Invitation keepsakes start with great invitations, Part II: Select a dealer

(One in an occasional series of tips for creating great invitations)



In this framed wedding invitation, sky blue was selected as the accent color for this elegant cream, black and gold invitation. This particular blue color was featured on an invitation for a shower given in honor of this bride. Pearls, satin flowers, black skeleton leaves and ornate teardrop frame complete the design. See more samples of framed wedding invitation keepsakes at www.purpleraincoat.com on the wedding/anniversary page

The variety of available invitations is astounding. There is something out there for every taste and budget. But how to find that right one? Your dealer can be your best friend when it comes to finding the right invitation. Start by using these tips to find the dealer that’s right for you:

You want a dealer who is known for great customer service.
Ask people who have hosted similar events for their recommendations – not only for good dealers, but also for dealers you should avoid. You want someone who has time to spend with you as you go through the invitation design process, will be available to answer your questions, pays attention to every detail, and can help you make decisions when you get stuck.

You want the dealer with the best selection of invitations for you, not necessarily the largest selection. Don’t assume that “more is better” and that having a larger selection of invitation books and companies is always helpful – sometimes, too many choices can be just as bad as too few choices. A local dealer may choose to carry a limited selection of books and companies, but if they know their customers that may be enough.

Other advantages of a local dealer:

• A local dealer is likely to be familiar with other people having the same kinds of events, so they can help make sure that your invitation is “original’ in your community.

• In addition, a local dealer is more likely to allow you to take invitation books home, which is a huge advantage when making your selection. It's great to be able to take your time and consult with your family - this isn't a process you want to rush.

But there are advantages to exploring invitations on the Internet. If you can’t find someone locally who can help you, there are lots of online options available. It also can be helpful to browse invitations on the Internet to get an idea of what different companies offer at various price points. Many offer the opportunity to order samples, which is important because "seeing" an invitation isn't the same as "feeling" it.

Start your online browsing at eInvite.com, where you’ll find invitations for all occasions from several companies, including our favorite company, Checkerboard. The website gives you the opportunity to see your invitation with your words in the font of your choice. It’s a great way to “try before you buy.”

Watch for Part III, coming soon, on getting ready to answer the questions your dealer will ask.

A framed invitation makes a wonderful keepsake for weddings, bat mitzvahs, bar mitzvahs, sweet 16s – even “grand openings”. Be sure to visit www.purpleraincoat.com to see samples of collages designed to showcase framed keepsake collages for all occasions.

Do you have Educated Tastes?

At Purple Raincoat, we believe in giving back. There are so many wonderful organizations doing great work, and nothing feels better than being a part of a cause that’s close to your heart. That’s why I’m proud to be working with the Lexington Education Foundation (LEF), an organization dedicated to enhancing educational excellence for students and teachers in the Lexington, MA public schools.

Each year, LEF hosts the “Educated Tastes” (ET) fundraising gala, a festive evening that includes sampling food from local restaurants and caterers, plus live and silent auctions. Our auction committee works hard all year to gather unique and highly desirable auction items. You may not be able to sample the food in advance, but you don’t have to wait to check out the ET auction items: for the first time, all of the silent auction items are available for viewing online at www.educatedtastes.org. This would not be possible without the website design efforts of students and teachers at Lexington High School, who have done a magnificent job in helping us spread the word about our auction.

Please visit the website to browse the silent auction items – there’s something for nearly every taste and budget, from vacation homes to Red Sox tickets to cooking lessons to jewelry. Included among the auction items is a Platinum keepsake collage donated by Purple Raincoat – and as you know Purple Raincoat collages make great gifts for all occasions. You’ll find lots of other great gift ideas (Mother’s Day will be here before we know it) as well as gifts you may want to give yourself (clothes, makeovers, a night on the town…).

This year’s event will be held on March 2, 2008 at the Boston Marriott at Burlington. There’s plenty of time to develop a bidding strategy before March 2, and to check your calendar to see if the available dates for your favorite item fit your schedule. We’ll be adding the live items soon, to whet the appetite of those who will be there. It’s sure to be a wonderful evening, and we hope you can join us – you can still order tickets through the website.

Even if you can’t attend, you can bid on these exciting silent auction items. “Outside” bids will be accepted on these items by phone or email from Monday, February 25 through Friday, February 29th; bidding instructions are on the website. Good luck – you may be a winner!

Are you involved as a volunteer with a local charity? Here’s a great idea – if your organization is holding a major event, there’s probably an invitation associated with it. Are you honoring someone? If so, give them a framed keepsake by Purple Raincoat to help them remember the occasion. Have you been the chair of a successful event? A Purple Raincoat keepsake collage will bring back memories of that special day.

No matter what the special occasion, Purple Raincoat can create the perfect gift. Visit us at www.purpleraincoat.com and see what we can do for you. Then get in touch with us so we can get started.

Romance is in the cards for Valentine’s Day

This Valentine keepsake collage was inspired by the Herman Hesse quotation: "If I know what love is, it is because of you."

We’re a country that loves to send greeting cards. At Christmas, it is estimated that Americans send out 2.6 billion cards. What’s the second largest card-sending holiday? That would be Valentine’s Day, February 14th. I’ve always wondered who St. Valentine was and why we focus on romance in the middle of February. Turns out that February has a long tradition of being associated with romance (it’s the shortest month - go figure). So it isn’t your imagination - the pressure to find not only the perfect Valentine's Day gift but also the perfect card to go with it has been going on for centuries.

Expect some crowds when you’re shopping. To avoid the rush in the greeting card aisle of your local drugstore, you might want to check out smaller shops with more exotic offerings. Cards can be found in some unexpected places. For example, the frame shop where I work on many of my collages (Frameworks in Burlington, MA) has a wonderful selection of unusual gifts and funky but elegant Valentine's Day cards.

Now consider the following scenario: You seek out the perfect card to express how you feel about your significant other (or someone you hope will become more significant). You find the card. It says exactly what you want to say. It’s perfect. You give it to your loved one, who also thinks its perfect.

Come February 15th, what happens to the card? No one wants to throw it away, but what should you do with it? Putting it into a drawer or a shoebox (with all those photos you have hanging around – but that’s another story) doesn’t feel quite right. If the sentiment is truly heartfelt and inspiring, why not showcase it in a framed keepsake collage where it can be seen and enjoyed every day? Card and gift all in one. The perfect Valentine’s Day gift. That’s a grand slam in anyone’s book.

So if you’re the card giver,consider making a big splash by presenting the card already framed and ready to hang. And if you’re the card receiver, show your admirer just how much the card means by having it framed.

Want to be even more of a hero? Create the perfect card yourself with the help of our friends at the Kodak Gallery. Use your pictures and your own words. To inspire you, they have created some special Valentine’s Day designs for cards (and other personalized gifts).

Of course, you can also have Purple Raincoat create a collage for you using a favorite saying on a card we design. For example: “To the world you’re just one person but to me you are the world.” You can specify the colors and we can work together to find the font that feels just right. Or you could use song lyrics. You could add a photo to it…the possibilities are almost endless.

Want inspiration for the perfect gift? You're sure to find it at www.purpleraincoat.com. Visit us and see why we are the experts at creating the perfect gift for any occasion.