A followup of sorts to the previous stationery post

I opened the mail for an office where I worked. We had a memorials program: people would send in donations in someone's memory. There were special sympathy cards from our agency, "In Memory of (space for deceased's name), (space for donor's name) has made a donation to (agency name)". After I receipted the donations, I filled out the sympathy cards and addressed them by hand. We kept the notes that came with the donations for reference. However...

Perhaps you're not surprised that particularly beautiful notecards had their backs, with the relevant information, lopped off and filed. The front, with the miniature artwork, got framed, and many got given as presents for coworkers' birthdays, wedding or baby showers, or Christmas presents. I have more than a couple on my own walls.

I've also been guilty of lopping the gorgeous front off a card I'd received and sending it out again, to someone I knew would appreciate it, as a postcard. Um, this also works with the card you misspelled more than a couple of words on -- start again, and use the messed up one as a postcard. Or if it's too small to go safely through the mails, one can always use another bookmark. I've folded and glued gorgeous envelope liners over card stock to make bookmarks. Goodness, it's a sickness.

We also had occasional art prints donated by local artists to fundraising events, and what we presented at an auction or as an award was the call card. The winner would bring the call card (a miniature of the artwork, with the artist's info) by the office to pick up the print. Many of the call cards got framed, as well.

We once had a donation arrive in a raspberry colored envelope of soft, heavy, hand-pulled paper, postmarked Amsterdam, with Dutch stamps. My supervisor was at the time on bedrest with a difficult pregnancy. I took the envelope to her, and as I'd known she would, she appreciated it. She propped it up where she could see it and dream of faraway places.

A followup of sorts to the previous stationery post

I opened the mail for an office where I worked. We had a memorials program: people would send in donations in someone's memory. There were special sympathy cards from our agency, "In Memory of (space for deceased's name), (space for donor's name) has made a donation to (agency name)". After I receipted the donations, I filled out the sympathy cards and addressed them by hand. We kept the notes that came with the donations for reference. However...

Perhaps you're not surprised that particularly beautiful notecards had their backs, with the relevant information, lopped off and filed. The front, with the miniature artwork, got framed, and many got given as presents for coworkers' birthdays, wedding or baby showers, or Christmas presents. I have more than a couple on my own walls.

I've also been guilty of lopping the gorgeous front off a card I'd received and sending it out again, to someone I knew would appreciate it, as a postcard. Um, this also works with the card you misspelled more than a couple of words on -- start again, and use the messed up one as a postcard. Or if it's too small to go safely through the mails, one can always use another bookmark. I've folded and glued gorgeous envelope liners over card stock to make bookmarks. Goodness, it's a sickness.

We also had occasional art prints donated by local artists to fundraising events, and what we presented at an auction or as an award was the call card. The winner would bring the call card (a miniature of the artwork, with the artist's info) by the office to pick up the print. Many of the call cards got framed, as well.

We once had a donation arrive in a raspberry colored envelope of soft, heavy, hand-pulled paper, postmarked Amsterdam, with Dutch stamps. My supervisor was at the time on bedrest with a difficult pregnancy. I took the envelope to her, and as I'd known she would, she appreciated it. She propped it up where she could see it and dream of faraway places.

Stolen from ocvictor

( Psst! Back here! )

Stolen from ocvictor

( Psst! Back here! )

(no subject)

Oh, what the hey, while I'm rhapsodising over stationery, let me add a sad lament.

From my teen years until they went out of business, I was always an Eaton customer, rather than Crane. I had overseas penpals, and wrote multi-page epics to them on Eaton's Crystal Sheer, in blue, or cream. I always intended to try the pale lemon, but never ever the candy pink. I bought it in open stock, and over the years went through boxes and boxes, as it was lightweight and suitable for airmail.

For domestic correspondence I used Eaton's Calais Ripple, with a deckled edge, again in blue and cream open stock. I loved the texture, which had just a slight tooth and vertical column watermarks, rather than the linen some prefer. And for a smoother texture, Eaton's Highland Deckle, only available in cream, but in both regular and Monarch sizes.

And for very special letters, and holiday greetings, I used Eaton's Antiqua, satin-smooth heavy cream paper edged in gold, envelopes lined with Florentine flowers, a bit more faded and antique-looking than Crane's comparable Bertini Ecruwhite.

It's been many years since Eaton's personal writing papers were available, though they continue to market business papers. And the last local stationer's but one closed last year. The other has converted to office supplies, and is struggling against the likes of Office Depot and Staples. Crane makes some lovely things, granted. But I miss my familiar and dear writing papers, unbanding a new stack of envelopes or opening a fresh box and feeling quite wealthy at the stack of crisp blank pages awaiting my pen.

(no subject)

Oh, what the hey, while I'm rhapsodising over stationery, let me add a sad lament.

From my teen years until they went out of business, I was always an Eaton customer, rather than Crane. I had overseas penpals, and wrote multi-page epics to them on Eaton's Crystal Sheer, in blue, or cream. I always intended to try the pale lemon, but never ever the candy pink. I bought it in open stock, and over the years went through boxes and boxes, as it was lightweight and suitable for airmail.

For domestic correspondence I used Eaton's Calais Ripple, with a deckled edge, again in blue and cream open stock. I loved the texture, which had just a slight tooth and vertical column watermarks, rather than the linen some prefer. And for a smoother texture, Eaton's Highland Deckle, only available in cream, but in both regular and Monarch sizes.

And for very special letters, and holiday greetings, I used Eaton's Antiqua, satin-smooth heavy cream paper edged in gold, envelopes lined with Florentine flowers, a bit more faded and antique-looking than Crane's comparable Bertini Ecruwhite.

It's been many years since Eaton's personal writing papers were available, though they continue to market business papers. And the last local stationer's but one closed last year. The other has converted to office supplies, and is struggling against the likes of Office Depot and Staples. Crane makes some lovely things, granted. But I miss my familiar and dear writing papers, unbanding a new stack of envelopes or opening a fresh box and feeling quite wealthy at the stack of crisp blank pages awaiting my pen.

Yes, I'm a meme sheep...

I am Progressive Girl Click on the picture below to read more: Take the 'What Kind of Girl Are You?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com

Yes, I'm a meme sheep...

I am Progressive Girl Click on the picture below to read more: Take the 'What Kind of Girl Are You?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com