Crane
For some writing using the best paper is important. This is when I find the paper and note card products by Crane are a good choice. There is something special about receiving a letter or card that is written on good paper. Although the envelope may be tossed, the whole process of opening a high envelop is part of the experience and I do not think is one that goes without recognition.
When you send or receive a letter of note written on one of the Crane products, it just does not look like an office supply store product. The quality of the paper, the specific decorative work all comes together to create what really is a personal correspondence.
Crane & Co. has a proud history and now in its seventh generation. Stephen Crane took over the first paper mill in 1770. In the mid 1800s Crane paper became a paper of choice for European social stationary. Despite the move of other companies to making paper from forest products, Crane has always remained using cotton to makes its papers. Cotton based paper is one of the hallmarks of Crane & Co.
The selection is broad. Personal and business thank you notes, flat cards, folded notes, letter sheets or correspondence cards are all classic and and produced and have the look and feel of quality.
I find the flat cards are great for short personal notes. The weight and quality of the products makes both the writer and the receiver feel great.
Correspondence Cards - hand bordered, Hunter Green
The great things about a thank you note is that it does not have to be along message. It is a Thank You or other short message. The correspondence cards with an eEcruwhite kid finish are just great for a quick thanks.
Correspondence cards are flat, made of heavy paper and usually come with a matching envelope. Correspondence cards are really meant to only be used on the front side.
The combination card and matching envelope has a great look. The hand border is matched with the inside of the envelopes so you feel good sealing up your message know how it will all look when it arrives. I like the strong look of Hunter Green.
I find the finish to this paper/card to be smooth. There are no fibers rough enough to catch a nib, so writing is easy. My nibs flow across the paper.
One of the qualities that I like about this correspondence card is the weight. This is a card, not a sheet of paper. It has that great feel and look. The 4x6 ish size of the card is large enough to say thanks or provide a short note. Because of the size, a short message looks great. You can't just write "Thanks for getting together, it was good to connect up again." on a large sheet of paper. But a short message liked that looks appropriate on a correspondence card.
The look is very important, but in the end it is very much about the paper.
There is no feathering or bleeding of ink, so even with the broadest of nibs I can write with confidence on these cards. I tend to press hard with my fountain pens but stiff nibs, like a Waterman Edson, or more flexible nibs, like an OMAS Arte Italiana Milford, or a Sheaffer with an italic nib, they all write very well on these cards.
The green boarder, which just sets off the card, is only printed on the front side - as correspondence cards are meant to be a one-sided note. I have written on the back, and there is no bleeding or feathering and you can write on the back if you have to. The paper feels just a bit different from the front.
The envelops have the dark rich hunter green lining.
Cards with triple deboss frame
Crane has these cards listed as invitation inserts. They are cards only and you purchase the envelopes separately. The idea may be insert a short note - but I like the formality of this card. In this day of casual and quick, sending a note with a little formality is fun. The cards are made for printing from your computer, but a hand written note is also great.
The cards, 3 x 5 inches, 65 lb paper so there is a substantial feel and the size and formal frame is great for a handwritten note. Sending a card rather than an e-mail just changes the whole atmosphere of the event!
For my pen night, well, writing on these cards were a pleasure. The pen nib just slides across the very smooth finish of the paper. No fear of bleeding or ink smearing on this paper.
Card, Geometric Frame
This is another correspondence card, so it is designed for short notes that are completed on the front side of the card.
The cards, about 3 x 5 inches, are 64 lb, so there is a substantial feel. The envelopes are silver lined so there is a great combined look to the envelop and the note card.
The Kid finish paper is smooth, and I find writing on these cards to be a real pleasure. All nibs, from Aurora italic nibs with a slight edge to Pelikan M800 double broad nibs wrote extremely well on these cards.
At about $1.50 for the card and envelope, and the time in your life you will save not spending time trying to pick out a card to send, these cards will quickly become one of your best assets!
Ecruwhite, Kid Finish, Monarch Sheets and Envelopes
Longer letters are part of correspondence, and when the short note does not do, then the Monarch sheets are perfect.
These are what I call full size sheets, 18.5 x 26.5 mm (7 1/4" by 10 1/2"), and writing on letter on the Monarch sheets is a pleasure. The ecruwhite kid finish paper is very smooth.
I have written with a variety of nibs and the performance of all is great. Whether an OMAS Art Italiana with a medium nib (about as narrow as I go) or a double broad Pelikan M800 - the paper is smooth enough to nicely accommodate the different nibs.
The ink does not sit or pool on the paper, within five seconds ink, even from a broad nib, had nicely dried on the paper and there was no smearing issues to worry about.
I can write on both sides of the paper with no issues. I did not notice any smoothness issue between the front and back of the paper, Both sides were fine and that is important with letters as often there is only a few more lines to fit on the back! You will want to use both sides so that the 20 sheets and 20 envelopes in the box don't get orphaned.
No bleed through, side one and side two of the written page look just great.
Poppy Notes, Pearl White Lettra Paper
Nothing seems to be more mind-numbing than standing at the counter in a store and looking for a card. In the end I finally find a card, they all more expensive than what I think they should be. The Poppy Note cards relieve me of that experience.
This is a card for everything. The 110 lb paper means it can stand as a folder card or just be a short note. The 13 x 9.5 mm (3x5 appx) card is great for a short quick message.
Crane's lettra paper is made without surfacing sizing. It is rougher to write on , this is paper with a bit more texture.
My pens with broad and medium nibs were fine with these cards. Because I press with weight, I found the italic nibs with more of an edge to them were not as smooth to write with on this card. Of course, this is the personal experience of writing. When I used my italic nibs, I have to write with less pressure.
I found using the Correspondence cards with the kid finish paper to be a better choice for italic and my narrower, flexible italian nibs.