In terms of time wasters during the day, I almost never turn to Youtube. I will on rare occasion enjoy clicking on a Youtube video link if a trusted source has sent it to me, but even then I’m wary. What I find cute and entertaining in a Youtube video is very specific, and if it’s even slightly not right, I am totally turned off of Youtube forever. For instance, I love interspecies friendships. Turtles that are friends with cats, elephants that befriend small dogs, that kind of thing.
But if a friend is careless and thinks, “Oh, Mindy just likes cute videos of animals” and sends me the link of a video of a cat playing inside a bidet or something, I hate it. I hate it so much. There’s such a fine line I just think: it’s not worth it. And nothing is worse to me, than the feeling you have after you watch a bad Youtube video link. I’m just so disgusted in myself and it just suddenly seems like I’m the biggest loser who can waste all the time in the world. Shudders.
So my favorite time waster is designing personalized stationery for myself online and putting it in my shopping cart, and not buying it. The best design-your-own stationery site is minted.com. Personalized stationery is historically a stuffy affair, popularized by plucky Jane Austen heroines writing long letters to their sisters. I think personalized stationery has become a very “female” thing to have, which is too bad. Personalized stationery makes everyone, man or woman, boy or girl, seem confident in what they have to say, and proud of their name. It’s just classy and immediately makes me think this person has their shit together.
And personalized stationery doesn’t have to be all formal and cold. Minted seems to specialize in playful, modern designs and spiffy fonts. When my book came out, I had a lot of people to thank, so I purchased these colorful orange-barber-stripe cards to send people.
And if you choose to spend a little more money, you can get extra baller details like shimmery pearlescent paper (yes please) and a pattern on the back of the card (yes, yes, yes).
There’s many, many options for guys on here, too.
Good for: Great gifts to recent high school graduations, recent bar and bat mitzvah’d kids, and to just seem like an official person.
The newlywed in me loves the idea of new stationary with my new name. Totally amazing.
Might be updating my Christmas list!
Allyn | November 17, 2011 |
I used Minted invitations for my wedding and got so many compliments on their uniqueness. Love them!
jenna | November 17, 2011 |
OoooOOooooOohhh!
You could take this stationery personalization a step further (a step too far?) and buy a custom wax seal with your monogram or logo. I ordered mine from nostalgicimpressions.com, and it’s perfect for quietly communicating my innate class and/or revealing myself to be a pompous ass. Who doesn’t want that?
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to devote my afternoon to minted.com…
Rebekah Jaunty | November 17, 2011 |
I got a handwritten thank you card from a guy I worked for once on his personalized stationary. It was really super classy.
Mandy | November 17, 2011 |
So how’d you get all knowledgeable about paper products?
Catherine | November 17, 2011 |
MINDY, you did it again. I bought the hairbrush, I’m probs going to buy the American Apparel blouses, and I was *JUST* thinking how personalized stationery would make my life. THANK YOU. Oh, and your book is awesome and I keep hyping it up. Not that you need a hype woman, but if you do, holler at me.
CurlYQ | November 17, 2011 |
My friend sent me a link to your blog because she knows I’m a Minted designer. Love that you’re a “Mintie”!
Sara | November 18, 2011 |
These are super cute! I don’t know that I like the way they have the “minted” advertisement so large on the back, though…
For thank you notes, I’m still using a stack of monogrammed cards from my wedding five years ago… Is that resourceful or lazy?
Either way, yours look way more official.
And I may not be able to convince you to click it, but this is my favorite cute animal-related (completely bidet-free) You Tube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw
Holly | November 18, 2011 |
This is too funny! I spent so much time on Minted.com yesterday doing exactly that…personalizing stationary then backing down and not buying it.
PS “cat peeing wtf who cares” Hahaha! Nice.
Whitney | November 18, 2011 |
When I taught high school English, all the moms of my kids gave me personalized stationary. I haven’t taught for two years but I’m still using that stuff.
xo
Melina
Melina | November 18, 2011 |
i do this so often. i send screen shots to my husband for feedback. he never sends any because he knows i’m not buying it anyway. but you’re right, stationary is classy. i should take a leap.
p.s. i love this blog.
Vicki | November 18, 2011 |
I do the same thing … personalize stationery and then never buy it … but usually on http://www.espressionery.com . They have such wonderful designs ~ check it out if you have a minute!
Laura | November 19, 2011 |
those are def extra baller details haha
Whitney Soup | November 22, 2011 |
Oh my gosh - LOVE IT. They even ship to Australia. Have just ordered the most awesome business cards at a fraction of the price they charge (for really boring designs) here. Thank you!
PS - Love your blog. Love your work. Especially loved your work in ‘No Strings Attached’ with my gorgeous buddy Ben.
Mandi | January 23, 2012 |