LuxeEarth

I am back

2011-02-11T09:35:00.000-05:00

I know it has been forever since I have been here, I promise to do better in the future. I have been very busy creating new products. Here is a sneak peek of my new spring line.

My Fair Wedding with David Tutera

2010-06-17T08:02:00.000-04:00

Please watch as we make our television debut. This Sunday, June 20th at 10:00pm est. on the WE network, Robin Beth Designs will be featured on the new episode of My Fair Wedding with David Tutera. Wait until you see this wedding. It was a fairytale wedding of epic proportions. I was so honored to be included and it was such a thrill to be part of such a talented crew of professionals. I can't show you details of everything until next week, but above is a small hint.

Here we go... Off the the National Stationery Show!

2010-05-13T10:34:00.000-04:00

It is that time of year again. Where the paper world is all a flutter. The excitement is building! We are heading in to the Javits Center in NYC tomorrow to set up for The National Stationery Show. It is always a wonderful opportunity to showcase new (and old) designs and to see current and potential customers face to face. But it is always so wonderful to get a chance to spend time with the other exhibitors and stationery friends from all over the country (and Canada and the rest of the world)! There are several friends that will be attending this year that I have never meet in person, so I am really looking forward to that. I will hopefully take lots of photos and keep you updated throughout the show!

More New Designs

2010-04-28T16:15:00.001-04:00

I realized that in my last post, I added a photo of one of my new designs, but forgot to tell you all about it. It is a fun, new Bar (or Bat) Mitzvah design letterpress printed on Birch wood veneer, a new optional upgrade that can be used with any of the new Mitzvah designs.

Then we have another new one that I just printed yesterday. It is printed on Cranes Palette, aqua colored cotton card stock in teal and lollipop inks. Notice the subtle Star of David in the floral geometric design?

Getting Creative

2010-04-23T08:30:00.000-04:00

For the first time in several years, I broke out the Print Gocco. Here is my attempt at printing on some muslin bags that are going to be my press kits for the National Stationery Show.

Robin Beth on The Stationery Hustle!

2010-04-21T11:02:00.000-04:00

In a continuing series leading up to the National Stationery Show next month, see my business featured on a wonderful blog, The Stationery Hustle!

New Business Cards!

2010-04-15T15:16:00.000-04:00

I design and print new business cards almost every year. Why? Because it is fun. And because I have had several different booth #s at the National Stationery Show almost every year. This year, I have all my basic contact info on one side and NSS info on the other, so that once the show is over, I can still use one-sided cards for a while. I also printed them this year in a larger than normal size, so that I can also use them as a pre-show mailer. Here is a sneak peek.

It gives me hope

2010-04-08T09:10:00.000-04:00

By hearing things like this... Seth Godin's Blog.

My Big News!

2010-03-17T11:58:00.000-04:00

Last Friday I delivered wedding stationery for the first episode of the new season of David Tutera's My Fair Wedding on the WE network. I can't reveal any of the details, but I will say that this was an incredible wedding. Once it airs in late summer, I can show photos, but until then it is a big secret. But I can say that is was a wonderful experience. Everyone that works there is so creative and professional, it was such a pleasure to work with them.

We are still trying to come back to full function since the Nor'easter this weekend. We have been without power for four days, no school for the kids so far this week and we have an 80 foot tall tree uprooted and dangling precariously over our house that needs to be removed. Hopefully, we will get this all resolved shortly and back to work.

Lucky Me!

2010-03-01T15:31:00.000-05:00

I won! What a wonderful and special keepsake from Fiona at Cafe Cartolina

Thank you so much, Fiona!

The Great Olympic Mitten Giveaway on Cafe Cartolina

2010-02-15T08:36:00.000-05:00

My good friend Fiona from Cafe Cartolina is having a very special giveaway on her blog. She lives in BC, Canada and is giving away those very fashionable mittens from the Olympic games. Just head on over there, The Great Canadian Mitten Giveaway, and post a comment and you are eligible to win!

Sneak Peek Take 2

2010-02-12T10:56:00.000-05:00

Here is another version of the Andrew Marc invite from yesterday.

Another sneak peek

2010-02-10T09:01:00.000-05:00

Another new Bar Mitzvah design finished up. Here is a preview.

One of my favorite things... Soviet Map

2010-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

I thought I would start an occasional series of my favorite things. I am starting with our Soviet map. During the winter break our senior year in college, Dave, along with several of our friends went on a school trip to the Soviet Union. This was 1988/1989, mere months before the break up of the Soviet Union. One of the great souvenirs he picked up was this Soviet map. It was obsolete in probably a year and to us, it is a reminder of growing up during the "cold war". I still remember having safety drills in elementary school where we had to hide under our desks. Like that was going to protect us from a Soviet nuclear missile. But I think I love the map now because you can't buy another one like it unless perhaps you were in a Russian antiquities shop in Moscow.

Thank you Stationery Trends!

2010-01-25T08:00:00.012-05:00

It is always so exciting to see your work in print. I have been very fortunate to have my collection appear from time to time in the prominant industry magazine, Stationery Trends. Thank you Sarah Schwartz, for considering me "trendy" enough to sit side by side with all the talented designers you feature. This winter issue was doubly exciting as not only did one of my wedding designs show up in the Fresh Picks section, but I was quoted as a resource in a great article, "Writes of Passage" which discusses trends in Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and Quinceanera celebrations among others.

That is me on the top left, #6, with my Bethany invitation. This Fresh Pick section was all about "White on White."

Papier Plume

2010-01-22T09:24:00.000-05:00

Last February, just before Mardi Gras, we took a little trip back to New Orleans. It was our first post-Katrina trip. It was a big eye opener in that it had been four and a half years since Katrina and the devastation could still be seen in so many places.

One big bright spot was a cozy store on Royal Street, Papier Plume. We must have spent close to an hour there looking through all the incredible pieces they had. I got my first set of wax seals. I spent some time talking to the owners, Robin Owens and his lovely wife. I showed them my stationery. I have kept in touch, sending them product updates over the past year. So I was beyond thrilled when I received an order from them a few weeks ago. I feel quite honored that they thought my stationery high enough quality to sit amongst all the other incredible things they sell.

So look for sets of Robin Beth Designs letterpress note cards at Papier Plume if you happen to be strolling down Royal street this Mardi Gras!

My Future Stationery Designer

2010-01-20T12:52:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things about having a child in Kindergarten is the holiday gift that they create. This is my third set of personalized stationery. I still have a couple of sheets I saved from middle son four years ago. I wish I had from eldest eight years ago as our current Kindergartener wasn't born yet and so not on the stationery.

2010-01-19T09:14:00.000-05:00

I know this video is really making the rounds of all the letterpress related blogs, but I couldn't resist showing it to my non-letterpress friends. This is the same press I have, except, I do not have and automated inking motor and so each time I ink up the press, I have to hand crank the cylinder to spread the ink.

Letterpress Coasters from Quarter Productions on Vimeo.

Happy New Year

2010-01-12T08:08:00.000-05:00

OK, I know I am 12 days late. But now that we are in the swing of things in 2010, I thought I would share with you some of my new favorite typefaces.

NYC

2009-12-29T10:45:00.000-05:00

Has a wonderful afternoon in the city yesterday with the hubby. We went to the holiday shops at Bryant Park. What fun. I stepped into the lovely shop of Sandra Baquero and picked up a fabulous wrap.

Next we went to see Ragtime. Loved it! It is a true Broadway musical. And what I loved even more? The great poster they have for the show.

It was a cold, but fun day in the city.

Happy Holidays 2009

2009-12-18T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here it is, I know that many of you many not have received your cards yet, but I couldn't wait any longer.

I did a reverse print where I printed the background blue and left the type and design as white unprinted card stock. It makes the type feel like it is raised instead of impressed into the paper. I love the way it came out, but it wasn't easy to print on my simple manual Vandercook press. It went through a lot of ink, I was adding more ink every ten prints or so. And the was a much larger variation in the overall shade from the point where there is new ink on the press to the point where I needed more ink. So some of the prints came out a much darker blue and some very light. But the ink coverage on almost every single print was very even and looked good.

I knew from the first time I saw that photo in my camera that it was going to be used on my holiday cards. Every time I look at it, it brings me back to our vacation in BC.

In other news...

2009-12-17T08:18:00.000-05:00

My petit-notebooks are featured as a daily favorite today on Papernstitch!

And yesterday, my Through the Years, holiday card post from Tuesday was featured on the LCI Paper blog.

2009-12-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

Check out my new Etsy shop featured in this month's exhibit on Papernstitch!

Through the Years

2009-12-15T08:00:00.002-05:00

Since I just put the 2009 holiday cards in the mail yesterday. I thought I would give you a trip down memory lane, at least it is for me. Here are 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Going back to when I first started to letterpress print my own cards.

In 2005 I went all out, decorative paper, ribbon, multiple layers. The toughest part of the holiday card is getting three boys to take one good picture. So here I gave up completely and opted for one photo of each of them.

Here I went for a different look. It was the first time I printed stardream metallic card stock. It has a fun modern look. I also created a montage of photos and had them printed on a 4x6. This was the second year in a row that I couldn't get a decent photo of all three of them together.

Finally, a photo of the three monsters. Plus, more decorative papers and layers of card stock.

And then there is last year. Look at that, a picture of all five of us. It helps that we had eldest's Bar Mitzvah in November and therefore a professional photographer taking shots of us. Add to that two color printing, stardream layer duplexed onto the back and die cut into a circle.

Later in the week I will give you a preview of 2009, at least once I know that most people have received the ones I mailed.

Lonny Magazine

2009-12-14T09:51:00.005-05:00

I know everyone has talked about this already, but I love the new Lonny Magazine. Issue #2 just came out. It is an e-zine and while it takes getting used to not having pages to tear out and save for inspiration, there is a lot of inspiration in the online pages. Shopping, design, fashion, it is very well done and beautifully designed. And I love that you can click on the advertiser's ad or photo and link directly to their website.

{images via Lonny Mag}

New Additions

2009-12-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have just added the Charming Prints to my new Etsy shop.

My Secret Obsession

2009-12-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

I am embarrassed to admit it, but here it is.

OK, I first discovered it at a B&B we stayed at up in the Birkshires a couple of years ago. It is a nice, sweet, relaxing drink to have in the evening. Here is the interesting facts about it on Wikipedia. "Bristol Cream is a brand of Spanish Sherry, which has been imported into and bottled in Bristol, England since 1796 by John Harvey & Sons of Bristol. Contrary to popular belief, the term "Cream Sherry" does not reflect the use of any dairy ingredients in the recipe. The popular story is that in the 1860s, a visitor to the Harveys' cellars was given a taste of a new blend of sherry. When compared to Bristol Milk, she said, "If that be Milk, then this is Cream." The enterprising Harveys named the new blend "Cream Sherry" accordingly. Bristol cream is a common ingredient in lobster bisque."

And in 2008 the packaging redesign won a Silver Pentaward, according to The Dieline.

So last weekend we took the kids to The Chocolate World Expo, because besides Hebrew school, indoor soccer, basketball and Tae Kwon Do, we really didn't have anything to do on Sunday afternoon. We found some really great locally made sources including, Hunt Country Vineyards from The Finger Lakes region of New York. And I managed to pick up a bottle of their Cream Sherry.
It has a little lighter taste and it is locally made, always a plus. Enjoy!

Tom's Shoes

2009-12-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

I am sure that you all have heard of Tom's Shoes by now, but I just had to mention them. It is amazing what an impact one person can have. Here is their story directly from their website.

ONE FOR ONE

TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about.

OUR STORY

In 2006 an American traveler, Blake Mycoskie, befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by caring TOMS customers.

Since our beginning, TOMS has given over 150,000* pairs of shoes to children in need through the One for One model. Because of your support, TOMS plans to give over 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world in 2009.

And their shoes are cute and fun. I am thinking I might like me a pair of these. They would almost make me want to go out without a pair of heels.

And they even have Tiny Tom's.

All images via Tom's Shoes

New Etsy Shop

2009-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have taken the plunge into Etsy. Check it out here, Robin Beth. I will be adding plenty of more products shortly.

Tell me what you think?

2009-10-16T08:30:00.000-04:00

My great uncle Mike took these photographs years ago. It is photomicroscopy, or photography through the microscope. He was a scientist and after he retired, he and my great aunt traveled around the US in an RV and sold his photographs at art shows. That was in the 1970's and maybe early 1980's. My aunt and uncle are long passed, but our family has this treasury of photographs that lives on. I have been trying to come up with ideas of what to do with them. Sell prints, note cards, license them out, etc. Tell me what you think and if you have any ideas of what we should do with them. I just smile every time I see them.

Vitamin C

Sodium Barbital

N-acetyl L-cysteine

Insulin

Lots of new things

2009-09-24T08:10:00.004-04:00

So I have been totally out of commission the past few weeks. The start of the new school year and three kids in school and tons of activities have me running around a lot. But I did manage to print the first of of several new Mitzvah designs that I will be sending out to my dealers. Stay tuned for more!

Last stop - Campbell River, BC

2009-08-31T08:58:00.005-04:00

The last stop on out trip was Campbell River. Salmon fishing capital of the world.

Out on a whale watching boat trip.

Hiking at Elk Falls Provincial Park

The big salmon fishing trip

Tofino

2009-08-26T11:10:00.003-04:00

Tofino is such a beautiful, rugged and natural place. We really felt like we were in one of the last untouched places on earth. Here are a few highlights of our stay here.

A fabulous sunset boat ride through the area.

Surfing lessons

Hiking through the rainforest

Long Beach in the Pacific Rim National Park

The longest stretch of sand swept surf on Vancouver Island

breathtakingly beautiful and virtually deserted

A New Attitude

2009-08-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

We are on Tofino time!

Butchart Gardens

2009-08-22T10:41:00.005-04:00

Besides dragging my kids through Victoria today, I actually made them go to Butchart Gardens. It is not to be missed if you are in the area.

We went there at six in the evening walked around for a while and then stayed for the concert. My boys didn't disappoint though, they did manage to spend at least an hour wrestling on the grass.

1st Dibs Friday Fun - Children's school house decor

2009-08-22T08:22:00.000-04:00

What fun would it be to decorate a children's room in vintage school house decor.

{images via 1st Dibs}

We may never come back...

2009-08-21T11:11:00.006-04:00

The view as we take the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria on Vancouver Island.

And the view from our hotel in Victoria.

More to come.

A Good Cause

2009-08-19T08:10:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to put this out there to recognize all the hard work my husband puts into all his philanthropic endeavours. Well done. If anyone is interested, here is one that is close to his heart, Bergen County.

I need a vacation... sneak peek

2009-08-18T16:32:00.004-04:00

As we head off to vacation in a couple of days, I thought I would leave you with another sneak peek of some new Mitzvah designs I am working on.

If we have internet access, I will try to post a few photos from our trip. We are off to Vancouver Island, BC. Beaches, rain forests, hiking, fishing, whale watching, what could be better?

1st Dibs Friday Fun - an 18th Century Kitchen

2009-08-14T08:08:00.000-04:00

I dream of the day when we have the opportunity to remodel our kitchen. What fun it would be to infuse it with the charm of an 18th century farmhouse style. Here are a few ways to do that.

Urban Outfitters

2009-08-13T18:54:00.004-04:00

I wish I worked in an environment like this. Creative inspiration all around. This is repurposing at it's best. Check out this article at Metropolismag.com about the making of the Urban Outfitters corporate offices in the Philadelphia's Navy Yard.

Sneak Peek

2009-08-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

Just a little taste of some of the new designs I am working on.

I love the process of creating new designs. For me it is a long process, I start with one element or idea and over time it evolves many times. Sometimes it doesn't look that different from the original concept and sometimes it turns into something completely different.

Look out for some of these designs in stores this fall. My plan is to "surprise" my retailers with new designs for the Vibrant Mitzvah album by sending them out as complementary additions to their albums.

Don't worry, there will be some great stuff for boys too! And just wait until you see the custom letterpress printed envelope liners!

Friday evening cocktail

2009-08-07T18:32:00.004-04:00

Well, it has been a crazy few weeks, I ended up in the hospital last week with an emergency appendectomy. So I have been trying to get back up to speed this week and catch up on work.

Anyway, it is Friday afternoon and I have some St-Germain chilling in the freezer. St-Germain is a liquer made in France from the Elderflower. It is light and sweet. I am planning on serving it with a splash of champagne to celebrate the end of a long couple of weeks.

We discovered St-Germain when the company sponsored a fundraiser for Table to Table that we attended in May.

And to top it off, I love the bottle design and just love that when you look through the bottle at the backside of the label, you see this lovely pattern. Well designed, philanthropic and tastes good too. My kind of drink!

Enjoying the moment!

2009-07-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

I know this is making the rounds of Facebook and YouTube, but it made me laugh and cry at the same time. How much fun is this couple!

NY Botanical Gardens - The Edible Garden

2009-07-27T08:45:00.000-04:00

On Saturday we took the five year old to the NY Botanical Gardens to see The Edible Garden - A Summer-Long Celebration of Growing Great Food. While I think overall he was a little bored, we enjoyed it very much. They have some special Edible Garden exhibits such as a Home Gardening Center, The Heirloom Tomato, and Martha Stewart's Culinary Herb Garden. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful place to walk and take in the surroundings. Next time, I think we leave the five year old home.

I enjoyed taking some pictures of the incredible flowers in the Home Gardening Center. If my own home garden just looked like this.

Ahh, It's the weekend

2009-07-24T17:27:00.006-04:00

It was a crazy week here and I didn't get anything out to you, but I thought I would leave you with this for the weekend. A handmade piece. Silver, quartz and glass. A collaboration between my mother and I. I can't wait to wear it to the great concert in Haworth tomorrow night. Come on by if you are in the neighborhood.

1st Dibs Friday Fun - Lanvin Lucite

2009-07-17T08:49:00.007-04:00

Found all these beauties from the same dealer on 1st Dibs, Palumbo, 20th Century Furniture & Objects. Fabulous 1960s lucite jewelry.

{images via 1st Dibs}

Repurposed Vintage Fabric - Etsy Style

2009-07-16T15:55:00.010-04:00

It is always so much fun to peruse Etsy, you never know what amazing handmade items you will find there. I love to search for things using vintage, repurposed pieces. To me it doesn't get any better than handmade and vintage. About as earth friendly as you can get for little items that you may not really need, but really, really want. Here are a few to enjoy.

Hand dyed doilies cut from vintage crocheted tablecloths

From Sweetvintage78

Very cute hobo bag using vintage fabric

From jeanethandbags

Fat quarters cut from reclaimed bed linens

From Whimsiedots

Patchwork flowers made from repurposed fabric

Also from sweetvintage78

Little finger cuffs made from wool and found objects

From sewsewsuckurtoe

1St Dibs Friday Fun - Vintage Fashion

2009-07-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

1st Dibs just launched a Haute Couture, Designer Fashion & Vintage Accessories section on their website. This is so exciting. What better way to recycle than with exquisite vintage designer fashion!

Have I told you about my "Antiques Roadshow" moment? About six yeas ago, when I was seven months pregnant I stopped by an estate sale in this very old house in town. I really just wanted to see the inside of the almost 200 year old dutch colonial, but they did have some interesting things for sale. Upstairs on the bed was this vintage dress, pale cream silk satin with a neckline full of tiny seed beads. Several of them fell off every time you move the dress. For $35 I couldn't leave it there, even thought I had no way to try it on, being seven months pregnant, and had no idea what size it was. It sat in a plastic bag in my closet for several years. Last year I took it with my when I went to a vintage textile show in NY looking for fabric for some of my invitation designs. In a large booth out in the lobby was Karen Augusta, the textile appraiser for Antiques Roadshow. So I asked her about the dress and she said it was from the 1930's and that without any repairs or cleaning, just steaming out the wrinkles, she would expect it to get $1200- $1500 at auction. I promptly put it back in the bag and took it home. I still to this day haven't figured out what to do with it. Any suggestions?

On to 1st Dibs. Take a look at some of the amazing pieces they have in the Vintage Couture section.

{images via 1st Dibs}

2009-07-09T15:03:00.005-04:00

I have been so neglectful of this blog. For that I apologize. Even though we have had a lot of rain so far this summer, I am still trying to take it easy a little and for me that means trying to spend less time in front of the computer. Since work still needs to get done, the blog suffers.

This past weekend, my husband and I got away for a couple of days. Well, actually a day and a half, but we managed to pack in quite a lot of vacation and relaxing during that time. We headed about an hour and a half south of us in NJ to Dancer Farm B&B. Had a fabulous room, got a massage and managed to read an entire book while we were there.

Sunday afternoon we went over to Laurita Winery for some amazing wine and cheese, live entertainment, vineyard tours, and an opportunity to take in the incredible surroundings of the very eco-friendly winery and vineyard.

They have a large number of solar panels following the sun. A portion of the vineyard is organic and the section that they do spray, gets sprayed by hand, not by plane. The 20,000 square foot winery which opened last fall is constructed with about 70% recycled and reclaimed materials including two 250 year old barns that were deconstructed locally and used for the new structure. It was a wonderful and relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

Monday morning we got the chance to walk over to Laurita Equestrian Center and take a trail ride on horseback that took us through the vineyard and the woods surrounding the property. Then before we made our trip back up the turnpike, we stopped at a few U-pick farms and filled the car up with fruits and veggies, tomato plants and several flats of wildflowers.

It was a great getaway, I highly recommend it!

Moving towards Sustainability

2009-06-23T09:15:00.005-04:00

I have to tell you about this incredible event here is Haworth this Saturday, June 27th. Moving toward Sustainability. There will be speakers, demonstrations, vendors, food, music and so much more. Everything to do with making the world a healther place.

My husband Dave is helping to organize this, but most of the work is being done by the host, Leigh Merinoff. Here is what she has to say, “Things we can do to create a sustainable future” will be the focus of a free, community festival sponsored by the environmental group, Moving Toward Sustainability, on Saturday, June 27, 2009 in Haworth, New Jersey. The festival will run from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will be held in the yard of Leigh and Charlie Merinoff at 317 Massachusetts Avenue, Haworth, New Jersey. Rain date is June 28, 2009.

The day-long festival will feature a variety of informative, “how to” demonstrations and workshops on such topics as how to grow, gather, can and ferment fruits and veggies, cultivating mushrooms, composting, and backyard beekeeping. There will be tours and demonstrations held in the fruit orchard, the rain garden, the kitchen garden, and the composting area explaining the successes and failures at growing edibles in the peri-urban setting. There also will be a backyard chicken coop building project and an arts and crafts projects for kids.

I know that I am really looking forward to it. Please come by of you are in the neighborhood.

The opening of Paper Stories!

2009-06-23T09:05:00.003-04:00

Hope you can stop by the opening of Paper Stories in Westlake, IL. My good friend Kelly is opening a fabulous shop featuring all sorts of paper goodness!

The Incredible Massive Letterpress Giveaway at Poppytalk

2009-06-09T08:29:00.006-04:00

Just wanted to give you a head up that over at Poppytalk, they are giving away the Letterpress Swap that I mentioned here and here. Go over there and add your comments to make sure you are entered to win. I am telling you, this is such an incredible collection and a one of a kind opportunity. Here are a few more prints from the swap.

More Letterpress Goodness

2009-06-02T08:02:00.008-04:00

The next grouping is based on color. There was a definite theme as to what were the hot colors in the swap. Yellow, orange and teal, or some combination of those. In fact, over half the prints had at least one of these colors in them. Here are some of them.

Sycamore Street Press

Night Owl Paper Goods

Visual Chemist

3 Red Hens

Enjoy Design

Stay tuned for more to come!

Letterpress Heaven

2009-05-31T19:29:00.014-04:00

I got this incredible package in the mail on Friday. I had been waiting for it for so long. Thank you so much to Kelly from Paperstories for organizing the most amazing Letterpress Swap. A total of 39 prints arrived from 39 different printers. All incredible pieces of hand made goodness. Over the next few posts, I will show them all.

Robin Beth

Here is mine first. It was on top of the pile, I think because

I put "2009 Letterpress Swap" in the print.

I have gone through the photos several times to try and sort and post them in a way that makes sense. I have been trying for some themes and here are a few that I have noticed.

Some incredible prints in all or mostly all black.

Bound Staff Press

Reservoir Press

Julia Juliette

Mire Ink

Here are some that are embellished in some way, stitching, die cut with pop out chickens, accessorized with miniature scapels, etc.

Sycamore Street Press

Yee Haw (Julie)

Bon Vivant

Some wonderful classic broadsides.

Kissing Bug Press

Front Room Press

Stay tuned, more to come later!

Thank you and 1st Dibs Friday Fun - White Light

2009-05-22T15:07:00.004-04:00

Well it has been a whirlwind week. I didn't know what to expect going into the National Stationery Show given the economy, but I was determined to show our retailers that we are committed, expand our presence and expand our product line. I think we more than accomplished all of those goals. I would really like to thank all the new and current retailers that stopped by the booth to chat and take a look at our products. It was so nice to meet so many new people and catch up with those we already knew. We promise that after a couple of days off, we will be following up with everyone.

I want to get back to our regular posts, so I thought I would do our usual 1st Dibs Friday Fun today. It was so much fun to design the booth this year. You can see it right here. We had a bigger and better location and knew that it really had to stand out. I think by the number of compliments we got on the booth, we were able to do that. And as not to be too wasteful, we took everything back, including the walls and are hoping to use it again next year. One of the most important aspect of a trade show booth is lighting. It is amazing what a difference that can make in how your product shows off. We were fortunate to get some track lighting a couple of years ago that has really worked well for us and we have been using it ever since. We added some decorative lighting this year with a paper lantern from Ikea which helped to set the style of the booth. But I couldn't help thinking, what would we have done if we could have used some vintage lighting from 1st Dibs? So here are some of my top choices of lighting we could have used if this had been a real room and not a trade show booth that was taken down after four days.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend and we will be back next week, hopefully all refreshed and ready to go!

Here we are!

2009-05-18T20:41:00.007-04:00

The show is under way and we have been very busy. There are still two more days, so if you are in town, stop by booth #3113. Here is the booth.

Off we go...

2009-05-14T19:03:00.004-04:00

I thought I would have time today to prepare my Friday 1st Dibs Fun post, but we have been working like crazy preparing for the National Stationery Show. We start moving in to the Javits Center tomorrow morning. It has been stressful, but we are really starting to feel the excitement. We have been hearing from retailers that they will see us at the show. I can't wait to show them all the new products we have to offer.

So I thought I would leave you with a couple more blog mentions of Robin Beth's new products.

The oh so fabulous Nole, of Oh So Beautiful Paper featured our new collections on her blog yesterday. I can't wait to meet her at the show.

And one of my favorite bloggers and long time stationery friends Abby of Style Me Pretty, introduced her readers to our new wedding collection today.

Tomorrow is likely to be a long day for us here. If you don't hear from me until next week, it means we were so busy that I didn't have any time to stop and blog during the show. Wish me luck!

As seen on...

2009-05-12T07:53:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to shout out a couple of blog mentions that Robin Beth has received over the past few weeks.

Here are our new Charming Prints on Apartment Therapy's OhDeeDoh blog.

And here our new collections were discussed on a wonderful paper blog, Paper Crave.

It is getting busy here, we start setting up for the National Stationery Show at the Javits Center in NY on Friday. The show starts Sunday. Please stop by and visit us in booth #3113. And don't forget to check out some of my friends from A Fresh Bunch, in booth #2547.

I am going to attempt to blog from the show a little to show off some great eco-friendly stationery options. This is, if I get out of the booth at all!

1st Dibs Friday Fun - Modern Marble

2009-05-08T11:02:00.006-04:00

I thought I would take a look at what was available on 1st Dibs in marble. There are so many gorgeous pieces that are ornately carved, but I was looking for pieces with some cleaner lines. Here are a few great 60's and 70's modern pieces.

And here are a few of my favorites, with a little more of an industrial or classic feel to them, but would still look fabulous in a modern home.

{images via 1st Dibs}

I hope everyone enjoys their Mother's Day weekend!

Some Blog Love

2009-05-05T17:51:00.009-04:00

I have had the fantastic opportunity over the past four weeks to get to know some very talented and amazing people through the Blogging Your Way e-course given by Holly of decor8. It was such a wonderful experience, not only did I learn a lot about writing a blog but made some fun friends too. As the course has now drawn to an end, I wanted to give you a sneak peak into just a few of my fellow students.

First there is Diane from D S Brennan Photography. She is a very talented art photographer who posts some incredible nature photographs on her blog. She also discusses nature and the environment (a big plus in my book) and also does some teaching of photography skills on her blog through instruction and podcasts.

{image via DS Brennan}

Decor Addict is an interior design and decor blog, with a Canadian kick. It is run by Trina Brandon an interior decorator. I love the fun style of her blog and all the great design photos she posts and she really focuses on shopping local, a great eco-friendly practice.

{image via Decor Addict}

Next is Concha from Saidos da Conchas. Concha is a sewing enthusiast that lives in Lisbon, Portugal. She tries to lead a handmade life and features a lot of photos of her bright and creative sewing projects as well as featuring beautiful vintage design and patterns. Handmade and vintage in one blog! And as an added bonus, she blogs in both English and Portuguese.

{image via Saidos da Concha}

I hope you are as inspired by these talented ladies as I am.

The Countdown Begins

2009-05-04T07:58:00.005-04:00

We have less than two weeks until the National Stationery Show begins. We have been working like crazy to prepare as we head into the final stretch. The big mailer has been sent out and the new website is up, so I hope some of you are new visitors that have come to check out Robin Beth Designs.

We have a new line of wedding invitations, a line of "Letterpress Goodies" including note cards, journals, gift tags and holiday ornaments and "Charming Prints", a line of personalized letterpress art prints for babies & kids. I thought I would leave you today with a bunch of photos of my work. I hope that if you are attending the National Stationery Show, that you look us up in booth #3113. If you won't be there, but would like more information, please fill out the new dealer inquiry form right here and you will hear from us.

1st Dibs Friday Fun - Vintage Posters

2009-05-01T07:56:00.004-04:00

Before we get into all the beautiful things I have in store for you today, I just wanted to mention one big business accomplishment. My new website is up. We have been feverishly working away here to get ready for the National Stationery Show which is in a couple of weeks, including letterpress printing tons of samples, creating catalogs, putting together invitation albums, planning the booth decoration and redesigning the website. The new website is now live, please check it out at Robin Beth.

On to the eye candy. I don't have too much to say here, so I will just leave you with this gorgeousness from 1st Dibs. I would love to have some of these in my house.

{images via 1st Dibs}

Green Demolitions - A win-win for all

2009-04-29T07:47:00.005-04:00

I believe my husband discovered Green Demolitions at a "Green Fair" we visited at a local school.
It is such an amazing concept that really does good all around. If homeowners are undergoing renovations and "getting rid" of things in their household like kitchens, bathrooms, etc they can call Green Demolitions. Green Demolitions will send out licensed contractors who will photograph everything. They put the products up for sale on their website and in their three stores and then someone can purchase and reuse the products. I am not talking about garage sale items, I am talking about $60,000 kitchens including high end appliances and granite that are only a few years old that resell for half that amount. They then remove the products from the house and take them to one of their three retail locations in Norwalk, Ct, Bethel, NY or Honesdale, PA. to await a buyer. Many of their really high end kitchens are pre-sold before the are even removed from the donors house. While we have put our renovation plans on hold for the short term, I check the website regularly to drool over and imagine how we could use some of the kitchens and bathrooms offered there. Check this one out, hard to believe! And they will ship to anywhere in the US!

Not only that, but Green Demolitions is a non-profit organization with proceeds going to Recovery Unlimited which supports All Addicts Anonymous, a 12-step program for all addicts. So by taking donations of home products they are reducing what goes into our landfills, giving a tax deductions to the donors, raising money for worthy causes and providing customers with needed reused products at a fraction of the retail cost. Wow, I love this company.

{images via Green Demolitions}

Not your Ordinary Recycled Bags

2009-04-27T08:27:00.006-04:00

Here is a company that is doing some interesting things with materials that would otherwise end up in landfills.

I first spotted an Ecoist bag when a friend was carrying one recently. The way it was put together fascinated me. It reminded me of those chains of chewing gum wrappers we used to make as a kid.

So I did some homework and found out that they make many styles of bags out "recycled candy wrappers, food packages, soda labels, subway maps, newspapers and other waste bound materials." They look good and are good for the environment. Plus, the company uses sustainable manufacturing practices utilizing a network of fair trade suppliers and manufactures around the world, helping underprivledged citizens to earn a living.

They also work with an organization called Trees for the Future to plant a tree for every handbag sold. Hmmm, which one should I get for a fun summer handbag?

1st Dibs Friday Fun - Glorious Glass

2009-04-24T09:02:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things to discover whenever I have the opportunity at an antique show, tag sale or even online at 1st Dibs is vintage glass. It always has an imperfect hand blown quality to it. I can imagine the work that went into creating some of these pieces 50, 80 or 120 years ago. So here is my 1st Dibs glass showcase.

Here we have a group of antique wine bottles.

Here is a group of vintage apothecary bottles.

I could just imagine them siting on display on this fabulous old set apothecary drawers.

And the display wouldn't be complete without this on the wall above it.

What fun.

{images via 1st Dibs}

Doing our part

2009-04-22T08:47:00.000-04:00

Over the past several years, we have tried to become as earth friendly as possible. I thought if I am going to continue to talk to you about things you can do to help the environment, especially today, Earth Day, I should probably share with you all the little things we have done to help. Some are very small steps, but every little bit helps, especially if lots of people are taking those small steps.

1. We have completely eliminated disposable products, no more paper plates, plastic cups and especially no more plastic water bottles.

2. We recycle. A lot. Almost everything. Of course working with paper, I try to recycle as much as I can. Actually, I try to reuse as much as I can and waste as little as possible. There is also my husbands medical supply business with warehouse space where there is no recycling. So every two weeks he fills his car up with the broken down boxes and brings them back to the house for our recycling. On a regular basis, I think we have the largest pile of paper/cardboard recycling in town.

3. We compost. You know that you are into it when friends give you composting containers as gifts. Seriously. We had been composting for a while and my husband would use a bowl to hold all the food scraps and make a trip to the large composting bin on the side of the yard several times a day. Thank you to our friend Susan who noticed this and got us a cute little counter top composting bin to hold the scraps until we can get them out in the yard. My husband just spent the better part of the day spreading the compost on our vegetable garden.

4. We have a vegetable garden. We are fortunate to have a fairly large yard so we have a fairly large vegetable garden. It is great exercise to work in the garden on a regular basis and there is nothing like eating freshly picked tomatoes and cucumbers.

5. This goes without saying. We have switched all our lights over to CFL.

6. As much as they grumble, we try to walk our kids to school as often as possible.

7. We bring our own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store.

8. We don't use the sprinkler system, we catch water in rain barrels and spread it out over our garden.

9. We try to buy as much locally grown and organic foods as possible. I am very fortunate to have a husband that not only cooks, but does all the food shopping as well. We shop farmers markets as much as we can during the summer. He is a great cook, so we don't eat out often and rarely eat any type of prepared foods.

10. My business. I know fabulous letterpress stationery isn't a necessity, but there are some luxuries that we deserve to splurge on. Especially if they are green luxuries. I use almost all 100% cotton papers, a lot of them are from Crane. You can see their description of their green processes here. And with the exception of my computer and the designing and processing of the printing plates, just about everything else we do is manual labor. I have a forty year old, completely manually operated printing press and we hand cut and die cut all our papers and products.

If you want to hear more out the environment, food, policy and politics, you can check out my incredible husband's blog (incredible husband and incredible blog) right here, www.aliveandkickn.com. He is an elected official, three time cancer survivor, dad and soccer coach and he likes to talk about his passions on his blog. Just make sure you sure you don't miss his dry, sarcastic sense of humor. He is kidding some (most) of the time.

Valley Shepherd Creamery

2009-04-20T09:02:00.001-04:00

We took the boys on a family outing this weekend to Valley Shepherd Creamery. What an interesting place. It is a small sheep farm in New Jersey where they use the sheep's milk to make farmstead cave aged cheeses. They have about 600 sheep on the farm at capacity which actually makes them one of the three largest sheep farms in the country. Every spring hundreds of lamb are born on the farm. The sheep are all grass fed in the fields. For a small artisanal process, they are very sophisticated. They do genetic testing on their animals and have imported specialized equipment from all over europe for milking. Here is their rotary milking system.

The sheep are loaded into a stall, hooked up to the the milking machine, then they rotate around on the machine for about two minutes. When they are done being milked, the harness around their necks open up and, on their own, the sheep get out and head back down the ramp to the barn.

We got to take a tour of the barns and milking system and saw the greenhouse were they keep all the new born lambs. Here is my nine year old holding a 10 day old lamb.

Then we got to go to the sheep shoppe where they sell all the fresh and aged cheeses.

All the aged cheeses spend two to fourteen months aging in a cave carved out of the side of a hill on the property. We picked up some pure sheep's whey ricotta and pure sheep's milk Ewegurt and several aged cheeses all made from raw milk including smoked gouda, blue cheese and one called Valley Thunder which is a hand milled, crumbly sharp cheddar. All their cheeses are sold at their farm store, farmers markets in the NY/NJ area and at some select specialty cheese shops around the country. They sell out all the cheese they can make every year.

What an incredible experience to see how they operate. They have farm tours every weekend throughout the summer, they also teach cheese making classes and Saturday, May 2nd is their annual sheep shearing festival. You can check that out here. Delicious!

1st Dibs Friday Fun - Vintage Industrial

2009-04-17T15:55:00.006-04:00

I am going to try and make this a regular series. With my crazy schedule, I am not sure it will be every Friday, but wouldn't that be fun! I have a stationery friend, Kelly, from Paperstories Letterpress who is taking the very exciting leap of opening up a studio/retail space in the Chicago area. I wish her the best of luck and really hope that she has so much success with this venture. Way to go! She is detailing the move to her new space here on her blog. Wouldn't you love to have this space to work in?

It really got me thinking about the idea of opening a retail space. That would be a fabulous dream, but certainly not something that is anywhere in the near future for me. But I thought that if I did, how would I design it? Right now I am all about vintage industrial and I think this would be a great look for a retail space, especially one that deals with a lot of paper, handmade and eco-friendly products. So here are all pieces from 1st Dibs that I think would be great in a retail space. I used a lot of storage, tables for display and lots and lots of lighting.

Enjoy!

Wallpaper* and Dwell

2009-04-14T15:40:00.007-04:00

In my quest to find a replacement for my beloved Domino magazine I spent some time in the magazine section at my local Barnes & Noble store. I picked up a couple of magazines that looked interesting, Wallpaper* and Dwell.

Wallpaper* is a *designinteriorfashionartlifestyle magazine. It is published in London. There is lots of eye candy that would make any designer drool. Very beautifully done and very high end. It is a really nice mix of art, architecture, design, decor, and fashion. A little for everyone. Not sure it is a perfect replacement for the more down to earth and affordable Domino, but certainly is worth perusing once in a while.

Dwell is more of a shelter magazine and is very focused on eco-friendly design and California modern living.

If you were remodeling, redecorating or just wanted more information on modern green living, this is the magazine for you. I could see myself subscribing to this one. Take a look.

Picky, picky, picky

2009-04-11T10:07:00.006-04:00

I am starting to learn to trust my instincts more when it comes to creating my work. We will see if those instincts are anywhere close to correct. I have a new line coming out called "Charming Prints", they are personalized letterpress art prints for babies and kids. I have been working with Leo a very talented illustrator from Little Lion Studios to create four different letterpress art prints that can be personalized by the customers with babies/kids names and dates. All the background artwork will be printed in advance and the customer will get to choose the typeface and ink color of the personalized names. I had printed three out of four of the art pieces. Here they are.

I was really struggling with the color combinations for the fourth piece. Of the first three, two were more girly and one was boyish. So should I make the fourth print boyish or use colors that could work for either? The first time I printed it up I opted for the latter.

For weeks I stared at that and it bugged me. It just didn't feel right. It kept me up at night. I felt like it didn't really pop. I felt like it didn't quite work for either a girl or a boy as I tried to make it too gender neutral. So I inked up the press again and here is what I did. Do you think it works now?

1st Dibs Fun

2009-04-10T09:13:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite fantasy websites is 1st Dibs. What an incredible selection of high end antiques in many styles from many time periods. Antique dealers from all across the country feature fabulous pieces available to ship. I love antiques, I love the opportunity to reuse a piece of our past rather than purchase new, although if I were to be able to purchase from this site, I think I would want to make sure it was pieces from some of the more local dealers because I think shipping furniture across the country defeats the purpose of buying old vs. new.

But it is so much fun to look through all the eye candy on the website and imagine how I could fill my house with all that incredible design.

I thought it would be fun to occasionally use pieces found on 1st Dibs to create a room. Here is my first attempt. I am going back to the post the other day about my JazzFest prints. I thought if I could design a room around those prints, what would it be and how would it look? I tried to imagine a sophisticated, elegant deco home office. Completely unlike the home studio I currently use. Here is just a taste of a few pieces that I thought could go into a room like that.

Please note that I am not an interior designer. I am just showing you what I love. I may make it a regular feature to create fun and interesting rooms from the furniture offered for sale on 1st Dibs. Let me know if you have a particular room, style, or era you would like to see featured here. Stay tuned for more 1st Dibs fun in the future.

2009-04-07T09:00:00.001-04:00

I have officially finished printing all the samples for my new line of wedding invitations. Here is a sneak peek of the latest design.

Printed in sage green and navy.

2009-04-06T10:21:00.004-04:00

Saturday was my birthday. We went out to what I think was the most incredible dinner experience I have ever had. We pulled a few strings and got a reservation at, Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York, just north of Manhattan. It is on the property of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. Which, according to their website the mission of this "unique, nonprofit, member-driven collaboration is to celebrate, teach and advance community-based food production and enjoyment, from farm to classroom to table." They hold all kinds of classes and tours, and it is certainly a wonderful place just to walk around and learn about the food we eat.

But Blue Hill is an experience in itself. They give you a menu which is just a list of the many ingredients that have been harvested and are available to possibly be a part of your meal. You choose from the five course tasting menu or the eight course "Farm Feast." They discuss with you your likes and dislikes and if there are any foods you can't eat and then they prepare your meal. Then the food starts coming to the table. We ended up with sixteen or seventeen small plates of food, each one fresher and more incredible than the next. There were miniature beet burgers, squab with risotto, this mornings egg soft boiled with a crunchy crust and lentils in a broth, there was a fresh salami plate with four different types of fresh salami including vennison, a wonderful celery apple juice, a lot of vegetables including incredibly fresh spinach, beets, a display of mini carrots, radishes and lettuce.

And the service is probably the best I have ever experienced. We felt as if the staff was performing a choreographed dance around the dining room. We had as many staff serving our table and there were diners at our table. Pure heaven.

And I can't forget to mention the dining room and overall all decor of the restaurant. Beautifully done, not the really rustic farmhouse look I was expecting, but expertly refined modern and luxurious.

Just the idea that all the fabulous food prepared at the restaurant is all locally grown, fresh picked, and in season, including a large portion of it right there on the Stone Barns property, is enough to experience this meal, but the service, style, decor and quality of the food was second to none. Oh, and to top it off, because we had pulled those strings, (thank you Peter Kelly), we got a kitchen tour and got to meet the chef/owner Dan Barber. The cherry on top!

Look what just arrived

2009-04-03T16:43:00.003-04:00

I just got this email. I am thrilled to be a part of the fabulous group.

You can check out the lookbook right here.

Purple Passion

2009-04-02T18:54:00.003-04:00

My new note cards with the letterpress printed folio gift box.

Today was purple passion day as I spent a good part of the day printing in purple. It was a lot of fun, once I got past the registration issues I had. This is probably my favorite of all the patterns in my new line. Although I love them all so much, not sure if I can really make that decision.

The press is inked up and ready to go.

Ink on the plates.

Here are all the discarded sheets where the registration was off. I am going to come up with some other use for these, can't put them in the recycling bin, even with the registration off, they are too nice to get rid of.

2009-04-01T17:55:00.000-04:00

New Orleans holds a special place in my heart. My husband and I met in college there at Tulane University. It is such an incredible city that gave us such a unique college experience. Some of the treasures I have from New Orleans include these prints which hang on our living room walls. The are from the New Orleans JazzFest which happens late April/early May. All are created by local Louisana artists and true to the city, are bold and fabulous.

This is the first poster we got from 1989, the year we graduated from Tulane. The artist is renown New Orleans artist Richard Thomas.

This one is from 1997, we didn''t attend that JazzFest, but I am pretty sure my good friend and college roomate, Dannal sent it to us. She lives in New Orleans and has a fabulous store there which I plan on profiling later in this blog. The artist is Francis Pavy.

This last one is from 2004 and I am pretty sure by then I was able to order it online. By artist Paul Rogers.

I always imagine these posters on the wall of a sophisticated 30s/40s lounge like living room, but since my living room right now is the den/playroom for my three boys, that will have to wait. If you have any interest, 2009 Jazz Fest posters and vintage posters are available for purchase here.

Simple Foods for Busy Families

2009-03-30T14:09:00.000-04:00

My friend Tracee just published this wonderful book full of simple healthy meals and advice. Tracee is a registered dietician, a holistic health counselor and a very busy Mom. As you can see from the reviews, her book it a hit with other busy Moms looking to feed their family in a nutritious and easy to prepare way. She is making a local appearance in Bergen County, NJ on Thursday, at Books & Greetings in Norwood. She can also work with you as a consultant to help you live a healthier lifestyle.

Luxe Earth

2009-03-24T15:30:00.000-04:00

luxe [looks, luhks; Fr. lyks]
-adjective
1.

luxurious; deluxe: luxe accommodations.

earth [urth]
-noun

the inhabitants of this planet, esp. the human inhabitants: The whole earth rejoiced.

this planet as the habitation of humans.

I have thought for a long time about starting a blog. I have decided to take the leap. To put my thoughts, ideas, finds and my art on display is a bit scary, but very exciting at the same time. I have thought a lot about what I want to talk about. My art and business, yes. My family, yes, a little. My inspirations, yes. So how to put all of this out there in a cohesive way? I thought about all the blogs I currently read on a regular basis. At last count there were over 100 blogs in my blog reader. I think they all display little pieces of what I would like to pull together. Art, design, decor, home, garden. family, business, craft, handmade, great finds, great products, but what I want to do a little bit differently is to display them all with the environment in mind. I want to show you a Luxe Earth. Fabulous ways to save the planet. We can all do our part, but I know we can do it with great design.

Here is a little taste to start. New invitations by me. Robin Beth

Printed manually on 100% cotton tree free card stocks.

Hopefully, I will continue to improve my blogging skills as I am signed up to take a blogging workshop with the very talented Holly of Decor8.

You can also see some of my blogging skills at work here, Stationery Guides.

Please be patient with me if I start off slow and only post here once and a while. I promise some interesting stuff.