September 25, 2013

Selecting Personalized Stationery

As an admitted paper goods lover, the notion of beautiful personalized stationery makes my heart flutter! The holy grail of letter writing, personalized stationery fits the bill for an array of correspondence, including thank you notes, well wishes, sympathy, or a hello to a long lost pen pal. What does my personalized stationery look like, you ask? I recently had gorgeous set of cream and pale blue notes monogrammed with my and my husband's initials, as well as exquisitely lined envelopes with swirling, curling flourishes. Now that I've run out, I'm tickled pink to select a new set - oh how the options are endless! How does one choose with so many prints, patterns, and styles? Not to fret my pet, here are my tips as well as a round of up to inspire:

1. Throw on your spectacles, whip out the computer and do a bit of research! From Neiman Marcus to Cranes, there are endless amounts of retailers who offer stunning stationery, so one needs to get a lay of the land before making any rash judgments. By researching your options, it will also help you decide what style you'd like. Letter press? Folded notecards? Your monogram or name spelled out? Decisions decisions!

2. Choose a color a color and design that reflects your personal style. If you exude understated elegance, perhaps some classic monogrammed ivory embossed folded notes are the ticket. However if you're a lady (or lad!) who gravitates towards the bolder things in life, how about a brightly colored family crest with your initials or clever arrangement of giraffes and your full name a la Mrs. John L. Strong. The choice is yours!

3. Once you've selected your fabulous stationery, you need to decide on the quantity. If you use stationery sparingly, I'd advise you order a set of 50 notes and envelopes, which should last you a while. If you're getting married or have near approaching needs to write a high volume of thank you notes, then I would advise you order a larger quantity of 100-250. 

4. Consider ordering a set for yourself and your family. By this, I mean a set with just your initials (or name) and a set with your spouses and yours (combined initials or names) together. That way, you're prepared for any stationery situation. Keep in mind though, ordering two sets isn't a must, just a suggestion, dear readers!

5. After you've patiently waited for your notes to arrive, carefully house them in a lovely box in your bedroom or home office with pens and stamps to make letter writing a breeze. 

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful tips and gorgeous examples! I love beautiful stationery! Do you have a favorite store in Dallas?

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  2. Thank you so much! I adore Needle in a Haystack on Preston. They have a gorgeous selection of stationery (any of which can be customized) - from Sugar Paper to Alexa Pulitzer, as well as fabulous gifts!

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