Family Stationery

[pritchettzoo]

We are not the Mr. and Mrs. HisName LastName formal type of folks, but what else can I do? Just a last initial? All of our names? I need to write thank you notes for family Christmas gifts, and I was just looking for some inspiration. I've ordered from the in-store version of American Stationery (Rytex), but I guess I'm just looking for something different. Oh, and reasonably priced. I don't want to pay more for the note than the gift. ;) One day I will have a full range of Crane for every occasion, but I need something more practical for now.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[C99]

I would just do them with your name only, if you are the one who will be writing the notes. A note goes from one person to one person, so it's entirely proper to just have your name on the paper if you will be writing the notes.

[pritchettzoo]

But then I have no excuse to buy new stationery! ;)

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[C99]

Who needs an excuse?

[hwin708]

Why not just the family last name, like The Smiths.

[babymama]

I LOVE stationary, but I'm not at all an etiquette expert..so take this w/ a grain of salt. Could you do like a short quote or something like "with love..." or something? Maybe that defeats the purpose of personalized stationary? I also like the idea of listing all your names and as an alternative just the last name - could be "The Smiths" or just "Smith".

We have some friends who have joint stationary engraved with their first initials. It reads "A + D". I was confused when I first saw it.

I think if it were me, I would go with just our last name or "The Smith Family".

Lydia
Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03

[stella]

I am a stationery addict and I haven't ordered any with both our names since our wedding - 10 years ago.

What I do to indulge my cravings affordably is buy Crane's notecards that are in fun color combos - lime green with a yellow border - or pink with a grey border and then have my name printed in the color that matches the border.

I think it's like $12-15 for the box of 20 foldover notes. And when I run out, I go pick out a new color. they are not engraved - just printed at the shop. if you can't find anyone there to do it, I'll get you some here - my friend owns the shop. you'd have them next week.

I'm not saying that it's a bargain, but it's not like placing a hundred dollar order either!

Get yourself some new stationery - you deserve it - and when the baby comes, you can get him/her some stationery with his/her name printed on it for your thank-you notes.

It would be so rude not to acknowledge your Christmas gifts - and new stationery would get you all excited to write them!

[gravymommy3]

Hey Anna

I would just have "The Pritchetts" or Anna, Brian & Gracie on the top (at least until the new bean gets here - btw - congrats - hope we get to see the new one in the studio!)

Amy

[Marisa6826]

You'd be surprised at how reasonable Cranes can be with simple stuff - especially with thermography. They have good sales a few times a year for custom orders. They also have printer-ready stuff.

We have (buried somewhere) stationary that says Marisa and Jonathan Lewis with a little frog sitting on a log drinking either a martini or a glass of champagne (I can't tell). I like that it's kind of tongue in cheek, yet safe enough to send a serious note on.

Gotta unpack those damn boxes!!

-m

[kathsmom]

Anna,

I got some stationery from Swoozie's at the Forum and they were very reasonably priced (heck, they were cheaper than the stationery I bought for the kids! LOL!). I got the foldover note cards with just my initials on it and I use that for our correspondence. Or you could just put the initial of your last name on it as well. Swoozie's has a couple of stationery books that you could browse through to get some ideas.

Good luck!

[pritchettzoo]

I've only been in there once, but DH had to drag me out. I'll be near there tomorrow--I will have to check it out!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[pritchettzoo]

There's a shop in several malls here that carries lots of Crane. I'll check there. Thank you so much for the offer.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[pritchettzoo]

I know their die sale is in March. I used to get 40% off (from the jewelry store where I worked) and ordered a beautiful die during the sale with my monogram and a bunch of notecards. I just hate to "waste" them--isn't that terrible? I've only used TWO in three years! I want to get some navy ink (the cards are pale blue with a navy monogram) for my fountain pen. And then I need to find the fountain pen. AND the notes...

Yours sound adorable.

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[kathsmom]

Anna,

I don't think my DH would have to drag me out of Swoozie's, because he would be right there with me! He loves that store. He went there to get a Christmas card for me and told me that he isn't shopping for cards anywhere else, because he loved the selection they had. I was impressed to say the least!

Have fun at Swoozie's and let me know if they have any wonderful things on sale (I want to get one of those cute little bags they have that can be monogrammed).

Edited because I can't spell this late at night!

[pritchettzoo]

We need to get Gracie in there--her last pics were at 9 months (so we're not cheating on you ;)). Yikes!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[kijip]

Rev up your engine for the Crane's Sale, on NOW at you local Crane store. I have my cards for next year, placecards, paper to write Avery's wedding invites, misc note paper all at that oh so low price of half off!

As for personalized stationary, I have not bothered to have any nicely engraved since my name was:

First Middle Last

Which looked simply fabulous but now I have an obsolete die.

Now that my name is:

First MyLastName Hislastname with my middle name in limbo and my husband's name is First Mylastname Hislastname with his middle name in limbo I have not bothered.

I briefly considered getting paper that said Mylastname Hislastname but decided that it sounded too much like an accounting firm. While I did not get it engraved, I did used printed paper with Mrs. Hisfirstname Mylastname Hislastname (since our last name is both of the names) to thank people for wedding gifts and Toby gifts. This was mostly to drive home the point that he took my name as part of his and also to shock my family by being a Mrs. Joshua....funny what will shock people these days.

You can have the names printed in house on the sale paper vs. waiting for and paying for engraving or thermal raised whatever ink. Or just forgo the personalization----it is perfectly polite without it.

[parkersmama]

Anna, I've always thought these notes were neat. They are from American Stationery (the catalog version). They are $26 for 25 printed notes with plain envelopes (a bit expensive but fun). :)

http://www.americanstationery.com/images/Products/base/stdcWAC_zoom.jpg


They have another note in their catalog that reminds me of your situation but I can't find it online. They are called "Family Time Notes" and are $30 for 25 notes and plain envelopes. They have pen & ink type drawings of the family (choose mom, dad, boy, girl, baby, dog, and cat) and names under each family member along with your family name (The Pritchetts) underneath. They are really cute and informal.

[McQ]

I'm actually struggling with what to get on the kids cards. My mom always gets me Crane notecards for my birthday and it has my first and last name on it. It didn't bother me that when I wrote the cards from me & DH, and the from me, DH & Declan. I will still use those to write thank yous for gifts to the family but don't really want to use them for gifts to Declan, Meghan or Declan & Meghan.

It'll be easy enough when it's birthdays or something to use a Declan or Meghan only card but for things like Christmas there were some people that just sent gifts to the kids and I'd like to combine the thank you to just one card but don't know what I should have on the card - Declan & Meghan?

So I'll have cards for:
me
Declan
Meghan
Declan & Meghan

Or should I scrap the Declan & Meghan cards and just get one that say "The McQs".

And let me just add I get a little sick to my stomach when I spell something wrong or mess up on a note and have to throw away one of my Crane cards. Oh and there are some people in DH's family that I won't send one of my good cards to - they get regular old cards :)

Allison
~ mama to Declan 3.24.03 and Meghan 8.26.04

[kensjen]

I like the cards that I bought here: http://www.simplybabystuff.com/siladlab30xx.html

I have bought the note cards and the matching labels. They are really fun, you can choose people that look like you, your spouse, Gracie, even pets. I had some when I was PG with the big ole belly, everyone loved them. They look kinda like this:



http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/19015.jpg


I bought some after we had Jonah with a cute little baby crawling. Now that he is practically a BOY, I need some new ones. These are no one near the same quality of card that Crane's has, but they are inexpensive for personalized cards. And they are so unique and fun, I love to send them out!

Here is another favorite site of mine, there are many many different brands that you can look at:

http://www.peopleonpaper.com/

Some of these get really expensive, so watch out! :) I really love the fun stuff, and not the formal stationery. I had that for wedding gifts, but my life is no longer so prim, proper, and organized. ;) Have fun looking!!

[kristine_elen]

How about

The Smith family
John, Mary, #### & Jane

ETA: How funny: That's supposed to say D-I-C-K and Jane but I guess the software thought it was foul language.

[parkersmama]

Jen, those notes are so cute! I'm trying to work one out for us right now! :)

[houseof3boys]

Great minds think alike dear. I have been looking at stationery for two days now! There are the same notecards that Denise posted about at lillianvernon.com (and you know there are always coupons for their site) for $30 for 50 of them. They have some basic personalized ones that are really inexpensive too! I've never tried them, but I thought I might since they are so cheap and I want some family ones too (in addition to some for Ryan and the little Miss).

I drooled over Crane's the other day and when I told DH how much it was, he laughed. Boys......

http://www.lillianvernon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=46615&addOn=584&categoryId=&catTree=&clearance=&sid=eas

[parkersmama]

Thanks, Debbi! LV has lots of great stationery. I need some sheets with my name printed on them to write notes to the schools for the kids, etc. I also like that they have personalized paper for the children since I'm working on getting them to do better about thank you notes. :)

[Puddy73]

>We have some friends who have joint stationary engraved with
>their first initials. It reads "A + D". I was confused when
>I first saw it.
>
If I saw that, I would think of the diaper cream. Probably not the image they were hoping for!

Jennifer
Mommy to Annabelle Mae 9/8/03

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."

[pritchettzoo]

Debbi, you should really go to Swoozie's in the Forum. They have some Crane that is really reasonable (20 notes for $14) that you can personalize for $5. They have BOOKS and BOOKS of stationery. I only had 10 minutes in there yesterday and it was torture...

I'll check out LV too. Thanks!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03)
and One More (coming July '05)

[houseof3boys]

I've been there and it is fabulous. When I worked right there and The Forum opened, I thought I was in heaven with all of those nice shops 5 min from my office. Um, boss I have an appointment so I'll see you later and off I would go to the Forum....

[gravymommy3]

Come on down - we are here! Hope you are feeling ok with the new bean.

Amy :)