Ready For Business

I'm loving this latest stamp project. Charmain is launching her floral business, Emblem Flowers, and ordered a stamp to make her own business cards. Brilliant! I designed and calligraphed her logo, included her contact info, and voila...insta-business cards. 

She can now stamp her information onto most anything—simultaneously calming fears of running out of business cards at the last minute and opening doors to endless printing possibilities. I had a little fun experimenting before shipping the stamp out—looks great on manilla tags, card stock (any color!), I even did a watercolor wash and stamped right over the paint. Pretty pretty. I am daydreaming of more potential...this lime chalk inkpad on dark card stock? Yes please. 

Stately

F&W stamp style: state address

F&W stamp styles: wreath initials; lowercase modern

I've just sent off this diverse set of stamps to an equally unique group of clients—a Californian's stately return address, a bride's wedding logo, and a textile designer's monogram to stamp her work. 

Happy Monday!

Two Turtle Doves

I calligraphed this little you and me stamp and then went to town inking and wrapping up Brendon's Christmas gifts.

The real fun is on the inside (isn't it always?) Yes there's the gift, but the wrapping paper—ta da, hidden messages! I hope the surprise love notes distract from the less-than-romantic practicality of this year's gifts...

Surprise! The inside of the faux bois wrapping paper...all stamped up and cute

Fancy!

F&W stamp style: Murano

New custom return address style...

Monogram Stamps

A set of monogram stamps dolled up and ready to package and ship on out...

...and so it is, I march back to the post office (third trip today!) prepared with a snack and a book to read in the line to end all lines. 

Logo Love

Such fun working with bride-to-be Mel again (you'll remember her engagement party invitations...)

Now that she has squared away her super classy venue, picked out a stunning gown, and selected colors—black and white with a touch of gold—we began creating a look and feel for her paper goods to complement all of the above.

Mel loved the idea of having a logo or crest that would carry throughout the wedding, so after drawing up three different designs we landed on this winner. You see it here in the save the date (complete with a sassy striped back!), on her custom return address stamp, and wedding website. It's both modern and formal, sweet and fun...much like this bride and groom.

Return to Sender

F&W stamp style: Sterling

F&W stamp style: Torrie

'Tis the season for gratitude...and custom stamp orders. I've got lots of both!

Monogram It

Instant custom stationery courtesy of a monogram stamp. Coupled with some pretty patterned washi tape, these two calligraphed letters spell fancy.

Merry November

F&W stamp style: Cox

It's the first day of November which according to the decked halls of our local Pottery Barn means one thing...retailers have officially kicked off the holiday season. In keeping with the theme, this stamp was ordered to be gifted for Christmas—tucked in a muslin satchel, it will make one sweet stamped stocking stuffer.

Ho ho ho? Nah, too soon. Happy November!

Julie & Julia

I'm currently reading Julia Child's My Life in France, Julia writes of her husband Paul's letter writing:

"Paul took letter writing seriously: he’d set aside time for it, tried to document our day-to-day lives in a journalistic way, and usually wrote three to six pages a week in a beautiful flowing hand with a special fountain pen; often he included little sketches of places we’d visited, or photos..."

I think Paul and I would have gotten on well. I love a handwritten letter...sending, receiving... In the days of email and texting finding something other than a bill or J.Crew catalog in your mailbox is all the more rare and decidedly special. These custom monogram and address stamps were ordered as a gift for a fellow lover of letters, a kindred spirit.

Side note... It's safe to say Julia, her butter and I would have been fast friends too. She comically notes that her letters were "full of spelling mistakes, bad grammar, and exclamation points..." Ha!

F&W stamp style: EK Monogram & Katz Address

Stamp It Out

I'm a fan of stamps. 

Christmas 2010's highlight? The library date stamp—it was number one on my list and Santa came through. Quirky, I know, but there is something about sending a letter with the date imprinted on it that I just love. We used stamps for our wedding as well, adding fast and easy charm to place cards, gift tags, signs... And now, thanks to custom stamps, the possibilities are endless.

I calligraphed, digitized and ordered a few—a 'to:' to add a fast hit of calligraphy to gift tags and envelopes, the F&W logo for obvious reasons, and a 'yo!', well, just because. I'm currently working on a coordinating monogram and return address order that I think is going to be just lovely.

stamped...signed, sealed, delivered.