I saw a news story the other day that Rovio, a Finland-based, wireless device game company, has sold more than two million Angry Bird plush toys thanks to the popularity of its Angry Birds app. Angry Birds, a puzzle video game, is the top-selling iPhone app of all time, according to a story on BusinessInsider.com. The game has been downloaded more than 50 million times! Rovio plans to develop and sell more game add-ons and accessories.

I think it’s exciting to think about the potential new product and sales opportunities in this category. Might this inspire you to add a new product to your store that reflects our nation’s growing interest in game apps?

Read the full story.

With Valentine’s Day approaching I must have jewelry on the brain, because when I saw this one-of-a-kind glass and clay bead jewelry line, I fell in love. As a mom, I also love the story behind the business… it was founded by a mom inspired by the jewelry-making hobby she shares with her daughter. (They also make adorable bottle stoppers.)

Check it out at clubcreativestudio.com!

Today's guest post is from Kathy Krassner, Owner of Krassner Communications.

One of the joys of attending the National Stationery Show, which took place May 16-19 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, is finding new resources that offer fresh merchandise to perk up retailers' shelves. With 125 first-time exhibitors among the 900 or so companies at this year's NSS, the show provided many answers to the perpetually asked question, "What's new?"

There are always several clever, "I wish I'd thought of that!" products offered by new companies at the NSS. Byleedesign made its NSS debut with many creatively designed products, including a "Creative Circle Ruler Journal" featuring an inches and millimeters measurement guide on the cover; and "Long Tags," 10-inch-long gift tags that actually provide enough space on the back to write a meaningful message. These tags are available for various occasions as well as in multiple languages.

NSS newcomer Regreet showcased its eco-friendly "regreet greeting kits." These kits include journey labels, note paper and envelopes to repurpose a greeting card that has been received; the kit can also be given with a greeting card to encourage its reuse. Every recipient and sender of the "regreeted" card can then track its progress online and opt-in to receive e-mail updates as the card travels on another leg of its journey. Regreet also offers a spiral-bound greeting card organizer to hold greeting cards for future reuse.

Another clever new item came from first-time NSS exhibitor Cardigans, which debuted its line of die-cut, paper easels designed especially for displaying photo cards. Cardigans' photo-card holders come in several designs for Christmas, party, baby and wedding, and can hold photos as well as photo cards. Also for displaying holiday photo cards is Cardigans' "Send-a-longs" — another easel-type item that attaches to the back of a photo card and can be mailed with it.

Sky of Blue Cards made its debut at the NSS — expanding its previously online-only presence. Among this company's eye-catching stationery lines was a new "Whimsy" monogram collection of 4-3/4" x 3-1/2" letterpress-printed notecards with colorful envelopes. Also introduced at the show was a "Tween Power" playdate card targeted to the tween-girls' market. Printed on both sides, these adorable, fill-in cards measure 2" x 3-1/2".

The NSS also featured international exhibitors from 17 countries. Hailing from the U.K. was Vivid Wrap Ltd., which introduced its line of luxurious giftwrap, bags, boxes and journals to the U.S. market at the show. Vivid's new Autumn Winter Collection includes packaging products handmade from recycled cotton, as well as journals and photo albums featuring vibrantly colored embossed leather covers with recycled-cotton pages.

The next National Stationery Show will be held May 15-18, 2011.

Today's guest post is from Kathy Krassner, Owner of Krassner Communications.

Walking the aisles at the recent National Stationery Show, held May 16-19 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, certain merchandise categories — and fresh interpretations of products within those categories — stood out among the myriad paper-related items on display.

The eco-friendly, "green" category is certainly one that's here to stay in the stationery industry. What's newly popular in this area, however, are design-oriented, reusable water bottles and travel mugs now available from numerous companies exhibiting at the NSS. Among them were Inviting Company, Lipstick Shades and Fontaine Maury — the latter which offers BPA-free aluminum water bottles that hold 20 ounces and come in a variety of colorful, personalized designs.


Technological advances continue to keep things exciting on the stationery front, too. Following the increasing popularity of 3D movies at the theater and 3D TVs at home are 3D greeting cards and stationery items. At the NSS, Avanti Press showcased a new line of 3D greeting cards that use a lenticular process to give the illusion of depth to the cards' humorous cover designs. Meri Meri's line includes a "3D Dinosaur" greeting card and a "3D Dinosaur" kids' party invitation, both of which come packaged with paper 3D glasses.


There's also a trend toward simplicity and value in the stationery industry, especially when it comes to weddings and other celebrations. With expensive, elaborate cakes often being replaced by more affordable (yet still elaborate) cupcakes at weddings and parties, among the product categories on the rise at the NSS were cupcake holders and other cupcake-related accessories. New from Party Partners, for instance, was the "Paper 'n' Cake" Cupcake Sleeves 'n' Toppers, available in several fun designs for various occasions.


Humor and the Internet were two more themes popular at the NSS, and both of these could be seen on the new "Cheezburger" collection of greeting cards, notepads and magnets from The Madison Park Group. What's particularly unique about this new line is that it takes its hilarious photographic imagery and purposely misspelled versing straight from the Cheezburger Network, one of the largest blog networks in the world. The initial "Cheezburger" product launch features images of dogs and cats — always reliable sellers in the stationery market.

Humor could also be seen in the form of sarcasm throughout the show, and there was no shortage of greeting cards featuring sarcastic messages. Lines that stood out in this genre were Offensive + Delightful, which regularly drops the "f" word on its greeting cards and trade-show booth walls; Bald Guy Greetings, whose "sometimes brutal" greeting cards have garnered a LOUIE "Card of the Year" Award; and Hard Cards, whose tagline is "Times are hard and so are we." Happily, times didn't seem as hard at this year's National Stationery Show, thanks to so many clever new products.

Today's guest post is from Kathy Krassner, Owner of Krassner Communications.

I had the honor of being invited to judge the "Best New Product Awards" at the recent National Stationery Show, which ran May 16-19 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Along with fellow judge Patricia Norins, publisher of GIFT SHOP magazine, and other members of the trade press, we helped to select the winners in seven distinct product categories.

Since I've helped to judge the "Best New Products" at the NSS many times before – this was the 23rd NSS that I've attended – it wasn't too hard to spot the truly unique products among the 315 entries on display in the "Best New Product" area of the Javits Center's Crystal Lobby. In fact, five of the seven winners chosen scored at the top of my list.

With each category grouped into sections within the "Best New Product" display, I started with the Social Stationery area – which usually has the most entrants. Although there were many creative greeting cards, boxed notes and other wonderfully designed paper products on view, what stood out most to me was the winner: a "Grizzly Bear Hug" die-cut, letterpressed card ($6) from Blackbird Letterpress. The display showed two of these cards: one with the bear's die-cut arms wrapped around a concert ticket, the other hugging a photo – both great examples of what customers can do with this card. It was a fun and different take on other greeting cards that hold photos or gift cards.

Moving to the Party section, the standout here was the winning "Wishing Tree": a tree-shaped, die-cut paper centerpiece ($39.95) that stands nearly 20 inches tall and comes with 40 pre-strung paper "wishing ribbons" for guests to write down messages and hang from the tree. Not only was the "Wishing Tree" visually appealing, but it was such a clever idea!


Another eye-catching item was the "Texture Boutique Embossing Machine" ($29.99) from the Sizzix brand of Ellison, which won in the Paper Craft/Scrapbooking category. The adorable purse shape of the machine is perfect for attracting the female customer who is clearly the primary demographic for this crafting product, which easily embosses cardstock.


Two of this year's winners come from The Madison Park Group: Wooster & Prince Papers' "Desktop Notes," the winner in the Desk Accessories category; and Shannon Martin/Girl Designer's "Holiday Bath Salts," which took top honors in the Lifestyle/Specialty Gift segment. The "Desktop Notes" ($13.95) offer Wooster & Prince's pretty signature patterns on loose note sheets, housed in a footed box.


The festive packaging of Shannon Martin's "Holiday Bath Salts" ($6.50) features vintage images paired with humorous messages from this company's popular greeting card and stationery line.


In the Luxury category, the winner was Cartesian Graphics for its "Vintage Print Fabric" blank cards ($4.50 each). These handmade notecards feature real fabric attached to the cover of the cards, which are letterpress-printed on textured stock.


Rounding out the "Best New Product Awards" was the winner in the Think Green section: Michael Roger Press, Inc. for its "Re-Bottled Notebooks." These colorful, eco-friendly spiral notebooks ($9 each) feature felt covers that are made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. Look closely and you'll see that the petals of the embossed floral pattern on these covers are actually images of water bottles! Inside, the journals feature pages made with post-consumer recycled paper.


Congratulations to all of the winners and entrants in the 14th annual "Best New Product Awards!"

Click here for more information about these awards and the NSS.

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about the San Francisco Gift Show.

Mugwump—Turning Old Books into One-of-a-kind Wearable Art
What do your local libraries do with old kids books? If you live in Oregon and you look closely, you might see your old book on someone's shoulder as a handbag! Books meet Suzanne Keolker from Mugwump. Suzanne is a designer and creator, a former elementary school teacher who believes in not letting anything go to waste, including classroom wallmaps, discarded books and board games, road maps, air mattresses with holes and Bingo cards. She even recycled her old nickname, Mugwump, for her business.

Mugwump is devoted to taking unwanted materials and altering them from their original intent into fun & funky handbags, wallets and other fashion accessories.

Pneuma-Box—Building the Imagination of Kids Everywhere! No supplies needed!
The pneuma box is another great product brought to the US from Magnote whose goal it is to introduce unique toys from around the world. The designer toy "pneuma-box" is a set of four paper blocks to create various shapes and objects beyond your imagination. To assemble, all you need is two minutes or less per block… no scissors, tape or glue! Try one for yourself, and you'll be surprised at what can be made from such a simple design. (Available in two styles now; MSRP $16; wholesale $7.95.)

The Andean Collection—Fashion Jewelry. Fair Trade. Perfect Together.
Combine jewelry and socially conscious fashion and you've got interesting products. Now add fashion forward designs, creating a greener planet, and providing a path out of poverty for artisans using fair trade principles and you've got the Andean Jewelry collection.

Made from eco-friendly materials, the reason d'etre for this brand in your stores is simple: looking good CAN also be making good for others. One final must-have reason for this collection? The artisans who create it are not only helping sustain their families and make fair wages, they share in the profits of the company as partial owners of The Andean Collection.

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about the San Francisco Gift Show.

I attended the winter edition of the San Francisco Gift Show a couple of weeks ago. This show is always a leading source for new products—especially in the eco-friendly space—and this season was no different. There were many fresh finds that will surely make their way to store shelves shortly.

Below are some of my favorite fresh finds from the show. Kudos to all the manufacturers who were at the show for finding ways to create and interpret the use of eco-friendly products in ways that make the products "consumer friendly" and salable too! It continues to amaze me what innovative manufacturers can do with recycled products!

Papaya! Eco Friendly Stainless Water Bottles with Serious Style
An exciting new addition to Papaya's gift line are stainless steel water bottles designed to invigorate your water with the power of intention. Each 25 oz bottle is made from high-quality, food-grade 18/8 stainless steel, is BPA-free and recyclable. There are six styles to choose from: Joy (WB001), Yes (WB002), Bliss (WB003), Cha-Ching! (WB004), Love (WB005) and Intuition (WB006).

Bottles can be ordered in a minimum of six pieces, assorted at $12.00/each. Orders are shipped from Ashland, Oregon.

Urban Junket. Multi-Purpose with Modern Style.
What do you get when you combine fashion and style with an eco-friendly flair? Urban Junket handbags and accessories. This season’s offerings include the t.o.t.e. bag (To Observe The Earth) and laptop bags. This line is made of eco-friendly materials including organic cotton canvas, azo free dyes and RPET fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. The bags have lots of inside pockets to keep you organized and looking good at the same time—and best of all, it converts to three different bags so you'll have lots of looks for one low price!

To help offset the production and transportation of the bags, Urban Junket makes a $1 donation to carbonfree.org for the sale of every bag. Opening order: 10 bags any combination of colors and sizes. For sales information contact tdyer@urbanjunket.com.

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about Showcase Ireland.

I have three final great finds from the show!

Inspireland
Inspired by Ireland brings a new concept to the retail gift market. A small group of Irish companies have collaborated to create a capsule collection of products that offer a range of distinctive, yet complementary products for the U.S. gift store market. Available in a pre-designed display unit and demonstrating high quality packaging, this collection of handmade jewelry, glassware, giftware, perfumes, toiletries and inspirational gifts create a consistent consumer experience. Utilizing a U.S. distribution center enables Inspired by Ireland to service U.S.-based retailers with initial orders and rapid reorders while minimizing investment in inventory.

Contact Barbara at barbara@perfumes.ie

The Martina Hamilton Collection
The Martina Hamilton Collection brings a fresh look to the Irish jewelry market. Using cosmic events from the heavens as inspiration and symbolism, former sculptor turned goldsmith Martina Hamilton creates an intricate collection that offers gallery-quality artisan jewelry hallmarked for authenticity and crafted to endure. Launched in November 2008, this collection won the Best New Jewelry collection at Showcase Ireland in 2009 as judged by its peers and other retailers. Working primarily in sterling silver with 18 carat gold accents, each piece in this collection is handmade and truly one of a kind. A deliberate approach to limited product assortment permits rapid scalability in production facilities and the ability get stock in store in its U.S. based distribution center.

Contact Martina Hamilton at info@martinahamilton.ie

Tipperary Crystal
The Graham Knuttle Café Collection is the sixth in a series of celebrity-designed collections offered by Tipperary Crystal. This series is the first manufactured in porcelain as the firm evolves its product selection to meet the changing needs of consumers. Knuttle was commissioned to design a collection of coffee cups and plates with his distinctive and unmistakable style, bringing the art of drinking coffee to a new level. The initial product range includes cappuccino and espresso cups, serving plates in different sizes and large limited edition plates. Tipperary offers quick turnaround delivery opportunities for customers to maximize sales potential while minimizing inventory investments.

Contact Tipperary at sales@tipperarycrystal.com

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about Showcase Ireland.

I have three more great finds from the show…

Bunbury Boards – Recycled Products with a future purpose.
Do you know the history of the wood from your cutting board? Well now you can. Bunbury Boards' owner William McClintock Bunbury is attempting to save the beautiful old estate, Lisnavagh, breathe new life into the surrounding woodlands and buildings, and return the estate to being the community employer it once was. In the process, Bunbury Boards has created a unique way for the customers to connect with their products and a marketing sensation that has everybody talking. Every Board carries a unique code that tells the story of the tree from which the board was born, and what they have done to replace it. This approach to recycled goods turns a "lifeless" product into a fun customer experience for all.

Fen and Carr – A Natural Twist on Bath and Body Products
Inspired by the Fen and Carr landscapes of the bogs of Ireland, the aim of Fen & Carr is to improve the landscape of your wellbeing. Fen & Carr have created spa quality products made from therapeutic peat, a 100% natural product formed from an array of organic plant life. Fen & Carr products provide holistic treatments that internally relieve muscle tissue and pain, externally treat problematic skin conditions and relax and rebalance the mind.

Contact Info: Clair Quinn Founder
info@peattreat.ie
Direct Contact: (353) 5793 25216

Celtic Roots Studio
Celtic Roots Studio produces unique sculptures and jewelry by hand-carving designs relevant to Ireland from bogwood that is over 5,000 years old. For over 20 years, Celtic Roots has created elegant customized forms and shapes for customers that include heads of state around the world. Celtic Roots Studio offers a wide range of sculptures to members of the trade both at home and abroad. Shipping to the US is provided through FEDEX from the Celtic Roots Studio in Ireland and there is currently no minimum order requirement.

For further information visit www.celticroots.ie or contact Celtic Roots Studio at 00 353 90 6430404 or info@celticroots.ie.

Today's guest post is from Lynn Switanowski about Showcase Ireland.

It's smack dab in the middle of trade show season and gift shop retailers are looking high and low for new fresh finds for their stores. In our never-ending quest to bring you the latest and greatest products to sell in your stores, we jumped on a plane to Dublin to attend Showcase Ireland last week.

Showcase Ireland is the country's premier craft, gift, fashion and interiors trade fair featuring quality design products from Ireland's leading craft makers and designers. The initiative attracts up to 450 exhibitors and 6,000 buyers from around the world.

Every year, Irish creativity takes centre stage at Showcase, but it was especially prominent this year. The show had a new modern identity throughout the marketing materials and with how the show floor was set up (definitely different than what we are used to seeing at shows in the US).
This year's theme was to showcase the modern artisan approaches that craftspeople in Ireland are taking to bring fresh product to the marketplace. Based on what we saw, the days of claddagh and shelailgh are gone. Unique, creative products abounded at the show—and many of them are available to be imported to the US.

I'm going to post about some of our favorite finds over the next few days.

LAF – A New Approach to Recycled Jewelry

Lesley Frew enjoys making old things new again. Taking the plastic bags that we commonly discard, LAF designs gives them a second life by transforming and reusing them in wonderful pieces of artisan jewelry

Owner Lesley Frew is a designer based in Belfast, she graduated from the University of Ulster with a BA (hons) in Fine and Applied Art, specializing in Textiles in 2007. At LAF, Lesley creates contemporary, ethical jewelery using discarded plastic bags—giving these materials a second life by transforming and reusing them. When asked about her work, Lesley muses, "I enjoy confronting people's expectations by taking a discarded material, giving it a new value and showing that it can be beautiful."

You can contact her at les_frew@hotmail.com or via phone at (IE) 44 78490 34346
.

Button & Co – Transforming one object into multiple designs

For jeweler Elaine-Sarah Comerford of Button & Co., Showcase 2010 was twice as nice. Elaine scooped up the overall prize for Best New Product at Showcase as well as Best New Product in the Jewellery section for her Button Charm Bracelet. The two-tone silver and gold bracelet depicting old-fashioned buttons was lauded for its quality, design and innovation. Elaine puts a new twist on jewelry by translating everyday objects into wearable pieces of art that delight and surprise.