Time to take off the Purple Raincoat

You may have noticed this blog has been dormant for a while. There are a couple of reasons. 2009 was a tough year for me - I got laid off from my day job, and was working frantically to get a new one in the midst of the deepest recession since the Great Depression.

In December 2009, I fell on the ice and broke my right forearm, strained my rotator cuff, and basically broke my wrist. And, of course, I am right-handed. Not ony did this put a crimp into my job hunting, it also made it nearly impossible to either write or work on collages.

But it got worse. In January 2010, my father slipped on a patch of ice inside his house (don't ask) and that was the end of his independence, which he sustained for 99 years. We needed to transition him to assisted living, which meant convincing him to give up the apartment he had lived in for 20 years (with all of its accumulated clutter). I spent a week cleaning it out with one bad arm, finding thousands of jokes in my father's illegible handwriting on tiny notes. He had every greeting card (plus the envelope) that had been sent to him for 20 years, as well as the yarmulke (skullcap) from every Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah, and wedding that he had ever been invited to. He also had the receipts from furniture that he and my mother bought in the 1950s. You get the idea - there was a lot of work to do.

At the same time, my daughter was finishing her senior year in high school and going through the college application, acceptance, and decision process. And I needed a job to be able to pay her tuition. College was on the front burner. Collages were definitely on the back burner.

Zoe graduated high school in June, 2010. Shortly thereafter, I was offered a job about one mile from my house. Purple Raincoat went on an even further back burner - I did the occasional collage, but couldn't really spare the time for marketing. My father passed away in late July. Zoe went off to school in late August, and I started my job in early September.

Fast forward to spring 2012. My day job felt secure and I was itching to get back to working on collages and promoting my business. I found advisors I could trust, did some soul searching, and began the rebranding process in my "spare" time, which was pretty spare until... September 2012. My rebranding work was coming along. My daughter was beginning her junior year in college. I got called in and told that my day job was being eliminated immediately. Suddenly, there was plenty of time for my collage business.

In November 2012, I launched the rebranded website for my business, Carol Colman Creations. That's where you'll find the same beautiful collages, the same great customer service, and a beautiful new website and blog. So come visit, and connect with me in all the other ways that have evolved since Purple Raincoat was launched in 2006:

• Website: www.carolcolmancreations.com 
• Blog: http://carolcolmancreations.com/blog/
• Follow me on Twitter: @carolcolman 
• Like me on Facebook: facebook.com/carolcolmancreations 
• Follow me on Pinterest: pinterest.com/carolcolman 
• You can also find me on LinkedIn: Carol Gurvitz Colman, Carol Colman Creations 

Please visit me in all my new homes. Sign up on the contact page so we can keep in touch (just your name and email will do just fine).

I would love the opportunity to create something beautiful for you!

Forever entwined

It has been a busy day. Before 9AM this morning, I had already attended a wedding – well, I was virtually there, along with millions of other people, watching as Leigh and Nick became the 10th couple to be married on the Today Show. As Meredith Viera said during her toast to the couple, Leigh and Nick “exemplify what these events are all about – that’s love, joy and grace.” Of course, that’s what we hope for every couple and for every wedding.

For the ceremony, the plaza at Rockefeller Center was decorated to look like a vineyard. Why a vineyard? There’s something about a vineyard that puts people into a romantic mood. We explored this idea just about one year ago when we had the opportunity to create a framed keepsake collage of a vineyard-themed invitation. Take a look at the finished product and note the happy comments of both the gift giver and the bride.

So Mr. and Mrs. Nick Cordes, if you’re listening, we know you had a fabulous time today, and you have the videotape (and internet slideshow) to prove it. But wouldn’t you like something to help preserve your memories that doesn’t involve technology? We think you would, so we would like to offer you a wedding gift: Purple Raincoat will be happy to create a one-of-a-kind framed keepsake for you. It can be an invitation, a photograph, the passage that the minister read from the Bible - you select the focal point, and we will build a work of art around it that will stir your emotions and bring back cherished memories of your special day. It’s the perfect way to make sure you don’t forget about your memories.

Give us a call when you get back from your honeymoon in Australia and we’ll get started making something beautiful for you. Because we believe that 2009 is a “vintage” year for you, and that like a good wine, you will get better with age.

Happy Father's Day!

On Father's Day, I am especially grateful for the continued presence of my father in my life. He is nearing his 99th (99th!) birthday but is still very much "with the program," as he would put it. He lives alone in an apartment but is very much involved with daily activities and friends, including the minyan (daily prayer group) at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He gave up his driver's license just before he turned 98 but never lacks for a ride wherever he needs to go. My father has a joke for every occasion and a knack for making connections with everyone from restaurant cashiers to rabbis. He follows the roller-coaster fortunes of all the Detroit sports teams (sorry, Red Wing fans) and keeps up with politics and other current affairs. He admits that he is "hanging in, but the thread is getting thinner."

I saw my father about a month ago and continue to be astounded by how sharp he remains mentally even as he fights the inevitable physical decline associated with aging. His presence and friendship continue to bring joy to so many people on a daily basis. I feel privileged to be his daughter.

Now my father, unlike Barack Obama, never served as President of the United States. I'm sure that Barack Obama's daughters appreciate the extraordinary man who they are privileged to call their father. Perhaps because he grew up in the absence of a father, he is passionate about the need for fathers to take responsibility for their children not just physically financially but also through emotional involvement . President Obama writes eloquently about parental involvement in today's Parade Magazine. His call can be answered by parents of any gender, and in any family structure.

I urge you to take a few moments to read this article. Then, think about what you can do in your family, in your community, in your nation, and in your world to help our children fulfill their potential and become the blessings they are meant to be in this world. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child - and we are all part of the global village responsible for all of its children.

So perhaps it is fitting that in 2009, Father's Day occurs on the "longest day of the year" - it gives us more time to celebrate. I'm off to make my husband's favorite summer dessert, blueberry cobbler. Happy Father's Day to all, but especially to my father and my husband!

Is buying a Super Bowl ticket a good investment?

It’s only a few hours until Super Bowl XLIII between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers. How much would you pay to go to the game? According to several ticket purchase sites, tickets are still available at prices ranging from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars – one site lists a private suite with seating for eight if you are willing to pay upwards of $74,000.

Suppose you were able to get your hands on one of those tickets. Would it be worth paying the big bucks – could you ever recover the cost by turning that ticket into a collectible?

The answer may be yes, even if you don’t attend the game. That’s because there are collectors out there who are willing to pay big money for tickets in perfect condition with the stub attached. It can be a ticket that wasn’t used at all, or a ticket for a VIP who managed to bypass security.

In any case, to turn that ticket into a valuable collectible, you will need to preserve the ticket and have it authenticated. And patience is advised – according to the Los Angeles Times, a well-preserved ticket to the 1968 Super Bowl was sold for $19,922 more than 30 years after the game was played.

One major player in this business is Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), whose services include grading and certification of not only tickets but also all kinds of sports memorabilia such as autographs, equipment, cards and commemorative coins. Once the ticket is authenticated and graded, you can find potential buyers by visiting SuperbowlTicketCollector.com, where you can buy tickets from every Super Bowl game, including tickets autographed by the game MVPs.

Football not your thing? Visit Gradedtickets.com for souvenirs from other signature sporting events such as baseball all-star games, the Indy 500 and the Kentucky Derby.

As with any potential collectible, there is no guarantee of its value. One person’s trash be another person’s treasure, but on the other hand, it may be another person’s, well, trash. Take the case of the infamous Purple Tickets to President Obama’s inauguration. Several of them are listed for sale on ebay. Some have no bids at all, but one right now is going for over $100. What is the difference between the ones with bids and the ones that don’t? It’s not clear.

The only way to guarantee a long-run payoff is to invest in preserving your own memories. So remember, if you’ve got a Purple Inauguration ticket and you don’t want to sell it, at Purple Raincoat we’re offering you the opportunity to preserve that ticket as your own collectible as a special price. Time is running out on our special offer, so check it out and give us a call.

In the meantime, enjoy the game – or, as Seth Meyers said on Saturday Night Live last night, enjoy “Bruce Springsteen’s warm-up act.”

Super Bowl Logo source: http://graphicdesignandme.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/super_bowl_2009_logo.jpg

Happy Chinese New Year!

Fireworks, parades and music traditionally signal the arrival of the Chinese New Year. But traditions related to money permeate the New Year rituals and celebrations.

According to Chinesefortunecalendar.com, “the most popular greeting is Gong Xi Fa Chai (pronounced 'Gong Hay Fat Choy'), which means ‘congratulations and make a fortune.’ ‘Make a fortune’ is to wish people rich, because Chinese love to talk about money.”

One tradition is to give a Red Envelope containing brand-new money to children. It is believed that children who sleep with the Red Envelopes under their pillows will sleep well – no bad dreams – and will become richer next year.

There are many activities that you are advised to avoid on Chinese New Year’s Day because of money-related superstitions. For example:

• If you sweep the floor or dump the trash, it will take away the wealth and luck from the house.
• If you take a nap at noon, you will be lazy year long.
• If you wash your hair you will wash your good luck away.
• If someone owes you money, do not ask for the money back on this day. Otherwise, you will do it often in the rest of the year.
• If you let people take anything away from your pocket or purse, you will lose money during the year.

Well, we need to do everything we can to increase our chances of better fortune. And fortunately, this is the year of the ox in the Chinese calendar. Here’s how one website describes the attributes of Ox people:

"The Ox, or the Buffalo sign symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work…Invariably solid and dependable, Ox people are excellent organizers…systematic in their approach to every task they undertake. People born under the sign of the Ox usually have strong codes and work ethics…Ox people are usually strong and robust, and according to ancient wisdom, they should be blessed with long lives."

Sound familiar? President Barack Obama, born in 1961, is an Ox person. He may be just what we need to lead us to prosperity in these uncertain times.

If you want to share Chinese New Year’s greetings with far-flung friends and family, stop by 123greetings.com, where they have a wide selection of Chinese New Year e-cards.

Check out this sample, with my best wishes to everyone for a happy and prosperous year of the ox.

Update: Last night we ordered takeout from our favorite local Chinese restaurant, Bamboo Gourmet Cuisine and Sushi Bar (Bedford, MA). Attached to the bag containing our dinner was a plastic bag containing a red envelope. Inside the envelope was a note welcoming in the Year of the Ox. The note described the custom of giving out money in red envelopes as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. To our surprise, the note ended with these words: “…in appreciation for your patronage, please accept this gift and blessing for the New Year” - and included a brand-new dollar. I feel more fortunate already!


This is a scan of the red envelope.

With the stroke of a pen – why signatures matter

Upon becoming President of the United States, Barack Obama almost immediately began to establish policy in a variety of areas by signing executive orders. The first acts of a presidency are often seen as symbolic, and the ritual of signing an executive order is witnessed and recorded as part of history.

Why do signatures hold so much power? Why does a president have to “sign” a bill? Wikipedia tells us that a signature serves as proof of a document’s identity and of the intent of an individual regarding that document. It also provides “evidence of deliberation and informed consent.” That may be the reasoning our founders used to require that Presidents sign bills into law.

The pens used for important signatures can themselves become prized keepsakes. Indeed, as the New York Times noted, “Even before President Obama signed his first executive orders, a pen was immortalized.” No fountain pen for this president - the specially designed black lacquer rolling ball pen features Obama’s signature along with the presidential coat of arms.

When a president signs a bill, it is common to see him using multiple pens to sign his name. What happens to those pens? Usually, those pens are given as souvenirs to legislators and others who played a role in developing that legislation.

For example, when President Lyndon Johnson used multiple pens to sign the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the first pen was given to his Vice President, Hubert Humphrey, while the second pen went to Senate Republican leader Everett Dirksen, symbolizing the bipartisan support behind this legislation. And to add to the “signature” symbolism, the bill was signed 104 years to the day after President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill freeing slaves who were forced into working for the Confederacy.

Presidential signatures vary widely in terms of legibility – check out the samples from www.handwriting.org. But I think it is safe to say that none of them match the glorious penmanship of the signature to end all signatures – that would be the signature of John Hancock on the Declaration of Independence. In fact, signing a document is sometimes referred to as “putting your John Hancock on it.”

Signatures can evoke powerful emotions – a signature made using a real pen with real ink is irrefutable evidence that a particular real person touched that document. When famous people sign their names for their fans, these “autographs” become mementos of the recipients’ encounters with celebrities. So if you find yourself lucky enough to have a document with the “John Hancock” of any celebrity – and you know it’s not just a reproduction or something signed by an “autopen”, trust Purple Raincoat to handle your souvenir with care and respect as we showcase it in a unique keepsake collage.



We got this card in the mail as a holiday “thank you” for participating in Obama’s campaign – ah, if this were only a real signature…

Purple Raincoat will take 50 percent off the first order we receive for a collage featuring on something actually signed by Barack Obama – if you’ve got something in hand, hand it over to us ASAP so you don’t miss out on this deal.

An inauguration invitation grows in Brooklyn - it’s the real thing

I’ve been searching the web for images of the “actual” invitation to President Obama’s inauguration and guess what? It turns out that the invitation I received in the mail and turned into a Purple Raincoat sample inaugural keepsake is the “real” invitation, after all. One million of these invitations were printed in less than a month by Precise Continental, a small union shop in Brooklyn that worked overtime to meet the deadline. I learned a lot about this from the Red Stamp blog, which is dedicated to “stylish correspondence.” I can dig that.

Turns out that this inauguration invitation pretty much follows the traditional template that has been in place since Harry Truman was inaugurated. It is printed using a technique called “engraving”, which Red Stamp calls "the epitome of all things formal + tasteful”. But there are some 21st century updates - for example, the Obama people insisted that the invitation be printed on recycled paper. The Neenah “Classic Crest” Paper selected for the invitation has been called the “greenest premium paper in the world…completely FSC Certified, Green-e Certified as being made with 100 percent renewable energy, made 100 percent Carbon Neutral, and Processed Chlorine Free.”

Ironically, this invitation itself is less likely to be recycled than the invitations to previous presidential inaugurals. HOWDESIGN notes that “This invite, like others in history will likely become a collector’s item—perhaps treasured more than any other as America’s first black president” takes office. Of course, I hope many of them are "recycled" into Purple Raincoat keepsakes.

The fonts used for the invitation were designed in 1972 by Matthew Carter. Both of these fonts, Shelly Allegro and Kuentsler, are available through Fonts.com at 25 percent off through inaugural week. Here’s your chance to buy a piece of history and use these elegant fonts to create invitations for your own once-in-a-lifetime (well, maybe twice in Obama’s case – it’s possible) occasion. This is an interesting option for people who are making their own invitations.

I’m still waiting to get my hands on a “real” invitation to an inaugural ball or one of the infamous “purple” swearing-in tickets – come on, people, I’m counting on you! Give Purple Raincoat the opportunity to turn your once-in-a-lifetime experience into a one-of-a-kind keepsake. Senior Obama administration staff, I know you’re busy getting down to the business of remaking America, but don’t forget about your memories – put them in Purple Raincoat’s hands and prepare to be delighted.

Calling All Purple Ticket Holders!

What you can do with that purple ticket…

While glued to MSNBC yesterday watching the inauguration (along with the pre-game and post-game shows, so to speak), I heard some of the commentators mentioning that there were people who had tickets to the swearing-in ceremony but were unable to claim their rightful seats. I thought about how heartbreaking that would be – to be so close and to have a ticket but to be turned away.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the tickets were color-coded and that it was thousands of the people holding purple tickets who were denied access. You can read about them at the Huffington Post, and get a first-hand account from a holder of a “cursed purple ticket” at Barack Oblogger.

Being “purple” people, they weren’t about to take this injustice lying down – even though they were packed into an underground tunnel so tightly that they were unable to move. Already, more than 1,000 people have joined the “Purple Tunnel of Doom” Facebook group. And there are calls for President Obama to do something to compensate these ticket holders, many of whom had worked their hearts out to help him win the election.

Well, purple people, the President has a pretty full inbox, and helping you out may not be at the top of his list but it is at the top of mine. As you may have guessed, I have a special place in my heart for the color purple, so let’s turn that lemon into lemonade.

Here’s the deal: Purple Raincoat will turn your purple Obama inauguration ticket into a beautiful framed keepsake that will bring a smile to your face when you look at it. It’s a way to accentuate the positive, if you will, which feels appropriate given the tone of the new administration.

The Purple Ticket keepsake is going to be a special size and have a special price: $44 in honor of our 44th President (plus tax and shipping, as appropriate – hey, a girl has to make a living). This offer could be withdrawn at any time, but I will guarantee it for the next 44 days – that would be until March 6, 2009. Call or email us today so you can pick yourself up and dust yourself off…you get my drift.

Power to the Purple People! Purple Raincoat is here for you. See, don’t you feel better already?

Happy Inauguration Day!

Tips for an unforgettable inaugural experience

Were you lucky enough (or connected enough) to get a ticket for Barack Obama’s inauguration as the 44th President of the United States? If so, you may feel as if you won the lottery – which, in a way, you have. You will be part of history whether you have a reserved seat at the swearing-in ceremony, a place along the inaugural parade route or an invitation to attend an inaugural ball. And you swear you will never forget it. But what is the best way to make sure you don’t forget it?

This inauguration will be unlike any other in our nation’s history, but it will go by in a flash, and you will want to do everything possible to hold onto your memories of this very special event. Any piece of paper that gets you in the door - no matter what the event - is your ticket to a lifetime of memories, but not when it is kept in a drawer or hidden in a shoebox.

You can think of the inauguration as a celebration similar to a personal milestone such as a wedding or special anniversary. And as we know, if the celebration involves any kind of invitation, that invitation can serve as a powerful tool to help you remember the emotion associated with a special event, such as the inaugural ceremonies and celebrations.

So the first step to making the inauguration unforgettable is for you to collect memorabilia associated with the event. This includes invitations, tickets, photographs, programs, place cards, flyers, buttons and other souvenirs. The next step is to select the pieces that are most meaningful and deciding how to showcase them in a way that will make the memories the most vivid for you.

To take these memories to the next level, let Purple Raincoat design a unique framed collage to showcase your memorabilia. The power to remember is multiplied when your memorabilia is incorporated into a creative piece of art that stirs the emotions. Purple Raincoat is ready, willing, and able to turn your inaugural memorabilia into a one-of-a-kind work of art. Our goal is to create keepsakes that celebrate life’s special occasions and serve as the perfect touchstones for remembering those special days. And there won’t be many days more special than the day of Barack Obama’s inauguration.



The inaugural "invitation" is layered on embossed copper-gold paper, textured black paper, flecked copper vellum and a ton-on-tone taupe floral printed paper.. The background is a shiny textured cream cardstock, topped by black-on-black striped cardstock accented by gold mesh. Stripes of black satin ribbon accent the design.

Remember: for an unforgettable inauguration experience, take the time to collect those pieces of paper and do something meaningful with them. You will never regret taking the time to preserve those memories in a creative, unique way, and your actions will be enormously helpful when you are asked by future generations to talk about your emotions on what is a momentous day in our nation’s history.

And here's a special offer: if you order an inaugural keepsake from Purple Raincoat by January 31 to be shipped anywhere in the United States, we will discount that order by 44 percent to honor our 44th president. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime offer, so don't miss out on this unique opportunity to have Purple Raincoat preserve your memories of this milestone moment for the United States of America.

White (House) Weddings

The election is over, and now we know that the 44th President of the United States will be Barack Obama. President-Elect Obama soon will be moving into the White House with the rest of his family (and the new puppy promised to his daughters). But no matter who lives in the White House, we generally like to think that it belongs to all of us. And whoever lives there is President of the United States, after all, whether you voted for him or not.

We all know that First Daughter Jenna Bush chose to get married at the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas, but given the opportunity, wouldn’t you want to have your wedding at the White House? For most people, that isn’t an option, but there's a way to give your wedding the “presidential seal” of approval.

So even though you may not be able to get married at the White House, here’s advice from aisledash.com, a fun wedding blog, about how to get a Presidential keepsake for your wedding: all you have to do is to put in a request with the White House Greetings Office for a hand-addressed “wedding greeting”.



Here's a sample of the greeting you can get from the White House that I found on the blog "33 for a moment," where I learned you can also get one for a new baby, an anniversary (50th anniversary or more) or birthday (80th birthday or more).

There is a catch: the White House policy is to make a request for a greeting within 12 months AFTER the wedding occurs. Maybe they have been burned by brides or grooms with cold feet at the last minute…but that’s the way they do it. And we know better than to argue with the White House, don’t we?

Purple Raincoat would love to make a keepsake out of that wedding greeting - what a fabulous first anniversary gift…so we’re offering a 50 percent discount to the first person who sends us a White House wedding greeting to be turned into a keepsake. If your wedding took place within the last 12 months, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines, get that request in to the White House, and then give us a call. We can’t wait to make something beautiful for you.

Engagement survival kit for brides-to-be

There's silver, there's gold, and then there's platinum. Platinum is strong, durable and relatively rare - qualities that make it desirable for many couples when choosing an engagement ring - qualities that we hope apply to every engaged couple, as well.

If you're a bride-to-be who has been lucky enough to receive the engagement ring of your dreams, and it happens to be made from platinum, Allure magazine wants to hear the story of your engagement. By entering, you will be come eligible to win one of 200 "Platinum Engagement Survival Kits" full of beauty and fashion goodies, and four grand prize winners will receive platinum wedding bands.

So what have you got to lose? Enter now.

And keep thinking "platinum" for a framed keepsake of your wedding invitation by Purple Raincoat. We have silver keepsakes and gold keepsakes, but our platinum keepsakes give us the most room to be creative and truly showcase the spirit of your invitation.


Sample of a platinum framed invitation keepsake by Purple Raincoat.
This large and elegant invitation was folded, with the English text on the outside and the Hebrew text on the inside. Both parts of the invitation were mounted on cream brocade vellum, antique white moiré paper and black suede paper. The background includes subtle prints in shades of sage, taupe, and cream, including a cream beaded paper. Cream silk flowers with pearl centers accent the invitation; a string of pearls is anchored by black silk flowers. Black satin ribbon decorates two corners of the invitation keepsake. The design is finished with a cream mat and an ornate black frame.

Your wedding invitation keepsake should be as unique as you are, just like your engagement ring. Unforgettable days deserve unforgettable keepsakes - so be sure to "engage" Purple Raincoat to create one just for you.

The campaign to elect the invitation to your party

OK, we’re 13 days from electing our next president. This Presidential campaign, which seems to be endless, actually will come to an end. And someone will win. And that might be someone you support (or don’t).

For many people, election night is a time to throw a party. If you’re one of those people, why not use an election-themed invitation? At Tres Chic Designs, you can create an invitation showing your support for Democrats or Republicans in general, as well as for Obama or McCain in particular. Create your design using stars, stripes, donkeys, elephants, flags, martini glasses (martini glasses? Maybe they think we’ll be toasting victory, or drowning our sorrows in defeat)…But get your order in soon so there will be time to invite your friends to your party.

On the other hand, if you’re really into politics, you might want to keep this “election” thing going. Bees Cards has an election-themed bar mitzvah invitation, including a customized ballot card for the RSVP.

Whichever party you support, we hope you will elect to have Purple Raincoat serve as your official invitation keepsake creator for all of your parties - celebrations, that is. Check out our portfolio, then voice your choice - call us and put us to work. "Keepsakes you can believe in" from Purple Raincoat put your "Celebration First."

Here’s to the red, white, and blue, and may the best people win!

98 and counting…

My father was born on October 10, 1910 - that's 10/10/10. He turns 98 today – happy birthday, Dad. One of the things my father loves about birthdays is getting cards, and fortunately he gets a lot of them. This year, my husband, daughter and I are going to visit him for a family birthday celebration, so I’m going to bring him a special card: a Purple Raincoat collage made especially for him. It is focused on one of my favorite quotes about aging, which certainly applies to my father:


I typed the quote on white cardstock and mounted in on black circle embossed paper; black/white/gray circle patterned paper, black and white dotted paper, and textured black paper. The background is a complementary black/white/gray circle printed paper. The horizontal accent is black-on-black diamond cardstock topped with white striped embossed paper and textured black ribbon. The vertical accent has white circle embossed paper layered on black-on-black striped paper. Portions of black circles accent the top, bottom, and right sides of the collage. Black circle brads finish off this piece, which will go into a textured black frame.

Here’s to a great 98, Dad. You’re not just close to magnificent, you’re already there.

Have a favorite saying you would like to showcase in a Purple Raincoat keepsake? Get in touch – we would love to turn that memorable phase into an unforgettable keepsake. It's the perfect gift for the person who has everything and is celebrating a milestone birthday - 50th birthday, 60th birthday, 70th birthday, 75th birthday - you get the idea.

Invitation keepsakes start with great invitations, Part IIIa: Be ready to answer your dealer's questions

A good dealer (see Invitation keepsakes start with great invitations, part II; selecting a dealer) will ask you lots of questions before you start – and you should be prepared to answer them. Key questions include the following:

• What is the occasion - for example, is it a wedding, engagement, bar/bat mitzvah, or milestone anniversary, baptism, retirement ceremony, or surprise birthday?

• What kind of party (or parties) you are having – for example, a country club reception following a church or synagogue wedding ceremony, a luncheon following a bar/bat mitzvah and a separate party for children?

• Is everyone invited to all parts of the event? For example, only out-of-town guests may be invited to a special brunch or dinner, and some children may not be invited to a rehearsal dinner.

• Is there a caterer who needs to know your guests’ choices of entrees? If so, you may want to include this information on your response card.

• Are there out-of-town guests who need to make hotel reservations and let you know what parts of an “event weekend” they will be attending?

• How are you going to address your invitations – for example, do you plan to do them yourself, hire a calligrapher, or have the invitation company print the guest addresses?

• Do you have any budget constraints when it comes to selecting your invitation? Most good dealers carry a wide variety of invitations at a wide range of prices. A dealer should have invitations available in your price range – if not, it’s time to find another dealer. Browse the invitations available through eInvite (get there from the Purple Raincoat homepage) to get ideas of what is available in various price ranges.

Your dealer also should be able to suggest ways to save money without compromising the quality of your invitation. For example, some invitations allow for more text than others, and so may eliminate the need for a reception card. Others may have room only for the essential information about a wedding ceremony or a bar/bat mitzvah service, making it necessary to include a reception card with the information about the celebration.

Working with your dealer, you should be able to create an invitation that is as unique and special as the people and occasion being celebrated. So don't hide that invitation in a drawer - display it proudly with a one-of-a-kind Purple Raincoat keepsake. You put a lot of thought into the invitation; we put a lot of thought into showcasing it as a unique work of art in a framed invitation keepsake. Great for any special occasion. No question about it!

The apocryphal bar/bat mitzvah invitation

Here is the bar/bat mitzvah companion to the "don't let this happen to you" wedding invitation. (You'll have to click on it to read it but trust me, it's worth it).

In my days as an invitation designer, fortunately, I never saw anything like this. You can find versions of it all over the internet at places such as The Bat Mitzvah Blog (which has the fabulous subtitle, "You're not going to wear that, are you?) But you know there are people out there who can totally identify with these sentiments - if they haven't given the party, they have gone to it.

Would we turn this into a Purple Raincoat collage? Let's just say I have a feeling this is going to show up as a sample one of these days...

In the meantime, if you receive a bar mitzvah invitation or bat mitzvah invitation that doesn't look like this, have we got a gift for you - give the gift of Purple Raincoat memories. Take a look at some of the framed keepsake collages Purple Raincoat has created for bar/bat mitzvah invitations.

Both boys and girls absolutely love getting these keepsakes. One girl even designed her invitation so that the collage would include the color she wanted...now that's thinking ahead. It's also a great gift for a few people to chip in and give as a group gift. The bar/bat mitzvah child will always remember who gave him/her their Purple Raincoat collage, long after the thank-you notes have been written.

So give the gift they want - make it easy on yourself and call or email Purple Raincoat.

Calling all brides, present and past

You’ve heard of Martha Stewart, maybe? You know Martha Stewart has a thing for weddings, right? Well, Martha has completely updated and revised her the “weddings” portion of her website, in cooperation with Wedding Wire. There are two routes to this resource: you can get there from MarthaStewart.com (click on the “weddings tab”) or from Wedding Wire. You’ll find free planning tools, a community where you can ask questions and share experiences, and the opportunity to set up a website for your own wedding. And of course, on Martha’s wedding site, you can get ideas on everything that’s wedding related – how to choose your wedding cake or a color scheme, for example.

This is a fabulous resource for wedding-related vendors from all over the country. You can search by geographic area to find vendors who are close to you – you can browse multiple geographic areas to find vendors such as Purple Raincoat, who service the entire country. The vendor websites offer you a chance to learn about providers and services that might be useful to you.

Wedding Wire also is the place for engaged couples and the recently married to review their vendors, helping those with upcoming weddings to benefit from your experience. So if you have ordered or received a Purple Raincoat framed wedding invitation keepsake, you will be invited to post a review of Purple Raincoat on the website. And don’t stop with Purple Raincoat if you’re a recently married couple - anyone who posts reviews of five vendors gets a gift card from Martha Stewart, so why not let those with upcoming weddings benefit from your experience?

Purple Raincoat is proud to be affiliated with Martha Stewart and Wedding Wire. You can find Purple Raincoat’s listing in the Boston geographic area under these categories: Unique Services, Flowers and Décor, and Invitations and Favors. The “unique services” category includes everything from fancy porta-potties to horse-and-carriage rentals to pole dancing parties…things you didn't know you needed!

Still working on your invitations? Martha Stewart has a beautifully illustrated article on different invitation styles. If you’re looking for creative ways to combine wording and design for an invitation that completely reflects your style and personality, check out these samples. Here’s one new and creative idea: a letterpress invitation made from the bride’s handwriting (see the sample “Loaded with Laid-Back Charm”).

Once you have your invitations, be sure to give Purple Raincoat the opportunity to turn it into a one-of-a-kind keepsake that will bring back the memories of your special day (and all the hard work that went into it). After the wedding is over, the invitation is one of the few tangible “things” you have left – it makes a wonderful keepsake, but not when it is stuck in a drawer. Purple Raincoat will showcase your invitation as a unique work of art that is not only meaningful but also beautiful in its own right. Contact us – or ask someone special to order one for you. Cheers!

Save that envelope! Save that stamp!

Personalized stamps, such as those made by PhotoStamps, are becoming increasingly popular for weddings, bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, and other celebrations. The PhotoStamps website is a fountain of inspiration and information about personalizing your postage and ways to use these stamps. The stamps are a small indulgence, but remember that the price per sheet goes down the more sheets you order – that’s another reason to find lots of uses for them.

For weddings, for example, in addition to using them on your invitations and response cards, you can use them on save-the-date cards and thank you notes. Here’s another creative idea from PhotoStamps – take photos of your wedding party and turn them into customized stamps - give the stamps to your attendants as a token of appreciation for sharing your special day.

Once you start paying attention to these stamps, you’ll see them everywhere. My daughter was visiting her friend Sarah one recent afternoon. Sarah’s sister is having her Bat Mitzvah this year (along with many of her friends) so she is starting to get invitations to her friends’ celebrations. An envelope had arrived in the mail that day, and Sarah and her mother were trying to figure out who sent the invitation – they didn’t recognize the return address. But the envelope's stamp featured a photo of the guest of honor, which my sharp-eyed daughter noticed – she pointed it out and said, “you can see who it is.” Mystery solved!

Even if you don’t order custom postage, you may be able to find a stamp that fits your occasion. I’m working on a bar mitzvah invitation collage now for a boy who clearly cares a lot about baseball. The invitation has a personalized baseball-theme stamp with the date of the event. But for the response card, they are using the regular “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” stamp from the post office. So with a little detective work (find a post office that has a good selection of stamps and friendly clerks who don’t mind spending a few minutes while you browse the possibilities) you might find something that is almost the equivalent of custom postage, but without the custom cost.

Custom stamps make wonderful additions to Purple Raincoat invitation keepsake collages (see my earlier thoughts on this subject). Envelope linings also can be featured in the keepsakes - see my daughter's Silver invitation keepsake. There are more examples on the Purple Raincoat website (see Jill's Platinum keepsake in the Bat Mitzvah examples).

So when you get an invitation in the mail, don’t throw the envelope away – it might have something I can use it when I create a beautiful framed invitation keepsake for you. Have an invitation to an upcoming event? Ready to order? Hang onto that envelope, and contact us today – we can’t wait to get started on your one-of-a-kind gift.

I love New York…weddings

Is anyone you know getting married in New York City or on Long Island? If so, be sure to let them know about these two wonderful wedding resources: www.liweddings.com and www.nycweddings.com. If you need it for a wedding, you can find it on these sites. And there are great forums on the site for brides and grooms to ask questions and share experiences. Engaged couples and newlyweds can find lots of useful information there.

Purple Raincoat is proud to be a participating vendor - we have our own page on both sites with detailed information on our framed wedding keepsakes and many photos of samples. So tell those New York and Long Island brides and grooms to check us out. After all, as the song says, “it’s autumn in New York that brings the promise of new love”.

Even if you’re not getting married in New York, there are vendors on these sites that you might want to use – you'll find everything from favors to “save the date” magnets – even invitations…

We look forward to seeing you at Long Island weddings and NYCity weddings, and at www.purpleraincoat.com, where you’ll see samples of our distinctive framed keepsakes for all occasions.

Celebrate the silver moments

We can’t all be Michael Phelps and win gold every time we dive into the pool, but winning the silver remains an accomplishment to celebrate. So when Fitness Together in Lexington, MA was awarded a certificate commemorating their status as a Silver Level Franchise, they didn’t just want to frame the certificate – they wanted to display it in a way that was commensurate with this achievement. Who you gonna call? Purple Raincoat, of course.


Kerri Powers of Fitness Together with her Purple Raincoat collage

This custom-sized (11”x17”) collage uses blue, black, white, and (of course) silver to capture the spirit of this achievement. The certificate is mounted on full sheets of black textured metallic paper and gray-on-gray printed paper. Split sheets of blue suede paper are anchored with large silver eyelets. Below that is a subtle silver-on-black striped paper a layer of ocean blue paper, accented by strips of silver-patterned white paper. Silver metal mesh and sheer silver ribbon provide horizontal and vertical interest. A simple black frame picks up the strong black circle on the certificate.

How do they like it? “It’s really cool,” says Kerri Powers, co-owner of Fitness Together (and personal trainer extraordinaire). This collage is on display to inspire their clients and to remind them that success at every level should be celebrated.

Life is short; you’ve got to take advantage of every occasion to celebrate, whether it is large or small. So what are you proud of? Somewhere – in a box, in a drawer – you probably have a certificate marking some significant accomplishment in your life. When life gives you an award, say thank you, and then be sure to showcase your achievement with a Purple Raincoat collage.

P.S. Would you like to create an award as a keepsake for someone special in your life? Let’s talk – Purple Raincoat can help you with that, too.

The other side of the coin - $27,800 just doesn’t buy what it used to

In contrast to our last post (the popularity of the $100+ invitation), it’s clear that rapidly rising prices are causing more couples to take a closer look at how they spend money for their weddings. From the August 20, 2008 Boston Globe:

“Couples planning their big days are finding that their budgets - whether hundreds of dollars or tens of thousands - won't stretch as far. The cost of the average American wedding is still $27,800 with 153 guests, but that $27,800 doesn't buy what it once did. Local brides and grooms have pared down guest lists, taken on creative tasks themselves, changed venues, and in some cases considered moving their wedding over state lines to save money.”

Even some couples without budget constraints appear to be toning down their celebrations. According to Rebecca Dolgin, executive editor of the Internet’s popular TheKnot.com wedding website, “…there's less shame in going small as opposed to emulating a celebrity wedding. Some couples with no budget restrictions are using their money to make an affair look homier and small by doing weddings at home and on beaches, she said.”

So small can be beautiful. Take my wedding, for example. My husband and I got married on two weeks notice in front of 28 close family members and friends in my mother-in-law’s living room. Our reception was held in her home’s lower level. All of my out-of-town family was able to attend, as was our rabbi who came down from Maine (after Shabbat began). We had beautiful flowers and fabulous food (grilled outside) on December 30, when every caterer in town was available. I bought an off-the-rack dress and veil that needed minimal alterations. My husband wore his best suit; we did buy a new tie for the occasion. Our chuppa (wedding canopy) was made using my husband’s late father’s tallit (prayer shawl) and dowels from the hardware store (decorated with greenery by our florist). Ironically, we didn’t even have invitations – everyone was invited by telephone.

Our biggest indulgence was to hire the best available photographer, which was a fabulous decision because after all, photographs are one of the few things you have left when the wedding is over. We didn’t skimp on that, and we’re still happy about that decision. We have gorgeous photographs of our warm, intimate, spectacular wedding, which I wouldn’t have traded for anything. All without the stress of long-term wedding planning. And we had money left over to enjoy a honeymoon in Mexico.

So don’t be afraid to think small. Oprah Winfrey did a show on how couples might be better off having small weddings and saving their money for major anniversary celebrations if the marriage lasted 10 or 20 years. That’s not a bad philosophy. The important thing is to get married, not to go into debt to have a “fairy tale wedding.” And it’s a lot easier to live “happily ever after” when you start married life without a mountain of debt.

Six months after our small wedding, we had a party where we invited all of those friends and co-workers who otherwise we might have invited to our wedding. We kept it simple in a private room at a local restaurant with gourmet pizza, wine, and another wedding cake. For this party, we did have an invitation – now preserved in a Purple Raincoat keepsake collage with a photo from our actual wedding.


Wedding Anniversary Framed Keepsake
Originally uploaded by PurpleRaincoatonline

This collage uses a photo from our wedding plus the invitation from the "reception" held six months later. Read more about it and see other examples on the wedding/anniversary page at www.purpleraincoat.com

It’s never too late to create a cherished invitation keepsake. Dig out that wedding invitation and let Purple Raincoat help you bring back the memories of that special day. What a wonderful anniversary gift for you to give to your spouse – or, kids, to give to your parents to celebrate their 20th, 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th, 50th, or any other wedding anniversary.

So think ahead if there is one of these milestones coming up in your family, and get in touch with Purple Raincoat - beat the rush.