The newest letterpress card in our Change the World card series has arrived! Fin is a new letterpress card whose proceeds will help the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch®, a program that engages and empowers consumers and businesses to purchase seafood that is fished or farmed in ways that minimize their impact on the environment.
Why should you care about where your seafood comes from?
- 90% of table fish (including cod, shark, swordfish, salmon, and more) have been fished out of the oceans. Many fish and other animals caught in fishing gear are thrown away as unwanted bycatch – amounting to many millions of metric tons of marine life wasted each year. Scientists predict that if we continue on this path, we’ll see the end of most seafood by 2048.
- Fish are important. They contribute to healthy oceans and act as an essential source of protein for many cultures. The global consumption of fish has hit a record high, reaching an average of 17kg per person. Fisheries and aquaculture supplied the world with about 145m tonnes of seafood in 2009, providing about 16% of the population’s animal protein intake. As such, the loss of seafood as a viable food option could lead to mass starvation.
- Healthy, wild ocean ecosystems provide a variety of other services to the planet, including the air we breathe. Scientists believe that phytoplankton, tiny ocean plants, contribute between 50 to 85 percent of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere.
What can you do about it?
- The most important thing you can do is to vote with your fork. Carry your Seafood Watch® pocket guide (or get the app on your smartphone!) and use it to purchase sustainable seafood wherever you go. Use the guide to find your “Best Choices” or when those aren’t available, “Good Alternatives”. (Our Fin cards come with a Seafood Watch® pocket guide!)
- Help raise awareness by sharing information with friends and family. You can also ask questions about where they purchase seafood. Businesses respond to the needs of their paying customers – so the importance of this action cannot be overestimated.
- Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® online to learn more about what you can do to make a difference.
We worked with Carolyn from The Papery in Philadelphia last summer to create the whimsical letterpress wedding invitation suite for this amazing real wedding. This unique invitation set featured a custom sleeve with an intricate tree motif that was created by The Papery, and the sleeve was used to hold the wedding invitation and all of the suite pieces. The eye-catching blend of pewter, lime and dove inks really made this invitation set stand out! We thought the invitation was really special, but wait until you see the wedding photos! The Merion Cricket Club provided the perfect location for this elegant wedding, which was complete with gorgeous bouquets, an incredibly romantic gown and lots of friends and family. Take a look at Alison Conklin’s blog for more photos from this wedding!
vendors: Photography: Alison Conklin | Reception Venue: Merion Cricket Club | Planner: Uncommon Events | Lighting: Eventions Productions | Florist: Uncommon Events | Hair Stylist: Salon Royal Court | Makeup Artist: Beke Beau | Entertainment: Starlight Orchestras | Video: cinemacake
February 14 is right around the corner — have you gotten that special someone a Valentine’s Day card yet? Here are a few of our favorite new letterpress love cards!
Row 1: Lucky to Have You | Row 2: Like Saturdays, Like Campfires | Row 3: Valentine’s Hearts | Row 4: Sweet Sweet Love, Bee Mine | Row 5: Love You a Ton
Here at Smock, we’ve developed six exclusive calligraphy fonts based on the actual penmanship of master calligraphers. New for the 2013 wedding season are two brand new calligraphy fonts: the Smock Stella and the Smock Plaza. Last week, we gave a behind-the-scenes look at Sarah Hanna’s inspiration for the Smock Plaza, and today we’re sharing Kelle Ann McCarter’s inspiration for the Smock Stella font.
How did you develop the Stella Hand for Smock?
I spend much time developing new styles of calligraphy and experimenting with different types of calligraphy nibs. I normally think of a character or personality and then try to translate it to the lettering. In “Stella”, I envisioned the French American stage and movie actress Claudette Colbert. I wanted her to be strong, quirky, independent, playful- perhaps with a touch of mysterious contradiction; one who has self-possession and is comfortable in any setting; understated without excessive flourish.
The inspiration behind Stella:
I purchased some vintage straight pins and the packaging design in which they were enclosed showed a lovely lettering- dainty and spritely. I was smitten with the movement and simplicity of the strokes. I knew I wanted to create something in this vein which is different from my other calligraphy styles.
(sources from left to right: decor | Claudette Colbert | clutch and jewels | dress | cake )
What kind of weddings do you picture this font used for?
Since “Stella” was conceived to be a well-rounded lady, she can be used in any wedding – from modern to vintage to formal. For example, in the current issue of Brides Magazine, “Stella” in foil stamping is shown as a perfect pairing for a black-tie soiree.
Visit a Smock dealer today to see the Smock Stella font (and all of our other fonts) in person and get started on your next custom order!
Did you know that Smock offers six exclusive calligraphy fonts? These very special fonts are based on the actual penmanship of master calligraphers. Two of these exclusive calligraphy fonts were introduced for the 2013 wedding season: the Smock Plaza and the Smock Stella. Today we’re going behind the scenes with Sarah Hanna, the talented calligrapher who carefully crafted the elegant Smock Plaza font.
How did you develop the Plaza Hand for Smock?
I have rather classical calligraphy style and training. To design Plaza, I combined that traditional precision with a little va-va-voom. Elegant does not have to mean stuffy. There is a comfortable luxury in the Plaza font that says, “Honey, get out that cocktail dress made of peacock feathers. This celebration is going to be fabulous!”
The inspiration behind Plaza:
Italian fashion, the southern coast of France, harvest time in Northern California. A love letter in another language. Perfect oysters right out of the ocean. Plaza is made up of the little joys that make celebrating an art. Smock owners Debbie and Harold’s son came up with the name ‘Plaza’….I love this for two reasons: (1) He is 4 years old and the word ‘Plaza’ is in his vocabulary. Divine. (2) Eloise (the children’s book character who lives at the Plaza Hotel in NYC) has been a life-long hero of mine – so you can add ‘room service’ to the list of things that make life delicious.
(
Wedding courtesy of Vedia & Vladimir Eidelman | Photography by:
Tim Ryan Smith)
What kind of weddings do you picture this font used for?
The bride that selects the Plaza font will have a wedding that, while polished and poised, will be abundant with meaning and personality. She will incorporate family heirlooms and go to great lengths to make each guest feel honored. Hand-written notes in the welcome bags…using a family recipe for part of the wedding menu…creative events like a rehearsal dinner softball game when the groom is a baseball player or a sunset croquet welcome party in the South will abound. The wedding could be on the beach in her hometown or at a private resort tucked into a beautiful, natural setting. It could be city chic with splashes of color or in an exotic destination. Regardless of the setting, it will be an epic celebration of great taste!
In love with the Smock Plaza font? Visit a Smock dealer today to take a look at our albums and get started on your next custom order!
Our friends at Salutations in Charlotte, North Carolina sent along these adorable letterpress invitations for printing. The couple submitted their own custom artwork to be printed on each piece in their suite. The pairing of our cherry and azure inks also makes a bold statement – and we definitely think their creativity shines through.
inks: cherry + azure | fonts: worthington block font + alice script | paper 2-ply white | printing: letterpress |edge painting in cherry | liner: the sinclair pattern in cherry | offset sleeve: custom pattern; in cherry + azure |invite size: 5.4375 x 8.0625
If you live in upstate New York, come visit us at the Pepper Market this Saturday! We’ll have a great mix of Smock goods for sale (including letterpress holiday cards and our double-sided gift wrap!) and you’ll have the chance to support other local CNY designers. We hope to see you there!
If you love letterpress and live in the Syracuse area, stop by our shop this Thursday, November 29 from 4-7pm! We’ll have complimentary sweets and holiday stationery goods for sale, and we’re giving away a free gift when you spend $25 or more! We hope to see you there!
Our good friends at Pearl Grant Richmans in Albany, New York submitted this exquisite letterpress suite to us for printing. The modernized font choices keep this set refreshing and the color combination of our espresso and grass inks looks absolutely beautiful.
inks: espresso + emerald | fonts: millicent + carrington + morisot |custom artwork: submitted |paper: 2-ply ivory | printing: letterpress | liner: the croft pattern in emerald | invite size: S7
Our Altar design is one of our most popular, but we don’t think we have ever seen this design looking so romantic. Sent to us by The Dandelion Patch in Washington DC this suite is letterpressed in our pewter and pearl inks, and the feminine touches are carried throughout.
inks: pewter + pearl | font: tally | paper: 2-ply ivory| printing: letterpress | edge painting in whisper | back patterning: champlain in whisper| corner rounding | liner: the grand champlain pattern in whisper | invite size: S8
