The walk around the Crane booth at the National Stationery Show has become known as the Fifth Avenue of Stationery. Every few feet, decorative windows show off all that's new at Crane and how these new papers can be merchandised in stores around the country. Here are some of this year's windows. The displays are behind glass, so the photography doesn't do them full justice.
For more than 20 years, I have considered myself one lucky guy to have watched the steady hands, calm demeanor, attention to detail and complete dedication to quality that Crane's artisans bring to every piece of stationery they touch. I've seen craftsmanship honed over generations, many times handed down from father to son and from mother to daughter.
But it's an experience you can only get in Dalton. Until the National Stationery Show earlier this week. Crane brought two hand-borderers to the city to demonstrate their unique brand of traditional New England craftsmanship at the Jacob Javits Center.
It was jaw-dropping. Hundreds of visitors to the Crane booth every day stood transfixed as Sally Rice and Deb Larkin plied their craft. Their normally quiet and highly focused art was suddenly the talk of the town. They expertly bordered more than 5,000 cards and notes while being peppered with questions, flashes popping and gasps of incredulity flying around the booth.
"I had no idea."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Unbelievable"
"I can't believe what I'm seeing."
If you haven't seen a video of hand-bordering at Crane, you can now and you can believe what you see. I think you'll understand why I'm still completely dazzled after 22 years. I recommend switching to full-screen mode.
I'm really excited about lots of new items being introduced at the National Stationery Show next week. I'll show you as many as I can over the next couple of weeks. In particular, I'm taken with the retro motifs that adorn two new kate spade gift box sets:
A colleague of mine breathlessly buttonholed me one day during the National Stationery Show. "Peter. You've got to see this guy!" Yeah, yeah, sure, sure.
The cover of Johnny Swing's brochure has a photo of a welded sculpture that twists and turns in all sorts of directions. Not sure what's the big deal here until I open the brochure to see Johnny Swing sitting on a large couch made from coins. Still, I'm no fan of coins. I'm rather fond of dollar bills, but this looked interesting. And sure enough....
Johnny Swing was exhibiting some of his creations at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, just below the National Stationery Show at the Javits Center. I went down to visit and learned that he's a fellow Vermonter living about an hour from me and we have mutual friends.
I loved his Nickel Couch, made with 7,000 nickels, and his Half Dollar/Butterfly Chair, which uses 1,500 half dollars.
But what struck me most, being the dollar bill guy, were the pillows and stuffed animals made from - you guessed it - dollar bills.
I don't normally make suggestions to those who create beautiful and functional works of art, but I mentioned that he might be able to get a deal on some dollar coins. There are lots of them just sittin' around....
I have a short memory. I've been doing this show for quite some time now, and every year, it seems I forget how busy I get when making promises about blogging and tweeting.
Yesterday is pretty much a blur, with more than a dozen appointments with writers and editors from national magazines, all anxious to see what's new. And there is plenty that is new and exciting, but none more so than yesterday's debut of Martha Stewart Stationery for Crane.
We had a great time at the Top of Rockefeller Center in the Rainbow Room, highlighted by a visit by Martha herself. Here are some photos from the event:
Martha with Crane Chairman and CEO Charlie Kittredge.
With Crane Vice President Anita Brady.
Darcy Miller, editorial director for Martha Stewart Weddings, was also in the house.
The view
Well, the big day is finally here. I'm at the Javits Center a little early. There's lots of buzz in the aisles and in the booth. Here are more photos of merchandising displays in the Crane booth:
The display windows at Crane's booth at the National Stationery Show are the stationery equivalent of those made famous by Bergdorf Goodman. Every year, thousands of people circle the booth to see not just the new stationery items making their debut, but how to merchandise them in their stores.
They're behind glass, so photography doesn't really do them justice, but here goes anyway. More updates later on.
There are so many things to do tomorrow before catching the train to the city on Saturday, that I'm going to wrap up our exclusive sneak peeks at Crane stationery debuting at the National Stationery Show.
I'm chickening out on making a single pick for the best-selling holiday card this season. Too many opportunities to be wrong, so I thought I'd even out the odds just a little. So, without further waffling, here are my top three picks.
And here's the dark horse: Rounded edge, gold foil, printable menu cards. These are a budget-friendly way to dress up any dinner table - even an intimate dinner for two. They come in white and ecru, with either gold or silver foil - 25 for $26. The example shown below was printed on my little Epson inkjet. They have an imprintable finish and are made with 64-pound paper. One cautionary note. You can't put cardstock like this through an all-in-one printer. You need to have a printer that feeds from top to bottom without sharp turns. You will probably waste a couple until you get the hang of getting them started in your printer, but it is way worth it!
Once the word gets out - and it will at the Stationery Show - these cards will sell like hotcakes (with real Vermont Maple Syrup)! See you at the show.
Of course, holiday cards are sent in the cold of winter, at least in the northern climes, so one would expect to see lots of snow and ice and other things white on holiday cards. It's a little tough to put images of snow on white paper, (polar bear in a snowstorm?) so there are some limitations.
Today, I thought it would be fun to look at white as a design element both literal and figurative in holiday cards making their debut at this year's National Stationery Show.
And my personal favorite:
National Stationery Show T-Minus 9, and I must be getting punchy on a Friday afternoon, resorting to vowel-centered alliteration. To close out this week's exclusive sneak peeks at designs debuting at the National Stationery Show, here are some animals I find amusing:
And my personal favorite:
You reach a certain point, when you've got to be out of town for a few days, where decisions must be made:
Do I plant my tomatoes before or after the show?
What if it rains and I can't mow the lawn before I go?
What it it doesn't rain? Will my lettuce die?
All that sort of stuff as well as scheduling laundry, shopping for new clothes and on and on. You can probably tell I don't do this very often. But I'm looking forward to my annual trip to the Big City, and if you're a Crane retailer, I'll look forward to seeing you there.
Today's sneak peek at new stationery designs making their debut at the show centers around gold - engraved gold motifs that adorn new cards and notes:
And my personal favorite:
Remember when we met this guy?
To refresh, our little friend here was the best-selling boxed stationery item in 2008, part of Crane's Paper Collage Animals Collection.
Well, move over, little fella, there's some new contenders on their way to the National Stationery Show in just 11 more days. So, for today's exclusive look at Crane designs making their debut in New York:
And my personal favorite:
