Blog, Event

Handcrafted Hearts, a pop-up shop for your valentine

Posted on February 12, 2012September 21, 2017 by Allison Nadeau

Valentine’s Day 2012. INK MEETS PAPER teamed up with Sweeteeth chocolate to hold a valentine pop-up shop at COAST Brewing Company in the Park Circle neighborhood of North Charleston. Chocolates, letterpress cards, beer– what could be better?
As much as we love our North Charleston neighborhood (Park Circle), there aren’t any local card or gift shops. This year we wanted to make shopping locally for one’s valentine even easier. We thought pulling together three local, Park Circle artisans would be the perfect match. For two Saturdays, Sweeteeth and INK MEETS PAPER set up at COAST during their regular tasting hours. It turned out to be a great opportunity to meet locals and to share our love of locally produced goods.

Jamie and I designed the flyer, focusing on handlettering and a handcrafted paper effect to follow the theme of the pop-up shop.

Handcrafted Hearts Flyer

While Jamie and I have participated in several craft shows, we still feel like there’s something new to learn at each event. In the case of the pop-up shop, we set up outside for the February 4 shop, which proved to be a BIG challenge when it came to paper goods. While the weather was nice and calm during setup, it got really windy during the actual event, which meant we were always trying to keep the cards (or, worse, the tent) from flying away. Thankfully, setting up inside the brewery wasn’t a problem for the following week; however, Jamie and I are definitely back to the drawing board in terms of a good display for outdoor venues.

The other element of our craft fair / pop-up shop displays that we wrestle with is the best way to display our Card Stories. We have so much to share about our cards, and our current displays still don’t fully communicate everything we offer.

Blog, Ink Meets Paper

INK MEETS PAPER Business Cards

Posted on January 27, 2012February 22, 2017 by Allison Nadeau

We changed up our business cards a bit from our last design (there are definite perks to printing your own cards– no guilt in changing it up every now and then). Our previous cards were printed on 220-lb cotton paper and were two colors and two sided (and Jamie and I each had cards specific to us). While they were definitely impressive (and the thick paper felt so good), they weren’t as versatile as we would have liked. Surprisingly, the super-thick paper was really limiting. We could only fit so many in a shirt pocket (or business card holder). In addition, Jamie and I decided we also wanted a card that included both of our names (and general “hello” email address*)– too many times one of us was asking us the other for a business card to hand out. The simplified design of this business card allows us to play with the paper type more. We went with both 110-lb, 100% cotton paper as well as recycled chipboard printed in a single color. The variance in paper textures aligns with our visual brand, and the single color makes reprinting a lot easier.

* We also decided to set up an auto-reply to our general “hello” email address. People tend to wonder where their email goes since there’s not a name directly associated with this email account. An auto-reply lets our potential client know we have received their email and will be in touch as soon as possible.

Blog, Ink Meets Paper

INK MEETS PAPER in Anthropologie!

Posted on January 21, 2012February 22, 2017 by Allison Nadeau

2012 is off to an fanatstic start. Our Confetti Love You card is available NATIONWIDE in Anthropologie stores. We really couldn’t ask for a better start to the year and are happy to be a part of a store that, while nationwide, still appreciates and recognizes small, artisanal lines.

For our confetti cards, not only did we hand feed each card into the press, but also we hand assembled each each card, adding a pinch of heart-shaped confetti to the vellum envelope and sliding the card and envelope into a cellophane sleeve. While it’s definitely a lot of work, I love knowing that I’ve touched every card, and I love knowing that our cards are bringing smiles and love to so many people.

Confetti Cards - Hand Assembled

Want to know the story behind this card? Learn more here.

Blog, Custom

FitDesk Notecards

Posted on January 15, 2012February 22, 2017 by Allison Nadeau

Custom client FitDesk wanted their logo on the front of notecards with an interior message to their clients. We used our house stock (110-lb, 100% cotton paper in Pearl White) for their A2 folded notecards, which included a two-color design on the front exterior and a one-color design for the interior message. The cards were paired with 100% recycled kraft envelopes.

FitDesk Custom Notecards

Blog, Custom

Library Card Invitations and Baby Shower

Posted on January 15, 2012February 22, 2017 by Allison Nadeau

These custom library card themed baby shower invitations were designed and printed for a dear neighborhood friend who is a librarian and whose baby shower I hosted.
From the start, I knew I wanted acknowledge her love of literature without being too over the top for the baby shower. I lined euro-flap gray envelopes by hand with book pages. The library card pockets were letterpress printed with coral ink, and the library card invitations were laser printed (and then hand-stamped with the RSVP date). I also letterpress printed notecards with the pram in coral ink as a gift to the mother-to-be (and, in fact, Jamie and I liked the design of the pram so much that we decided to make it part of our everyday line— available in coral and green).

Library Card Baby Shower Invitations

Since it was an afternoon shower, the spread included cupcakes and light finger foods. (All photos below by Lauren Pavao.)

A DIY iced tea bar (including citrus wedges, homemade ginger syrup, and other sweeteners) made it easy for attendees to customize a southern speciality. Half-pint mason jars and striped gray-and-white paper straws continued the cohesive, handmade feel.

Table2

toppingsandstraws

handmadetea

Cupcake toppers included the letterpressed pram as well as book pages.

cupcaketoppers

Circle garland (DIY to follow) was an easy but festive way of decorating the house for the baby shower.

circlegarland

One of my favorite parts to this baby shower was putting a couple of type drawers to use. Attendees were able to handprint a message to the baby (or mother-to-be) using a couple drawers of INK MEETS PAPER type. Instead of the usual rubber-based ink we use for printing cards, I opted to use water-based block printing ink, which meant easy water cleanup instead of a solvent-based cleanup. It was really neat to see all of the sweet messages printed for Gretchen and her little one.