Coming Soon to Brookland!

I've been bursting at the seams to share this news for months now, but needed to wait until the ink was dry. But the wait is over -- I've just returned home from Monroe Street Market, where I signed a lease to open a little studio and shop!

Analog will be opening (to some degree) later this month!

I can't properly express how excited I am for this new chapter for my business. I'm sharing the space with Lisa of Beltway Vintage, who will be repairing and re-making vintage clothing and accessories. We're psyched to be able to work together to bring reclaimed and recycled products inspired by the past to Washington, DC.

We will have workspace in the back half of our studio, where you'll be able to find me making Gocco prints, gluing envelopes, and otherwise making big messes. I've had so many ideas for products, bit I've been limited by the lack of storage and workspace in my dining area (which hasn't seen us dining in it in well over a year). I'm excited to have a light-filled space to get things done!

We will also have open studio hours for people to visit, as well as several special events and workshops throughout the year.  (I'm thinking mail art socials up the wazoo.)  Plus, there will soon be 26 other studios along the Arts Walk to inspire you whenever you visit.

I can't wait to show you our space as we start making it our own -- we begin painting tomorrow!  We are hoping to be up and running in a few weeks, so watch this space for updates!

Mail in the News!

illustration by Eleni Kalorkoti

 There was a beautiful piece in the New York Times yesterday by Ramona Ausubel about the marvel of mailing things halfway around the world. Check it out if you're a fellow philepistolist.

Happy 50th Birthday, Mr. ZIP!

One of the great things about working with the folks at the National Postal Museum is that when I say things like, "Oooh, what if we had a letter-writing event for Mr. ZIP's birthday?" they don't look at me like I have two heads. (They also know who Mr. ZIP is, which is pretty great.*) "Do it!" they said, and so I am.

I designed a few pieces of stationery just for the event, and you can come pick some up on Saturday, July 27th, from 11AM to 3PM in the museum's atrium.  There will also be a limited number of vintage first-day covers to use, as well as plenty of free postcards and blank envelopes to send off your missives.

The National Postal Museum is located next door to Union Station at the following address:
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002

Hope to see you there on Saturday!  

*Mr. ZIP was presented to the public in 1963 to help increase the use of the newly-introduced ZIP codes and speed the processing of mail.  He's also pretty cute, doncha think?

Last Grant Avenue Market of the Season!

Beltway Vintage will be right next to me!

Our last Grant Avenue Market for the summer is this Sunday! It'll also be your last chance to buy from me at a market until later this fall, too, so come visit me and my fellow vintage and handmade vendors.

Come visit us on July 14 from 10AM to 3PM on Grant Avenue where it meets Carroll Avenue.  Hope to see you there!

vintage cartoon notepads available at my booth! both photos courtesy of Megan at Grant Avenue Market.

Grant Avenue Market this Sunday!

Troll stationery! Photo by Megan of Grant Avenue Market

Come find me and 30 of my vintage and handmade-selling friends at this Sunday's Grant Avenue Market!  I'll have some sets of this fabulous troll stationery and other amazing vintage finds, as well as my usual handmade goodness. 

We'll be on Grant Avenue across from the Takoma Park Co-Op on Sunday, June 9 from 10AM to 3PM.  Come find something fabulous to start your summer off right!

Artisphere Workshop Wrap-Up

The mail art workshop at Artisphere was a success! There was a roomful of people making awesome mail to send out to friends and loved ones.

I just wanted to share some of the fun pieces that participants were willing to share with my crappy cell phone camera.

I finally got to meet @melydia, who made these two pieces among others; the envelope was to our mutual friend and fellow mail artist, Mary.

A lovely woman named Mame made short work of the above pieces. She built up quite the stationery hoard for herself in just a couple hours!

Melissa (not me) made these envelopes and cards with very precise lines before our classroom time was up.

Dan surprised me by being able to attend when I wasn't expecting him. He and Beth of Tigerflight mostly just sat in the back and made fun of each other, so I was not surprised to see that these seem to be addressed as primarily in-jokes with her. I was also not surprised to see a naked form on there.

Many thanks to the lovely folks at Artisphere, especially Katherine, who helped move the event when its first location was overrun by people from the neighboring space, and who were kind and gracious enough to have us there.

Craftgasm at the Grant Avenue Market

Come visit me this Sunday, May 12 at the first Grant Avenue Market of the season! They've focused on finding unique vintage and handmade vendors, so it's sure to be a treat to wander the stalls and check out all the offerings.

I'll be there with my handmade upcycled paper goods, plus vintage National Geographic maps and vintage stationery finds that I've been hoarding for years and am only sharing if you promise to take good care of them for me and write to lovely people with them.

The Grant Avenue Market will be where Grant Avenue meets Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park, across from the TPSS food co-op, and just a ten minute walk from the Takoma Metro.  Vendors will be there from 10am to 3pm, so bring a friend and a shopping bag and get ready to buy some amazing stuff!

Mail Art Workshop at Artisphere this Thursday!

Check out the fancy flyer that Artisphere made for the series of upcycled art classes that Beth Baldwin has organized! I'll be hosting a workshop this Thursday to share my love of mail art. Can you come?

Details:
What: A mail art workshop led by me! I'll have examples of upcycled stationery and be glad to answer questions about what will successfully make it through mail sorting machines and how to make envelopes from reclaimed papers.  I'll also provide tons of fun ephemera to use in your project.

Where: Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22209.  It is two blocks from the Rosslyn Metro and its urban location has plenty of bicycle parking. There is also free parking with validation.

When: Thursday, May 9, from 6-8pm. There will also be a cash bar from 5:30 to 8:30pm in case you want to get liquored up before crafting, you lush.

Cost: $12, which includes all crafting materials, (or $11 if you're a student, member of the military, or a senior citizen).  Buy tickets online, or pay cash at the door. If you have your own materials you want to bring, feel free!

I hope to see you there!

sneak peek of prints available soon!

Were you wondering what it would look like if I took a picture of pretty new suitcase Gocco prints with my crappy cell phone camera? 

Wonder no longer!

(This also gives you a good idea of the excellent facilities with which I work: a wood drying rack with paper towels taped to it for this half of the print run and vertical metal file folder holders for the other. Nothing but the best!)

Bust Craftacular this Saturday in Brooklyn!

Are you near New York City? Come visit me this weekend at the Bust Craftacular at DUMBO!  I'll be in Brooklyn on Saturday, directly under the Manhattan Bridge, offering up my handmade prints and stationery for you. There will also be 120+ other vendors of crafty and vintage goods, and workshops offered for doing your own bits of crafty, too.  We'll be there from 11AM to 6PM. Come visit!

(Mention this blog post for a free surprise!)