Maximum Productivity

I am at my best when I am busy - so this time of year is my prime for productivity.  Here are a few shots of what I've been up to and none of this includes Christmas cards.  

 

TOP PHOTO:

I recently have ordered quite a few of the cute Santa placemats.  They were so cute I've actually placed an order for 2 for my little munchkins.  I think they are going to be pretty tickled with them.  Also, I always feel pretty virtuous when I order those placemats because it is a local company (Mayfly and Junebug).  

MIDDLE PHOTO:

In addition to Christmas cards I've also done quite a few birthday party invitations.  I too have a December birthday, so I always try and make these invitations pretty special because it takes a special person to have a birthday in December!

Finally, as always I was thrilled to get my 2016 Graphic Image Calendar.  It is part of my nerdiness/memory problems that I still order a calendar that you write your appointments in.  I've said it once, I'll say it again - the phone calendar does not work for me.  This year I am not the only one who will have a Rose Gold calendar.  I'm hoping that means it will be indicative of the year to come (rose-y).  I love these calendars but Graphic Image makes so much more and they are amazing gifts: passport covers, photo albums, picture frames, hand bags, coasters, desk accessories.  They are all leather, made in the United States and can all be personalized.  

Let me know what you need!

Gift Tags

One of my clients is REALLY on the ball this year.  She just ordered her Christmas gift tags for teacher gifts, etc.  Nice work!  I thought I would go ahead and post this and perhaps it would motivate us all... Perhaps?  

If you are not there yet - no worries, neither am I.  Maybe someday I will be that person who is organized and on the ball (like when my children are grown).  One can only hope.  Until then, we'll all just strive to do our best and be impressed with the people who have moments of incredible organization.  In the meantime, if there is anything I can do to help you get organized let me know.  I am much better helping others be organized than implementing this in my own life.  

Best Time of Year!

I am elbow deep in holiday card and gift orders and it is so much fun.  I love what people are selecting this year and of course it is all custom.  I think I've only had 2 clients select holiday cards exactly as shown in the album.  I am the kind of person that uses their time much more efficiently when busy - so this is my time of year!  There is still plenty of time to order Christmas cards and personalized gifts, so give me a call or shoot me an email and let's do it! 

Stationery baby gifts

In addition to all the great Christmas card orders I've been taking, I've also had a slew of baby gifts that I've done.  I have a handful of clients who have a "go to" gift for baby gifts and it makes things SO easy.  They simple email me with the baby's name and shipping address and I print or order "their" gift, wrap and ship it for them.  It is truly so easy for everyone involved.  I have a couple clients who always do stationery and calling cards.  I think this is such a sweet and practical gift.  The above are some calling cards and note cards that I printed for a third child.  Because their eldest is a girl I thought they might like something other than pink, so I select lilac ink.  I hope they enjoy!

Holiday Shopping Card begins Tomorrow!

The American Cancer Society's Holiday Shopping Card begins tomorrow.  The Holiday Shopping Card is $50, which benefits the American Cancer Society.  With the Holiday Shopping Card you receive 20% off your purchases from tons of stores, restaurants, dry cleaners and spas/salons in Austin.  Hayden Avery is participating in this great cause and everything is 20% off - Christmas cards, Invitations, Stationery, Monogramming, Personalized Gifts, everything!  So if you want to get some holiday shopping done and benefit a great cause, this is your chance.  Even if you don't need anything from Hayden Avery you can still purchase your Holiday Shopping Card from us.  It begins Thursday, October 22nd and runs through Sunday, November 1st.

Happy Shopping!

10 Weeks To Christmas!

Time to start on your holiday cards and gift purchasing.  Also, the American Cancer Society's Holiday Shopping Card starts this Thursday, October 22nd (through November 1st) - which means that everything will be 20% off during those dates. 

Now is the Time

This is the time of year when all of my fabulous vendors try to entice customers into buying their holiday cards (in hopes of making it a little less crazy during the holiday rush).  With that being said, take a look at the following vendors and their offered sales:

Checkerboard -  Free return address through October 15th

(charcoal and gold photo card above by Checkerboard)

Page – 10% off Holiday Cards received by October 26, 2015

(Christmas Tree card above by Page Stationery)

 Julie Holcomb – 15% off Holiday Cards approved by October 30

William Arthur – 10% Off orders received by November 8th
Crane & Co. – 10% Off orders received by November 8th

If you can get it together to order your cards now, it really saves you a ton of stress!  There are actually only 10 1/2 weeks until Christmas (if you can believe that)... 

With that being said, I'll leave you with Happy Monday!

Family Stationery

Last week I finished some stationery for a dear friend of mine (who gives me carte blanche to design what I would like).  I know that one of her favorite colors is read, so I usually try to incorporate red somewhere.  She needed stationery for her family.  Then her 2 girls are learning to write, so she wanted some fill-in notes for them.  For the family stationery I used red and a greyish-blue ink and then printed a corresponding envelope liner.  Then for the girls I tried to do something a little more grown-up for the 1st grader (lavender and grey ink on the note card and a grey envelope).  Then I designed something a little more whimsical for the pre-schooler (hearts) - her birthday is in December, so I thought the red would be a nod to the holidays too.  Well, this family will be set for a while! 

One Week Remains

Where has this month gone?  There is only one week remaining of the engraved stationery sale.  I was going to try to post more to tempt everyone into buying some stationery, but I haven't done that (ugh).  Well, I hope these goodies brighten your day and make you think about ordering some stationery!

Free Engraving Plates from Arzberger

I LOVE a stationery sale!  I seriously consider buying stationery every time one of my vendors has a sale - that is if I don't actually just go for it.  The month of September Arzberger is give you the engraving plates for FREE when you order engraved stationery (each engraving plate is usually $50).  The name plates, monogram plates and return address plates will all be free if you order stationery this month.  In addition, they've just come out with some fabulous new colors of card stock and envelope liners.  I have TONS of great samples, but you can also see samples of their work on Facebook and Instagram.  I'll post more samples this month.  With all of this being said, if you are in the market for stationery, you should definitely take advantage of this sale. 

Simple Stationery

I've just recently completed 2 orders of stationery for 2 different people who have just put single names on their stationery.  Both clients wanted the look of the cards to be VERY simple.  I think that it paid off.  The top card we used a "Gravel" envelope and used a coordinating ink for the family's name.  The second set of stationery, that I had William Arthur thermograph, has a very simple, clean and modern font which is a nice off-set to the patterned liners. 

Little Boy Blue

Wow - I have to say I had no idea that it had been almost a month since I had posted here! Yikes.  Well, here goes.  Good news is that I've been busy.  Even better news is that my twins started nursery school this week, which means that I have really been getting some work done (umm - like a blog post...).  

Loving this "school" thing!  

One of the projects I completed this week was for a client who had ordered 2 baby boy gifts.  She wanted simple, clean and classic.  So I basically did theme and variation on stationery and calling cards.  Both orders are on white card stock and the stationery has a light blue backing card.  I love adding backing cards because it gives the card stock such heft, but it still subtle color.  For one of the boys I did a monogram and name combination and the other I used a bunny motif.  I think that stationery and calling cards is such a great personal and practical gift.  I love to give this as birthday gifts for little people too (because who needs more plastic toys at this point?).  

I have not actually notified my client that these are completed, because she herself had a baby the other night.  I figure this is probably pretty low on their priority list right now.  HA!  

As a side note - if you want to read less of my stream of consciousness and see more pictures follow me on Instagram!  ha_fine_stationery or Hayden Avery

Designers' Business Cards

I've recently had the honor of helping a few interior designers with their business cards.  I use the word honor because this is obviously a group of people that have ideas and an eye for specific details and specific aesthetics.  Therefore, I use the word honor since I get to play a small role in their personal and professional branding.  The above business card is for Leigh Chiu, who is actually the person that is moving into Hayden Avery's store front at Kerbey Lane Village.  She is currently renovating the space and I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of the wall paper she is installing and it is going to be nothing short of amazing.  Her business card is simple, clean and gives a nod to the colors she is using in her office/showroom.  We selected a white card stock and engraved her text in a soft gold ink.  I hope she likes her business cards as much as I do!  And I personally cannot wait to see the completed space.  Thank you Leigh for allowing me to help you with your business cards!

Bridal Luncheon Invitation by Page Stationery

After a little stress thanks to a UPS "system error" we received these lovely bridal luncheon invitations today in time for my sweet client to get them all addressed this weekend!  Thank goodness for small miracles and lovely bridal luncheon invitations.  Many thanks to the patient and kind girls at 

Page Stationery too!  

Happy Friday!

Bows & Flowers

I recently helped a friend with a baby gift.  She gave me the little girl's name and then gave me carte blanche to create what I would like for the gift (which is always super fun).  I designed some flat cards with a bow motif and the little girl's name and then I lined the envelopes in pink to match the ink.  Then I selected a square calling card with a floral design and printed her full name on those as well.  I thought it was a sweet gift for a little girl who is so loved!  Hope she enjoys. 

Camp Mystic Stationery

There's still plenty of time to order stationery for your campers!  I just printed this one today.  I can typically turn it around in about 24 hours!  It would make a great care package too.  In addition to the stationery if you need swag when you pick up your campers I can design stadium cups, dixie cups, napkins and more.

Flip Flop Inspiration

 

One of my long-time favorite clients emailed me recently for her daughter's 8th birthday party invitations.  She sent me a picture of these flip flops that she had purchased as party favors and then told me the girls were doing a "spa" day with their American Girl Dolls.  She was thinking she would like to incorporate hearts on the invitation...

So this was what we came up with.  What 8 year old doesn't like rainbow hearts?  I used the colors on the flip flops to guide the colors on the invitation (the colors on the invitation are actually more vivid in person than this photo - technology?!?).  The back of the invitation has all the large hearts and when it is put in the envelope they show through the addressing side as heart silhouettes.  I'll also get to do tags to tie on the flip flops as well as cocktail napkins - so fun!  

Moral of the story - sometimes all you need is a flip flop for your party invitation's inspiration!

Who needs camp stationery?

Now is the time to send your camper some cute notes (in hopes of receiving some back).  Go ahead and address a couple to yourself with the postage! Call or email if you would like some for your favorite camper.

TGIF

I thought I would leave you with something nice to look at for the weekend and upcoming week (I'm going to be out of the office next week).  This is some "grown-up" stationery for a little girl that certainly is growing up.  I lined these envelopes with a paper by Snow & Graham, that just does not get old for me.  Although you can't see it in this picture the back of this stationery has horizontal navy stripes.  I didn't want it to get to girly since it had the pink envelope, so I thought the navy stripes would be a fun contrast to the dose of bright pink. 

 

Enjoy your weekend and happy father's day

to all the fathers out there!

A Better Business Card

I find it slightly bizarre when people tell me they don't want to spend much money on business cards because people just throw them away.  Don't get me wrong - I am not saying that everyone has to spend a lot of money to have a nice business card.  Perhaps the poorly designed business cards that don't properly (or maybe properly) make a desired statement about the business are discarded.  However, much like how you are dressed when you meet a client, a business card gives a client an impression of your business (and you).  A good business card is

an investment in your business.  

 

I am currently working on a business card for a designer that I am really excited about!  Once I finish the project I'll show you the results.  I also am working on a reorder of some business stationery for a gentleman that owns a number of restaurants and bars in the area.  Both projects are completely different, but I believe that they each are good representations of each of these individuals businesses. 

Cute Crane Stationery

 Right before we moved we took an order for some precious Crane & Co. stationery for a teenaged girl.  It is so fun and lovely at the same time.  The first set she had her duogram engraved in "Peony" ink on a white folded note and then lined it with the small black dotted liner.  The second set she had her duogram engraved in gold ink on a seafoam blue note with the cherry blossom liner.  

I love them both!