Monthly Archives: March 2012

Exploring Charleston

march 2012 in charleston south carolinaWow. March just flew by, didn’t it? It has been an extremely busy and emotional month here at the Delphine studio. We moved cross country, left behind a lot of dear friends and family (miss y’all!), and regrouped. It has been a challenge to keep it all together — juggling unpacking boxes, answering phones, negotiating deals, and keeping on touch of regular business on top of handling a huge influx of inquiries (merci, Groupon). But we’re having a blast and are super thankful to everyone in Charleston for welcoming us with open arms. It feels like home.

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Stationery vs. Stationary

Stationery vs Stationary Spelling

How to spell Paper Stationery versus StationaryFellow stationers, I know we share a collective “aaaaaargh” every time we see our beloved industry spelled incorrectly.

For the record, when referring to paper goods, the correct spelling is ‘stationery’ … and when referring to something standing still, like an exercise bike or a parked car, the correct spelling is ‘stationary.’

“Word to the Wise” graphic courtesy of Fig. 2.  •  Delightful stationery and stationary definition tote by Sapling Press available in their Etsy shop.

 

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Pretty New 2012 Postage Stamps

pretty new 2012 postage stamps usps

cherry blossom postage stamp 2012Pretty postage stamps really dress up an envelope. They’re especially nice on plain envelopes — a little touch of color goes a long way. I am loving the new 2012 postage stamp designs. I haven’t had a chance to pick up the cherry blossom ones yet, but I’ve already used up all the weather vane, bonsai, and red love stamps shown in the photo here! Time to head back to the post office.

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“Please R.s.v.p.” is Redundant

Please R.S.V.P. is redundantA gentle reminder … R.S.V.P. is an acronym which stands for “répondez s’il vous plaît.” The literal translation of this French phrase is “respond if it pleases you.”

Writing “please r.s.v.p.” is like writing “please respond if it pleases you.” Which is silly.

Merci for listening. I will step down from the soap box now.

 

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A Lowcountry Commute

Lowcountry South Carolina commute view of tidal creek from marshThe “commute” to downtown Charleston, where our son goes to school, from our place on John’s Island means crossing three bridges and several Lowcountry tidal creeks and marshes. They have cool names like Stono and Wappoo. Everything is fun to say here. Even with the heaviest morning rush hour traffic it takes less than 30 minutes (15 of which is spent at the light outside our neighborhood). The scenery varies from pretty to spectacular. I don’t miss California freeways for one second!

 

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J. R. Watkins Natural Apothecary | Nice Package

J.R. Watkins Package DesignYou all (or, now that I’m back home in SC, “y’all”) know I’m a sucker for package design. I love the J. R. Watkins packaging so much that I now skip the tedious step of transferring dish soap and hand soap to another container. I just leave them out on my sink! I first spotted them at Target, but there are lots more products for sale directly from J. R. Watkins and next time I run low I’m going to order directly from the source.

I do some package design for a Scandinavian apothecary, and my goal is always to design something that the user will display on their counter, not hide in a cabinet. From a designer’s perspective, this brand is getting it right: the branding and design is consistent, but not boring. The color palette references the scent of the product, and I like how they have left the actual product clear/free of dyes. I looked around the web and can’t find credit for who is responsible for the design, so I think they are doing it in house. Love it!

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Moving Announcement

Delphine has moved Chevron Moving Announcement LetterpressJust in case you haven’t heard … we’ve moved! From SoCal to SC. I’m slowly getting my act together, unpacking and arranging and rearranging … hopefully I’ll get to address my cool chevron letterpress moving announcements this weekend.

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Authentic, Modern Hand Lettered Sign

Battle of Charleston hand lettered sign 2012Hand lettered Battle of Charleston 2012 Sign I’m not exactly sure what The Battle of Charleston is all about. I’m envisioning a bunch of crazies dressed up in Confederate uniforms, spitting tobacco and drinking whisky. But I’m totally intrigued and have to go check this out.

This sign is beyond amazing. It’s new but looks like it has been around for ages. It’s hand-lettered, not made to look hand lettered. Every line is a different font. LOVE! It’s nailed to the side of a shack. I saw it and literally pulled the car off the side of the road so I could inspect it more closely.

 

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Font Geek Moment: Madelinette

Madelinette Font I’m in love with the classic yet oh so pretty new Madelinette font (by Crystal Kluge & Stuart Sandler). Wouldn’t it be perfect for typesetting a cook book or a menu? It’s lovely, feminine, and slightly fancy, while being totally legible.

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Hand Lettered Signage at the Laundromat | Color Palette

Black Red Turquoise Yellow Color Palette Hand lettered signage from LaundromatI love this hand lettered sign from the local laundromat. The turquoise, black, yellow and red color palette is pretty retro cool, too, don’t you think?

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Delphine Photography Internship

Delphine Photography Internship

We’re looking for a fabulous photography intern!

PHOTOGRAPHY INTERNSHIP
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
• Styling for Delphine product photo shoots (wedding invitations, stationery, greeting cards, etc.)
• Have access to Delphine’s extensive prop closet
• Photograph Delphine products in natural light (we have a Nikon SLR camera for your use, or if you prefer to use your own camera you may do so)
• Edit, color correct and crop photographs using Photoshop CS5
• General office assistance (i.e. organizing photo files, research and organizing props)

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
• Photo styling techniques
• Considerations for marketing and selling design-centric products (via traditional print, digital and social media)
• Close contact with founders of growing design-driven company

REQUIREMENTS:
• Great style & ability to compose a compelling photograph & great photography skills with experience shooting in natural light
• Proficiency with Macintosh platform
• Proficiency in Photoshop CS5
• Completed at least 2 years of college level courses and at least 2 photography courses (or worked as photographer min. 1 year)
• Must have an Apple computer with Photoshop CS4 or CS5 installed
• Ability to use FTP site, internet savvy

GENERAL NOTES ABOUT DELPHINE INTERNSHIPS:
Internships are unpaid and last approximately 10 weeks.
Scheduling is flexible (min 8 hours per week — 4 in studio, 4 remote).
Applicants must have transportation to/from John’s Island, SC studio.
Interns will not have access to letterpress print shop.
Interns will meet at Delphine Studio and/or at public locations (such as library, coffee shop, etc) once per week.
Academic credit is available (depending upon specific institution’s requirements).

APPLICATION:

Please submit a cover letter, pdf résume or link to online portfolio, two references, and a few samples of your work. Please do not call the studio.
Send email to Erika Firm: info {at} delphinepress {dot} com.
Please include “PHOTOGRAPHY INTERNSHIP” in subject of emailPlease indicate your availability (including what days/times of week are best for you to work in Delphine studio, and approximate date you would like to begin internship).

While this internship is unpaid, we will “pay” you in oodles of stationery goodies. Many of our Delphine interns go on to freelance for us : )  Thanks so much for your interest in interning with Delphine!

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Papershell Pecan Trees | Nice Package

Papershell Pecan Trees Packaging DesignWhile out shopping for supplies for the new house last weekend I saw this cool packaging at the local Lowe’s garden center. I love the retro illustration and typography.

photo//Erika Firm

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March 2012

Happy March, friends. It’s been a crazy week so far. We moved all the way to John’s Island (a couple of minutes outside of Charleston, SC) from Southern California!!! March is a month for new beginnings: rainy days lead to my favorite thing: spring green everywhere. I live across the street from a tidal marsh now, and CANNOT WAIT to see the Lowcountry turn from straw brown to spring green over the next few weeks.

 

Sidenote: That’s our 2012 calendar in the photo. We’re out of stock now, but after we open all our boxes we may come across a couple more. Shout if you’d like to order one and we’ll set it aside for you.

 

 

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Hello, Charleston! Goodbye, SoCal!

Delphine has moved from Southern California to South CarolinaSo you may have noticed some radio silence over here … I do have a good excuse! I’ve been up to my eyeballs in packing paper, tape, and boxes.

I am ever so pleased to share with you that we have moved, and once again we can call the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina home! We’ve found a lovely place to live on John’s Island (just a hop and skip from downtown Charleston) and will begin the search for the perfect studio very soon. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to re-discovering my “home” town with John and our second grader.

Nearly 13 years ago John and I were married in Charleston, our very favorite city. I went to high school here, and have lots of fond memories of my teen years spent on IOP and downtown at Bishop England High School.  The city has always been a source of inspiration for me. In fact, many of our Delphine wedding invitation designs are directly inspired by Charleston and are named for local spots (i.e. Meeting Street, Charleston Stitch and Sullivan’s Island).

By the way, our studio phone number is the same: 888-570-7181. Drop us a line and say “hey.” We can’t wait to meet all of y’all ; )

—Erika & John

 

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