I like my martinis very dirty, with as many olives as you can fit in the glass

Card purchased for a bachelorette party this weekend in Vegas:

"Honey, I like my martinis the way I like my men ... the stiffer the better."

Also, the best/worst cupcake topper -- ever.

Hallmark, proving a wee bit more progressive than its rivals

The greeting card giant has launched a line of same-sex "union" cards, featuring "two tuxedos, overlapping hearts or intertwined flowers, with best wishes inside." The cards don't make any specific reference to weddings or marriage, which makes them appropriate for commitment ceremonies, as well as the more than 100,000 gay weddings that are expected to fill the aisles in Calif. in the next three years. It also means that Hallmark isn't 100% jumping into the pool. But it's a step, and certainly better than its largest rival -- American Greetings -- whose statement on the issue is just to "its current offerings are general enough to speak to a lot of different relationships."

Pussies.

May I someday be Phyllis Stocking

I am sure she is a lovely person, bakes the world's sweetest cakes, gives great hugs and has a throng of adoring grandchildren, and despite the fact that my own holiday/birthday card list is already long enough, thank you, I think I love Phyllis Stocking.

The Wyoming woman sends 90 to 100 cards a month and spends $1,000 a year (paid out of her Social Security check) on stamps to mail them to folks -- some of which she clearly doesn't know that well, or else this story would have never been written. But who doesn't love a card? Even from a stranger. Who wouldn't love a note from Phyllis?

She works to keep addresses current ("I figure they'll be looking for their card") and her husband reads the obits to help keep the list ... alive, and though she seems fond of media folks -- the 73-year-old says she works hard not to look "like I'm a stalker."

No one wants that.

The proof is ... on my counter

And it's good! Now, on to the hangtags and other marketing materials. Anyone want to buy a card?

How's that for marketing?

On the way

The proofs are coming from the printer this week on Card #1. We don't know whether to be scared, excited, or a little bit of both. But they're on their way, and I'm choosing not to flip out. Yet.

Green trees, less trees

Hallmark this week announced that it will unveil a line of enviro-friendly greeting cards, "for businesses to minimize environmental impact while building relationships with customers and employees." There will be nine cards with pro-environment or traditional holiday greetings, made of a mix of sugar cane pulp and recycled paper.

After having spent several months looking for an affordable green printer, I hope that this becomes more of the norm in the larger printing and publishing world for cards, to help smaller shops like us and dedicated green printers across the country. It's a small margin business, but we should be unified in our efforts to produce quality, smart products.

Weekend fun!

Went to Michael's today and picked up two magazines for inspiration and to keep up with current trends: Artful Blogging and Just Cards! They seem like fun magazines, and I'm a sucker for impulse buying. There should be a picture of me at their board meetings with the words "Target Customer" written under it ha ha.
In other PEP news, we think we have finally found a printer we like! Woo hoo! I am sending out our first card for proofs this weekend. So be on the look out for our shop to be open soon! Have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend everyone!

Blended families

As a child of several versions of blended families, I was excited to hear about the thestepcardcollection. This should make mother's and father's days a lot easier moving forward. Considering how many marriages end in divorce, I wonder why they aren't rolling it out to more regions of the U.S. Fear of conservative backlash?

And since when is Delaware a test market?

Everything's A-OK

Sunny days at American Greetings, which has renewed its licensing agreement with Sesame Workshop. Strange that they never specify the actual length of the contract, though.

Even jerks should know that we are thinking of them

I am a huge fan of this idea, proposed by Illinois comedy club owner Dave Sinker:

This could be a multimillion-dollar business for greeting card companies. The same people who gave us such made-up holidays as Sweetest Day, Grandparents Day and Secretary's Day need to expand. How about Meddling Mother-in-Law Day, Smelly Co-Worker Day, Cheating Husband and his Tramp Day, and Ex-Girlfriend with the Restraining Order Day?

Because, at the end of the day, everyone deserves to get a card in the mail. Or nailed to their doorjam.

Toast

Here's a good card for making one. Created by SF design group Chewing the Cud.

E-cards' impact rising

American Greetings' download site Kiwee.com last year had more than half a billion downloads - and its own subscription sites ( BlueMountain.com and Americangreetings.com) have nearly 4 million customers -- totalling $100 million a year. The cards-to-cell idea however, not so much.

Which is scarier -- this press release or the card?

I would be more upset if she WASN'T being made fun of, just like the boys. Hillary can take it.

Inspiration, procrastination

The surface pattern design site print & pattern is bursting with ideas. Time to get to work in the studio.

Father's Day backlash

Dads of the world, unite against stereotypes -- you snoring, lazy outdoorsmen. Not longer will you be pigeonholed to a land of cards featuring empty beer bottles, ugly recliners, bad pants and even worse parenting skills. At least one Washington group (I tread lightly here) has decried the "dumb, dangerous or disaffected" label, requesting the value of fatherhood be treated with more respect.

I bought two mushy-type cards this year. Neither of my father folks are of the mold that mainstream-card USA trends toward. Send me your "loves to take walks in the woods and drink good Scotch Dad" and "is obsessed with all earth sciences and awesome martinis Dad" cards, and you'll get me. You'll also probably understand a bit more about where I came from.

Paper Cravings

Paper Crave is a nicely put together, regularly updated site exploring the paper and gift industry. And Im a sucker for a fellow sticker lover. There is no way to explain how much I regressed to being 10 upon seeing the Mrs. Grossman's booth at the NSS two years ago. I was such a visibly freakish wreck, that one of the kind booth boys gave me a bag full of swag, upon which I immediately bolted to the bathroom and tore it open. It was awesome.

A great artist passes

Alton Kelley, along with Stanley Miller, created some of the first pieces of art that I recognized as art beyond museums, galleries and what I learned in school. He created the skull and roses poster that millions of people associated with the Grateful Dead, as well as poster art for Hendrix, The Beatles and Journey. I look forward to paying homage to him in San Francisco in a few weeks.

"I don't know, it must have been the roses
The roses or the ribbons in her long brown hair
I don't know maybe it was the roses
All I know was I could not leave her there... "

The economy hits the industry ... hard

Hallmark this week announced it consolidate its manufacturing operations, culling greeting card production operations at plants in Toronto, Arkansas and Indiana in the coming months, and outsourcing some of the work to Asia and Mexico.

It's a tough time for everyone, people. Go buy some cards.

Logo

Look up.

We are playing with our final logo so it may look different over the coming week or so.

Do you like it?

Blank hedgies

I am in love with these hedgehogs. Robot Candy's cards are "printed one at a time, using hand carved blocks." Name is cool. Technique is cool. Two girls starting a company together -- always cool.