photo by rebecca mcalpin, from nytimes.com
I don’t know how many bakeries I can single-handedly keep in operation, but if I lived in Brooklyn, I’d add The Rabbithole Bistro & Bakery to the list ….. love the name, it looks wonderful, and even better, a great review! (You had me at the scones “are better than ever”, Florence Fabricant.)
Warning: if you don’t like gushy posts, today might not be for you ……
Today’s post illustrates all that I love about blogging and the internet. I discovered Suann and simplesong designs earlier this year when I ordered her library valentine’s day card. Her minimalist designs suit me perfectly, and we have so many likes in common that I feel like I know Suann, even though we’ve never met. Now, after a road trip to Chicago to pick up a C&P tabletop press, she’s expanding into letterpress, and I love it all. Check out the photos below, all courtesy of Suann: I’ll let the pictures do the talking:
i need to order some of these cards
love the font + the camera!
“hello” and “thank you” blind letterpress cards
octagonal design – love the brown!
pretty pink flower notecards
custom first birthday invitations from simplesong
i don’t think these are letterpressed, but they were too cute not to share!
Suann is working on a couple of custom projects for me right now, and I can’t wait to show them to you. In the meantime, check out the simplesong etsy shop as well as her blog. It’s one of my daily reads: our tastes are sooooo similar, and I look forward to her “finds”. (You can find both links at my sidebar starting today.)
Thanks, Suann!
Enjoy, and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Letterpress nut that I am, I’ve been following fellow Chicagoan Alyson Beaton’s work for a while, especially the ultra-sweet “baby’s first words” set. (Could be one of the best baby gifts ever. Seriously, if I could go into the wayback machine and create one for my son, I would. I don’t even know where the list I made of his first words is.) So when I read at fawn&forest that she was releasing a limited-edition letterpressed version of her new book with KJ Bradley, “Grow: An Environmentally Friendly Book”, I knew that I needed a copy. It arrived on Saturday and it’s a sweetly illustrated reminder of the little changes we all should be making.
sample page from “Grow”
I’m also looking forward to the launch of Good Design Chicago, also from Alyson and KJ. Read more about it at the fawn&forest blog.
More letterpress tomorrow. See you then.
flower bouquet set from felixdoolittle.com
Sometimes I have a hard time making a decision. Too many good choices combined with perfectionism leads to procrastination. But these Felix Doolittle collections make it easier to commit. There are three lovely illustrations in each notecard set, plus a sweet decorated envelope! My favorites are pictured here, but you can see all of the sets at the website.
potted herbs set from felixdoolittle.com
peonies set from felixdoolittle.com
So it’s time for our house to get back to the usual summer stuff. Like cooking. And planning what to cook, for starters. Time to get out the Everyday Food cookbook and look through “summer” for inspiration, but first, a quick weekend wrap:
I got over to Lake Bluff on Friday for Pilates, and forgot it was farmers’ market day, which worked out quite well, as I found more black raspberries (as well as cookies and a muffin: I’m not going to lie and say I only got the healthy stuff).
Friday night, the painter finished the wall touch-up work, and now we’re at the 99% complete point. That last 1% is always hard to knock off, but today the chairs for the island should arrive, and the kitchen will look complete. I have to finish documenting the punch list items for the contractor, followed by one for my husband and me. Clean it up; clear it out will be my motto for August.
Saturday was birthday party day in Wisconsin for my brother-in-law. The weather at the lake was perfect for sitting and chatting and lawn games and such. My buddy and hubby got to water ski, too. I don’t usually get wet, although Erika’s Yolo board post has me thinking about it.
As I type this, we’ve just returned from a trip to Bill’s our favorite local pizza place, followed by some magic shell addiction feeding at Greg’s Frozen Custard. Had to show our overseas visitors the local flavor. (I even brought vegan blueberry rolls from my favorite new bakery to the lake for them to sample.)
Tomorrow, I have a fun little letterpressed book that arrived on Saturday to share with you all. See you then.
p.s. I watched 27 Dresses over the weekend, and although the movie was cute, what really got me was the taupe/brown paint color in Jane’s apartment. I am definitely going to do some research on that, because I’m obsessed with that paint and the white woodwork. Anyone have info?
