CasaSugar

New Year's Resolution: Journal More!

Elka Karl — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:41:29 PST

How are your New Year's resolutions going? One of my resolutions was to carry a journal everywhere I go to jot down notes and ideas. Sadly, I still have to buy a journal! If you've resolved to keep a journal as well, I've rounded up some fun choices.

Keep track of your adventures (both naughty and nice) with the Shenanigans Letterpress Journal ($10). It would be perfect for party planning or keeping track of great new cocktail recipes - or however you choose to participate in your own personal shenanigans.

For the guy in your life, give him the Pelle California Handmade Leather Travel Journal ($40). Handmade in California, these journals are made with FSC-certified, eco-friendly linen and paper and US-sourced oil tanned leather. Each journal comes with a stringed book marker, a protective cloth travel bag, and an extra elastic band.

Looking for a lovely feminine option? The Rifle Paper Co. Botanicals Notebooks ($13) from Chronicle Books are a perfect choice. These colorful notebooks feature oil-stamped covers and vintage-inspired interiors. I love the gorgeous colors and dreamy blooms that decorate the cover.

Have your eye on another choice? Click on the image to shop!

10 Charming New Valentine's Day Cards From Hello!Lucky

CasaSugar — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:14 PST

The latest Valentine's Day designs from Hello!Lucky are cheeky, colorful, and clever - guaranteed to make your sweetheart smile. Hoping to send a certain someone your special message? Check out these fresh and witty letterpress cards. Planning to send to several friends? Print one of the free downloads to spread the love without spending a dime!

Baby's Here! 9 Creative Birth Announcements

Nicole Abbott — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:59:15 PST

Mommy and daddy aren't the only ones who have been expecting the stork's arrival, so announcing baby's debut is big deal to new parents. Lots of mamas prefer to go with a custom birth announcement as unique as their new baby - and nothing says custom like letterpress announcements or photo birth announcements. Click through to check out nine creative custom birth announcements for a little inspiration.

Beautiful (Affordable!) Letterpress Stationery and Wedding Invitations From The Pressroom & Company

Elka Karl — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:13 PDT

Whether you're a bride-to-be, frequent letter writer, or proud new mama, letterpress stationery and invitations are one of the most elegant ways to share your good news with your friends and family. Unfortunately, these invitations also cost significantly more than other stationery, due in part to the arduous work involved in the letterpress process. Luckily, now even budget-strapped letterpress lovers can indulge, thanks to a new stationery collaboration from The Pressroom & Company.

Spark Letterpress has partnered with a select group of talented stationery designers to offer a variety of beautiful stationery, including wedding invitation suites, all letter-pressed by Spark. The timeless designs, many of which are exclusive to The Pressroom & Company, offer a beautiful and beautifully affordable way to announce your upcoming nuptials, new baby, or other happy life event.

With services including die cutting, drilled holes, custom monograms, custom-illustrated maps and artwork, and eyelet settings, you can personalize your invitations or stationery to your liking. Prices for wedding invitations start at $850 for a one-color, four-piece set of 100 invitations, and you can order a sampler kit for $15. Check out all of the designers, options, and possibilities for your personalized letterpress cards or invitations on The Pressroom & Company.

Make a Lasting Impression With These 10 Stunning Letterpress Birth Announcements

LilSugar — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 07:11:07 PDT

Letterpress printing has captured the hearts of paper lovers everywhere for hundreds of years. An ancient printing technique that involves literally pressing words or designs with ink into thick, soft paper using a printing plate, letterpress is elegant, high-end, and fabulous. Brides are big on letterpress invitations, and now new mamas are joining in on the hottest paper trend. Check out these 10 stunning letterpress birth announcements, and we assure you that if you're not a letterpress fan already then you will be!

Baby's Here: 10 Gorgeous Photo Birth Announcements

LilSugar — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:01:53 PDT

Having a baby is big news! There are many ways to announce a baby's arrival, but birth announcements are still the most popular choice for new parents - especially those with a photo of the newborn. Who would pass up the opportunity to send out a picture of their newly delivered pride and joy? Check out these 10 drop-dead-gorgeous photo birth announcements to share the excitement of a lil one's birth with your loved ones.

11 Designs to Make Thank You Even Better

Lizzie Fuhr — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:00:00 PDT

I'm a big believer that nothing says thank you more than a heartfelt, hand-written note. While a short and sweet email would certainly suffice, there's something that feels natural about sending, or receiving, a note via snail mail. If you're going to go the extra mile to show your appreciation, you might as well do it right with a card that makes a statement on its own.

I've gotten a million compliments on my Kate Spade Thank-You Notes ($25.) Not only are they super sleek and understated, but I love their cursive matter-of-fact message: "Small card. Big thank you." It's a great option if you're sending a thank-you note after an interview or to give thanks to an end-of-Summer hostess. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I'm also partial to those crazy cartooned Beans & Rice Notecards ($17). The quirky message, "Beans and Rice, you're so nice," surprisingly does the trick.

Whether you're into cards that are silly and sweet, or you prefer thank-you stationery bursting at the edges with a bold print, I've pulled a selection sure to inspire those who recall the lost days of snail mail. Do you normally send a thank-you card to say thanks? Or are these "tangible" cards reserved for birthday celebrations or big gifts?

Madeline Weinrib Debuts Stationery For Dempsey & Carroll

Julia Walsh — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 05:00:00 PDT

If, like me, you've been lusting after a Madeline Weinrib rug for years, but haven't popped enough pennies in your piggy bank to provide for the purchase, I've got a treat to ease the heartache. The painter and textile designer is moving from the rug factory to the paper mill with a new line of luxury stationery for Dempsey & Carroll. Featuring hand-bordered cards and envelopes with block-printed liners, the fancy boxed stationery has the same exotic sophistication we've come to love from the lady. My favorite is the Isabelle in Pink Set ($60), which features the Pantone-crowned color of 2011, honeysuckle. But there are also more notes in dapper navy blue. Better yet, a portion of proceeds benefits Project Mala, a nonprofit working to eliminate child labor in the Indian carpet industry. The papers may not cover your nine-by-12 living room floor, but for only $60, they sure are high on style.

Win $1,200 Worth of Letterpress Invitations From Hello!Lucky

PopSugar City — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 07:00:07 PDT

From save the dates to welcoming your bundle of joy, Hello!Lucky letterpresses it all. One of our favorite stationery makers, Hello!Lucky makes even the smallest occasion worth celebrating with its high-end and hip designs. Of course, you want your invitations to be as perfect and full of love as your special day. Lucky for you, CasaSugar and PopSugar City are giving away $1,200 worth of letterpress invitations from Hello!Lucky. To enter to win, just head over to Facebook and fill out the entry form before the giveaway ends on March 31.

Hello!Lucky's stylish, unparalleled designs have appeared in publications such as Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, Marie Claire, and on The Today Show. Using printing techniques that date back to the 1400s, à la Gutenberg (thank you, 5th grade), Hello!Lucky makes each invitation a piece of art. Hello!Lucky ensures that you are completely happy with every order by inspecting each piece that comes off the press for quality and consistency. Mixing each color by hand and slowly layering the ink onto thick recycled paper provides a rare, one-of-a-kind feel to every invitation. You can even observe the printing process at the company's San Francisco studio! So what are you waiting for? Enter now.

DIY Stationery

Shelterpop — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 13:00:00 PST

I'm excited to present a post from one of our favorite sites, Shelterpop!

Looking for stationery that's chic, unique and, yes, cheap enough to send to everyone you know? We've got the perfect DIY project for you.

Printing your own gift tags, stationery or postcards can be a great way to personalize your communication. After all, email is so very . . . cold. So here's one idea to get you started from Christine Schmidt's book "Print Workshop" with Pin-Prick Stationery.

Clever Point

Pin-prick stationery is so easy - and so playful! Why not make some of your own? Fast and perfect for crafting dummies, this printing method gives cool relief texture to paper through embossing (pressing in) and debossing (pressing out). We even included a "Hello" and "Bon Voyage" template (see below) that you can enlarge or decrease to fit your stationery.

What you need:

Photocopy of a template or your own artwork
Pencil
Blank stationery cards and envelope
Cardboard
Pushpin

Continue reading for the steps!