Fashionable Mail

The other day the ladies at work were talking about fashion and their amazing handbags.  Coach, Prada, on and on were mentioned.  I looked around and realized this is a conversation I could not join in until last week when I sorted through my stationery for the give away.  I found Jonathon Adler, Shabby Chic, Cynthia Rowley, Vera Wang, and Vera Bradley!

Ed Hardy - the box is full

Christian LaCroix postcards

Postcards

  Even though I am not a fashionista, at least my stationery is rocking!  Here's to fashionable awesomeness!

 What's in your collection?
-b

New Product: The Da Vinci Notebook

I was approached again to review a product and I really only mention the ones that I believe in.  I found this particular one to be of interest!
Nick was the same guy who did the envelope templates. Which you can buy here.
He recently asked me to review a new paper that is made from stone.  I was skeptical at first that it would be an improvement over my traditional paper but really the new paper was pretty cool.  The paper took all the inks and enamel, acrylic, and watercolor paint without distortion.  It took ink sprays and pigments extremely well with no smearing or buckling.  I punched pieces out of it and folded it, it took them all great!  But it did not tear, and I doubt it would sand.  Why am I telling you all this?  Because I believe folks looking for a great art media will love this stuff.  Here's another crafter who experimented with the project.  The video is pretty long, but she puts it through its paces.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/388011235/da-vinci-notebook

I strongly recommend anybody interested in art journaling or looking for a terrific travel sketchbook should look at this product!  I do not impress easily, but this one was pretty darn cool!
Happy Creating!
-b
 

Stationery Give Away Winners

Well I can honestly say that I expected more excitement when it came to my stationery give-away.  Those who entered had excellent odds especially ChewyTulip who was the only USA participant and there by the default winner.  And boy did she win!  Not only am I sending her the stack of stationery that I sorted out last week, but I am also tossing in some vintage magazines and miscellaneous materials for her usage.  ChewyTulip is a very talented stationery designer in her own right and a mail artist.

As for the 4 international contestants, I removed my long time pen pal Malyss from the running.  She's an awesome friend and just needs to ask if she wants something, therefore I'll send her a package just because.  If you ever need a soothing view of the world, take a look at her section of paradise.

That leaves us with 3.  What to do?  Well I let the cats decide.  First name out of the fishbowl is the winner.

 By the way these fishbowls are fun for the kitties to solve for treats, and all participant felines were rewarded!

And there you have it!  Paper Obsessed, if you could please leave a comment with your mailing details, I will get it in the mail and of course, not post your info. 
Congrats and enjoy!
-b

Letter Survey - Please take a moment to help out with research

I've been getting a lot of product requests and other miscellaneous offers, many of which I have ignored.  But I got a survey from a Miss Keanna looking for information regarding why and to whom do I write.

Excerpt of email

"We are Keanna and Nisha. We are students conducting a research study on human connectivity through different channels of communication. We're looking into letter writing/snail mail, social communities (Facebook, Twitter), and email pen-pal services as our sources of data. We'd love to hear from you about your experiences in writing to letters to other people. We recently joined the Letter Writers Alliance and were hoping to find contact with more letter writers to add to our data pool."

 They also went on to ask that I pass the survey along to my letter writing friends.  So here it is folks!  Please take this opportunity to tell somebody why letter writing is not now or in the near future an endangered species. 
Just click the embedded link (too long to post here) and lend your stats and opinions.

Please pass it along to your pen friends and see if we can get enough numbers to crash the site!  I know this would not be good for the researchers but it would say a mouthful about those who are of the pen and paper clan.
-b
 

National Stationery Week Celebration

I was doing some surfing among people who travel in the circles of everything pen and paper and I came across a post about National Stationery Week.  I got all excited and even start to rock back in forth in my chair, then I deflated as I learned this was a British celebration.  But not very deflated, as anything that celebrates the written word and beautiful gorgeous stationery is newsworthy in this little world. 

So today I don my Wellingtons and go to the store for some tea and biscuits because I am going British for a week!  I already love the monarchy and have the phrase "Keep Calm and Carry On" proudly displayed on a stationery box, so why not!  For a few nights I can forgo my normal tele watching to start in on Downton Abbey on Netflix.  I've been meaning to add it to my queue anyway!

And in celebration of National Stationery Week, I think I will offer a give away.  Please make mention of this week on your blog or some social media and throw your name in the hat below in comments.  I will have 2 prizes - a large 8 by 11 envelope full of stationery goodness for the USA and one half that size for international mailing. 
If you are international, please let me know that too as that is not easy to track on the comments.  Winner announced April 6th - the last day of the celebration!  The winners will be randomly selected by a means to be determined.

 

Until then, I'll be playing catch up on my huge letter pile!