Merry & Bright

(We're dreaming of a white Christmas. Alas, it's but a dream here in Portsmouth, NH!)

As we here at Gus & Ruby Letterpress prepare to join friends and family for various holiday celebrations this weekend, we want to take a moment to wish you, our cherished friends, customers, family and colleagues a most joyous holiday season. We hope you are enjoying the bustling streets, broad smiles, and the generosity of spirit and time that goes along with the holidays. We hope you're curling up with a cup of hot cocoa, sneaking a smooch under the mistletoe, sharing memories with those you love and reflecting on the wonderful things in your life. We certainly are.

This year and this season, in particular, we have been humbled and amazed by the kindness and spirit of our community. Thank you to each and every one of you for enriching our lives with your friendship, creativity and support. We truly appreciate it.

From the bottom of our hearts, happy, happy holidays to you and yours. May your days be merry and bright this season and throughout the new year!

Love,
Samantha, Whitney & Liz

HOLIDAY HOURS:
Friday, December 23: 10am-8pm
Saturday, December 24: 10am-4pm
Sunday , December 25: CLOSED
Saturday, December 31: 10am-4pm
Sunday, January 1: CLOSED

2011 Gift Guide: For a Yankee Swap ($16 and under!)

We're back! And not a moment too soon. Today, we've found you the perfect gifties for a Yankee swap, office party or grab bag: you know - fabulous, but financially prudent. ;-) These gems make the perfect choice for a swap gift: they are fun, practical, perfect for just about everyone and all under $16!

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1. Tweeter canvas ornaments (various colors; $11)
2. Travel alarm clock ($10)
3. Divine Twine bakers twine (various colors; $16)
4. Hand-poured soy candle travel tins (various scents; $6-$14)
5. Genius Deck: 75 Riddles and Conundrums ($13.95)
6. Envirosax reusable shopping bag (various designs; $9.25)
7. Foodie Flashcards ($14)

And, believe me, this is just the tip of the iceberg as to how many perfect little gifts and stocking stuffers we have in store. Definitely worth a trip in!

Don't forget to check out our other Gift Guides here:
For Her
For Him
For a Host or Hostess
For a Kiddo

Holiday Parties...

Hey pals,

I'll have some new product news for you tomorrow, but I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you all that the holiday season is speeding along, and we still have a handful of goodies that can help you prepare for throwing an awesome cocktail party or gingerbread making challenge right at home with all of your loved ones!

Just come into the shop and follow these simple steps:

Step #1: Grab a pack or two of invites and get them in the mail!

Step #2: Deck those halls. You're going to need some super cute fireplace matches to get that pile of logs a blazin' and letterpress printed coasters to really jazz up the table-top for your guests. Maybe adorn your door with a beautiful paper flower wreath, or use the paper poinsettia kit we have to make individual napkin rings for each of your guests. And you should probably grab a Gingerbread Architect guide too - those houses don't just build themselves, don't cha know?!

Step #3: Bake up some adorable, homemade holiday cookies and bundle them in cellophane with these beautiful gift tags! After all, who doesn't love leaving a good party with a treat for later?

Then all you have to do is get yourself all dressed up, put a big smile on that beautiful face of yours, and greet all your pals as they arrive at the door! Easy as 1, 2, 3!

:)

For more holiday party tips and accessories to get the house ready for guests, come by the shop and chat with us! We love to help dream up decorations, especially when it comes to the holidays.

Lots of love,

Lizzy

2011 Gift Guide: For a Kiddo

Happy Monday, darlings! I hope you all had a super fabulous weekend full of holiday soirees and laughter. Today, on the 2011 Gift Guide, we're helping you find the perfect treat for the kiddo(s) in your life. Shopping for children is the best, isn't it? Who doesn't love an excuse to look at toys and books and treats!

Some of our favorites this year:

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1. The Pretty Cupcake Kit: liners, flag toppers and recipe & decorating book ($19.95)

2. Talking Bubble Sticky Notes ($5)

3. Paper & Craft: 25 Charming Gifts, Accents & Accessories to Make from Paper ($18.95)

4. Oversized mechanical pencil (various colors, $2.50)

5. Watercolor postcards: a portable studio ($19.95)

6. Letterpress musical instrument notecards ($19)

7. Rubber stamp set in printed muslin bags (various styles, $19)

8. Printed canvas sunglass case (various styles, $20)

Pretty cute, if you ask me! And, as always, that's just a sampling of what we have in store. Stop in for a looksie :) And don't forget to check out our other gift guides:

For Her

For Him

For the Host or Hostess

make your list and check it twice...

Hi there folks!

The day's almost through, and we've been throwing all sorts of great gift ideas your way this past week - but I wanted to give a little bit of snail mail love to you all this evening! With the holidays fast approaching, everyone is scrounging for their holiday cards and trying to get everything addressed and out the door. I've wrangled up a good assortment of boxed and individual holiday cards to share with you today (some of my personal faves - both sweet and a little sassy) in the hopes of inspiring you to get your mail organized early this year. So start that list and check it twice!! It's always nice to give a shout out to your loved ones this time of year - wish them well and a fruitful 2012 :)

I must say, I'm always quite partial to the palette and quirky designs of Eggpress. Especially that "Peace and Love to All" card with the tree made from neon doves. So fab!

And these super crisp letterpress designs from Dee & Lala are always a unique take on holiday greetings. Each design is so pitch perfect and their colors are always vibrant and punchy!

We know how much you love Zeichen Press. Those three wise men are such funny guys ;)

And then there's the super hilarious Uncooked greeting cards. These keep our custies hunched over in stitches laughing all day and are always the perfect card for that someone you know...

And I love these sweet pop-out chipboard cards from Smudge Ink that act as a card until you remove the perforated ornament that's printed at the center :) So sweet!

There are so many good holiday cards to share this year, it's hard for me to pick my favorites - but this is a great start! And of course, if you're feeling rushed it's still not to late to order one of our custom stamps to expedite the addressing process! Paperwink's cut-off is December 4th - so be in touch soon if you want a custom stamp made for the holidays!

And we'll be back with more gift guides and holiday goodness next week! Thank you all, per usual for your continued kind words and visits to the shop, and we'll see you all around soon!

Lots of love,

Lizzy

2011 Gift Guide: For the Host or Hostess

One of my favorite parts about the holiday season is being able to attend fabulous holiday parties and get-togethers with my friends and family. Is there anything better than getting dolled up to laugh, sip festive cocktails and nibble delicious bites with pals around a Christmas tree? I think not.

So, why not bring a little somethin' somethin' to the host/hostess with the mostest to show them how much you appreciate the invitation. These gems should do the trick:

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1. 5-piece wine-bottle accessory kit ($28)
2. Recipe cards (various styles, $14)
3. Variety pack of foodie-inspired greeting cards ($26)
4. Floral coasters (various styles, $19)
5. Sail-cloth wine tote (various styles, $28)
6. Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes from London's Ottolenghi ($35)
7. Hand-poured soy candles in holiday scents (various scents., $20-$40)
8. Environmentally friendly (and beautifully scented!) hand soap and lotion derived from biofuels ($17-$30)

Of course, we also have loads more goodies in store and plenty of stunning Thank You cards to send along post-party. So, throw on your sparkliest baubles, gussy up and we'll see you under the mistletoe!