May is here and also gone at the same time! How did that happen so fast? We are in full-swing with weddings here in Colorado. We imagine you are quite busy, too! We have some fun updates for you in this issue about all things Stationer to Stationer!
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We will be sending this email out every month, announcing our new dies and any updates we might have for you. You can always see the new dies as they are added to the Dropbox folder or directly on the Resource Site.
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Now, onto our FIFTH S2S update for you!
Grab your ☕️ / 🫖 / 🍷 / 🐈⬛ / 🥂 and settle in, it's a long one!
We'll cover some fun S2S updates, die additions, all about Pantones, die-cut pricing, and client supplied print logistics.
🥳 s2s Updates 🥳
Wowie - we've been busy this month. We started the month out by meeting up in the Ozarks for a business retreat. We brain stormed some really fun things for Stationer to Stationer (and Knapp Design Co.). We laughed, we cried, we celebrated, and we burned all the bad juju and left feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the year!
You are keeping us busy with all the new die lines and we are LOVING IT! You are also getting creative with the dies in our library and that makes us sooo happy! You inspire us with your creativity! Thanks for letting us be part of making on-screen designs come to life with die cutting!
Speaking of…
✂️ New Die Lines! ✂️
We have added 18new dies to the library!
The emoji numbers don't go that high, so you are going to have to go on a self-guided journey to see them all. If you need a little teaser, you can see all their names below.
In addition to these new dies we have some fun upcoming dies that we will be adding over the next few weeks. Keep your eyes on the Notion site for a #10 pocket, cassette tape, tiny disco balls & sparkles, a pill that fits INSIDE the #10 pocket, a perfectly vintage A2 Ornate Oval, and SO MANY MORE!
Just a reminder…
Stationer to Stationer shares the cost of most custom dies 50/50 with clients. We keep the die in our library for future use by all of our clients, including you! Navigate to the S2S resource site to read the full die policy.
The above dies have also been added to their respective folders in the Dropbox folder and Adobe Library. If you have these added to your drive or Adobe account, they will auto update. Sometimes Adobe takes a while to update, so you may need to re-sync your creative cloud.
Let's talk about
PANTONE!
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What is it? Pantone, also referred to as PMS (Pantone Matching System) is a universally recognized color system that designers in all industries use. When you say PMS 5435 - designers and printers will know you're referencing a beautiful dusty blue.
However, all Pantone numbers must be followed by an identifier. Printers use ‘U’ and ‘C’ as the identifier letters. PMS has other identifiers for colors used in textiles, plastics, and other substrates. So, what do we use at S2S?
We use ‘U’ which stands for ‘uncoated’.
In the paper industry, paper is referred to as either coated, which means it has a finish applied like a glossy paper, or uncoated, which has no surface coating. In printing on coated paper, the ink does not absorb into the paper, but rather sits on top. Uncoated paper is porous, making it absorb ink. You've probably experienced the difference in this when you've tried to write on a coated stock with a felt tip pen and the ink just smears or wipes right off. We print on uncoated paper, primarily cotton or cardstock.
The Pantone formula for the ink mix is specific to which type of paper is being used because the mix accounts for the way absorption affects the final color. When you submit your colors to us, it is important to supply a PMS color with the U (5435U for example). We will match it to our Pantone formula guide and mix you the most accurate color.
In the image below, you can see how colors in the guide fade over time. We have the most recent guide, so we have the most up to date information for you. We update our guides every 18 months.
(2023 on the left, 2025 on the right)
Don't know what your PMS is?
Don't worry - we have Pantone connect, which can convert your hex, RBG, or CMYK code to PMS for us!
We are also working on a spreadsheet of what WE think the best PMS color is for popular paper colors. If you want to match Mid-Green, just let us know, we've already figured it out for ya!
Cara Jo and her husband have an evening tradition of learning something new. Her hubs found this video on youtube and wanted to share it with you all! It's all about Pantone and the system behind it. It's a fascinating watch if you have some time!
Die cutting update!
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Setting up die cuts on blank paper stock doesn’t require the work of registration (aligning the prints to the die so that they’re cut in the right spot). Get excited because we reduced the cost of die cutting blanks so you can keep money in your pocket!
Need blanks cut? Indicate blank die cutting on your project request and we'll apply the reduced pricing on your quote. We are working on getting the S2S pricing grid updated with a new “blank die cutting" section so you can quickly quote for your clients.
Are you sending us
client supplied prints?
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When shipping your digital prints from Printswell to our studio, please put your name and project in the “PO/Customer” blank on the order summary. We get a lot of matching packages from PW and this helps us quickly match your prints to your project.
* Shipping from other vendors? If the checkout has an option for a memo, go ahead and put your name and project there so we have a reference when we open the box.
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calendar updates
For your planning, we will be closed the following days.
June 16-19:Cara Jo will be out of office and unavailable for printing.
June 23- 27 and July 8-11: Rachel will be out off office. Be nice to Cara Jo while she tries to function without her.
June 23 - 27: Limited printing will be available
July 17-21: Cara Jo will be out off office attending and SPEAKING at the Ladies of Letterpress Conference. Unavailable for printing (but learning new skills!)
July 25- 29: Cara Jo will be out of office and unavailable for printing.
Follow along on our Instagram (@stationertostationer) so you can see all the fun projects in real time!
yours 'til the variable prints,
- Cara Jo & Rachel
3455 Ringsby Court, Suite 112 Denver, CO 80216, United States
