<p>You&#8217;ve doubtless heard of the famed September issue (of <a href="https://www.vogue.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vogue</a>). Why is it traditionally so important? Well, as the seasons shift, so too does our wardrobe — and the well-heeled need to know what to wear.</p>



<p>However, if you are a dyed-in-the-wool paper nerd, perhaps you pass up Vogue in favor of the Fall Issue of the <a href="https://www.usps.com/stamp-collecting/assets/pdf/usa_philatelic_catalog.pdf?_gl=1*1mzmlxv*_gcl_au*NjE1NDY0Mjc3LjE3Mjk3NzcxMzk.*_ga*MTM3NDE2MDA5Ni4xNzI5Nzc3MTM5*_ga_3NXP3C8S9V*MTcyOTc3NzEzOS4xLjEuMTcyOTc3NzI4MC4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USA Philatelic</a>. Issued by the United States Postal Service and <a href="https://store.usps.com/store/product/usa-philatelic-P_012007?_gl=1*13vfl7c*_gcl_au*NjE1NDY0Mjc3LjE3Mjk3NzcxMzk.*_ga*MTM3NDE2MDA5Ni4xNzI5Nzc3MTM5*_ga_3NXP3C8S9V*MTcyOTc3NzEzOS4xLjEuMTcyOTc3NzQxOC4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">utterly free</a>, it&#8217;s a heady glimpse into what the best-dressed snail mail will be wearing the season. (You will know I truly adore you if you get a letter from me featuring a precious Pinback Stamp!) </p>



<p>When it comes to the quarterly publication I edit, <a href="https://stationerytrends.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stationery Trends</a>, the Fall Issue poses a certain amount of challenges. Because it does not go to a physical market and is issued long after marketing budgets run dry, traditionally it tends to be overlooked.</p>



<p>But that doesn&#8217;t mean I don&#8217;t have a lot of fun with it. I love delving into where design may be taking us next year. Each Fall Issue features my annual abecedary, Design A to Z, which offers a quick, visually rich presentation of trend directions I&#8217;m seeing. </p>



<p>This year&#8217;s Fall Issue stands out to me for a few reasons. First, it has my first Annual ST Buying Guide. Yes, this issue does not go to a market, but there is still a lot of holiday wholesale ordering occuring, so I took a deep dive into the ultimate gifts for The Bookworm, The Green Thumb and of course the Homebody + Hostess.</p>



<p>Now, let&#8217;s talk cover. [Insert drumroll here!] Fresh off creating all the incredible <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stationerystoreday/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stationery Store Day</a> branding for <a href="https://www.instagram.com/calliopepaperie/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Calliope Paperie</a>, <a href="https://www.kristaperry.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Krista Perry</a> has released an expansive <a href="https://redcapcards.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Cap Cards</a> range of <a href="https://redcapcards.com/collections/krista-perry" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">greeting cards, gift bags and giftwrap</a> — and from the time I spied them in my Insta feed, I just knew they HAD to be my cover!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ST_Fall2024_Cover_RGB-750x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10016902"/></figure>



<p>I work with our Associate Creative Director Amanda Mackey to generate these, and she actually presented three different cover crops from the image you see at the top and bottom of this post. My gut told me our cover <strong>had</strong> to showcase the strawberry and mushroom, but also shout out the world&#8217;s cutest Pygmy Hippo, Moo Deng.</p>



<p>That will officially close my editorializing about my editorial in this post — as I prefer my readers experience the issue without hearing me pontificate about it. Fortunately, the team at <a href="https://greatamericanmediaservices.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great American Media Services</a> (the parent company of Stationery Trends) has graciously allowed me to <a href="https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/STAT/fall-2024/index.php#/p/1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">share the digital issue a day early</a>. So happy reading, 24 hours early! It&#8217;s our gift to you.</p><div class="inline-post clearfix"><div class="see-also byline">See also</div><div id="block-wrap-21738" class="block-wrap-native block-wrap block-wrap-23 block-css-21738 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="21738" 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-23008 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-favorites tag-art-prints tag-birthday-cards tag-design tag-encouragement-cards tag-gift-tags tag-greeting-cards tag-illustration tag-letterpress tag-sarah-schwartz tag-sky-of-blue-cards tag-stationery tag-stationery-blog tag-stationery-design tag-stationery-designer tag-the-paper-chronicles" style="--animation-order:0"><div class="preview-mini-wrap clearfix"><div class="mask"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/boom-from-sky-of-blue-cards/" class="mask-img"><img width="100" height="100" src="https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.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/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.jpg?resize=150%2C150&;ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.jpg?resize=200%2C200&;ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.jpg?resize=293%2C293&;ssl=1 293w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.jpg?resize=75%2C75&;ssl=1 75w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.jpg?resize=390%2C390&;ssl=1 390w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.jpg?resize=24%2C24&;ssl=1 24w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.jpg?resize=48%2C48&;ssl=1 48w, https://i0.wp.com/thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/44159838701_1d348c3cd3_k.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></div></div><div class="title-wrap"><h3 class="title"><a href="https://thepapernerd.com/boom-from-sky-of-blue-cards/">Boom! from Sky of Blue Cards</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="2018-10-01T12:50:33+00:00">October 1, 2018</time></span><span class="byline-part likes-count"><a href="#" class="tipi-like-count " data-pid="23008"><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 size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/20240613_142_Luke_Pidgeon_5000px.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10016904"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">One of 27 Krista Perry giftwraps from Red Cap Cards</figcaption></figure>



<p>But, the fun doesn&#8217;t end there! Clearly our readers appreciate paper, and if like me, you prefer an actual publication, <a href="https://gams.dragonforms.com/loading.do?omedasite=ST_NewFreeDigSub&;pk=PaperNerd2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">follow this here link</a> to get a year of free Stationery Trends delivered to your doorstep. </p>



<p>So, who said print is dead again? I sincerely hope everyone reading this takes advantage of a glorious free year of Stationery Trends as well as <a href="https://prodpx-promotool.usps.com/promoreg/campaignView.do?campaignId=usaphilatelic&;utm_source=philatelic&;utm_campaign=usaphilatelic&;utm_medium=print#:~:text=Completing%20this%20form%20will%20allow,request%2C%20or%20as%20legally%20required." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The USA Philatelic</a>— and that both inspire copious amounts of snail mail to be sent out into the world! </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://thepapernerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/red-cap-cards_20240613_072_Luke_Pidgeon_5000px.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-10016913"/></figure>



<p></p>