kate spade Holiday at the National Stationery Show

Thirteen days to go until the opening of the National Stationery Show. Here's another sneak peek at some of the items making their grand entrance May 17. Today, the wit and whimsy of kate spade.

Mount Vernon and Crane Present Stationery Collection

Insider's Note: I'm officially in countdown mode to the National Stationery Show. Every day until May 17, I will bring Crane Insider readers your own exclusive advance look at stationery collections Crane will debut at the show. I am very pleased to lead off with The Mount Vernon Collection.

Mount Vernon commemorates George and Martha Washington’s 250^th wedding anniversary with a new collection of fine stationery by Crane & Co. The collection celebrates the enduring value of the written word with designs drawn from The General and Lady Washington’s own correspondence as well as Washington’s crest, Martha Washington’s French writing desk, and architectural details from Mount Vernon.

“Crane is the perfect partner for Mount Vernon,” said James C. Rees, Executive Director of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. “The company stands for the highest quality, has an incredible rich history, and for decades, has created the paper used for the iconic portrait of George Washington on the dollar bill.”

“Partnering with Mount Vernon brings us both back to our historic roots,” said Anita Brady, vice president and general manager for Crane’s social and business stationery. “George Washington and Stephen Crane, the Crane family’s first papermaker, were contemporaries during the American Revolution – one a general, one a private,” she said. “And now, more than two centuries later, these two great American icons are once again brought together.”

The Mount Vernon collection features boxed notes with historic images including cherries and peaches grown by Washington at Mount Vernon, a set of notes with quotations from George and Martha Washington’s letters, boxed gift sets with folded notes and hand-engraved correspondence cards featuring motifs inspired by Martha Washington’s French writing desk or Washington’s crest. The collection also includes blind-embossed notes inspired by the ornate ceiling in the Mount Vernon Front Parlor.

The Mount Vernon collection is available at both Mount Vernon and their online shop (www.mountvernon.org). The collection will also be available soon through many of Crane’s 2,000 independent stationers.

About Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens

Since 1860, over 80 million visitors have made George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens the most popular historic home in America. Through thought-provoking tours, entertaining events, and stimulating educational programs on the Estate and in classrooms across the nation, Mount Vernon strives to preserve George Washington’s place in history as “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen.” Mount Vernon is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, America’s oldest national preservation organization, founded in 1853. A picturesque drive to the southern end of the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway, Mount Vernon is located just 16 miles from the nation’s capital.

In October 2006, Mount Vernon added two new facilities: The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center and the Ford Orientation Center. These $65 million dollar facilities include 25 new theaters and galleries that tell the detailed story of George Washington’s life. More than 500 original artifacts, 11 History Channel videos, and immersion theater experiences illuminate the remarkable story of the first American hero.

Mount Vernon is open 365 days a year, and visitors can arrive at the estate by car, bus or boat. The Association does not accept grants from federal, state or local governments, and no tax dollars are expended to support its purposes.

Proceeds from the sales of all Mount Vernon/Crane & Co. product helps to support Mount Vernon’s preservation and educational efforts. Visit www.mountvernon.org to plan your next trip.

An Earth Day Message from 1801

The advertisement submitted by three papermakers in the Pittsfield Sun implored: "Ladies, Save Your Rags."

This was way back in 1801, long before they figured out how to make paper from trees.

Message: A waste product is a raw material

"As the subscribers have it in contemplation to erect a papermill in Dalton the ensuing spring; and the business being very beneficial to the community at large, they flatter themselves that they shall meet with due encouragement."

Message: Buy local to supprt your community.

"And that every woman who has the good of her country and the interest of her own family at heart, will patronize them, by saving her rags and sending them to their manufactory, or to the nearest shopkeeper, for which the Subscribers will give a generous price."

On top of this being a really great piece of ad copy, these same messages resonate more than 200 years later.

We recognize that waste products can be valuable raw materials through recycling.

We recognize that spending our money wisely close to home can enhance the viability of our communities.

We recognize our individual actions have local, national and global implications.

Zenas Crane and his two partners had no clue about recycling, waste minimization and Earth Day, but they clearly understood what must happen for a business to succeed.


Zenas and his partners understood that without "encouragement" their manufactory would have no future.

The same is true today. Where and how we spend our "encouragement" has a direct impact on which manufactories we wish to improve.

So, as we approach Earth Day once again, it's time for all of us to contemplate that when we reach into our pockets, we're not just spending our money, we are giving encouragement. We're saying:

"I like what you're doing so much, I'm going to pay you to keep doing it."

It's Time to Lick a Stamp!

Okay gang. It's time to:

Bury the blackberry.
Get your face out of Facebook.
Make someone's day.
Write more and spend less.

Just wanted to give you a heads-up that Crane is kicking off a really attractive sale today.

Through June 1, Crane will be offering customers who purchase 75 or more personalized invitations, announcements, or stationery, 25 additional pieces free of charge.

This promotion is good on all personalized purchases from any Crane album. From stationery to weddings to social occasions, customers will receive an additional 25 pieces with their order of 75 or more. It is also an ideal time for gift-giving for Graduations, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

You can browse, buy or find a participating stationer here.

Light, Camera, Design, Paper, Letterpress Convergence

Today was just one of those days. Nothing going wrong, just working away at the normal stuff, sort of feeling sorry for myself because I had to be indoors on an outdoors kind of day here in Vermont.

As I walked past my photo "studio," that sunshine that I was bemoaning was reflecting just so off a piece of letterpressed paper. I tore open a box of samples from the field that I had been putting off for a few days, in hopes that there might be some beautifully-designed and beautifully printed letterpress work while the light was still good. What were the chances? As it turned out...pretty good.

So a day that was dragging along all of a sudden flew by as those five elements converged: Light, Camera, Design, Paper and Letterpress. Some day I hope to add a sixth element - talent - but that will have to wait.

Have a look.

Above are elements of a wedding invitation designed by Elizabeth Peters of Arzberger Buening Stationers in Charlotte, N.C. Arzberger also provided the letterpress printing on 179# Crane's Lettra Pearl White paper.

Elements of a wedding invitation designed by Natalie Eason Wommack of Sicily Eason Design in Houston. The same firm provided the letterpress printing on 110# Crane's Lettra Fluorescent White paper.

And finally, Michael Osborne and One Heart Press in San Francisco.