sketchbook project.

If you are into being creative then this is the thing for you! I participated in this last year and already signed up for this years. I am just waiting for my sketchbook to come in the mail!! Check it out!

world graphic design day.

World Graphics Day is celebrated on April 27, the anniversary of the founding of Icograda, the world body for graphic design, in 1963. It is a day to celebrate the profession of graphic and communication design. The day has been celebrated since 1995.

On this occasion, designers reflect and hope that an international network can contribute to a greater understanding between people and can help to build bridges where divides and inequities exist.^[1]

baby shower invites.

It is a steamy overcast day today. I am sitting in Starbucks listening to Adele and addressing baby shower invites for my best friend amanda's baby shower that is approaching us. I am very proud of how these invites turned out. I designed them myself. I love when I can express myself and my vision graphically.

I hope you all are having a lovely saturday and doing things that you love!

handmade easter cards.

I decided to get crafty this easter and make my own easter cards.  Here is a step by step guide on how you can also save money and get crafty by making your own carrot cards! 

Supplies:

white paper

black, green and orange markers 

scissors

glue

step 1: draw a carrot shape in black sharpie then color in with orange and green marker.











step 2: cut out the carrot you just colored.

step 3: fold a piece of 8.5x11 paper in half long wise. glue carrot cut-out to the edge of the paper, where the seam of the fold is under most of the carrot and some sticking out. (As shown in photo)

step 4: cut out paper around the carrot shape. you then have an adorable handmade carrot easter card. write your message and make someone smile!

leave behind.

This weekend I went to DC to go and see the sketchbook tour! It was a worldwide art project I had taken part in this summer and wanted to see it on the closest stop to home while it was on tour! While in DC we made a day out of it with shopping and great food. We passed a paper and card store and I knew that would be the perfect place to leave behind some of my postmarked with love. cards! I snuck a photo before  I left the store of my leave behinds!

interview with a card designer.

Kathy Loyd- notecard designer.

How would you describe your letter writing style?
    My letter writing style is definitely casual. I tend to write just as if I was telling someone the same thing in person.


What is your favorite thing about writing letters?
    Connecting to the person I am writing to is my favorite thing about writing a letter. I always hope they are as happy to be getting a letter from me as I am them.


How did you get started making personalized notecards?
    I love quotes and I love paper so when I saw some blank note cards at a paper store I used to pass on my way home from work I tried it out and have been making them ever since.

Do you have a favorite quote or saying you like to put on notecards?
    I look for quotes that are specific to the person and what they are going through at the time. So I don't really have a favorite because I like so many. Although, I really like the quote I made up myself. :)


And what Quote is that?
    "Don't be so tied up in your virtual life that you fail to live the life right in front of you."

I notice that you only have colored envelopes you use with your notecards, is that for a specific reason?

    I mostly use color envelopes because color makes me smile and bills always come in white envelopes so when you see color in your mailbox, you know it will be something fun!

If someone wanted to order custom notecards from you, do you do custom orders?

    I just have the basic computer so I just do quotes. If someone wants a specific quote printed, I can do that!

If you are interested in personalized quotation notecards, please feel free to contact me at ellenloyd@gmail.com. I will pass you on to Kathy!

go green.

Information provided by beyond the perf

Introducing the USPS "Go Green" Stamps!


With Go Green, a pane of 16 stamps, the U.S. Postal Service seeks to raise awareness of simple actions each of us can take to conserve natural resources and promote the health of our environment.

Artist Eli Noyes of San Francisco, California, gets the points across in a colorful and playful manner. The art shows both genders and a range of ages, from a small girl turning off a light switch to an adult choosing to walk instead of drive. It conveys a positive message: things we can easily do to have an immediate impact on the air we breathe and the energy we consume.

map brooches.

This is a little off topic from letters and writing, but I wanted to show you all some other projects I have been working on! I have a bunch of maps so I decided to make NYC subway map and Tokyo metro map brooches. I also made some using NYC metro cards too! I am going to list these in my etsy shop in the future possibly!

postmarked with love. identity is coming along!

I have been plugging away at ideas I have in my head all day for my blog and etsy shop! Here are the cards that I made to leave behind places as part of a guerilla marketing campaign I want to do for my blog and shop. I will eventually order the buttons I designed and attach them to the cards! (Even those got a slight makeover today.) One tiny step at a time I guess!

What do you guys think of my official postmarked logo I created? I am kinda loving it!

postmarked buttons.

button design for postmarked with love

Happy Monday Readers! I hope you all had a great weekend and are busy writing and receiving letters! The month is close to half way over!

Last week I thought about the idea of a little guerrilla advertising for my blog. Help spread the word and and get some followers as well as showing people that letter writing is FUN! What do you think of my button design? I am thinking of putting an order in this week... I want to attach them to cards and leave them random places in and out of town that I go!

I am excited about the idea... and who doesn't love a fun button!

I will also include them in stationery packs that are purchased from my etsy shop!

On a recent visit to NYC I went to my favorite paper store in the whole city, Paper Presentation. This store is beyond amazing! If you love stationery and paper or anything to do with letters and such you will want to spend hours in there. I was with my boyfriend and a friend, so time was limited... but I still found some great finds!

I picked up some airmail twine that I can not wait to use on letters and packages. I also got some paper luggage tags to use on presents that I wrap with maps.

I really want to do a craft show one day with all of the handmade stationery that I make, so I bought this adorable little cardboard suitcase to use as a display!

So if you are ever in NYC, I highly recommend you check out this paper store! You will not regret it!

tiny little letters.

If you love sending letters, check out this 

World's Smallest Post Service

It is the cutest thing ever! You pick out the card that you want and type your message. They then print it in the little card, seal it, stamp it and send it on its way... a tiny magnifying glass included.

I recently sent one to my mom (pictured here) and she LOVED IT!

please write: don't phone

While there is mail there is hope.
After we have hung up I can't recall
Your words, and your voice sounds strange
Whether from distance, a bad cold, deceit,
I don't know. When you call I'm asleep
Or bathing or my mouth is full of toast.
I can't think of what to say.
"We have rain"? "We have snow"?
Let us write instead: surely our fingers spread out
With pen on paper touch more of the mind's flesh
Than the sound waves moving from throat to lips
To phone, through wire, to one ear.
I can touch the paper you touch.
I can see you undressed in your calligraphy.
I can read you over and over.
I can read you day after day.
I can wait at the mailbox with my hair combed,
In my best suit.
I hang up. What did you say?
What did you say? Your phone call is gone.
I hold the envelope you addressed in my hand.
I hold the skin that covers you.

-Robert Watson

stationery collection?

I am getting ready to move and as I am slowly boxing up some stuff tonight I conquered my stationery collection. Is it bad that I have so much it is going to have to go into two boxes? At least I am always prepared to write a letter!

speaking of writing letters... I have one down, 5 more to go this week! how is your letter writing going?

stationery giveaway.

I would love to do a stationery giveaway. a package of goodies that includes stationery from my own collection (handmade and bought), stickers and other fun things.

would you all be interested?

have you been writing?

It is the third day of april... have you been writing letters? I have received one in the mail every day so far, and I have a long list of letters to write!

handmade stationery.

I love to make handmade envelopes! Here are some that I made from NYC subway maps! Stationery sets for sale in my etsy shop!
Different cities available:
• NYC subway
• Charleston
• Ocean City, MD
• Asheville
If you don't see any that you want just message me.. I have a TON of maps and can make any of the cities listed above!

Start off your letter writing month with some adorable stationery sets!

 "To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart."    
- Phyllis Theroux

april is national letter writing month.

April is National Letter Writing month! Get out your pens and Get out your paper... it is time to start writing letters! Throughout the whole month I will be posting all sorts of fun and exciting things to promote letter writing month!

I plan on trying to write as many letters as possible this month... you should too!