Something Personal

I don't know about you, but it often feels to me like we live in an impersonal world. People converse via computers instead of in person much of the time because of the speed at which you need to get things done. But (!), sometimes, it's nice to slow down and take the time to be with friends and really be present -- not only physically, but mentally too. And in taking the time to do so, you come to know those friends better and what their likes and dislikes are. And as you do so, you start noticing things they'll like, but as is the communication, much of the possessions we have in our homes are impersonal as well. There is nothing to distinguish them from the other people who have those same items.

So, this year, I say take some time to figure out what your friends and family will like as their own. Personalize it! Not only to them, but for them! Here are some great things that you can give to the people that matter which will only be for them:

  

 

 

Season of Thanks...

Thanksgiving is Thursday! And Christmas is soon to follow. As we enter the holiday season, please remember that though it is the season of gift-giving and receiving, it is also a time to be thankful for the friends and family you have to spend it with. And if they are giving you gifts, you should return them some appreciation. This may be in the form of a gift in return, but it absolutely should be with a heartfelt handwritten thank you. Do NOT email it. Not only is it inappropriate, it also shows a lack of proper appreciation for the gift as well as the time and effort the giver put into finding something they thought you would like. Now, you might ask, do I really need to send a thank you if I said it verbally? YES! would be the answer. 

It does not have to be a long thank you note, and the handwriting doesn't have to be perfect. You can make it a simple "Thank you for the beautiful cashmere scarf. I have the perfect coat to wear it with and can't wait to use it during the winter season." or "I love the engagement ring you picked out. It's perfect! And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you!" Something along those lines. If you need help, get a book. A couple good ones are: Writing Thank You Notes by Gabriella Goodwin & David Macfarlane; and Just Write: The Art of Personal Correcspondence by Molly O'Shaughnessy that is more about corresponding than specifically writing thank you notes.

If you need further advice on writing your thank you notes and reasons to do so, this is a great article that was published in the Wisconsin Bride Magazine in 2006. Though it is particular to weddings, the reasons and methods pertain to everyday life as well.

http://www.arizonabridemag.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=BA60C5CE13B040F6BE223E996CEC01C6&AudID=754D01AEB144436781F7C8338D9FE748

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The weather outside is cold, it hasn't yet snowed this season and Christmas is a little over a month away! And we're ready for it anyway!

Sarah B. is continually in transition...

The lights are up, the trees are decorated and more new things continue to roll in!

Some of our newest highlights include:

Candles and diffusers from Aquiesse... not only are they made in the US, but they are wonderful scents that smell great as a combination. I want one of each! The products include:

• diffusers
• small and large soy candles
• french jar candles
• votives and travel tins
  

Our newest Bobo Wrapping Scarves have arrived! They are made in the US, are eco-friendly because they eliminate waste since they can be reused and they joined the Madison News local during a Dane Buy Local segment...

Before we made it look all nice and pretty, you can still see the beauty of the wraps in the box.

The beauty on display!

 

 

New Stationery from Cheree Berry:

 

New stationery from St. Augustine's:

And last, but not least, we recently got in these REALLY COOL (!) totes. They are made of recycled newspapers and magazines and are cut, laminated and sewn into a tote. Since they're laminated, you can spill anything you like in or on your bag and not have to worry. And best of all, they're made in the US!!!

We hope you enjoy some of these great holiday offerings. Happy Thanksgiving! And shop your hearts out on Black Friday!

Dane Buy Local Holiday Marketplace

It's time to kick off the holiday shopping season if you haven't already!

We'd like to invite you to join us to do your holiday shopping and support the local Madison retailers at the Dane Buy Local Holiday Marketplace! It will take place this Friday, the 20th, Noon to 7pm at the Edgewater Hotel! See below for details....

In addition, be sure to bring the included a coupon for your use at the Sarah B. Fine Stationery booth...

Holiday Specials

With the state of our economy, many vendors are offering special discounts, not only for their holiday cards, but also for personalized stationery. And though most of the holiday specials have ended, some have been extended or reinstated. Here are the latest:

Holiday Card Specials:

CRANE & CO. has a special until December 31st for 10% off all Personalized Holiday & Photo Card orders.

 

Stationery Specials:

CRANE & CO. has a stationery special until December 31st. Buy 75, get 25 free! There are some exclusions, so please ask for details.

And William Arthur is giving you one last chance.... Their special ends November 15th! Great time to take advantage of this offer!

You can come visit us or give us a call (we can definitely work with you over the phone) to place your order!

If you haven't been into the store in a little while, this is a gentle reminder that we've moved to the main corridor between Macy's and Sundance. Hope to see you soon!

And if you need to call/email us, feel free to do so as well... 608.233.5100 or sbfs1@mac.com

Fall Treats

As we enter fall, we know that it starts getting dark earlier and staying dark later in the morning, which can be a good thing because if you're like me, you catch up on all the sleep that you missed when the sun was blaring in your windows at 6 am during the summer and still up at 9 pm when you really had to get to bed! Yeah! More sleep, but with more sleep, somehow in the winter it's also more and more difficult to want to get out of bed in the morning - hey, it's warm under the covers!

So, as most people do in the morning after they get out of bed, you grab a cup of coffee. I personally prefer hot chocolate, but that's beside the point. And whether your preference is coffee or hot chocolate, we recently found these wonderful flavored coffees for the fall and winter season and sipping chocolate for those of you who prefer it as I do. Not only are they a great treat for yourself, because of their packaging, they are a perfect hostess gift as well. If you're lucky, maybe they'll brew it to share while you're at the party! 

To make it more substantial, pair the package of coffee with a decorative scoop a couple sprigs of cinnamon, tie with a ribbon and voila! You have the perfect gift!

Maybe you just want to make it a favor for your Halloween Party or Thanksgiving Dinner. There are special colors and flavors just for Halloween too!

Or you could even make a package an addition to a larger gift, such as some nice hot chocolate, cappuccino or coffee mugs! If you're including hot chocolate mugs, we recommend the sipping chocolate,  adding some marshmallows to the mug and putting it all in a basket together!

Or grab one of the flavored coffees with the biscotti already packaged together and tied with a ribbon! It's ready to go if you're in a hurry or if you need something that's nice, but not too expensive.

Each package brews 8-10 cups of coffee.

Our Halloween flavors include:

• Broomstick Brew: A Decaf coffee with a combination of Butterscotch and Toffee that comes packaged in purple with a cute witches hat on the front.
• Spellbinding Brew: A Caffeinated coffee with a captivating blend of Vanilla, Hazelnut, Chestnut and Cinnamon that comes packaged in lime green with a cute witches hat on the front.
• Bewitching Brew: A Caffeinated regular Arabica coffee packaged in black with a witches hat on the front.

Our Fall flavors include:

• Apple Pie: Just like Grandma's crisp Apple pie with Vanilla Ice Cream! Packaged in gold with an orange and red leaf on the front. Caffeinated.
• Campfire S'more: Cozy up to this blend of Caffeinated Graham Cracker Chocolate Marshmallow coffee packaged in gold with an orange and red leaf on the front.
• Caramel Apple: Crisp apple dipped in rich creamy caramel! Makes you want to bob for apples! Packaged in gold with an orange and red leaf on the front. Caffeinated.
  
• Cinnamon Spice: A warm, smooth cinnamon flavor packaged in gold with an orange and red leaf on the front. Caffeinated.
  
• Highlander Grogg: A Caffeinated coffee with a blend of Butterscotch, Hazelnut and Caramel packaged in gold with an orange and red leaf on the front.
• Pumpkin Pie: Grandma's favorite Pumpkin Pie with a Splash of Cinnamon! Packaged in gold with an orange and red leaf on the front. Caffeinated.

Our Christmas flavors include:

• Both come with an without a Biscotti in gift packaging:
• Candy Cane: A hearty peppermint taste and aroma. Packaged in lime green with a red and green circle, dot and striped Christmas tree on the front. Caffeinated.
• Nutcracker: Vanilla, Hazelnut, and Chestnut over a Cinnamon background flavor. Packaged in red with a red and green circle, dot and striped Christmas tree on the front. Caffeinated. 

We hope you enjoy!

Uggghhhh

Recently, I was walking through Target and stumbled on their aisle of Christmas cards.  There, on the shelf, were three lines of cards that we carry in our store! What?!?  Upon closer examination, they had removed some of the “bells and whistles” that make the cards we sell special, stuck them in a cheap package and stuck a cheap price on them. Same look, cheaper version. Made in China. No one would know the difference unless they'd bought our cards and knew how much nicer they were.

And the neighborhood alder person thinks having a Target at the mall will be good for business. Maybe Target's business.

At Sarah B. Fine Stationery, we take special care to find beautiful made-in-America items such as stationery, cards & wrap. We look for items that are unusually beautiful and often hand-made. They are not cheap, nor are they inexpensive. Some people care about that; others don't. Rather than support a small group of individuals that put their heart and soul into the product they make, some people have a 'this is just as good, and it's cheaper' mentality. Odds are, it's made in China.

And the neighborhood alder person thinks having a Target at the mall will be good for business. Maybe Target's business.

At Sarah B. Fine Stationery, we go to great lengths to offer exceptional customer service. We pride ourselves on knowing many of our customers by name. We go out of our way to order items for customers when we can, notify them when an item comes in that they've been waiting for, assist with gift selections, beautifully wrap gifts, accomplish same-day personalizing when possible and appreciate every customer that comes in our store.

And the neighborhood alder person thinks having a Target at the mall will be good for business. Maybe he's right.

Sarah B. Fine Stationery is a proud member of Dane Buy Local and the350project.net

William Arthur Personalized Holiday Cards

Tips to Help Make Selecting Wedding Invitations Easier

As you are planning your wedding, you will discover there is more information that you could've imagined, so here are a few tips when you are ready for selecting invitations:

• Timing: You should be ordering wedding invitations 4-6 months prior to the wedding. You don't need to start looking a year in advance unless you are looking at save the dates or intend to order. If you are looking too far in advance, you may become frustrated because companies change designs and pricing, and sometimes get rid of whole albums (selections).


• When you look the first time, we recommend going by yourself, with a mother or a girlfriend. We don't recommend you go with your fiance unless you think he will be extremely interested. You will need at least 30-45 minutes to look the first time and get a good handle on what you're looking at. It will be overwhelming for you, even more so for your fiance. Most brides bring back their fiance after they've narrowed the options to a few selections and then ask his opinion.
• Also, don't come with a large contingent of people. There isn't always space available for them to sit and it can be more stressful for you if a lot of people are trying to give their input.


• If you have an idea of what you want, that's great! But, be open to ideas. Often when you see ideas in a magazine, the prices either aren't revealed or they may be priced only for the invitation, not giving you an accurate idea of the cost for the suite that you will need. Keep in mind, the expensive invitations can't be duplicated inexpensively because 1) what gives them the beautiful aesthetic is what makes them expensive, whether it is the printing process, multiple colors, multiple layers or any other design feature, and 2) the designs you see are copyrighted -- these designers put their heart and soul, so please have some respect for the hard work, time and creativity they have decided to share with you.


• When working with your stationer, give them feedback while you are looking. It helps us to narrow the selection for you so you don't spend hours looking only to get overwhelmed. We want to help you find what you're looking for and maybe you don't know. But it is helpful to point out things you like as you are looking. We can't help if you don't tell us!


• Taking pictures: Do not automatically assume that it is ok to take pictures of the invitations you see. Please ask before you do so. As previously mentioned, the designs that you see are copyrighted and most companies do not allow pictures. You may draw it so you can remember, but if you need to show someone, bring them back with you another time. Remember, the invitations you see are created by designers who have put their heart, soul and lots of time into their work.
  

United States Postal Service

Watch CBS News Videos Online

I like Andy Rooney -- sometimes his features are quirky, but sometimes they're perceptive too.

I couldn't agree more with his insights about the United States Postal Service and sending letters. In reflecting on my own history, I can see how things have changed as I've grown older -- not that old mind you. I also remember when computers were becoming a mainstream piece of technology. It was a time when AOL was the preeminent player for getting online and you paid for it with minutes as you now do cell phones. I remember when I was a child and you wrote letters to keep in touch with people because it was too expensive to call long distance; now it's included in the phone plan. Yes it is easier to keep in touch with people than it once was, but as we rush to complete the tasks of the day, so do we in the communication with those we really care about and should take more time for. I know I'm guilty! And I'm trying to get better about it. I recently remarked to my mother as I was putting stamps on bills that I have not ever in my adult life (at least that I can recall) used up a full sheet of stamps. This was the first year I had done so by sending cards to friends and family (and now I'm out of stamps for those couple of bills I have to mail)!

It's important to take time to connect with those that are friends and family and for them to know that they're important to you, that you took time to think about what you wanted to say and about doing something special for them -- not just quick for you. I hope you'll join me in sending more letters to your friends and holiday greetings to those you need to reconnect with too!