Have I ever mentioned how many designs I've created since the beginning of a. favorite design in 2005? To be honest, I'm not even sure I know. I do know we have over 400 active styles. FOUR HUNDRED. That's a lot of cards. And printing. Through the years we've discontinued dozens, if not hundreds of styles. When this happens, the stock just sits. Occassionally I'll make mystery bags but mostly, the stock just sits. Which is a shame. They are perfectly good cards and still capable of delivering a long distace warm fuzzy to the recipient. So this year I've decided to gather all those vintage a. favorite design cards and sell them at our first ever Letterpress Sample Sale.

For one day only, four hours only you can get a supercute, maybe even a cheeky, letterpress printed card for $1. ONE DOLLAR! They originally sold for $4.50-$5 each. It's a HUGE discount! We'll also have some sheets of gift wrap for $1. each, originally $3.50 each. Plus we'll have "scraps" which are letterpress printed cards that are slightly imperfect for only $1. an ounce (two-three cards). Most people wouldn't even know they weren't perfect. They can be mailed, used for scrapbooking, collage, making gift tags, garland, the possibilitites are endless! 

Come see us! Stock up on some letterpress goodies, gift wrap, pencils and scraps.

Saturday, Jully 22nd
11 am to 3 pm

a. favorite design
4222 N Ravenswood
#202
Chicago, IL 60613 

Cash encouraged but cards accepted.
Hope to see you there!

6th Annual Cardch Madness Exclusive Eight

What a week of Cardch Madness fun it has been! We've seen five of last year's Exclusive Eight return for the title this year. Amazing. We've also witnessed a couple upsets... Grad Cookie overtook last year's Fan Favorite Grad Folder. I guess people like cookies more than office supplies!?

 
baby match up - Sack won by one Instagram vote!

Another upset was Baby Sack. It was our sixth match up and I had no idea it would be so close, Baby Sack won by one instagram vote. Let's look at the stats: Baby Flash Card has been in our Cardch Madness since 2013, that same year it won Fan Favorite! Flash has also been an Exclusive Eight four times, Finale Four twice. I never would've picked Baby Sack to reign. Flash could have tied it but one voter submitted their vote a day late. Will Sack go all the way? You can help decide. Head over to our facebook & instagram pages to play along. Every vote gets you entered to win letterpress treats.

our first 6th Annual Cardch Madness Winner!

And now...the moment you have all been waiting for, drum roll please...
our first round WINNERS! The below Cardch Madness voters have won letterpress treats! Thanks to everyone who has voted. You can still win by playing along! Visit us on facebook & instagram daily to vote.

Congrats to our Round One Winners!
Susy Tunis Abraham - facebook
Anne Leonardi Lubke - facebook
caitfurger - instagram
flowersandgarbage - instagram
John Girton - facebook
sayrojean - instagram
nitneyrae - instagram
Diane Leonardi - facebook

Winners, send us your snail mail address by Direct Message on FB or IG or via email info(at)afavoritedesign(dot)com

Thanks for playing!

2016 Cardch Madness bracket - Graduation Folder was the Champion

If you don't follow us on social media you really should. Right now, we're in the midst of our 6th Annual Cardch Madness. And it's awesome! We have match ups daily until we have a. fan favorite. I wish I could take credit for this brilliant promotion but I cannot. Before I get into the details of this amazing annual promotion you should follow us on facebook & instagram to play along. It's fun! and you may win some snail mail love.

So here's a little history of my most favorite promotion. Five years ago, I had the pleasure of working with my best friend, designer, social media guru & now business owner, Jaime. She's a rock star at everything she does & when she left her corporate gig to pursue her dream of opening a store, I asked if she'd like to earn a little cash & help promote a. favorite design's social media. She graciously agreed (& took on much, much more). One of the very first ideas she had was to launch our own version of the college basketball madness (you know the one, it happens in March... but we can't use the proper name due to trademark). Brilliant, right!?! I mean who would expect letterpress greeting cards to be matched up in a challenge? To be decided on by a. favorite design fans? And really, who doesn't love a bracket? To encourage voting those same fans would be entered to win some snail mail. Again, brilliant!

2012 our very first bracket - World's Greatest Mom was the champion

Jaime & I talked through all the logistics and she created the rules. Every March when the college basketball madness starts we would launch our own bracket. Annually we chose eight classic a. favorite design cards and eight newbies in the same category to face off. We then post each match up on facebook for our fans to vote on. Voting lasts approximately 24 hours then we tally them & the winner moves on to the next round, similar to that famous March college basketball craziness. 

2013 bracket - Baby Flash Card was the Champion

Have I mentioned this is my most favorite promotion? It is. And it keeps evolving. In 2014 Tom, my partner in life & business, took over social media. That year he termed the bracket challenge Cardch Madness... More brilliance! (I apparently surround myself with geniuses)

You may notice fan favorites from previous years keep showing up to face off with newbies. We've had some fans that voted for the same card, four brackets in a row. This makes me happy. It's fun to see what our fans love & helps me gauge what design styles I should continue developing.

2014 Cardch Madness bracket - Thank You Type was the Champion

Don't forget, if you'd like to participate head over to facebook or instagram. Every vote is entered in a chance to will a letterpress card! If you want to share the madness on social media please use #CardchMadness. Let me know what your favorite promotion has been with us. Or better yet, if you have a brilliant idea & want to share. We love hearing from you!

2015 Cardch Madness bracket - Mom Cookbook was the Champion