January 13, 2016
New year, new stamps! The USPS has released their newest batch of stamps for 2016. I'm especially excited about the quilled paper heart stamp for Valentine's Day!
Lunar New Year: Year of the Monkey
Other new stamps to be released later this year include a Shirley Temple stamp, Star Trek, pick up trucks, and soda fountain favorites!
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December 09, 2015
I adore the Postal Service's new Christmas stamps for this holiday season (read about them here), but there is something so wonderful about the holiday stamps from years past. I love the colorful vintage designs and sweet sentiments that graced these stamps. My go-to resource for sourcing unused vintage stamps is Etsy. It takes some searching and reading reviews, but I take such delight in discovering stamps from previous holidays. Here are a handful of my personal favorites.
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November 16, 2015
Stores have begun decorating for the holidays, gift guides are landing in my inbox, and I'm starting to think about gifts for the special people on my list...it can only mean one thing: the holiday season is here!
I'm excited to share Happy Cactus' newest holiday card designs for the season. There is no better time of year to send cards to loved ones and catch people up on what you've been up to all year. Here are the brand new releases:
October 23, 2015
Today the USPS is releasing new holiday stamps! The latest stamps feature geometric snowflakes in different colors.
Earlier this month the Charlie Brown Christmas stamps were released. I just love that old Charlie Brown movie and quickly ordered a sheet of the stamps online.
What do you think about this season's stamps?
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August 17, 2015
The USPS is at it again! Time for one of my favorite round-ups: brand new stamps for sale. Since my last post, the USPS has added a handful of fun new stamps. I love buying my stamps online - there's never a line, they always have every style in stock, and it arrives in my mailbox a few days later!
Elvis Presley - a less colorful approach to the Elvis stamp released in the early 90's
Summer Harvest
Coastal Birds
U.S. Coast Guard
May 20, 2015
I've said it before, the USPS has been killing it lately with new stamp releases. They recently released a handful of new stamps. Shopping the USPS store makes it super easy to stock up on stamps so you always have some handy for sending cards. Plus, you get to avoid waiting in line at the post office. My new favorites are below!
March 26, 2014
The U.S. Postal Service continues to be on a roll releasing wonderful and well-designed new stamps. Here are some new favorites I can't wait to purchase.
Songbirds
Jimi Hendrix
Winter Flowers
Great Spangled Fritillary
USS Arizona Memorial
Ferns
Hummingbird
October 23, 2013
The U.S. Postal Service has unveiled their new stamps for the 2013 holiday season and they are pretty great! They also have a great website featuring the stories behind the new stamps. Did you know the first holiday stamp was released in 1962? Here are my favorites from the new releases:
August 20, 2013
May 13, 2013
I'm leaving for the National Stationery Show in a few short days, and I can't wait to share my new products with retailers attending the show! Here's a behind-the-scenes look at my pre-show mailer that I recently sent out to stores. It's customary to send invitations to retailers inviting them to visit your booth at the National Stationery Show. This year, I did a 5"x7" flat card using a design based off my new Emerald Flowers patterned card (debuting at the show).
The front of the card had pertinent information about my booth and new product releases, while the back was covered in the hand-drawn floral vines. The white against the emerald green color really pops!
I decided to use a kraft envelope and wanted to use white ink for the address. One of my favorite parts of the mailer is the floral oval stamp on the front of the envelope that I wrote each retailer's address inside. I had a stamp made based on an original drawing that matched the card's floral vines, then I stamped each envelope using white ink. I used a white gel ink pen (my new obsession) to hand-address each card.
Finally, I choose the USPS's brand new vintage seed packet stamps. I absolutely adore these stamps and loved the bold flowers against the brown kraft!
I hope retailers enjoyed receiving these invitations as much as I enjoyed putting them together. See you at Booth 2240 in New York!
April 22, 2013
February 08, 2013
The U.S. Postal Service may be having a very rough time (R.I.P. Saturday delivery), but they are killing it when it comes to new stamp releases. Perhaps their motive is to release really awesome stamps so people get excited about buying them and sending more mail. Here's some new favorites of mine...
Felt and Wire has a great blog post about the story behind this stamp commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
LOVE the new "Sealed with Love" stamp - a collaboration between the amazing graphic designer Louise Fili and illustrator Jessica Hische.
I need to get my hands on a set of these "Kaleidoscope Flowers" stamps. I love the different color combinations going on here.
This new 66¢ stamp for wedding invitations should be released in March. Kind of reminds me of my own work!
I'm most excited about this stamp honoring the Man in Black that will be coming out at some point this year!