Various themed gift card and gift card holder combinations are disclosed. Some embodiments are contained inside a box along with novelty gift items that are themed or otherwise related to the type of gift card contained therein. Other embodiments contain various three-dimensional pop-up structures and other paper engineered constructs that are shaped, decorated and otherwise themed to match an accompanying gift card. And in yet other embodiments, the gift card holders are directed to specific holidays or special occasions with appropriate gift cards included. Each embodiment may include electronic features, such as audio and light. The packaging of gift card and gift card holder combinations is also disclosed.

Some embodiments provide a greeting card or a postcard with a concealed feature, such as, for example, a practical joke feature. The concealed feature can include concealed hardware that repeatedly plays a sound for several hours, days, or weeks. The concealed feature can include a concealed keeper element or pouch that contains a payload, such as, for example, confetti, glitter, stickers, or toys. The card can include a mode of operation configured to allow a card-giver to inspect and/or write on the interior of the card without activating a concealed feature. The card can be configured to release the contents of the keeper element or pouch when a recipient attempts to open or destroy the card. The card can include one or more features that resist destruction of the card and/or internal components of the card that implement a concealed feature or a practical joke feature.

A greeting card having an audio message recording and playback device permits recording of personalized audio messages to be played upon opening of the greeting card. The recording device is operable in either a trial mode or a use mode. In the trial mode, which would be applicable when the card is displayed in a store, a potential purchaser may experience the functionality of the card by recording their own test message. The test message is played back initially for the potential purchaser but is not subsequently played back to be later heard by other potential purchasers. In the use mode, which the card may be switched to after purchase by the giver of the greeting card, a user recorded message may be played back repeatedly upon subsequent openings of the card. The user recorded message may be followed by a prerecorded recording, such as a song. Additional prerecorded messages, such as voice prompts with instructions for recording a message, may also be included for activation in the trial mode.

A visual-information security system that includes an information security label positioned to conceal visual information on a substrate. The information security label may include a spiral-shaped cut (or other complex shape) within the body of the label and a pull-tab, such that when a user pulls on the tab, the label peels off of the substrate in a spiral pattern, revealing the information concealed beneath the label. The complex-shaped cut makes reapplication of the label difficult and evident, thus providing security to consumers. The label may include multiple layers of material, for example, a peel-off layer and an adhesive layer.

In one example of the disclosure, a substantially transparent substrate is provided at a printer. A primer layer is applied upon a first surface of the substrate. A security ink layer that includes security information is applied upon the primer layer. An opaque background ink layer is applied upon the security ink layer. A corona treatment is applied to a second surface, located on an opposite side of the substrate relative to the first surface. A release ink layer is applied upon the corona-treated second surface. An opaque cover image ink layer is applied upon the release ink layer.

A system for a greeting card. The greeting card has a planar greeting card portion and a greeting card cover moveably coupled to the planar greeting card portion. The greeting card cover can move from an open position whereby the planar greeting card portion is readable to a closed position adjacent to said planar greeting card portion whereby the planar greeting card portion is not readable. The greeting card portion is coupled to a gift storage compartment which has a volume and a depth for storing an item. The greeting card cover can open and close without moving the gift storage compartment.

Disclosed herein is an electrostatic ink composition comprising a component selected from a fatty acid ester having a plurality of hydroxyl substituents and a fatty acid amide having a plurality of hydroxyl substituents. Also described herein are scratch-off structures and methods for producing them.

Disclosed herein is an electrostatic ink composition comprising a component selected from a fatty acid ester having a plurality of hydroxyl substituents and a fatty acid amide having a plurality of hydroxyl substituents. Also described herein are scratch-off structures and methods for producing them.

A pressure-printed material preparing apparatus includes an attachment unit that attaches, powder which exhibits adhesiveness when pressure is applied, to a surface to be bonded of a recording medium; a fixation unit that applies pressure to the recording medium to which the powder is attached to fix the powder to the recording medium as an adhesive layer; a folding unit that folds the recording medium of which the adhesive layer is formed on the surface to be bonded, such that two portions of the surface to be bonded are opposed to each other; and an application unit that applies pressure to the recording medium in which the surfaces to be bonded are opposed to each other, to thereby bond the adhesive layer on one surface and the adhesive layer on the other surface.

A method for producing a three-dimensional object includes: forming an adhesive part on a portion of a sheet-shaped print medium by an electrophotographic system using a pressure-induced phase transition resin toner that exhibits adhesion when undergoing phase transition under pressure; and forming a three-dimensional part by folding part of the print medium so that the portion of the print medium that has the adhesive part formed thereon is bonded to a different portion of the print medium.