Dain and Mallory

i've moved

2011-02-09T23:33:00.000-08:00

Recent work

2011-01-23T20:58:00.000-08:00

C Magazine Weddings

2011-01-23T19:23:00.001-08:00

C Magazine's once-a-year wedding issue has featured me in its new issue. Not once but twice! I was so thrilled to see my work in the pages of this fabulous magazine — I think the whole grocery store must have heard my shrieks!

a fine collaboration

2011-01-04T20:48:00.000-08:00

I always like doing projects with other designers because I get a fresh perspective on my own work. It's like being back in design school and getting critiques. Last month I collaborated on a logo with South Carolina graphic designer Marco Suarez. I did the calligraphy, he did the rest. I'm so happy with the result but am even happier to hear that the client loves it!

{ Image via the portfolio of Marco Suarez }

100 Layer Cake

2010-12-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have already seen the newly-launched website from 100 Layer Cake. No longer is it simply one of the coolest blogs on the internet, it's also an awesome online marketplace for crafting supplies and lightly used decorations, a treasure trove of DIY project ideas and templates, and a massive repository of vendors in fields ranging from photography to catering, floral design to videography.

I feel honored to have been named one of 100 Layer Cake's A-List Vendors. More flattering than that, really, is the long roster of awesome calligraphers who are on this list with me. I find all of their work infinitely inspiring and beautiful. Thank you Jillian, Kristina and Amanda for including me!

a wisconsin cottage

2010-12-20T23:54:00.000-08:00

i made a foray into the world of sign painting for my aunt and uncle's new cottage. my uncle is scottish so they have named it "langside" — scottish for "lake-side".

holiday envelopes 2010

2010-12-13T20:52:00.000-08:00

well, my holiday cards are finally finished! it feels like i've been working on them for months, from designing the card itself to collecting some great vintage stamps to addressing all the envelopes. it always feels so anticlimactic to drop so much work into the outgoing mailbox but that's just part and parcel of being a calligrapher.

Season's Greetings

2010-12-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

You might recall my post a few weeks back about my holidays cards, but they are officially done! Once I vectorized the lettering I also turned the design into a rubber stamp. These items and more are available at my shop so drop by!

{ season's greetings holiday cards. | available on etsy. }

{ seasons greetings rubber stamp }

sophie + ian

2010-12-11T00:24:00.000-08:00

It's always wonderful to see my calligraphy in the context it was designed for. This fall I did the calligraphy for the wedding of Sophie and Ian. It was such an enjoyable job because the event was really whimsical and fun — it was even held at a private bowling alley! Many of the signs I was commissioned to make seemed odd at the time (such as the one below: "socks for bowling") but after seeing the photos it all makes sense!

I also made a fingerprint tree — a great alternative to a guest book where guests leave fingerprint "leaves" and sign their names next to them.

{ both photographs above by caro hutchings | carohutchingsphotography.com }

The beautiful letterpressed, London-themed invitations, each one hand-customized:

{ photograph by me }

calligraphy + watercolor

2010-11-14T20:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I spent a long, relaxing day in Bel Air at a watercolor workshop lead by the Society for Calligraphy of Southern California. The watercolor teacher was Yukimi Annand, a fantastic calligrapher who does incredible work incorporating watercolor to produce cool backgrounds.

We experimented with lots of techniques I'd never tried before, like sprinkling salt and rubbing alcohol on the wet paint and laying sheets of plastic wrap over the pieces as they dried. Now I'm just looking forward to experimenting with my pieces as backgrounds for my own calligraphy projects.

I also got to see my calligraphy teacher, the amazingly talented and inspiring Carrie Imai.

open for business

2010-11-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

{ plurabelle.etsy.com }

holiday cards

2010-10-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend I've gotten a start on my holiday cards. I wish I had the time to make each and every one by hand like I did with my Halloween cards, but since my winter card mailing list is much longer, I don't. Digitizing a hand-made design is always second best. After much experimentation I've settled on a the lettering below, although it takes a lot of refining by hand and then later in Photoshop to get it crisp enough to print well.

Stay tuned for more steps along the way....

{ i start with a quick pencil sketch then begin to refine the letterforms by tracing on vellum. }

ricotta banana

2010-10-23T11:59:00.000-07:00

This morning I made a delicious Saturday bruch: ricotta pancakes with hot banana syrup. I don't think I've ever had pancakes that were so fluffy and soft! I can't take credit for the recipe and since I'm not a great food photographer I invite you to visit the source, the fabulous Sweet Paul Magazine.

{ image via sweet paul magazine, spring 2010 issue }

Design Event

2010-10-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

I recently did the design work for this event hosted by Neenah Paper and xpedx. I should be quite fun and interesting so stop by if you're in the Los Angeles area on November 4th!

Letters on Halloween

2010-10-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

On the schedule this weekend: finish the Halloween cards I'm making for my family (above). I'm cutting lots of crow silhouettes out of black paper which has made me realize how much I need to invest in a #11 xacto handle with cushioned grip.

Image copyright Elsa Mora, via her website.

I love paper silhouettes and have made it a personal goal to get much, much better at them. Just look at these intricate paper cuts by Elsa Mora. Beautiful, no?

Daily Candy

2010-10-11T08:34:00.001-07:00

This morning I was very flattered to discover a blurb about my calligraphy in Daily Candy's Fall 2010 Los Angeles Wedding Guide:

"Set the it’s-gonna-be-awesome tone with your invites...turn to Plurabelle calligraphy, whose fancy lettering, like two-color tiger lily, could make a Post-It note look good."

Read the whole article here.

Bagels

2010-10-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I made my first foray into the realm of baking bagels — honey wheat, to be exact. I'd say given that it was my first attempt they came out pretty well. They got a little more brown than I'd wanted but when toasted you really can't tell.

Enter the Void

2010-10-10T13:13:00.001-07:00

Last night my boyfriend and I went to see Gaspar Noé's new film, Enter the Void. I loved the opening sequence so much that I just have to share.

Hitched by SharkPig

2010-10-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

The fabulous SharkPig has just released his video of Hitched! Check it out:

Hitched from Shark Pig on Vimeo.

lemon almond cake with lemon vanilla syrup

2010-10-03T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sundays seem to have become my baking days. It's a relaxing, creative outlet away from the computer and my calligraphy desk. The problem is that once I start I just can't stop. This afternoon I baked a lemon almond cake with lemon vanilla syrup (above). Then, when the craving wasn't satiated, I immediately baked a pumpkin pie, too....

Hitched

2010-09-27T15:05:00.001-07:00

Well Hitched went off without a hitch! I already knew that the other vendors in the event with me were talented but seeing the whole show put together just made me feel so honored — everything looked fabulous.

All photos by me.

Check out some of the post-event blog chatter:

A Peek of Hitched at 100 Layer Cake

Hitched at Le Cupcakerie

HITCHED Was A HIT! at Bash Events

promotional materials

2010-09-12T20:37:00.000-07:00

The Hitched promo materials are done – all 200 of them!

thank yous.

2010-09-06T16:01:00.001-07:00

I've been spending lots of time recently making my promotional materials for Hitched. Yesterday evening I made sheet after sheet of thank you stickers. Stay tuned for the final product...

Blissymbols: International Lettering of Love

2010-08-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Images via idsgn.org, via semantography.com

I urge you to read this fascinating article about a Holocaust survivor Charles K. Bliss's effort to make a symbol-based language of love. If you're extremely interested, it looks like you can download Bliss's entire book, Semantography, here.

Martha Stewart Bridal

2010-08-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

It looks like even Martha Stewart (well, okay, Martha Stewart's team of internet-scouring wedding bloggers) caught a whiff of Hitched, the nifty event I'll be participating in on September 23rd.

You Californians are in luck! On September 23rd, [Urbanic and Bash, Please] are gathering some of Los Angeles' most talented vendors and industry insiders for a modern wedding showcase. Curious about who will be there and what you can expect? Well for starters, the party will include a fashion show, music spun by The Flashdance, yummy food by Heirloom LA, and other fun activities you'll be talking about for days.

Check out the full post here.

I suppose this means I'm one of "Los Angeles' most talented vendors"?!

Rickey & Caitlyn

2010-08-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

Digitized type treatment for use on letter pressed wedding invitations.

A recent project for a lovely couple.

Fraktur

2010-08-24T14:57:00.001-07:00

Currently enjoying...

2010-08-24T07:56:00.000-07:00

Images via Katie's site, discovered at Oh Joy! Eats.

The amazing photo stylings and photography of Irishwoman Katie Quinn Davies. I'm also loving her blog, What Katie Ate.

Outfoxed

2010-08-23T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is one of the cutest things I've seen in a long time.

plurabelle in the blogosphere III

2010-08-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the recent write-ups!

Incredible Invites at Libby James

Type Tuesday at Two Tall Blondes

bondurant calligraphy

2010-08-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

lovely uncial by bondurant calligraphy. makes me want to get out my broad-tips....

I am in awe of Bernard Maisner.

2010-08-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

rubber stamp

2010-08-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

My first calligraphed rubber stamp is in! I am so pleased with the result — even the fine lines are crisp. Now I just want to make more!

You can order your own custom calligraphy stamp by contacting me via my website. They're perfect for return addresses!

Round Up

2010-08-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

photo by lilian day.

An interview with me was published this morning over on the Hitched Event Blog. Check it out! I'm getting so excited for the big event on September 23rd. Buy your tickets if you haven't already!

scratch off map

2010-08-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

I love this scratch-off map! What a cool way to track your travels.

plurabelle in the blogosphere II

2010-07-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

thank you to...

Miss Eclectic Bride at It's A Bride's Life,

Tyler at Periwinkle Bloom,

and Christina at My Sparrow

for writing such lovely blog posts about my work this month!

the process

2010-07-19T21:11:00.001-07:00

lots of new images are up on my calligraphy site!

spencerian-inspired

2010-07-17T08:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend I'm already hard at work creating custom samples of Spencerian-inspired contemporary calligraphy for a wedding client. Fun, fun, fun!

plurabelle in the blogosphere

2010-07-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

Recently my calligraphy as been getting some lovely and unexpected press in the blogosphere:

Audrey at P arcel Post has done a nice little feature about my work. Thanks, Audrey!

And Parcel Post's weekly bulletins on Brooklyn Bride featured me as well!

Last but certainly not least is my feature on the Hitched blog —

if you're in Los Angeles on September 23rd you better be there!

Hitched: A Curated Wedding Event

2010-06-18T14:30:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be able to announce that I will be participating in an amazing event here in Los Angeles this coming September. It's called Hitched and it's an event to bring together creative people for a fresh, modern take on the stodgy wedding expo. It's being put on by the awesome people at Urbanic and Bash, Please, and held at LA's lovely Smog Shoppe. I have been asked to present my calligraphy there and couldn't be more excited!

Check out the website for more information. If you're interested in attending you can buy tickets here, you can follow news of the event on the Hitched blog or the Hitched twitter feed, and of course, you can become their Facebook fan.

Admirable Web Design Series: Mets de la crème

2010-06-13T19:32:00.001-07:00

The first website I will be featuring in my new Admirable Web Design Series is a new favorite of mine: Mets de la crème. Even if you can't read French this site is still well worth a look. It's a contest to find the best recipe inspired by heavy cream and the winner gets a set of cream-colored Le Creuset. How fantastic (and French) is that!?

First of all, the homepage undulates in a really subtle, attractive way as you mouse over it. While it is by no means flashy it is intriguing and invites us into the space. And the imagery—who doesn't like that imagery!?

Second, the site's typography is impeccable. All the font choices and combinations are spectacular. There are many unexpected choices—unexpected because they're not traditionally French type faces, nor are they generally associated with food—like the subpage headers (see "La famille des crèmes" below) and the main page title (see "METSDELACREME.COM" below). There is also a great type treatment of script written in cream on the homepage (see lower right corner of the above photo).

Third, the color scheme is awesome, although pretty expected for a French gourmet food site. Still, it's very well done, and I really love the subtle shading and dimensionality added to things.

And fourth, all the photography and video is beautifully shot—no small feat for food. I want to eat it all!

all images via metsdelacreme.com

ipad cover

2010-06-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

Last week I caved and bought myself an iPad. (And yes, it's amazing!!)

Yesterday I decided to make my own case, inspired by some of the coolest iPad cases I've seen out there, like this one from DodoCase and this one from Long Live Books. Then I found this great resource—I guess others had the same idea—which helped a lot although I adjusted the recipe somewhat. Overall I'm very pleased and I will say that I got some very strange looks when I took it with me to a café this morning.

Here's how:

Find a hardcover book that fits your iPad with roughly a 3/4" buffer all around (in my case it was The Best of Brochure Design).
Glue the first 1/2" of pages together with acid-free rubber cement. Don't use too much glue—it's really not very important that the pages be perfectly glued at this point.
Route out an iPad-shaped hole with an xacto knife, changing your blade often because it will get dull fast.
Sand down the cut sides of the hole with medium sand paper and liberally apply acid-free rubber cement to them.
Glue the block of cut pages down to the page behind them (after covering that page with a nice sheet of black paper).
Glue a piece of durable fabric about 3-inches wide into the inside of the hole, only affixing it at the very bottom such that when the iPad is on top of it it serves as a means of releasing it from its snug fit when pulled upward.

Et voilà! (I think it would also work well in miniature for an iPod Touch, by the way.)

a new baby

2010-06-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

a congratulations for my newest little cousin.

embroidery

2010-05-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

a recent embroidery project i did for my friend's birthday. it's finally safe to post it now that i've given it to her.

new at plurabellecalligraphy.com

2010-05-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

plurabellecalligraphy.com

2010-05-09T14:39:00.001-07:00

commissioned by my friend katie.

tis the season!

2010-04-25T11:54:00.000-07:00

i feel like spring always brings so many gift-giving occasions along with it — mother's day, father's day, baby showers, birthdays.... i have a soft spot for gift-wrapping (i actually have a closet-sized collection of beautiful wrapping paper and ribbon) and what nicer touch to a gift than a calligraphed name tag or card. here are a couple i've already done this season.

as always, you can see more of my work on my site, plurabellecalligraphy.com.

:: plurabelle >>

2010-04-19T06:57:00.000-07:00

i'm pleased to announce the launch of my brand new calligraphy studio, plurabelle.

catching up on my letter writing

2010-04-10T23:26:00.000-07:00

i spent the morning practicing my favorite hobby and catching up on my letter-writing. two pots of coffee, homemade green apple crumble, calligraphy, and an ocean of antique stamps to sort through — that's a great saturday.

i've also been working on the design for my new calligraphy website. i hope to relaunch it soon! until then, though, it's a big secret.

new work

2010-04-02T19:39:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pieces I've done in the past week or so. The top three images feature the 1940s "flair" set I blogged about last week and the fourth one is part of the 1970s "saffron & sealing wax" set.

You can always see these and more on my lettering site.

jaime coffey bateman

2010-04-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

I recently made the etsy banner and logo for my good friend Jaime's etsy shop. She's an incredibly talented oil painter who finds inspiration in her extensive travels around the world.

{ My designs for Jaime's shop }

{ "Perito Moreno II" by Jaime Coffey Bateman }

mail art

2010-03-28T15:38:00.000-07:00

{ mail art no. 105 from the university at buffalo mail art collection }

saturday afternoon

2010-03-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

I got my new vintage stationery in the mail yesterday and i've been having lots of fun with it.

Fonts in the News

2010-03-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

Check out this article from the Chronicle of Higher Education describing how the University of Wisconsin changed their default font on campus computers from Ariel to Century Gothic "because it uses about 30 percent less ink when students print out their messages." Cool stuff. I approve.

more vintage paper

2010-03-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

I think I may be having a little too much fun buying vintage stationery and paper goods off etsy. Here are a couple more pieces that will soon be added to my already-overflowing stationery drawer:

{ images via tandemstudios. }

Like the 1970s stationery set I posted about yesterday, this black set made my heart weep. Black stationery is my absolute favorite (partly because it's so fun to calligraph with white gouache) but it's shockingly hard to come by. I couldn't believe I'd not only found a nice set but a vintage one too!

{images via CarawayCache. }

I'm still going to have to find some appropriate envelopes for these but I can't wait to write letters on the back of them! I also have so many great ideas for how the use the markers. I'll keep you posted....

saffron & sealing wax

2010-03-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

{ images via caraway cache }

I just purchased this amazing vintage stationery set (c. 1970) from etsy shop Caraway Cache. I almost stopped breathing when I first saw it. Just look at the color of that sealing wax! And the saffron envelope interiors! I can't wait to mail these out decorated with calligraphy and vintage stamps....

red velvet :: cupcakes & calligraphy

2010-03-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I had an urge to bake so I made a batch of red velvet cupcakes. I love that red velvets are coming back in fashion because cream cheese frosting has always been my favorite. I was so inspired by the delicious color combination that I whipped up some red velvet calligraphy too.

Eduardo Recife

2010-03-19T14:38:00.000-07:00

{ images by eduardo recife via misprintedtype.com }

I just discovered the most fantastic website. Misprintedtype.com. It is the art site of Brazilian graphic designer and artist Eduardo Recife. I have a soft spot for websites that manage to exist outside the box (literally) and make you feel like you're perusing a cool book or art piece rather than clicking from link to link in a linear way. If you're a serious Photoshopper then you'll also enjoy Recife's free Photoshop brush downloads, and if you're a type nut you'll like his free and for-purchase typefaces. Enjoy!

primele

2010-03-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

{ images via patricia's etsy shop, primele. }

look at this gorgeous calligraphy by patricia mumau of primele. i love her swashes, ornaments, and the cool papers she chooses. very inspiring.

new work

2010-03-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

a recent project of mine experimenting with my new set of "paper bag" stationery.

the tasting kitchen

2010-03-12T16:12:00.000-08:00

image via thetastingkitchen.com

i came across this delicious looking scandinavian restaurant in venice called the tasting kitchen and just had to share about their graphic design. i love it! it makes me happy that they clearly typed out the menu on a real typewriter—you can easily tell that it's not a font. now i'll have to go and try the place out....

the tasting kitchen's graphic design reminds me a little bit of the creative, vintage feel of l'épicerie in strasbourg, france.

design love

2010-03-06T16:59:00.001-08:00

{ image via ffffound.com }

brilliant design :: chronotebook

2010-02-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

Every so often I come across a design that is so simple and great that I wonder how it is that no one has ever thought of it before (or at least produced it). The Chronotebook is such a design. Instead of a traditional planner where you have to fit your schedule onto a bunch of lines and boxes, this booklet is set up like the hands of a clock!

images via muji.net

collections trend

2010-02-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

I have been noticing a nice little trend in the craft and design world of creating collections. Check out these nice ones I've come across recently.

by camilla engman from her flickr page.

by lisa congdon over at a collection a day

by FriedaMaria via an interview at bloesom.

cupcakery

2010-02-21T12:11:00.000-08:00

{ clockwise from top left: heavenly cupcake, melt your heart, ffffound, cups }

{ left to right: cuppie love, kumquat cupcakery, last two from enjoy cupcakes }

pearl & marmalade

2010-02-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

images via pearlmarmalade.com.

i'm in love with letterpress printer pearl & marmalade, especially their victorian-inspired invitation designs. they do really nice custom work at what appear to be very reasonable prices. they also have an etsy store and a nice blog which are both worth visiting.

images via pearl & marmalade's etsy store.

too cute!

2010-02-18T22:18:00.000-08:00

ah! too cute! both from dethjunkie.

yee-haw

2010-02-17T08:12:00.000-08:00

{ farmer's market "fresh produce" letterpress greeting card pack via yee-haw}

ahhh! the packaging! the packaging!

missed connections

2010-02-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

images via sophie blackall's missed connections blog.

fantastic illustrations by sophie blackall of missed connection ads from craigslist new york city.

camilla engman

2010-02-15T20:22:00.001-08:00

images via camillaengman.com.

Why oh why do I keep discovering all these cool 2010 calendars when we're already two months into the year!? This one by Swedish artist Camilla Engman is so beautiful that I may have to buy it anyway. Her illustrations are also lovely.

pistachio press

2010-02-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

images via the pistachio press etsy shop.

pistachio press. fantastic name, fantastic letterpressing, fantastic designs. yes, yes, yes.

h:v:d

2010-02-14T09:59:00.000-08:00

a.m.

2010-02-11T09:04:00.001-08:00

rest in peace, alexander mcqueen.

hammerpress

2010-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

I was recently turned on to the jaw-dropping work of letterpress studio Hammerpress, located in Kansas City, Missouri. I'm not sure how much I could have appreciated their work had I never done letterpress myself, so let me tell all you out there who've never tried it: it is hard, and this stuff is amazing. The detail in the work is wonderful but perhaps more impressive to me is the precision of each layer of color. I can only imagine how long each press run takes....

I purchased a lot of things from their site recently, including the calendar below. I must say that it's ten times prettier in person! It has amazing detail, the imprints are crisp, and they've used a beautiful, translucent silver ink which is barely even visible in the photos.

all images via hammerpress.net.

woolf

2010-02-08T19:07:00.000-08:00

Two Virginia Woolf passages I calligraphed last night.

my favorite café in l.a.

2010-02-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

figaro bistro. fantastic place to go with a book in the morning for a large café crème. real parisian ambiance. strawberry jam to die for.

alan blackman

2010-02-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

images via alanblackman.com.

I love these cool letters by San Francisco calligrapher Alan Blackman. Back in 1968 he started designing envelopes to send himself, a tradition which lasted for over 1,000 letters. It's a really cool way of experimenting and getting to create designs your paying customers may never want. It also tests what the post office considers deliverable, which could come in handy with a real client down the road. (Maybe it's just that the post office is more picky these days, but I've had a couple letters returned to me for being too hard to read.) I think it's brilliant the way he clearly chooses the stamps before designing the text block, and bases the lettering on the stamps' imagery and color scheme. Additionally, he sometimes uses far more stamps than necessary, turning them into elements of the composition. I especially like the triangular stamps in the top right letter, and actually bought the exact some ones from a seller on ebay last week!

Below are some of Alan's poster designs. Again, he does a great job reflecting the meaning of the text in the letterforms and composition. Very inspiring.

images via alanblackman.com.

my calligraphed valentine

2010-02-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

i received my vintage stamps in the mail just in time to mail some valentines.

inspiration

2010-02-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

images via ffffound.com

feature: n-vis-n

2010-02-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

An interview with me was recently published in UCLA Extension's quarterly newsletter. Click image for a readable version.

paris remembered

2010-02-05T10:36:00.000-08:00

the nice years in paris....

design event

2010-02-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

{clockwise from top left} invitation front & back; save the date email teaser;
translucent vinyl signs; poster

Recently I was asked to design the collateral for a design event held here in Los Angeles, hosted by Neenah Paper, Lithographix and xpedx. I already posted some pictures of the invitation I designed but here are some other images of my designs and the event.

love, jenna

2010-02-04T10:52:00.000-08:00

images via love, jenna

the meeting of inspiring work and beautiful design sensibilities makes love, jenna one of my favorite bloggers to watch, and one of the coolest calligraphers on the internet. completely coincidentally i bought the lime, white and black thank you card pictured above just last week, only to spot it when i dropped by jenna's blog yesterday! i had no idea it was her design but it was very cool to make the connection.

fear not

2010-02-04T10:38:00.000-08:00

images via jessica's hische's online store.

i know all of you are probably anxiety-ridden over what great gift to buy me on the next big gift-giving occasion. well look no further! i am here to quell those anxieties in just ten words: limited edition daily drop cap letterpress print by jessica hische.

rifle paper co.

2010-02-02T22:09:00.000-08:00

images via rifle paper co.

i know that design blogs the internet over are all abuzz about the launch of rifle paper's new online shop. and they have very good reason. rifle's designs are exquisite, their site is beautiful and their style is refreshing. i have long been a fan of anna bond, the illustrator / designer behind rifle so i too am thrilled that her work is now so easy to purchase. (she also has a fantastic blog that i follow religiously.)

apart from the gorgeous, whimsical stationery and art prints rifle produces, they make amazing custom projects. think hunting lodge meets children's book meets wedding party. for instance, you can order custom-made calling cards with a portrait of yourself, hand-painted by anna. they also make wedding invitations, hand-drawn maps, personalized stationery, wedding certificates—you name it.

here are some samples of customized wedding collateral they've produced. SIMPLY TO DIE FOR, NON? go to this special site for more about rifle's wedding and event orders.

all images via rifle paper co.

antique stamps & ebay

2010-02-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

{left} via weddingbeepro.com | {right} via love, jenna

recently i purchased a lot (an embarrassing amount) of unused antique US postage stamps off ebay. i always assumed that really old stamps are terribly expensive collector's items, but as it turns out, that is not the case at all. many ebay sellers have listed packs of old stamps for as little as 99¢. sure there are the stamps that each cost $1,000+ but you just have to weed through all that.

i've always loved antique stamps, especially the way they look when lots of them are smashed together on an envelope. since they never expire, it's perfectly legal to use stamps from as far back as the early nineteenth-century, provided that the total amount adds to up today's rate. i plan on using mine for my calligraphy projects because i've always felt there's something that feels off about a beautifully calligraphed envelope finished off with a cheesy new stamp.

so that i won't have to use a dozen stamps in tiny denominations, i tried to buy a real assortment, ranging from 1¢ to 38¢. below are some of the stamps i bid on and won.

images via various ebay sellers

introducing...

2010-02-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

i am pleased to present the newest addition to my website, hand lettering by molly! the page is still something of a work in progress but i have a lot of my calligraphy and letterpress up already. i'm available for hire so contact me if you have a project that needs lettering!

pangrams

2010-02-01T22:05:00.000-08:00

voilà! some pangrams i made the other day after addressing a bunch of thank you notes. you can see more of my calligraphy here.

hand lettering by molly

2010-01-28T09:35:00.001-08:00

i'm pleased to introduce the newest addition to my website: hand lettering by molly, a page dedicated to my calligraphy work. i'm available for hire, so click here to contact me! i do all sorts of things, from invitations to envelopes, certificates to art pieces.

i have also updated my graphic design portfolio page with my most recent projects. above are two designs for a graphic design event invitation.

urbanic

2010-01-26T13:35:00.000-08:00

images via parcel post

my favorite shop in los angeles (a fabulous stationery place in venice called urbanic) has a blog! check it out.

and if you feel like swinging by their website afterward, you won't be disappointed.

maau & baal

2010-01-08T20:19:00.000-08:00

Certainly one of the best parts about going home to my parents' in Maine is seeing my cats, Maau and Baal. I captured a nice photos series of Maau partaking in his daily Greek yogurt binge (i.e. cleaning my dad's bowl after breakfast).

And just so he's not left out, here's a nice one of Baal.

she loved nero

2010-01-02T12:36:00.000-08:00

poster design & poem excerpt by me.

She loved Nero / that monstrous exhibitionist / & her growth / to womanhood had taken place / in the shadow / of that monstrous devotion

new york times

2009-12-17T19:34:00.001-08:00

image via yokoo's etsy site

there's an article in the new york times today about an awesome etsy success story. it's about knitter yokoo gibran, who earns $140,000+ each year selling her scarves and accessories. they are pretty neat, so check them out here.

Pedro Inacio

2009-12-12T20:04:00.000-08:00

images copyright Pedro Inacio | via this site | linked to at ffffound.com.

Holiday Cards

2009-12-12T18:44:00.001-08:00

I recently finished my three-month-long holiday card project. I letterpressed the cards I designed at the Archetype Press in Pasadena (part of the Art Center College of Design) and then wrote the addresses in watercolor calligraphy. It was a huge undertaking and yielded only sixty cards, but I'm very pleased with the results. It made me sad to drop them all in the mail but at least I photographed the whole process.... Jump here to see more photos of my cards, my calligraphy, and me at the letterpress studio.

all images copyright molly dain suber thorpe. view more here.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-12T18:08:00.001-08:00

image by Julia Potts via her etsy store

I know I've posted Julia's work here before, but I couldn't resist sharing this adorable illustration of my favorite animal, the fennec fox. Happy holidays!

Ragnar Axelsson & His Greenland

2009-12-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Image copyright Ragnar Axelsson, via his website

Thanks to a recent article in the New York Times, I have become enthralled by the stunning arctic photography of Icelander Ragnar Axelsson. It's no secret that I've long been a fan of Iceland, Greenland and Norway, but these photos capture the beautiful yet difficult side of the arctic better than any I've seen before.

Here is another NYTimes slideshow of Axelsson's work, as well as his personal website, complete with photos from Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Siberia.

Image copyright Ragnar Axelsson, via his website

Knitting Cupcakes!

2009-11-04T12:30:00.000-08:00

image from teenytinyturkey's flickr photostream, via ffffound.com

I just have to share these absolutely adorable cupcakes I saw this morning at ffffound.com (originally from this flickr page). The coolest part is that they're vegan!

Speaking of knitting, I am working on a really cool scarf right now with the coolest yarn ever. Pictures pending.

Here Come The Waves: The Hazards of Love Visualized

2009-11-01T17:52:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately I couldn't get tickets to this (although I tried!) but it's a must-watch. I can't wait for the whole thing to be released for everyone's viewing pleasure. The Decemberists + the illustrations of Julia Pott = pure brilliance. I recommend actually going to YouTube and watching the larger, HD version.

Hedgehog In The Fog

2009-10-29T21:26:00.000-07:00

On this first crisp fall night of the season in Los Angeles I think it's appropriate to make a heart-warming post. Please watch this fantastic short film by Russian animator Yuriy Norshteyn. This short is considered one of the best animations of all time. (The character of the hedgehog recently had a statue erected in his likeness in Kiev!) Above is a screenshot of my very favorite scene, which I've now watched upwards of ten times.

Norshteyn did make other shorts which are all worth looking up.