Archives for: October 2009

At LCI Paper, envelopes with a metallic finish are growing categories, both in customer popularity and with our expanding lines of Stardream, Aspire Petallics, and Reaction brands. The tiny specks in the simulated metal finish reflect and show different luminosity depending on the envelope's position to the light. Once you hold the envelopes in your hand and get a feel for their unique finish, you'll see why people are using metallic envelopes for weddings to birthday parties to Bar Mitzvahs.

Stardream

Our Stardream envelopes, available in a variety of popular sizes, are made with metallic Stardream brand paper by European fine paper manufacturer Gruppo Cordenons (Italian for the Cordenons Group). Gruppo Cordenons has a rich history in paper making dating back 1630 when the earliest records indicate their Cartera de Cordenon mill in Italy began operation. That Italian mill and another in Italy continue to produce high quality specialty and technical papers.

Stardream is a distinctive range of metallic, iridescent and pearlescent paper created expressly for the designer and printer to give an "astral" effect to your work, meeting the more sophisticated trends of color and fashion. Michael P. Santillo, Gruppo Cordenons' Eastern Regional Sale Manager says,

Stardream envelopes are a great way to depict style and class for that special occasion and will leave a lasting impression on the recipient.

The smooth and shiny Stardream finish is presented on both the inside and outside of the envelopes.

Aspire Petallics

Like luscious candies dipped in sugar, delightfully colored base papers and a specially formulated mica coating combine to create Aspire Petallics. Aspire Petallics envelopes are available in a range of pastel tones plus the striking and unique Copper Ore color. The smooth and shiny finish is duplicated on the inside as well.

John Kelly, VP of Sales & Marketing for CTI Paper USA says

The distinctly elegant surface of Aspire Petallics radiates with a soft alluring shine, conveying sophistication, glamor and beauty. Your invitation, announcement or direct mail piece will demand attention when housed in an Aspire Petallics envelope.

Reaction

As mentioned in the first paragraph, our metallic envelopes react differently to the light, depending on how you hold and manipulate the envelope. The Reaction brand, made in the Bavarian Alps of Germany, provide the most dramatic reaction, hence the brand name. Mica pigments produce a bi-color effect. Reaction envelopes also have a soft feel, subtle mesh texture that you'll notice when you touch them. Unlike Stardream and Aspire Petallics, inside the envelope, Reaction features a non-metallic finish in a complimentary color.

Gmund's Worldwide Sales Director, Herbert Eibach, had the following to say about Reaction envelopes:

There are many important occasions where an envelope needs to impress people. On special occasions like this, the intended response is for the recipient to experience an unforgettable, emotional, and pleasurable visual. Gmund has developed a range of unique Reaction envelopes especially for the most unique business communication opportunities. The surface shines like silk, sparkling like precious jewelry. The Gmund Reaction envelope has the attractiveness to touch peoples feelings.

All three brands can be printed using conventional methods. Due to the unique metallic surfaces, they are not recommended for inkjet printing. In some cases, laser printing can be achieved. We recommend consulting your printer's user manual and ordering a sample to run as a test.

Joshua Birch

Launched in early October, LCI Paper Company is pleased to announce the expansion of its Bar and Bat Mitzvah Invitation Section. The section is complete with an updated user-friendly layout, seven new invitation categories, and several fresh and unique designs; made specifically with Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in mind.

Barry Levine, Vice President of Sales and Service, had the following to say about the recent expansion:

Becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a milestone event for a child about to enter a time of responsibility according to Jewish law and the Torah. It is an acknowledgment of a continued commitment to their Jewish identity and its existence. Generally speaking, it is the first time in which the boy or girl participates as an adult in the Sabbath service. Keeping all of this in mind, we felt that we had an obligation to provide a collection of invitations that would be creative, yet sensitive to the occasion it represents. Our invitations vary from contemporary to traditional in nature. In this way, we hope to capture a wide audience of visitors.

LCI Paper continues to sell blank stock to customers to print and assemble on their own. As LCI recognizes that do-it-yourself invitations are quite simple and beneficial once a customer is familiar with the task, it also recognizes that it is common for beginners to run into difficulty. This is why help is always just a phone call or email away. With a simple, user-friendly web page and experienced customer service, LCI is continuously striving to aid customers in achieving precisely they look they desire.

As always, other benefits to creating a unique invitation through LCI Paper include the ability to customize appearance and wording, cost-effectiveness, and same-day shipping. By supplying a myriad of creative options and assistance, it is the hope of LCI that any Bar or Bat Mitzvah perusing the new section will find the perfect invitation for his or her sacred day.

Recommended Links:
LCI's Bar/Bat Mitzvah Invitations

Kristen Desrosier

At LCI Paper, we continue to enjoy the Share Your Creativity submissions that our customers are sending in. Earlier this week, I spoke to Mayra in California about her elegant pocket fold wedding invitation that she made with our Autumn Hay metallic card stock and other items she found locally. Here is my interview with Mayra.

To save the audio to your computer, right click and "save as."

Here is a transcript of the interview:

Let me ask you first, are you married yet or is your wedding coming up?

No, my wedding’s coming up. It’s on December 18th.

Ok, so you started your invitations plenty early. That’s good.

Yes, I started early, very early because I wanted to finish them on time just in case anything went wrong.

When did you decide that you’d like to do them yourself?

When I started looking at pricing for invitations, it was crazy. It was too much.

Yeah. Were you just going to stationery stores or did you actually talk to designers?

I went to stores. I spoke to a couple of designers in Fresno. Also online, I would look online.

Now, this isn’t your first project like this is it? Because your invitations look so professional to me.

No, that was my first time. (laughter)

Really! Ok, alright.

Yeah, that was my first time. I need to get into the specifics here then, because there are so many unique ideas in your invitation.

Let’s start with the outside of the pocket fold where you have the monogram badge with yours and your husbands initials right?

Right.

Yeah, how did that come about?

Like I said, I researched a lot. I would go online and look at pictures, magazines of invitations and they would have something similar and I’d just change it up a little. I just added something that I liked better than what they had.

Did you make the pocket fold?

Yeah.

Or did you order the pocketfolds?

No, I made them myself. I made everything. I made the cutouts for the invitation and then whatever I had scratch from that I used it for the pocket.

Ok, wow. It’s just unbelievable to me that it’s your first time doing this sort of thing. You had never made a pocket fold before?

No. (laughter) Like I said, I would go to stores and I would pay attention to see how they would make the pockets. One of my cousins got married in July and he had an invitation similar to mine but he got his made from somebody else. And he had a pocket and I paid attention to see how he made the pocket and then I made it myself.

Interesting. So you decided on that rather than just buying our pocket folds for example. You bought our metallic paper.

Yeah.

Was it the Beargrass? I can’t remember what color you got. Do you remember?

No I got the Autumn Hay.

Ok, yup. Well, really great job on that. It looks so professional.

Thank you.

Yeah! I guess we’re still talking about the monogram badge. It has a pink ribbon that wraps around as well.

Well, the ribbon I did buy at a craft store. I think it was Michael’s or Beverly’s. I don’t remember what... I went to a lot of craft stores for these invitation for the stuff I needed for them. I also had to buy the card stock—the pink card stock paper that I used--because you guys didn’t have something similar to that color of ribbon. I just, I don’t know. I was just layering stuff, I don’t know.

Well, how did you do the stencil work? Because you have kind of a white backing and the card goes over that and sort of tucks in under your stenciling, is that right?

Yes. I bought some punch outs, the stencil punch outs that they sell at craft stores. I wanted it to look a little more elegant and I thought it would give it a little more of an elegant look. If I wouldn’t have used it, I think it would have looked a little too simple.

Mmm. And then the jewels that you have in the corners—are those little plastic decorative jewels?

Yeah, they’re just simple jewels you can buy anywhere and I just glued them on there, on each corner and stuff.

Ok. So you’ve sent them out already?

Yeah, I already sent them out.

What reaction are you getting?

Oh, everybody’s telling me that they’re beautiful. I have a couple of cousins that are getting married and they want me to help them make their invitations, their friends and stuff—even for their daughters’ Quinceaneras and stuff like that, they want me to help them.

You know, I’ve interviewed quite a few invitation designers and this is how they get started.

(laughter) Yeah, well, I don’t know if I’ll design invitation for the future but... It takes a lot of work, a lot of patience too.

Certainly.

And you have to have the right tools. If I had the right tools for everything, I think it would have been easier because I did everything myself with the things that I had so that I wouldn’t have had to spend so much money on them.

And is your fiancé happy with them?

Oh yeah, he loves them. He actually helped me too. He was helping me do everything for the invitations.

Why did it take the end of the interview for you to admit that?

Umm...

I’m just kidding.

I don’t know! (laughter)

No, that’s great to hear that he was so involved.

Is there anything else that you wanted to mention about your invitation that you’d like people to know or have we covered it?

No, just that if somebody decides to make their invitations, to do it on time. It takes a lot of patience not to give up. (laughter)

Ok, that’s good advice.

--

Thanks to Mayra for taking a few minutes away from her wedding planning to talk to me about her homemade invitation.

Joshua Birch

In my recent posting discussing the perks of theme weddings, I also mentioned to my love for Halloween. After discovering a Halloween Themed Inspiration Board through BrideTide this morning, and with the 31st right around the corner, I now feel it is appropriate to discuss why.

Of course not everyone is a Halloween buff, but let’s be honest; the day does have fun attributes for those who appreciate them. This is a day that can be fun for both children and adults. With or without costume, whether you are trick-or-treating, accompanying, or attending a party, there is never a shortage of fun activities. It is also the one day of the year that it is socially acceptable to wear just about anything you want. Really, is there any other evening you are able to go out in a cape, funky hat, or crazy home-made ensemble, simply because you like it?

After perusing the inspiration board and its associated links, and with Halloween’s “anything goes” concept in mind, I was compelled to play around with some ideas of my own. After all, whether you are planning a children’s party or an elaborate theme wedding, you can make your Halloween event as fun and cheesy or as elegant as you choose.

Some may disagree that a Halloween wedding can be elegant, yet elegance can be pulled off with the right details and décor, as seen on the board pictured above. This Martha Stewart Weddings pumpkin decor idea serves as another example. A spin on the traditional jack-o-lantern, these monogrammed pumpkins are a unique way to incorporate Halloween without tackiness or overkill.

Pictured to the left is another great example. Found through Brides Magazine, this simple invitation idea lets your guests know that your wedding will be a unique theme, yet still classic. Though certainly not a mainstream design, the invitation's combination of colors, Gothic graphics, and fonts allows for an offbeat, yet elegant feel. This invitation could be easily replicated with a Pumpkin Japanese Linen Backing Card cut to size, Clear Vellum Overlay, Self-Adhesive Black Satin Bow, and wording and fonts of choice.

Thinking about some more casual and fun Halloween ideas, yet another Intimate Weddings blog posting inspired me to make the party invitation seen here. This posting offers a variety of free templates for download, including labels, themed papers, and graphics. After looking around, I decided upon the skeleton paper graphic. I simply downloaded the graphic, sized it to fit my underlying A9 Invitation Card, and printed it to serve as a backdrop for my wording. Next, I printed the invitation wording on an 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 piece of Translucent Orange Vellum, and fastened it with a Black Spiral Clip. This design was quick, easy, and a simple way of setting the tone for Halloween fun!

From elegant to casual, theme or not, with a bit of imagination and creativity, you can pull off any look you desire.

Kristen Desrosier

A few minutes ago, I received this press release from Employment Options Executive Director Toni Wolf regarding their future. For many years, LCI Paper has enjoyed an affiliation with Options as our company employs Options members. For insight into this important and longstanding community organization, see my profile on Options member and LCI Paper employee Mark and this year's Options fundraiser.

Here is the important press release:

Safety Net for Hundreds of People with Mental Illness is Threatened in Marlborough and Metrowest

Call Governor Patrick and your legislator and tell them not to cut these vital funds...

Employment Options, a recognized leader in providing a variety of crucial services to individuals recovering from mental illness could face harsh budget cuts if the Governor cuts the part of the state budget that funds these services as rumored on Beacon Hill.

The Governor according to several reports is due to announce potentially devastating cuts to Clubhouse Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers that aid over 8,000 people in Massachusetts who have serious and persistent mental illness live in the community. This threat would permanently discontinue the services that are provided by Employment Options, an agency serving individuals recovering from mental illness living within the Metro west area.

The services provided by Employment Options assist individuals with mental illness prepare for employment and other vital tasks in their community and help provide them with a sense of dignity and respect, something all individuals strive for. In FY09, Employment Options served 357 people with an average daily attendance of 71 individuals accessing employment, housing and family services.

In addition to the statewide advocacy efforts, Employment Options is also seeking local awareness and advocacy to continue to serve a vulnerable population served by Westborough State Hospital. As of April 1, 2010, due to financial hardships, Westborough State Hospital will be closing its door, and an additional 73 individuals with severe mental illness will be living in the local community.

"It is essential now more than ever that we remain a resource for the community, "according to Wolf. "We have to ask, where will these people go and how will they manage their lives as they leave a state facility where they have resided for years? Without a safety net such as Employment Options or other agencies that serve this population, individuals will out of necessity use the streets as a place to go and inadvertently utilize the police and emergency rooms. These cuts will just shift costs somewhere else and we believe the Massachusetts taxpayer will not be happy as a result."

About Employment Options:
Employment Options is a non-profit organization based in Marlborough, MA. The organization has been in operation for over 30 years and is well-known for providing mental health rehabilitation services, through the 'Clubhouse' program. Employment Options' primary funding comes from the Department of Mental Health. Through inspiration, support and encouragement, Employment Options creates a home-away-from-home where people can overcome barriers to employment and discover personal growth, self-sufficiency, and hope. http://www.employmentoptions.org/

Joshua Birch