Let me ask you a question. Do you attend networking events? Do you have a good relationship with the company you work for or school you attend? Do you prefer customized over generic?
Ok yes, that was three questions.
The point is, if you answered "yes" to any of those three questions, you may want to consider a small investment in personal stationery. (If you said "no" to all three, email me. I have more questions for you.)
I happen to be a strong believer in the fact that handwritten notes will never die; the romanticism of taking the extra effort to compose a handwritten thank you or congratulations or whatever the special occasion may be is a truly appreciated art form - particularly from those we refer to as our seniors. Personally, I have collected stationery for years and find myself using it to write to family and friends on a weekly basis. All of that being said, I know what your first thoughts may be. (1) That sounds terribly expensive, and (2) I have no idea what my stationery would even look like.
Fear not! I have solutions to both of your concerns. First of all, The Invite Loft prides itself at creating fully customized designs at a very convenient price. (Go to our FAQ page for more on this.) Secondly, as the designer, I work with you every step of the way in developing the perfect design for you. Bonus, I'm about to share with you some of my favorite tips for dreaming up ideas for your personal stationery design.
Colors
Possibly the first thing you'll want to think about for your personal stationery design is colors. Not sure what colors or combos to use? Look at your closet. What colors do you find yourself wearing most often? Look around your home or apartment. Does one or multiple colors stick out? If you're not seeing a specific color or color pattern, that's an answer, too. Perhaps you prefer the more eclectic mix of colors, and you enjoy the chaos. Getting the colors right is ultra important, as they create moods within people and will do so with those who receive your stationery. This site has a simple chart that will help you get started with color choices.
Fonts
Many times, personal stationery is designed with the name of the person printed somewhere in the design, whether it's across the top, in the bottom right corner, or worked into an image. The font you choose strongly conveys the attitude of the stationery, so be careful in making your decision on this one. The problem is, there are literally countless font styles out there to choose from!! This is where you would want to go to your stationer for help. Just be sure to tell him or her what you'll primarily be using the stationery for; this is a good starting indication of the type of font styles you should look at.
Balance
Before you jump into fun graphics and pretty little pictures to add to your stationery, think about the importance of symmetry to you. For instance, I am naturally drawn to designs that are asymmetrical because I enjoy the off-balance and interesting element added to the design. You may greatly prefer a symmetrical design, due to the perfect balance and intuitive appearance, making it pleasing to the eye. A general assumption is that left-brained people, those who are naturally logical thinkers, prefer symmetrical, while right-brained people, those who have a built-in creative mind, prefer asymmetrical designs. Just a tip in case you're having trouble with this one. ;)
Graphics
If you so choose to include some sort of graphic on your stationery, do so in a fairly discreet manner. The last thing you want is for your graphic to overtake half of your writing space, leaving very little room to actually thank the person you wanted to thank! Think about objects in your everyday life, as well as where you live, hobbies you enjoy, and achievements you've done to brainstorm ideas for this one. Don't feel pressure to include a graphic; sometimes, simple, clean, and elegant is the most fitting choice.
