baby on the way!

The last few months have been quite a whirlwind. I'm pleased and excited to share that we've got a baby on the way... for all three of you who didn't know already.

After we told our family and close friends, I thought it would be fun to announce our news on Facebook in a fun way.  I credit the idea to this source. I'm not sure if they were the first ones to do it, but I thought it was darling!

Here's what you don't see in the picture:

1. The wind that October day, which seemed to make capturing an upright shot of a balloon (let alone FOUR balloons) impossible.

2. The tangled balloons, or the matchbox cars in the toes of the smaller shoes to prevent them from blowing away.

3. Two of the balloons actually blowing away, with mom-to-be uttering a few words which will not be repeated. I will not disclose which balloons blew away, for fear that the superstitious among you might think that it was in any way foreshadowing...

4. The looks I was given from neighbors walking their dogs around the commons. Who wouldn't slow to look at a lone woman laying across the concrete path, talking to herself, taking photos of balloons... tied to shoes? Yup. All in the name of creativity.

5. The hours spent later that evening in Photoshop to piece together this picture.

All in all, I'm glad I did it... because 1,392 pins later, I've FINALLY done something that I had pinned on Pinterest. ;)

And since taking this picture, we've found out that we're having another BOY. Very exciting. Our little guy (4) is thrilled about being a big brother, and has affectionately named his kid brother "Doodle". This could be interesting.

paper buzz

We've been busy as bees at Inklings! I'm pleased to share our bumble bee scratch-off design... aren't these baby gender announcements the sweetest? The soft grey background and yellow honeycomb back make these perfect for a boy or girl. These are printed on our premium 16pt cover with rounded corners, and each scratch-off card is packaged inside a glassine envelope with a freshly-minted 2012 penny. Slip it in a letter and send it to the ones you love to share your exciting news!

These are available as a set of 10 scratch-offs, and also as a suite. A suite gives you everything you need to mail your announcement: one fold-over notecard, one white A2 envelope (made with environmentally friendly FSC-certified paper), one scratch-off card, one glassine envelope, and a shiny penny. You'll enjoy all of the little details that we've been busily perfecting.

We've chosen French Paper Mill's Mod Tone for our fold-over notecards as part of our commitment to greener practices. French Paper Company has long been known as a pioneer in recycled paper manufacturing. They are the only paper mill to use fully renewable hydroelectric generators to create their premium papers, and their Mod Tone stock uses 50% recycled content. The finish is smooth and great to write on, with a subtle mod pattern in the background in a warm ecru that we just love!

We also plan on rolling out a baby shower game with this design, so stay tuned!

So... are you buzzing yet?

announcements

Who doesn't love a good announcement? When babies are concerned, one of the most exciting times when you're expecting is finding out the gender. For some, this happens when baby is born. For others (like myself) who choose to find out sooner, it's equally exciting! No, this is not the kind of announcement you may think it is... sorry to disappoint.

With that said, we're pleased to introduce the sweetest little member of our Inklings family... baby gender announcement cards! These are perfect to mail to out-of-town family members and friends as a way of sharing your big news. Our stork gender reveal scratch-offs come with a shiny, freshly-minted 2012 penny, and are already assembled in a little glassine envelope for safe travels. Slip them in a greeting card, and you're good to go.

And like all of our paper products, they're printed on premium, satin-coated 16pt card stock for durability and an ultra premium feel.

The color of these scratch-offs is a light robin's egg blue (we think it reads as a sky, and not as a "boy-themed" card). Scratching reveals "It's a boy!" in blue, or "It's a girl!" in pink. If you're ordering, be sure to specify the baby's gender when checking out.

All of our scratch-offs come packaged in a lovely frosted pillow envelope (shown below), and are wrapped in tissue paper to ensure that they arrive in perfect condition.

Like this design for a shower game? We'll soon be announcing blush pink and soft grey variations that will be great for a super chic, ultra-sweet shower game. Stay tuned!

We feel so honored to be part of this exciting time in your life, and have LOVED to be among the first to know your big secret before it's revealed.

Hope that the stork brings you good news today,