I have a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. On one hand, browsing through it can generate all kinds of creative ideas and break you out of a rut. On the other, it can also create a Facebook-esque time warp and suddenly hours have been wasted clicking through information you don’t really care about. Either way, I thought I’d round up a few of my favorite ideas here!
Are you on Pinterest? What do you think? Leave your screen name here to be followed! Follow me at pinterest.com/622press.
Good morning dear readers! I have a confession to make: I haven’t sent out Christmas cards for two years. Somehow each December seems to fly by and before I know it, I’m heading to my parents for the holidays and my stack of cards is still sitting on the dining room table. But this year, in an effort to show how much I value those who make my life better, I’m going to try. I may or may not succeed 100%, but at least I’m making the effort!
Since I can’t send a card to each and every one of you (although if you email me your address, I’ll put you on the list!), my gift to you all this holiday season will be to give 110% on the blogging front. Truth be told, I’ve been saving up some awesome ideas for weeks now, so from now until Christmas, my plan is to post at least every other day (do the math, it’ll make the title of this post make more sense). From décor to gift ideas, I hope I can share a little inspiration and help thaw the brain freeze that can accompany trying to find the perfect present.
An aside: This year, I’ve chosen not to use the politically correct “holiday” in lieu of Christmas. Not because I’m ignoring the other holidays that fall at this time of year, but simply because that’s what I celebrate. Sometimes we take such drastic steps to make sure no one is left out that we end up over-generalizing or making the world feel like one homogenized landscape rather than celebrating what makes each culture unique. I hope you can use the ideas I write about in your own traditions this season, and please feel free to leave comments about how you’d use these ideas in your life!
Depending on what side of the aisle you favor, the proposed cuts to the U.S. Postal Service are either a heinous attack on an American institution or a necessary step to balance the national budget. All I know is that if I have to stand in line any longer, I’m switching to Fed Ex.
No matter where you fall on that issue, everyone likes to get mail. I know I’ve waxed semi-poetic about the virtues of card-sending before, but really, is there anything better than the surprise of a hand-written note? At least one person agrees with me: Stefanie of Newspaper Taxi is holding a contest for lovers of letters.
Info on the image below, full details if you click on it! Enjoy and good luck!
Today I had the good fortune to stumble across Styled. Magazine, an online publication by Victoria Hudgins (of a subtle revelry blog) and throngs of exceedingly talented contributors. Take a moment to page through this lovingly crafted magazine and I guarantee you’ll walk away inspired as I did!
Some may call such devotion to party planning frivolous, but I find that when I put forth a little extra effort—whether it’s picking up fresh flowers on my weekly grocery run or making a well-balanced meal instead of just nuking a lean cuisine—it definitely brightens my day. And if you happen to capture these little bright spots beautifully on camera? All the better.
So dear readers, I hope to be able to include more original content that inspires you here on the 622 blog while continuing to feature beautiful handmade goods and my own work. Here’s to year three at 622 press!
Oh yeah, that just happened. Well kids, once again life has gotten in the way of ye olde blog, so instead of coming up with new, original content for you, I bring you the words of one of my favorite bloggers (and full disclosure: very good friend), Mollie Shambeau.
Miss Mollie is getting married in just over a month and I helped design her wedding stationery. She was kind enough to feature our work on her blog here.
Her invitations were a fun project, both because she has an impeccable sense of style and wanted to add a little whimsy with a play on her soon-to-be last name: Busby (Bus-bee, get it!?!).
Whenever I have a little down time , I try to pop over to The Mollie Shambeau Show to see what that girl is up to. One day she’s in Wisconsin, the next Australia, then Utah, then who knows! Just over a month ago now (jeez, has it been that long?!), she wrote the loveliest post that expresses exactly why I chose to create greeting cards with my letterpress.
On a day when life was handing me too much, I had dinner with a dear friend who brought such positivity to everything I blabbered on about, I really did intend to send her a thank you card just for being herself. And of course even I—with boxes and boxes full of beautiful ephemera—didn’t follow through on my intentions.
A week or two later, I came across Mollie’s words and after kicking myself for my lack of follow-through, took the same vow:
The last few weeks have been a learning experience for me. Not only because I’ve been living in my parents’ basement (oh yeah) and planning a wedding that’s happening in LESS THAN THREE MONTHS (mini heart-attack) but because I’ve learned a lot about myself and my relationships with others.
And though I should be feverishly working on another set of important vows in my life, I have one I’ve been wanting to disclose here:
I vow to try my best to not take anyone in my life for granted.
It began with a stack of cards. There are people out there (some of whom are probably reading this) that actually thought to send me a congratulations card after Sean and I got engaged. HOW THOUGHTFUL IS THAT? Seriously, it was so thoughtful that I started to question my own track record with cards. Lets just say I came up a little short.
There is something to be said for “card people,” right? Are you a card person? Prior to recently, I was not. Thank you notes? Of course. Birthday cards? Maybe, if I was seeing the friend in person. Cards for lesser occasions (arguably the cards that really matter) like Get Well Soon, Thinking of You, Congrats, etc.? Er, no.
Card people… how admirable are they? You know, that one person in your life who NEVER forgets your birthday, always calls, and makes sure you get at least one card (and $5 to spend on chocolate) on Valentine’s Day. I always thought to myself, “Maybe someday I’ll have time to be so thoughtful.” I resolved I was simply too cheap and too busy to embody the “T” word—two excuses that make me cringe as I write this. Plus, living in Utah a world away from many of my college and high school friends and family didn’t help to engage my sense of connection.
Well “someday” happened, baby. It’s time I climb aboard the Thoughtful Train… and I would like to extend an invitation to you.
I’d like to hope every woman reaches this point in her life. The point when she realizes that making that extra effort is important. Sure it may not be convenient to respond to an email or send a congratulatory card to a recently engaged pal, but you know what? Life isn’t convenient. I’ve got one hand on the computer keyboard and a sandwich in my other hand while I add, “Pick up dog poops in the yard” and “Write 1200-word story for the paper” to my To-do list and catch snippets on my iPhone from the Casey Anthony trial, all the while cursing my well-intentioned suggestion to watch “Father of the Bride” as tears of nostalgia run down my face (true story).
Life isn’t convenient and it never will be.
Going the extra mile for the important people in your life is—I believe—one of the most imperative and rewarding actions a human can take. Without friends and family in your life, would it be worth it?
Think about it. Hop on the train. Send a freaking card ☺ And have a wonderful day!
622 press | LETTERPRESS GOODS MADE BY HAND 