Scribbles

I don't know how it happened but I got mugged today. I went into Scribbles, a stationary store on 15th Street, and walked out minus a good portion of $100. It's silly really; I just lost focus. I had no business being there in the first place. I forgot to kick the store in the balls and run for my life. Instead I got hypnotized by the luscious indents of letterpress and the hilariously cute one-liners of a good Mean Card. Oh how I miss card shopping, as one company marketed, "It's like candy for your pen."

In any case, I always want to pass along the yumminess. There are always old reliables, like Mean Cards:

And new friends like, Night Owl Paper Goods, who use eco-friendly sustainably harvested wood and make you feel like a piece of the 70s have been sent to you via envelope.

And I always forget and then re-recognize the upside down 7 and parenthesis mustache of Old Tom Foolery.

What joy in loosing all my hard earned clams.

This I Believe

Last week was a good "thank you" week. I got a letterpress treat in the mail from JH on the most ridiculously delicious paper I have seen in a while (it's not like me to say "delicious" but really, it's so friggin' tantalizing to touch). The scan doesn't do it justice (because you have to feel the sheer thickness of the paper and run your finger over the shape of the guitar) but I had to put up a scan anyway. You can come over for a visit and hold it/touch it - it's on display as we speak (no company plug as it's just some card stock she had laying around - JH always has good schtuff).

I too sent my own hot little thank you from egg press along to my bestie who clothed me with maternity gear a few weeks ago. She helped bring my pregnancy game up a few notches so I can look semi-fashionable with the bird in the oven. After mail call, she sent me a follow up thank you to the thank you (which for all it's silly reciprocity, made me smile - there's something about making someone else feel special which is really inspiring). MP also hand transcribed an added message in a effort to ease some bad day blues. It's from a book she shared with her sweet heart at bedtime. Admittedly I cried a bit because sometimes the words can be so simple and the message so basic, and yet still I'm constantly relearning to make this life less complicated. Some of the statements have become old hat and some are hard to swallow. In any case, I wanted to pass it along here. Thanks Meggy.

What I Believe
I believe that when doors shut, windows open.
I believe spring brings out hope in all of us.
I believe your special talents will light up the world.
I believe play is an important part of every day.
I believe dreams help you discover yourself.
I believe fairies dance at sunrise and sunset and in the moonlight.
I believe animals know more than we think they do.
I believe being able to receive from others is just as important as giving.
I believe your guardian angel never leaves your side.
I believe a good friend is a treasure, and you need to take care of your treasure.
I believe if you need a nap, you should take one.
I believe music and dance fill your spirit.
I believe life can give you the best you can imagine.
What I believe in the most is you - who you are, who you will be, and how you will give your special talents to the world.

Oh Baby!

Check this out: Last month I designed an invite for Nancy's Baby Shower. The graphic below provides the gist of the design (you can view the whole thing here). Of course, it falls under my attempts to gain high accolades as a top bridal, baby shower invitation designer in Denver. However for the time being, I shall settle for this surprise...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE things that are mailed. Yet when I arrived at the shower, I found a new dimension to my happiness. Tricia commissioned a cake to be created following the design of the invite. The creator, the uber-talented Anna Rodgers, manipulated fondant like a crazy lady (and if you've seen Ace of Cakes you know how hard it can be). That's just the beginning folks, because I haven't gotten to the delicious yellow cake with lemon filling and fresh raspberries that hid beneath the lovely surface. Truly delightful (though my blurry photos barely grasp the beauty).

If you are in need of a pastry chef in the Denver-metro area, contact Anna! If you aren't - come up with an excuse to get a cake made. She would be happy to hear from you and you would have yourself a fine treat!

Anna Rodgers 303-709-9300
annrodgers@gmail.com

Oh Happy Day!

This is posted two weeks after the fact but really why I decided to get a blog going....finally.

Producing, packaging, and addressing our wedding invites was the moment I had been waiting for! It has been one of the more exciting and fun pieces of what will come to be known as my whole wedding planning fiasco. The creation and compilation provided a certain level of clarity nothing else in this whole adventure has revealed.

I was on my home turf: paper and envelopes, color and font, mail pieces that would make a recipient smile and feel loved. My heart soars at correspondence through the U.S. mail (no big surprise to anyone close to me). Nothing could be more uplifting than to receive a hand addressed piece of goodness from a friend faraway or just one block over. This was my debut to our guests, our closest friends and family members. This was my chance to send them something bright and colorful and happy. It implored relaxation and enjoyment. All I wanted was to be casual and intimate.

So why did I wait so long to get the ball rolling? I have no idea. 16 months of engagement and I had yet found the time (minus some pipe dreams about Papel Picado flags and mulling over how to make it work in my head). Job loss didn't inspire me. December crept in with holiday mail trickling through our mailbox (truly the most wonderful time of the year). Usually by December 1 I have a hot mix celebrating the great tunes I have discovered through the year and cool holiday message to package it in. So as I began to once again procrastinate via Christmas card creating, Andy had a come to Jesus conversation with me about setting my designs aside to get our invites out and possibly the debut Rooster Plumbing holiday card. He was right. I frowningly placed my yearly holiday card on the backburner and focused on the task at hand.

Never mind bad timing as far as available printers or the lack of cash to have these puppies properly letterpressed like any good event deserves, I was in the rush hour of printing seasons and now was not the time to lolly gag any longer. Rather I went for an ounce of frugality and came out proud of my finished product. I like to think it was a beacon of color in a sea of green, red and blue holiday cards.