Not your neighborhood scrapbook club.

Pictured above are pages from three different scrapbooks featured in Jessica Helfand's "Scrapbooks - An American History". Published last year by Yale University Press, this book contains more eye candy than I can handle. Seriously, if I could eat this book, I would. Helfand uses five different themes : time, space, sentiment, nostalgia, and posterity to navigate these visual snippets of preservation of a different place and time. The top and bottom images are relatively straightforward, but the image in the middle comes from the Schultz Home Study Books, ca. 1926. It's a record of how to remove certain stains from different kinds of fabric. I have no words.

An Epic Wedding, part II

THE INVITATION:

Above: The wedding invitation, dimensions are roughly 6" x 9" Click
on the image to view full size.

Above: Detail of the wedding invitation.

THE RSVP:

Above: Front of the RSVP postcard. Below: Detail of front.

Above: Back of the RSVP postcard. Below: Detail of back.

Once the Save the Dates had been sent out it was time to start talking about invitations. As with any design/ client you have to take into account the following factors:

1) What are the couple's likes and dislikes?
2) Where, when, and how are they having their wedding? (think about season, time of day, large or intimate)
3) BUDGET.
4) And finally, turnaround time.

I'm fortunate in that my brother and soon to be sister are pretty much the coolest, sweetest, and most laid back couple you'll ever meet, and they gave me complete creative control. It's not often you get handed that. They both share a deep love of letterpress, and so they were totally up for it when the idea for an old- school boxing poster turned wedding invitation came up. Lucky for me they already had a "faux-fighting" picture I could use. We tried to keep it light- hearted, and I even included a line from one of their favorite movies ("You bet I do", Raising Arizona anyone?)

As for the RSVP, we settled on the idea of an RSVP postcard because it would be more resourceful on both the paper and postage front. (Self-funded weddings during a recession aren't easy!) Also, you may have noticed the cats on the back of the RSVP. Cats, really, on an RSVP? Yes, cats on the RSVP. I ended up featuring Beans and Chicken (the cats) on the back of the RSVP card because they seem to nearly always be a topic of conversation, and yes they are that amazing! (I don't want to hear any murmurings of "cat lady", these kitties are truly adorable). I also left a space for comments on the RSVP, in case anybody had special requests, questions, or wishes. I had a blast printing these, and I think/ hope Alexis and Alex were pleased.

* Alexis and Alex were featured on both Brooklyn Bride and Brokelyn this past week for a really nice engagement photo shoot that their wedding photographer, Di Bezi, did. She and her partner are amazing!

An Epic Wedding, part I

SAVE the DATE

Above: the front of the Save the Date. The outline that you see becomes
a pair of 3-D glasses after it is punched out. *Note: Pince-Nez
is a French term for spectacles in the 19th century that don't have
earpiece supports, hence they "pinch the nose". Click here for a
visual illustration.

Above: The inside with the 3-D image. The image appears slightly blurry
until viewed through the 3-D glasses. Et Voila!

Above: The 3-D glasses, mid-assembly.

Above: The instructions and pieces of assembly that come inside
of the STD as well as a finished pair of 3-D glasses.

Above: Wedding guests took pictures of themselves and sent them in to the
bride- and- groom to be.

I've been putting off posting about this wedding invitation suite for awhile and today is it's day to shine. What you're looking at above is the Save The Date for my brother and future sister-in-law's wedding. Alexis and Alex (she also goes by Bodine) really emphasized the idea that they wanted to throw a fun and elegant party, that just happened to be their wedding. They wanted it to be creative and different, and they wanted to get everybody looking forward to the big day. As I racked my brain for ideas, I knew that I wanted to make something interactive. I wanted guests to have to spend more than just the time it took to open the envelope to think about this wedding. The purpose of the Save the Date is to build anticipation.... I hope we succeeded! Look for the next post that features the wedding invitation itself.

*On another note, please forgive the chipped nail polish in the photographs above, oops!

a great man...

George Washington Carver.

A debate over when peanut butter was invented lead me to this amazing photograph. Oops, pow, surprise: (he didn't invent it). But the man did love some peanuts.

Don't you wish he was your uncle? He reminds me of the uncle in the Nutcracker.

So make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, have a seat, and learn a little about a Great American Hero.

(Mark your calenders: George Washington Carver Day, January 5)

We got ourselves an intern.

What you see before you is a rare breed...... young, eager, able-bodied, and willing to do grunt work. Three cheers for Micah, Brown Parcel's newest intern! He has decided to pitch in around the shop, cleaning, doing inventory, keeping our spirits up, while he's hold over in Brooklyn on his way to the sights and sounds of Allemagne. We're happy to have you on board!

Mussels, Muscles, and Nigella Lawson

Remind me to get married one day. Even if it's just for the Bachelorette party (and by Bachelorette party, I mean Bachelorette party meal). The photos above are from the amazing spread my fellow bridesmaids cooked up this past weekend. Because the bride to be was such a huge fan of Nigella Lawson, what else could we do for dinner except make an All Nigella Feast? The menu consisted of:

- Red Leaf, Fig & Serrano Ham Salad
- Slow Roasted Tomatoes w/ Goat Cheese & Mint
- Zucchini & Chick Pea Filo Pie
- Scallops on the Shell
- Mussels in White Wine with Garlic & Curry
- Nectarine & Blueberry Galette

Holy shit is all I can say. It was delicious. Thanks ladies for a wonderful evening!

What makes a good cookbook?

I've got cookbooks on the brain. It's something serious. Over the weekend I discovered la tartine gourmande. (I don't know why that blog has escaped my attention for so long.... it's AMAZING and GORGEOUS) Then I went to see Julie & Julia, and rediscovered my Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Now, i've been put in charge of compiling a little cookbook for my future sister-in-law. (let's hope she doesn't check my blog daily) Being an avid cooker and having a registry chock full of kitchen gadgets, she can't wait to start playing the Domestic Goddess. Not only that, but it's her bachelorette party this weekend and she made mention that she didn't necessarily want the standard bachelorette gift fare. So, we've traded in edible panties for edible ideas, and all of the attendees are submitting recipes for a cookbook catered to her. (The word play stops here, I promise.)

Recipes are pouring in and now I find myself with the task of putting them all together in a somewhat cohesive way. I'm putting my Book Arts degree to work...... What makes a good cookbook? I've asked a few friends and seem to keep getting the same response. The recipes. Yes, yes, I know this. The recipes. But, I will say that I enjoy some cookbooks for reasons other than the recipes. Currently, my favorite cookbook is Screen Doors and Sweet Tea, by Mrs. Martha Hall Foose. The art direction for the book is stunning, and each recipe comes with a little story. It's like a compilation of Southern Short Stories with the bonus of wonderful recipes.

I'll keep you posted on the cookbook progress.......

The Way Things Work

This image comes from The Way Things Work Illustrated Encyclopedia. It's an illustrated explanation of letterpress printing...... amazing. McD who gravitates towards anything gadget related picked this book up off the shelf at a friend's house. I guess it shouldn't have surprised us to see this illustration staring at us. It was too good not to share.