<p class="has-drop-cap">It&#8217;s been over a month now since <a href="https://www.nationalstationeryshow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="National Stationery Show (opens in a new tab)">National Stationery Show</a> closed its inaugural February doors, and the news that it will return in August is still sinking in! As we prep for the next edition (just around the figurative corner) I wanted to take a look back to review some show stoppers — and some familiar (and favorite) industry faces.</p>



<p>First up, we have <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Boss Dotty (opens in a new tab)" href="https://bossdotty.com/" target="_blank">Boss Dotty</a> — and Theresa&#8217;s Mayor of Babetown Sticker Card. The A2 card is paired with a kraft envelope and detachable silkscreened felt banner sticker (in assorted and rather vibrant colors). </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/BossDotty_Bestseller_NSS2019.jpg" alt="Boss Dotty Bestseller NSS2019" class="wp-image-10001118" width="1258" height="1258" title="Boss Dotty Bestseller NSS2019"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/BDC-316_MayorOfBabetown_1x1_WEB.jpg" alt="BDC-316 Mayor O fBabetown" class="wp-image-10001116" width="1450" height="1450" title="BDC-316 Mayor O fBabetown"/></figure>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Bonnie Marcus Collection (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.bonniemarcuscollection.com/" target="_blank">Bonnie Marcus Collection</a> returned to the Show, albeit in a new spot! Here is Bonnie with her best-seller, a calendar from <a href="https://www.browntrout.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Brown Trout (opens in a new tab)">Brown Trout</a>, who was also exhibiting. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/calendarphoto-3-15.jpg" alt="calendar photo" class="wp-image-10001114" width="1257" height="1646"/></figure>



<p>A bright spot in the Emerging Designers section was Âme Courrier, and Mabel found it to be &#8220;exhilarating and educational,&#8221; she told me. &#8220;I definitely learned a lot both behind the scenes about what goes into a trade show and also communicating to buyers face to face.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_1042.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001109" width="1260" height="1679"/></figure>



<p>Fittingly, her best seller is Helping Me Grow. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_7192.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001112" width="1261" height="1678"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_7197.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001113" width="1261" height="1571"/></figure>



<p>A great find for me inside the show was Dry Wit Goods. Her top seller? A card reading, &#8220;A good friend is one you can talk on the phone with. Even while you pee.&#8221;</p>



<p> &#8220;I was pleasantly surprised this was the best seller, because it isn’t generally the top card,&#8221; Jennifer told me. &#8220;But it is always a fan favorite, so I am glad it got the love it deserves. This was my first NSS and I’m still numb from the excitement and hard work that went into it and is continuing with post-show production and follow-up. It was quite an experience!&#8221; <br></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Dry-Wit-Goods-Best-Seller.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001120" width="1256" height="1673"/></figure>



<p>It was hard to not swoon for the beachy keen brushstrokes populating the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" label="Evergreen Summer (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.theevergreensummer.com/collections" target="_blank">Evergreen Summer</a> booth. &#8220;This was my first NSS and I had such a great experience,&#8221; Meg told me. &#8220;It felt amazing to meet buyers and write orders, but what really made the experience complete for me was getting to know the other exhibitors in my row. None of my family or friends are in the stationery business, so meeting other people who do what I do and sharing stories was a big highlight from my time at the show. I was really amazed by how supportive and welcoming everyone was!&#8221; </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NSS-Spring2019-1-2.png" alt="" class="wp-image-10001129" width="1440" height="1440"/></figure>



<p>Meg had two top sellers. The Tammy Card (in pink) sold the most individual units, but the Dave Card (beach day) was sold to the most retailers. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NSS-Spring2019-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001131" width="1406" height="1645"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NSS-Spring2019-2-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-10001127" width="1293" height="1293"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NSS-Spring2019-3-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-10001130" width="1450" height="1450"/></figure>



<p><a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Girl of All Work (opens in a new tab)" href="https://girlofallwork.com/" target="_blank">Girl of All Work</a> always shows a distinctive perspective on office supplies — so it&#8217;s not really too surprising that Dyna included her adorable daughter Penny in the shot. Dyna tells me Penny comes to her studio every day and has taken over her office. I remember those days well! Penny’s holding their best selling page flag <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Cats! Cats! Cats! (opens in a new tab)" href="https://girlofallwork.com/categories/14-page-flags/products/542-cats-cats-cats-page-flags" target="_blank">Cats! Cats! Cats!</a></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/NSS_2019.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001134" width="1427" height="1902"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/GWJ843.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001133" width="1450" height="1450"/></figure>



<p>One of the most glamorous spots at NSS was the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://girlwithknife.com/" target="_blank">Girl w/Knife</a> booth, where the top seller was the Thick &; Thin card. It&#8217;s shown first with Elicia&#8217;s cat/office manager Princess Vespa photo bombing, then taking over the whole picture! </p>



<p>&#8220;Everyone went wild over this card!&#8221; Elicia told me. &#8220;It got so much attention that I started to wonder if it was the placement, so I kept moving it around on the shelves. Nope! People went right over to it and had a laugh. It was the best feeling in the world to step back and observe people enjoying my cards.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/image7.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001140" width="1437" height="1437"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/image4.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001137" width="1436" height="998"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/image5.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001138" width="1436" height="1042"/></figure>



<p>Susan Hazel Rich of <a href="https://shophazelmade.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" label="Hazelmade (opens in a new tab)">Hazelmade </a>marked her fifth anniversary with her NSS debut! &#8220;I couldn&#8217;t have prepared for how wonderful it felt to connect with the lovely paper community,&#8221; she told me. &#8220;Meeting so many new + familiar shop owners, designers, and friends in person was a true highlight of our trip to NYC. Looking forward to joining the show again.&#8221; </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Hazelmade-NSS-Booth-2019-0016.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001147" width="1378" height="1071"/></figure>



<p>Susan had two top sellers. Her 2020 Art Print Floral Calendar comes with four 12” x 18” individual sheets to mark each season. After each season has passed, each can be trimmed down into an 11” x 14” print. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_0559.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001143" width="1373" height="1961"/></figure>



<p>Meanwhile, Susan&#8217;s Bold Florals Flour Sack Tea Towel of 100% cotton is one of three new designs new for 2019. &#8221; I have been creating these towels since 2014,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Each starts with layers of carefully hand drawn illustration (which) are screen printed on the towels. From design, to sewing, through to printing and packaging, these towels are Midwest made through and through.&#8221; </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_0558.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001142" width="1374" height="2070"/></figure>



<p><a href="http://helenedna.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Helen Edna (opens in a new tab)">Helen Edna</a> was another great find in Emerging Designers. These deeply detailed letterpressed designs are really little works of art! Here Lauren holds her show bestseller at a Madewell pop-up event at South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa. </p>



<p><a href="http://helenedna.com/cards/birthday-flower" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="The birthday card (opens in a new tab)">The birthday card</a> highlights a California poppy she found in her parents&#8217; Santa Barbara background. &#8220;I enjoyed the show and the best part about it was meeting other makers.&#8221; she told me. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/IMG_4796.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001151" width="1342" height="1789"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/birthday-poppy-card-3.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001150" width="1373" height="1373"/></figure>



<p>Getting used to the new timeline was challenging, Alice of <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="ilootpaperie (opens in a new tab)" href="https://ilootpaperie.patternbyetsy.com/" target="_blank">ilootpaperie</a> told me. &#8220;But in the end it was worth the hard work we put in, as it is turning out to be one of our best trade shows so far. Our debuts were very well received and we couldn&#8217;t be more thrilled. It is something special to pull off what you imagined in your head for the booth design (and you definitely have to truck through and problem solve through unexpected obstacles during set up). And it is absolutely always one of our favorite things to be able to catch up with our paper community face to face, in real life, with old friends and new.&#8221; </p>



<p>Since this maker is a sister act, I&#8217;ve got shots from them both. Here their rescue dog Sparky poses with Alice and their <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Kindness Matters Sprout pin (opens in a new tab)" href="https://ilootpaperie.patternbyetsy.com/listing/675067372/new-kindness-matters-plant-sprout-enamel" target="_blank">Kindness Matters Sprout pin</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Happy Mail washi tape (opens in a new tab)" href="https://ilootpaperie.patternbyetsy.com/listing/647698960/happy-letter-happy-mail-box-washi-tape" target="_blank">Happy Mail washi tape</a>. </p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-18161" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-18161 block-wrap-classic columns__m--1 elements-design-3 block-ani block-skin-0 tipi-box block-wrap-thumbnail ppl-m-1 clearfix" data-id="18161" data-base="0"><div class="tipi-row-inner-style clearfix"><div class="tipi-row-inner-box contents sticky--wrap"><div class="block block-23 clearfix"><article class="tipi-xs-12 clearfix with-fi ani-base tipi-xs-typo split-1 split-design-1 loop-0 preview-thumbnail preview-23 elements-design-3 post-21499 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites category-sponsored-post tag-nss2018 tag-design tag-halloween-decor tag-honeycomb-balls tag-my-minds-eye tag-national-stationery-show tag-nss-events tag-party-decor tag-party-decorations tag-party-design tag-party-fans tag-party-plates tag-sarah-schwartz tag-sponsored-post tag-stationery tag-stationery-blog tag-stationery-design tag-stationery-designer tag-tassel-banners tag-the-paper-chronicles tag-treat-bags" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/my-minds-eye-at-nss2018/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=100%2C100&;ssl=1" class="attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=200%2C200&;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=293%2C293&;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=75%2C75&;ssl=1 75w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=390%2C390&;ssl=1 390w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=585%2C585&;ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sipsiphooraystraws.jpg?resize=96%2C96&;ssl=1 96w" sizes="(max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px" /></a></div><div class="meta"><div class="byline byline-2 byline-cats-design-4"><div class="byline-part cats"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/favorites/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Favorites</a><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/category/sponsored-post/" style="color:#b79b0d" class="cat">Sponsored</a></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/my-minds-eye-at-nss2018/">My Mind&#8217;s Eye at #NSS2018!</a></h3></div><div class="byline byline-3"><span class="byline-part date"><i class="tipi-i-calendar" aria-hidden="true"></i> <time class="entry-date published dateCreated flipboard-date" datetime="2018-05-15T13:35:00+00:00">May 15, 2018</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="21499"><span class="likes-heart"><i class="tipi-i-heart-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="tipi-i-heart" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="tipi-value">0</span></a></span></div></div></div></article></div></div></div></div></div></tipimidc>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ilootpaperie_alice_nss-best-sellers-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001154" width="1352" height="1715"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ilootpaperie_kindness-matters_pin.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001156" width="1346" height="1346"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ilootpaperie_washi_sm.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001160" width="1351" height="1351"/></figure>



<p>And Doris models the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="You Can't Handle the Ruth greeting card (opens in a new tab)" href="https://ilootpaperie.patternbyetsy.com/listing/685949665/you-cant-handle-the-ruth-ruth-bader" target="_blank">You Can&#8217;t Handle the Ruth greeting card</a>, <a href="https://ilootpaperie.patternbyetsy.com/listing/550040465/chestnut-chest-bump-good-luck" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Chest Bump Chestnuts Congratulations card (opens in a new tab)">Chest Bump Chestnuts Congratulations card</a>, and Thanks for Being a Gem Friendship card.<br></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ilootpaperie_doris_nss-best-sellers.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001155" width="1350" height="1689"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ilootpaperie_super-diva_RBG.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001159" width="1347" height="1347"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ilootpaperie_real-gem_holographic-foil.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001158" width="1354" height="1354"/></figure>



<p>I love <a rel="noreferrer noopener" label="Iron Curtain Press (opens in a new tab)" href="https://shopshorthand.com/" target="_blank">Iron Curtain Press</a>&#8216; work, and it is always a treat to see Rosanna. &#8220;Our best selling product at the show was, yet again, our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="mint notebook (opens in a new tab)" href="https://shopshorthand.com/collections/notebooks/products/standard-notebook-mint" target="_blank">mint notebook</a>,&#8221; she told me. &#8220;This notebook comes with 80 lined, graph, dot grid or blank sheets and five cheerful cover colors. We are passionate about the quality of our notebooks and are so happy our customers agree!&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/D4AC826C-871C-42A4-8A5E-E70E45D611E4.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001161" width="1346" height="1346"/></figure>



<p>Next up we have <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="https://joojoopaper.com/" target="_blank">JooJoo Paper</a>. &#8220;NSS is always a favorite show and I&#8217;m so happy that we were a part of it again this year,&#8221; Afsaneh told me..&#8221;We got to meet up with many existing customers, and we also met many new ones.&#8221;</p>



<p>Afsaneh is holding one of her top sellers, a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="dreamy underwater birthday vista! (opens in a new tab)" href="https://joojoopaper.com/collections/birthday/products/submarine-birthday-card" target="_blank">dreamy underwater birthday vista!</a><br></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://i1.wp.com/thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Sub.jpg?fit=794%2C1024&;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10001165" width="1337" height="1724"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/PC2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001164" width="1409" height="1409"/></figure>



<p>KB Paperie was yet another letterpressed gem, and she had two top sellers. First up is the Mom Fire Card, which won a LOUIE for Mother&#8217;s Day last spring, and then we have the Moving Truck card, new at the show. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/mom-fire1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001167" width="1262" height="1411"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/mom-fire.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001166" width="1270" height="1420"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/moving-truck.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001168" width="1273" height="1423"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/moving1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001169" width="1266" height="1415"/></figure>



<p>This <a href="https://www.krystalwhitten.com/collections/cards/products/youre-gods-masterpiece-card" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="You Are God's Masterpiece (opens in a new tab)">You Are God&#8217;s Masterpiece</a> card from <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Krystal Whitten Studio (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.krystalwhitten.com/" target="_blank">Krystal Whitten Studio</a> popped into my in-box just when I needed this reminder! It&#8217;s not too surprising that it was in almost every single order Krystal wrote at NSS.</p>



<p>&#8220;It could work for birthdays, graduation, celebration of achievement, and so on,&#8221; she told me. &#8220;My favorite parts of NSS were meeting other card designers and comparing notes with them, as well as meeting new accounts and creating relationships with them.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/KrystalWhittenStudio-best.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001171" width="1263" height="1261"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/C109-Master.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001172" width="1320" height="1320"/></figure>



<p>And last up, we have Me You Paper and this adorable Friendship card. &#8220;This was actually one of the last cards I designed right before the Stationery Show,&#8221; Annika told me. &#8220;I had to create it so quickly but I knew I wanted it to be included our show offerings. It is my favorite too.&#8221; <br></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Friendship-Bestseller-Sarah.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001173" width="1240" height="1240"/></figure>



<p>Thank you to all these makers for sharing their work during this recap! And of course National Stationery Show will return to its new home at NY NOW August 11-14. Don&#8217;t miss out — RSVP here! </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><img src="https://thepaperchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/BossDotty_BannerStickers_InProgress.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-10001117" width="1314" height="1311"/></figure>