It's holiday card time ...

Get in line now. The USPS says 20 billion cards, letters and packages will be delivered between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The nation's e-card business may be diversifying and growing, but hand-written notes are here to stay.

"They're very different mediums," the Greeting Card Association says, claiming that e-cards don't actually compete with paper cards in the marketplace. The reason? Emotion.

"An e-card is fun and it's instantaneous, and the sender and receiver recognize that," a GCA spokeswoman adds. "A greeting card has far more sentimental value. You send one for a longer-lasting, deeper meaning."

One company that is bridging the electronic-paper gap is Seattle's GreetQ. GreetQ offers users the ability to select and schedule mailings of actual greeting cards, which can then be sent to your home to sign and mail, or, for a $1 fee, GreetQ will have its staffers handwrite your note and send it for you.

"We aim to do what Zappos.com has done for shoes and what Netflix has done for movie rentals. It’s now time for greeting cards to enter the fold," GreetQ.com cofounder Jennifer Taylor said.

And right on the front page of their site: our friends at Bald Guys Greetings!

Hallmark sees Red

I am a big fan of this campaign -- despite its hipster-overtones -- mostly because I believe that Bono cares deeply for the cause.

The RED campaign supports the The Global Fund -- which is an amazing initiative. I have had the pleasure of covering news focused on world health, poverty, environment and human rights issues for the past 3 years, and part of our major focus is on HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria -- three of the biggest killers in the developing world. Hallmark is selling 23 greeting cards and other products, some of which are made in Africa, a portion of the sales from which will go to Bono's group and support the Fund.

"The company estimates that the donation from the sale of each $4.99 (Product) Red greeting card with sound, for example, will provide a contribution large enough for a single-dose treatment to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV from mother to child during childbirth."

Yes, it's steep for a card -- even one with sound -- but how often do you see something on a U.S. store shelf that could support the prevention of MTCT with antiretoviral drugs?

Not all e-cards are viruses

The NYT discovers the new breed of e-greetings.

First let me say that no one ignores an e-card, or an e-mail from someone they haven't heard from, all day at work. It sits there and taunts you otherwise.

Second, this is the third mention of Someecards.com in either MSM or by my friends in the past few weeks, which in USAT terms makes it an official trend.

What interests me most about e-cards is that men appear to feel more comfortable with sending them than traditional greeting cards. The convenience factor, I'm sure, plays into it. And the less-dippy-drippy-cheesy humor of some of the site's card (One my favorites: “When work feels overwhelming, remember that you’re going to die.") certainly calls more to the laugh than the heart.

Christmas shopping already?

Check out etsy, where I realized I have been bookmarking items for over a year. Including that damned cereal lamp that I now realize if I buy for my squeeze Patrick Cooper, will likely end up getting destroyed -- as it is a light that has to be "kept out of direct light if possible." Also, it is apparently priceless, which means I can't afford it.

But etsy is a great creative spot for designers and creators of beautiful things like jewelry, glass bowls, fun art -- and my favorite geekery.

Fabulous

FabulousStationery.com allows users to create anything they want -- wedding stuff, baby, calling cards, couples cards, you name it -- they can make it as "unique as you are."

Love the cuppycakes too.

Procrastination -- it's heroin for writers

I cannot believe I waited this long to write something I have been thinking about for months. It feels like Sunday nights at CMU all over again. But even more appealing than the temptation of Purple Hoooter shots at PHI, I have foolishly set up the workstation in my new pad next to my *very* well stocked bar.

Of course, I'm writing about vodka. Maybe I just need to drink some while I write. Naturally.

Hallmark Pop

Since Hallmark has licensed quotes from "Grey's" -- I am hoping they create one with a reference to the "penis fish." Imagine the art for that.

Meanwhile, in another garage....

Zeichen Press, started by two Minneapolis women in their 30s last year, is focused on "vintage old-school letterpress" and is just about breaking even finance-wise. With a line of stationery, coaster sets, CD sleeves and greeting cards -- its creators seem amused by their own modest success. Zeichen is an example of another company that was inspired by a wedding -- in this case, one of the creator's sisters was getting married and she created a card to go with a gift. The reaction led her to muse "Hey, maybe people would buy this stuff." And buy, they have.

Marzipan

The graphic designer who owns Marzipan, a 6-year-old greeting card company based in Wisconsin -- is only 30, but distributes her work around the world and is able to work where all of us would love to -- from home. Lori Dunbar says that her work doesn't sell in her own town of Sheboygan, price point being the issue there, but she's certainly found a way for it to sell elsewhere for $5 each.

When asked about her success, she noted "It's pretty cool." Not too much more to say.

And Marzipan's cards seem to reflect the creator -- simple, understated and quiet -- focused. Is that why all of PEP's ideas are so hard to get down on paper? Is any card big enough?

In search of Lisa Frank

This story, about a woman my age and her love of and quest to find Suzy Spafford reminded me of how much I loved Lisa Frank as a 10-year-old and how awesome my sticker collection was (deemed the largest in the State of Maine the year I entered the contest at the local hobby shop in Auburn).

"My friend and former tennis teammate in college, Suzie Hayes, (whom I got Suzie hooked on "Suzy's Zoo" about 10 years ago) traveled with me to San Diego from the Bay Area last month. I was so excited the night before, I was giggly until finally falling asleep.When we walked into the company offices, my eyes welled up in tears. I quickly pulled myself together as we went in to meet Spafford, a tiny, warm, modest woman -- a mother of two grown daughters with a big heart.She spent an hour and a half with us, looking through my packed photo album containing all the stickers and cards I won't use. I have doubles of most, so those are the ones I put on cards and envelopes. She signed several things for both of us, then began pulling stickers off the long rolls on each wall, making sure we got the ones that we didn't already have. (Or just in case we needed some extras.)"

This gave me chills. Rolls and rolls of stickers! Road trips with your best friend to a land of your most special images and memories. What would my meeting with Lisa be like? Is there, in fact, a Lisa? Or was it just something else owned by Blackstone or some other private equity firm?

A quick check online and I was excited to find that there is -- or at least was -- back in 1979 -- a Lisa Frank -- and that she (or her entity) is still filling girls' bedrooms and binders with images of unicorns and rainbows ...

Suzy Spafford's work, by the way -- not so much my taste.

Sees

I love Sees Candies. Amazing suckers. Great flavor -- especially the coffee, especially for someone who can't drink coffee anymore and misses it sometimes. From the first time I went to Calif. and found them in a Berkeley shop while we were waiting for our reservation slot at Chez Panisse, I was hooked.

They now offer personalized greeting cards with their orders. $2.95 is a good price point, and you can even add a custom photo.

When I was headed back from Manila in April, the stand in my terminal at SFO closed before I could get to it. So sad. I probably won't go back for a few more months, so if anyone is stopping in SF on their way back to D.C. -- please grab me an assortment.

New Home

I received a few sweet cards when I moved a few weeks back -- but recently checking out that card set when I was looking for one to send to my friend Megan, who recently relocated from the Burgh to Atlanta, I was disappointed. Girls buying their own homes should have a whole set of options for congratulatory exhaultations for the big event. I did see some new product from the girls at YouSendMe though -- very sparkly, ladies.

In many ways, doing it solo is one of the biggest events of your life. It's truly just you and the mortgage person. And your agent. In my case, it took 30 minutes to sign all the papers and shake some hands. Then I headed to the Italian Store for some much deserved eats ... and (eye) candy.

As soon as there is color on the walls, I expect a flood of guests...

CafePress gets a run for its money

If there weren't cats all over the front of this Web site, I may have gotten a little more excited. But the rev share model is pretty cool.

GreetingCardUniverse says you'll see up to 50 cents per card. Considering overhead and the startup costs for new artists (ahem!) this may be a good way to get going for some ... I wonder what the fine print says.

Flirt

Maybe Flirt Keys are the new "Check yes or no" note to pass in class/the bar.

If you can't get enough courage up, liquid or otherwise, to approach someone in a bar, work, the library -- wherever -- and strike up a conversation, maybe you should just find a better wingman.

Will AG come out?

American Greetings looks like they will go big with promoting thier newest venture -- a line with Ellen DeGeneres.

I like Ellen. She's funny. She makes commercials with animals. She has a beautiful girlfriend and they seem very happy together. She also has a very strong female appeal -- her daytime show is so popular and seems to have gotten her past the fallout of her comedy series, which basically ended when she came out. Which leads me to thinking -- will she and her "team" target the lesbian market with these cards? There's one things Hallmark doesn't seem to touch with its new "edgy" line, and that is gay relationships.

Will AG be the first "big box" greeting card firm to cross the line? Looks like for now the focus is on the Big 4: "birthdays, friendship, thank you and encouragement."

There are no Hallmark cards for abortions

If you know a woman who has made this decision, you can show that you support her with an e-card. The service is offered by Exhale, a non-profit group that provides post-abortion counseling services. The cards are simple and all are offered in both English and Spanish.

What is probably most surprising is where I found the AP story: Fox News. A pro-choice DME working quietly in their midst, perhaps. One can only hope.

The card box

A lot of people have these. Mine used to be shoeboxes under my bed. Filled with letters and greeting cards from holidays and birthdays. Then Mike got a set of copper pots from W/S and I got to keep the wooden crate they came in. Now that's full and I have been shoving the cards/letters I get on top of it -- under my desk -- for 2 years.

I am moving soon, and I'm sure I'll be going through that box -- and the many other containers all over this apartment that have filled up with recipes, story ideas, published works, books, condo docs ... everything a writer girl needs. And there will be reading. And remembering.

Unlike this woman, writing in the San Fran Chronicle about how she has lost touch with many of the friends whose memories she rediscovered in her card box, I have retained most of mine. But I haven't had kids, or moved a bunch of times, or even changed jobs in the past 5 years. When I vacate this spot, for a sunny place of my own a few miles down the road, I will leave behind lots of things -- but many of the memories I will carry out with me in a box from Mauviel.

Uncooked

Doreen sent me a link to this kind-of-freaky & complicated card company's Web site, and I fell in love with it. Right down to the cricket sounds and bizarre animation.

All of the samples are in Flash so I can't direct link, but check out the one for Father's Day.

Luckily, I don't have that angst as my father did -- and continues to -- take me fishing. A lot.

HBD

Happy birthday PEP blog. You are more than 1 year old. I forgot your actual birthday, so to celebrate, I will make you cupcakes this weekend. Of course, you won't be able to appreciate them without me mushing them into the keyboard, so I'll take some pictures of me and others enjoying them so you can see how your birth brought happiness -- and vanilla, flour and sugar -- to the land.

As long as they don't corner the OCD market

Hallmark has released a 176-card collection which touches on "sensitive" issues like depression, accidental death, losing your job, cancer and eating disorders.

The Journeys collection is mostly focused on the "encouragement" angle. PEP has discussed similar topics, but definitely from a younger, lighter perspective ... which some many consider "insensitive." We consider them cards you can get/give with a close friend who understands. The inside jokes of cards that are shared by more than you and your friends.

" If you keep washing your hands ... I'm leaving you in the bathroom and taking away your soap privileges"

"I swear ... the stove is off. So are the lights. And the door is locked. Really. I swear."

"That was quite a spill you took off the wagon. I'd help you up, but I'd have to put my martini down first."

If you're afraid of offending, go Journeys. If you want to tell it like it is, go PEP.