Why Friends Love Handwritten Notes November 13 2014, 0 Comments

Stationary Subscription Service

Believe it or not, handwriting isn’t dead. In fact, in many circles it is still as popular as it ever was. But with the advent of the Internet and everything that has come along with it, handwriting your friends a note has fallen a bit by the wayside. That doesn’t mean, however, that it isn’t still a fun or good thing to do from time to time. Today we’re going to talk about why friends love handwritten notes, and why you should consider subscribing to a stationary subscription service.

It’s Personal

Everyone gets emails. Most of them either get junked or are only paid attention to for a few seconds and discarded. How many times have you spent time composing an email to a friend only to get a reply back that consists of “Yup” or “See you then?” Email is great, but it isn’t conducive to meaningful communication.

Using a stationary subscription service to send personalized and handwritten notes to your friends is way more personal. Your friends will notice that you took the time, and will appreciate it. More than that, though, they will likely respond in kind. That means you’ll have meaningful communication, and that’s a useful and memorable thing.

It Creates Memories

Nobody remembers that email you sent them two years ago, but they do remember that time you set down to write them a note after their grandfather died. These things matter, and they will be remembered, much more so than if you had only sent a few lines in an email.

More than that, though, handwritten notes are great for nostalgia purposes. People will store these notes in their papers for years, and then will pull them out to remember you by when they need a reminder of why they are your friend.

It Means More

Handwriting (and doing it neatly and intelligently) takes time. Time means something to everyone, and because you took the time to send a handwritten note, the note will mean more to the friend who received it. Think about how you would feel in this situation. What would mean more to you, a brief email or a handwritten note? If you said the handwritten note, your friends will probably feel the same way.

Bottom Line

At the end of the day, it’s all about style. Your friends like to hear from you, and one of the most stylish ways of doing that, even in this day and age, is sending a handwritten note. If you do this often you should consider subscribing to a stationary subscription service so you always have a personalized way of sending your notes.

A Month of Thanks Contest November 03 2014, 6 Comments

November is a month of thanks. Included in each Pennie Post subscription this month is a “Thankful” card. Fill it out with anything you are thankful for, snap a photo of either the card, or whatever it is you are thankful for and post it to our Facebook page or on Instagram with @penniepost and #penniepost for a chance to win a 12 month subscription! You can also download a printable file to print out more for your friends and family so they can participate as well. You may enter as many unique "thankfuls" as you like for a better chance to win. The contest is open to subscribers and non-subscribers. Ends on November 30th.

Thankful cards also make a great Thanksgiving day activity. Have your guests each fill out cards and read them out loud, or try to figure out who wrote what.

What are you thankful for?

Why You Should Use Stationery | Stationery Subscription Service October 31 2014, 0 Comments

Stationery is one of those things that a lot of young people don’t know about, like Cassette tapes and vinyl records. There are however a group of people out there that don’t use stationery but really should. Are you one of those people? Today we’re going to look at 3 reasons why you should use stationery to send a handwritten note, and why a stationery subscription service might be useful for you.

Reason #1 – Stationery Helps Create Your Personal Brand

When you are trying to land that big job or that big promotion, sending a thank you note is one of the best ways to differentiate yourself from the pack. The person who is trying to decide who to hire might for get about you, even if your interview was amazing. A handwritten note, sent on personalized and well designed stationery will remind them of you.

More than that, stationery helps you create your personal brand. This brand is how people remember you, and (perhaps, more importantly) gets to know you in the first place. What are you all about? What are your values? By sending a handwritten note, you are conveying that you’re the sort of person who takes the time to remember others.

Reason #2 – Stationery Helps You Stick Out

A thank you note after a job interview has become a popular method of reminding the employer who you are and that you appreciated the opportunity. But because it has become so popular, you should take extra steps to ensure that even your handwritten thank you note sticks out. Stationery helps you do that through the use of awesome designs and personalization. A lot of job seekers will simply send a note on a plain white piece of paper. Don’t be that person; you’re above that. Be the person who puts some thought not only in the words that you write, but also thinks about what the words are written on. That will not only allow you to stick out amongst the rest of the thank you note writers, but will let the employer know that you think about the details.

Reason #3 – its Professional

While sending an email thank you note, or an e-card is okay, and is considered polite in today’s technologically advanced world, sending your thanks to a potential employer via email isn’t the most professional way to go about it. For one thing, these people get hundreds of emails every day, and email doesn’t allow you to stick out in any way.

Stationery, on the other hand, shows the employer that you consider their time important enough to spend your own time thanking them the hard way. By thinking about the paper you’re writing on, you also show them that you’re a professional who thinks about every detail.

Chit Chat with Sarah From Studio Slomo October 16 2014, 0 Comments

We are super excited about our very first Pennie Post collaboration. November's subscription mailing will include a LETTERPRESS card designed and printed by Studio SloMo exclusively for Pennie Post. Check out their shop for some simply adorable cards.

I had the chance to ask business owner Sarah Wymer a few questions:

 
How many years have you been designing and letterpressing your own cards, and how did you get started? I opened my business in May of 2009 after thinking about it for 2 or 3 years. The University of Texas at Austin has a Vandercook letterpress which is how I was first introduced to the process.

Why Stationery Makes a Great Gift | Stationery Subscription Service October 16 2014, 0 Comments

It can be really hard to decide what to give someone as a gift, no matter what the occasion is. A lot of the decision on the actual gift is going to depend on who the person is and what they like, and some of that has to do with age. Young people love technology and related items, while older people would probably frown on such a gift. One of the things they might like is a gift subscription to a stationery subscription service.

Today we’re going to talk about who might like stationery as a gift.

People Who Like Sending Handwritten Notes

Stationary, especially personalized stationery is a great tool that a lot of people still use, despite the prevalence of email and Facebook. If you know a person who likes to send hand written notes, a subscription to a stationery service will be a great gift that they will be able to use over and over again.

Great gifts are often forgotten, but a subscription service like this will remind them often about how much you care.

People Who Like Sending Cards

Another group of people who may enjoy the gift of a stationery subscription service would be people who enjoy sending out cards for every occasion. When people think of stationery, they most often think of a pad of paper with some designs and some personalization on it; but cards are also considered stationery.

While e-cards and simple e-mail have over taken the art of sending out cards, there are still a lot of people out there that enjoy sending cards for every occasion including birthdays, graduations, and weddings. If you know such a person (and almost everyone does), a gift like this might be just what the doctor ordered.

People Who Enjoy Handwriting

Some people just don’t like technology, and prefer to put things down on paper. For those people stationery is a way of life. They might spend hundreds of dollars a year on personalized stationery. By gifting them a subscription to a stationary subscription service, you will be doing a great favor for them, on that they will remember for a long time.

Bottom Line

People who like to send mail the old fashioned way are probably people who would like a stationery subscription. This is a great gift for the people in your life who enjoy to do things in a certain way. While technology has made handwriting much less important, but it is still something a lot of people enjoy doing. For those people, a stationery subscription service would be a great gift.

DIY Halloween Candy Corn Treat Printable Tutorial October 13 2014, 0 Comments

Today I have a free candy corn treat printable for you guys. It is super simple to make these cute Halloween goodies to give to your pals or to hand out at your Halloween party. All you will need is some candy corn, card stock or heavy weight printer paper, scissors, a stapler, and a cellophane bag. I used a 4.5" wide bag, the same ones I use to package Pennie Post orders.

to make your goodie bags, just print out the printable, cut them out, fold in half, and staple them to the candy corn filled baggie. This would be perfect to give to someone along with our matching Trick or Treat Girls Card.

I hope you enjoy this printable and have a happy and safe Halloween. What will you be dressing up as this year?

Pennie Post October Stationery Subscription Reveal October 09 2014, 0 Comments

Autumn is officially here! With that comes a month of ghosts, ghouls, tricks, and treats. From silly costume disguises to sweet Halloween goodies, this months mailing has a bit of it all. October's card collection is called, "Trick or Treat", and we hope you are sweetly surprised by these paper (and wood!) goodies.

Our Hot Dog Wood Card is printed on actual wood. Can you resist this adorable disguised little dachshund? It even has a cute patterned design printed on the back.

Send a little trick or treat to friend with our Trick or Treat Girls card. Halloween costumes are a must! This card comes with a matching printed envelope.

Our Hey Sweetie Neon Card is perfect for any sweetie in your life and comes with a matching bright blue envelope. It was hand lettered and drawn before a splash of color was added.

We hope you enjoyed this month's card subscription. All of these cards are available for individual sale in our online boutique. Make sure you are subscribed for next month. SPOILER: we are going to have our first letterpress card in November's subscription shipment! We are partnering up with letterpress printer and designer Studio Slomo for an exclusive Pennie Post card. Yayyyy!!!!

Pennie Post & Panty By Post Giveaway October 07 2014, 0 Comments

I've teamed up with another subscription service, Panty By Post for an awesome giveaway. The winner will receive two panties from Panty By Post AND a an assortment of cards from Pennie Post. Enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Unique Holiday Gifts | Monthly Subscription Gifts October 02 2014, 0 Comments

If you are looking for a very unique gift, you may be considering monthly subscription gifts. The only problem with this is choosing a monthly subscription that fits your friend or loved one. Some monthly subscriptions only come in the form of fruit, candy or magazines. How do you pick the right monthly subscription for them? Well, we have a great solution for you.

For this 2014 Holiday gift season, you should consider giving the gift of Pennie Post. Why? There are many features and benefits of having a monthly stationery subscription service. For one, its a thoughtful gift that will make the receiver think of you during all types of holidays and occasions. There are many events to celebrate throughout the year -- birthdays, weddings, and even just get-togethers between friends. Almost all occasions call for a greeting card of some sort. With an automatic, monthly subscription, your friend will never have to worry about running to the store for a last minute card again.

There are many different types of monthly subscriptions available to gift to your friends -- but the best by far is the gift that gives throughout the year. Pennie Post provides a very useful and thoughtful gift that you can give to others. Click here to subscribe today.

What comes with a Pennie Post monthly subscription? 

When you give the gift of Pennie Post, your loved one will receive at least 3 different stationery items each month. The items will include greeting cards, post cards, note cards and even gift tags. Commonly used cards such as thank you notes and birthday cards will be included more commonly than other greetings. Seasonal cards such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day and holiday may also be included during appropriate months. Your loved one will never worry about the inconvenience of going out to purchase a card again!

Trick or Treat? October Sneek(peek)! September 29 2014, 0 Comments

October is just around the corner. Can you believe it? Whether or not you celebrate Halloween with full on costumes, decorations and parties, this month's mailing will surely delight even the grumpiest of ghouls. October's greeting card subscription is themed, "Trick or Treat". It contains some silly costume disguises and yummy Halloween goodies...this Pennie Post mailing has a bit of it all. This month we are also releasing our first ever wood printed card. Yep, it is actual REAL wood! How cool is that?

Subscribe today if you don't want to miss out on these awesome cards. New subscribers with orders placed on or before October 14th will receive this "Trick or Treat" mailing. Orders placed on or after the 15th will receive November's cards.

We hope you have a month full of spooks and sweets. Happy Halloween! 

Here is a teaser photo of what is to come...

3 Benefits To Using a Stationery Subscription Service September 18 2014, 0 Comments

Subscription services have become very popular because they allow you to receive many benefits over the course of the month, without having to go to the store or make an added effort to get the product into your home. Everyone is familiar with at least one or two popular services that take advantage of this model in order to provide immense convince and value to their customers (Netflix and Amazon Prime are excellent examples).

But what about a stationery subscription service? What value is there in that? Today we’re going to look at three reasons why you would want to subscribe to a stationery subscription service.

Saves You Money

This is probably the most important reason. If you use a lot of stationery each month to send out birthday cards, handwritten notes, and thank you cards, then it is important that you have the proper tools. More than that, however, it is important that those tools don’t break the bank. By subscribing to a stationery subscription service, you no longer have to worry about ordering stationery in small packages that cost tons to ship. Subscribing will save you money.

Never Not Have Stationery

If you are the sort of person who is always sending out notes or cards, which means you go through a lot of stationery. That means that you’re always running out or running low. By subscribing to a stationery subscription service, you will get a new batch of customized stationery on your doorstep every single month. That means no more rushing out to the nearest office supply chain to get generic stationery, because you’ll always have your customized stock on hand.

Creating Your Brand

Finally, having customized, well-designed stationery will help people recognize when they are receiving something from you. Not many people still think that stationary is an important tool, but it can be, because it allows you to always send awesome looking notes and cards without the hassle of printing them out on the computer, or driving to your nearest greeting card retailer.

By subscribing to a stationery service, you will always have this well designed stationery on hand. That means that whenever you need to, you’ll be able to send notes and cards that the recipient will enjoy.

Bottom Line

While it may not seem like an important thing in this day and age of email and text messaging, sending handwritten notes and cards is still a custom that many people find enjoyable. If you’re one of those people, a stationery subscription service will allow you to always have the best stationery on hand for those special occasions.

Pennie Post Stationery Subscription September Reveal September 15 2014, 0 Comments

September's mailing theme is "Critters & Confetti". Fuzzy monsters, little blue birds, and Champagne bubbles popped up in subscribers mailboxes starting last week.

Our Bubbly Congratulations Coaster Card is a thick coaster is printed on both sides with gorgeous gold foil. The front reads "Congratulations! Let's pop the bubbly" and the back reads "Hooray!" with a space for your message. This coaster card is perfect for engagements, weddings, promotions, graduations and any other occasion worthy of some bubbles. The envelope is a shimmery metallic and comes with a matching gold seal.

This happy Monsters Birthday Card is perfect for wishing your birthday boy or girl a very happy birthday. This card is printed on textured card stock and comes with a matching monster envelope. Wonderful for any child or child at heart.

This simple patterned Blue Birds & Berries card makes a great thank you note or simple card just to say hello. Comes with a matching green envelope.

I hope you enjoyed this month's stationery subscription mailing! Sign up for our stationery subscription service today so you don't miss out on next month's cards. All of the Critters & Confetti cards are now available to purchase in the boutique.

Who will you be sending these cards to?

A Touch of Class To The Modern Day Note September 11 2014, 0 Comments

From a birthday card to holiday greeting, and even a note to your best friend just to say hello -- these are all just some examples of ways we express our feelings to people. Some people still view a letter as being old-fashioned, so how can we take things up a notch? 

The answer is easy with Pennie Post. Pennie Post redefines that classic handwritten letter and ups the ante on class and perfection. Have you seen this adorable "Hi" letter? (below) For example, this simple "Hi" instantly expresses happiness, joy and translates to the reader that you are thinking about them, all in a classy (and adorable) manner!

Or how do you say "thank you" to that special person in your life? Maybe its your child's new school teacher? Or your neighbor down the street? Check out this great stationery by Pennie Post that will help you say it all: 

Pennie Post is redefining the way we communicate. There is no more worry or stress involved in going to the store to find  a card! Simply sign up for the Pennie Post monthly stationery subscription and instantly receive cards throughout the month! All thats left is your personal message. 

Stationery Gift Guide Roundup September 09 2014, 1 Comment

Our Pennie Post gift subscriptions no doubt make for an awesome birthday or holiday gift. I've rounded up some more wonderfully cute gift ideas that I think any stationery lover would appreciate.

Clockwise from the top: Pennie Post Stationery Gift Subscription, Ban.do Assorted Pen Set, CB2 Fox Paperclip Holder, CB2 Rose Gold Letter Holder, Swingline Pink Staples, Poppin Stapler, Penguin Washi Tape Dispenser, Gold and Silver Washi Tape, Nate Berkus for Target Gold Shears

Why You Should Send a Handwritten Note September 04 2014, 0 Comments

It would seem that the age of the handwritten note is over, especially if you talk to any young person today. A lot of the schools don’t even teach cursive anymore, and for the most part that is a real shame. Today we’re going to look at a few reasons why the handwritten note is still useful in some situations.

It is More Personal

The first reason why you should still send handwritten notes is that it is a very personal act. People get hundreds of personal emails a day, most of them not at all important. And while there is still a lot of spam snail mail, getting a handwritten note from someone feels more intimate and special because it has become so rare.

It Takes Effort, and the Recipient Will Notice

In addition to being very personal, it is something that takes effort to do. For sure handwriting a note takes more time, and there is no spell check or backspace button; so you may end up redoing it a couple times.

That added effort is something the recipient of the note will notice. That is why handwritten notes are still important in some situations. When you want the recipient to notice that you’ve take time out of your busy day to write them a note on actual paper, handwritten notes are especially useful. This can be in any number of situations. For example if it is someone’s birthday and you want to let them know that you’ve remembered them. E-cards are funny and innovative and all that, but a nicely designed card from a site like Pennie Post with a handwritten note inside will really hit the spot.

Thank You Notes

The final reason we’ll talk about today is thank you notes. Sending a thank you email isn’t the right way to go about it. One of the reasons for that is what we’ve already talked about. Emails take a few seconds to write and send, if that. A handwritten note takes time. And because you spent that time the person whom you are thanking will know that their kindness really meant something to you, so much in fact that you took time to actually sit down and write them a thank you note.

Bottom Line

Email and instant messaging services are awesome, there is no doubt that they’ve changed the way we humans communicate forever. But, like the 8-track and the vinyl record before it, the handwritten note will never be completely out of style, and nor should it be. So send someone you care about a handwritten note today and let them know that you’re thinking about them! 

DIY Mason Jar Gift for Stationery Lover and Printable Tag September 01 2014, 2 Comments

There are tons of mason jar gift ideas floating around online. Mason jars are pretty trendy these days, and they make the perfect inexpensive cute container for little goodies. While perusing Pinterest I mostly saw jars filled with sweets, baking mixes, and manicure items, but no gifts for stationery lovers?! What?! Stationery lovers love tiny cute things, right? So, I decided to gather up some cute stationery goodies for my mason jar and even designed a printable tag to go along with it. If you are in need of a last minute gift, this is the perfect DIY. These jars would also be awesome as gift favors for a party or a shower. We all know Pennie Post makes an awesome present for any stationery lover and this mason jar would go along great with a gift subscription!

To make your own mason jar gift, simply download the printable goodies tag, punch a hole in the tag, fill the jar to your heart's content and then wrap it all up with some string or a ribbon.

Here's what I found to go inside my jar: Rainbow Herringbone Enclosures by Pennie Post, tiny blue notebook, roll of washi tape, multi colored sticky tabs, handmade fabric covered magnets, hippo stickers, turquoise bakers twine, and a pouch of spiral paperclips.

I found these fuzzy hippo stickers on a recent trip to Japan. How cute are they?!

I hope you enjoy the goodies tag printable and create some fun mason jar gifts of your own!

"You've Got Mail" | A Pennie Post Greeting Card Story August 28 2014, 0 Comments

We all remember the movie "You've Got Mail" and the way sparks flew from one browser to the next as Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks waited with glee for when their computer would mutter the three words they had been waiting for..."You've Got Mail".  Besides for electronic mail, snail mail has became something of the past. As technology has advanced, the specialized note seems to have fallen at the wayside. But today, we talk about how in a world full of technology, emails, texts and chatting online can never replace the way one feels when they open their mail box to discover a personalized greeting card or letter.

Lets talk about Mary. Mary is a grandmother to seven beautiful grandchildren, all of whom live more than 3 hours from her. Her birthday is coming up and she knows that her daughters and sons will not be able to make the trip up this time to see her. She expects they may call, or maybe even send something over such as flowers. The idea of a birthday celebration seems lost, until she visits the mailbox the morning of her birthday. Inside, she discovers a beautiful Pennie Post card and when she opens it, she discovers all of her grandchildren' signatures scattered around the folds of the card, wishing her a happy birthday. Her youngest grandchild, James has squiggled a stick-figure smiley face beside his name, making her mimic the smile into her own. What a delightful surprise!

Lets go down the street and look at Robert. Robert now lives alone, since his girlfriend moved out and hasn't been feeling happy lately. He has a cold and shivers as he takes a walk down to his mailbox. When he opens the mailbox, he looks through stacks of bills and browses for a moment at the name on each one. But, something catches his eye. A card! "Is this for me?" he thinks as he reads over his hand printed name on the envelope. He opens it up to reveal a custom greeting card, unlike one he has ever seen before. The image on the cover makes him smile slyly, and he opens it to reveal a card from his parents. His parents have written in very big letters "WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU". Suddenly, Robert doesn't feel cold anymore, as his heart glows from the reminder of his family.

Here at Pennie Post, we are bringing back that electric feeling to people who anticipate opening their mailboxes. A mailbox is no longer just a placeholder for incoming bills, but a reminder that someone out there cares about you, is thinking about you, and wishing you well.

This leaves only one question to ask...who's day will you brighten when you send a Pennie Post card? 

The History of Pennie Post (Penny Post) August 26 2014, 0 Comments

Sending letters through the mail, or snail mail as some call it, is now considered old school with the ease of social media and technology. I still feel that a handwritten letter has a more special, personal touch and is often times more appreciated than a quick text message. One of the goals of Pennie Post was to help bring back physical cards and snail mail.

One of the reasons the name, Pennie Post was chosen for this stationery subscription service is because of its allusions of the past. There was in fact a time where mail could be sent for only a penny. In 1680 London, welcomed one of the first penny posts, London Penny Post. One could send a letter to someone in the London area for only one cent. After it's popularity many local Penny Post systems set up all over Great Britain and Ireland as well. In the 1840's-1850's The United States even had a couple of versions of Penny Post, but they were short lived.

London Penny Post postmark and time stamps from Lime St. office

We hope that when you receive your Pennie Post subscription in the mail and your Pennie Post cards are received by your love ones that it evokes some thoughts of an old tradition. I'm sure your friends and family appreciate a card in the mail much more than a simple birthday email They know you actually had to put some effort in to writing and sending it!

2 Top Benefits of Using Pennie Post For Your Monthly Stationery Needs August 22 2014, 0 Comments

With Pennie Post, all you need to do is subscribe and we instantly send you new stationary every month. Here are the top two benefits subscribers get!

Back to School: DIY Greeting Card Notebook Tutorial August 19 2014, 1 Comment

Can you believe it's already back-to-school time? Where did the summer go? When I was a kid, it should be no surprise that my favorite thing about starting a new school year was getting new notebooks, binders, paper pads, pens, markers and pencils! Today I have a DIY greeting card notebook tutorial for you in honor of back-to-school season. The covers of these notebooks are made from greeting cards! You can use a favorite Pennie Post card you have been saving, or recycle a special one that you have received. If you are a greeting card saver, you probably have a box full of possibilities.

For this DIY will need:

- greeting card

- lightweight printer paper (I used a both kraft and white)

- ruler (or you can eyeball it if you are brave)

- scissors or a paper cutter

- thread in the color of your choice

- sewing machine (if you don't have a sewing machine you can use a long arm stapler)

Once you have your card picked out, unfold it and measure. Cut 5-7 sheets of paper 1/4" smaller than the size of the unfolded card (Example: if your unfolded card measures 8.5"x5.5", cut your papers to 8.25"x5.25"). Fold the pieces of paper in half and insert it in to the card.

Place the card and papers face up and align it in your sewing machine. Pull the threads out a bit so there is at least a few inches of loose threads before the stitching. Sew down the spine of the card keeping as straight as possible. Once you get to the end, pull out a few more inches of thread and cut. You may want to practice on a test card and papers first so you can adjust the thread tension and stitch length to your liking.

Knot the ends of the threads a few times and cut.

You now have your very own homemade greeting card notebooks! Jot down poems, grocery lists, important numbers, or to-dos. If you don't have a sewing machine you can staple the pages in instead of sewing if your stapler is long enough.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. I'd love to see how your notebooks turned out. Feel free to post photos of your notebooks to the Elsie J/Pennie Post Facebook page or Instagram them and tag @penniepost.

Pennie Post Stationery Subscription August Reveal August 15 2014, 0 Comments

DIY Printable Mini Money Envelope Tutorial and Free Template August 14 2014, 2 Comments

Growing up I was always given tiny red envelopes ("lai see" in Chinese). These were given out on birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions and always contained money. "Lai see" envelopes are almost always red with gold foil, but every once in awhile I would score a cute Hello Kitty one. I always wished they would have more fun and modern designs available. Well, instead of wishing, why not just make my own? Brilliant!

If you are a stationery and paper fanatic like me, I am sure you have saved scraps of cute art paper and wrapping paper piled up because you are sure will find a use for it someday. Well, that day is today! Today I have an easy DIY mini envelope tutorial for you. I'm sure you have all the supplies you need already at home, and within minutes you can have a finished product. These can be used to gift money, hold a tiny note, or adorn a present. Possibilities are endless!

You will need:

- Envelope Template 

- Card stock

- Decorative Paper

- Pencil

- Scissors

- Glue 

Download the envelope template here, print it on to the card stock and cut around the solid lines. 

 Next, place the template on to your paper of choice trace around the edges. Cut out the paper, then make your folds.

Put a tiny amount of glue where the flaps overlap and press it in to place. Make sure not to use too much glue or it will squish out and be a mess. Let the glue dry and voila! You are done! How easy was that? Now you have your very own handmade envelopes. You can get creative with the paper you use. Decorative and wrapping papers work great, but you can even use magazine pages, old calendars, or regular printer paper. For one of my envelopes I used graph paper and decorated it with washi tape before cutting and folding.

I hope you have fun with these. Let me know what papers you use. I'd love to hear how they turned out!

Making the Deconstructed Floral Lines Card August 07 2014, 2 Comments

the Deconstructed Floral Lines card is one of the designs I created for the August subscription of Pennie Post. It's a playful girly floral, with a little bit of funk mixed in. I started with a simple floral line drawing using my Uni Style Fit pen.

Next, I placed my line drawing on a light box with a piece of watercolor paper on top of it and painted in the flower colors. I wanted to keep this layer separate just in case I messed up and needed to paint the watercolor layer again. 

I scanned in both the drawing and painting and layered them on top of each other in Photoshop

A little Adobe Illustrator magic, and....tada!

I hope you enjoyed this card. I love how the cool mint color looks next to the pop of bright pink. Who will you be sending this card to?

I'll be posting the August Pennie Post reveal soon, so stay tuned to check out the rest of the cards in this subscription collection.

Chit Chat with Madeline from Popbasic July 16 2014, 0 Comments

Popbasic is a fashion brand similar to Pennie Post, in that it creates and releases small micro collections. Popbasic's limited edition, high quality basics are perfect, versatile staples for any wardrobe. I recently had the opportunity to do a little Q & A with Popbasic founder Madeline Veenstra to gain some insight on the unique brand she has created.

Popbasic is such a clever and unique company. Can you give us an overview about the Popbasic brand, and explain how it differs from other fashion brands? Thank you! From the very beginning we believed that there should be a way for women to build a wardrobe of beautiful basics, effortlessly. And that the experience itself should be super fun! We’re quite different to a regular fashion brand, as we release micro collections each month, with three pieces of clothing and accessories. You can opt in, whenever you feel that those staples are missing from your wardrobe. We also partner with a beauty and lifestyle brand to include a little surprise with each collection.

Have you always been a fashionista? How did you find yourself in the fashion industry? I definitely wouldn’t call myself a fashionista! I love fashion, but it’s not the most important thing to me. I worked in retail throughout my university studies, and I loved helping everyday women choose garments to add to their wardrobes. After I graduated, I worked as an economist and then started an online fashion community on the side, which brought out my love in ecommerce. 

How do you come up with new ideas for your micro collections? I always always ask our community! After all they’ll be wearing our collections. 

I've been hearing about your pen pal program via your Facebook page...what a great idea! I used to love having pen pals when I was younger. What inspired you to start this program? Just like you, I loved having pen pals when I was little. I feel like there is too much emphasis on emails and being online, so I wanted to bring back handwritten letters within our community. So far it has been a big hit!

How can someone sign up to be a part of your pen pal group and how does it work? All they need to do is contact me and I will match them with their partner! 

Do you have a stationery style? What kinds of designs do you look for in cards and notecards? I’m a sucker for anything bright and cute. Polka dots, stripes and metallics get me every time!

Where is your favorite place to find stationery to send your pen pals? I like going to Paper Source in San Francisco and also JapanTown is a great place to find gorgeous letter sets.

I hear you recently moved from Australia to San Francisco. What is your favorite thing about your new city and what do you miss most about your old home? I love how vibrant San Francisco is! There is always something new around every corner. I definitely miss the weather in Australia. Where I’m from it’s hot all year round.

Any exciting hints you can give us about what is in store for Popbasic in the near future? Of course! We’re launching a line of silk blouses and leather clutch bags later this year. I’m really excited about them.

If your wardrobe needs a little refreshing, or you want to sign up for their pen pal program, definitely check out Popbasic. We were lucky enough to partner with Popbasic for one of their newest collections, and can't be more excited about it!

Below are a few photos from Popbasic's past and current micro collections. Just beautiful!