The second runner-up in our Smock Design Contest is this inspired Rhon customization, a beautiful suite of pieces in tangerine and taupe, from The Write Image in Salt Lake City. Smock’s Creative Director, Amy Graham Stigler, fell in love with the sophisticated color palette and the use of our beautiful Smock Spencerian calligraphy font. With the leaves changing rapidly in Upstate NY, we think it’s the perfect letterpress invitation set for a charming fall wedding.

The letterpress reply cards feature 1-color letterpress, printed in taupe. Not only is it really chic, but it’s also a great option for keeping letterpress more affordable. We always suggest this as a great way to save money without losing a bit of style.

And we all know that nothing says “thank you” quite like customized letterpress thank you cards to coordinate with your letterpress invitations. These letterpress thank you notes are especially beautiful and definitely among our recent favorites to print. (See more of our favorite letterpress thank you cards.)

Thank you so much to our friends at The Write Image for sending us this beautiful letterpress customization! We’re winding down on revealing the winners of our Smock design contest so stay tuned – the last two honorees are absolutely incredible customizations!

The first of two honorable mentions in our Smock Design Contest brought to us by Judy Paulen Designs at Bloomingdale’s in New York, we’re completely in love with this chic customization of our Engadine letterpress wedding invitation design. It’s printed in elegant wisteria and pewter inks and features our playful Etienne and Shaw fonts for a finished design that is the perfect blend of traditional elegance and modern sophistication. The set also includes a really lovely letterpress reception card that makes the most of a play between the script Etienne font and the clean look of the sans serif Shaw font. It’s minimal and simple, but still fresh and completely chic.

Thanks so much to our friends at Judy Paulen for sending us this beautiful customization!

Two creative women after our own hearts, owners Samantha Finigan and Whitney Swaffield, were inspired by their shared love of letterpress, stationery and great design when establishing Gus & Ruby Letterpress in a quaint storefront in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Having met when working at the same advertising agency, the two bonded over mutual affection for their dogs before realizing they had so much more than that in common. Newly opened, their shop is not only named after their lovable dogs Gus and Ruby, but also a true reflection of Samantha and Whitney’s mutual passion for all things letterpress.

Back before Gus & Ruby was born, Samantha and Whitney used to talk about their love for letterpress while walking their dogs. With a family history in printing that now dates back three generations, Whitney was able to get her hands on an old press. She and Samantha took a couple of classes and started letterpress printing cards, invitations and announcements they would design for friends and family. While launching their own stationery line was something their loved ones encouraged them to do, Samantha and Whitney are self-described paper hounds and wanted a way to share their love for some of their favorite letterpress lines. The result? A beautiful boutique on Market Street in Portsmouth where they sell beautiful cards, gift wrap and wedding invitations from a carefully curated selection of artisans.

Recognizing that no one in their area was offering design-forward artisan-crafted stationery to the local market, Whitney and Samantha set about carefully selecting only their very favorite paper vendors and stationery lines to carry in their shop. Every item in the store was lovingly hand-picked and is something they personally love and want to share with their customers. Great design and fine craftsmanship is at the heart of what Gus & Ruby stands for and the process of choosing product was a very involved one that Samantha and Whitney loved. While they continue to do custom design and printing on a very select basis, their true love comes from sharing their favorite stationery vendors with the local community.

The selection of exquisite stationery is not the only aspect of opening shop that had Whitney and Samantha working hard. Even the physical design and layout of the store carries their thumbprint. All of the furniture was custom built to fit the design aesthetic they were aiming for and the two women readily rolled up their shirtsleeves and tackled all of the spackling and painting on their own. After a year of intense research, business plan writing, dreaming, and crossing fingers, the shop is finally open and all of that hard work is paying off as their shared dream becomes a reality.

In true Smock fashion, we had to know a little bit more about Portsmouth and Whitney and Samantha’s picks for the top things to see and do while visiting their beautiful little town. Their recommendation? Stop by Flatbread Company for lunch followed by an afternoon shopping along Deer Street and ice cream at Annabelle’s. For the ladies, a stop at Making Faces, a lovely cosmetics boutique can’t be missed and taking time to visit Prescott Park promises to be a highlight of any trip to Portsmouth. (Aside from your visit to Gus & Ruby, that is.)

While Whitney continues honing her expertise as a designer and letterpress printer, Samantha has taken to the forefront in helping to tackle the business and marketing side of keeping the Gus & Ruby operation moving forward. She was more than happy to share a bit more with us…

If you could take a vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be? What would you do? Who would go with you?
I’d go back to the Okavongo Delta in Botswana and I’d go with my children (this would need to happen in the future…when I have kids someday!) I had the great great fortune of going to Botswana on safari with my mother after I graduated from college. Standing smack dab in the middle of the African wilderness – I have never felt more a part of the world community, more connected to those around me than I did in the delta. I observed herds of elephants grazing, listened to the lazy evening calls of hippos, watched a pair of cheetahs hunt and kill an impala – it was a pretty incredible experience and made me remember what a small, perfect world we live in. Hugely humbling and inspiring – the idea that I could ever share something as amazing as what my mother shared with me makes me weak in the knees with hope and gratitude.

What are you top 5 prized possessions?
This is too hard a question! But, here goes…
1. The photo albums my mother created for me and my brother of our various family vacations. Looking at them never fails to remind me of how much we laugh together.
2. A collection of notes my father has written me over the course of my life. He used to travel a lot for work when I was young and every single trip he went on, he would leave a little hand-written note under my pillow before he left that I would then find while he was gone. They aren’t fancy – mostly just little “sweet dreams” notes written on scrap paper – but they mean the world to me.
3. My grandmother’s ring. It’s as sparkly, unique, and treasured as she was.
4. My saddle – there is nothing like the smell of worn leather or the feel of galloping around on a pony. Riding horses reminds me that no one is really better than anyone else when you’re up to your ankles in manure while cleaning stalls.
5. My cupcake pans. I love love love to bake!

If you could describe your personality in letterpress, which Smock invitation would you be and why?
I’d be the Haddington invitation with Spencerian style calligraphy complete with verbena edge painting and a  rousseau lined envelope in verbena. It’s bright, cheery, and classic. The calligraphy adds a personal, loving touch – but it doesn’t take itself too seriously. I couldn’t be black tie. Could I be “comfy shoes recommended”?

Thank you, Samantha and Whitney, for allowing us to take a sneak peek into the inspiration behind Gus & Ruby – congratulations on your beautiful new store!

{All photos by Emilie Inc. Photography}

Residing at StudioWed in Atlanta, an exclusive gathering of Atlanta’s finest wedding professionals, Luxe Expressions is the inspired stationery boutique of Debra Saba. (The same Debra Saba who sent us this fabulous birthday party we shared earlier this week!) Having grown up in the small Illinois town of Joliet, with fond memories of the local dime store and visiting Orange Julius with her grandmother, Debra was inspired early on to take great care in customer service. While attending college and majoring in journalism and communications with a focus in graphic design, Debra always envisioned herself moving to Chicago and working for an advertising agency or a magazine. However, after several summers spent working at a golf course and having met a number of professionals, she found herself working for the next decade as a computer consultant in the corporate world. Though not in keeping with her education or her love for design, her career afforded her the opportunity to grow tremendously as a professional and do quite a bit of traveling, leading to her meeting her husband. Soon, all of the travel began to feel like too much, and with her husband’s support Debra decided to make the leap and go into business for herself, hoping to spread her love for design through her own stationery boutique and design studio. And with that, Luxe Expressions was born.

Debra figured that with her experience in building out technology centers for large corporations in her life as a computer consultant, it wouldn’t be hard to build her own business. She quickly found out just how wrong she was, but with the constant support of her husband she was able to make it work. She was inspired by her passion for stationery and her desire to work with happy people for a living, people who were celebrating life and the most meaningful of occasions. After so many years spent fixing problems, she longed for a career where she could work with people who were excited and optimistic. As she says today, “I love being around sunny happy people now.”

A typical day in the life of Luxe Expressions involves Debra or one of the other in-house designers working with clients on their projects and keeping in close contact with design studios such as Smock to track progress on client orders. As Luxe Expressions is not a traditional stationery store, consultations are scheduled by appointment only either at StudioWed or wherever else a design client may like to meet up over coffee to discuss their vision and ideas. StudioWed offers fabulous industry experts in everything from stationery and photography to floral design, event planning and catering. Couples are able to visit the studio, which is exquisitely designed, and have the vendors cater to them while providing endless inspiration for their event.

Debra and her team take great care in dealing with their clients, bringing a true consultative approach when dealing with brides and corporate clients alike. From the initial consultation to the final packaging, everything that involves Luxe Expressions is thoughtful and rich in personal detail. The running joke around StudioWed is that even Debra’s invoices come neatly packaged in cute envelopes topped with pretty ribbons. The great pride of Luxe Expressions is making clients friends for life – hopefully if they work with Luxe Expressions for wedding invitations, they’ll be back to design at-home cards, holiday cards and, of course, baby announcements.

If you could describe your personality in letterpress, which Smock invitation would you be and why?
I love them all but there are two that match my personality for completely different reasons. I love pattern and just a hint of the unexpected so I would say Lashar in blind deboss and eggplant. It has a bit of an ethnic flair to it and the pattern reminds me a bit of Damascus, Syria – my husband’s hometown. I also would have to have an inner envelope lined as I like to be very neat and the thought of ripping open an outer envelope and tearing the gorgeous liner makes me sad. I also love Haddington with the Smock Clermont calligraphy font and the names done by hand by Smock’s master calligrapher, Debi Zeinert.

What’s your favorite part about your job?
One of my favorite things is to collaborate with Lindsy and Beth Ann and everyone at Smock. You truly make my day enjoyable when we are working on a project together. I also love love love my clients, listening to their needs, and translating that into a design for them. I had a client that Smock did for us and when she saw her printed invitations, she cried. Those are the best part of my days for sure. I also love to “make it happen” so whatever the client needs, we’ll figure it out. I have a great team both internally and in the team of my extended vendor and partnership family.

What’s your favorite city to visit?
There are two. Internationally would be Damascus, Syria where my husband is from. I love everything from the people, to the smells of falafel cooking on the streets, to the sounds throughout the day. It’s amazing there and if I could talk my husband into moving back, I’d be there! Domestically I would have to say Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida where I lived right out of college. It was perfectly manicured and not fussy at all. It’s gorgeous and a few minutes from St. Augustine which is another favorite.

What do you think will be the next big thing in weddings?
I get a lot of requests to incorporate my client’s custom linen selections for their event into their stationery. I think bringing in a textile feel to things will take off. I would love to layer the invitations that are perfectly letterpress printed with some fabulous organic fabric.

Where are your favorite places to shop?
I am a huge Zappos fan for shoes! They by far have the best customer service for an online company. I also do quite a bit of shopping for fun things on Etsy. Locally I go to Lenox Sqaure Mall in Buckhead or The Avenue at West Cobb where I live out in Acworth, GA.

What’s your top pick destinations for first time travelers to Atlanta?
You must go to The World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens as they all appeal to kids and adults. Piedmont Park is also quite lovely. Outside of Atlanta, if you take a drive up 75 north heading towards Tennessee…the view are gorgeous!

Thank you, Debra, for indulging us with the inside scoop on Luxe Expressions – you can plan on a visit from Smock the next time we make it to Atlanta! Also, a big thank you to Ross Oscar Knight, the photographer at StudioWed for the amazing photos – including some great shots of Smock’s letterpress wedding invitations!

Stay tuned because we have some more fabulous inspiration from the professionals at StudioWed later today!

Though it may seem crazy to some who live in warmer climates, we’re already starting to notice the very first hints of fall in the air here in Upstate New York. So even though it may only be late August, we’re preparing ourselves for the vast amount of snow we know is to come in the months ahead. What’s our plan to combat the cold weather blues? When it’s cold and snowy this winter, we’re thinking we might jet off to Newport Beach, California to hang out at one of our favorite Smock stores – Cotton Idea Studio.

Born from proprietress Mindy Gayer’s lifelong love for paper and stationery, Cotton Idea Studio is a boutique design studio carrying a beautiful array of delightful social correspondence, invitations and accoutrements. Mindy has been in love with paper for as long as she can remember, spending all of her childhood babysitting earnings at the local stationery shop. She loved hosting festive little holiday parties for her neighborhood friends, complete with invitations, balloons and fun goodie bags. A career in a creative profession was basically a given for Mindy, although it did take her a while to combine her love of design with business. Cotton Idea Studio is a reflection of her love for paper, letterpress and quality design and as Mindy shares, “I know everyone says this, but it truly is a gift to do what you love — it keeps me inspired, passionate and motivated. And I get to work with the most charming people everyday.”

Quite simply, Mindy truly considers her lovely boutique as an extension of herself, evolving as she recognized a void in the market for specialized retailers. With that in mind, she wanted to create a unique boutique, believing it truly needed to be personal and special — a direct reflection of her and her personal style — if customers were really going to get it. Believing a customer should be just as in love with a store as with the merchandise they carry, Cotton Idea Studio is as much about merchandising as it is about the delightful products they offer. Mindy was passionate about not wanting her shop to become just another store and one of her favorite things is when a customer spends a considerable amount of time simply walking around, oohing and ahhing over all of the thoughtful details. “Their appreciation for the design and craftsmanship of our products, paired with their overall store experience, is what inspires me to continue making the store fresh and overflowing with creative merchandising.”

We think this careful and considered approach to everything she does with Cotton Idea Studio is what makes Mindy’s business so inspired and so fabulous. “I’m constantly inspired by my surroundings, and see design in the small, everyday places. I have such an affinity for well-developed retail spaces, and I love to see how people design and build their workspaces; whether it’s local coffee shops, eateries, retail shoppes, or general office spaces — there’s always room for clever build outs, vivid branding efforts, classic signage typography, and more.” Needless to say, we are really, truly in love. We find nothing more inspiring than creative people who find exciting ways to celebrate the small details in life.

{Mindy at the entrance to Cotton Idea Studio | The patio of her favorite neighborhood coffee shop.}

And in true Smock fashion, we had to know a little bit more about what makes Mindy and Cotton Idea Studio tick…

What’s the best vacation you’ve ever taken and why?
I’m not sure if one can consider a college semester abroad a vacation, per se, but it was definitely a wonderful time away from home. I spent a fall semester studying in Cambridge, England, and was able to embrace a natural season of self-exploration, which was amazing. I’m a fairly independent person, and being abroad gave me the space and time I needed to be reflective, experience culture and people, and dream about my future. I don’t think it matters where I am or how far I travel from home, even a 30-minute drive to a nearby town can set my mind brewing with new ideas.

If you could describe your personality in letterpress, which Smock invitation would you be?
Letterpress anything captures my heart. I adore the Aberdeen collection with champlain backing and lining, in dove and verbena hues. Perhaps finished with edge painting…I love the subtle detail of edge painting.

What’s your favorite part about what you do for a living?
There are so many highlights to this creative profession: Being surrounded by design on a daily basis. Discovering new designers and developing relationships with our vendors – our vendors truly make running this business a joy. Helping to preserve the charm of handwritten correspondence. Being able to bring the best products, by the most talented designers, all together under one roof. Having happy customers; producing quality, custom letterpress goods for our clients is one of the best things about this business, because they walk away happy with a completely unique and exquisite product in hand. And, letterpress – it’s absolutely beautiful! As a shoppe owner, I love supporting designers who commit their professional lives to producing such wonderful products by hand.

{The front window display at Cotton Idea Studio | One of Mindy’s favorite local shops, Trovata.}

What would you suggest as “must see” destinations for first time visitors to Southern California?
I love my hometown, and could write a mini-guide on all of my favorite spots! A few must-sees in Orange County include:

• Cannery Village: this is where our shoppe is located. It’s a charming, hidden neighborhood that locals adore. We have an amazing fish market next door, Bear Flag Fish Co, which is a must for lunch! Alta Coffee, D. Kruse, The Cannery and The Dock are also great finds.
• Corona del Mar: a darling community with cute boutiques and eateries. My all-time favorite is Zinc Café.
• Newport Beach/Costa Mesa: so many great finds in both of these towns, including A Market, Eat Chow, Haute Cakes, Goat, The Camp and Milk + Honey.
• Balboa Island: perfect for any out-of-towner! It’s the quintessential seaside town, complete with mom-and-pop dining establishments, independent boutiques, a ferry, fun zone and surf shops…even a darling little fire station (kids adore it here!)

Where are your favorite places to shop?
Some of my favorite retailers include Anthropologie, Hable Construction, Orla Kiely, Toast, JCrew, DWR, Tory Burch, Kate Spade, ABC, along with local shops like Molly Wood Garden Design, Laguna Supply and Juxtaposition.

Can you describe the sweetest or most memorable card or stationery you’ve received or would love to receive?
The letter that first comes to mind was written by a lovely online customer just last month. It came on a morning that succeeded a heavy week, both personally and professionally, and proved to be a ray of sunshine. It’s amazing how a few heartfelt, encouraging words from a person I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting can change my state in an instant. Admittedly, I all too often underestimate the importance of sending frequent love notes to friends and family. We all need encouragement to continue being who we are, and pursuing the things that are worthy of our pursuit.

We could not agree more. Smock is all about the belief that fine stationery and the thoughtfulness of a hand-written note can go so far to brighten someone’s day.

Mindy, thank you so very very much for letting us take a sneak peek into the inspiration behind Cotton Idea Studio – we are completely inspired and getting ready to pack our bags for a visit come winter!

This next runner up in our Smock Design Contest is a true customization, blending all of the beauty of both our Nevis and Vettore letterpress invitation designs into one incredible invitation suite. Brought to us by our friends at Arabesque in Naples, Florida, this customization was a true pleasure for us to print. With an exciting mixing and matching of colors, patterns and designs, this set is truly unique and exudes an undeniable elegance.

The letterpress invitation itself is our Vettore design, printed in soft lake and midnight inks. The design was shifted to have a vertical orientation and the couple opted for pattern backing in our willoughby pattern in lake. With corner rounding and gold edge painting, every detail was thoughtfully considered. The result? An absolute show-stopping letterpress invitation that we completely love.

Switching it up, the letterpress reception card is in our Nevis design in the same midnight and lake inks, with pattern backing in our seneca pattern. The same corner rounding and gold edge painting make this card just as classically chic as the invitation itself.

The letterpress reply card is once again in our Vettore design, paired with an envelope liner in our seneca pattern printed in lake to match the pattern backing of the letterpress reception card. The careful pairing of colors and patterns helps this invitation set shine, a truly beautiful and unique reflection of the couple and their wedding.

Thank you so very much to the folks at Arabesque for the privilege to print such an incredible customization. Congratulations on being one of our Smock Design Contest winners!

Have we mentioned already how much fun was had at Monday Morning Mimosas? Not only did we get to hang out with good friends, but we also got to spend the day in the incredible loft space of Hatch Creative Studio, with amazing event details pulled together by Erika of Delphine. Pretty paper streamers, and fun MMM-themed coasters and cocktail napkins, even color-coordinated Paulette macarons kept all of our visitors (and us!) oohing and aahing as they walked in all day.

Bobbi and Erika of Delphine chatting with friends Jennifer from Orange and Pear and Chloe from Toots & Magoo.

Joan and Vanessa of Green Paper Company

Erika of Delphine [left] and me, hanging out at lunch after Monday Morning Mimosas.

Stay tuned for more from Monday Morning Mimosas!
[Previously…Smock at Monday Morning Mimosas]

Thank you to everyone who came out for Monday Morning Mimosas this week and to all of the excited Smock fans who showed up for our sample sale that evening! It was wonderful to meet so many new people who share our love for great letterpress, stationery, lovely candles and chic office supplies. We had a fabulous time with our friends from Delphine, Linnea’s Lights, russell+hazel and Green Paper Company. For those who couldn’t make it, here’s a sneak peek at the event….there are many more photos to come!

And, of course, an obligatory group photo…

Smock is thrilled to be hosting a sample sale in conjunction with the New York International Gift Show and our Monday Morning Mimosas event with Delphine, Green Paper Company, Russell+Hazel and Linnea’s Lights. All proceeds from the sample sale, featuring the finest in letterpress, paper goods, stationery, hand-poured soy candles and chic office supplies, will benefit Fresh Air Fund, an organization that works to help inner city children experience life in nature outside out of the city. If you’ll be in New York on the evening of Monday, August 17th, we would love for you to join us for an evening of fun to benefit a tremendous cause. We can’t wait to see you there!

It may go without saying, but around here we are absolutely in love with letterpress business cards – they have become one of our favorite things to print! Letterpress business cards make a lasting first impression, so we’re always excited to design and print them. These particular cards are among our favorites of those we’ve recently printed. Completely custom, featuring the logo of one of our favorite wedding and lifestyle blogs, Elizabeth Anne Designs, these were printed for publisher Ami Price. They are on beautiful 2-ply bamboo paper in 1-color letterpress in classic black ink, paired with edge painting in our wisteria ink that adds just a touch of whimsy. These cards pay homage to classic calling cards, while still being a bit unexpected and fresh. Ami chose a slightly scaled down size that makes them truly unique and one of a kind. We love them!