Fantastic People from the NSS Show

One of the best parts of doing trade shows are the people you meet and this year's NSS show was no exception. My good friend Michael Letzig, who I mentioned in a previous post, was my helper for the first two days of the show and man, was his help needed and appreciated! He also has a wealth of knowledge about our industry and has a lot of experience in the licensing world, so his presence was reassuring on many levels. Also I got to meet the Perfectly Nice dynamic duo, who are also known as Bob and Colleen Shea. They are actually mutual friends of another pal of mine, Laurie Keller, and we met by "coincidence" (although I happen to think there ARE no coincidences). They're both amazingly talented people who also happen to be funny, self-deprecating, and warm all at the same time. Then from across the pond, there's Hannah Nunn, who I have never met in person but have been e-friends with for awhile now since she included one of my wire lamps in her book "Illuminate". I'm so glad we finally met in person. Another British designer I met was DuPenny, whom I was told to look up by a customer and I'm glad I did. Her work is black and white and wonderful all over! The woman holding a camera is Petra Kern, a very lovely person who is a designer with AFreshBunch group. She and I became fast friends and I loved hearing about her life in Slovenia. And last but not least, another hometown business, Hammerpress. It was so great to see people from KC at the show plus I've always been a big fan of Brady Vest's work.

My good friend Michael and I at Hudson Commons

Bob and Colleen Shea from Perfectly Nice

Hannah Nunn in her beautiful lighting shop

DuPenny and her booth were a visual treat

Petra Kern and her camera (which she lost but thankfully got back!)

Hammerpress booth-always wonderful product and display

See You At The Show!

I can't believe that several months of planning, designing, mocking up, etc. are already at an end and it's finally time for the NSS show! Super excited to launch my new line and I also can't wait to open the retail side of my website right after the show. Oh and to all the retailers out there-I'm offering FREE SHIPPING on all show orders!

Media Kits for National Stationery Show 2014

Things are ramping up around my studio in a serious way today and tomorrow in preparation for my debut at the National Stationery Show! I can't wait in some ways and in others, I'm slightly terrified. (Ok, maybe terrified is too strong a word but let's just say mightily anticipatory.) I thought I'd take a minute to give you a look at what I've chosen to put in my media kits this year. I'm making about 25 of these and they'll be put in the press room at the show. I've never created a kit before for my own line, so it's a bit different than doing Surtex. I've decided to include one of my catalogs so that whoever gets this can see my entire line (and hopefully write about it in the future!), one of my Famous Babes and Bohemians perpetual calendars, an embossed card, a postcard mailer (because it also has my booth number on it) and of course, my business card. Since some of my line is printed on fabric and most of my pieces begin with wire, I wanted to include that in my package in some way. I thought that putting everything in a fabric bag and securing my business card with a wire holder would be different and hopefully an eye and spark interest! These photos are not the best, as we haven't had much sun here in the Midwest for days now, but hopefully you can get the idea.

My media kit includes: 2 product examples (perpetual calendar and embossed greeting card), postcard mailer with booth number, and catalog

My business card secured with wire to the front of a hand-sewn fabric envelope that 

prominently displays my booth number

Thanks to: the stationery place

Many many thanks to Lyndsey at the stationery place for featuring some of my work on her awesome blog today! If you've never been to her site, click on the link here to go check it out! She chronicles all things stationery and paper craft related and is also a co-founder of SEATTLE BLOGGERS UNITE, an informal monthly meet up group.
Each of these cards shown below is embossed with a raised gloss varnish in strategic spots to add a fun tactile quality.

Famous Buildings postcard set of 10

Famous Bridges postcard set of 10

Famous Babes card set of 8

Famous Bohemians card set of 8