One of the great pleasures of "walking" the National Stationery Show each year is the variety of products related to babies and kids- everything from satirical greeting cards to letterpress birth announcements to sentimental keepsakes. I love that so many of these companies are parent-run; I had such a blast meeting moms and dads who started their own businesses and gave me the behind-the-scenes scoop on their products. And, of course, when not talking "shop" we talked about standard parent fare- sleep, sleep, and sleep. It was a pleasure meeting everyone- and seeing old friends again.
Here are some of my top Babies & Kids finds from this year's show (note: these are finds from booths that I actually visited; I may find more things to share with you once I sift through all of the press kits and samples):
"Weeks" Fill-in Baby Announcements by 42 Pressed (debuting at Booth 1351). Here's a reason not to feel bad about getting those announcements out right away; you can send these at 4, 6, or 8 weeks and give updates on your bundle of joy.
Frameable Letterpress Prints ($30) by Sycamore Street Press (Booth 1549). Fun to hang in a nursery, playroom, or kitchen.
Vintage Cover Art Stationery Products (available June 2010) by Galison/Mudpuppy (Booth 2521) to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Good Housekeeping magazine. I'm a big fan (and user) of Galison stationery and office supplies, and I love the sweet nostalgia of these images.
Grade Level Keepsake Books (cover and inside sample) and Kids Artwork Envelope by Penny Laine Papers (Booth 3226). This Dallas-based company has the right idea! I love the idea of a keepsake book for each grade, and the durable see-through artwork envelope is just the right size and shape for storing a years-worth of drawings and school projects. Plus everything is color coded (red for kindergarten, yellow for 1st grade, and so on).
Make-Your-Own "Hello Books" ($10.95) and Get Set Placemats ($14.95) by Hello Hanna (Booth 1529). These keep popping up at various trade shows and in shops- I think they are getting very popular. Looks like fun for the preschool/young elementary age crowd.
Kids Calling Cards from Sky of Blue Cards (debuting in Booth 1363). The one on the left is perfect for 'tweens. I also really like their initial notecards (works for moms or kids), shown below.
Egg 2 Cake (debuting in Booth 1952) had several eye-catching products for a first-time exhibitor, including (top to bottom) witty door hangers and cards for new moms.
Baby stationery by Jennifer Carroll Designs (Booth 2057). Love the scalloped edges and sweet silhouette-style graphics.
Baby Congratulations card ($5.50) by TamTam Design (Booth 1941), a designer that makes sparkly, eye-candy cards. I like the old-school Fisher Price "corn popper" on this one.
"Cars" HomeStickers wall decals by Nouvelle Images (Booth 2240). I keep waffling on which wall decals to buy for my son's room; these are now a top contender.
Our affiliate Frecklebox (Booth 2552) displayed its brand-new personalized Sight Words Pad & Flashcards...coming soon to retailers near you.
Dented Can Greetings (debuting at booth 1345) makes "Brutally Honest Greetings"; the "You're Pregnant" card (inside shown in 2nd photo) is a top seller. Speaks for itself, obviously.
What do you all think? Do you see anything you'd like to buy when it hits stores/websites?
Next up in my reviews of the 2010 National Stationery Show...Letterpress! If you're a letterpress fan, be sure to check back.
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