a nice touch.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Niche Magazine Conference


The Niche Magazine Conference is over and I found it very beneficial. Because the conference catered specifically to niche magazines, the workshops and keynote speakers were targeted to the needs of niche publishers. Some of the workshops included:
  • 7 Tools to Engage Your Audience
  • E-Newsletters
  • Ad Sales
  • Mobile Strategies
 In addition to these informative sessions, we also had lots of time for networking with fellow niche publishers. To give you an idea of some of the other publications represented at the conference, here are a few titles; New Hampshire Wedding, Birdwatching, SD Times and Outdoors NW.

Much has been happening to the publishing industry with many magazines going belly up in this tough economy. But the feeling at the conference was that niche magazines are the wave of the future. Keeping publications small and relevant will help the niche publisher survive.

Although some niche publications are divisions of larger publishing houses, many of them are published by individuals.

Next up is the annual National Stationery Show (NSS) in New York in May. Maybe one day I will get to Paperworld in Germany.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Introducing the Letters & Journals Badge

Letters & Journals is proud to introduce its very first badge! I've been seeing these more frequently on other sites and decided it would be good for us to get out there too.  If anyone wants to include this on their blog or website in place of the link that might be there now, please feel free to grab the code from the website on the right hand side of the page.
Any preference for the jagged paper edge above or the square badge as shown below?

Please let me know if you put this on your site so that I can see how it looks and send you a proper Thank You.

Friday, February 4, 2011

February Stationery Giveaway

The February Stationery Giveaway has some awesome products in our biggest giveaway yet! If you're getting this newsletter, then you're in the drawing.
Above is pictured everything in this month's giveaway (if you can see it all) except for the Japanese Writing Papers which arrived after I had taken all of the photos and had already uploaded them. The Japanese Writing Papers stationery set is pictured near the end of this post along with a description.

Ko Co donated this brightly colored notebook with lined pages and a pocket in the front,. The notebook also has a black binder to keep everything in place. In case you can't read what it says along the right side in the photo above, it reads, 'notes & ideas including lists, facts, poems and of course manifestoes'. So there you go!
Crane has been very generous since we started these monthly giveaways last June. This month they donated a set of Thank You cards. I thought the heart motif ties in nicely with Valentine's Day.
Jac Zagoory Designs offers another of Jac's unique and impressive designs. This eagle staple remover has some fine detail and a hefty weight considering its size. How could you ever go back to using a regular staple remover after using this piece of work?
Inviting Company is offering 3 full size notepads! These colorful and cute notepads offer clever sayings as well as appealing designs.
PiPo Press has sent in a uniquely designed set of  note cards that say 'Thinking of You. There are 10 of these of flat cards with envelopes from the friendly staff at Pipo Press.
Galison sent in this awesome notebook that starts off as a calendar switches to a weekly planner (no dates for either so you can start anytime!), followed by lined pages which are then followed by blank pages. On the last page is a pocket. This little notebook has it all, plus a great typewriter design on the cover and a black binder to keep everything contained. Galison is also offering 15% of any orders on their site. Use code ZZZ2. There is no minimum purchase for the discount. They have a ton of great items, so I hope you check them out.
In My Book has once again generously sent in 3 notecards/bookmarks with the bright red envelopes and the gorgeous pencil illustrations. If you're not familiar with items, they are described as 'greeting cards that perforates to become bookmarks!' Awesomeness indeed!
Ecojot is earth friendly and generously donates one notebook for each one that it sells. They also walk their talk by traveling to third world countries and donating even more time and resources to do their part to help make the world a better place. This small notepad is colorfully designed and has blank pages inside.
Papaya! has donated three items to this month's drawing. Above is a 2011 Day Planner with beautifully illustrated pages. There is also a two-pocket envelope in the front of the inside cover and a black band to hold everything snugly inside.
Next from Papaya! is a a 6-pc Celebrate the Art of Mail stationery set. Cute!
This stunning address book from Papaya! is colorfully illustrated, has a built in book mark as well as a yellow band to hold the book tightly shut. It also offers a small packet at the end of the book for keeping some of your stamps or notes safely tucked away. Each letter has its own tab and a page illustrating the letter in a gorgeous design.
Pictured above is a set of handmade Japanese 'kujaku' (peacock) patterned writing paper and envelopes. Made of mitsumata, one of the traditional but less well-known fibres used in traditional Japanese papermaking, the papers are made for writing; in addition to being sized, they have a subtle lined watermark meant to act as a writing guide. The package includes 30 sheets and 10 envelopes and usually retails for $50. This set has been generously donated by the Japanese Paper Place. You can check out their site for other unique items as well as for retail stores where this can be purchased.
Craftgasm has donated 2 cards and a stationery set which evokes a sense of exploration and travel. Anyone who enjoys sending or receiving letters will have fun using this set.

There are just two ways you can win any of the monthly stationery giveaways:
1. Be signed up for the free Letters & Journals monthly e-newsletter
2. You are put on the mailing list for information regarding the premiere edition when that information is available (No subscriptions yet- just a heads up on the status of the print edition) Send info here.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

January Stationery Winner

The lucky winner for the January Stationery Giveaway is Linda D from California! Congratulations, Linda. I have sent you an email requesting your mailing address and will get the package off to you as soon as I know where to send it.

Thanks to our lovely sponsors for January:  
Journal  (Crane)
Cards/Bookmarks (In My Book)
Flying Wish Paper (Flying Wish Paper)
Poodle Note Cards (Haley’s Handmades)
Note Cards (Hello Lucky)