New Official Blog!

So for those of you who've followed us here for a while - you know that originally my store was Hayden Avery and hence our blog was HaydenAvery.blogspot.com.  Then in April I merged with another Austin Stationery Store, French Blue Papers and we became French Blue & Hayden Avery (which is going really well!).  At that point I changed the name of this blog.  However, we OFFICIALLY have a new blog site:

www.frenchbluehaydenavery.blogspot.com

All of the products on this site are still available and if you would like to purchase them, please feel free to contact us at 512-454-9400.  In addition, if you would like to shop for invitations on-line please visit www.frenchbluepapers.com.  We are also here in our retail location (1515-A West 35th Street, Austin, Texas 78703) Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

Please visit our new blog site for new product updates and sale information!

PrintsWell Sale!

Now through June 3rd PrintsWell is having a sale!  Now is the time to buy stationery, announcements and invitations.  The sale also applies to return address printing!  Click HERE to shop now.

or visit http://frenchbluepapers.printswell.com/

Ames' Stool

Look at this precious stool that we recently received.  These are hand painted by a company called FlutterBugs and you cans specify paint colors, themes, etc. This specific client emailed a fabric swatch and referenced a Benjamin Moore paint color so that it would match her son's room.  I love it!

As a side note - sorry for the neglect of this blog...

I hope to be better now that things are settling after the business merger.

Dauphine Press Spring Offerings

Dauphine Press, one of our beautiful letterpress vendors, is offering one of 4 different wedding invitation specials

now through June 30.  

1.  One Free matching note card set

with your wedding invitation order

2.  30 Free invitations

with your order of 100 wedding invitations

3.  Free personalized tags

(for welcome bags, favors or gift tags)

4.  15% off any invitation order

Dauphine Press has so many fabulous designs, ink colors, envelope liners and fonts that you're sure to be able to create the perfect wedding invitation.   They also have a wonderful website and fabulous pintrest boards - check them out!  

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

I am so excited to announce that Hayden Avery has united/merged with French Blue Papers.  Back in December, Gay Clifton, owner of French Blue Papers asked if I would ever be interest in combining our experience/stores and I was quick to say yes (knowing what an amazing opportunity this was)!   French Blue Papers has just finished moving into Hayden Avery's current location and we'll be merging names - French Blue & Hayden Avery (yes, I know that is a mouthful).  I am so excited to be gaining a like minded business partner with 11 years of experience in the business.  We will continue to carry fine stationery, invitations, custom birth announcements, wedding invitations and personalized gifts, with our main focus on exceptional customer attention.

French Blue & Hayden Avery

1515-A West 35th Street

Austin, Texas 78703

512-454-9400

proofs(at)haydenavery.com

The store hours will be:

Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Visit the website to shop too: www.frenchbluepapers.com

Easter Is On It's Way

I've ordered my spiral ham!  Yes - that is an accomplishment for me these days...  I was able to do that because my mother told me to and it's not good to disappoint your mother, especially when she's bringing the rest of your Easter meal.  My in-laws will also be here (lucky for them my mom is already working on Easter).

So we'll have a crowd.  

I love the above invitation by Meri Meri because it reminds me of my little bunnies.  This will be their first Easter and I'm sure the afore-mentioned mother will make sure that is is a special one for my little ones!  I do love Easter (and my mom's carefully designed Easter baskets) and all the pretty flowers that bloom this time of year (even in Texas)!

TGIF

What a week!  I'm looking forward to a sunny weekend here in the ATX.  It also happens to be spring break, SXSW and St. Patrick's Day all in one weekend.  Not that I'll be doing too much related to any of those events (I'll be hanging with my babies) - but a big weekend none-the-less.  Next week I'll be kicking it in to high gear for some big projects.  So I'll make the most of this weekend

that I can.  Hope you all have a great one too.

P.S. - Just downloaded the above font "Penelope Anne" yesterday!  I love having a new font.  

Aqua Fun

We just received this stationery order in the store yesterday and I adore it!  It is so fresh and fun.  The client already had her engraving plates, so she just selected the cards stock, ink color and envelope liner from William Arthur.  I am super excited for her to pick it up as I think her selections came together nicely.  I always hope that clients love their stationery as much as I do.  

Photo Credit: Cassie Robison

BIG WORK

There are so many exciting and BIG things going on right now in my personal life and business life!  My two best friends have had babies within a month of each other.  I'm gifting these special babies their birth announcements and since I'm gifting them, then they get to select from my favorites...  We've been working on some really pretty wedding invitations here in the store too.  It's a busy spring for all the Hayden Avery employees too - there's a family wedding and a college graduation.  There are also some other BIG store projects on the horizon.  We're doing spring cleaning and getting organized.  All good stuff and It's a nice feeling!  

TGIF

I love when Style Me Pretty has a pretty wedding AND includes pictures of their pretty printed materials!  Today was a treat - the above photos accompanied a very pretty wedding.  Check is out here.  I just love how clean, simple and consistent the invitation and wedding program are.  The invitations definitely set the tone for the lovely wedding too

(which is what they are supposed to do).  

We've been busy over here working with lots of wonderful mothers of the bride on their daughter's wedding invitations.  I can't remember the last time we worked with so many wonderful mothers! It is such a treat.  Hopefully I'll be able to share some of their lovely selections in the near future.  Until then, enjoy these and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  

Photography Credit: Images by Berit

Baby Shower Invitation

We designed this baby shower invitation a long while ago (like while I was on pseudo-maternity leave).  The card stock and envelope is a Crane & Co. boxed stationery set.  However we designed and flat printed the invitation on it.  I think it illustrates so nicely - how a simple card stock can truly be utilized.  This is a great invitation option when you don't have much time - we can print this sort of invitation in 3 business days! 

Little Girls Stationery

One of my dearest friends called the other day for 2 reasons:

1.  Did I want her childrens' booster seats that they had out grown

2.  Could I do some cards she could attach to birthday party gifts & matching stationery for her daughters

Obviously the answers to both were YES!!!  I should add here that my friend is so dear to me because she takes such good care of me and my family and because she is THE easiest client to work for.  She gives me creative license with most of her family's stationery needs - it is really fun for me.  So, with all of that being said, I designed the above calling card and stationery for her 2 year-old.  I hope Betsy likes it!  The next time Betsy needs cards to attach to birthday gifts she'll probably have her own opinion and likes and want to pick them out her self. 

Little Boy Birthday

Love this little boy's birthday party invitation that we designed.  So simple and so cute!  I've realized after years of designing invitations and helping others with their invitations that I really like them best when there is minimal amount of text on the actual invitation.  It keeps the invitation feeling so fresh and clean.  

Blue & White from Dauphine Press

Today we received a lovely picture of a blue, light grey and white wedding invitation suite from Dauphine Press.  Blue is one of my favorite colors, so it was easy for me to love this.  I thought I should share this pretty invitation on this pretty Thursday.  I love the light grey pattern in the background and then the pop of blue text on top.  It somehow still feels sophisticated and classic.  

Valentine's Special From Embossed Graphics

Now through the end of February, Embossed Graphics will print your return address on your envelope flaps for FREE when you order stationery.  This is a great deal!  Embossed Graphics has great basic, classic stationery for men and women.  Their turn around time is super speedy too - so you could get this in time for Valentine's Day.  

Valentine's Day is Next Week!

Next week is Valentine's Day!  

(What happened to January?)

Well, with that being said, Hayden Avery has some precious Valentine's cards and great gifts to treat the ones you love.

Now I just need to figure out what to give my sweeties...

Love a Scalloped Envelope

FedEx just dropped off this stationery that was ordered from William Arthur.  I am LOVING the scalloped envelope. I am seriously considering this envelope for my next stationery.   

I hope that the customer likes it as much as I do...  

The Complete Package

Hopefully this post will make up for my lack of blogging

(for the last 9 months)...

I love helping bride's with their wedding invitations.  But what I love even more is when we get to help a bride with a concept and then get to be a part of ALL of the printed pieces.  It is SO fun to see a cohesive spread of a wedding trousseau.  What made this wedding even more special was that it was for a favorite client, who turned employee, who turned very special friend and confidant.  

Her wedding took place on New Years Eve in New Orleans - what could be more fun?  To set the tone she selected Crane & Co. Letra card stock and had custom calligraphy letterpressed in black and gold ink.  The little stars in the corners were so fun and festive and she selected a gold lustre envelope liner to pull it all together.  She also had the corners rounded on her wedding invitation as well as the rest of her printed materials. Her save the date card (which is not shown here) was a similar look.  

The night before the wedding a cocktail party was hosted for all of the guests at Arnaud's Restaurant.  The bride selected a small, blush colored Crane & Co. card stock, had the corners rounded and had it thermographed in black ink.  

The actual rehearsal dinner invitation was a pretty, white Crane & Co. card stock that had rounded corners and silver gilt edging.  The text was thermographed in Silver ink and the liner was a silver and white microstripe.  

At the ceremony guests received 2-color letterpressed programs that match the wedding invitation.  Ecru Crane & Co. card stock with custom calligraphy and stars all tied together with the most beautiful ribbon that is bright pink with gold undertones.  

Draped on the back of all the ceremony seating were hankies for a post ceremony second line.  We printed small cards with the history and "how to second line" that were attached to the hankies.  The bride utilized her custom calligraphy again and sent it in to be printed on the hankies.  

And what second line is complete without a beer?  We sent in her custom calligraphy to be used on the koozies.  It was so fun helping Andrea select all of these items for her big day.  It was also SO much fun to see it all come together at the actual wedding.  It was an even bigger treat to have a wedding to go to on 

New Years eve.  

Congratulations Andrea & Rogan!

William Arthur - Wedding Invitation Sale

Options, Options!

Now is truly the time to buy wedding invitations.

William Arthur has just come out with a lovely new wedding album that features a collection of some of the prettiest invitations I've seen in a while.  They have some of the best fonts and card stock options.  In addition to the new album, William Arthur is also having a sale!  Can it get any better?  The sale is buy 75 (or more) wedding invitations and get 25 for free.  

Even if you are not in the market for wedding invitations - the book is so nice to look at

you should just stop by and flip through it!  

Page Sale!

Page Stationery is having multiple sales right now!  The first is a wedding invitation sale.  If you purchase 75 (or more) wedding invitations you receive 25 for free.  Wedding invitations sales are very rare and Page Stationery has some of the most beautiful new designs.   

In the same vein Page is also offering a buy 75 (or more) letterpressed save the date cards and receive 25 for free.  Your whole wedding suite can coordinate!

Page is also offering 10% off their duet line's save the date cards.  The duet line is their flat printed line.  We used duet for a ton of Christmas cards this year and they were all fabulous looking.  The price point for this flat printed line is very competitive (less than Minted or Tiny Prints) and SO much cuter than so many save the dates I've seen. 

These are fabulous sales - so if you are in the market for save the date cards or wedding invitations please take advantage of this sale from one of my favorite vendors.  

Crane and Co. Stationery Sale

Crane & Co. is once again having their annual engraved stationery die sale!  Buy 100 pieces of engraved stationery and receive the engraving plate for free (a $48 value).

Need to get your holiday thank you notes written?  

Now is the time to get some new stationery!