Stationary & The Art of the Love Letter

Yes, Valentine's Day just happened but love should be spread throughout the year. So I wanted to share some tips on the art of the love letter and a few LOVE-ly cards to give to someone you care about!  



Big Kiss Card from Bobs Your Uncle



• Get prepared-Gather your letter writing tools: pen and paper. Whether it’s notebook paper or fine stationary, be sure to write legibly and don’t even think about emailing or texting your love letter.

·         Get in the mood-Make sure you have privacy when writing your love letter and that the atmosphere is one that welcomes an open heart.

·         Hello, my name is: Use pet names or nicknames that you may only use when alone to address your significant other. This will make him/her smile and that is a great way to begin a heartfelt letter.

The One from Paper Polite

·         Leave your heart on the page- You want to be sure that your significant other knows that there is no doubt in how you feel about him/her because your emotions should ooze from the page.

·         Get specific-Share examples of how he/she means the world to you and makes your heart sing.

·         The chosen one-Tell him/her how lucky you are to have them in your life. Share personal anecdote and memories of how you met and the impact it has in your life.

·         Sealed with a kiss- Mail your love letter to your significant other for a nice surprise between bills and junk mail. Another alternative is leaving the note somewhere he/she will find it like their pillow or jacket pocket.

Bzzzz: To elevate the gift experience try custom cards, if you are in the Charlotte area Olive Paper is a great option or you can try etsy.com for some other options. In the end, the words that you write will matter most of all--it's the gift and the card itself is the wrapping:)

Say Thanks with Sweet Stationary

I wrote a short article on fun & beautiful stationary centered around giving thanks for friends and family around the Thanksgiving holiday for Shecky's. While Thanksgiving has passed, just about all the cards can be used throughout the year. You can also give the box set as a present to a lucky giftee...and to make the gift extra special...why not scribe a note to the giftee on why you are thankful for them in your life? It will skyrocket the gift to the next level. Below is an excerpt to the post written for Shecky's.

Thanksgiving is a time when most give thanks to the people and moments that have enriched their lives throughout the year. Many family and friends gather over a delicious spread of food, fun and laughter, but while there are many highly regarded traditions that take place during this time of the year, there is one tradition that I look forward during this time—going around the room, right before dinner and sharing what I am most thankful for! This year, I thought it’d be nice to take this tradition a step further and thank my loved ones with a handwritten note. Here are six sweet stationary gift sets to say “thanks” to someone who has made an impact (small or large) on your life at some point this year! See my stationary picks here.

source: sheckys.com

Gift Tip #86: Copper Willow Monogram Cards

These monogram cards by Copper Willow are so cute! They are bright and modern and would be a great gift for any girl (or guy) who knows the importance of the hand-written note. The cards come in vibrant colors such as peacock, lipstick, eggplant and navy and are matched with a non matchy-matchy envelope. The inside of the envelopes are beautiful and steal the show, if you ask me! The envelope lining is an overload of whatever letter you choose for your card and that's what really sets these monogram cards apart from the many others we see daily. The letterpress cards are created on high-quality paper and make a sweet, inexpensive gift.

Bzzzz: Remember it's HoneeBee Gifts Blog Party week: Get details here!

source: http://www.etsy.com/shop/copperwillow, punchbowl.com

Gift Tip #28: Kate Spade Stationary

Kate Spade Paper designs make me smile with their vibrant colors and bold stand on keeping the written word alive. These gifts would be great for lover of stationary. I have included a few box sets of my fave designs.

XOXO Stationary, on sale on organize.com, $16.99

Brushstroke Peony Boxed Set, $30, katespade.com

P.S. Boxed Set, $30, katespade.com

Here's a bit about Kate Spade New York (from the horse's mouth):

utility, wit and playful sophistication are the hallmarks of kate spade new york. as our world expands, our graceful, exuberant approach to the everyday is evident in every category we enter, from handbags and clothing to jewelry, shoes, stationery, glasses, baby and home.

kate spade new york has thirty-six shops across the united states, and is sold in every time zone and on every continent. whether in macau or michigan, our shops are always warm and inviting

You can purchase these box sets at katespade.com or visit any local paper store that carries Kate Spade products. Some places that carry Kate Spade locally include Three Little Birds, Salutations, etc.

sources: katespade.com, organize.com

Gift Tip #26: Positively Green cards

I fell in love with these cards on a recent trip to Paper Skyscraper. The sentiments are simple and meaningful. I should have known that the Positively Green product line is from one of my favorite companies, Compendium, Inc. Truly, there is nothing they do that I do not LOVE.

Anyway, the cards include a "Do Something Positive" and "Do Something Green" message on the back of the cards. I have included an example of a Positively Green card below and you can find out more about the cards at positivelygreencards.com.

The Spotlight: Three Little Birds

Three Little Birds is a stationary shop tucked in the South End area of Charlotte. I love stationary and got my fix at Three Little Birds. Check out some of my most recent purchases:

There are small trinkets (i.e. bags, coasters, etc), boxed cards and even better: custom-made stationary located in this cozy store! Most customers are brides-to-be but the company also services corporate businesses and the average Joe looking for extra special business cards, party invitations or the like.

With hundreds of papers, fonts and ribbons, Three Little Birds creations are sure to please the eye and owner Kristen Stewart aims to please each customer she encounters.

When visiting the store, be sure to check out the sales table that usually has great items up to 50% off and ask about the wedding workshops and lunch and learn events for small business owners. You can also visit the Three Little Birds blog here for details on their workshops and events, as well as see examples of their work.

source: www.threelittlebirdsinc.com

Show Mom some love

Mother's Day is almost here and if your Mom is anything like mine you must show her some love on Mother's Day. My Mom is one of the best Moms ever and deserves special attention and love everyday but May 10th is her day and I plan to let her know!

I have included some suggestions for your Mom below. A couple I have highlighted in my blog previously but I have also included new ideas and low-cost options. Feel free to check out my five suggestions below but also peruse my blog for many more ideas.

Five gift suggestions for Mother’s Day from HoneeBee Gifts….
1. Taste Book: a custom made cookbook that organizes all handwritten recipes and magazine clippings into a personalized cookbook. You can include photos and have it delivered straight to your Mother’s door. HoneeBee suggests making the cookbook have a theme that relates to your Mom and setting up the cookbook via www.tastebook.com.

2. Stationary: The art of the personal, handwritten note seems to be slipping away but it is such a nice way to send a hello or catch up with someone miles away…even in the Internet age. 2. 2. Stationary can do all these things and every time your Mom writes something on the stationary she will think about who gave her such a beautiful way to stay connected to others. HoneeBee recommends Crane’s stationary and Kate Spade who also has a nice line of cards. HoneeBee also loves Papyrus stores so check out their online website or their closest store location for great finds.

3. Day of Relaxation: Most women will love a day at the spa—getting pampered and primped but HoneeBee wants you to take it a step further. Try bringing the pampering to your Mom. Ask the pampering professionals (massage therapist, nail technician, make-up artist, etc) to come to your Mom. Most of these professionals would be happy to do so. Having the specialists come to her will make her feel like the Queen she is and that is what will make this gift extra special and not your run of the mill spa day. HoneeBee recommends massage therapist, Stefen Palmer, licensed massage therapist.

4. “Enhance Mommy’s hobby” gift: Every Mom has a hobby or something she likes to do, whether, its scrapbooking, gardening, creating art or traveling. This gift idea is to give her a present related to that hobby. HoneeBee recommends a few different options. For example, if gardening is her thing create a garden basket with her favorite plant or herb that she’ll be planting for summer along with new garden tools. If traveling is her thing and she loves Spanish-speaking countries but has never been to Dominican Republic, get her a plane ticket, if art is her thing arrange for her to meet her favorite up and coming artist—you get it!

5. Mother’s Day Coupon: This is a great gift if you want to do something special but the funds may be a bit low. Create a coupon on your computer or on a snazzy note card and write in what your gift is to your Mom. HoneeBee has a few suggestions. Some suggestions include: “Dinner on me” or “My cleaning services for a day” or “A subscription to your favorite magazine”. Most of all you must follow through when your Mom is ready to cash in her coupon and I am sure she will love your thoughtfulness. Just because the funds are low doesn’t mean the creativity has to be.

In addition, please be mindful when purchasing a gift. If you know she hates to cook, maybe the Taste Book is not the best gift for her!

By the way, if she is hinting at something, save yourself some trouble and just get it, within reason. Other gifts probably won’t please her as much and you are setting yourself up for failure. Plus, once you see the smile on her face (and in her eyes) you will know you made the right choice.

If you don’t have time or are just still unsure on what to get Mom this year, please do not hesitate to contact HoneeBeeGifts at honeebeegifts.blogspot.com.