Letterpress makes us happy.

Get Excited...

2013-04-29T16:15:00.000-05:00

It’s time to get excited! Spark is proud to introduce our brand new letterpress wedding album, Bliss, featuring 40 invitation designs plus save the dates and wedding day items. Bliss design suites are fresh and on-trend, not to mention printed on eco-friendly papers and sold at an affordable price.

The Carola and Rosalie suites featured below are just a taste of the new collection. Carola is printed in our taupe and creamsicle inks on soft white recycled paper. Rosalie is printed in our steel ink on cream recycled paper.

We are currently accepting applications for stationery dealers to sell this line. Contact spark@letterpresslove.com for order form and details.

To view more of the suites and to download a PDF preview, please visit our website.

OTA Collateral Redux

2013-04-05T23:10:00.000-05:00

I already gushed about my OTA experience so I'll try to contain myself a little in this post. I wanted to recap some of the other collateral Spark was asked to print and design for the OTA event. Using the new identity (designed by Funky Fresh) we created two of my favorite pieces ever – the OTA Manifesto and the Class of 2013 prints. Each attendee received a box of at the end of the sessions that included these two pieces as shown above.

The OTA Manifesto is a masterfully-written piece by OTA curator, Hugh Weber. Hugh and I met about the pieces we would be designing and his direction allowed me to leave the meeting knowing what I wanted to do for the look. As I always feel with every project I'm passionate about, I was nervous to send the first draft, but fortunately he and I were on the proverbial "same page" regardling the look. With only a few edits we got the file ready for press, and I couldn't be more pleased with the results. (Side note: My mom loved it so much that she said she wanted Hugh and I to collaborate on something similar for her funeral. I think that is a compliment to both of us, yet also disturbing. P.S. She is not near death as far as I can tell.)

The Class of 2013 piece came about as a way to build off of the OTA community Hugh has worked tirelessly to develop. I believe very much in finding new ways to help people feel tied to one another as a way to enhance and further our community. As attendees we believed in ourselves enough to take the time to be educated, inspired and re-energized by the presenters. With more than 300 attendees that day, we all left with this piece as a memento of what we shared collectively.

As for the technical details of these pieces, they were both printed on our Heidelberg KS Cylinder press using Neenah Classic Crest 165# Cover in Solar White. We used a custom opaque red ink we created for specifically for OTA, along with black and transparent silver. The finishing touch was definitely the OTA red painted edges.

Along with these pieces, we printed some additional collateral designed by Funky Fresh including a sponsor card, box label, name tags and the OTA identity pieces. The name tags are based on a brochure design I had done seven years ago, a matchbook style piece set with eyelets. The name tags unfolded to reveal two interior pages with the day's schedule and a list of sponsors. The covers were color coded to differentiate the attendees, speakers and volunteers. I will say that my right hand was very sore by the time I set the 700th eyelet, but that's how we roll at Spark. You give us a project where the details make all the difference and we are all in!

TEAL, NAVY & SILVER

2013-04-04T15:26:00.000-05:00

Teal, Navy & Silver

door • cufflinks • island • marilyn • flowers • necklace • shoe • car • dress • teal fabric • broach • suit • dish • navy ikat pattern • beach • bond

My OTA Experience

2013-03-24T21:54:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been involved in something so amazing that it is hard to put your thoughts and feelings into words because you are worried that some small, but ridiculously important detail will be overlooked? That was OTA for me and Spark.

OTA is a collaborative of creative catalysts and community changemakers that connects the social and creative capital of South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. You can learn more by visiting the OTA website. OTA founder and curator, Hugh Weber, was kind enough to bring Spark on board as a production partner for this year's event, which means we were able to be a part of the fun printed collateral created for the event.

On March 15 the people of OTA converged on the Augustana College campus to take in a killer line-up of speakers. I'm not sure if I should refer to this group of fantastic individuals as speakers because they really were something far more exceptional. They didn't come to rattle off a few statistics or blandly sell a product or idea. They came to engage, entertain and inspire, all the while exceeding our expectations. Throughout the course of the day I was taken to lands near and far, provoked to think about abstract ideas and concrete solutions, challenged to live my life with more everything-that-is-awesome and less of the ordinary and expected.

Some of my favorite quotes from the day:

"Exceptional people can tell you why they are." -riCardo crespo of 20th Century Fox
"Do good work for good people." -Aaron Draplin of Draplin Design Co.
"You can't A/B test your way to a vision." -Karina van Schaardenburg of Foursquare
And pretty much everything that was said by Dave Brown of Holiday Matinee and MKG

Be sure to check out:

Pencils of Promise: What Adam Braun has accomplished since 2008 will astound you. The world needs more people like him who are willing to do what it takes to make a difference in the lives of children around the world.

Ferocious Quarterly: How could I not love what Nate Utesch has done to beautifully capture the talents of current artists? The power of print is alive and well in this publication.

Pre-Session Mailing

The first pieces we designed and printed were for a pre-session mailing to the speakers that they received two weeks before the event. The two pieces were wrapped in kraft paper, and tied with baker's twine and a note welcoming them to the OTA family.

Inside we had a card that asked the speakers to tell OTAns what they had in store for them. The cards said "Hey OTAns, preapre to be ______________ on March 15, 2013." Here are some examples of what was received. Fun, right?

The other piece in the mailing was an art print we designed of the OTA region including a vintage map in tone-on-tone transparent white, custom opaque red and black inks. We outlined the states with the speakers' names and used the intersections language from the OTA manifesto to tie it all together. Both pieces were printed on 29 pt. chipboard on the same press sheet on our Heidelberg KS Cylinder.

Stay tuned for my next post about the OTA manifesto and class of 2013 prints and the other pieces!

-Valerie

Color Inspiration: Champagne & Blush

2013-02-15T10:02:00.000-06:00

Champagne & Blush
poster • cake • bridesmaids • necklace • typewriter • flowers • champagne bubbles • peony • tablescape • couple • chelsea invitation • portrait • chevron

CAN ART

2013-01-31T15:51:00.004-06:00

SPARKLER WEDDING: HOLLY'S ENGAGEMENT

2013-01-24T15:14:00.000-06:00

Holly, one of our creative sparklers is engaged! She's now in the midst of planning her September 14th wedding and she has agreed to do periodic blog posts to showcase what brides are really going through when planning their big day. She'll share stories, photos and matrimonial decisions as she makes them. So here's her first post, a love story about how she and her fiancé, Marshall, met and decided to get hitched. (Card pictured below is from our good friends at The Social Type and can be purchase in our downtown store.)

It's already been five months since we got engaged and I still can't believe it... WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!

How we met:
It was a song on the radio that led me to spending my best thirty dollars of my life: a one month subscription on match.com! I don't recall who winked at who first, but Marshall's positive outlook on life and his handsome profile picture is what drew me in.

After our first date I knew right away that someone wonderful had entered my life. It didn't take long for him to sweep me off my feet.

The Proposal:

The night before the proposal we had planned on going to a fundraiser for bulldogs to get a professional picture of us with our dog, Jack. It was the first day of Autumn...my favorite time of the year!

The next day we took Jack to the park to run before getting our pictures taken. As we pulled up at the park I noticed Marshall was acting a little funny. The way he situated his coat on the seat next to him was a little odd. He never wears a jacket and it was a beautiful fall day with no need for one! As we were throwing tennis balls to Jack, he was hugging me from behind and I said something mushy like "aw..you're my forever." The next thing I know he's spun me around and was down on one knee with a huge box and bright shinny ring! I couldn't believe it! The words coming out of his mouth were a big blur except the "Will you Marry Me" part!

It was complete bliss, the best moment in my life so far! Then we sat on the park benches for awhile and took some time to soak it all in before heading over to get our first engagement picture together.

Stay tuned to find out how Holly's wedding planning progresses!
Next Post: Engagement Photos

A GOLDEN TWIST ON OUR ALYSSA DESIGN

2013-01-17T14:19:00.000-06:00

Magnificent Milestones, one of our Chicago retailers, dreamed up this lovely, golden variation of our Alyssa suite. Blending our Sparkle Gold and our Bright White papers with our Tan and Transparent Gold inks created this warm, gilded suite. The Sparkle Opal paper used for the intricate laser wrap adds another dimension of warmth and elegance. Top it of with one of our jewels and it becomes a one-of-a-kind invitation fit for a sophisticated soiree!

SPARK FEATURED IN MSW WINTER ISSUE

2013-01-10T14:31:00.001-06:00

I know I am starting the year off right given this latest magazine feature for Spark. With all of the New Year’s resolutions I set each year, it is always at the top of my list to have our work covered in major publications. I think any stationer will agree with me that is a wonderful feeling to see something you’ve done shot beautifully for any magazine, let alone Martha Stewart Wedddings!

I couldn’t be more excited to announce that our work is featured in the Martha Stewart Weddings Winter 2013 issue. If you check out page 418 in the All That Shimmers article, you will see a full suite of lovely, simple type done in a rose gold foil on soft white museum board in 2ply and 4ply. It is hard to discern in the photo, but the pieces also feature edge painting in a complementary color.

We can’t say enough good things about working with the team over at MSW, and their efforts truly shine through in each issue. This Winter 2013 issue is no exception. It is their largest issue to-date and is jam-packed with everything a couple could need for planning a wedding and just to be inspired about all that is possible for the wedding of their dreams.

This invite suite is available for purchase through any of our fine retailers located around the United States and internationally, as well as through Spark directly. Please contact a Spark representative today to find out how we can customize this suite for your big day!

Valerie
Creative Director at Spark

Happy Holidays!

2012-12-20T17:14:00.000-06:00

All of us at Spark would like to take a moment and thank everyone – clients, vendors, happy couples and letterpress enthusiasts – for a successful 2012. We are truly lucky to do what we do each day and feel very blessed. Thank you to those of you who worked with us for the first time and to many of you who continue to come back with exciting projects. As a small, family business, we value the relationships we have with each of you.

Last week, all of the Sparklers and their families gathered together in celebration. It was a wonderful time filled with great food (we can share some favorite recipes), laughter and goofy photos. The family members of the Spark were a little teary at times because we feel lucky to have such a great staff. When you have the right team in place, anything is possible, and that means that 2013 should be the best year yet for Spark!

Happy holidays and cheers to a prosperous new year!

She Magazine: Spark Tablescape

2012-12-19T13:21:00.000-06:00

This year we had the pleasure of creating a holiday tablescape for SHE, a local Sioux Falls women’s magazine. When trying to decide what theme to go with we thought it best to steer away from the traditional reds and greens and try something a little out of the box. One of our outspoken sparklers blurted out, “why not make it a frosty Christmas – we live in South Dakota!” We decided on blues, whites, and crystals/sparkles for our dinner tablescape. Putting our heads together and gathering our resources we collected anything in blue hues that we had around our houses, Christmas related or not.

Alana, Spark's resident wedding consultant and avid dinner party hostess, had some tips about decorating to share. “When decorating for something, it’s important to use what you have. None of your guests will know that everything wasn’t purchased for that certain dinner party. Also, don't be afraid to mix and match styles and textures to add visual interest to your table."

To incorporate a little Spark flare we used our silver striped party papers: placecards, gift tags, and table signs. The final product was an inviting display good for a frosty Christmas party or a dinner party to ring in the new year.

Color Inspiration: Golden Honey

2012-12-12T13:59:00.000-06:00

GOLDEN HONEY
cake • pattern • ribbon • peonies • stairs • straws • dress • bo uquet • honey jar • wheat • car • harringbone • drink

Kate Holstein Calling Cards

2012-12-06T09:03:00.001-06:00

Our recent printing of Kate Holstein Photographs calling cards were printed with our cool gray ink on our eco-friendly cotton 2-ply paper. The multi-talented Kate used watercolor to get the background gray effect. Logo design by Meagan Tidwell.

Color Inspiration: Mint & Gold

2012-12-05T13:58:00.004-06:00

MINT & GOLD
gold vase • place setting • macaroons • head table • dishes • letters • dessert table • feather • dresses • succulent • necklace • polkadots • cake • confetti

Shop Small this Saturday at Spark!

2012-11-20T14:06:00.001-06:00

Join us this Saturday, November 24th, as we sparkle in-store with a 20% discount on all products plus special clearance bins on paper, envelopes and more! Enjoy cider and cookies while you SHOP SMALL this weekend! Spark Stationery, 524 N. Main Ave, Ste 100. Tri-State Creamery Building, 221-5997.

Retailer Profile: The Village Invites Midtown

2012-11-06T15:31:00.000-06:00

The Village Invites - Midtown

Owner: Linda Schonfeld

Manager: Adrienne Kierans

10 East 39th Street, 2nd Floor

New York, NY 10016

Contacts: Adrienne Kierans, Ariel Markowitz

E-mail: inquiries@villageinvites.com

www.villageinvites.com

Phone Number: 212.220.6199

How long have you been in business?
8 years and counting!

When did you realize that the stationery business was the right one for you?
After working in the fashion industry for several years I loved the idea of creating a personal stationery wardrobe for stylish new yorkers...complete with the most current patterns, prints, colors and typestyles.

What part of working with new brides is the most exciting?
On our initial meeting we sit with the bride and have her describe how she envisions her big day. This is where all the magic happens and the brainstorming begins!

When people say, "well it's just paper…it's going to get thrown away anyway" what is your reaction?!
My first reaction is that we are probably not the place for you. However, if you recognize that your invitation is the first glimpse that your guests will have into your wedding day and that first impressions make a big difference, then you're speaking our language.

What do you do with cards and invites you receive from family and friends?
I display them on my mantle for a few weeks. Invitations will then accompany pictures from the party in a photo album. Special cards I will keep and if the design is unusual I hold on to it for inspiration.

What tip can you give a bride about the invites she might order?
The wedding should not only reflect the location of the ceremony but also your own personal style. Don't be afraid to include personal touches like patterned envelope liners, colors and fonts you love.

What is a color combo that you're in love with right now for invites this season?
Metallic gold and tiffany blue. Elegant and happy all at once :)

Do you find Pinterest and Facebook helpful when relating with potential clients and how do you utilize social media?
We've been so busy this past year and haven't had a chance to use social media as much as we'd like too. Stay tuned…we are planning a social media makeover this season!

Brides rarely have a clue what they want when they sit down for invites…how do you lead them in the right direction to find their dream invites?
If a bride is overwhelmed with the choices she has we start with simple questions…"Do you see your wedding day more modern or traditional in style? Formal or informal?" Then we take it from there and start painting the big picture.

What trend are you seeing this season for invites?
Metallic ink, edge painting in bright colors, bold patterns and hand calligraphy accents. Custom illustration is also very popular, brides love having their own personal work of art.

Best advice for bride or bride-to-be about finding the perfect invite suite?!
Choose a stationer who will get as excited as you are when you describe your wedding day. When you start brainstorming ideas you'll end up with an invitation suite that is more beautiful than you've ever imagined. This should be one of the most enjoyable parts of the planning experience.

New! Holiday Photo Cards

2012-10-26T17:44:00.000-05:00

Spark is proud to carry new designs from Tag & Company at our retail store front in downtown Sioux Falls! Check out their beautiful custom stationery for Holiday, Baby, Wedding, Save the Date and Special Occasions! Their stationery is eco-friendly, printed on thick, cotton stocks and matched with recycled envelopes - all at an affordable price. Visit us at 524 N Main Avenue, Suite 100, appointments are not needed so please stop by and take a peek.

Retailer Profile: Smudge Designs

2012-10-11T17:12:00.000-05:00

The mother/daughter duo!

Smudge Designs

Julie Stern and Joanna Stern, Owners

132 Sheppard Avenue West, Suite 210

Toronto, Ontario M2N 1M5

Canada

www.smudgedesigns.ca

info@smudgedesigns.ca

Tel: 647 347 4343

How long have you been in business?
We have been in business now for 4 years! Whew.

When did you realize that the stationery business was the right one for you?
My mom (Julie) and I were brainstorming invitation ideas for an anniversary party she was throwing. We were having so much fun together coming up with ideas and researching different printing methods that we never wanted it to end. We love that we can put our crazy ideas to good use.

What part of working with new brides is the most exciting?
I love when the bride receives the final product. Seeing their reaction, seeing how excited and happy they are is always a delight.

When people say, "well it's just paper…it's going to get thrown away anyway" what is your reaction?!
That’s always a tough thing to hear. But custom stationery isn’t for everyone. We just politely tell people that we are very passionate about invitations and the impact they can have on your event. We are true believers that it starts off the wedding, and can really get people excited about the events to follow.

What do you do with card and invites you receive from family and friends?
I love receiving invitations! I have saved every invitation I have received since my bar/bat mitzvah days. They stay on the fridge until the event then they are carefully placed into a memory box.

What tip can you give a bride about the invites she might order?
Make sure to be honest about your budget. I know it’s an icky topic, but it needs to be talked about. We want every client to be comfortable with the amount they are spending, and can work within a budget to create something beautiful. But you have to let us know what that budget is.

What is a color combo that you're in love with right now for invites this season?
Anything and everything GOLD! I am dying over gold foil with blush ink. I also like to keep warm in the colder months (Canada gets freezing!) so I find using softer grey’s and pewter tones instead of black help to give the invitation some much needed warmth.

Do you find Pinterest and Facebook helpful when relating with potential clients and how do you utilize social media?
Yes and no. It is always good to have visuals and inspiration to start off the invitation process. Having a client know exactly what they want is always helpful. However, pinterest and facebook can also provide too many options, and it sometimes may be overwhelming. We try and blog as often as we can...it’s a great place to show off recent jobs we have done and it gives a potential client a sense of our style and who we are.

Brides rarely have a clue what they want when they sit down for invites…how do you lead them in the right direction to find their dream invites?
It is perfectly okay not to know what you want! First and most importantly we want them to relax and enjoy the process. It shouldn’t be stressful it should be fun! We like to chat, joke and get to know each other first. We ask the simple questions, do you have wedding colors, is your event formal, are you more traditional or more modern, where is the event taking place. After we have a bit more of an understanding we begin to flip through books and invitations carefully selected by us that we think will fit your needs. We like to sticky note invitations of interest, and we will re-visit them later. Once the bride has selected a couple options, we look at her choices in more detail and begin to customize it more towards her needs.

What trend are you seeing this season for invites?
Foil has been a huge trend this season. It is a great way to jazz up an invitation, and create visual interest. Gold foil especially.

Best advice for bride or bride-to-be about finding the perfect invite suite?!
Forget about trends, forget about what other people are doing, forget about what other people are telling you to do. Focus on what you and your fiancé like and will be happy with.

The Spark sisters met Julie and Joanna at the National Stationery Show in May. We are thrilled to have them selling our custom letterpress stationery!

Holiday Sale!

2012-09-07T12:48:00.003-05:00

New! Spark Mitzvah Album

2012-08-15T16:32:00.000-05:00

Preview our brand new invitation designs for Mitzvah at www.letterpresslove.com! If you have a storefront and would like to carry our Mitzvah line in your store, please contact us at spark@letterpresslove.com for pricing and details.

Spark Fall Promo - Free Envelope Printing!

2012-08-13T11:38:00.002-05:00

Redeem this promotion by visiting a Spark Retailer near you or by contacting Spark directly.

Etc. for Her Magazine Features Spark

2012-08-09T17:10:00.002-05:00

Thank you so much to everyone at Etc. for Her Magazine for featuring Spark in the August 2012 issue! They really made our store look great, we couldn't be happier! We have had a great Summer, meeting clients as they visit our shop for the first time. Below is the article, but feel free to visit Etc. for Her Magazine online. If you haven't stopped by yet, please do! We will soon be prepping for Fall, and have we got some fun ideas up our sleeves!

2012-07-11T17:24:00.001-05:00

Stop by Spark this Saturday during Hot Harley Nights and print your own letterpress coaster! We will be open from 5PM to close Saturday. BYOB! ;-) In addition to coasters, we will be handing out letterpress goodies to designers and bridal couples. Make sure you ask us! Questions? Contact us at 605.221.5997.

Spark Reflections

2012-06-15T18:12:00.001-05:00

In December of 2010, we launched the letterpress love albums. It took us months to produce the line, so it was such a good feeling to get them out the door and in the hands of our retailers. The launch of our albums seems like such a long time ago because since that time, it's been a long, hard road for our little company.

We experience growing pains just like any company, the family members at Spark trying to remain optimistic and focused on our future endeavors. We call it the "Spark Train" amongst each other. People get on and people get off the train and no matter how tough of a day we've had, we have to keep chugging along.

Unless you own a business, you don't quite realize the blood, sweat and tears that goes into making it a success. You have to be all in - 'go big or go home' as they say. But with that drive, all of us realize that we are human and honestly, just plain tired. Really tired. We have families, children, grandchildren and friends who need our attention just as much as the clients we serve (thank you!).

And then one of us shares a conversation with an elated bride who just received her wedding stationery. It is the best thing in the world to know that she is happy and that your work really paid off. We share her enthusiasm with each other, our employees and families - everyone on that fast train of ours.

We recently opened a store just a couple weeks ago (yes, we're crazy) and it is SO good for us to see the other side of story. As many of you know, we sell our stationery in over 100 retail stores around the country. Our own retail experience humbles us a bit because we are quickly understanding what it is like for retailers. (To start, none of us has ever used a cash register!) Of course, we've only been open a couple weeks and most people haven't figured out where we are yet...BUT, it's all good. :-) We're ready and waiting for our local and not so local clients to walk through our doors!

The picture in this post is our Carter announcement atop our baby press that we have at our store. Carter was created for the original albums. Carter and the baby press reminds us where we've been, of the people who have passed through our doors, of what lays ahead.

Right now, we are all taking a deep breath in and preparing ourselves for our next stop. Thank you to each of you for your support, we don't say that enough!

Mark Your Calendars - Spark's Grand Opening!

2012-05-10T18:07:00.001-05:00

Mark your calendars for the grand opening of Spark Stationery Love at 524 N Main Ave, Ste 100, Sioux Falls, June 1st and June 2nd. See you there!