From the Desk Fridays: Pride

I may live in Brooklyn, but my sports teams all hail from my home town. That, and I despise the Yankees. GO PHILS!!!!!

Have a great Halloween weekend, everyone.

Steven & Vera

I have a problem with searching for things I need/want (here, gloves & flats), keeping the webpages open for days as a reminder to order them & then never following through. Today, I'm closing the tabs for these Steven Alan "glittens" and these super cute red Vera Wang ballet flats. This blog posting might just be an extension of this habit, but it's making me feel better already. $330 saved!

Update: And wouldn't you know it! I just got an email from Bloomingdales giving me 15% any purchase made today with this code: XC07S0SPLHE7. For the love! Today might not be the day for closing tabs after all.

Queen B Studio: Vintage Linen & Tartan Dishtowel

While we were at the Shipley Shops last week, I had the pleasure of meeting fellow exhibitor Susan of Queen B Studio out of Washington DC. Susan just started using tartan in her work and I love the results. This dishtowel ($35) is made from heavyweight vintage linen & tartan - and right up my alley - a little bit country, a little bit preppy. I had to get one. I bought one for myself & one for a friend. I have mine on my stove right now, but I could see getting another one for the bathroom to hang on a hook. Nothing worse than dainty bathroom hand towels that don't even dry your hands. This would be so much cooler.


To order, email Susan at susanamonroe@mac.com

New Holiday Greetings!

Our new holiday greeting cards are here!

These designs are inspired by three of my favorite things to do around the holidays: outdoor winter activities, being cozy & getting in the spirit.

Check them out here. I hope you like as much as we do!

Making up for From the Desk Fridays: Moose

We had a great time at the Shipley Shops last week, where we debuted our holiday gift packaging - my favorite L&H friend, the Moose - screen printed (by moi) on cotton bags. I don't know about you, but I have endless uses for little bags like this. Besides a cute gift bag, they are perfect for toiletries, jewelry, hold-anythings for traveling. I just love them & with our little Moose - I'm so hooked. Everyone in my family is getting these. Look out for him as a holiday gift "wrapping" option, coming soon.

On the raod: Philadelphia

We're hitting the road today to participate in The Shipley Shops - a holiday shopping event taking place just outside Philadelphia. If you're in the area, check out the details here & stop by!

Sorry to post so little. I'll be back for the full week next week. Promise!

Many Many Thanks

I have been overwhelmed by the response to our Cards for Just Because campaign. I was up to the wee hours (watching an epic Phillies win) addressing envelopes to send out to you all & am still not done! The emails have been so positive, sweet, and at times touching & moving. I'd guess that 60% of you mentioned you had someone specific in mind to receive this card. We had a great international response, thanks to a few blogs that posted on our behalf (thank you!!), and almost all of them said that they'd understand if we weren't sending them out of the US, but thanked us for the gesture. Amazing.

This whole experience has been simply heart warming. Thanks to you & anyone who passed this along, we're sending out about 400 note cards all over the world. That's a lot of simple gestures and I thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

Back to addressing...

October 19th: Cards for Just Because

Ever since my mom passed away in 1998, the thing people tell me most about her is how she would do things for them that always made them feel special - like leaving pumpkins on friends' doorsteps, or tending her friend's garden outside his store, or picking & delivering flowers from her garden. My best friend remembers how she brought her black jelly beans (her favorite) to her sports games. And of course, I'll always remember how she never let us leave the house without a giant hug. I'd be halfway to the driveway, and she'd call me back for a squeeze. It was these little things she did that made her her - and in turn made us feel special, feel thought of, feel loved.

So, in her honor, and on her birthday, we are giving away note cards in exchange for a promise to send this card to someone - just because. Simply email us at lindaandharriett@gmail.com with your name & snail mail address, and we'll send you a note card & envelope. That's it.

We hope you'll join us in honoring my mom by spreading a little Just Because love.

[I'll be taking a little time off from blogging. I'll be back next Monday.]

Update: Please send your emails to us by 12 noon EST on Monday, October 19 so we can get them all out that day. Thank you so much!

Update again: Attention Brooklynites! I'll be at Blue Sky Bakery on Monday, October 19 from 10am til 1pm giving away cards and stamps! Write your card there while enjoying the best muffins around or take it with you to write later. (Thanks, Blue Sky!)

From the Desk Fridays: Sadie

More like Under the Desk Fridays. Welcome, Sadie! My sister & her husband just got this cute little rag-a-muffin pup, who joined us in the office this week. My 70lb. lab thinks she's 10lbs. sometimes - like when she hops up on my lap or here, when she took over Sadie's dog bed - which is clearly meant for a dog half her size. They've had us running around this week - scolding (for me) and tearing away from chewing the desk legs (for Katie) and talking in goofy dog voices (for both of us). As much energy as it takes raising these little beasts, I couldn't imagine my life without Kingsley. I don't miss her mischievous puppy days (sorry, Katie) and she's still no angel (loves toilet paper & muffins on the counter) but she is my baby and I'd do anything for her - shredded paper, missing food, & all.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

NYC Manhole Cover Coasters

A friend recently sent me a link to these NYC Manhole Cover coasters. I love the rugged texture of them & of course can now only think about them coming to life on paper, in letterpress. An NYC Save the Date, perhaps? Do you think people would care that it's a manhole cover? I'd be psyched to have a couple who didn't - because I'd be right there with them. I think it'd be so cool.

[images courtesy of artez'n]

Marble-inspired Rug

I'm so not over my marble kick. While I was at the dermatologist yesterday, I spotted this rug in Elle Decor. Cynthia Rowley designed her "Love Letter Marble" rug for elson & company as part of its Fashion Under Foot line. I usually don't like crazy-colored rugs - but this one got me. I love the colors, and of course the pattern.

Lobsterman, the book

I picked up this book when we were up in Maine last month. I knew I had to have it when I saw the inside cover - nautical imagery in a very non-nautical color palette of yellow, gray & black. Love.

[Lobsterman was written & illustrated by Dahlov Ipcar.]

Whale of a Tale

Love this new print from Christopher Bettig of The Mountain Label. How happy is this little guys face? I miss animals in my work - I think it's time for them to come back.

From the Desk Fridays: Paper Doll Birth Ann.

I had the pleasure of doing another friends' birth announcements recently. I first met this couple when they contacted me to do their wedding invitations a couple of years ago, and we've been friends ever since. So of course I was thrilled to do these announcements for them & little Olivia. I love our paper doll design in soft gray here - tones down the sweetness without leaving it bland. And I'm all about the black & white photo. Probably helps that she's so stinkin cute.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Paper Quilting

I've been spending a little time curled up on the couch this week - drowning myself in water & hot tea to try & shake this stupid cold. I took this old family quilt off our bed - & maybe it's my fuzzy head - but I couldn't stop thinking about quilts & quilting patterns. I haven't made a quilt since 2003 when I made one for my friends' wedding & I think it's time for another quilting project.


So last night, I took a break from reality tv (maybe that explains the fuzzy head!) & got out some paper scraps to make this little paper quilt. I glued the pieces on a piece of cardboard but next time, I think I'm going to sew them - I like the visable stiches. This measures about 7.5" - but I'd love to make a larger scale version - like 3 feet wide - and with way more colors. Maybe I'll get to the real quilting another time. I've got this paper version on the brain for now.