unfold uk

it's called the internet, folks.

It's not easy to find both sophisticated and modern stationery styles in the UK. Sophisticated [and stuffy], yes, but modern? Not so much - and certainly not online. There is a great correspondence tradition in Britain that I really do love, but the actual process of finding contemporary designs and buying said stationery is still very old-fashioned. You have to make an appointment at a bricks-and-mortar stationer, go through massive bound books to find an ok design, then wait a few weeks for printing, then go back to the bloody store to pick it up. Has anyone ever heard of the internet? Didn't think so.

Thank God for Jane Press, I say. Jane Press is a new online-only personalized stationery boutique that carries both traditional and contemporary designs, uses super high-quality paper and prints your order fast. Here are some of my favorites:

I really love these calling card designs, because they are different from anything I usually see.  Plain white on the back of calling cards always seems like such a waste of space, and Jane doesn't do plain white [and I hate plain greeting card backs too, but that's another post].  Well done, Jane! 

cheer up luv - or not!

I just discovered - I'm a bit late to the party, I know - the coolest cartoonist slash designer slash doodler.  Andre Jordan is a depressed Brit with a super dark sense of humor and a powerful pen.  Behold:

stick to fries, BK

Burger King is licensing it's creepy King character for a line of greeting cards - this from Promo Magazine:

Burger King has signed a licensing agreement with Andrew McMell Publishing to develop a line of branded Burger King greeting cards featuring the company’s icon, the King.

The collection will include six different greeting cards featuring the King’s off beat personality.

The cards will be available at select retailers this summer. Recycled Paper Greetings, Inc., will produce and distribute the cards.

The deal was brokered by Burger King Corp.’s licensing agent, Broad Street Licensing Group.

Does anyone know what a fast food mascot and greeting cards have in common?  Do tell, because I cannot for the life of me think of even one thing. But then I'm a McDonald's girl myself.

what am I missing?

Can someone please explain why I keep getting emails from Papyrus about Atonement?  I'm finding it really hard to figure out what they have in common.  Now that the DVD is out, I'm really hoping this wierd promotion is now over.

a little light reading

I'm not big into the mass-market greeting card companies like Hallmark, American Greetings or Clinton Cards.  I'll be the first to admit that they have some really funny ranges [like Shoebox], but who really needs yet another stupid design showing a shooting star with the exclamation 'you're a star!' scrawled on the front?   Yet they serve the mass market well, so who am I to judge [as if that's ever stopped me before...]? 

I read an article in the Sunday Times newspaper about a Ukranian entrepreneur who runs a very successful greeting card publisher here in the UK called Riverside Cards.  They are so 'mass' that I've never even heard of them, but there ya go.  They sell $6 million worth of cards a year, which is small fry next to Hallmark's $4 billion, but his story reflects how the greeting card market is in so many ways still a cottage industry. 

invasion of the sprogs

Kids' toys at Kate's?  What?  I so don't get it.  Yes, I do understand diversification, and I guess this is a further extension of the Kate's at Home, but still.

when you care even a just a little

I have no idea how I missed this one, but miss it I did.  Last month I looked at a couple of e-card sites but only recently discovered what is now my favorite - someecards.com.  It certainly isn't because of the wide range of design styles [there is one style, period], but because it's funny as hell. 

Created by two ad agency guys, someecards.com looks as though it's trying to fly under the radar with its low-key, distinctly unflashy site - but they aren't fooling anyone.  Click on the small 'press' link in the bottom right-hand corner and you'll see it's been featured everywhere, and although there is just the tiniest bit of 'we're too cool for school' about it, I do think it's really, really clever.

The site is easy to use - just enter the text and recipient info [screen shot above].  The message as it appears to the recipient is a bit hard to see  [screen shot below] - and I wish the message was rendered directly on the card, as I've seen on some other sites. I guess I'll just have to settle for hysterically funny desert-dry wit in the meantime.

Here are some of my favorites:

all loved out

I used to love Valentine's Day when I was in school; it was just a fun day.  Then I grew up and realized how phony it all was.  That sounds like such a curmudgeonly thing to say and I'm all for love etc. etc. but the holiday just seems so forced.  Lots of people feel the same way about it, yet we bow to the pressure every year.

However, as I'm never one to shy away from a good greeting card, I thought I'd collect a few that are interesting. My friend Heather Perlman, graphic designer extraordinaire, gets to the heart of it [crap pun, I know]:

And here's a damn funny one from Bald Guy Greetings, which gets right to the point:

But I do like the sentimental ones too; I'm not completely without a sense of romance [this one's from Cartesian Graphics]:

My friend Monica has done something really clever in creating a line of cards called Style Diaries.  Basically, she creates cards out of fabric that holds a sentimental value to someone.  The story behind the card is one that lots of us can relate to, and it makes for a really interesting twist. 

Monica made a Valentine's Card out of a dress that Monica's friend Helene donated: 

... and here's the story behind the dress [plagiarized from Remanents' website]:

The diary entry on the back of this outfit is..."I went on many dates in this dress, too many actually. This was the dress I always pulled out when I wanted to impress. I looked good in this dress, maybe too good. My mom always said you have to kiss alot of toads to find the one. I felt like I went through the entire pond. I thought I would get lucky in this dress...funny how things turn out. I am not really sure why I decided not to wear this one with the last guy I dated. He seemed more of a jeans and t-shirt sort of guy. But maybe that is where it's true luck lies because now he's my husband.."

Each card is numbered and 20% of the online sales will be donated to the Global Fund for Women.

For a really pervy twist, you could use a pair of your underwear that has sentimental value... I'm laughing at the thought of Monica receiving a pair of dirty pants in the mail with a note saying 'can you make a greeting card out of this'?  I think I'm going to do just that...she'll never speak to me again. 

Have fun today, no matter what you do or with whom. 

dig deep

I'm not a big gadget person, so I don't spend hours on Firebox like many males I know.  But I did see this Carve Your Own Message and I think it's really clever.  I would have ordered it if Valentine's Day wasn't... oh, three days away... good thing I have some other good Valentine choices.

guerilla pr

Ronna Nelsen of It's In The Bag, a product placement marketing company that creates gift bags for celeb events, sent me a list of current opportunities - check them out here.