After years of neglecting my paper stash, I'm looking to buy some note cards. The non-folded type that look sort of like a large business card. Something like what the Pedemonium folks send out with their shipments.

Please suggest a brand and type of paper. I want to know this info before I head out to the printer, so I don't get railroaded into an expensive product that doesn't meet my needs. Obviously I want the paper to be compatible with FPs.

If you've used an online source that's good for this...let me know.

How may of you have your note cards printed/engraved with your name/initials etc? I'm on the fence on this one!

Gracias
Bob

I got lovely embossed, fp friendly correspondence cards from alwaysstationery.com. They sent me samples to test before I purchased them so I was sure they were okay with my pens. They have a nice selection of notecards too. Their prices seemed very reasonable for personalized stationery.

Thanks. What model paper did you end up with or is it proprietary?

I got the Banner Cards in ivory.
http://alwaysstationery.com/section1Line.c...Item=fm20-ak40b

I just received some Levengers and Crane 3x5 note cards this past weekend. I gotta say that the Crane's, while more expensive, are definitely a nice surface. Feel is like the Clairefontaine paper.

I think you might be describing the Correspondence Cards that Cranes makes. They are delightful to write on with any fountain pen. Some have borders, others have embossed images. Still others are linked to entire sets of stationery that you can personalize, along wth letterhead papers, sheets of note paper and such.

I can't tell where you are located, but if you're near a Papyrus store (standard disclaimer) they had the best prices on Cranes I found in a brick and mortar stores last time I went shopping for cards and stationery. It is always best to see what you are buying in person. Otherwise, surprises are likely and surprises are never good.

You can also run a Froogle Local search and find out where you can get the paper. Another alternative is to check printers that do wedding invites in your area. They have the papers and are, often as not, willling to open the sample books and let you have at it, inspecting the various brands and weights.

I've gotten correspondence cards by G Lalo from Pendemonium and I really like them. They are fine with any ink I've used on them.

Casmi

I also love Crane's, but make sure you get the kid-finish stock. It's what they use for their personalized stationery, and exceptionally smooth. (Made in USA) If, as recommended above, you go to Papyrus or any other store that has their sample books, you'll find a much larger selection than they offer online. Thay have a handful of actual Crane's stores which have the largest collection of their products that I have found.

http://www.crane.com/navDepartment.aspx?Na...Name=Stationery

Dempsey and Carroll is also very nice. (Made in USA) Their motif engraving is really superb, and their stock is thick and smooth. I've bought most of mine on their sales page:

http://www.dempseyandcarroll.com/category.aspx?categoryID=65

Pineider is heavenly. (Made in Italy) If you like deckled edges their water-cut process produces a very nice edge. Very smooth paper, and their Capri line has nice hand bordered sheets with matching envelope linings. Their envelope linings are only available in tissue, which you'll usually pay a premium for elsewhere. You can find it here:

http://www.pineider.com/


Smythson cards are nice, but crazy expensive. (Made in England) They're more toothy then the three above. Their engraving is soft bruised (American is usually hard.) Occasionally they have sales, but I haven't found a good inexpensive source. Nor have I tried their letter sheets.

http://www.smythson.com/SmythsonSite/pages/home/default.asp

G. Lalo is a bargain compared to those above, but the Verge De France is the only stuff I've tried so far, and those cards are toothy. (Made in France)No feathering, which is nice, but I prefer "ice skating" on my paper. You can find those at Pendemonium, Swisher, and probably several other places.


I'd love to buy engraved stationery, but the closest I've ever come is Crane's Thermographed. One of these days, I'll treat myself, but so far I haven't been able to get over the sticker shock. Right now I'm trying several different brands of non-personalized to see which I prefer.

Best of luck finding your own favorite,
Kate

Thank you all. I ventured down to Papyrus and surrendered my credit card for some engraved Cranes correspondence cards. I haven't bought new personalized stationery in more than 10 years, so I treated myself.

Kate: I didn't see anything in the book about "kid finish" and all the paper seemed comparable to my untrained fingertips! So I hope I ordered the correct stuff.

Thanks for all your help
Bob

Hi Bob,

I'm pretty sure all their engraved stationery all comes on their best stock, which is the kid finish. Please let me know how your order turns out. One of these days I'm going to break down and order some myself, but until then I'll have to live vicariously through you!

-Kate