Rossi is not one to leave the men out, so with that in mind, we selected several decorative papers—definitely on the more manly side—to consider as you wrap up those neckties, fishing poles, and other Dad’s day gift items.

Perfect Match:  Father’s Day + Flag Day (June 14) go hand in hand!

Bold vintage travel labels would make anyone want to take a trip.

Here’s the masculine version of Rossi’s popular fashion series – also a big hit

In the news: Hints of Wall Street and New York Times

Subway maps, passport stamps and tickets blend together on a sea of blue.

Those were just a few examples of decorative papers from the more than 250 designs that Rossi manufactures.  Many more possibilities can be viewed in this Rossi video or the website.  To see in person, check out the selection in the retail stores that carry Rossi.

Hollander’s is the kind of store you could spend hours in, getting lost among the aisles of art supplies, stationery, gifts, and most astoundingly, racks and racks of papers from every corner of the globe: Italy, India, Philippines, Japan, France, Egypt, Thailand, Korea, Nepal, Portugal, the US, and more.

There are Unryu papers, Florentine marbles, Chiyogami, Italian woodblocks, embossed and flocked papers, metallic sheets, corkskin and tissues and laces made from hemp, rayon, and kozo. Hollander’s has made decorative papers and bookbinding supplies the focus of their business, and over the years, they have built one of the largest collections of both in the country.

Tom and Cindy Hollander began their business in 1986 selling handcrafted boxes and desk accessories from their home. They opened the retail store in downtown Ann Arbor in 1991.  An online store followed soon after.

But you might say Tom Hollander grew up in the business. As a teen, he was recruited into his mother’s home-based business of handcrafting boxes and books. What began as a cottage industry has blossomed into a thriving retail store and online business.

Hollander’s stocks about 200 of Rossi’s decorative papers occupying several racks within the store. Tom said, “When we had the opportunity to visit Italy a few years ago, we toured the Rossi operation firsthand.  After importing these decorative papers for so many years, it was quite a thrill to see them being created and produced,” he added.

Since 1994, Hollanders School of Book and Paper Arts has been nationally recognized for its workshops and high quality instructors.  Over 1000 workshops have been conducted since it opened, and they continue to be a great resource for those involved in book creation.

Kris Stewart, a bookbinder and Hollander’s customer from Washington state, agrees:  “Hollander’s is an excellent resource.  They carry a unique selection of decorative papers, some that I can’t find anywhere else, especially in the Florentine Prints and Italian Woodblock categories.  And they have a nice assortment of bookbinding and crafting tools, too.  I only wish I lived nearby!” she added.

Hollander’s is located in the Kerrytown Mall in downtown Ann Arbor. If you’re in the area, a visit to Hollander’s is well worth it.  Just plan for a long visit!

When you think of graduation gifts, what comes to mind?  Watches and jewelry, cash, and of course, the ever popular pen sets are the traditional gifts.

But why not snazz up your gift by adding Italian-made stationery into the mix? Rossi has plenty to choose from with options ranging from monograms to letterpress boxed sets. And besides, having a beautiful box of Italian stationery close at hand is positively inspirational when you’re drafting dozens of thank-you notes.

Personalization is a hot trend and Rossi has several unique variations of monogrammed stationery. Here are three options with great looking monograms:

A classy touch: monogramed stationery,  packaged in a reusable tin box.

Rossi monogrammed stationery + traditional pen set = happy graduate!

Classic silver foil monograms add a more masculine look.

Having a party for the graduate? You’ll need plenty of invitations and announcements. Imprintable cards in the Medioevalis line make it simple to personalize and print your own.

Dare to be different and print your own invites and announcements!

Details count, so don’t forget the finishing touch when wrapping those gifts. There’s plenty of decorative papers from Rossi that fit the graduation theme. And if you’re hosting the party, these papers can even be used to creatively decorate the table.  Here’s a peek at some that look congratulatory!

Look for many more creative gift ideas on the Rossi1931 website or previous posts.  And check in with your Rossi retailer; where you’ll find a great selection of decorative papers and gift ideas.

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But Dominique Augagneur is unique. She has turned everyday lamps into works of art. She has transformed furniture into whimsical accent pieces. She has created products for kids rooms that are decorative as well as functional. For over 30 years, this talented Paris-based artist has created a huge array of creative products.

Dominique’s  creations begin as plain cardboard pieces, which she then transforms into one-of-a-kind wrapped products using  Rossi1931 decorative paper.

Originally from Italy, Dominique is passionate about Rossi papers.  She exclaims, “The Rossi papers are great quality, are very easy to work with, and their vast and creative collection fuels my imagination. And they are continually launching new collections,“ she adds.

Dominique is a busy lady; she organizes and teaches courses and workshops, has authored 13 books and two DVDs, and writes regular how-to features in several magazines each month.  Her amazing work is featured on her website where you can also purchase her products in her online boutique.

Dominique’s creations are truly inspirational, and we look forward to see what she comes up with next!

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1. Moms are multi-taskers who need the proper tools to keep them organized.  That means lots of notepads and notebooks!  She’ll appreciate these handy, lightweight notepads, ideally sized for a purse or briefcase. The letterpress covers make them particularly beautiful and distinctive, and they come in lined and unlined paper.

2. Pen or pencil?  Letterpress pencils of course! These pencils are hand-wrapped with Rossi’s unique letterpress paper and available in 14 different designs.

3. Letterpress is again the theme with lovely and practical Gift Soaps! Take your pick from 14 unique letterpress designs, elegantly wrapped in beautiful designed papers. These soaps have a delicate honey scent in a 8.75 oz. bar size. Other boxed soap sets are available.

4. Boxed stationery sets come in a variety of patterns and designs. There are thank you notes, blank notes, and stationery in decorated cylinder boxes like those below, and also tin boxes (which can be reused and repurposed!)

5. Everyone needs erasers, and lots of them!  Large, smooth and shaped like river stones, these come meticulously wrapped in letterpress boxes.  All letterpress products are designed to coordinate with each other making it easy to assemble your one-of-kind Mother’s Day collection.

You’ll find more gift products on the Rossi website and in their comprehensive online catalogs. Better yet, visit any of Rossi’s retailers for more Mother’s Day gift ideas. You’ll definitely want to touch and feel these extraordinary stationery products!

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The “old” is the traditional way the paper and stationery is manufactured, with a felt texture and delicate feathery “deckle” edge,  ideal for wedding invitations, announcements, business cards, notecards, place cards, and social stationery.

And the “new” is the innovative way that the stationery has been reimagined for today’s technology so that it can be printed simply and beautifully using a home inkjet or laser printer.  These imprintable cards and sheets are specifically manufactured to tear from a master sheet after printing, with the deckle edge fully intact, depicted below.

Print, tear and go; a DIY program for at-home printing

These cards are suitable for engraving, letterpress and offset printing, as well as simple handwritten notes. The Medioevalis line is available in a wide range of styles and sizes: boxes of 100: flat and folded cards, place cards, writing paper and matching envelopes. All styles come in cream and white.

Is there an artist in the family?  Artist pads —intended for watercolor, tempera, and acrylic—are available in a variety of sizes!

You can obtain this collection by contacting Rossi directly or in the US from Orange Art, who stocks a great selection of these items.

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]]> http://italianstationeryblog.com/medioevalis-italian-stationery-at-its-finest/feed/ 0 http://italianstationeryblog.com/behind-the-scenes-selling-for-rossi1931/ http://italianstationeryblog.com/behind-the-scenes-selling-for-rossi1931/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:41:13 +0000 Rossi1931 http://italianstationeryblog.com/?p=495 Continue reading →]]> What’s it like being a Rossi stationery rep?  Janie Pival Walton, aka the Bainbridge Rep, has been a successful Rossi rep for almost 10 years, and says her background as a stationery store owner was pivotal in growing her territory.  Here’s the straight scoop from Janie:

“I grew up in the beautiful Northwest of the United States.  My husband and I operated two office and stationery stores for eighteen years in Washington State while raising our four children. In 2004, after selling the stores, I began a small company to help local artists sell their work, especially greeting cards.  Because of this, I was approached by a rep who asked if I would take over her lines on Bainbridge Island. Having dealt with sellers as a buyer in a store, I had an insight into selling that  seems to serve me well. Thanks to the internet, my territory now extends to Washington State, Idaho, Alaska and Western Canada.

When my co-rep left the industry, she told me to keep the lines I wanted to handle.  Rossi was a “no-brainer”.  I was thrilled to represent this quality product. The designs, products, quality and price points have proven to be very well received in the right markets. Paper, stationery, arts, museums and creative crafting outlets love Rossi products.  Once a customer has been introduced to the quality of Rossi products, they order from me on-line with every confidence that their selections will meet and exceed their expectations.

Customer requests and problems are handled with speedy dispatch, even though we deal with a time difference of nine hours. Early morning for me is the end of the day for Rossi. Through the internet, fax and occasional phone call, all orders, billing questions and other questions are routinely handled and returned to me within twenty-four hours.  My needs as a rep are treated as importantly and professionally as those of the customers. The integrity of the Rossi family shines through in all aspects of its business.

Janie maintains a basic website that helps create awareness for her brands.

The shipping schedule from Italy gives me the freedom to work on orders on my own time, which I appreciate as I also am a music teacher part time in a small private school.  I try to call on customers at least once a year to introduce the new products but otherwise keep in touch electronically. I choose my customers carefully and never try to oversell.  They seem glad to hear from me that it’s time for another shipment!  I appreciate that Rossi has never pressured me with quotas etc. and as a result, I have gradually but successfully grown my business.

I so appreciate the hard work and friendliness of everyone at Rossi. Their website, as well as their catalogs and samples are invaluable. I have had many careers in my life including dairying, travel agent, teaching, fund raising, and store owner but none has been as personally rewarding to me as serving as the Bainbridge Rep, working for myself and presenting the opportunity for people to beautify their lives with Rossi products.”

This decoration is the reproduction of an antique book that dates back to the 18th century called “Musical Principles” by Abbot Vincenzo Panerai, a florentine music teacher and choirmaster.

“This rare original text is part of Rossi’s private collection and has been preserved for many years in the Rossi company archives,” said Mattia Rossi, head of sales and marketing for the company.  “We’re extremely proud and honored that it was chosen as part of this historic papal event. It so happens it is one of the more enduring styles (TSC 019) within Rossi’s decorative paper collection,” he added.

Mattia Rossi spoke about the Rossi archive and its importance to the company in a recent interview.  For more information, visit www.rossi1931.it

It’s often the little details that add up to big impact: small hits of brilliant gold and silver metallic ink, finely detailed and multi-layered illustrations, delicate flourishes and stunning patterns and colors.

From Art Nouveau flowers to vintage numbers, something for everyone

To achieve such a wide range of saturated colors and incredible color registration, considerable technical skill is required.  These are the details that would challenge any pressman!

This is gift wrapping luxury, be it weddings, showers, birthdays, or  bar mitzvahs

A hint of gold metallic among the flourishes (you won’t find these at Wal-Mart!)

Two sizes are available: 28 x 40 and 20 x 28, as well as new collage sets containing an assortment of sheets.  Perfect for scrapbooking, decoupage, handmade cards, and school projects.

You’ll want these decorative papers right away!  Keep in mind, a large selection of Rossi papers are now stocked stateside in Florida, making shipping and delivery a breeze throughout the US. For a list of retailers carrying Rossi papers, please click here.

For more information, visit http://rossi1931.com

Using simple and inexpensive ideas, a standard invitation package was transformed into ten unique, stylish versions. This DIY invitation  comes to us from Shelly and Megan, the creative mother/daughter team who founded online retailer, Paper Mojo.

For this makeover, Shelly used a classic Rossi patterned decorative sheet from the Flowers collection (TSC 027).

Here are Shelly’s simple instructions:

#1 Add an envelope liner. Our invitation came with a square flap envelope.  All it takes is one square of cut paper and double-sided tape to secure the liner.  With the extra paper, we added a wide belly band, holding all the pieces together, neat and tidy.

#2 Add a Fuscia backer card.  The purchased invitation is actually a little smaller than 5” x 7” (4.875” x 6.878”), making it easy to add a standard size backer card.

#3 Add drama with black.  Adding black backer sheets provides a thicker border and focuses the eye on the invite copy.

#4 Create a package by laminating to the Rossi paper. Add a black cord tie and tag. Who doesn’t love to open a package!

#5 Adding a fancy pocket  organizes the content – response card, directions, etc.. especially if you prefer to keep the front side completely original.

#6  Add the Rossi sheet to the back of the invitation, directions and response card and tie the bundle together with a coordinating ribbon. This is another good way to introduce color and pattern into your invitation.

#7 Create a gatefold by placing the invite on larger paper – 5 x 7- then scoring and folding the sides. Add a bellyband and secure with an elegant monogram tag.

#8 Add a contrasting color envelope and backer card for a country look.  Switch the envelope to a pointed flap and you have a completely different look.

#9 Use a bit of origami style folding to create a decorative paper closure on a folded card. The result looks elegant and classic and holds the invitation together in a unique way. Inside, a simple band secures the invitation enclosures.

#10  Add elegance with a pocket fold invitation jacket. They’re available in a variety of sizes and shapes so a standard size invitation will nicely fill the center panel. The pocket fold is lined like an envelope and the outside gets a layered seal, allowing it to easily open and close.

Shelly says that most of these ideas work well for a beginner paper crafter and require only basic paper crafting tools like scissors and paper cutter or trimmer.  What’s truly amazing is the affordability …. usually only a few dollars to completely transform the look.

Want to learn more?  Shelly provides detailed instructions, a cost breakdown, and additional photos on the Paper Mojo website.

For more information, visit www.rossi1931.it