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A question and answer with retailers Alana Amaya and Julie Rabinowitz, owners of Jubiliana, a home-based business in New Jersey.

Q. There are some things that are timeless, a little black dress or the perfect martini come to mind. What epitomizes timelessness for you when it comes to stationery?

AA. Good typography and beautiful paper! There’s nothing like opening a beautiful invitation with clean crisp typography. The space between the letters is just right. The fonts chosen have been well thought out and work together. And paper in today’s world … there has been a recent trend to use acrylic, metal, and other materials for invitations. However, we are all about paper! We love the feel and textures, which is such a welcome deviation from the digital world. It’s classic, and nostalgic.

Q. What are your current top-sellers that every client seems to want?

AA. There are definitely a few designs that our teens gravitate towards. This past season, florals and watercolor designs were very popular. Floral Fireworks, Watercolor Splash and Mandala Sunflower are favorites among our teen girls. Boys have been gravitating towards distressed backgrounds. Our Don’t Distress design has been very popular for the boys. Certain color palettes are also favorites, all shades of blue, purple and pastel colors for sure are bestsellers.

Q. What have you learned about running this business that’s surprised you?

AA. The people within the industry have been pretty amazing. It’s a tight-knit community, and for the most part everyone has been incredibly helpful. Running a business is way more work than we ever imagined, but incredibly rewarding. What has been wonderful is that we both like different aspects of the business, and so we gravitate to those areas. Then we both groan a bit when we have to do the parts we don’t love, but we get it done!

Q. If you were a stationery product, what would you be?

JR. Definitely a thank you note! I have always been a stickler about writing thank you notes – it’s something I enforce to my kids as well. I believe it is so important to express your gratitude to others, and there’s nothing like a hand-written note, to show it. It’s so much more personal than a text or email.

>>ALSO SEE: Coming of Age, a retail profile on Jubiliana.

Q. What is your best buy under $50?

JR. We have a line of gorgeous double thick paper stocks in smooth, eggshell, shimmer and linen textures, which cost only $50 per 100 invites to upgrade. These paper stocks make so much more of an impact and statement, as they are both beautiful and much more substantial — definitely a good value!

Q. What is your best splurge?

JR: One of our best splurges would be a multi-layer invitation – especially one that uses metallic or glitter paper stocks, which really add a bold pop. The cost of the extra layer varies depending upon size and texture, but they range between $1.50 and $3/unit. A second, more economical splurge is an envelope liner. At 75 cents per liner, we can design a complementary pattern or color, which not only enhances the whole look of the invitation once it’s opened, but also makes the envelope feel more substantial.