Last week, I was able to visit the NY Now Gift Show for the first time. It’s quite an extravaganza– the whole Javits Center filled with vendors showing off housewares, crafts, and all manner of gifty items. If you’ve ever bought a stationery item or a candle or a pillow, or any of a million other things, the store you bought it at might have decided to stock that item because they saw it at this gift show or one of the other regional versions of it.

I work in publishing, so I was theoretically there to help at my own company’s booth and check out the books, but luckily, most of the book publishers were in an area of the show floor that also featured quite a few stationery products. I snapped a few photos before someone told me it was frowned upon for people with exhibitor badges to do so. This seemed very odd to me, as you’d think even other exhibitors would be seen as potential customers– that is certainly how the book publishing industry looks at it. But I guess with gift items, people are more afraid that you’ll steal their idea and sell it more cheaply than they do! Anyway, here’s a few things that caught my eye.

First, some of the lovely Ogami notebooks, with paper made out of stone. I don’t think I’ve seen the larger spiral ones in stores yet.

I just loved these mushroom notebooks, from Gift Republic. They had some other really nice designs too– these were my favorite thing at the show that I’d never seen before. I hope we’ll see them on lots of store shelves soon!

Colorful designs by Calypso:

Some fun-looking journals:

Great to see Michael Roger’s Decomposition Book line continuing to expand with fun new designs and sizes.

Cute little spiral-bound notebooks from Knock-Knock:

Rifle Paper Co.‘s line of Garance Doré stationery:

More from Rifle Paper Co.:

 

I enjoyed getting to see all these beautiful products on display– there was so much to see even though notebooks and stationery were only a small part of what the Gift Show had to offer. I’m not sure I could even handle going to Paper World or the Stationery Show– it would be total overload!