Wednesday, July 29, 2009

How Does Paper Made From Elephant Pooh Save Elephants? And, Does it Smell?



A few years ago when I first saw stationery made from elephant dung (pooh), I thought it was a funny gimmick. I didn't know that this process could really help with saving the lives of these beautiful animals. But, it does. Mr. Ellie Pooh is saving elephants in Sri Lanka. ( My cousin lives there by the way - small world - but she is not collecting elephant dung and making paper - she is saving the world in another manner.)

The story basically goes like this - there are about 4,000 elephants out of the estimated global total of 40,000 Asian elephants living in the wild in Sri Lanka. They are running out of space to live. They are being killed off or forced to move along to other areas, not for their tusks or for meat, but because they are encroaching on farm land. The goal of Mr. Ellie Pooh is to make the elephants valuable to the local economy by using their dung to create an artistic and useful product. Because elephants are herbivores, plant eaters, their pooh is really great for making paper. Check out the video for more info on the process and take a look at a recent invitation I did that uses Mr. Ellie Pooh paper (green and orange in this case; the marblized paper is made from plant leaves). Who knows, next time I send you a note, it just might be made from elephant %&*!@. And no, it won't smell!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Happiness, Peace, Love & Style

It is also so much fun to open up my mailbox and find something addressed to me that is not a bill or a Bed Bath and Beyond coupon. Don't get me wrong, love the store but I think I get more coupons from them than any other item of mail! My daughter likes to get mail as well - she is 9. Last week she sent her various sets of grandparents letters with her handmade lanyard bracelets included. She addressed each one and wrote everything on her own. The only thing I did was put on the extra postage on to make sure the post office didn't send it back as they were thick. (Of course, one did come back and needed even more stamps - oh well.)

Her signature was and is:

"Happiness, Peace, Love and Style"

Gotta love it!

Her disappointment comes next, she began receiving emails from her techno savvy grandparents as thank yous. This did not suit her. She said,

"Technology is taking away from the fun of getting mail. They really should be writing me back and not emailing me a thank you!"

Smart chick - has she been reading my blog? Well, not a shy girl is she and don't you know she is now getting her mail. You go girl!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Is Anything More Pressing?






I don't know about you but I have a TON of summer birthdays to celebrate, thank yous to say - MERCI - and just old fashion hellos I want to send out. I love these letterpress greeting cards and notes from Smock; they come with hand-lined envelopes and are sustainably letterpressed on bamboo paper. (FYI - Smock is wind powered - cool). This is one of my favorite lines - just a small sampling - and yes, I can get you some!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

What's Your Fortune?


Look at this fabulous fortune teller! I got very excited when I saw these - they remind me of when I was a kid during the summer but I certainly did not make anything like this. These are not your mama's fortune tellers! They are so cool - they come from Sycamore Street Press. Luxurious letterpress with bright colors, soy ink and great design. Let me know what you think and if I should get you one...

Friday, July 3, 2009

What Color is Your Sand?


Sand: small particles, varying in size, and often containing quartz, rock fragments from nearby... rocks of course... fine, grainy, soft, crunchy, smooth, etc.
Color of sand: often described as in the beige family...sounds blah. But this doesn't look blah to me! (Beach sand - up close - really close -along the coast of the Sea of Cortez.)