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The Joys of Using Personalized Stationery at the Office

Who says the office has to be all spreadsheets and stiff chairs? Picture this: You sit down at your desk, coffee steaming, and instead of grabbing the same old generic notepad, you reach for your personalized stationery. Your name, your style, your flair—all elegantly embossed or beautifully printed on each page. Suddenly, a mundane Monday morning feels a little more… you.

Why Personalized Stationery? Because You’re Not a Robot.

Let’s face it: most of us spend more time at our desks than we do on a tropical beach. So why not infuse a little personality into your workday? Personalized stationery is like a breath of fresh air in a sea of sameness. It’s a subtle yet powerful way to remind yourself—and everyone else—that you’re not just another cog in the corporate machine. You’re you. And you have style.

Think about it. You could write your to-do list on a bland sheet of printer paper. Or, you could jot it down on a beautifully crafted notepad with your monogram shining at the top. It’s like the difference between wearing a tailored suit and a one-size-fits-all uniform. One feels distinctly yours; the other, well, not so much.

Boost Your Professionalism with a Dash of Personality.

Ever hand someone a note on your personalized stationery? The raised ink, the thick paper, the unique design—it says, “I pay attention to the details.” And in a world where details matter, that’s saying a lot. Whether you’re leaving a quick thank-you note or sending a handwritten follow-up after a meeting, personalized stationery adds that extra touch of thoughtfulness. It’s the difference between being remembered and being… well, forgettable.

Plus, there’s something inherently classy about pulling out your own set of stationery to jot down a quick thought or idea. It’s like owning a fountain pen in a world of ballpoints—an instant boost to your credibility and style. You’re not just another email in someone’s inbox; you’re a presence, a brand, a vibe.

Make the Mundane Magical.

Writing down action items? Jotting meeting notes? Drafting a quick memo? These tasks can feel mind-numbingly routine. But when you use personalized stationery, even the mundane becomes a bit magical. It’s like adding a splash of color to a black-and-white film—suddenly, there’s life, vibrancy, and a touch of excitement.

And let’s be real, who doesn’t need a little more excitement at the office? Personalized stationery is like a small daily luxury—a little reminder that the details matter, that quality matters, and, most importantly, that you matter.

Leave a Lasting Impression—Because First Impressions Are Overrated.

Sure, first impressions are great. But lasting impressions? Those are the ones that count. When your stationery is as unique as you are, it lingers in the minds of clients, colleagues, and even the occasional office visitor. It shows you’re someone who takes pride in their work and their style—a person who doesn’t just do things but does them with a touch of elegance.

So, What’s the Real Joy in Personalized Stationery?

It’s the joy of self-expression in a world that often feels too cookie-cutter. It’s the joy of making a statement without saying a word. It’s the joy of knowing that even in a sea of sameness, you’ve found a way to stand out—subtly, stylishly, and authentically.

So go ahead—treat yourself to that custom notepad, those monogrammed note cards, or that chic letter sheet. Because life’s too short for boring stationery. And the office? Well, it’s too full of enough blandness as it is. Make it yours. Make it unforgettable.

Personalized Stationery: Elevate Your Communication with Giftsin24.com

In today’s digital age, there’s something undeniably special about receiving a personalized, tangible piece of communication. Whether it’s a heartfelt note, a thank-you card, or a beautifully crafted letter, personalized stationery adds a touch of elegance and thoughtfulness to your messages. At Giftsin24.com, we take pride in curating an extensive collection of personalized stationery that’s sure to make a lasting impression. In this article, we’ll explore the world of personalized stationery and how Giftsin24.com can help you express yourself with style and sophistication.

Top 5 Reasons To Create Your Own Stationery Today

  1. Unveiling the Beauty of Personalization:
    Personalized stationery is more than just ink on paper; it’s an artistic reflection of your personality and individuality. With Giftsin24.com’s wide range of lettering styles and monogram options, you can create stationery that truly speaks to who you are. From elegant cursive fonts to modern and chic designs, there’s something for everyone.
  2. Elevate Your Correspondence:
    In a world inundated with digital messages, receiving a personalized note on high-quality stationery creates a sense of warmth and authenticity. Whether it’s a heartfelt thank-you or a simple greeting, Giftsin24.com’s personalized stationery elevates your correspondence into an art form. Each piece is meticulously crafted to make a lasting impression on both the sender and the receiver.
  3. A Perfect Gift for Every Occasion:
    Personalized stationery from Giftsin24.com makes for thoughtful and cherished gifts. From graduations and birthdays to weddings and anniversaries, personalized stationery sets are both practical and sentimental presents. Show your loved ones how much you care by giving them a personalized gift they can use and treasure.
  4. Unmatched Quality and Craftsmanship:
    At Giftsin24.com, we spare no effort in providing the highest quality personalized stationery. Our stationery is made from premium materials, ensuring that every writing experience is smooth and enjoyable. With attention to detail and expert craftsmanship, each piece is carefully produced to meet the highest standards.
  5. Easy and Fast Personalization:
    At Giftsin24.com, creating your personalized stationery is a breeze. Our user-friendly website allows you to customize your stationery with just a few clicks. Choose from an array of designs, colors, and lettering styles to make your stationery uniquely yours. With our efficient production process, you can expect your personalized stationery to be shipped in no time.

Quality, Experience & Charm

Giftsin24.com has mastered the art of personalized stationery, offering an exquisite collection that allows you to express yourself with grace and charm. Whether you’re sending a heartfelt note or presenting a thoughtful gift, personalized stationery adds a touch of sophistication to every message. With unmatched quality, expert craftsmanship, and a seamless personalization process, Giftsin24.com ensures that your stationery experience is nothing short of exceptional. Elevate your correspondence and delight your loved ones with the beauty of personalized stationery from Giftsin24.com. Shop now and discover the joy of making every word count.

Personalized Stationery Basics

Discovering personalized stationery has been a revelation. It feels wonderful to pull out a piece and make that first penstroke on the smooth paper topped with my name or monogram. Personalized stationery elevates the experience of letter writing.

personalized stationery

For some people, owning personalized stationery is like owning a pair of really good, dark-rinse blue jeans or a string of pearls. It’s something you use often and looks great with everything. But for other people, it’s a bit of a mystery…it’s something you might have heard about or seen in an old photograph of a famous writer at his or her desk, but not anything you or your friends have ever actually owned.

To this point, I was 45 years old when I discovered the idea of personalized stationery. I grew up and live in a northern city in a squarely middle class neighborhood. My friends and family had always sent me notes on plain stationery. When I was younger, we used notebook paper or sometimes plain letter sheets. When I got older, we used greeting cards, or boxed cards from the grocery store. Later, we used email and now texting.

Personalized stationery options

At first, I considered each piece precious; I wanted to save it for “special” occasions. But soon I realized that — at $45 for a box of 25, or $70 for a box of 50 — it cost less to use my stationery than it did to buy a greeting card at the store….way less!

Now, when I want to sit down and write a letter or a thank-you, the first thing I do is to pull out my boxes of personalized stationery and decide which style to use: my white flat card with silver lettering, or my ivory folded note with an embossed monogram or my monogrammed ivory letter sheets.

Henley Monogram Wardrobe from Giftsin24.com
The Henley Monogram Wardrobe is a classic in embossing and ivory paper with hand-inserted opal linings.

There are two main methods of personalization: your initials (otherwise known as a monogram) or your name. For the longest time, I owned simple monogrammed stationery — a flat card with a navy monogram and a matching navy border. Simple. Classic. I wanted my first personalized stationery to be traditional like that. When my blue monogram stationery ran out, I tried an embossed monogram. I love that it is 100% recyclable and even compostable, so it is eco-friendly. At the same time, it’s also very classic.

Recently I discovered an intriguing lettering style and decided to try my name as the personalization. I love that one too!

The Luna Card features a modern, flowing lettering style.

A smart investment

My investment in personalized stationery has paid off. Writing notes and letters has become a pleasure. I delight in running my fingers over the raised lettering or embossing. I feel like my stationery expresses myself beautifully. And when my box runs low, I feel excited about making a decision: Do I reorder a favorite or select a new design?

Personalized stationery options can feel endless. To simplify your decision, go with your gut. What style speaks to you? Look in your closet: do you tend toward the traditional or the trendy? Perhaps take a cue there. Good luck with your decision!

Best Personalized Stationery Tips When You’re on a Budget

It pays to be choosy. Many of our products offer you exciting choices to help you create personalized notes and correspondence cards that are not only pretty but totally, uniquely you.

The thing is, you don’t actually have to pay a lot to create stationery that looks like you paid a lot. By selecting a few special touches, you can create gorgeous effects. But shhhhhh…. no one will know that you spent as little as you did for a high-end look.

Love borders? We’ll add them. Embossing? Done. Or maybe you’re a raised ink type of person? Perfect, we’ve got that too. Whatever you desire, you can create a style that’s all your own. Follow these tips to take your stationery from “does the job” to “a taste of luxury” — without breaking the bank.

Tip #1: Choose a Monogram

Classic monogram from giftsin24.com

Delavan Monogram Note. A monogram is the quickest way to add classic flair to your stationery. Choose a lettering style that speaks to you. The Delavan Monogram Note offers you a range of edgy, of-the-moment monograms, as well as perennial favorites. The end result is sure to impress. If there’s room in your budget, opt for the hand-inserted lining to invoke a high rolling style.

Tip #2: Try a flat card

Customize the Highland Card from Giftsin24.com

Highland Card. A flat card or correspondence card is a time-tested way to stand out from the crowd. In use for centuries, this style of stationery is simple and elegant. Dispense with the fluff and make the Highland Card into what you want it to be: bold, brainy, traditional or sweet. Craft two lines of personalization and find a lettering style and thermography ink color. Comes with 25 Pinnacle pointed-flap envelopes. Add a border for a quick, inexpensive way to add another dimension.

Tip #3: Use a foil design or other “bling”

Create personalized stationery that expresses the true you at giftsin24.com

Infinity Note  Shine and shimmer on beautiful paper will make your correspondence stand out. A treat for the senses, the Infinity Note features a distinctive diamond pattern in a gold or silver foil tone. The triple-thick paper is also embellished with a shimmery raised-ink personalization in your choice of color. Opt for a return address on your envelopes for even more luxury.

You’re an original, so let your stationery be, too. Create your new favorite stationery today.

5 Reasons Personalized Stationery Makes A Great Gift

Order personalized stationery gifts from Giftsin24.comNo matter the occasion, personalized stationery is a gift that’s always in style. Why? Simply put, it’s thoughtful and useful. When someone opens a box of custom cards, notes or notepads, he or she gains a tool for correspondence with a little luxury, to boot.

Whether you’re shopping for birthday, graduation, wedding, anniversary, hostess or some other sort of gifts, you can’t go wrong with this choice. To demonstrate that even further, here are five reasons why personalized stationery is always the perfect choice:

1. It’s unique

Because they feature a person’s name, monogram or messaging, no two personalized stationery gifts are alike. That’s why custom notecards are a one-of-a-kind present. You won’t worry that the recipient gets duplicates. Personalized paper or notecards won’t get lost in the shuffle. Each set is as unique as the person who receives it.

2. It’s thoughtful

When designing personalized stationery for a loved one, you communicate that the person matters to you. How? By creating personalized paper, you not only took time and energy to choose a style, but you also input the recipient’s name or monogram. It shows you care.

3. It’s economical

The age-old saying that “it’s the thought that counts” rings true with personalized stationery gifts. They’re proof that you don’t have to spend a bundle to provide someone with a meaningful present. Opening custom-made stationery is always a treat — regardless of its cost.

4. It’s memorable

Unlike many generic gifts, custom-designed stationery makes a meaningful impression. It’s not a mass-produced product, but rather a gift tailored to the recipient. That’s why, for as long as the paper lasts, your recipient is sure to think of you. With every handwritten note, he or she has a fresh reminder of your care. Custom-made stationery is hard to forget.

Great gift ideas in personalized stationery from giftsin24.com5. It’s sure to delight

Last but not least, getting a custom gift is fun. Who wouldn’t love to open a box of personalized notecards or papers, knowing they were designed with you in mind? When you surprise someone with custom stationery, the gift recipient will cherish it for a long time. Personalized notes are something special in a world of digital interaction.

From business colleagues to family members, everyone appreciates being thought of with a personalized gift. To learn more about our tailored stationery options at Giftsin24, browse our website. Think about your recipient’s style and find a design that matches it beautifully. From elegant monograms to colorful borders, we have a wide range of options. Place your order today!

The Ins and Outs of Personalized Correspondence Cards

Personalized correspondence cards from giftsin24.comWhether you’re sending a note of congratulations or love, there’s nothing like personalized correspondence cards (also called flat cards or notecards) to make it special.

Made to reflect your style and name, correspondence cards are elegant enough to be a time-honored tradition, yet meaningful enough to make a heartfelt impression. That’s why, when you are taking the time to handwrite a note, correspondence cards are the perfect way to do it. Use them for sympathy notes, thank you cards, congratulations wishes and more. If you’re looking to create and write the best correspondence cards possible, here is what you’ll want to know.

Correspondence Card Etiquette

There are certain hallmarks of correspondence cards, traditionally speaking. A correspondence card is a specific size: slightly larger than the modern A6 postcard size. It should also be a heavy enough weight of paper to create a premium feel — ideally not less than 350 grams per square meter (GSM). Include your contact information: usually your name, address and phone number. It may also feature other details such as an email address, a website and/or a social media username if desired. As for the message, write your note on only the front — never the back — of the card, and your writing should be brief and sweet. Correspondence cards belong in envelopes printed on high-quality paper. If you really want to make them special, use traditional wax seals.

Damask Card is a personalized correspondence card from giftsin24.comTimeframe for Sending Specific Types of Cards

The timing of certain cards depends on the occasion — yet there is always flexibility. Etiquette dictates you should send sympathy cards, for example, within two weeks of someone’s death. At the same time, expressing condolences is still appropriate weeks or even months after that point, as it communicates care to a grieving person. With thank you notes — whether for birthday, anniversary, graduation, shower or baptism gifts — ideally send notes within four weeks of receiving presents.

What Makes Personalized Correspondence Cards Special?

The elegance of correspondence cards is in the attention to detail. Rather than generic paper, they feature heavier, higher-quality paper. This gives each notecard a sense of importance. Likewise, correspondence cards are as unique as you are, made to showcase your style. At Giftsin24, we offer a wide selection of cards to give you plenty of ways to customize them. Create your design with a monogram and choice of lettering. We also offer a variety of decorative elements such as crisp embossing, rich raised ink, borders and more.

For the best personalized correspondence cards, Giftsin24 is your resource. Our established, family-owned company not only creates the finest cards in the industry, but we also provide a fast turnaround on all designs. Most orders ship within 24 hours, so you can get what you need quickly. We provide free FedEx ground shipping, exceptional packaging and a commitment to order accuracy on every card set.

Browse our personalized notecards online and place an order today!

How Obsessed with Stationery Are You? Take our Quiz

Stationery addicts can get their fix at giftsin24.comSome people are addicted to clothes, cars or food. Others may be in deep for gardening or makeup. And then there are people who are obsessed with stationery.

How can you tell if you have a normal appreciation for stationery vs. a full-blown obsession? Take our quiz to find out.

Question 1. When is it time to re-order your stationery?

A. When I have 5 notes left in the box, it’s time to reorder. That’s about a month’s worth for me.

B. When I have 5 boxes that are half-full, it’s definitely time to reorder. It would be full-on panic if I ever get down to only 4 boxes.

Question 2. You arrange your pens…

A. by placing them in a pretty glass or jar on my desk. I like looking at them.

B. by arranging them in rainbow order in a special tray in a dedicated drawer designated just for them.

Question 3. You follow ___ stationery related accounts on Facebook.

A. 2

B. 20

Giftsin24 offers embossed stationeryQuestion 4. When you find a monogram you like, you…

A. order a set of monogrammed cards or notes and call it a day.

B. order a set of monogrammed cards AND a set of monogrammed notes, plus a coordinating monogrammed notepad.

Question 5. If the envelope color doesn’t match the stationery paper …

A. Take a hard pass. It’s a sign of bad quality to have ecru notes with white envelopes.

B. Never consider purchasing from that company again. How dare they?

Question 6. If you run out of pretty postage stamps and only have generic ones left…

A. I peel and stick. It will get where it’s going regardless of what the stamp looks like.

B. I make an emergency run to the post office. There’s no way that ugly stamp is going on my beautiful, self-addressed, envelopes with hand-inserted linings.

Question 7. Whenever I see a stationery company issue new designs…

A. I’ll take a look. It’s fun to explore new products.

B. I’ll seriously consider buying one, especially if it’s brand-new, hot-off-the-shelf. Variety is the spice of life.

Build a social stationery wardrobe at giftsin24

Tally it up

If you answered…

1-2 Bs…you have a mild stationery obsession, but nothing out of the ordinary.

3-5 Bs…you are obsessed with stationery and seek ways to indulge your habit.

6-7 Bs…congratulations, you have a profound obsession with stationery.

 

Need a stationery fix? Explore new designs here.

Meet Our New Spring Stationery

This is the time of year when our thoughts turn to spring. Whether you are in the deep freeze up north, or beginning to see the trees budding out in the south, right about now, everyone’s had about enough of winter. So, naturally, we here at Giftsin24 think about new stationery designs and patterns, in anticipation of all the excitement soon to unfold outdoors. Here is some of our new stationery for spring in your choice of vivid raised-ink colors.

New personalized stationery designs from giftsin24.com

Blossom Note has been given a new, colorful treatment just in time for Spring

 

A Breath of Fresh Spring Air

These new designs have personalities all their own.  You’ll see that we’ve added new twists to some favorites and have created beautiful new lettering styles for completely new looks in others. And we’ve given them wonderful names, some of which are exotic and fun. They are all printed in your choice of raised-ink color. Whether you choose bright and sassy –think fuchsia, emerald green, ocean blue, red or purple — metallic — think silver or gold — or traditional and true — black, mocha, navy or slate — this stationery will bring you a breath of fresh spring air.

monogrammed stationery from giftsin24.com ships in 24 hours

Classic Frame Monogram Note features our beautifully embossed frames with a precision-printed raised ink monogram.

Classic Frame Monogram Note – Raised Ink. We’ve given our Classic Frame Monogram note a re-fresh for 2018.  We’ve combined our traditional embossed frame with a raised-ink monogram. This folded note is perfect for peole who are a little bit traditional AND a little bit daring. Enjoy a choice of ink color and paper color as well as 5 monograms: Classic, Circle, Whitlock, Sydney, or Diamond.

Spring Blossoms Note – Raised Ink   A cheerful spray of cherry blossoms gives this folded note a happy vibe. Choose a lettering style and ink color, and we will print your name in vivid raised ink over a lighter version of the same color. Add coordinating hand-inserted envelope linings to boost the happiness factor.

Magnolia Note from Giftsin24 ships in 24 hours.

Magnolia Note features a screened back, large initial with your name transposed over it.

Magnolia Note.   This handsome notecard offers many ways to create stationery that reflects your personal style. The Magnolia Note offers a choice of lettering style with one line of raised-ink personalization, plus an initial printed in a lighter shade of the same raise ink color selection.

Cristobal Monogram Card from giftsin24.com ships in 24 hours.

Cristobal Monogram Card offers several new lettering styles for your monogram in the lower right corner.

Cristobal Card.  Amp up your correspondence with the Cristobal Card, offering five masculine lettering styles that imply refinement and strength. Your monogram, printed in your choice of ink and paper color, appears in the lower right. Add an optional colored border to highlight your message.

Moderno Monogram Note from giftsin24 ships in 24 hours

Moderno Monogram Note features a brand new lettering style in raised ink.

Moderno Monogram Note.   With its clean lines and Mid-Century feel, the Moderno Monogram Note imparts a sophisticated impression. This folded note offers a choice of ink and paper color. Add an optional coordinating lining paper to up the wow-factor.

Let’s Hear From You

What do you think of our new stationery? We’d love to hear from you! Tell us your favorite design or lettering style.

In addition to these five new stationery sets, we’ve also created a number of new party napkin and guest towel designs. See these and other new products in our New Selections area of our website. As some of these lettering styles become more popular, expect to see them on our engraved gifts and personalized notepads.

Social Stationery Wardrobe Dos and Don’ts

Build a social stationery wardrobe

Correspondence or flat card

You would never walk out of the house without at least a quick thought to your appearance. The same goes for sending correspondence out into the world. The best and easiest way to be sure your messages make your best impression is to create a social stationery wardrobe.

Build a social stationery wardrobe with pieces that you love. After all, just like your clothing wardrobe, your stationery represents you in the world, so you should feel proud of the way it fits your unique style. And remember, quality stationery stands the test of time. While many of your missives will be discarded, some will be kept for years, maybe decades or even centuries!

So what’s in a social stationery wardrobe? These are the basic pieces that provide the tools you need for any occasion that pops up. We recommend four must-have pieces in your stationery wardrobe:

Flat card or correspondence card

If you need to write just a couple of lines, a flat card is the perfect tool. Need to send your father-in-law the belt he left at his last visit? Slip in a flat card with a quick hello. Want to send a memorial donation in the name of a friend’s sister? Write your instructions to the charity on a flat card and include the check. Anytime you need to send a casual,  brief missive, the flat card works beautifully.

How to use: Write  your brief message on the side of the card that shows your name or monogram.

Build a social stationery wardrobe at giftsin24

Folded note

Folded note or foldover note

A folded note is slightly more formal. It’s perfect for one of the most common social tasks we perform (or should be performing, ahem! ): the thank you note. Folded notes give plenty of space to express gratitude for a wedding, birthday, Christmas, anniversary or baby shower gift. Folded notes are also perfect for acknowledging the nice things that people do for you. It could be that referral that a client made on your behalf. Or the wonderful dinner party you got invited to.  Ask yourself: “Did someone spend time and effort to do something just for me?” Return their energy by writing a thank you note on a folded note.

And using polished and professionally made thank you notes can be rewarding in other ways: If you are on the job hunt, doing job interviews or attending sales calls, that embossed folded note could make or break a potential employer or client’s impression of you.

How to use: Start on the lower inside panel. If you need more space, move to the upper inside panel.

Build a social stationery wardrobe at giftsin24.com

Letter sheet

Writing papers or letter sheets

If you are writing a message of a few paragraphs or more, use writing papers, also called letter sheets. Whether you are channeling your inner Jane Austen or simply telling your college bound daughter how much you love her, writing sheets emblazoned with your name or monogram are the perfect touch.  Accompany the paper with matching envelopes and a pretty stamp, and you will create correspondence worthy of being handed down through the ages… or at least saved for a little while.

How to use: Write on the front of the paper only. Use a blank sheet for the second page and find your best pen filled with blue or black ink.

Build a social stationery wardrobe at giftsin24.com

Gift enclosure

Gift enclosures

Whether you are giving a bottle of wine for getting that big sale or offering a gift to your evening’s host, a gift enclosure is your tool. Keeping a well-stocked stash of these around will help you avoid a last-minute scramble to the drug store. A well-crafted enclosure ensures that every gift is presented beautifully.

How to use: Brevity is your friend here. Sign your name under a brief greeting: “Thank you!” “I love you” “Happy Birthday,” etc.

Assembling your social stationery wardrobe 

You can put together a beautiful stationery wardrobe using individual cards, notes , writing papers  and enclosures that you love on their own. Buying individually gives you more flexibility and design choices. You can select pieces that are on trend, traditional designs or a mix of both.

Or you can purchase a coordinating set. Giftsin24 offers a number of wardrobes and ensembles that represent terrific values. Especially if you love a particular lettering style or monogram, purchasing a wardrobe is an easy way to get what you need quickly. Here are a few of our favorites:

Henley Monogram Wardrobe. This graceful assortment of embossed papers gives you many options to fit any occasion. Featuring your beautifully embossed monogram on high quality paper. Includes choice of monogram. Each Monogram Wardrobe set includes 50 letter sheets, 50 folded notes, and 50 enclosures with 150 paper-matched envelopes. Choose a return address or hand-inserted lining to make this set complete. Supplement with the Delavan Monogram Card to complete your monogrammed, embossed wardrobe.

Cove Wardrobe. An amazing value. The Cove Wardrobe has you covered. Be prepared for all of life’s occasions with a letter sheet, folded note and gift enclosure. Beautifully embossed in a bold, pleasing lettering style. 150 pieces, total, with 150 color-matched envelopes. Choose a return address or hand-inserted lining to make this an extra special gift. Add the Corridor Card to complete the set.

Somerset Wardrobe. The Somerset Wardrobe features three sizes of single panel cards (Apex, Correspondence and Enclosure) in your choice of ink color and lettering style. Containing 150 pieces, plus 150 matching envelopes, this set will cover all your casual stationery needs. Optional hand-inserted lining and return address on the envelopes. Supplement with the Somerset Letter Sheet to complete your raised-ink wardrobe.

 

 

 

Stationery Etiquette: How to Choose Stationery

Monterrey Note from Giftsin24.com“A WOMAN is known by the stationery she uses. Paper talks. We read between the lines, along the margin, and across the envelope, the story of good or bad taste which speaks in tone, texture and design.” So opens A Desk Book on the Etiquette of Social Stationery published in 1910 and written by Jean Wilde Clark. What was true then, with a slight tweak, is still true today. Our stationery can speak worlds about us. What’s changed? “The Rules,” or stationery etiquette, are more relaxed: we no longer must use black-bordered mourning stationery after a loved one’s death, for example. In addition, we can all agree that men have just as much of a need for stationery, and that their stationery choices speak for them too.

What’s more, in this age of fast fashion, speed-of-light communication across the globe, what’s “In Style” changes on a dime. And that makes us lucky: there’s no need to cram our taste into rigid expectations of what’s proper or even what’s in style. Sure, white or ivory paper will always be correct. But if you want to use red pepper, who will care? Citrus paper? Be my guest. The fabulous Jackie O used robin’s egg blue paper. If she could do that in the 1960s, the sky is the limit for us in the late 2010s.

On the one hand, the lack of stylistic expectations is liberating, because it means we have the freedom to choose whatever stationery suits us. On the other hand, it can be slightly intimidating, because we’ve got almost unlimited choices.

Damask Card from Giftsin24.comLet it be your style.

There’s one rule to follow in 2017/2018: You be you. Don’t worry about what a friend is doing, or what you saw in a magazine.

Not sure what you like? Look at the furnishings in your home and the clothes you wear.

Do you tend toward traditional (try a 3-letter monogram), primitive country (try a quirky or hand-lettered font), or contemporary (try your name in block letters)?

Like neat, clean surfaces (look for simple lettering) or do you like to cram every nook and cranny with beloved objects (look for curvy, embellished designs)?

Do you like to follow the rules (center the personalization at the top) or do you like to push them (personalization goes in a corner or at the bottom)?

What colors do you like to surround yourself with? Pastels? Metallics? Jewel Tones? Neutrals?

Take advantage of the preview function when considering lettering styles for your name. Scrutinize the way your initials look – perhaps you like one font’s S better than another?

These are great clues to help you pull together your stationery style. In the end, whatever you choose will be perfect, because you chose it.

Anthony Card with border from giftsin24.comBusiness or personal?

When you’re writing a note to your pastor, the school principal, or your favorite author, you might want to consider a more formal letter sheet or correspondence card that tends toward business-like. Perhaps it’s embossed. Perhaps it’s on white paper with gray ink. Or ivory paper with coffee ink. This stationery might include your middle initial and the formal version of your first name.

It will work equally well for when you’re sending a gift to your best friend, writing to your brother, or thanking your neighbor for her homemade scones. Or, for those more personal uses, you could purchase a second set that reveals your more relaxed side. Any form — letter sheet, flat card or folded note — will do. Perhaps there is a small illustration, or your nickname, rather than your given name. You might use colored paper with black or metallic ink or a more brightly colored ink on ivory paper.

Caprice Note is a raised ink folded note from giftsin24.com

Raised ink vs. embossing?

It’s really a matter of choice. Raised-ink printing, or thermography, is a more affordable version of engraving. Engraving, a centuries-old printing method, requires the creation of dies, which are expensive to produce and reside at the stationery company until you require more stationery. Raised-ink printing conveys a pleasing texture and a shimmery quality to the ink.

Embossing lends an even more delicious texture because the paper is pressed from below. In that sense embossing resembles traditional engraving, as well. Especially on white or ivory paper, embossing tends to be more formal. It also tends to be more earth-friendly, because the paper recycles easily.

So to recap, choosing stationery can be an enjoyable and fulfilling exercise. Taking time to think about your style and consider your options will reward you each time you sit down to write. See all of our personalized  correspondence cards and folded notes. Happy choosing!