Stationery goals

Hello, 2017! A new year means many of us set resolutions and goals for the upcoming year. For those of you who have followed my blog, it should be no surprise that I am a big fan of handwritten notes and cards, so today I want to share with you one of my goals for the new year - stocking up on stationery.

Life happens, right? Births, deaths, celebrations, not-so-celebratory events - yes, some of those occasions could be acknowledged with a text or a Facebook post, but some should not. Aside from picking up the phone for an actual conversation, a handwritten expression is sometimes the most appropriate. Besides, who doesn't love opening the mailbox and seeing that someone took the time to sit down and write a note of thanks, sympathy, celebration or even a simple "hello"? 

Notecard by West Park Creative. Image southern giftologist

Notecard by West Park Creative. Image southern giftologist

The challenge I have found myself faced with in the past was not having the proper card to send - and who has time to run to the store for a card every time "life" happens? So this year, my goal is to curate my own mini-Hallmark, if you will. I will strive to have some card or stationery on hand that can cover those more common needs of expression - thank you, sympathy, congrats - or simply, hello.

Top two cards by Breathless Paper Company and bottom two cards by Tiramisu Paperie. Image southern giftologist

Top two cards by Breathless Paper Company and bottom two cards by Tiramisu Paperie. Image southern giftologist

Keeping a well-stocked stationery collection doesn't require a lot of space - I just used a plastic container and organized my cards by occasion. Having a book of stamps - gasp! retro! - on hand also helps keep me prepared for any card-giving or note-sending event - fun pens optional!

All-occasion note set by R&B Printery. Image southern giftologist

All-occasion note set by R&B Printery. Image southern giftologist

So the next time you run across some fun, locally-made cards or stationery, stock up - you never know when "life" will happen and have you reaching for the appropriate card. Happy gifting!

 

Get it...the Red Stamp app

As I've mentioned in past blog posts, I'm a bit old-fashioned in that I still enjoy sending handwritten notes and cards in the mail - especially for birthdays. However, like most of you, I don't always have the luxury of time to do that for every occasion. It seems the trend these days is to text well wishes (nothing wrong with that) or we rely on Facebook to remind us of a birthday and then we post or send an emoji-filled greeting (guilty!). However, today I want to share one of my favorite apps with you - Red Stamp

Image of Red Stamp app from my phone

Image of Red Stamp app from my phone

I've been a big fan of Red Stamp for many years and love the card options they provide for pretty much any occasion you can think of. Once you set up an account, you can store birthdays and other events you want to remember. The best part is that sending a digital card is free - you just design the card, save it to your photos and text it to your recipient - emojis optional. I've also used their app to design and purchase party invitations - just choose your design, enter the addresses (which you can store) and let them handle the mailing.

Lastly, I love the monthly calendar designs they have available for download to your device or to print on paper. Here's this month's which I have as my phone wallpaper:

Get the Red Stamp calendar download here

Get the Red Stamp calendar download here

So let's give those emojis the rest they deserve and up our digital greeting game, shall we? Happy {digital} gifting!