Vicky, who runs our printing facility, enjoys working on the thermography machine.

Ever wonder how our raised ink stationery is printed? We take great pride in creating crisp, vivid, highly textured printing that’s as luxurious to feel as it is eye-catching to see.

We create our raised ink printing through a technical process called “thermography.” Vicky, who manages the Giftsin24 printing facility, explained the process. Out of all the equipment in our state-of-the-art factory, the thermography machine is Vicky’s favorite one to work on. She enjoys the magic of the process and the vibrant, shiny results.

“First, we print your name onto the paper,” explains Vicky. “While the inked image is still wet, we spread a colored plastic powder onto it. The conveyor belt carries the paper through equipment that bakes the image at high heat for a few seconds. The ink and powder melts together to form a raised image.”

Example: Anthony Family Pride Note

Some of our products feature just a touch of raised ink; others go all out.

The Anthony Family Pride Note is a delight to touch because of the abundance of raised ink printing.

One of our favorites that pulls out all the stops is the Anthony Family Pride Note.  The texture of the raised-ink names, bullets and border makes this note a delight to touch and hold. Like most of our raised ink products, you can choose from among our 10 raised-ink colors. A young,  close-knit family would love this gift.

Do you have a favorite raised ink product at Giftsin24? Leave a comment in the box below to tell us about it!

Handwritten letters from all over the world

Here at Giftsin24.com, we love to write letters. Who doesn’t love the surprise of finding a handwritten envelope at your mail slot? We’ve dug up some cool letter writing websites and blogs to inspire you.

Who knows? You may find your next pen pal.

This beautiful site takes nominations for people in need of a bundle of love letters from strangers. You can propose someone you know, or you can write a letter to someone in need www.moreloveletters.com

The London-based blog Positively Postal collects letters from all around the world. Consider sending in one of your own: www.positivelypostal.co.uk/around-the-world-in-letters

Snail Mail My Email is a worldwide collaborative art project where volunteers hand write strangers’ emails and send physical letters to the intended recipients, free of charge. http://snailmailmyemail.org

International Pen Friends supplies people with penpals worldwide since 1967. www.ipf.net.au

Thank a deployed service member or veteran through the Operation Gratitude website: www.operationgratitude.com/get-involved/write-letters/

The blog Lovely Handwritten Notes asks for letters and sends them out, no questions asked. http://lovelyhandwrittennotes.tumblr.com/contact.info

Do you have favorite letter writing websites or blogs? Include them in the comments section and we’ll consider them for our next blog on this topic.

Customize the Classic Monogram Bordered Card with a monogram or colored border that matches your wedding colors

The new wedding dishes have found a home in your kitchen. The wedding photos are on their way. And memories of your blissful honeymoon are fresh in your mind. Now what? Have you written your first wedding thank you note yet?

It might be time to tackle that pile of thank you notes you owe to your family and friends. The simple act of handwriting a thoughtful note will be a meaningful memento to them. They put in a lot of effort to help you celebrate. Taking the time to write a beautiful thank you note speaks volumes about the type of person you are and the kinds of relationships you’ll maintain for the rest of your life.

So, find your favorite pen. Choose some beautiful stationery and consult your gift list. Then start writing.

1. The Basic Format for the Wedding Thank You Note

The typical format for a wedding thank you note usually goes like this:

Salutation.

First line: thank them for the gift–be sure to name it. If it’s money, avoid naming the amount. The words “generous gift” will suffice.

Second line: tell them how you plan to use it, or some way that you admire or appreciate it.

Third line: thank them for their friendship or support or for coming to your event

Close. (Be sure both bride and groom sign each note.)

Simple, right?

2. Beyond the Basics

Move beyond these basics when writing to people especially close to you, or those who put extra thought and care into the gift. Perhaps you can keep these people on a separate “short list.” Add a few lines that acknowledge the generosity of parents who footed some of the wedding expenses. Praise the thoughtfulness of an aunt who created a beautiful handmade quilt out of your childhood clothes. Thank a friend who traveled across the country to be there for your big day.

The Sienna Monogram Note features a flowing, elegant monogram. It makes a beautiful wedding thank you note.

3. Add a Small Token

You might also choose to share a small object or additional lines of writing that are meaningful to you. You might tuck in a favorite recipe you discovered at a restaurant on your  honeymoon. Include a special quote from a parent’s toast or a lyric from your first dance. Try slipping in seeds of your favorite tree or fruit or vegetable. Perhaps you might slide in a wedding photo of you and the person you are thanking.

4. Choose Lovely Stationery with a Couple’s Monogram

May we suggest writing your thank you notes on single panel cards or folded notes featuring a beautifully embossed “couple’s monogram”? Your shared last name initial takes the center spot. Her first initial is on the left, his first initial is on the right.

Here are some of our favorites:

Henley Traditional Monogram Note  Simple & tasteful. Thank-you notes folded in white or ivory paper never go out of style. A perennial top-seller, our Henley Traditional Monogram Note features a flowing, embossed script for a timeless look. Ships in 24 hours.

A couple’s monogram features the shared last initial in the center, her first initial on the left and his first initial on the right.

Classic Frame Monogram Note   Giftsin24 features stationery by the top producer of embossed social stationery in the U.S., and this folding note is one reason why. You have to see and feel it in your hand to understand it: crisp, deeply impressed borders and gracefully winding letters lend elegant formality, while creamy, thick paper provides weight and consequence. Offered in traditional white or ivory with matching envelopes.

Classic Monogram Bordered Card   Fashions come and go, but the Classic Monogram Bordered Card is always in style. Featuring a beautifully rendered monogram in your choice of 10 raised-ink colors and a bold border in your choice of 6 colors, this card offers a multitude of options from which to create your signature look for your wedding thank you note. Try navy ink on white paper for a classic feel. If you like your stationery to match your morning latte, try the mocha ink on ivory paper. As with all our notes and cards, 50 matching envelopes are included. Optional lined envelopes make this stationery set even more yummy.

On July 4th, we celebrate our country and all it means to us…its beauty, opportunities and freedoms. We are proud to be an American company.

This year, we are also celebrating our 40th anniversary in business! We are a leading manufacturer of social stationery right here in America. When you buy from our American company, you support the domestic economy and workers.

Here’s an example: When you purchase our products, your money pays the salaries of our workers at our Aurora, Illinois, facility in America’s heartland. We also pay our suppliers, like Wisconsin-based Neenah paper and FedEx. Our workers, our suppliers, and our suppliers’ workers further circulate this money throughout the economy, when they buy food at the grocery store and pay taxes that support schools and libraries or infrastructure like roads.

Over the past 40 years, while our business has seen its ups and downs, American manufacturing has shrunk dramatically, shedding good-paying jobs in the process. We are one of the survivors.

Made in the U.S.A.

As the country struggles with an anemic recovery from the 2008 economic recession, people wonder how to create more American jobs. Consumer power is one way. This year, retail giant Walmart pledged to stock more US-made products in its stores, for example. If consumers buy more American-made products, companies can afford to hire more workers and invest in their businesses. Hopefully their success will encourage new manufacturing companies to start up, providing more jobs and fueling the economy.

American companies like ours abide by fair labor laws. We also conform to EPA regulations. You can rest assured that workers are being treated fairly and that the environment around our manufacturing plant is not polluted. These safeguards are often absent in other countries. Companies there may make products more cheaply, but at a terrible cost to workers, nearby residents and the environment.

We hope you’ll agree that American-made products are the best ones. Thank you for your support.

In this age of electronic mail, Facebook friends and even the first experiments with self-driving cars, writing letters with pen and paper can feel old-fashioned. After all, if you can do it with a computer faster and with less effort, then it must be better. Or so we’re led to believe.

The fact of the matter is that the human touch is still essential to our well-being. The sights, smells, sounds and textures of daily living soothe our nerves, stimulate our creativity and connect us to one another. Consider these examples:

When you gather together with friends and family, you end up in the kitchen, with all the smells and sounds of cooking.

Walking barefoot–in the sand, on a lawn or in the mud–is one of the simple pleasures of summer.

A handshake is still the best way to seal a deal.

And what college student doesn’t love a care-package, complete with home-baked cookies and a love note?

The Power of Handwritten Letters

Sitting down to write a letter, as humans have done for at least a thousand years, is another such indispensable experience.

You select a piece of paper and a pen that feels just right. Then you choose a chair, perhaps with an enjoyable view. You might listen to music or simply the breeze wafting through the window curtains.

And then you write.

You write what’s on your mind, in your heart and even sometimes what flows out of your soul.

You fold your letter, you place it in the envelope, you address it and you stamp it. Then you leave it for the mail carrier or bring it to the post office.

Your letter makes its journey…and what happens next?

Where the Magic Happens

First, there’s delight and surprise at the mailbox.

Think of the next sensations. There’s the look of the canceled stamp and the feel of the envelope, which may be a little worse for the wear.

Some people may wait to read the letter at a more leisurely time when all words can be savored and considered. Others may tear open the envelope right away.

Then there’s the sound of paper ripping. And paper unfolding.

The paper crinkles in hand as smooth sheets slip against each other.

The handwriting–so personal, so individual–reflects an aspect of personality that a typed email can never reveal. The slanting, curling letters pressed into paper, sometimes lightly, other times deeply, are as unique as the individual who made them.

It’s quiet for a while as words register in the eyes, then the brain, and the heart. Emotions, thoughts, feelings tumble about.

After the letter is read, perhaps favorite parts are re-read. Maybe at supper that evening, certain passages are read out loud to family or friends.

Later that evening, the process begins anew:  The writer selects a piece of paper and a pen that feels just right…

Digital communication can not replace the tactile joy or simple pleasures of paper and pen.

What do you think?

Father’s Day is just around the corner. What will you give your fabulous dad? Want a gift that’s personal and that he’ll enjoy for a long time? Need something fast?  These gifts ship in 24 hours, plus enjoy free FedEx ground shipping.

Three Favorite Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

Get dad a beautiful, heartfelt gift from Giftsin24.com.

Banner Card  For the professional man. Our bestselling Banner Card is designed to impress. Dad will appreciate the creamy paper that feels smooth and substantial in hand.  $41.95 for a set of 50 with matching envelopes.

Anthony Memo Square with Holder  The perfect memo. The Anthony Memo Square with Holder includes two printed lines on 275 sheets of paper sized just right for quick messages, reminders and anything that comes to mind. Personalize one with a sweet message from you that he’ll love to see all year round. $23.95, includes holder.

Three-Letter Monogram Card   From the country’s leader in embossed social stationery, the Three-Letter Monogram Card puts a clean, modern spin on the classic monogram. Crisp embossing and a strong border gives this card force.  $47.95 for a set of 50 with matching envelopes.

Writing letters to graduates can be a wonderful way to send them off into the world. Use these five tips to write a congratulatory letter to a new grad.

Writing congratulatory letters to graduates is easy with these five writing tips from www.giftsin24.com

1. Acknowledge their achievement.

In the first line or two, acknowledge the graduate’s accomplishment.

“After four years of hard work, you’ve done it! Congratulations on graduating!”

2. Remember their past. 

The second sentence could reference a memory you have of the graduate in younger days or, if it’s an adult who has returned to school, reference a memory of the adult’s previous career or life stage, such as stay-at-home mommyhood.

“I remember when you were a tot building block castles and looking up with wonder at the church tower.”

3. Link back to their effort

If you can, in the next sentence, link the memory back to the graduate’s accomplishment.

“And now you have completed your degree in design!”

4. Project forward to their future

Next, you can predict or hope for their future success. Or, give the graduate a well-selected piece of advice.

“You obviously have many skills and talents, and I hope that you are able to find fulfilling work that also pays the bills.”

5. Finish with love

Close with a heartfelt statement of your admiration or love.

“I love you and wish you the best in life, always!”

Personalized stationery make perfect gifts for graduates.

It’s that time of year…mortar boards are flying, proud young adults are smiling into cameras, and parents are wondering how the time flew by so quickly.

No doubt about it, graduation is an exciting time. Mark this milestone with a gift that announces entry into adulthood: personalized stationery. Nothing says “grown up” more than a fancy embossed monogram. And nothing’s more useful than a notepad to keep the job search or college assignments organized.

Here are some of our favorite gifts for graduates:

1. Notable Note: This colorful raised ink monogram feels bubbly and young. These folded note cards are perfect for writing thank you notes for gifts and job interviews. Come in a set of 50, with matching envelopes.

2. Paris Monogram Note: Flirty and feminine, these folded note cards will please any young woman ready to make her way in the world. Set of 50 includes matching envelopes.

3. Stacked Monogram Card: With clean lines and a classic border, these single pane cards have a masculine feel. Set of 50 cards include matching envelopes.

Super Slab Carnival is a practical and thoughtful gift.

4. Crest Carnival List with Holder: She or he will be organized and ready for whatever comes next with these sheets personalized with a name and initial.

5. Super Slab Carnival: A carnival of colors and large format make this a memorable and practical gift for the graduate. 250 7-inch by 8-inch pages in each pad.

Reminiscing about your favorite childhood memory is a classic letter writing strategy.

The perfect Mother’s Day card is within reach. The answer is right in your hand…and your heart. Pull out a pen and write a sweet letter on a beautiful piece of stationery. It will be a keepsake Mother’s Day message she’ll treasure for years to come.

You don’t need to be a professional writer to craft a heart-felt Mother’s Day message. Try these approaches, from easiest to most difficult.

5 Ideas for Writing Mother’s Day Messages

A simple list of thank-yous. Write the reasons why you are grateful to her. Sometimes it’s nice to number them, as in “5 reasons I love you” or “10 reasons why you’re the best mom ever.”  Mention the simple things: “I love your beautiful smile.” And, include the deeper reasons: “Mom, you’ve always been a role model for me, showing me how to handle myself when life gets hard.”

The embossed Circle Monogram Note gives a modern spin to the traditional monogram. From www.giftsin24.com

The year in review. Here’s another list idea: Go back in your mind through the past year and jot down some of your favorite moments with her: “taking Jack and Olivia for a walk in the park, baking gingerbread together last Christmas, helping me come up with plan B when I burnt John’s birthday cookies, opening up my birthday present and finding that gorgeous quilt you made for me….”

Wishful words. Tell her all the things you wish you could do for her, if only you had enough money and time. “I’d buy you a castle and a horse-drawn carriage. I’d hire a sky writer to write you a love poem in the clouds. Or, I’d take you on a world tour of Paris, London, and Tokyo like we’ve always dreamed of…”

Go down memory lane. Write a story about your favorite childhood memory with her. It can be funny, sad, touching, sweet or all of the above.

Discover your inner poet. Write a short, free verse poem. The beauty of free verse is that it doesn’t have to rhyme!

Mother, you are my inspiration,
Showing me what it means to be a woman,
Handling life with courage and grace.
I feel so happy when I’m with you.
You share your warm smile and ready laugh
And go-get-’em attitude.
I’m so grateful that you are in my life

A Work of Art… and Love

Writing out your thoughts on a beautiful blank card can bring so much meaning to Mother’s Day. Crafting a touching letter takes just a few minutes, but it can give your mother many moments of quiet joy whenever she takes it out and peruses it.

Serenity Personalized Napkins give wedding showers or engagement parties that little extra something that says Help Us Celebrate Our New Life Together!

Spring wedding showers should have beautiful napkins. And, it’s so easy to add that touch of elegance.

Giftsin24.com offers a wide array of napkin colors and inks. Choose a combination that coordinates with your table, add the lucky couple’s names, and we’ll ship them in 24 hours.

Here are our top 5 wedding shower napkins…

Blissful Napkins: The typeface says, “modern couple,” while the foil-stamping gives the table a hint of shine.  Choose from 27 napkin colors and 15 foil colors.

Serenity Napkins:  These foil-stamped napkins feature a single script initial and one line of text. Choose from 27 napkin colors and 15 foil colors.

Pearl Color Mist Declaration Napkins: These napkins come in an array of beautiful spring colors. The design is created with a combination of foil-stamping and embossing.

Wedding Embossed Napkins: These napkins offer you three lines of text and a choice of lettering style, motif and paper color, affording you endless opportunities to create the perfect napkin. Images include wedding bells, rings, love, love birds and hearts.  Also offered in a foil-stamped version.

Nuptial Foil-Stamped Napkins: A foil-stamped napkin lends elegance to an engagement party.  Includes up to three lines of personalization and a choice of font, motif, foil ink color and paper color. Motifs include wedding bands, Mr. & Mrs., To the Moon and Back, bow tie, diamond ring and xoxo. Also available in an embossed version.

Find more choices at giftsin24.com…or visit our Pinterest page.