Lucky Friday #50, Spring Chicken Birthday Card

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 50th (!) edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway.  Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Stephy-Lou, Phoebe and Lauren C! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Biggest Fan card!

Design: Spring Chicken Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: We trimmed our quills and made a lot of chicken scratch before we hatched this one. Who to send it to: Even though Punxsutawney Phil disagreed yesterday— send it to the wise bird who knows spring is just around the corner, and that we're all in the full bloom of our youth. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: Another poultry card featuring a turkey— "Wattle I Do Without You?"— we agreed was little too wistful and weird. And the "I'm Too Chicken to Say I Love You," was a bit too heavy to get off the ground. Favorite detail: Chickens always look surprised, don't they? Why letterpress? All the better for the fine feathers and flourishes.

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Lucky Friday # 49, Biggest Fan

 

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 49th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Shana, Chef Andrea and Dave! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your We Belong card!

Design: Biggest Fan Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: This idea was so easy and breezy, it felt like it wafted in through the window. Who to send it to: Someone who puts the wind in your sails and makes your day fresh and light. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: The "Space Heater" metaphor left us a little cold. And air-conditioners are simply not romantic. Favorite detail: The little bit of lift in the hearts gives our hearts a big lift. Why letterpress? For vintage fans, only vintage presses will do.

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Free! Printable Valentine's Day Cards

It's time to channel the elementary schooler in you! Valentine's Day was such an exciting festivity for all of us in our early years (It may be because of our intrinsic enthusiasm for stationery and love notes!) However, we still feel a thrill when the big February 14 comes around. This year we wanted to do something extra special for our fans and loved ones. We created four free printable Valentine's Day cards just for you! Perfect for any age, these printable are inspired by our very favorite love cards, plus a little something new. You can download them here!

Introducing Custom Valentine's Day Cards!

We're wild about our brand new custom Valentine's Day cards! It's our first time debuting them in our Hello!Lucky collection and we are thrilled to share the news. Whether you didn't have a chance to send holiday photos, or want to reveal some news about a recent engagement, or just want to spread a little romance to friends and family, these cards and their retro personalities are the perfect touch. Shown are a few of our favorites, but you can check out the collection here! xoxo

Jungle Love (above)

Cup of Tea Photo

If sending photos isn't your cup of tea, you can still send great cards with a personal message.

Cup of Tea

Guess Who

For a short time, you can receive 10% off all Valentine's Day cards (custom and greeting)! Just enter the code XOXOLUCKY at checkout!

Featured: Food Network Magazine

It's not every day that a wedding and social stationery company makes an appearance in Food Network Magazine, but we were simmering with excitement when we saw our new We Belong card featured in the Food Network's roundup of delicious cards for "culinary lovebirds." Our team is constantly tasting new recipes from their magazine and television shows, and must admit, we're smitten by such a sweet recognition!

Lucky Friday # 46, Let's Be Frank

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 46th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Ruth, Lisa and Heather! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Warm Things card!

Design: Let's Be Frank Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: We mustard up all our creative juices while playing ketchup on a deadline. Feeling saucy, we wanted a red-hot Valentine's card that everyone would relish. Who to send it to:  Anyone named Frank, Oscar or Mayer, or any adorable little brat. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: Though we don't want to knock the knock-knock knackwurst joke card, writing chorizo jokes was a chore, brat jokes are the wurst, and the mortadella jokes left us mortified. Favorite detail: We're still snickering at the little casing end. Why letterpress? Our list of links between fine pressmanship and fine sausage is more than a foot long.

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Lucky Friday # 45, Warm Things

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 45th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Linda, Michael and Heather! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Happy New Year card!

Design: Warm Things Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: We were skating on thin ice fishing for ideas, scraping by on a slippery slope, but after we thought of warm things it was all downhill from there. Who to send it to: Someone who's a little wild and wooly, seasonably squirrelly or just a real deer. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: The words "sock it to me" repeated in a dense pattern with a myriad of mismatched socks. Favorite detail: Don't we all want a squirrel patch scarf? Why letterpress? The ice-be-gone scraper is a lovely and homely little reality check— another crisp detail made possible through letterpress.

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Lucky Friday #44, Esther Aarts' Happy New Year

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 44th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Mirabelle, Jo and Agata! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Cozy Gifts card!

Now for this week’s timely card:

Design: Happy New Year Artist: Esther Aarts Inspiration: It was about time for Esther Aarts to do something really Cuckoo! Who to send it to: A fine fräulein with time on her side or a handsome herr with just a minute to spare. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: Perhaps it's a sign of the times, but the grandfather clock design felt little old and tired. Favorite detail: How fun to ring in the new year swinging on a pendulum! Why letterpress? Like other handiwork from German engineers, our Heidelberg presses run like clockwork for years and years!

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Happy Holidays from all of us!

You may think that because we're a stationery company that we never face any uncertainty when choosing our own holiday cards. It actually takes lots of consideration to be sure we send the perfect card to our friends and colleagues. But we must admit, it was a seamless decision when we chose the design for our own holiday cards this year. Inspired by Susy Jack's Amazing New Year card, we transformed the digital version into a four color two-sided letterpress stunner.

For our special friends, we slipped in a package of digital/letterpress hybrid gift tags! They're suitable for any occasion, but think they'd be fabulous wrapped up with a festive bow or around a bottle of spirits or wine.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Hello!Lucky! We are so thankful for all of your support and friendship, and are looking forward to a bright and bustling 2012!

Lucky Friday # 43 Cozy Gifts Thank You Card

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 43rd edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Wolfie, Leah and Lisa! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Dancing Dreidels card!

Now for this week’s cozy card:

Design: Cozy Gifts Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: We wool-gathered about it a while and when it came down to keeping warm and giving thanks, we needed a card that covered a cornucopia of comfort. Who to send it to: Maybe someone who's wise to your size and style and has been gifting you long johns and long socks for a long while. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: The "Snuggie Calisthenics" card lacked the necessary je ne sais quois. Favorite detail: We love anything and anyone with long johns on. Why letterpress? Letterpress makes those snowflakes extra crisp.

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

DIY Holiday Cards

If you've got a crafty thumb - or let's admit, if you have time to hand-assemble your holiday cards - you should definitely head over to The Inside Source for their DIY Holiday Greetings feature! You'll find various ways to bust out all of your holiday paper needs, including a paper box! You even get detailed instructions on how to make this adorable card by yours truly! Inspired by the accordion photo card, Gifted (illustrated by Susy Jack), this card is a one-of-a-kind gift in itself!

We love the vibrant colors and retro-inspired ornaments in these cards by How About Orange...

...and these typographic gift tags from Uppercase! They are perfect for gifts year-round, and are great for recycling your holiday cards from last year!

Be sure to check out the whole feature here, happy crafting!

Lucky Friday #42, Dancing Dreidels

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 42nd edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Jana, Amanda P and Ann! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Caroling Creatures card!

Now for this week’s edition:

Design: Dancing Dreidels Artist: Shauna Leytus Inspiration: Gotta dig the idea of dancing dreidels under a dome of stars of David. Who to send it to: A certain Semite who's got a soft spot for silly & sweet seasonal stationery. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one:  We were thinking of a plate of potato pancakes leaping into a pan of olive oil and calling it Hello!Latke-- but that dimly lit candle got "shamashed" out in a jiffy. Favorite detail: Definitely the enigmatic "Yea!" on the flag. Why letterpress? Wait'll you see how great those dreidels look-- letterpress is the tops!

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Personal Stationery for Everyone on Your List!

Despite the fact that (and perhaps because) we work with stationery every day, we sometimes forget what a nice gift personalized stationery can make, especially for those people who seem to have everything! Who doesn't love seeing their name in print, and with our new online customization tool, you can pick just the right color and font to match their style.

Here's a sampling of some of our picks for family members of all stripes this year!*

1. Wildflowers: For Aunt Susanne. She's a bird lover and persimmon is one of her favorite colors, so this design by Anne Smith was perfect!

2. London Skyline: For cousin Jonathan, an up-and-coming barrister in London, dignified and masculine.

3. Wild Rose: For Aunt Rose, who sends me a card for every known occasion and a few in between (recent accomplishments of cat, etc.). A large quantity, plus extra envelopes.

4. Honeysuckle: For cousin Elise, a history professor.  She used this Honeysuckle design for her wedding invitations. These are in a different color, and I imagine it bringing back fond yet modern memories as she jots a note about medieval trade routes linking the kingdom of Northumbria to Strathclyde and Wales.

5. Daydream: For Stella, my tween niece. She probably passes notes by tweet, but as I'm sure her mother will agree, every young lady should be a mistress of correspondence!

6. Southern Belle: For my mother-in-law, Olivia, who loves to sunbathe in her garden - a lovely bouquet that could be a gift from one of her many garden gnomes.

7. Chrysanthemum: For my other mother-in-law, Sophia, a sparkling career woman with modern style: the chic and bold Chrysanthemum design.

Order by Dec. 18 and approve your design online, and we'll rush your order FREE for delivery by Dec. 23.  And we'll gift wrap it for you if you like (enter code GIFT4U at checkout)!

So go ahead, cross them off your list!

Happy shopping! Sabrina

*all names have been changed, but these are real gifts!

Featuring Julia Rothman and Giveaway!

We still have one more artist contributor to our 2011 Holiday Collection! We're excited to feature the very talented Julia Rothman! Julia is the rock star designer behind some of our most popular greeting cards and wedding invitations. We could go on and on about her genius illustrations and famous hand drawn style, but that would take days! We're constantly getting inspiration from her work and are delighted to have her as a part of Hello!lLucky designer team. Check out her book blog here!

What inspired your design for the holiday collection? Thinking about hot chocolate and warm mittens and cozy armchairs with fuzzy blankets and glowing fireplaces. I'm not a big fan of the cold weather but i like being warm knowing it's cold outside.

What are you currently working on?

Today I was working on a bunch of illustrations for a magazine. I'm excited to start to working on a book I am going to do about New York City next. Oh, and organizing. That is my New Years resolution- to get my office in better shape. I've tried to start the long process a little bit early to get a head start.

What influences your style the most?

That's hard to pinpoint. At some point I realized I really like drawings that seem like they are for kids, the style is playful and simple, but the audience is for adults. I like looking at vintage wallpaper designs and old children's book. But I think what influences me the most is what I see on a daily basis around me walking the streets; the people, clothing, store windows, architecture, patterns...

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

I like exchanging gifts with my friends. It's always really fun thinking up presents for them and I always know I will get a thoughtful gift in return.

Best holiday memory?

I used to help decorate my neighbors tree every year as a kid since we never had one. I liked hearing stories about all the ornaments and eating lots of cookies. One year she told me a ghost story and I was so scared and never forgot it.

To enter to win an assortment of 10 letterpress greeting cards designed by Julia Rothman, comment below telling us your best holiday memory! The winner will be chosen on Friday, December 9th at 12:00pm. Good luck!

**A winner has been chosen! Thanks for participating!**

Lucky Friday # 41, Caroling Creatures

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 41st edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Danyun, Theo and Jaime! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Christmastime card!

Now for this week’s edition:

Design: Caroling Creatures Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: The creatures were inspired by the spirit animals of a handful of the Hello!Lucky cohort who went Caroling around SOMA one season— we'll never say hoo is hoo! Who to send it to: Some seasonal songbirds, an alto owl, a soprano sparrow, a mezzo mouse, or a baritone bear. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: "Troll the Ancient Yuletide Carol" with a bunch of trolls in holiday garb was a little too Charles Addams-y. Favorite detail: The songbooks are in British English. Shout out to H!L UK! Why letterpress? All our woodland friends (and spirit animals) appreciate the sustainable papers and print methods we use in our letterpress cards.

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Anthology DIY Cook's Kit

Have you all had a chance to flip through the holiday issue of Anthology Magazine? It's filled with fabulous gift guides and festive features to get you in the mood for sleigh bells and snow! Eunice designed a retro chef's kit as a gift for her sister Sabrina, and there's a detailed tutorial about how you can make one yourself! Complete with guidelines for printmaking and sewing, your handmade gifts are sure to make a lasting impression.

Head over to Anthology to see the whole story!

Lucky Friday # 40, Esther Aarts Christmastime

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 40th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please): Margaret, Scarlett and Linda! We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Woodland Cheer card!

Now for this week’s wintry edition:

Design: Christmastime Artist: Esther Aarts Inspiration: Everything old, new, red, white, icy blue and beautiful about Christmas. Who to send it to: Anyone— everyone on your list! Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: The festivus version's feats of strength were funny, but it was a little tricky to illustrate the airing of grievances. Favorite detail: The sinuous snow covered branch on which the sparrows sit. Why letterpress: The color on the little birds heads are pressed with 2 translucent inks, creating a 3rd color. Nifty, huh?

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

Lucky Friday # 39, Woodland Cheer!

Hello all you lucky folks out there! This is the 39th edition of our Lucky Friday Giveaway! Each Friday we feature one of our letterpress greeting cards. We’ll choose THREE LUCKY WINNERS to get a free card.  Post a comment by 12 p.m. PST the following Thursday, and we’ll announce the winners on the following Friday!

The three winners from last week are (drum roll, please):

Jessica, Liz and Ruth Whispell!

We’ll contact you next week to arrange sending your Good Luck card!

Now for this week’s edition:

Design: Woodland Cheer Artist: Eunice Moyle Inspiration: Furry and feathered friends found in folk art. Who to send it to: Fine craft aficionados who squirreled away fun Etsy finds and generously sent them your way for the holiday. Ideas we scrapped in favor of this one: A bunch of naïve, outsider art renderings of folk instruments reading "Close enough for folk music!" Another with a just big acorn, reading "Wanna hear acorny joke?" Favorite detail: We heart the squirrel love. Why Letterpress? Dingbats/Typographic ornaments are sometimes called "printer's flowers." Wonder if there are any printer's acorns?

Don’t forget to post your comment and tune in next week, same time, different stationery, to see if you’ve won!

2011 Holiday Catalog!

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Now you can browse through all of our 2011 Holiday designs in one place! Thanks to Edyta Szyszlo for her amazing photography!

Featuring Lab Partners and Giveaway!

We couldn't have more love and admiration for our featured designer Lab Partners! Sarah and Ryan are the husband and wife team behind the super successful design studio based in Piedmont, CA. Prior to establishing Lab Partners, Sarah was part of the Hello!Lucky team working as an illustrator and designer. It's no wonder we're obsessed with their designs! They are the geniuses who created our Visit Series and we cannot wait to continue working with them in the future. Check out their cards in the 2011 Holiday Collection here!

What inspired your design for the holiday collection?

The candy bowl filled with sweets we always have out during the holidays. We also are big fans of the Christmas stocking so we had to do one of those.

What are you currently working on?

Right now we're working on a couple of projects with Chronicle Books that we're super excited about. We're also working with the Seattle Children's hospital on a project with one of our favorite artists, Amy Ruppel. It's probably the largest endeavor we've ever taken on and it's been such a great challenge and amazing experience so far.

What influences your style the most?

Color, textiles, animals, science and animation.

What's your favorite holiday tradition?

Definitely the day we bring the tree home. We always cook a fancy meal and watch The Sound of Music while decorating the tree. It's a great way to kick off the season.

Best holiday memory?

Sarah: Driving around with my family to find the houses with the super crazy lights.

Ryan: Visiting Austria at Christmastime, everything was so picturesque.

To enter to win 2 sets of limited edition letterpress cards designed by Lab Partners, head over to their blog here for the giveaway! Good luck!

(boxed sets include 6 cards and envelopes)