We love painted edges on invitation stationery. It's such an elegant way to add a subtle pop of color. Here is a stack of invitations and response cards with lilac painted edges. It is almost a shame to have to separate the the stacks to mail out.

Paper is precious to us and we hate to let anything go to waste, so when we set up a project to print, we will use scraps of paper or misprinted cards to test the color and impression. Once we get as far in the set up process as we can go using scraps, we'll use clean paper to proof before we start the print run. Sometimes the test prints can be really beautiful with strange mixes of color and type etc...  Here is a photo of a coaster created by testing two of the new graphic prints, one on top of the other.  I would love a dress made out of this pattern!

Happy first of February!  We've just released our first set of letterpress printed Valentines.  These are available on our shop site now.  It's fun to work with pink and red ink and print sweet little notes that will make someone's day!

We're excited to be participating in a couple Valentine's Day events in the next couple weeks.  Please join us to make Valentine Coasters or drink Valentine cocktails:

We'll be at Etsy Labs on Tuesday, February 7th (from 5pm-8pm) with two of our hand presses printing Valentine coasters: http://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2012/etsy-hands-on-valentines/  .

The next evening, Wednesday, February 8th, we'll be at Thistle & Clover in Brooklyn for a Valentine Cocktail party and shopping event: http://www.facebook.com/events/223443284407275/.

We hope to see you at one of these events!

We're introducing a new line of invitation designs featuring brighter, graphic elements. It's really fun to work with the bright colors and patterns. We printed coasters to match and I think we'll keep adding more designs to have a full range of textile-inspired bright coasters for the Spring. It's about time we start planning for the Stationery Show...

It is almost February and we 're finally adding some new posts for the new year.  We're in the thick of the wedding invitation season and juggling meetings, designing and emailing.  We have a bit of time this weekend so we'll work backwards and add some studio updates to the blog over the next few days! To start, here is a picture of some of our stationery in a shop in Japan.  I love the way they display the cards sideways...

Our friends over at Martha Stewart Weddings recently asked if we could send pictures of our note card printing process for their blog The Brides Guide.  It was fun to photograph the process and we thought we'd post the pictures here so visitors can see how we produce our stationery.

The stack of finished cards.

We're always trying to develop stationery that appeals to men (or that will appeal to women who are shopping for gifts for men).  Don't guys have to send thank you notes too?  We've given everyone we know more stationery than they probably know what to do with, but we think these cards would be nice for all the guys who do not have sets of Sesame Letterpress note cards yet!  (Available online at Sesame Letterpress Stationery Sets)(photos by Jen Causey)

We love old books and essays on the etiquette of letter writing. Here is one of our favorite quotes:"To be a really good correspondent is truly an art, perhaps first of all a gift, to be cultivated and developed. One may in spite of every effort still fall short of that goal, but it is always possible to give pleasure by a simple written note or letter, couched in good English and written on stationery that is not only correct but indicative of personal taste."

Being stationers, we think everyone should have a nice box of personal stationery on hand and if the box itself is pretty, we're more inspired to use the cards inside!