Valentines Day

Check out our new Valentines Day collection in the shop! We are strong believers in the art of hand-written notes, and Valentines Day is the perfect opportunity! So don't forget to tell those special people in your life how much they mean to you this Valentines Day! We are offering 20% off our entire love & friendship collection until Monday the 20th with code SWEETNOTHINGS. We will also be doing a Valentines Day DIY next week so you can make your own! Check back with the blog soon! Which card below is your favorite?

Contest: giving thanks in 2014

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ENTER TO WIN TWO PACKS OF LETTERPRESS THANK YOU CARDS BY JANUARY 16th!!! There’s plenty of research showing that gratitude promotes happiness -- expressing thanks helps you hone in on what’s positive in your life, and everyone loves to be thanked and appreciated! So this year we are promising to say thanks!

Here are perfect occasions for writing a thank you note:

• A gift
• A dinner or date
• A handwritten card
• A great conversation
• A thoughtful action, like helping you with a project or chore
• A long-term friendship or partnership

You can write thank you notes to family, friends, work associates, teachers, or those who provide a helpful hand day by day like your mail man or garbage collector.

Great thank you notes are brief and heartfelt. Here are some samples:

Thank you for the wonderful birthday card. I am so grateful that you thought of me.

Thank you for your the great conversation we had yesterday. I appreciate your support, and I am so glad we’re friends!

Here are some tactics we’ll be trying out in 2014:

• Keep a stash of thank you notes, stamps, and a pen by your bedside. Write a note at the end of the day. (Think of it as a twist on writing “gratitude journal,” which some researchers advocate -- one that has a positive impact on other people’s lives as well as your own)
• Write thank you notes right away -- the feelings will be more authentic and meaningful.

What are some of the ways you like to say thank you? Post a comment and we’ll pick a winner next Thursday the 16th to receive your very own stash of 12 letterpress thank you cards (featured above)!

Tantrum Kids Boutique

Hey San Francisco peeps! If you haven't been into Tantrum in Cole Valley yet then you must go take a peek! One of the most unique and well done kid's shops in the city! They have mid-century modern inspired toys, home goods, & other finds at a price you can't resist. They even feature us and other local letterpress & we couldn't be more proud to be amongst such visual bliss!

Lower Haight Urban Air Market

The Lower Haight Urban Air Market takes place this Saturday the 12^th  between 11-6, and we will be there amongst 130+ other amazing local artists. Tis’ the perfect time to stock up on one of a kind gifts for your loved ones. Get your Holiday shopping done early this year! Wouldn't that be a dream?!

Find us at booth E51 on Haight between Steiner and Fillmore

Family Photo Shoot with Leah McCormick

Just before Imogen was born, we were lucky enough to squeeze in a family photo shoot with the AMAZING Leah McCormick...

We just got the photos back this week, and I couldn't resist sharing them - Leah did such a fabulous job capturing our family (and all accompanying silliness)...

The shoot was so relaxed and fun that even my husband Daniel, who is usually a bit grumbly about being made to participate in such shenanigans, had a great time - and was super pleased with the results...

Love her sense of composition and the way she captures light and color!

You would never guess that I was  incredibly exhausted and quite whale-ish at the time!

Leah does beautiful wedding photography as well - check out her work at www.byleah.com!

Local Love: Little Paper Planes & Owl Cave

For this installment of our Local Love series we headed to Valencia street and visited one of our favorite new stores, Little Paper Planes + Owl Cave books. Little Paper Planes opened earlier this year in May and it's such a great addition to the bustling Mission neighborhood.

Little Paper Planes is owned and operated by Kelly Lynn Jones, who ran LPP as an online shop for years before launching this brick and mortar version of her store. Kelly is joined by Viniita Moran who brought her online bookstore Owl Cave Books into the shop. Owl Cave Books has a wonderfully curated selection of hard to find art books and magazines.

One of our favorite things about the shop is the space, which was transformed with fixtures and hand built pieces created by Kate Pruitt.

The shop also has a  print gallery which features a new artist every month and a residency program which can be found in the back of the store. The residency program offers space to artists, makers and curators.

If you're visiting the bay area or if you're a local who hasn't been to LPP + Owl Cave Books yet definitely make a trip there. They have such a great selection of goods and they're so well curated and displayed, you'll definitely leave feeling inspired and hopefully with something fun you didn't have before.

Little Paper Planes + Owl Cave 855 Valencia Street in San Francisco,  (415) 643-4616

A Trip to the Flower Mart

We were recently lucky enough to make a special trip to the San Francisco Flower Mart to drop off some wedding invitations to a wedding planner we work with. We love going to the Flower Mart and could spend all day in there!

The Flower Mart is where wedding vendors and other professionals can get locally grown flowers direct from growers at wholesale prices. It's always such a treat walking through the Mart and we thought it would be fun to show you some behind the scenes photos, including prep for the wedding we did the invites for. Enjoy!

Local Love: General Store

This weekend we made a trek out to the Outer Sunset in San Francisco and visited one of our favorite shops, General Store.

General Store has a wonderful collection of locally sourced and well designed goods for sale. We love the feel of the shop and the carefully selected items.

How amazing is this wall of cards? We love the simplicity of the wood and rope. Such a great design, there's something about the General Store that makes us feel like we're on a ship, which is pretty fitting given how close it is to the ocean.

Fat bags of local beans.

Terrariums and tea towels.

If you visit the bay area definitely make a trek out to General Store, it's worth the trip! And while you're out there stop next door and grab some cinnamon toast and something hot to drink at Trouble Coffee.

General Store

4035 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122

415-682-0600

11-7 Monday - Friday

10 - 7 Saturday - Sunday

Real Wedding: Britt and Blake

This real wedding featured on Style Me Pretty shows a classic side of San Francisco that we simply adore. Dream a Little Dream Events' Britt McNany and her beau Blake met in San Francisco and wed in San Francisco. Their theme was timeless, with dramatic details and bold colors. Plus, both the ceremony and reception took place in iconic buildings that were the perfect destination for their big day. We recreated a custom design to suit her romantic soiree along with some equally gorgeous day-of products.

Tables were each named by the various neighborhoods in our city, to guide guests to their seats. We love how the gorgeous deep red bouquets by Nancy Liu Chin match the cards.

A ceremony in St. Ignatius Church was the only place for these two. It's sweeping archways and rich architecture set the tone for the night ahead.

This room is completely breathtaking. The entire Asian Art Museum is filled with historic and contemporary beauty, but to host a reception here is a true dream.

Custom printed place cards were set to match the table decor, with individual meal choices, too.

Congratulations Britt and Blake! We wish you a lifetime of happiness and a wonderful 2013!

Photos by Andrew Weeks Photography

Top of the Mark

This fall we had the pleasure of working with a team at the Top of the Mark at the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel for a special photo shoot. As such an iconic hotel with deep San Francisco history, we were thrilled to create a custom skyline invitation for the event. Our San Francisco Skyline is packed with significant imagery, but one thing was missing for this Nob Hill destination. We created a new icon for the mix and included the Top of the Mark peaking above our lovely city by the bay.

If you haven't been to the Top of the Mark, it's a must for visitors and city dwellers. Their views are some of the best in the city, and the bar makes a delicious cocktail.

Can you see the difference? We love having the Mark Hopkins in our Skyline!

These photos by Rien van Rijthoven of Architecture Photography capture the magic of the Mark Hopkins so well. With elegant tablescapes and jaw-dropping views, this venue makes any event a dream.

Thanks to the Top of the Mark for such a fun project and to Rien van Rijthoven for the beautiful images!

Local Love: Flora Grubb

We could spend days and days wandering around Flora Grubb Gardens, a local nursery and garden supply store located in San Francisco's Bay View neighborhood.

Flora Grubb is so much more than a nursery. It feels like a little haven in the city, full of inspiration at every turn. There's even a Ritual coffee inside so you can grab a delicious beverage and wander around the gardens.

We love the pops of color, huge range of plants, and endless garden ideas we discover when we are there. Flora Grubb is perfect on a sunny day but it's just as nice on a slightly overcast and foggy day as we discovered last time we were there a couple of weekends ago.

If you live in the bay area and haven't been to Flora Grubb definitely go! And if you're visiting you should add it to your list of spots to explore while you're here, we promise you won't regret it.

Flora Grubb 1634 Jerrold Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124 - (415) 626-7256

Local Love: Photobooth SF

 Photobooth SF is a Tintype Polaroid-style studio located on Valencia Street here in San Francisco, offering beautiful vintage-looking photography. It's obvious we're big fans of anything vintage, so we fell in love with the idea immediately. It's nice to see something new and different pop up on the photography scene!

Aren't these moody photobooth images of our staff fabulous? They were taken by Photobooth SF at the Contemporary Jewish Museum last month for the Rit Lab event. For the event we brought stacks of letterpress prints and accessories to make one-of-a-kind photo frames and these images were the perfect addition.

You can book your sessions with Photobooth SF here or pop in their studio located in San Francisco's Mission district.

Photobooth SF 1193 Valencia Street @ 23rd. San Francisco, CA 94110 Open: Wed- Th 1-8, Fri – Sun 1-9 www.photoboothsf.com

Local Love: Tantrum

This year we're starting a new feature on the blog showcasing some of our favorite local shops, eateries, and spots in both San Francisco and London. We're kicking off with a unique vintage shop in Cole Valley called Tantrum. From the moment we first saw the circus themed window display and sign, to the precious stop-motion video of their shop, it's definitely a new favorite. Tantrum, located on 858 Cole Street, has a sweet collection of mid-century and vintage items for kids of all ages.

They not only carry awesome kids stuff, but one-of-a-kind housewares for moms and dads too! We're really digging all the rich colors in this photo.

We fell in love with them once we saw the sneak peek on Modern Kiddo, then when we saw co-owners Amanda and Michelle in these vintage get-ups and it kept getting better. They gave a fabulous Q & A and we can't wait to get our hands on some of their goodies.

Check out this stop-motion video of the space!

Tantrum from Paul Trillo on Vimeo.

They must have such a good time working together. Check out Tantrum at 858 Cole Street in San Francisco!

Here Comes Santa Claus!

Last week Sabrina took her three boys to go visit Santa in Union Square. The city is so festive and cheery this time of year, so it's always a must to go see all the new decorations. Of course with Santa in the agenda, the twins were definitely on board. They stopped inside the Westin Saint Francis to get a view of the square. That tree was enormous! And with a birds eye view of the festivities below,  Alex and James were starry eyed with excitement.

Inside the Westin was a beautiful tree so they stopped to scope out the ornaments and pick a favorite. But the real favorite was their visit with Santa. We think William will definitely grow to be a calm, cool, and collected little dude, since he's the only one posing for the photo! No matter the photo, it's always the memories we keep forever. Thanks to Macy's Santaland!

Real Wedding: Darcy and Kevin

As a boutique and very hands-on wedding vendor, we're always happy to reach out to our brides and grooms around the globe. But when an event takes place right here in the heart of San Francisco, we feel proud to be a part. Darcy and Kevin's glamorous San Francisco wedding covered a lot of ground, from the beautiful Presidio Chapel to the funky Bimbo's 365 Club. The lively couple had a lot of fun with their decor, and they seem to have had a blast on their big day. It was all captured by the talented Andrew Weeks Photography with lovely details by Dream a Little Dream Events.

Of course with a reception venue like Bimbo's, vintage glamour is a must. We created custom stationery of the San Francisco skyline for their paper programs and table numbers.

Michele Papineau's beautiful calligraphy led guests to their tables in style.

The sensational ombre pink wedding cake by Sage Catering was a focal point of the event. We love how it basically glows among the dark and romantic decor.

Congratulations Kevin and Darcy!

All photos by Andrew Weeks Photography

Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco

Join us this weekend December 1st and 2nd for the annual Bazaar Bizarre Holiday Show! We'll be hanging out at our booth selling cards, gifts, and our new prints! If you haven't been to the Bazaar Bizarre before, prepare for total craftness. Vendors and retailers all gather to showcase their original gifts, just in time for your holiday shopping. There's also a huge list of delicious food vendors for your mid-day snacking pleasure. You can get your hands on awesome products like these printed totes by Shapes & Colors, and munch on some tasty cake pops by Sweet Lauren Cakes.

The event takes place at the Concourse Exhibition Center EAST HALL 620 Seventh St. (at Brannan) from 11am - 6pm and is completely free. And the first 200 visitors each day will receive a free limited edition tote bag with loads of goodies including letterpress cards from yours truly! Hope to see you there!

Open Studio Event & Holiday Sale

This past weekend we opened our doors on a sunny Sunday for our Open Studio Event and Holiday Sale! We had a terrific turnout and want to say thank you to everyone who came by. Our guests experienced hands-on letterpress tutorials by our temporary printer, Lillian! She graciously showed visitors simple letterpress techniques and those who gave it a go went home with their own hand-cranked holiday cards (pictured below). The spectacular Lisa Congdon paid us a visit, and also got to experience the letterpress magic. She just designed a brand new collection of cards exclusive for Hello!Lucky - soon to be released in early 2013!

These are the limited edition prints we created just for the occasion. We'll be putting them on our site and on Etsy soon! Below Eunice and Sabrina are busy mingling with all the visitors. You can see pressman Jon back there running the windmill press. It was quite the production but with all the helping hands it was a great success!

Just a snapshot of some of the holiday cards we had on sale. What a deal! We still have some left over so be sure to visit our studio from Monday-Friday, 9:00 - 5:00 for excellent deals on holiday cards.

Thanks again for everyone who visited the studio! We are definitely planning more events in the future so stay tuned, and be sure to order your holiday cards today!

SFMade Nationwide!

Have you heard the news? SFMade is expanding their pop-up shops in Banana Republic stores across the country! Last year's Banana Republic pop-up shop in San Francisco was an enormous success, so debuting our products in stores in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York is icing on the cake. If you live in Los Angeles, the Banana Republic located on the 3rd Street Promenade (Santa Monica) and will feature our Happy Holidays from Los Angeles letterpress cards, among others. In New York, we're showcasing our Happy Holidays from New York cards at the Rockefeller Center location. And in Chicago visit the store on Michigan Avenue to get your hands on our Happy Holidays from Chicago letterpress cards. Of course, you can find our Happy Holidays from San Francisco cards at the Banana Republic location in San Francisco on Grant.

Here is a sneak peek into the shop at the Los Angeles Banana Republic!

And here's a look into the New York City location!

To our readers nearby and our readers far away, we encourage you to shop local this holiday season, and if you can, shop SFMade!

Sabrina & Eunice's Favorite SF Activities

Eunice and Sabrina's recent feature on Sosh's series Tastemakers is definitely one of our favorites. Sosh, the new online activity guide, is the ultimate resource for travelers and city dwellers in San Francisco. Whether you're looking for the best coffee in town or want to get your heart pumping with a new exercise, Sosh has the best of the best all lined up. When the team asked Eunice and Sabrina to share their favorite things about San Francisco the answer was undoubtedly yes. Their fellow Tastemakers are some of the most inventive people in the city, including Thomas McNaughton of Flour + Water (one of their favorites) and Mike Krieger of Instagram. The sisters gave a few tips on great places to find inspiration, where they go to unwind, and their favorite places in the city to take visitors. Check out the entire feature here.

Thanks again to the team at Sosh for coming by the H!L studio. We can't wait to see more Tastemaker stories to come! To join (for free!) head over to their website today.

Dream Bridal Tour

Calling all brides! This year's Dream a Little Dream Bridal Tour is taking place next Sunday, November 4th, and the talented team at DALD has come up with incredible itinerary. One ticket gets you not only a champagne brunch, but also a guided tour of the cities finest wedding vendors. You get to experience the wonders of planning a wedding - plus exceptional gift bags provided by The Knot with specialty products and discounts.

Among the many fabulous destinations on the full-day tour is our Studio Open House! We'll be giving hands on letterpress lessons along with discounts on our holiday card collection. If you are planning a wedding or know someone who is, it's a great way to spend the day out with your girls and gather some inspiration for your big day. Book now and you'll receive $15 off your tickets! Use the code 7x7 at checkout here. Hope to see you there!

Images by Weeks Photography