Mysterious Letters

Two people decide to write a letter to the entire world, and start with Cushendall, Ireland. It doesn't get any better than this. {via design*sponge}

The Graceful Envelope

Maybe I'm wrong in thinking that only people who travel in calligraphy circles are aware of the Graceful Envelope competition but I think it's just great. Above are some that I especially like from this year.

Also, many of you have asked about calligraphy lessons (specifically, do I give them). Sadly, I don't (nor do I feel qualified) but, if you're in Philadelphia, I highly recommend you head over to the Philadelphia Calligrapher's Society and take a gander at the members who teach. I can give you some specific recommendations if you wish.

Bicycle envelopes

Another great one...

Envelopes that break my heart all over the floor

I found these envelopes celebrating the American Bicentennial. Each one honors a different aspect of...well, what makes America great? I get inexplicably emotional when I look at these envelopes-- something about living in a country that once honored the American Craftsman, Farmer and Homemaker on correspondence...it's too much.

August Favorite: Greta Garbo

It is hard to choose favorite stamps. I have many. So I'm going to try to choose a favorite each month. These Greta Garbo stamps are just stunning. Aside from the the striking image, these stamps are textured-- they are engraved. I've never felt another stamp like it.

Gratitude

I recently wrote one of the most important notes of gratitude of my life. The experience reminded me that I should write these types of expressions more often.

Summer brights

There have been some wonderful, bright colors this season. Here: vibrant teal.

Stamps: Birds & Animals

I recently started offering a vintage postage service . I will track down wonderful old stamps for Neither Snow customers to adorn their correspondence. My most recent haul includes the state bird stamps and an assortment of wonderful animals.

Black & yellow

Recent order: I love the look of black ink on this rusty yellow envelope.

Desperately seeking: the person who made this sign

Many months ago we had reason to visit the Trenton train station. I was awfully impressed with the care someone took to write out this sign. He/she even sketched in guide lines. The handwriting makes the message so much more effective.

Words in Chicago

We had a great visit to Chicago and stopped by the new modern wing of the Art Institute. I'm always smitten with Cy Twombly's use of text (50 days at Iliam is one of my favorite rooms at the PMA).The photography installation was mounted in a way I'd never seen, with folded gray paper lining the walls from top to bottom, with text printed on it. The font was super interesting: it's not entirely clear in this photo but some of the letters (there's no pattern as far as I can tell) are bolder than others which makes for a terrific effect.

Wedding as Circus = amen

My heart jumped for joy when I saw that our dearly Emily of EmPrint Press printed these invitations. The wedding-as-circus concept is just so dead on.

{via Once Wed}

Personalized Stationery

A letterpress artist recently got in touch about personalized stationery. I can't wait to see how these turn out when printed!

Sup at Frankie's 457

I just finished a fun menu for a couple hosting their reception at Frankie's 457 in Brooklyn. As much as I love working with paper there's something satisfying about scanning as well.

I was pleased to learn more about the US Postal Service Motto's origin...and to think I actually read Herodotus in college and missed this entirely. The image of horse and man is especially sweet...

	It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.
	HERODOTUS, Herodotus, trans. A.D. Godley, vol. 4, book 8, verse 98, pp. 96–97 (1924).

Ann Wood

This pretty much sums up everything I want in life. From Ann Wood.

Meadowbrook Farm

Found this photo from my visit last year to Meadowbrook Farm and was reminded of how great the place is...

Hands on Deck

Still more evidence that the past could be the future: The Case for Working with you Hands (NYT)

Dyeing Parachutes

I spent last weekend dyeing parachutes for the bridesmaids skirts. It was awfully gratifying. I have lots to say on this process if you decide you too are crazy enough to undertake it. Let's just say that ProChemical saved my life.

Thank you 100 Layer Cake!

100 Layer Cake was kind enough to post about Neither Snow. A wonderful surprise on a day with lots of "no's" and "it's very complicated's" and "certainly you can appreciate the difficulty of's".