Freebie Friday: Five Skylines For The Holidays

I just received printed samples of Crane's Skyline Collection for the holidays. I love writing about the holidays when it's 90 degrees outside. So, it's a good time to share with you the five skyline designs for the 2010 holiday season and here they come:

Since this is Freebie Friday, I will challenge you to identify all five skylines, in order from top to bottom. Normally, I would have you leave a comment below, but by doing so, you might tip off your competitors. So, send me an e-mail with your list to craneinsider at gmail dot com.

I know you personally have don't need this volume, but you probably know someone who does. I will give one winner a copy of:

I look forward to hearing from you.

And, to close, the winner of the Food For Thought Freebie Friday from July 16, according to Dr. Random, is commenter Evacuee. Please send me your contact information to the e-mail above. Congratulations!

The Return of Freebie Friday: Food for Thought

It's been a while since we've had a Freebie Friday, but today provided some inspiration to get back at it. Here's the story:

I tend a couple of big gardens and deliver fresh fruit and vegetables every day to a local early childhood education center for the kids' lunch. So far, they've had all kinds of lettuce, radishes, spring onions, snap peas and just the other day, the season's first green beans. I was bringing the next day's supply, which this time included a couple of quarts of red raspberries, and this little pixie poked her head around the corner and said: "Thanks for the bean, Peter. I never had one before." She allowed as how she didn't really care for the peas....

And today, while making a delivery of the season's first baby carrots, the kids swarmed around my knees and proudly handed me a gift:

Mmmmmmm... Jam!

Mmmmmm....Bumbleberry Jam!

So, in recognition of little kids who really like green beans, who might not care for peas, but who love beets because nobody's told them they taste like dirt yet, and who make Bumbleberry Jam, here's today's Freebie Friday collection:

Engraved Pineapple Ecruwhite Notes

Hand-engraved Pear Notes

Martha Stewart Seaside Printable Invitations

Cheers & Clink! Coasters by Peggy Wong

To enter this week's Freebie Friday, simply leave a comment below. The comment must include your favorite vegetable recipe so we all can share in the seasonal bounty. And I'll pass them along to the kids.

Freebie Friday Goes To The Dogs (Notes, That Is)

Crane's collection of Dog Notes was reintroduced at the National Stationery Show earlier this month. There are currently eight breeds in the line - Standard Poodle, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Scottish Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, Dachshund, Yorkshire Terrier and a Labradoodle Puppy.

For 2011 Crane will expand its offering of Dog Notes, but there are soooo many breeds out there it's pretty hard to figure out which might be the most popular to be featured on Crane paper.

So that's where you and your friends come in. Let's see if we can get a consensus winner. Enter a comment below promoting your favorite breed, or send me a Dog Tweet @craneinsider. I'll pick one winner from the blog and one from Twitter for a selection of Crane's Brushstoke Animals. 


Spread the word!

Saying So Long to April with Greetings for May

As noted last week, I got so entranced by the new $100 bill that I completely forgot my Freebie Friday obligations. I'll try to make it up to you as we say goodbye to National Letter Writing Month. Let's greet the month of May with greeting cards. For your consideration, I have a set of 18 greeting cards for birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, and just plain expressions of the heart. All are engraved or letterpressed on Crane's 100% cotton paper.


Here's a sampling:

Leave a comment below and I'll put you in next Friday's drawing.

No Freebie Friday? Mea Culpa Monday....

I got so wrapped up on the unveiling of the new $100 bill last week that Freebie Friday got right by me. Heck, I even got up close and personal with my new Friend Ben!

So I apologize for the delay in announcing the winner of two boxes of kate spade stationery. Mr. Random drew No. 5, which is commenter Bleubug! Please send me your mailing address at peter dot hopkins at comcast dot net.

I promise to get back on track this coming Friday, so stay tuned.

Freebie Friday Feature: kate spade Boxed Stationery

The weather report is calling for snow this weekend here in Vermont which will call into question the Sunday round of golf and tilling the community and school gardens. Given that dreary outlook, I needed something bright and cheery to ponder in order to elevate the gloomy mood.

First off, Mr. Random reports that the number 3 was generated to select the winner of this past week's pet journal prizes. And number 3 is Little Lamb Design. Please send your shipping information to peter (dot) hopkins (at) comcast (dot) net.

Now my mood is beginning to elevate, so let's get this week's Freebie Friday kicked off with some bright and cheery and springy and summery notes from Crane's kate spade stationery collection.

Yellow Roses Fold Over Boxed Set

Bon Voyage Fold Over Boxed Set

So, you know the drill by now. Leave a comment below to enter Mr. Random's drawing next Friday. Or follow @craneinsider on Twitter and retweet the Freebie Friday tweet to enter.

Good Luck!

Freebie Friday Goes to the Dogs - and Cats

Well, this is a new one for me. A dog won this past week's Freebie Friday giveaway of all the frog-based stationery. The winner is Moose, who wrote: "Frogs forever! Tail Wags to All!" OK Moose, get your master to send me his shipping address to me at peter (dot) hopkins (at) comcast (dot) net.

So, it's Freebie Friday once again and to honor the occasion of having a dog winning last time, I'm giving away two pet-themed journals - one for dog-lovers and one for (sorry Moose!) cat-lovers.

I opened the journals up a while ago and the feel of the paper inside is spectacular. Upon further inspection, I learned why. The journals are filled with beautiful, white, toothy 24-pound Bond - Crane's Bond.

So, all you animal-lovers who would love to own these journals filled with Bond - Crane's Bond - leave a comment below. And good luck

A Spring Salute to Stationery Frogs

We are having the most wonderful stretch of spring weather here in Vermont, and last night, as I was driving home with the window down after a glorious victory in the finals of the dart league (it's all good today!) I could hear the peepers for the first time. Yay Spring! The tiller gets fired up later today.

So, in honor of the arrival of Peepers, I'll put together a collection of stationery frogs for you:

The Brushstroke Animals Leaping Frog

The Paper Collage Frog Printable Cards

And then there's my favorite frog from the Crane Insider Archive: The Cocktail Frog. These imprintable cards measure about 9 inches by 4 inches, so they're perfect for a dinner wine list, menu card, invitation or just as a shopping list for your trip to the liquor store.

If you would like to own this fabulous frog collection, just leave a comment below.

And, the winner of last Freebie Friday's collection of Louie Award finalist stationery is: Brooklynchuck. Chuck, please send me your mailing address at peter dot hopkins at comcast dot net.

Good luck everyone!

Crane Products Chosen Louie Awards Finalists

We were thrilled to learn yesterday that three Crane products have been selected as finalists for the 22nd Annual Louie Awards, presented by the Greeting Card Association. The Louie Awards are considered the pinnacle of recognition by our peers in the industry, and it is indeed gratifying to receive such acknowledgement. All finalists will be displayed at the National Stationery Show in May, and winners will be announced at a special event on Monday, May 17, in New York.

Here are the finalists:

"A Little Bird Told Me" letterpressed birthday card

"Love is merely madness" anniversary card

And,the kate spade all-occasion greeting card gift set

In honor of their selection as Louie Award Finalists, I am going to give you a chance to win all three. Simply leave a comment below to enter.

And, before I forget, the winner of the Little Papers You Can Write Your Name On giveaway is commenter Dave Marler, who wrote:

While I would prefer the printed cards because of my poor penmanship, I do think the hand-written versions create a more personalized impression on the recipient. I would love to have the cards as I could make great use of them in spreading the word about my new business.

Dave: E-mail me your mailing address at peter (dot) hopkins@comcast.net

New Freebie Friday & Winners of Kate Spade Postcards

I'm running a little behind today, but wanted to send along congratulations to our two winners of a set of kate spade classic postcards: Retweeter @kimi_joy and blog commenter LydiaAndPugs! Please send your shipping addresses to peter.hopkins@comcast.net.

Here's this week's Freebie Friday special:

As the saying goes: "There's nothing like old money," and that couldn't be truer today because that's what I'm giving away. Crane's Old Money was introduced in the 1990s and remains one of my most favorite papers to this day. Unfortunately, it was discontinued several years ago. But the good news is I have some and you can have some too.

Crane's Old Money Mint is made with 30 percent post-consumer United States Currency and 70 percent recovered cotton fibers. It has a lovely sage-like hue and an excellent printing surface. The winner will receive a ream of 125 sheets of 8 1/2 by 11, 90-pound card stock. Imagine the business or social cards you can have made up at your local print shop. Or you can print them on your inkjet (not an all-in-one). Whether you're a banker, a broker or just plain broke and looking to make some green, Crane's Old Money is the perfect presentation of your personal brand.

I'm also tossing in 20 sheets of Old Money writing paper. So, if you would like to be the first on your block to  strut your stuff on Old Money, please leave a comment below to be entered in the drawing to be held next Thursday. If Old Money's not for you, pass along the opportunity to a friend.

Good Luck!