Sharen is a newer exchanger. I wonder if she has done - or still does addressing for wedding invitations. Her pointed pen script is lovely.
pushing the envelopes
decorated envelopes, mail art, lettering ideas
Monday, March 18, 2024
To Tom from Sharen - Part 3 - Big wedding
Sharen is a newer exchanger. I wonder if she has done - or still does addressing for wedding invitations. Her pointed pen script is lovely.
Sunday, March 17, 2024
To Tom from Paula - Part 2 - Big wedding
Part 2 of the mother of all events story.
Saturday, March 16, 2024
To Tom from Kate - Part 1 - Big wedding
OK - here's a Tom saves the day story with details. After years of working with the one event planner on big events, I had the opportunity to work with a different event planner on the *mother of all events* - (does anyone use that expression any more? ) Events are relative - this one was spectacular by Iowa standards - which means you hire a ton of stuff out of Chicago - the band, the vintage cars, the light show, the luge ice sculpture, the tent for the afterparty - which included furniture to create a lounge. The after party band was from LA - and you'd recognize the name.
I will preface by saying that I have nothing against people who want to go overboard on weddings because they are providing welcome income to people who like to create memorable events. I started working on the event in November (invitations) and had not really paid attention to the calendar for the following May - when the wedding was scheduled.
It wasn't until January or February that I realized prior to booking the wedding, I had booked myself into an out of town teaching gig on the weekend of the wedding. I had to tell the client that I would be gone - and assure them that I had someone who was even better than me at being on call for the weekend.
Luckily Tom was up for the challenge. He had to bring his nibs and ink and be ready to write out any last minute place cards or escort cards. The bigger part of the job was putting out all the place cards and lining up the escort cards. It seems like there were 300 - 350 guests -- that was a lot of tables.
I had been in the planning meeting where the lighting people (from Chicago) assured the dining room people that the lighting would be done by 10 am. I knew that was not going to happen - but nobody is going to listen to the calligrapher if she casts doubt on the guys from Chicago who swagger around like they know how things go in Iowa.
I also knew that you can't trust the people who set the tables to put the place cards on the tables - and it's not like they were regular place cards - they were belly bands (a strip of paper) that went around the napkin that was on the plate.
So, I had to get all of the napkins with paper bands done ahead and in Banker's Boxes - that would be labeled so that people who could read cursive - could get the names on the right tables.... it seems like an easy job... but it is way too challenging for some of the people who set tables - some are fine - but you can't be sure that there won't be one rogue who will make a crucial mistake.
And I knew the worst part was going to be protecting those boxes. Why can I see into the future?
Friday, March 15, 2024
To Tom from Amy - event stories without actual details
Thursday, March 14, 2024
To Tom from Susan - critiquing stamps
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
To Tom from Leslie - Tom's cake
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
To Tom from Juliana - cardboard trolls
Monday, March 11, 2024
To Tom from Jessica - USPS story
Very nice, Jessica - my favorite part is the dot-dot-dot-dot on each section of lace - and then the 4 dots on the zip code - subtle - but repetition is one of my favorite design principles.
Sunday, March 10, 2024
To Tom from the Westchester scribes
I think this is Irene's
Saturday, March 9, 2024
To Tom from Mary - Electronic paper
***
https://remarkable.com/?region_id=000250&msclkid=3c4e720804f01789b48317b537baea00
I do not recall where I got this link - I think from the BigHelpfulBrother. It's about electronic paper. I remember finding it interesting - but now I do not recall anything. I struggle with electronic things. I have a whole box of electronic things and I need to lure him over to my house to discuss what to do with them. I'm posting this so that he can be stockpiling excuses for why he can't help me with something that is beyond my comprehension. We have a long history of him trying to impart knowledge into a receptacle that was not having it.
Friday, March 8, 2024
To Tom from Patty --- The Gentle Penman
***
I do not recall if I have ever linked to The Gentle Penman - if I have - it's been a while. Over the years, there were a few different websites that popped up to offer online calligraphy courses. Then the pandemic swooped in and the whole world shifted gears to be more organized about online options.
I do not know the Gentle Penman - he seems young and he is not on the list of instructors - so, I'm guessing he was the magic person who showed up and figured out a way to build the largest stable of most highly skilled scribes who are willing to teach. It looks like he is in Hong Kong. Now I'm curious to learn more about him. Oh - that was easy - click on the [About] tab - https://www.thegentlepenman.com/about
Maybe everyone already knows about The Gentle Penman - if not - happy surfing - here is the list of instructors. It was fun for me to see how may of them I have met personally (hint: they are the ones with gray hair) - I've met 13 of them -- taken classes from 7 - back in the olden days when we classes were in person.
Thursday, March 7, 2024
To Tom from Gloria - puzzle prints
I love that circle. I want to do more circles. I love copperplate. I do not see much copperplate in my future. I just see frantic typing. Sorry.
***
Here is something for anyone interested in printmaking. The artist lives in the Netherlands. The first link is to the main Instagram link - and the second one is to the particular listing that shows a very cool way of cutting the actual *block* into puzzle pieces - and putting different colors of ink on each one - and then putting the puzzle together. A very clever way to get many colors without having to get all the different parts to *register.*
LINK to *puzzle* print technique
and if you are wondering how she keeps all the inks from drying before she gets around to pulling the print - here's another interesting page.
This makes me want to return to printing - and the best part of this technique is that you can do it all at home - you do not need a press.
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Extra post - Lloyd Reynolds book
Today's regular post is below.
I have a spare copy of the Lloyd Reynolds book - Weathergrams.
If anyone would like to pay the postage - I will be happy to send it to them.
The book is digitized - but some people still like hard copies
LINK to digitized Weathergrams
There are a couple on Amazon - and people are asking $40
If you are interested - email me: ptenvelopes(at)aol(dot)com
To Tom from JeanR - Dempsey and Carroll
***
Back in the day - when I addressed wedding invitations - I was alway happiest when I was writing on either Crane's or William Arthur. You could get actual steel engraving from both companies. I remember hearing about another company but do not recall the name --- and then, out of the blue, I was reading an article that mentioned Dempsey and Carroll. Oh.My.Gosh. I wonder why it's taken them this long to pop up on my radar. I think it's because there is a level above the 1% - something like the .0001% who has their own exclusive purveyors of goods.
In addition to fine stationery - they have a leather envelope. I'm not sure how one uses a leather envelope. Maybe someone knows and will enlighten us. It's only 4"x 6" - so I don't think it's a purse. Unless the only thing you need to carry is your Black American Express card. By the way - did you know that even though there is no limit to how much you can charge on a Black AmEx - you have to pay the balance, in full, during the next billing cycle.
https://www.dempseyandcarroll.com/
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
To Tom from Christy +Lego artist
***
Shout out to the BigHelpfulBrother who sent me this link. I've already posted some Lego sculpture that I designed using only one color per sculpture. This video will have me back with the tubs of Lego. I was interested that this artist insists that Lego is always Lego and never Legos. I'm not sure I will be able to reform myself on that item.
Monday, March 4, 2024
OOO - from Janet -- Feckless and dolt
I really like this one - and accidentally posted it on the 9th of March -
I'll just leave it here - and make a note later
***
Quite some time ago - I used the word *dolt* and wondered if it was OK to use that terms. Later, I saw the word *feckless* - and wondered if that word was OK - or has maybe become offensive.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dolt
adjective
- Careless and irresponsible.
- Feeble or ineffective.
- Spiritless; weak; worthless.
To Tom from Janet - Book covers
Most of us were in winter/snowflake mode in January. I'm writing this on a 50° day in February. Is there any way for me to remember how to make the ° symbol. I have to look it up every dang time. Grrr.
Janet added icicles, too. So pretty - but so much damage to roofs and eaves. For the January exchange, I had people send envelopes to Tom. He's an old friend from my guild days. I was not with him when he opened them so I do not have photos of any cards that might have been inside. I knew that his birthday was in January.
I might have some stories about Tom as this batch of envelopes pops up. He's a marvelous person - and I'm glad that we've stayed in touch - beyond the guild days.
***Sunday, March 3, 2024
BONUS POST - Non-machineable mail
It's hard to make a post stand out - especially one without a cool photo - but here goes. I'm trying to nudge us towards conforming (our envelopes) to a system that relies on machines and scanners - and while we have friendly carriers who come to our house - there are a lot of other workers along the way who would like the mail to be *regular.*
I had a conversation with an exchanger who had heard from a postal employee (a clerk) that the clear plastic envelopes were NON-MACHINEABLE MAIL and subject to a surcharge.
That sounded goofy to me - but, I was wrong - and after two clicks - I am now enlightened.
There is a copy/paste from what I found below. The highlights are MINE.
First - my own commentary:
The first bullet point addresses flimsy mail. So - that's a new one to me - but I totally get it.
Second bullet point is only for those of us who love math. Stick to traditional, rectangular envelopes and you will be ok.
Third bullet point -- NO PLASTIC. Got it.
Fourth bullet point - no buttons - I assume this means even decorative ones - and my son who spent a lot of time shoveling shredded mail out of machines that were bigger than his house - says he is not a fan of anything other than sturdy paper.
Fifth bullet point - while I enjoy enclosures - it's best to keep our envelopes as flat and bump-free as possible.
Sixth bullet point - yup - they would like those addresses to be horizontal - on the landscape orientation of the envelope.
A square envelope is non-machineable - and they now cost $1.12
*****
A nonmachinable mailpiece is a mailpiece that must be sorted outside of the standard, automated mail process. Because it is more expensive to processes these mailpieces, a surcharge applies to them.
The nonmachinable surcharge is added to First-Class Mail® with any of the following criteria:
- For pieces more than 4-1/4 inches high or 6 inches long, the thickness is less than 0.009 inch
- The length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5 (length is the dimension parallel to the address)
- It is poly-bagged, poly-wrapped, enclosed in any plastic material, or has an exterior surface made of a material that is not paper
- It has clasps, strings, buttons, or similar closure devices
- It is too rigid or contains items such as pens, keys or coins that cause the thickness of the mailpiece to be uneven
- It has a delivery address parallel to the shorter dimension of the mailpiece
***
LINK to the page that I copy/pasted
Today's regular post is below.
William Schaff - secret note - weather reporting
This is for people who have been wondering what kind of people figured out that we could have a coordinated effort of watching the weather and then predicting the weather.
LINK to a secret note and early weather reporting
Saturday, March 2, 2024
From Sharon to Mary in Jan - messy mandalas
LINK to mindful messy mandalas
Remember the link to the website in England with Crafts for Wellbeing? I clicked around to see if there were any ideas that looked like fun - and messy mandalas have *jean* written all over them. I like to take the letters in names and turn them into patterns.
Friday, March 1, 2024
March Exchange Sign-up - Flowers from Rachael
How ironic that yesterday's blog post was celebrating that I had not lapsed into chaos and today (Feb 19) I discover that this post is empty - and all the Jan posts are in order. So, I could post one of the Feb envelopes which is in the folder - but then it would be out of order. Or - I could play the Pinterest game and find something random - that has already been posted. <1 minute spent at Pinterest> Bingo.
Thursday, February 29, 2024
JAN Rabbit+grid to Jessica
Jessica's envelopes tend to be in their own category due to the length of both names. Grids are one of my go-to design principles. I did manage to do all the Jan envelopes in an orderly fashion. The goals were to stick to one style/color of envelope and go through all my markers and weed out the dry ones and also use up sheets of stamps to eliminate orphans. The next goal was to photograph all of them and get them posted in consecutive days so that I have a handle on what has been posted.
Now I'm thinking about a celebration to celebrate that I didn't lapse into chaos. I will refrain, because all of this happened during the blizzard followed by cold spell - so being house bound is probably 75% of the reason I didn't get distracted and wander off into chaos.
Or perhaps, I have reformed. Time will tell. Tomorrow we will start on the envelopes that arrived in January.
***
Real time comment: One of the exchangers emailed me and said they liked the envelope I sent - and I couldn't remember what it looked like - and I can't find a photo of it - so there will be no celebration. Maybe March will be better.
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
JAN Rabbit stamps to Janet and Mary
These two are the same style as the one to Cathy - and had lots more colors to work with since I had a few of last year's Year of the Rabbit to use up. I'm looking forward to some dragons for this year. This style of lettering is pretty versatile - I'll probably keep it in the stack of ideas that get to live near the top of the piles.
Real time comment: some of the blurbs on the Jan envelopes are short - and there aren't many add-ons. But, we'll just have to deal with it - because that's what we've been learning over the past several decades: not everything turns out the way we were thinking it would. Some days I'm chatty and some days I'm not.
Did I ever tell the story about picking up my first child at a little Mother's Morning Out drop off program? The kids were 2 years old - so every mom would pick up their child, literally - when the kids came running to be reunited - and then we would chit chat for a bit - while holding the toddlers. One mom picked up a little boy and asked him: Did you bite anybody?
The rest of the mom's were startled - and also speechless. The 2-year old boy could feel several sets of eyes boring a hole through him and the silence was awkward - so he shrugged and said: Sometimes I bite and sometimes I don't.
When I made that comment in the first paragraph - it unearthed the story. I just read an interesting article on memory. It's NYTimes - so it might pop up as one free article per month - otherwise it's behind a firewall. If you want to read .