Paper, Stationery, Calligraphy - Oh My

In a former life, I designed things like these . . .

business cards (my favorite consult time with people), 

custom monograms (probably my favorite thing to design), wedding programs, invitations, basically anything to do with paper.

(Sources: business card is SMOCK, correspondence card is Vera Wang for William Arthur, and wedding program is Crane & Co.)

Now, I get excited when planning my own soirees.

Not because I like to cook.  I don't.

Because I like to send invitations.

And cards.  Letters.  Folded notes.

(Source: Anna Griffin designed by Lucia Lupia)

Here are my business cards.

Yes, I ordered two different stock colors from Crane & Co.

Both are engraved with copper ink, 

but depending on who the recipient is,

depends on which color I give them.

I've been posting old samples of my stationery collection

on Instagram,  using the hashtag, #athankyounoteaday.

 And actually getting followers.  Go figure.

I started doing it for my own personal cataloging and

I guess it has sort of grown into a way for me to share

my greatest passion: P-A-P-E-R.

(Source: Crane & Co. engraved on handmade rag paper)

I've saved old cards like this one from my grandmother,

but I wish I had saved more.  I have a stack from my

Great Aunt Ginny, tied with ribbon, that I will save in a fire.

And I have boxes of letters from my dear friend, Mary Lou,

who I did a paper exchange with for many years.

We even invited Katie, from Katie & Co., to join us years ago.

In fact, one of my very first blog posts was 

about Katie's stationery store (pardon the dinky pics - it was 2008). 

The only place I recommend, as the girl knows design.

Mary Lou sent me New Year's cards, Valentine's Cards,

not-to-mention all the other Holidays.  Plus notes showing off her 

new stationery or saying something like "looking forward

to our lunch on Friday."  She was the example of note writing.

I'm not as good a letter writer as she was,

but I long to be.

(Source: Vera Wang Fine Stationery)

Highlight of Katie and Co. - A New Stationery Store in Houston

I thought that one of the things I would like to highlight on my blog are other businesses that provide excellence in service. 

After being in retail for almost 24 years now, I think I am a good judge of a place to go where you can consistently receive it. 

Katie and Co. opened this year in September on Washington Avenue. It has a warm, inviting and personable atmosphere. Having been in stationery myself for five years, and having an addiction to paper so severe that I am still chasing the dragon of my first Crane order, I can tell you about many unique reasons to shop at this store.

First, the seating areas and tables are expansive, so you can actually really lay these books out and have space to breathe. There's room for more than one person at the table, and the fact that it is not cramped makes you feel more creative.


Secondly, you are not surrounded by "stuff." This store has a very loft-like surrounding that is clean and organized, yet with all these quaint pieces of furniture thrown throughout the store that make you feel you are in more than a store, you are in part of Katie's life. For instance, on one large wall there are doors hung with racks attached to them that hold cards (pictured above). One particular door was numbered 3843 (also pictured above) and this door was her grandmother's front door. 

Most importantly for me, the experience in this store is why I have followed them from store to store before Katie opened her own shop. The "Katie" of Katie and Co. is Katie Hackedorn and her co-worker, Michael Pollard. They have been in this business a combined number of 21 years. They know the vendors, the companies and are able to steer the first time bride to the third time mother-to-be to the right type of invitation or announcement that will help them signify their special day.

Michael and Katie will always "know" what is going on with your order. One of my pet-peeves is calling a store to check on something or make a change and it takes transferring the call to three different people and then they still aren't sure about the matter at hand. Also, they are just so darn nice.