Thursday 27 January 2011

Nora the Stationary Obsessive

One of my favourite and most vivid memories is from when I was 7 years old: I remember going shopping to Ilkley one Saturday afternoon with my uncle, we went in to WH Smiths and he spent what I imagine was a small fortune on new stationary for me - new pencil case, pencils, colouring pens, ruler, notecards, writing pads; you name it ,we got it!

From that moment on, I was in love with stationary.  I would find any excuse to send a letter to someone through the post on beautifully watermarked notepaper in a thick cream envelope.  After Christmas and my Birthday was my favourite time as I would send thank you cards/notes to anyone and everyone.

20 years on, I still send cards and notes through the post.  I don't think anything beats that feeling of coming home after a hard day and finding a handwritten envelope on the doormat.  Just knowing that someone has taken the time to source a pretty card and handwrite that note, whatever it may say, means so much.

In an age where emails and text messages seem to rule everyday correspondence, I truly hope we don't forget to make time to sit down and send that little note, inviting a friend for coffee or even just to let them know that we are thinking about them - remember the Royal Mail advert from years ago? 'I saw this and thought of you'!

Here are some pictures of my most recent stationary passions:- (all by Cavallini & Co, San Francisco and available at Nora's)

Paris Postcards - £8.95 (x18)
Thank you cards - £8.95 (x10)

Alphabet Rubber Stamps! £18.50


Vintage Maps Postcards - £8.95 (x18)

Tuesday 11 January 2011

Normality and No Negative Resolutions

Happy 2011!

Apologies for the gap in 'blogging' but following a very busy Christmas period at the shop (thank you all our lovely lovely customers for your support!) we then had the rather depressing task of 'de-christmassing' and returning to some sense of normality.

So... we appear to be in 2011 - I'm not quite sure where the last decade has gone but I am looking forward to the next one and I promise to concentrate a bit more so that I don't have this problem in another 10 years.

I'm not the sort of person who makes New Year's 'resolutions' but every year I vow to stop doing something that usually brings me some kind of pleasure (eating too much, embarassing myself by singing too loudly in public, buying too many shoes,  etc etc) - This year I have instead resolved to 'expand my general sense of well being' by continuing to do things that bring me happiness.  I shall therefore be making more trips to the seaside, developing my knitting skills, scouring vintage fairs for pretty things and finally I vow to keep looking for talented new designers and makers for the shop!
You'll be pleased to know that I have already made a start on the final thing - we have some fabulous new handmade cushions arriving soon and I have found some very inspired cards and prints:- 'Keep Glam and Rock On'!

Here's a little teaser:-
 'Flowers and Feathers' Cushion

'Socks and Shoes' Cushion

Gorgeous Tissue Pocket inscribed with 'Bless You' - made from vintage wool blankets