This can’t be real life. Seriously. When I found myself looking at a set of stationery that costs more than a first-class ticket to …anywhere, you could have told me that I’d been teleported to the land of excess and foolishness, and I would have totally believed you.
First reaction: shock. Second reaction: this is TOTALLY going up on the blog. So here we go. An exploration of the most egregiously overpriced stationery on the market aka High Society Stationery – sort of “Look for Less” meets sarcastic commentary meets “Craft Wars.” The goal here is fun…I’m not knocking the hustle. There is clearly a great amount of talent and time that goes into high-end stationery, and apparently, there is a slew of wildly successful treasure hunters who have a particular penchant for paper goods of the utmost highest quality. Together, they are a match made in paper heaven.
So here I am, bringing you the most ridiculous in the world of paper…then giving you my take on it by recreating something similar with my own crafting supplies. Today, I am kicking this party off right with one of my favorite in the line-up of luxury paper…
{What They Say} This whimsical children’s stationary is letterpress printed on 5.5×4.25 100% cotton card stock
{What I Say} This description is most certainly missing an integral phrase: the part where they tell you that this stationery is printed on 100% cotton cardstock…laced with diamonds and a guaranteed winning lottery ticket. That’s right people – for the low, low price of $40o, you can own 50 of these flat, letterpressed notecards along with lined envelopes. What a deal! (said no one ever).
I am a huge fan of getting children involved in letter writing and thank you notes. Problem is, my kids would never get practice at either with these notecards floating around. It would take an organic fruit basket, hand-delivered by Shakespeare himself before we’d be scrawling a note on these.
Now, I suppose these letterpressed beauties make sense for those who use 24 karat baby wipes and forgo Crayola for calligraphy. After all, if little Thad’s quill slips, you can always grab some Pelligrino (the cheap swill) to dab up the mess.
For the rest of us regular folk – the stakes just can’t be so high when it comes to child-friendly stationery. And for us crafty folk, these cards are totally DIY-able!
Since I don’t own a letterpress image of cherries, I decided to stamp, then heat emboss. In the end, there is still texture to the card – and I didn’t have to sell my kidneys on Craigslist to do it.
I colored the cherries with Copic markers – and kept with the all red look from the original.
And with all the time you saved by not working twelve jobs to afford the original – you can quickly create a cute gift package with these cards.
SUPPLIES
Hero Arts Simply the Best | Papertrey Ink Simple Alphabet | Studio Calico Sundrifter Pocahontas | Clear & Simple Stamps Perfect Harvest | Clear & Simple Stamps I’m a Princess Pink A2 Envelopes
Now for your assignment! If you come across any crazy, overpriced stationery out there…let me know! I may just show up on an installment of High Society. I’d love to hear about what you find!
great post; loved reading your commentary, Amber! you had just the right amount of humor and snark! absolutely think your version is far superior!
Oh, this is FUN. It’s like this segment we have in a Canadian decorating magazine that’s “High/Low” – they decorate the same room with the same elements, and the High will cost like $40,000 (for a bedroom, say) and the low will cost $5,000… I digress…
You know I LOVE cherries right?
This is a SUPER fun idea, and I am jealous I didn’t think of it first – but you did a GREAT job, and if you ask me, yours is way more kid-friendly on every level!
LOVED this post! It seems the height of impracticality for this kind of paper goods to be for CHILDREN. I know there’s a market out there for high quality stationery and believe me I would completely enjoy having some of this to hoar d for myself just for the paper alone! But is a kid really going to appreciate this? I think not! I shudder to think what my girls would do with this! At any rate I got a great laugh at this (your writing style is really humorous) and loved seeing your take on it. Really doesn’t justify the cost of the original, even if it is on glorious paper stock!
You have had me in stitches with this post. Whilst the original is beautiful Ireally love your version as it is made with love (and probably cost a bazzillionth of the price), $8 a card – unbelieveable!
these are adorable!! and my little pups name is also Gracie ♥
FUN post, Amber. High-end look but low- end price is probably my core value in crafting and home decor both, so your post was a delightful wake-up this morning with my coffee.
“…and I didn’t have to sell my kidneys on Craigslist to do it” is making me laugh! Great post, Amber…and I love the note cards you made.
OMG you are too funny! Love your project waaaay better than the $400 one. Thanks for the chuckle 🙂
HA! who are these cray-cray people?! i think they are childless. if it was up to them, your version’s worth at least $3000- heehee :>D
Gotta say…YIKES…in what world do you give $400 note cards to a kid to scrawl all over. I must be in a parallel universe. Anyway (after my rant) I like your version so much better, think it’s prettier and oh so more practical.
Lol Amber! This is a fabulous post! It had me smiling and laughing so much! I see you also made a matching stickers for the set…maybe you can make a post about making them! 🙂
Love this post. You are hilarious! Cannot believe the price of those cards!
SERIOUSLY!? $400. I think NOT! Love your version Waaaay Better. I almost spit/chocked on my tea reading this. LOL. How would I explain to my boss how TEA got in my keyboard. I better get back to work. Thanks for morning chuckle. Smooches…
GAHHHH I love this post so much. And I love you. We have the exact same sense of humor. I’m so sad we didn’t get to hang at CHA. 🙁
P.S. LOVE these cards.
Next time feel free to use Harper,Sadie,Cate,or Lucy. And then you’ll just have to donate them to me.
kthxbye
Hi Amber,
OMGosh, when I saw $400.00, my eyes crossed…seriously! Thank you for taking us all back down to earth with your amazing idea! Actually, I LOVE your notecards…they’re a thousand percent prettier than the ‘store bought’ kind 🙂
Too funny – gorgeous set! So much better that the exorbitant High Society set. Some people have more money than sense!
Good grief! $400? Some people have more money than sense. This was a great post!! Lots of laughs. Thank you!
http://www.bernardmaisner.com/collection/item/?cat=250&scid=298&productid=16679 Amber check it out! This particular listing is for 1 handpainted $120 card, but he does have flat note cards for sale $65/10 (I have a friend who has ordered from here)
You are so funny but so right! Who knew people were spending $400 on their kid’s stationery.
oh Amber you do make me laugh! I loved your review of these over priced stationery offerings, and also your alternative frugal option! I always make thank you cards to send from my children after birthdays and christmas, and these would be perfect when they’re old enough to write their own!
Those are so cute!
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