The business cards of ALT Summit
One of these days I'll get to my recap of Alt. Maybe. Alt is kind of a whirlwind of people, conversations, information, and colors. An amazing whirlwind, but a whirlwind nonetheless. And in the end-after you get home and the laundry is finished and the suitcase it put back up- you find yourself wondering how to put the experience into words. Well that and the realization that you are now surrounded by hundreds of business cards and gifts that you somehow managed to squeeze into your carry on. (Or maybe you're smart and checked your bag. Personally, I like the challenge of getting everything home in one bag and just treat it like an interesting game of Tetris. One that involves a lot of shoes, vintage skirts, and business cards.) Anyhoo. Back to the business cards. Alt loves it's business cards. From "Hello my name is" stickers to full on swag bags (seriously. I was given a scarf, the softest pair of leggings ever, and a necklace all as business cards. Way to knock it out of the park, people.) you can pretty much find every example of business cards at the conference. (Even invisible ones if you're like one of my roommates, Conni , who accidentally left hers at home. Whoops.) So once the dust in my mind settled (and I'd taken no less than 3 naps) I slowly went through them all while we watched House of Cards. Such beautiful cards (and even more amazing people.) And since I normally do a round up of them anyhow, I thought I'd mix it up a little and share a few trends that seemed to emerge from the pile.
Cards featured: j. sorelle, Hilary Rose, Dear Miss Modern, izzy hudgins photography, Meg Conley, agnes & dora, french knot studios
#1 The graphic business card. Clean, crisp, normally all in black and white. Definitely not a new concept, but always a winner in my book.
Cards Featured: the nectar collective, emily mcdowell, melissa esplin, tammy petro
#2 The handwritten card. Loved by stationery designers, artists, calligraphers, and pretty much any one else who works with paper- this card feels intimate with it's use of brushstrokes and/or hand lettering. (My business cards actually combine this style with the graphic card style above.)
Cards Featured: finder not keeper, 1000 threads, zelma rose, annie reeves, noteworthy paper, handmade charlotte
#3 The letterpress card. Oh letterpress, you are so very pretty with your thick paper and your indentions left from the press. One of the most chameleon-like cards, this type can fit with pretty much any occupation thanks to it's ability to be both traditional and modern (depending on the type, colors, etc.)
Cards Featured: let's play dear, marion green, our style stories, sarah deragon, cyndie spiegel, anne hellman,thrift me pretty
#4 The photo card. Pretty self explanatory, this card features a photo of either the people handing it out or their work. Loved by photographers (it's like a mini portfolio!) it can be used by anyone who wants to make sure you remember who they are long after the conference. And with a conference as large and jam packed as Alt, these are incredibly smart to have.
Cards Featured: one little minute, christina williams, the bannerie, oh what love studios, the banner shoppe
#5 And lastly, the present card. A fan favorite at Alt, these all come with a "surprise." Think of them like the kids meal of business cards. Mini paper banners, confetti, pencils, ornaments, sewing kits, temporary tattoos- this is where the DIY/craft/party blogger really gets to shine. While maybe not practical for the everyday, these are huge hits at creative conferences and definitely make an impression on receivers. (I'm still finding confetti in my purse 4 days later and it always makes me smile.)
What's your favorite? I tend to gravitate towards the graphic and handwritten ones (hence my own card) but there is just something so fun about a mini package!
