Posts Tagged ‘stationery’

Giving Gratitude

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

stkr_heart_textIn 2008 a man named John Kralik made the decision to be grateful.  At the time he decided to do this, he was anything but thankful. His self employment situation was desperate, he was overweight, out of shape and depressed.  His relationship has just ended and not by his choice. He made a conscious effort to change his attitude by reaching out to thank others.

John vowed to write one note a day for a year. He set no guidelines about who bookjpgthe note needed to be directed to or what the subject matter needed to address. One note for each day.

He made the decision to be grateful.

John started out by writing a note to a barista who made his coffee  everyday. He thanked her for remembering his name and order everyday. Then he wrote to colleagues and thanked them for their referrals, he wrote clients and thanked them for paying on time.  One note, each day.

Guess what happened? When people replied, they reflected the same kindness back to John. Things got better.  His colleagues referred more clients to him, his current clients paid faster, he was happier and felt like exercising and he lost weight; got healthy. Positive energy reflects back.

Make the decision to be grateful and show your gratitude to others. It will make you feel good to drop that note in the mailbox. It will make the person receiving it feel even better.

Letters from Lilly has a heart design that is used a lot during February, the month of the Valentine, but feel free to use it all year long to tell someone you love them.

Dear Tooth Fairy,

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

stkr_redtopfairy_textnote_redtopfairy_textDear Tooth Fairy,

Since 2003 you brought such joy to our home. The way you would flit in and out so magically, leaving just a touch of fairy dust on the window sill, making us all believe in your magic.

The three of us would gather in Lilly’s room, with the gift of her tooth. All the tiny boxes would be brought out and she would take time to decide which special box she would put the tooth in; for you. Once the tooth was in the box, she’d let out a shriek of excitement, knowing your visit would be soon. Under the pillow went the pretty box. On the pillow went her precious head. The waiting began, for all of us.

I know she’d stay awake for hours waiting for you. She’d urge us to go to bed, so you would come. I’d hear her giggles and her trips to the bathroom until finally late into the night, the whole house would be quiet.

The next morning would be full of smiles and confirmation that all is good in the world because the Tooth Fairy had come. On some of those special nights, you’d leave a note. Over the years we learned that your name is Blossom. How excited we all were when the first tooth fell out in California and we left a note to see if you had followed us from Ohio or whether we’d be assigned a new fairy. There was so much to consider. Did you follow children or did you have an assigned territory? She was thrilled when you brought your magic from Ohio to California. I knew you came all that way just for Lilly.

Now Lilly is in high school and has finished her experience of braces. The pretty boxes have been replaced by a plastic retainer case. No more visits from you.

I miss your magic, Blossom and I just wanted to say hello.

Love,

Lilly’s mom

Royal and Magical Creature

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

enc_seahorse_text Who has thin skin and blushes bright colors when hanging around their friends?

Need another hint? Okay.

Who is like no other, having a crown so distinct that it is as different as one fingerprint to the next?

I’m not referring to the royal wedding here. Give up?

A seahorse.

To me a seahorse is as magical as a unicorn. They are such a fragile, quiet little creature that they don’t seem real in our world.

Fifty species of seahorses fill our seas. Strange they are in the fish family since they swim upright. They really aren’t very good swimmers. Seahorses just bob along in shallow, tropical waters and coral reefs. They are as small as an inch and as large as 12 inches. The tiny eyes they have are independent of one another and  rings are in place of bones inside their S shaped bodies. Their fragile body make up doesn’t even seem strong enough to endure the oceans.seahorse1

The males tend to stick around their natural habitat keeping well within one single square meter while the females will wander 100 times that distance. It’s a good thing the males stick around since they are the ones who carry and have the babies. It’s true. After courting for a few days, the females deposit over 1,000 eggs into the pouch of a male where they stay for anywhere from nine to forty-five days. When they are ready, fully developed seahorses emerge, ready to care for themselves. By the next morning, the male is ready to carry another batch.

Now that’s efficient! They are beautiful little creatures for sure, which is why we include them on each an every stationery item we offer. With summer coming up, they are the perfect design to choose for stationery notes or party invitations.

Rock On!

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

inv_rockinghorse_textThe rocking horse has been around for centuries, dating back to the days of ancient Egypt and Greece. While the first toys with horses were crude wooden heads on a stick, they developed into fabulously elaborate horses with rich manes of hair and shining glass eyes.

Did you have a rocking horse as a child? Does your child or grandchild have one now?

The horses on a stick, that were seen hundreds of years ago, developed into horses on wheels and then runners as time passed. The runners were favored simply because they took up less space to ride. Children were even taught to ride properly, preparing for the day when they could mount a real pony or horse.

These toy horses continued to be popular until the war when their production slowed for the mere reason that there were no men to produce them. Then the depression began and resources were used elsewhere.

Look at the largest rocking horse, as of today…

Our rocking horse is chosen for baby boys announcements or baby showers. The invitation above is for an expected little boy who will soon be rocking his horse for sure! The rocking horse is available on stickers, pads, stationery notes and any of the Letters from Lilly items offered.

Paper Dresses Seen at the Oscars?

Monday, February 28th, 2011

note_fivedresses_textIt’s the morning after the Oscars and everywhere you turn people are talking about who and what they saw last night on television, specifically at the Oscars.

This would be the ideal time for me to disclose the fact that I never even turned them on.

Nope, not a glimpse. I didn’t have big plans that kept me away. I have just never found the flame that burns within to watch hours of people giving awards. Dare I say it’s a little slow for me.

What I will admit to is looking at the pretty dresses. I’m not as interested in who wore the dress, but I do like to see them.  I enjoy the party, the dress up, the glitz and glitter and all that goes along with the g-o-i-n-g to the Oscars. Perhaps if I were invited to attend, I might pay better attention to folks getting trophies.collarjpg

So on that note of dresses, I’m sharing a fabulous article that was submitted to me by one of my favorite customers in northern California. It’s about a display of PAPER dresses and these are fabulous!

If you live in the area or have the opportunity to be in San Francisco between now and June, go see these spectacular paper dresses created by Isabelle de Borchgrave. She is inspired by days gone by but brings them back to life with the detail and intricacies of the finest fabrics and enhancements.

I will be in San Francisco in May and plan to see them for myself. Now our five dresses design isn’t quite as elaborate as Isabelle’s dresses, but ours are quite snappy for that summer social coming in a few months. The Letters from Lilly five dresses design is available on all our stationery products, just like all our designs at Letters from Lilly.

This exhibit can be viewed at San Francisco’s Legion of Honor and runs through June 5, 2011.  The artist will be at the Legion on Saturday demonstrating her techniques for transforming paper into couture for all interested.

Ladybugs are a Blessing

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

stkr_ladybug_textLadybugs are one of the least expensive way to keep aphids and other critters away from your garden flowers.

If you find that you don’t have lady bugs naturally, you can actually order them online or pick them up at the closest Home Depot. If you are using nitrogen on your plants, be careful. Aphids love that and the 1/8″ long bugs will suck your plants silly in no time. They reproduce quickly making it possible for a plant to have hundreds of thousands of these bugs in just a few weeks!

This is where the ladybugs come to your rescue. ladybug-feeding-on-aphidsRelease them in your yard and they will quickly go to work on the aphids and other insects that aren’t helpful to your gardening efforts.

Who knew that such a cute little bug was also so helpful? I found an adorable elementary school site that will teach you all kinds of fun facts about ladybugs such as; a ladybugs beat her wings 85 times a second when she flies.

Yes, only female ladybugs fly. The school site also taught me that all ladybugs are born black and will later develop a varied pattern of spots, letting us know what kind of ladybug it is.

ann_ladybug_text1

The ladybug design is also a symbol of good luck, especially in the Chinese adoption world. For this reason and more, we get lots of requests for baby announcements to be printed on our ladybug design.

All sixteen products from Letters from Lilly can be printed with our ladybug design. To see all our products, just go to our website.

See you in the garden!

It’s the Simple Things

Monday, February 7th, 2011

gf_poppypitcherI’m probably the only gal who tells her husband NOT to buy roses on Valentine’s Day.

I don’t like the traditional bouquet of flowers for Valentine’s Day or any other holiday for that matter.

I like wild flowers and bright poppies, smiling gerbera daisies and happy sunflowers. Roses are too… I don’t know…perfect? Other times of the year I  might like roses, but not on Valentine’s Day.

The perfect bouquet for me is the one from the local grocery store with lots of colors and maybe lilies as the most bold of the flowers in the arrangement. If it’s a really special occasion, two bunches are nice, but not necessary.

Even on my wedding day, I didn’t carry a rose and neither did any of my attendants. My bouquet was all wild flowers and the bridesmaids carried their own bunches; one a big bunch of freesia, another an armful of white daisies, another a bunch of pink gerbera daisies, then the purple iris, yellow lilies, and then the rubrum lilies.  wild_poppies_1024x768

I remember the florist was shell shocked when I tried to explain my ideal bouquet. I finally had to tell her, “You know the flowers that grow in a field or on the side of a highway? That’s what I want.” I wanted Queen Anne’s lace and small purple and yellow flowers that naturally grow in the country in Upstate New York.

So what do I like on Valentine’s Day? A small bouquet from the grocery store and a box of chocolate. Oh, and a kiss. <3 And only a handmade Valentine will do.

The gatefold shown above with the pitcher of poppies would suit me just fine for Valentine’s Day. The design can be put on all of Letters from Lilly stationery items.

Hang On! It’s a Whole New Year

Monday, January 10th, 2011

I’m finding it very easy to roll into 2011. It’s quick to write, simple to remember and easy to say. I am confident that things are looking up for lots of reasons. People sent more cards this past holiday than previously and they continue to send them for the new year. If you haven’t sent your greetings, it’s not too late. The party is just beginning.

Just in Januarenc_monkeychandelier_texty alone, look at all the holidays you might not have considered, until now.

  • National Bath Safety Month
  • National Blood Donor Month
  • National Braille Literacy Month
  • National Hobby Month
  • Hot Tea Month
  • National Oatmeal Month
  • National Soup Month

Now I admit, I have never celebrated these holidays before, but it’s interesting to know they exist. Some of them at least.

It’s good to know that it’s National Blood Donor Month; go donate. You can check out the Blue Cross site to make an appointment to donate blood. Start the year off by doing something good for others.

There is actually a site for unusual holidays that you might want to check every month, just to keep abreast on the holidays. You never know when you will receive an invitation in the mail in celebration of National Soup Month. You wouldn’t ever know if I hadn’t told you. Now you know.

The monkey in the chandelier is a popular design for an occasion, especially any of the unusual holidays in January.

Happy New Year!

Santa Clause is coming to Town!

Saturday, December 11th, 2010

enc_santa_text

One of my favorite tasks for Christmas is setting out the cookies, carrots and reindeer food for Santa and his reindeer. You can either sit up and wait for Santa OR you can track him (using your netbook under your covers if necessary).

So settle in and keep a watch on where he is and when he’ll arrive in your neighborhood. On Christmas Eve, this promo will be the actual tracking of Santa Clause.

Shown above is our gift enclosure card with our Santa design. I’m told it’s so popular because it looks like the real Santa.

During the holidays, remember to cherish the good health of your family and friends, keep things in perspective and enjoy the memories you are creating.

Holiday Card Options? You bet.

Monday, November 1st, 2010

We have five different items we offer for holiday cards. Take a look at the options below and choose from our 110+ designs. Any of our designs go on any item we offer. www.lettersfromlilly.com

1. Gatefold  (below) - Use as photo card or just have a greeting inside. Your photo can be affixed inside center or on a side panel. Custom greeting can be printed in the center or on a side panel in your choice of ink color and typestyle.

gf_gingerbreadhouse

2. Photo Card 7 3/4″ x 5 1/4″ (below)

Use with a 3″ x 5″ or 4″ x 6″ photo and have customer greeting printed inside. Horizontal or vertical.

lph_snowman

lpv_snowman

3. Small Photo Card 5 1/2″ x 4 1/2″(below)

Use with a small 3 3/8″ x 2 5/8″ photo and have customer greeting printed inside. Horizontal or vertical.

sph_pinetrees1

spv_pinetrees1

4. Flat Photo Card (below)

Attach your own photo or upload and edit your photo to fit our card on our site. See paper and photo printing options on the site and email us if you have questions paper@lettersfromlilly.com

fhp_santa_text15. Fold Over Note (below)

Toss the idea of a photo all together and send a custom greeting card like the one shown below. Your greeting will be printed inside the folded note shown below.

note_doorAll Letters from Lilly stationery includes  the matching linings, as shown in these samples. The photo cards can be printed on ecru textured paper OR white paper. See our website or email us for details.