Cure Card

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Linda & Harriett is proud to announce this exclusive Cure Card - of which we are donating 20% of all sales to breast cancer research. We know too many people who have suffered from this disease or who have suffered from losing loved ones to it.

If you would like to learn more on the breast cancer research being done, how to donate or how to get involved in raising awareness or fundraising, please visit Susan G. Komen for the Cure's website here or the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center here.

I Need a Good Book

Craft Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco was the last book I read - a fantastic source on starting your own creative/crafty business. The book is peppered with interviews of people who have turned their craft into a business, namely: Grace from Design*Sponge, Sharilyn Wright from Lovely Design, quilt designer Denyse Schmidt and designer Lotta Anderson of Lotta Jansdotter, among others. It's a quick one - a day or two should do it - or some long subway rides. If you haven't read it and are at all thinking of starting your own creative business - I highly highly recommend it.

So I'm searching for my next read. I usually have one or two that I want to read and I just don't right now. I'm tempted to pick up The Fountainhead again. Any suggestions?

Dakota Martin Reaches 100

I had dinner with my friend Lizzy from Dakota Martin last night. After nearly two years in the biz, they have made it into their 100th store. Well done, ladies! And I think it's about time I got around to ordering the Allison mini-flutter Turtleneck. I'm in love. The sleeveless would be perfect for this crazy warm weather, too.

L&H in Modern Bride

Yey pink! Our Bloom invitation has made it on the pages of Modern Bride's "Tickled Pink" piece in their Oct/Nov issue. We're actually about to offer this design exclusively in letterpress - and in more colors - which I think will be simply stunning. Very much looking forward to debuting that!

Maine on My Mind

Fall is by far my favorite time of year - and there is no better place to spend a fall weekend than in Maine. It was a perfect weekend highlighted by perfect weather, perfect company and plenty of outdoor activities. It was the kind of weekend you wish you could put into a little box and hold on to. Have it on your shelf or desk so you can see it and be reminded of what it holds - but only you really know what's in there, what that experience meant to you and what its memory brings you. Once in a while, you can open it and get refreshed by the memory. I'd like a little reminder like that.

Okay enough Maine gushing... we did do a bit of business while we were in Maine. We met with our printer in Portland. I met Beth at the NYC stationery show back in May and she mentioned that they do letterpress printing. A couple months later, I got in touch with her and have been using her ever since. She & her partner George do an excellent job and have always been so nice to work with, so I was really excited to get to sit down and talk with them while we were up there. They are great. They are so down to earth and so clearly love what they do. I love that. We discussed paper options, ink colors, labels, letterpress cuts - and we got to see where and how everything works. It was an incredible experience and really made me feel more intimately connected to the whole process. I look forward to visiting them again soon. Maybe as neighbors.

I can tell already I'm going to have Maine on my mind all week.

Letterpress Workshop

John & I headed back to Frenchtown, NJ yesterday to visit Alan in his workshop. We learned a ton - like the term "frisket" - this little solution to the problem of inking on negative space:


After a few tweaks getting the plate to make an even impression, we were able to start printing - and printed a bunch of "Franks". Here's Alan inspecting our work:

I don't know if it was standing on our feet for hours or if it's because we are out of practice with the whole classroom learning situation - but we are exhausted after yesterday's visit.

Which is actually works out quite well, being exhausted. Today we head up to Maine to celebrate our first year anniversary in the state where we met and were married - and may move to one day - cause we're keeping the dream alive.

Have a happy weekend.

Back to the Shop

Back to Alan's letterpress shop today. We're going to do some printing - on our press and maybe even one of his big guys. Should be a great day - and a beautiful drive out to Frenchtown, NJ. I'll be back this afternoon with some more photos and updates.

Meet Hedgy

Hedgy is our newest face at Linda & Harriett. He was a happy suggestion from Bird months & months ago, but I thought he would be a good addition for Fall. I don't know what it is about the animal images, but I can't seem to get enough of them. I have been meaning to do a Kingsley card for some time now, but how many cards are out there with a chocolate lab on them? Don't get me wrong, Kingsley is no average dog and when she's not destroying something, I love her - but I am just drawn to the moose, the alligator, and now little Hedgy. Welcome Hedgy. (Love you, Kings.)

Thinking Christmas & New Years

I'm not used to this whole concept of thinking months & months in advance. My good friends at Dakota Martin have to start designing next year's fall fashions soon. Stores have already stocked their shelves with Halloween candy. But for me, thinking of Christmas designs in a t-shirt and shorts while still holding onto somewhat of a tan is a bit bizarre to me. Last week, I was singing the Twelve Days of Christmas and nearly completed our 2008 calendar (sneak peak up top). But I did learn that it's Four Calling Birds, not humming birds - and that Fa la la la la, la la la la is kinda fun to type & sing at the same time.

Where Have You Been?

Eaten by a polar bear? No.
Dropped off the face of the earth? Hope.
Broke all fingers and toes, thereby making it very painful and nearly impossible to type? Fortunately, no.

We have been without the internet for a whole week! Well, without is not exactly accurate. I get little windows of time at a painfully slow speed - like, if this post goes through, that will be a miracle. Time Warner came on Monday and told us that our line must have gotten cut somehow. Hmm, what exactly would that somehow be? Are our neighbors out there with scissors clipping white cable cords? I don't get it. And honestly, I am not completely confident they do either. But alas, they are coming again today to go through our neighbor's yard and look at the box. Fingers crossed this gets us up & running b/c let me tell you, my life (and I'm sure you all can relate) is not nearly as efficient or happy as when I have a high-speed connection.

If all goes well this afternoon at the box in our neighbor's yard, next week will be a good one for posts. There's lots to catch you up on, afterall... like what life is like working with John, Christmas designs are here - as well as a new notepad design, some new retailer announcements, and maybe a few pics of our rearranged workspace... oh, it'll be fun!

If all goes well...

Your Favorite Stores

Calling all paper people - and your favorite stores!

We're in the throws of all things Christmas these days over here in design land of L&H (that would be my desk), but waaaay over there on John's desk, we're making a master list of the stores we want to be in - and we're limited to what we know. So we'd love your recommendations of your favorite go-to stores for cards - whether they are all-things-paper kind of stores or boutiques with a small paper selection or online shops - whether they are in our hometown of Brooklyn or way up in Alaska. We'd love to hear where you buy your cards.

One of our newest stores is Hudson in Boston's South End. My dear friend Carrie loves this shop and suggested L&H to the owner - who has very good taste! Carrie actually got John & I the coolest glasses from Hudson for our wedding. I have been enjoying margaritas in them all summer! (Thanks, Care!) How great are these: