Markets of New England ~ Press

After a long, sunny weekend, it was nice to receive my copy of the Markets of New England, mentioning the Squam Art Fair, just in time before the fair this coming Saturday. Lots of colorful photos from the show, and happy to find our table display included in the book. Thank you to the writer and photographer Christine Chitnis for mentioning our company and for making a comprehensive book about all the markets in this area. Definally a guide I will use this summer! And if you are visiting New Hampshire this weekend, come to visit us at the Squam Art Fair from 7:30 to 10 pm. The location by the lake is amazing!

Birch San Francisco

It always make me happy when some of my products arrive in the hand of a florist designer. I wish I could see more often the way they use the cotton ribbons in their creations. A box of ribbons is shipping today to Birch and these amazing photos are from their site. They certainly brighten my day!

Missing NYC

Last few notes on the Stationery Show and a few pics from those days. NYC was beautiful, filled and exciting as much as it could be, despite days and days of rain. The MoMA, beyond the show, was the best part of the trip. Spent almost an entire day there, mostly in the garden with the children, I have to say, but it felt great! and loved going to buy launch at the Westside Market, everyday, before going to work. My ideal life, but only last for a few days....
If you still haven't seen enough of the show, also great shots by Pushing Papers and The Obsessive Imagist. A big thank you to all the bloggers that continue to visit our booth and supporting what we do!

After the Show 2011

Back to my studio after a week in New York. Being away for the Stationery Show and meeting hundreds of people in just a few days, always make me feel I have been away for an entire month! there is nothing like this show for me, and it is exciting to meet in person so many new contacts and the designers behind what I love. I need a few days to recover from all the excitement and get used to a quite studio again. It will be a busy summer head, I'm sure, and I will start slowly with sorting my new collection of business cards. My favorite, love at first sight, was Linda and Harriet's red stripe card, and, I found out this morning, someone else share the same idea. Best coverage of the show is always by Nole, that this year even came with a professional photographer. There were less time to take breaks and walk around the show, but I wanted to thank everyone that took the time to visit us, to take photos of our products and inspiring us with their support. More pics soon, but for now, I better organize my studio again!

NSS almost done!

Almost done with the samples and delivered all the boxes to Albertine Press for our trip to nyc. Everything is almost ready! This year I decided for a green choice and make a simple price list to give away, instead of a real printed catalogue. The wholesale catalogue is then visible only online and hopefully this will help to save paper and waste. Not sure if this will be the best, practical idea, but I wanted to try. Took some quick photos this morning of the hand-bound brochure and the price tags. Always love the baker twine on the blue table. Ok, back to packing and I hope to see some of you very soon!

Open publication - Free publishing - More catalogue

National Stationery Show 2011

Fourth year at the Stationery Show! This time I might know what to expect, maybe a bit less nervous compare to the first time, but already having some sleepless night and busy preparing until the very last minute. Come to visit, booth #2142, my favorite part is meeting old friends, new designers and all the great people that come to the show! Again, and with great pleasure, I will be there with Albertine Press. We have a lot of new products in display and I just packed more vintage stamps for the giveaway!


In the same tradition as our past invites, design and photo by angela and letterpress card on the background, by Albertine Press. Hope you like it.

Wire type

Before the next posts will be only about the trip to New York City, I don't want to forget this day trip to Providence over the weekend. Love Nael's type, he quickly made out of wire on the steps of the RISD Museum!

A new site for Carta, inc.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. The preparation for the Stationery Show is taking most of the time and completing a new site, just in time for the show, was really a big challenge. Even though I planned to design a simple site, not too many photos, not too much text, and with very basic knowledge of Dreamweaver, I found myself in a much bigger project, than initially estimated. The fun part was talking and discussing with an old friend, Katherine Lewis, a writer and editor, what it seems to be the story of my life! I thought she was brilliant to resume years of work in a few sentences, and I hope the text doesn't seem too long, in the end. So here it is, please let me know what you think, any feedback, good or bad, is appreciated! I always can make some changes after the show.....

Spring Break

Despite the amount of work waiting to be done in time for the Stationery Show, with the school being closed for spring break, I had no choice than taking a week off, enjoying spring, visiting animals at the farm, a ceramic class for my daughter and some fresh air. Glad to be back at my studio and hoping for a new, productive week!

Stationery giveaway

It is spring break from school this week and I have all three children with me, today. The stationery giveaway was very easy this time, with only a few names to write down for the drawing. The winner is Barbara, please let me know your mailing address and which monogram you would like on the stationery set. Thank you all for your comments and enjoy the week!

Gather Here, Cambridge

I crossed the river and visited Gather Here in Cambridge and thought it was a brilliant place! It's a new fabric and yarn store, but also a stitch lounge, where you can use their equipments and large tables and create something, while enjoying other people company and inspirations. There is even a small kitchen for making coffee and share sweets. I thought it is a warm and welcoming place, where you can work and also being surrounded by beautiful colors and fabrics. Also it is the only place in the Boston Area where you can purchase the Cotton Ribbons by the yard and pick the color you need, without the cost of shipping. And if this is not enough, the following description from their site, will better present this great place.

Gather Here is a fabric, yarn, and fibers store offering classes, an inspirational work space, and knowledgeable instructors. We aim to provide a creative, fun, inspiring environment for the maker in everyone.
We are Cambridge's first stitch lounge with machines, supplies, tables and most importantly, space, for the maker to create.
What's a stitch lounge you ask? Sewing lounges have been popping up all over the country (even the world!) and provide people with a space to make something without having to purchase expensive equipment or make room in their homes to craft. It's also a place where people can meet others who share a common interest (or two). It's a gathering space to come create, support, and learn from each other.
also offers classes in sewing (beginner to advanced), knitting (beginner to intermediate), crochet, and hand embroidery. And there are plenty of workshops that cover the spectrum of DIY crafts like block printing, repurposing "stuff" and whatever else we/you/us wants to learn/do!
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Polka Dot Wrap

I'm always exited to see how the cotton ribbons is used, particularly when I know the designer behind it. Love this Polka dot packaging by Sycamore Street Press, with Marigold ribbon and circle labels!

Liberty London and giveaway

Today a large shipment of Alphabet Cards arrived to destination across the ocean to historic Liberty in London! For once, I have been there and I remember it well from my trip to London, years ago. The history behind it is so interesting. I'm quite happy about the news and I would like to celebrate with a giveaway. Please leave a comment by April 19th, (my son's birthday) and I will send a set of six Alphabet Cards to the winner. To be announced on the 20th. Thank you!


I took some photos of the cards and ribbons when I was working, but the photos of Liberty are from this link.

Marigold and Mint

I'm shipping an order today to a new account in Seattle. Already the name of the shop Marigold and Mint makes me wish to go there and smell the flowers around. I also never been to Seattle! I like the philosophy behind the shop and the idea of an organic farm. Following is the description found on their site. Despite the rainy day, spring is coming here too!

Marigold and Mint is an organic farm, a retail shop and a studio. We grow two acres of flowers and edibles, as well as harvest responsibly from our orchard, woodland and berry patches. The farm is situated along the Snoqualmie River, about 30 miles east of Seattle. The shop is located in the Melrose Market on Capitol Hill in Seattle, Washington. We sell and deliver to florists, individuals and businesses, and, in the studio, make things such as marigold garlands, notepads, and driftwood sailboats.

Studio

It has been a long time since my last photos of the studio. I'm quite happy about the new prints, framed and up on the wall during the weekend and I took some photos during a sunny day. Prints and one painting by Susy Pilgrim Waters, Rita Ravaioli, Rob Dunlavey and Guido Scarabottolo. Come to visit, they look pretty nice all together.

Spring project from Purl Soho

Looking badly for signs of spring, here is been snowing since last night, I happily found an Easter project on Purl Bee, that uses the Italian cotton ribbons. A nice end of the week surprise. I love the bright color combination and their creativity!
Photos by Purl Soho.

New colors ribbon, Loose weave

In summer 2010 I launch a new line of cotton ribbons, loose weave, with a new range of colors. I worked closely with the manufacturer in Italy, but kept changing my line of colors a few times, until very recently. Only now, with the latest shipment, I feel I have the ribbons I was looking for with a new selection of 10 colors. So here they are, ready for the launch at the Stationery Show and available now in the shop: butter, persimmon, cherry, grass, leaf, teal, cyan, night, ice and charcoal. I hope you will like them! Please notice that the cotton ribbons, loose weave, are not longer available in small rolls of 22 yards, but only in larger rolls of 54 yards. I now only have a few rolls left in stock, in super sale, at this link. In the photos, Butter and Teal ribbons.

Book Arts in a class

This morning I brought some hand-made books to show in my son's class and thought to show some samples here from my small collection. I should really pull these books more often! The children were so enthusiastic and tried an accordion fold right away. I'm sure more ideas will come from their class, as they will work on the lotus folds for their event invitations. Thank you second graders for having me and being an inspiration for the day!