Hot Card Of The Week #TBT

Each Thursday we revisit a previous Hot Card that deserves a second glance. This sophisticated B'nai Mitzvah invitation, originally posted on 5/28/14, is (once again!) from our friend Stacey at Creative Expressions in East Rockaway, New York. The gleaming white litho NYC skyline jumps off of the deep black paper, beckoning guests to what was surely a night to remember in the Big Apple. A custom liner completes this sleek, contemporary masterpiece. 

Hot Card Of The Week

Blake It 'Til You Make It

Our retailers often customize designs in such a beautifully ingenious way that it makes us stop and say, "Why didn't we think of that?!" For Blake's eye-popping Bar Mitzvah invitation, our friend Mickey at Sidelines in Rockville, MD applied a bold, masculine palette to #B534 in our Mitzvah V book, resulting in a true work of invitation art that belongs as much in a museum as it does a mailbox! 

LVC Celebrates International Women's Day

March 8th marked International Women's Day - a time to celebrate the accomplishments of inspiring women and girls around the world. I don't normally get mushy with my newsletters, but this week I want to take a look at Luscious Verde's exciting history and the women behind the magic!

Cover page for LVC's first ever album                                                                  LVC's "The Trendys" awards

Fourteen years ago two mothers with an entrepreneurial spirit and a unique sense of creativity started a company dedicated to creating one-of-a-kind birth announcements stylistically different from anything else on the market. Chris and Wendy, LVC's Co-Owners, embarked on this journey by producing an initial album (which some of you may still have today!) featuring colorful cards with simple die-cut imagery. This first LVC book was distributed to nine retailers across the country. With its unparalleled customization options and adorable designs, Luscious Verde boomed. Our mission to help people celebrate the important times in their lives soon grew from just birth announcements to include Holidays, Mitzvahs, and Weddings, and what started as a company with two employees headquartered in Chris' living room soon gained a national presence. Through the vision and passion of our Co-Founders, LVC is now fortunate enough to work with hundreds of talented retailers, creating beautiful invitations for thousands of events each year.  Click here to learn more about Chris and Wendy's story!

Hot Card Of The Week #TBT

Each Thursday we revisit a previous Hot Card that deserves a second glance. This gorgeous B'nai Mitzvah invitation, originally posted on 4/16/14, is from our friend Stacey at Creative Expressions in East Rockaway, New York. This inspiring piece features a Jerusalem skyline encircling a die-cut Antique Metallic layer with event details. A corresponding liner completes the look of this card of historic proportions! 

Creating Custom Invitations with Football and Basketball-Textured Papers

Basketball and Football-Textured Papers

Make your next invitation a slam dunk with Luscious Verde's sporty textured paper! This luxurious stock - available in both football and basketball finishes - adds dimensionality and playfulness to Mitzvah, graduation and party invitations alike. Try using it as a layer with corresponding imagery (see images below), Or go all... the... way with our liner options!

Replicating Die-Cut Custom Handmade Invitations with Flat Printing

Is sorcery afoot? While it may seem like magic, Luscious Verde's ability to artfully translate its famous die-cut designs into flat printing is pure design genius. 

Here at LVC we are passionate about bringing our Luscious designs to events with a wide range of budgets. If your customer is interested in our famous die-cut patterns but is looking for a lower price point, consider working with our talented design team to capture the essence of these pieces through the more cost effective flat printing. Let's take a look at two gorgeous examples utilizing this technique:

Aztec Invitation

Our wildly popular Aztec invitations have helped set the tone for events across the country. In order to mimic the luxurious feel of the original die-cut piece from our Mitzvah V album (shown in Violet in the images above), try printing both the positive and negative areas of the border on White Smooth paper (shown in Fuschia ink). This technique allows for practically limitless color combinations, and, along with the invitation's text, is only one print run. A contrasting base layer adds weight and visual interest to the card. 

Art Deco Invitation This invitation from our Wedding IV album is one of my all-time favorite Luscious Verde designs. The original version (shown on the left in the images above) features an intricate die-cut pattern fit for Mr. Gadsby himself. Through the talent of LVC's invitationeers, we were able to capture the roaring luxury of this piece through a flat-printed one-layer card (shown on the right). By utilizing black ink for both the negative portion of the lace design and the text we get an elegant twist on the original. Voila!

Creating an Emoji-Themed Invitation and Mitzvah Party

Ancient Egyptians used a system of symbols called hieroglyphs to communicate with one another. Hmmm, sound familiar? It doesn't take the Rosetta Stone to see that emojis are the preferred form of communication for the 21st Century, and Luscious Verde's work on a recent emoji-themed Bat Mitzvah speaks for itself! Let's take a look at how this party invitation set the tone for #emojimitzvah. 

When we were first approached to help conceptualize an emoji-themed Bat Mitzvah, we knew that big, bold and fun was the way to go. An invitation is a guest's first glimpse into an event's tone, and for a shindig as wild as #emojimitzvah, we needed something surprising and irreverent for this separate kid's party invitation. Take, for example, the reply card pictured in the above image. Instead of using the ubiquitous thumbs up and thumbs down or smiley and frowny emojis, we gave guests something to text about by incorporating the hilarious and unexpected poop icon. The party invitation greets guests with a big and bright heart eyes emoji, leaving no question that Laney would love for you to attend. 

In carrying an invitation's theme throughout an entire event, try surprising guests with the unexpected. In addition to traditional accessory items such as table numbers and gift tags, there are countless ways to incorporate your theme, making the event as fun to attend as it is to plan! For #emojimitzvah the theme introduced in the party invitation set was carried out through the red carpet backdrop, the lighting, and even the Bat Mitzvah's party dress!  Oh, and don't forget Laney's poop tie (above left image). From what we've heard, guests were :)

Creating Handmade Invitations With Mirrored Paper

The mirricle (sorry, I had to write that at least once!) that is mirri paper has lent itself to some of LVC's most fashionable invitations since being introduced last year. "Mirri" paper is our term for mirrored paper. This impactful material adds unexpected dimension and dazzling, light-catching reflectiveness to invitations, making it a go-to material for the chicest of clients. In this Newsletter we take a look how to get the most out of mirri.

1) All About That Base (Layer)

One of the most jaw-dropping ways to incorporate mirri paper into your invitation is to use it as a base layer with a die cut image plyed or layered on top. Notice in the image above how the bright, shimmering quality of the Stardust mirri paper contrasts dramatically with the black pattern, achieving visual complexity usually reserved for an art gallery! Although mirri paper cannot be laser cut, there are endless ways to incorporate it with other cut layers. 

2) Make That Liner Finer

I know I always say that everything is my favorite, but mirri liner really IS my favorite offering at Luscious Verde! For the recipient of the invitation, opening an envelope with mirri liner feels like cracking open a geode. It's a sumptuous surprise, truly transforming an envelope into a thing of luxury. Because mirri liner is card stock weight, it adds substantial thickness to the envelope.

3) Layer Up Using mirri paper as a layer adds a pop of visual interest to the border of an invitation. When used with silver accents or text (like in the image above), it can effectively tie the look of an invitation together.  4) Back It Up A plyed mirri backing allows for this specialty paper to shine in all of its glory. The large reflective surface highlights the materiality of mirri, giving a smooth sleek look that pairs perfectly with a wide range of designs. Try coordinating a plyed mirri backing with a mirri layer on the reverse side (see image above). This is the ultimate one-two punch, and is sure to be a knockout with party guests.

Retailer Spotlight: The Papery of Philadelphia

Retailer Spotlight: The Papery of Philadelphia

Luscious Verde is proud to work with some of the country's most talented stationers. This Retailer Spotlight  series highlights what is unique about the fabulous people we create with. 

The Papery of Philadelphia was founded in 2003 and is owned by Carolyn Brandhorst and her parents. With a background in Print Advertising and Fashion Retail, Carolyn sees stationery as a way to combine both her love of design and her passion for working with the public. Carolyn brings these unique professional experiences to the world of stationery, creating truly one-of-a-kind pieces.  

Located in Philadelphia, a city known for its perfect mix of big city buzz and small town charm, The Papery is both a cornerstone of its neighborhood as well as a destination for clients from the Main Line, Philadelphia suburbs, New Jersey, and beyond. 

Looking towards 2015, Carolyn and her staff are seeing a large influx of requests for boxed invitations. The demand for these pieces, she says, is only growing in her area. (Call Luscious Verde to create your next boxed invitation!) 

The Papery is dedicated to creating long-term relationships with each and every customer, sometimes working with a client first as a bride planning her wedding, and then years later as a mother planning a Mitzvah! "We become friends with our customers and hope to continue helping them create memorable invites for all the special moments in their lives," says Carolyn.

Please visit the Papery of Philadelphia's website for more information or to make an appointment.

 

Luscious Verde: 2015 Modern Luxury Wedding Collection

Luscious Verde: 2015 Modern Luxury Wedding Collection

Luscious Verde's much-anticipated Modern Luxury Wedding Update is set to be released in February. The LVC Studio has been abuzz with wedding marry-ment over the past months, and we can’t wait to share our fabulous brand-new designs with the world. To kick off wedding season right, here is the inside scoop on our 2015 designs.

Inspiration:

We call this our Modern Luxury update because it’s precisely that! For 2015 we embrace the long-established elegance of luxurious letterpress, graceful beveled-edging and traditional typesetting while also introducing some contemporary elements to help you make your invitations distinctly unique. 

What’s Inside: 

This year we are debuting five full wedding spreads as well as two cutting-edge save-the-dates. From menus to door hangers, these detailed pieces bring grandeur and luxury to your event. Our fully customizable line allows you to mix and match design elements from different suites to create a fabulously you invitation. 

Materials:

Luscious Verde is debuting an array of exciting new materials as well as re-envisioning your favorites, bringing everything you could ever want to the 2015 season! We greet the New Year with new metallic papers, new wood offerings, intricate bevel-edge cutting technology and hints of glitter like only Luscious Verde can do. 

Please check out your local retailer for more information, or call us at 216-360-3600.

"Card Insurance" - The Easiest Way To Avoid Stress When Ordering Custom Stationery

With the myriad of today’s social circles and many family members scattered throughout different areas of the country, it is easier than ever to accidentally leave loved ones off of your invitation list. In addition to sharing party details, invitations are crucial in setting the tone and generating excitement for an event, and having the correct quantity is a monumental step in the planning process.

In order to avoid the stress of falling short on invitations we strongly recommend that all planners “insure” their quantities by ordering an additional 25 of each item.

The expense of placing a re-order for 25 cards is exponentially more costly than increasing your initial numbers by 25 to account for that aunt, cousin, hair dresser, or spin instructor that many have been overlooked.  This “card insurance” provides peace of mind for all parties involved! 

A Closer Look at our Hot Card of the Week

This week's Hot Card comes from the lovely ladies of Paper Caper, California located in Burlingame. The inspiration for the 40th birthday party was Studio 54 which is still pretty swanky in itself.  We can imagine people showing up and presenting this invitation at the door to gain entrance!

The invitation is a 5.25 x 5.25 with Gold Metallic paper plied to Night paper with the text printed in silver lithography. The numbers were hand drawn and die-cut from the Night layer. We're pretty sure "Disco Sally" would approve!

LV 101 – Registrar’s Office

Why we’re so insistent about order forms.

At Luscious Verde, our top priority is to provide you with an incredible product in a timeframe that puts the industry standard to shame. And our commitment to exceptional speed and quality doesn’t only apply to finished product. We strive to make the proofing process quick and painless as well. 

But with over 300 retailers nationwide, it would be impossible to keep up our speed and accuracy without some sort of uniform process. For this reason we must insist that all orders be placed using a Luscious Verde order form. It helps our designers find the information they need quickly and helps you make sure you’ve covered all relevant details, like liners, paper images, eyelets or any of our other fabulous embellishments. It also helps us get you your proofs as quickly as possible.

The complexity of our product and volume of orders we receive are also the reasons why we must have all reproof and pricing requests submitted in writing. There are simply too many variables that can get lost, forgotten or misunderstood over the phone. With a written request we--and you--have documentation of exactly what was requested so that everyone is on the same page.

We know filling out an order form can occasionally take a little extra time, but by following these guidelines, you can help us expedite the proofing process for everyone and prevent costly reproofs due to miscommunication. The time and money you save will be well worth the effort!

If you don’t have an order form on hand, they are always available to download at www.lusciousverde.com/retailers

Get Lucky!

Today's Hot Card of the Week is from Jenny's Paper Ink located in Atlanta, Georgia. The super cute main invitation is a 6.25 two layer with a custom cut horseshoe party card attached to the back with a silver grommet. The party card swings up revealing all of the party information. Included in the set was a fuchsia envelope and fuchsia response postcard. Super fun all the way around!

LV 101: Photography

Adding a photograph to your cards is one of the simplest ways to truly customize your Luscious Verde stationery. Generally, the best way to do this is to order professionally printed photos and send them to us to mount. You can also order loose sheets of phototape and adhere your picture yourself. But when you want to do something really unique, like print a full-bleed photo with knocked-out text or a photo on a custom shaped card, you can rely on Luscious Verde to print stunning digital photos from a file you send us. When LV prints your photos you have two options:

Photo White printing is done with our multi-color digital press on our Photo White paper. It’s a relatively inexpensive way to print gorgeous digital photos directly onto your cards. There is no additional charge for this process (however bleed fees or second-run printing charges may apply, depending on your design).

Gallery printing is a relatively new printing process at Luscious Verde that offers premium print quality on premium Gallery White paper. A special high-definition photo printer produces photos with superior detail and vibrant colors. Due to the cost of the special Gallery White paper and the time consuming nature of the process, there is an upcharge for gallery printing, but the results are well worth the cost!

For any photos submitted to Luscious Verde, the file should be at least 300 dpi at the size you intend to print and should not exceed 6MB.

Now you’re up to speed on our photo printing processes! Let’s see those smiling faces!

Cuteness Overload

It's Hot Card of the Week time!

Today's Hot Card comes from the gorgeous store, Papel New York located in Brooklyn. The highly custom birth announcement focuses on of course, boxing. We designed the special boxing bag and boxing glove printed liner. The boxing bag is created from four pieces of paper and uses thermography ink for the text and art.  The photo with the tiny boxing gloves is so cute we can't get enough of it! 

Tale of the Tape: frosting, grapefruit, charcoal basketweave paper- grapefruit and deep gray thermography

Hot Card of the Week!

The Hot Card of the Week comes from our lovely friends at Papery and Cakery located in Boca Raton, Florida- where the sun shines and the oceans are blue.... I miss the sun.

Anyway, the card is a really cool two ply 6.25 x 6.25 (both layers Smooth White) with a custom designed name/font in the Bar Mitzvah boys favorite hobby.  We love creating personalized names for our clients, the more creative the better! We hope you love this card as much as we do!

LV 101: Fine Arts

About once a week, we get a phone call or an email that goes something like this:

“I asked to see my proof in color, but you sent it in black and white…”

Usually when that happens we look at the order form and see that the “color mockup” box is checked off. It’s a logical choice, sure. But if you want your electronic proof in color, you actually need to request a color proof not a color mockup. Here’s the difference between the two:

A color proof is a colorized digital version of your electronic proof. It will give you an idea of how you’ve placed your ink and paper colors, so you can determine if you’ve distributed them evenly. It is not an accurate representation of the way your finished cards will look. Every computer monitor will display the colors differently and every printer will print them differently.  Color proofs cost $25 (Includes all pieces of your order).

If you want to know exactly what your finished product will look like, you can order a color mockup.

A color mockup is an actual printed copy of your card and an unprinted sample of the envelope that goes with it (if you are getting a lined envelope, the liner is included!). It will show you the exact paper and ink colors that you’ve requested and allow you to feel the weight and texture of your papers.

If you request a color mockup, we will send you a black-and-white digital proof with a special line at the bottom for you to approve the mockup for print. After approval, color mockups ship within 24-48 hours. Please note that we are unable to mock-up lithography, thermography or letterpress, so orders that use these print processes will be flat printed and may vary from the final product.

The cost of a color mockup is $50 (Includes main invitation and unprinted envelope. Accessory pieces can be mocked up for $20 each).

So there you go! Now you know the best ways to use our color mockup and color proof options. If you ever need a refresher, this info can be found on the “LVC Retail Ordering Guidelines” page in the back of your Luscious Verde catalogs. You’re also welcome to post any additional questions below or give us a call at 1-866-460-5582! 

LV 101: Orientation

Today we’re excited to introduce a new feature on the blog: LV 101. This biweekly series is designed to help you become an expert in the kind of Truly Custom Stationery you can only get from Luscious Verde! There are no exams to study for, no textbooks to buy, and you won’t be paying off student loans for the next 30 years. In fact, we’ll probably help you save money!

Our articles are based on two assumptions about you:

1. You’re super busy.
2. You want to offer your clients the most unique, personalized, far-out stationery you possibly can and get them the best value for their money.

We’re going to take the extremely complex world of our infinitely customizable custom designs and break it down into the very best facts, tips and tricks to help you get the most out of those big green and blue catalogs on your shelves. We’ll save you and your clients time and money and help you create products that are better than you ever imagined, and we’ll do it just a few paragraphs at a time. Keep your eyes peeled for the next installment of LV 101 in a couple of weeks and get ready to move to the head of the class!

P.S. Is there a topic you’d like us to cover in LV 101? Send your suggestions to info@lusciousverde .com, or leave them in the comments below.

Our 2014 Wedding Catalog has just been released!

We are super excited around here about the recent launch of our 2014 Wedding Catalog! The book is beautiful and traditional with a twist. The use of mixed media, which we've always loved is still prevalent in this catalog with focus extending to letterpress, thermography and our newest print process--gallery printing. Please contact a Luscious Verde retailer near you to view our one of a kind designs!

This spread features metallic gold thermography, designer envelopes
and 100# Cream Stipple layered with Antique Gold.