The prep is done. The trucks are (almost) loaded. Our clothes, accessories, and enthusiasm are packed. We're hitting the road for a week ... it's National Stationery Show time. We can't wait to see all of our wonderful vendors and industry friends. Check back for posts on our exciting week ahead!
Vendor Spotlight: Sweet Paper
Sweet Paper in La Jolla, California is a fresh, fun and cheery atmosphere. The Ladies of Sweet Paper are availabe to thier clients for appointments and providing opinion on anything paper! The shop looks wonderful and after Sarah and Erin visited them in Feburary, I just had to find out more!! I was delighted to ask Theresa more questions.
How many years have you been in business? 1.5 years
Do you have a website, if so, what's the address? Yes, we have a website that features our blog - www.sweet-paper.com
If you were to sell something other than stationery, what would it be? Theresa would sell vintage, upcycled furniture and home goods. Julie would like to sell jewelry if she was not in the stationery business.
Besides the obvious (stationery), what is your favorite thing to give as a hostess gift? Theresa loves Haute Papier Coaster sets as a hostess gift, but since that could be considered stationery. The runner up would be Cake Kitchen Papers, decorative serving papers and placemats. Julie enjoys giving candles as a hostess gift. My favorite is glassy baby (http://www.glassybaby.com) and since each one is unique- you are never giving the same gift twice!
Here at Haute Papier, we love to eat! When in NYC for the National Stationery Show, where is your favorite place to grab dinner? There are so many delicious options! Cafeteria for comfort food after a long day of walking the show is a great choice. Cafe Habana has Mexican style corn and chilaquiles. But our absolute favorite is letting local friends and family lead the way, we always end up someplace new and the food is always amazing!
Any other tidbits about your store you'd like to share? We have Champagne Saturday every week- we pour free champagne for all our guests and usually have some little treat to go with it. It makes for a really fun atmosphere in the shop!
Thanks Ladies!! Can't wait to see you at the show.
Vendor Spotlight: RSVP
With wedding season in full force it is hard not to be thinking of RSVP's. This leads me to our next vendor. RSVP in Iowa City, Iowa. The lovely ladies of RSVP are spunky, creative and part of a tight knit community! Their store has so much to offer and I was dying to know more, so I just had to ask some questions!
How many years have you been in business? We’ve been going strong for 14 years!
Do you have a website, if so, what's the address? www.rsvp-asap.com
If you were to sell something other than stationery, what would it be? I’d love a shop that combines luxury bath products (candles, soaps, lotions), beautiful lingerie, and letterpress poetry broadside work. Random? Yes. Delightful? Also yes!
Besides the obvious (stationery), what is your favorite thing to give as a hostess gifts? Saipua Soaps: great soap, lovely paper packaging.
Here at Haute Papier, we love to eat! When in NYC for the National Stationery Show, where is your favorite place to grab dinner? www.casellula.com It's teensy, intimate and delicious. I think it's also my favorite, because I’ve spent so many amazing evenings there with other paper people.
Any other tidbits about your store you'd like to share? We are community minded. We're located in the heart of Iowa City, home to the Iowa Writer’s Workshop (a superb book arts program) and a UNESCO City of Literature. We host numerous fine arts events in the store each month: literary readings, art exhibit openings, even live music once in awhile! We are known for projects that encourage letter writing - mailart and penpals being among our faves. We’ve even helped sponsor a public piano that sits outside our store! Art comes in all forms, letters being only one, and we like the inspiration that collaboration brings…as well as the delightful sense of community.
Vendor Spotlight: Express Yourself
Express Yourself in Basalt, Colorado is not just a fun name. It is a wonderful shop that can supply all your gift giving needs! Erin and Amy have a wonderful shop and such passion to stationery. Read more to see what Express Yourself is all about! These ladies have great answers to our questions!
How many years have you been in business? Express Yourself has been in business for twenty years and we just celebrated our eighth year as owners! We – Amy Forsey and Erin Forsey Jones – are two sisters with a passion for paper and parties, gifts and goods, home and family and we love to share that with our plethora of paper and gift selections in our note-ably unique boutique. You will find Amy designing and creating in the store, while Erin works in the office more than a hundred miles away in Denver.
Do you have a website, if so, what's the address? We have a website, www.expressyourselfbasalt.com as well as a website specifically for our welcome bag business www.theHELLOtote.com. We also blog at www.daughterdaughter.blogspot.com
If you were to sell something other than stationery, what would it be? We already sell pretty much exactly what we want! If we were to do something other than stationery we would probably be documenters of life – in photographs and in written form. We both love to get behind the lens and capture the world around us – horses, our kids (Erin’s has two little girls and they love their Aunt Amy!), travel highlights, product photography, people, and nature. Erin loves to write too when time allows – fiction and non-fiction. There is something magical about celebrating and capturing all of life’s moments. Luckily, we get to be a part of that with our clients when we help plan the paper details of their events.
Besides the obvious (stationery), what is your favorite thing to give as a hostess gift? For hostess gifts we love to give whimsical cocktail napkins, especially the Mariposa napkin holders with weights. Bubble bath or a beautiful soap is always a nice gesture for the hostess and personalized coasters (from Haute Papier!) are such a thoughtful, and well received, gift.
Here at Haute Papier, we love to eat! When in NYC for the National Stationery Show, where is your favorite place to grab dinner? Our latest favorite place to grab dinner, when in NYC for the National Stationery Show is Diablo Royale in the West Village. Definitely, worth the trip for some fantastic and authentic Mexican food. And of course, it is close to our favorite cupcake stop – Magnolia. There are definitely plenty of great cupcake options in the city, but this has been a favorite of ours for more than 12 years. We’re even working on perfecting the Magnolia cupcake at home for our next birthday party and think we just may have come across the secret ingredient!
Any other tidbits about your store you'd like to share? We are definitely a unique boutique in a small, mountain town and we love working with our customers – locals and visitors alike. Aspen is our neighbor and brings an eclectic and vibrant feel to our community, and ultimately to our store. We have watched some of our clients go from graduation to engagement to wedding to baby and beyond. Paper and gifts are our passion and it is exciting to share that – often creating a custom design that is one of a kind for a reception or celebration. We are working on expanding our own custom creations and are starting to reach a much larger clientele with online sales – keeping it personal but accessible. When we are not working, you will often find us with friends and family in Aspen and Denver, enjoying the good life!
Thanks Amy and Erin for sharing! See you at the NSS.
Vendor Spotlight: Monograham Paper
Monograham Paper in Delafield, Wisconsin is a bright, vibrant but classy store. Amy opened it not even a year ago. SMOCK papery is in abundance at Monograham. I just had to find out more from Amy!!
How many years have you been in business? Our brick and mortar store has been open since last July.
Do you have a website, if so, what's the address? monograhampaper.com
If you were to sell something other than stationery, what would it be? Well we do. ;) We sell everything from jewelry to hand lotion. We feature mostly small, independent companies with a commitment to sustainability.
Besides the obvious (stationery), what is your favorite thing to give as a hostess gift? I always love to bring fresh flowers (from my garden or the farmer's market) in a vintage vase .
Here at Haute Papier, we love to eat! When in NYC for the National Stationery Show, where is your favorite place to grab dinner? i love joseph leonard. love. love. love. http://josephleonard.com/
Any other tidbits about your store you'd like to share? I love designing my work (for smock) amidst all the inspiring products being made by others. I feel very fortunate.
Thanks Amy, can't wait to see you at the National Stationery Show!