Sunday, January 14, 2018

Things happen

I was planning to post on more tidying up the studio today - that seems to be pretty much all I have been doing.  This morning I remembered that I had to print some things because the rest of the week is full and there is no time to do them - which came as a bit of a shock!

So I managed to get that job done, and then...

I think it is serendipity really. A few folk have written or spoken about their desire to keep in touch by mail a bit more this year.  Expressing the pleasure they get when receiving a card or package or even a very lengthy handwritten letter (that was me, I was thrilled!); but also wanting to make that almost physical connection by writing or sending something that has a presence, and is tactile.

I would not be the first person to ponder the manner in which we have replaced slower handwritten communication: firstly with email; then we superseded that by commenting on things; and reduced that further to a heart or a like.

I thought how often I title an email to a friend "quick hello" or "touching base" almost indicating to them before they open it that it won't be a long missive, just a "I was thinking about you before I ran out the door" kind of thing.

Nothing all that wrong with that - at least I got in touch - but it did make me wonder if folk might send a card that said the same kind of thing?  I had the idea to print a few postcards that basically just had phrases like that on the front.

I wondered if perhaps you could carry a few with you in your bag, and when you were waiting somewhere or having a coffee by yourself you could pull one out and write a note to somebody? Maybe?

I'm not sure, but I had a quick go this morning after finishing the job and came up with these.

Using some of the wooden type I recently received I had a play.




And the results.

I printed them on the postcard practices I did recently, where I used too much pressure for the back of the card, so they are really just proofs at the moment (altho I would use them, but couldn't sell them).






I always love how wood type shows you it is wood type. It rarely prints perfectly like lead type; it always carries a part of it history onto the page. You can often see the grain of the wood, or the nicks and cuts it has had along the way.

Also it is pretty darn hot here today and the ink was drying in front of my eyes, so given they were a final run after another job they are slightly less densely coloured than I imagine they would be had I printed them properly on a cooler day.



Possibility or not?
Other phrases I could use?

Thoughts most welcomed! I am trying to work out if it would be worth making sets of them to sell on my shop or not, so thanks for being an unexpected part of my first ever market research!

Go well.

20 comments:

  1. I love the idea of these as postcards! the only other statement I could think of is "check in".

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    1. I like that Kim! Postcards are good to have handy I reckon, and just pop in the post. Might say something like "just checkin' ". Go well.

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  2. I like the simplicity of these. I decided last year to write a 'catch up' letter to a friend every 3 months or so, which I did. Alas she has all my news and I have none of hers....
    Phrases I frequently use in add on emails 'must tell you' - 'forgot to say' - 'just remembered' - 'did I mention' - 'gossip'.
    You see most preamble whether I've had brain fog, ie forgotten whether I've already said or forgotten the very thing I wanted to write in the first place!

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    1. Love these Beverley! I like the "forgot to say"/ "just remembered" ones in particular as I often think of the one thing I meant to tell my friend on the telephone after we hang up...

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  3. Have I already told you that... is what comes up into my mind. But theyre definitely worth taking up as a set in your shop, I think . Annick

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    1. I like that one too Annick! And thanks for the support - go well.

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  4. Oh yes, yes, yes to all of this! Thank you for the inspiration ... yet again.

    And thank you, too, for the wonderful pieces of paper that have flown from your home to mine in the past year. I spent much of yesterday stitching together mail from kindred spirits and will be posting the results soon.

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    1. Oh yes indeed Liz! You have bene part o nth mix thinking about your commitment to write this year. I love the look of your sewn book; and also how you solved the issue of stitching - an elegant solution!

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  5. These are lovely Fiona and a worthy addition to your shop. Can't think of any wonderful words to suggest at this point :-)

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    1. Thanks Susan- I am brimful of ideas now! Might need to make packs of ten words at the rate my brain is going! Go well.

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  6. Reaching out...
    is something I use. Most wonderful idea, Fiona!

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  7. Really like the idea and especially the faded type looks less formal somehow. Can't think of any more quotes.

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    1. Thanks penny - I am enjoying the idea; and thanks of rate thought re the faded text - I like it too. Go well.

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  8. I love your phrase - Go Well. I had never heard it used before I connected with you for the alphabet making groups. So, perhaps a good one for a phrase to print? Although I don't know if it has more of a meaning where you live or not.

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    1. Great idea Sandy! Barry introduced the phrase to me and I just love it. And thanks for the thought re popping it on a postcard too -I hadn't actually gone there myself! Go well.

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  9. YES! the tactile connection being something different, inherently MORE. I love to see how a thought becomes a string of letters, becomes a message on paper. (i've tried to comment a few times already this year and failed. I hope his one takes! I like coming here.

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    1. Thanks for persisting Dee! And yes the tactile, holding, exchanging energy...

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  10. These are good ideas Fiona, so yes please to adding them to your shop. I agree about the lovely 'feel' of wooden type showing through, and it makes the reaching out idea all the more personal. I enjoy writing "Hello, how are you?" postcards to friends and try to buy pretty stamps for them when I'm at the post office. But I hadn't thought of carrying them about to write when I'm out and about. How much nicer to have a little chat with a friend in a cafe, for example, than to get indignant reading the paper!
    Robyn
    PS I'm enjoying practising Heartbeat for a little home-made book - my theme for this year is Simplicity and I've written a wee prose poem of thoughts. I'm planning a line a page and Heartbeat feels like the perfect hand for it. All inspired by you.

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    1. That all sounds gorgeous Robyn - thank you so much and apologies for my very late reply. I like the comparison between 'chatting with a friend" and becoming indignant reading the paper - I know that feeling well.

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I appreciate your thoughts and comments; thanks for taking the time.