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!

I Want an Invitation to This Wedding!

Courtesy of Pouding Mill Press. Mattie, Lou - excellent pickin'. Email me for my address! I'll wait by the mail box.....

Poppies for Grace: Beyond Wedding Invitations

Check out my latest post for Fantabulously Frugal Weddings on eco-friendly wedding invites from Poppies for Grace, an Australian print shop that focuses on whimsical earth and sky drawings.


Like what you see but not in the market for wedding paper? Poppies for Grace offers a complete line of paper products, including notecards, notepads, drawstring envelopes, journals and more. Here's a peek:

From the Desk of Mark Zuckerberg

Check out Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg's personal stationery - embossed with his own seal, courtesy of Gawker. I kind of LOVE it.

Here's a peek at the envelope liner:

Graphic designer Ben Barry, a member of the Facebook team, explains his inspiration for this perfectly packaged paper:

Mark gets a lot of mail thanking him from people with amazing personal stories made possible because of Facebook. We wanted to make something a little more personal and special for him to respond.

Kate's Paperie

I have such a warm fuzzy spot in my heart for Kate Spade. Just about everything she touches turns adorable.....and pricey. Which is why her paper line gives me such a kick - it's a great way for me to get my Kate fill without breaking the bank. Here are a few of my new favorites:

A set of 10 cards, complete with lined envelopes, are just $25. And a pack of 3 mini-journals, like the ones above, are only $12, and right now shipping is free. A perfect little Kate Spade treat!

Good Monday Morning!

A little pop of color to match my cheery Monday morning mood, courtesy of Sparrow Nest Sript!

Zenith Horn: A Life in Letters (Part 1)

Last week, Dave's grandmother, Zenith, passed away at age 96. She was a smart, tough, clever, and welcoming cookie, and she accepted me into her clan of grandchildren and great-grandchildren as if I was one of her own.

Z was 94-years-old at our wedding and she spent the whole party on the dance floor, cha-cha-ing and hora-ing with the rest of us - a wave of blue in 3-inch heels.

Before my father-in-law left Z's home last week, he brought back a few of what he promises is a very large and thorough stack of Z's correspondence over the last seventy or so years. Birth announcements, summer camp post cards, congratulatory telegrams....Z kept them all, carefully persevered and well documented in her Florida apartment.

Over the next few weeks I'd like to explore Z's life through her letters and share my findings with you. In this way, we can honor Z and remind ourselves why, when it comes to personal correspondence, paper beats email every time.

Let's start with my father-in-law's birth in June of 1948. Z and Grandpa Sid sent an elegant little engraved birth announcement:

And Z's friends responded in kind, with little notes on personalized stationery of their own:

But the best card written and received upon the arrival of Marty to this world came from his sister, Nancy, who at the time was about 10 years old and not necessarily looking for a baby brother:

My favorite part:

"Am I mad! All because of Fred's briss [sic] I can't go to the country. I suppose you've gathered that I don't like the name Martin so I'll call him Fred."

And a postscript, on the back of the envelope:

"PPPPPS: Maybe if he comes home 21 1/4 inches I'll change my mind and love and take care of him."

Sounds familiar. I remember telling my mom that my brother could sleep in the basement when they first brought him home from the hospital!

More to come. Readers, if you've saved notes from long ago and would like to share them on this blog, send them my way. I'd love to read them with you.