An Uncommon Studio

When we think of the word “uncommon,” we actually tend to think of what is considered “common” first – bland, stale & boring. There is so much stationery out there that seems to fall into this category. When we decided to start our little company, we knew immediately that our invitations would need to be extraordinary, alive, and altogether UNCOMMON!

Dedicated to producing stationery for you as an individual, we work to incorporate as much of your style as we can into our designs so the finish product speaks volumes about YOU. Whether you are planning a wedding, announcing a new addition to the family, or simply want personal note cards because you still believe that a personal letter is the best form of communications (and we agree!), we take care to ensure that the stationery you receive enhances the way you speak to the world!

We focus on bringing the finest elements available together to make truly unexpected results, often including imported papers, fabrics and ribbons, exhaustive handwork or beading, and the finest printing methods available! Each piece is labored over and becomes a one-of-a-kind piece of art your family and friends are guaranteed to hold onto.


An Uncommon Story

Maggie was raised a nice Jewish girl on the East Coast. Her family ate fresh bagels and lox every Sunday, and her father always thought it odd that she would spread cream cheese on a bagel like oil on a canvas. It was obvious, even then, that she believed that even the smallest tasks in life deserved to be done with reverence and artistic flair. So it was a natural choice to enroll in Alfred University, School of Art & Design. Four (and a half) years later, Maggie emerged with a BA in Graphic Design and Photography and moved to New York City knowing that one day she would change the way other people saw and communicated with the world... She just didn’t know how yet.

Jim grew up in Lompoc, a small town on California’s Central Coast where they practically bred warriors. He joined the Navy immediately after high school and enjoyed ten years of adrenaline-fueled, high-tech action and camaraderie. On his off time, when he wasn’t braving the deep blue in selfless defense of his country, Jim did two things: studied and met girls. He knew the non-stop dogfight of military life wouldn’t last forever, so he received a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration and Finance from Hawaii Pacific University and settled down with a good woman (see above) who could see that behind his rough, ultra-masculine exterior, he was an entrepreneurial powerhouse waiting to happen.

The first five years of Maggie’s professional life were spent as a graphic designer in studios in New York and Honolulu, but she figured there must have been something missing if she was more occupied with watching the minutes tick by, eager for the end of the day. So she decided to try something different. She still designed, but switched from paper to parties. Maggie became a proud partner of Pacific Aisles, Inc., a successful wedding consultation and design company based in Honolulu. She found event design incredibly satisfying – being able to help excited new couples design a perfect event that is a true reflection of their personality as a couple... Then it hit her like a ton of brick – THAT is what was missing!

In her former graphic design life, everything had been so corporate and sterile. But if she designed stationery for special events, the PERSONAL touch - and the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes from that - would be part of the whole package! Maggie knew then that she was on to something uncommonly big, so she ran straight home and told Jim all about her epiphany. He agreed that this was a big idea that would bring big rewards.

Together, with her unfaltering sense of design and his business brain, they started an uncommon little company called Uncommon Envelope. Their vision was to create beautifully crafted stationery surrounding their belief that an individual’s personal communication should be a direct reflection of their personal style. So with that goal in mind, each wedding invitation, baby announcement, piece of personal stationery, and product they design is a harmonious, 50/50 mixture of pleasing design aesthetics and the client’s own flair. The results, of course, have been uncommonly delightful!