Ashley Brooke Designs: Cowboy Baby

This one is a complete first for me! Erin and her husband are having a baby boy in July (congratulations Erin!)and wanted their stationery to reflect their Kentucky style! So that is just what I did! I can't get over how cute the finished look turned out to be! And how great is it that both mom and dad have cowboy baby coffee mugs!
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Content and Illustrations ©2010 Ashley Brooke Designs. All Rights Reserved.

The Importance of Stationery

Everyone needs stationery. The warmth of a hand written note cannot be matched by email. And even though modern etiquette dictates a thank you email can be appropriate, I always prefer to write such a sentiment on stationery.

Getting an actual piece of mail is rare these days. Most of us are inundated with catalogs, bills and solicitous fliers. So imagine receiving a note on personalized stationery from a friend or family member. That conveys a type of care and thoughtfulness that is hard to find anywhere else.

So before you make a quick call, send a text or an email. Think about delivering your message in a different way. Think about sitting down, leaning in and hand writing a note on stationery. I think you'll feel that you've conveyed your message more effectively and that your recipient will feel just a little more special.

Ashley Brooke Designs Core Values Week

You may wonder what exactly led me to become a stationery designer or what compels me to write every week on the proper etiquette in various situations.

I think both of these things are extremely important. I believe that manners can open doors that even education and experience cannot. I believe that stationery is more than a piece of paper. It's a backdrop for your celebrations and your gratitude.

So I thought this week (the week before my wedding week!! yay!!) we could talk about these things and why they are important to me and why I think you should value them too. So tomorrow we'll talk about etiquette and manners and why they still matter no matter how old fashioned they may seem. Wednesday I let you in on why I think stationery and handwritten notes matter. And Thursday we'll talk about what it is you're actually getting when you order stationery from Ashley Brooke Designs.

I hope you'll enjoy learning a little more about why I do what I do.

Thank You Note Don'ts

Thank You Note Don'ts According to Mrs. Post

Don't...

1. Send form letters or cards with printed messages and just your signature as a thank you.

2. Mention that you plan to return or exchange the gift

3. Tailor notes to the perceived value of the gift.

4. Include photos if it will delay sending the card.

5. Use being late as an excuse not to write a thank you.

Thank You Note Do's

Thank you Note Do's according to Mrs. Post

1. Personalize your notes and make reference to the person as well as the gift
2. Be enthusiastic, but be realistic and don't gush.
3. Refer to the use you will make of money gifts.
4. Promptly acknowledge receipt of shipped gifts, either sending your thank you within a few days or calling the sender and following up with a written note.
5. Remember that a gift should be acknowledged with the same courtesy and generous spirit in which it was given.

Oh the desk!

This is where I spend my day designing and creating stationery!

(Look close and you can see Lucy)