Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who read this blog and support Hayden Avery.  We wouldn't be here without your support and personally I am grateful.  Many Thanks!

We'll be taking an end of year break here at Hayden Avery.  We'll also be doing inventory (fun, fun).  With all of that being said, I wish you and your families the merriest Christmas and a happiest 2012.  See you in the new year! 

Just In Time!

Look at all these fabulous monogrammed cosmetic bags and jewelry rounds that arrived just in time for Christmas!  Whew!  There are going to be some happy ladies on Christmas day.

Calling Card Fun

We still have a few last minute gifts trickling in before the big weekend.  Today we received some super fun calling cards in the mail.  I love the bold colors and stylistic monogram.  I wouldn't mind a few of these for myself...

One other thing I almost forgot - All of our in-stock holiday merchandise is 50% off this week!  This includes holiday invitations, photo cards, cocktail napkins, cups and other gifts.  Stop by and stock-up!

TGIF

Next weekend it will be here...

If you need help with last minute gifts or gift wrapping stop by Hayden Avery.  I guess I could be considered a "Professional Gift Wrapper" at this point in my career.  My mother is a master at gift wrapping, so I had a good mentor.  However, for at least 10 years gift wrapping has been part of my profession.  Lot's of people don't like wrapping gifts - but I really don't mind it at all.  So, if you are one of those people who feels daunted by the task, just stop by!  We have some fabulous gift wrap and gift tags to choose from.  I won't tell anyone that I wrapped your gifts either -

you can take the credit!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Random Wednesday Thoughts

I've been so bad at blogging this fall - it's been a crazy one.  Excuses, excuses!  Today I have a little time to actually sit down and catch-up.  So prepare yourself - this is a random one...

One of things I like most about the holidays here at Hayden Avery is smelling our holiday wreath when people come in-and-out of the store.  It feels so festive and indulgent to have a real wreath on our door.  This years wreath is weathering a lot better than last years since it's been a cooler December (click HERE to see last year's wreath).  I have a big wreath on my front porch at home - but we use our back door so much that I rarely smell it.  So it still feels like a treat every morning when I walk into the store. 

I just unpacked a customer's invitations that were being printed by English Paper Company.  They have updated their packaging and I am loving it.  It kinda makes your eyes crazy - but it is so fun and makes your invitations and stationery feel that much more special.  I can't wait for the customer to see her invitations (and the boxes they come in).  It's all about the little things and these are the kind of little things I love!

Last weekend was my birthday "weekend".  It was pretty uneventful but good.  Dr. Mark got me a combo birthday and Christmas gift (yes that happens a lot now that I'm older).  The mirror!  I love it and can't complain about my "combo" gift.  I've been working to get my house in order for a little party I'm having this evening.  I spent a lot of the weekend working on getting my Christmas decorations up and my living room feels pretty "finished" now that I actually have something above the fire place.  For a year it has just had the blank spot between the sconces (I got the sconces last year for Christmas).  The other part of this photo is the enormous bow that is under the right sconce.  Andrea and I made the bow at the store the other day (when we were slow) so that I would have a gold bow for my Christmas Tree.  It was awesome - we watched a youtube video on "how to make a bow for the top of your tree".  Andrea did the majority and I was the "assistant".  It looks awesome on my tree though.  So - if anyone has wired ribbon and wants to have a bow made for the top of their Christmas tree now you know where to come...

I told you this was a random post.
But I felt like we had a little catching up to do. 
Happy Wednesday - I hope the rest of your week flies by.
Oh and for the record -
no my Christmas shopping is not done (at all). 

It's Not Too Late!

It's not too late to order Christmas cards if you have not already done so.  You can select a custom Hayden Avery created Christmas card or select one of the many stocked Christmas cards, have a proof and then the finished product within a couple of days.  You could still have your Christmas cards out a week before Christmas Eve!  So call or stop by the store and let us help you. That's good news for a Monday morning. 

Wedding Invitation Sale

Now that the holiday card season is winding down, the wedding season is gearing up.  Arzberger Stationers, based in North Carolina, are having an engraved wedding invitation sale from December 2011 through March 2012.  They are offering 15% off their engraved wedding invitations just in time for wedding season!  Arzberger has a beautiful mix of traditional and fun wedding invitations.  They also carry the beautiful Italian hand made paper called Fabriano.  So if you're in the market for wedding invitations - stop by and check out all of their fabulous options.  

Happy Monday!

A new week and some people get to pick up their new 2012 calendars.  Aren't they great looking?  It makes starting a new year that much more exciting.  The slightly larger orange calendar in the center is a day to a page.  The green and aqua on either side of the orange calendar is a week to 2 pages.  If you are like me and can't keep track of your appointments on your phone, 

come order your 2012 calendar. 

Original Art Work

One of the Christmas Cards that I designed this year and am in the process of printing, has some original art work on it that I love.  The client's son drew a picture of a precious Christmas tree that we are printing above their Christmas greeting and names.  I think this is such a fabulous way to make your Christmas card truly unique.  When you have a prolific artist in your household you ought to take advantage of it!

Gotta run and finish printing Christmas cards.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving (weekend)!

We've been busy at Hayden Avery with Christmas cards,

gifts and party invitations.  

I'm thrilled to have a break and eat some turkey.

TGIF

The holidays are in full force around here!  We've been busy creating and sending holiday card proofs.  So many cute things have been ordered.  But, personally, I'm looking forward to the best holiday of the year, Thanksgiving!  It's a holiday that celebrates being with the ones you love and eating a lot.  Remember to stop by Hayden Avery if you need any place cards or last minute table accessories.

  We're so close...

 

As a reminder, the store will be closed Thursday, November 24th through Sunday November 27th in observance of the Thanksgiving weekend.  We'll reopen on Monday, November 28th at 10:00 a.m. and resume our normal business hours.  

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Lauren & Scott's Wedding

I've said it once, I'm sure I'll say it many more times - It is SUCH a treat to see a bride & groom's wedding day after helping them with their printed items.  I LOVE to see the way that everything comes together.  One couple that I had so much fun getting to know and helping with their save-the-dates, wedding invitations and all the printed accessories for their reception was Lauren & Scott.  I got an email from their photographer, Ashley Garmon, saying their wedding was being featured on Style Me Pretty today. 

 I immediately clicked on the link so that I could see the happy couples' photographs (which were heartwarming and wonderful).  I was thrilled to see that Ashley had photographed some of the items we'd printed for Lauren & Scott's Aspen wedding (many thanks to Ashley Garmon).  

Lauren and Scott's save-the-dates had the deer antler motif that they then carried on throughout the wedding reception.  Their actual wedding invitations were beautiful letterpressed invitations by Crane & Co.  For the wedding we printed the cutest programs (that had the deer antler motif on the front).  For the reception we printed table name cards, menus and stickers
for their hand made pecan pie favors.  

Thank you Lauren and Scott for allowing
me to play a small role in your wedding!  

Click HERE to see Lauren and Scott's wedding.

Photo Credits: Ashley Garmon Photographers

New Crane & Co. Occasions Album

Crane & Co. has really been revamping their personalized albums.  Yesterday we receive their "occasions" album.

I must say - I really like it!

 It contains save-the-date cards, general party invitations, anniversary invitations and bar and bat mitzvah invitations.  

 It also has some fabulous new custom liners - like a liner that has your monogram.  It even has some of their new fabulous graphic liners that you can now have printed in an array of colors.  

They also included some new motifs, frames, decorative card enhancements and letterpress bleed designs.  

Lot's to look at!

Hope you enjoy some of my favorites from the album. 

Talley Ho for the Holidays

I don't know any girls/women who wouldn't want one of these monogrammed cosmetic and travel bags!  They make The Best gifts!  I think I've explained this before, but you get to select all the fabrics for your bag, so they are each made especially for you.

What's not to love?

So if you want to give one (or get one) they need to be ordered before Monday, November 28th

in order to have them in time for the holidays. 

2011 Holiday Shopping Card

The American Cancer Society's Holiday Shopping Card begins this coming Friday, October 28th and runs through Sunday, November 6th.  The Holiday Shopping Cards are $50 and benefit The American Cancer Society.  The cards can then be used for a 20% discount towards purchases at an array of local

stores and restaurants.  

Hayden Avery is a VERY busy place during the Holiday Shopping Card.  We've participated for years.  There is always a lot to do in preparation for the Holiday Shopping Card.  We've been busy cleaning, rearranging and prepping for the holidays

(yes- I am fully aware that Halloween is next week).  

So if you want to get some holiday shopping completed and benefit a worthy organization - come to Hayden Avery, buy your Holiday Shopping Card and start shopping! 

Crane & Co. Fall Stationery Sale

All of the lovely samples above are part of the 2011 Crane & Co. Fall Stationery Sale - 50 thermographed cards or notes with envelope liners for $99.  There are 7 ink colors and matching liners to choose from, as well as 12 different font styles.  This would make a fabulous Hanukkah or Christmas gift! 

Autumn In The Air

So in reality, here in Austin, the highs are still in the upper 80's.  However, for those of you who don't live in Texas - I promise that upper 80's feel REALLY cool after the summer we had.  But regardless of your actual weather, your house can smell like Autumn thanks to Seda France's Autumn Spice candle.  

Trick or Treat Cocktail Napkins

I know that recently my posts have been one of the following:

a) spotty and inconsistent

b) unseasonal (with all of the Holiday specials)

c) not too creative or exciting

d) all of the above

So today I am attempting to redeem myself with something pertinent.  We have our Halloween invitations and fall accessories out and I'm loving it!  These are some of the cocktail napkins that we currently have in-stock (sorry for the bad scan - they are packaged in cellophane and it makes it tricky).  These cocktail napkins come in a pack of 20 for $5.50.

Holiday Special Re-cap

I thought it might be helpful if I actually shared all the Holiday Card specials in one place.  With so many great specials going on right now it is hard to keep them all straight.  No one should miss out on the following specials though, which run through Wednesday, October 26th (unless noted):

Prentiss Douthit - 15 % off Holiday Cards
(2 pictured above are by Prentiss Douthit)

Crane & Co. - 10% off Holiday Cards

Pica Press - 10% off Holiday Cards

Whitney English - 25% off Holiday Cards
(through October 15th)

Boatman Geller - 20% off Holiday Cards

Dabney Lee - 20% off Holiday Cards

Personalized Cell Phone Cases

Just got an email from Dabney Lee and they are doing personalized cell phone cases - So Cute!

They are $56 each and you can choose from any of their fabulous patterns.  Who doesn't need one of these?

Happy Monday & Happy October!

Wow - It's October!

Thought I'd start our first Monday in October off with another Holiday photo card sale.  Whitney English is offering 25% off her photo holiday cards.  This is a FABULOUS deal that you should come take advantage of.  If some of you are wondering who (if anybody) is ordering the Christmas cards - I took 2 orders over the weekend.  Time to get crackin'!

Happy Saturday!

Perhaps when I said that I was going to be in-and-out this month I should have just said, mostly out.  Today I came in to the office to pay bills and catch-up on paperwork.  When I arrived I had lots of personalized Polar Bear Coolers here to greet me.  Quite a few girls have ordered them for their dates for Texas vs. OU weekend.

What lucky dates!  

Until next time...

Have a great weekend!

In-And-Out

I owe this card to the majority of my friends right now.  I have so much going on and my friends are so good and patient with me.  It's good to have good friends (I realize that is stating the obvious).  I'm not sure how much blogging I'll get done this month - so I'm asking that you all are patient too.  I'll be be back - but for the month of September I'll be in-and-out.  

Pica Press Holiday Special

Hope you all had a WONDERUL weekend!  I did - but it is hard to have a bad time in San Francisco and Napa... 

Back to the "real world.

Another holiday special from one of our vendors!

Pica Press is offering 10% off their holiday cards in the months of September and October.  They just updated their Holiday album with great photo card options.  They have wonderful, vibrantly colored holiday cards and they can print your photo directly on the card or they will even print actual photos on photo paper for you card.

Also, check out this article about Hayden Avery HERE

Page Holiday Special

Page Stationery, the queen of perfected simplicity, is offering 10% off their letterpressed Holiday cards through October 1st.

I know that this coming weekend is Labor Day, 

but you know what they say...

The early bird gets the worm.  

In this case what you're getting is actually SO much better than a worm - it is maybe the loveliest holiday card money can buy!