Wedding Invites in your Inbox?

Sorry Post fans....it's been a while since you've heard from me. Nutty summer, but no excuses. Time to get back to the blog.

In honor of my third anniversary with my super amazing (and paper-appreciative) husband, Dave, I wanted to share a wedding invite debate with you, that Dave sent me, courtesy of Slate.

The question posed by Slate's ethical gurus Farhad Manjoo and Emily Yoffe is whether it's acceptable to send wedding invitations by email. Manjoo doesn't seem to appreciate the power of the invitation to set the tone for a wedding, arguing that it's a waste of energy and money and should be left to personal preference. But Yoffe made some compelling arguments in favor of keeping up the tradition of sending paper invitations.

To those who hail electronics invites as a way to save the planet from invitation paper waste, Yoffe says: "The really seriously green are not gonna have weddings. Think of the gas it takes to get there, the waste in packaging gifts." And in the grand scheme of things, she adds, the waste created by paper invitations is minimal.

"Right now an Evite says 'Come to my barbeque," Yoffe goes on, "I do think you want to set a tone for your wedding. That doesn't mean each invitation has to cost $5 dollars. You can do it economically."

What do you think? Have you gotten Evites in your inbox (or your junk box - shudder!) this season? Would you one day use them for your own big day?

For kicks....a peak at our own invitation.....

Great Friends//Good Paper

I'm a very lucky girl to have friends and family who understand my appreciation for beautiful paper. This past weekend, I was treated to all kinds of paper goodies that friends had picked up from me in the midst of their summer travels.

Friday night at Betsy's birthday bash, the birthday girl herself slipped me a note written on gilded Italian paper adorned with peacocks. Che bello!

I was so smitten with this delicate design that I tracked it down online so I could buy a set for myself.

Then, Saturday morning in the mail I received a package of hiking gear from my mom that I had lent to her for her trip out west. Inside was the best kind of thank you gift - a hand-painted watercolor postcard. A Joan Green original on Strathmore 140 lb cold press paper.

Sunday I met Nina at Mischa's for an early morning cup of coffee. Nina just got back from Japan where she swore she saw the most beautiful paper at every turn. Even in big box office supply stores there were great paper finds, she said, like this rice paper notebook decorated with painted carp.



The best part about gathering up all of these goodies over the weekend? They give me more excuses to write my own thank you notes on my latest paper from One Canoe Two:

Picking the Perfect Birthday Invitation

My college roomie Ali is gearing up to celebrate her baby girl Emma's first birthday and she asked for help picking out the perfect invitation. I happily oblige!


Wedding invitation suites abound, but when it comes to donning party hats for the little ones, it's harder to find something as adorable as the birthday boy or girl, and the cutest invites require shelling out major bucks for custom designs. Here's a look at my top picks for Emma's first birthday:

There's something really quaint and delightful about sending out paper invitations for a birthday party. To honor that aesthetic, I like these homey berry invites from Loralee Lewis ($34 for 20 printed invitations).


For a more DIY approach (suitable for a local guest list), check out this great invitation idea courtesy of Inchmark (I think these guys need to be hand-delivered):
Looking or something a little more dainty? Check out the pink and polka-dot duo from The PC Press ($166 for 50 invitations):


If you like photo cards, I like the simplicity of this design from Mink Cards ($15 for the design, printing costs additional):

And if the whole party planning process is turning into a circus, why not make it one officially? A carnival-themed party announced with these adorable cards from Sweet Life Designs might be just the ticket ($45 for 20 invitations):

Happy almost birthday, Emma! Ali - I can't wait to see what you pick!

Wearable Letterpress?

Before we get started, know that I love Egg Press. They're one of my Portland darlings - great designs with a clever sense of humor. I first spotted EP's cards with their signature peephole last summer at Rock Paper Scissor in Charlottesville and I've been a big fan ever since.


So....I want to be on board with their latest innovation - wearable letterpress. But somehow these cards miss the mark for me. Tell me what you think?

Top Five Creative Wedding Invitations Suites of the Week

I’ve done a lot of digging this week on design and paper blogs and I’ve come across some really fantastic wedding invitation suites unlike anything I’ve seen before. I highlighted my first find earlier this week. Today I’ll share with you my top 5 finds of the week:

#5 For Wanderlusters: The Hemingway collection from Lucky Luxe.

#4 For Seaside Sweeties: A wash of watercolor from Swiss Cottage Designs.

#3 For the Ultimate Love Birds: A ballet slipper pink + gray invitation spotted on Printerest. Sadly, I couldn’t figure out who the artist is.

#2 For Peace-Loving Brides and Grooms: Molly + Max’s bric-a-brac custom creation invitation from Wiley Valentine.

#1 For Big Fish Couples with Flair: Whaler Wedding Invites Courtesy of Ryan Feerer.

Watch how Letterpress Works

Thanks to blogger Pia Jane Perjkerk for scouting out this beautifully rendered video graphic designer Naomie Ross on how on the letterpress process. Watch this short but sweet video here.

Tips for Thank You Notes

Photo courtesy of Crane

This afternoon while digging around for my (missing!) passport, I came across this tip sheet on writing thank you notes that I picked up last summer at the Crane museum.

It takes a lot of the pain out of writing thank you notes. Here are the highlights:

• Write your note as soon as possible. You don't want to begin your note with an apology.

• Write on the best paper available. A thank you note is actually a gift from the writer.

• Start with these two words: "Thank you," and just state why you're saying thank you: "For the beautiful pair of candlesticks," "for the wonderful weekend at the beach house," "for your kind note after Dad passed away."
  

Your second sentence should establish the personal, emotional connection.

"We just finished a quiet dinner together, illuminated by your thoughtful gift."

"Although we won't be able to have a clambake on the shore, we look forward to your visit to the city so we can return your wonderful hospitality."

"I know you never had the chance to meet Dad; you two would have enjoyed each other's company."

Now for the closing:

"We promise to use them for only the most special occasions."

"I hope the rest of your summer is filled with sunshine and warm breezes."

"It's great comfort in this difficult tune to have such a good friend."

Simple as that!