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.