Martha Stewart Weddings Event

I was honored to be asked to calligraph dates for the annual Martha Stewart Weddings party last night. The theme was metallics and, as always, the crew at MSW and The Wedding Library pulled out all of the stops with a gigantic tinsel chandelier, glitter dusted desserts and what I can only describe as a gold confetti video installation on the floor. I paired up with Valerie at Spark letterpress to create gold date bookmarks which we finished off with hand dyed ribbon in gold and ivory. It was four hours of storytelling, catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. Here are my favorite moments from the event:

  • Calligraphing a wedding anniversary date for Annie from Colorado (the Annies are important at MSW). She met Pete back in 1997 when she accidentally dialed the wrong number and ended up in conversation with a friendly stranger who she would go on to marry. She counts how many weeks they've been married (821) which made me tear up.
  • Being approached by Martha Stewart herself, who asked me to calligraph "Alexis," her daughter's name. I cannot overstate her powerful presence.
  • Finally meeting Jenna and Bryn in person (and adoring them instantly). They are two ladies whose work I so admire. Please go check out their calligraphy and blogs. 
  • Calligraphing "November 18, 2010," the day when an only son will return from basic training. Again, tears. 
  • Having someone read, note and appreciate (for the first time!) the small Borges quote printed on the top of the bookmark. I will forever remember the woman who did so.
  • The fashionable young couple eating ice cream who asked me to pen a note of thanks as though written by their young daughter, who was being looked after that evening by her grandfather.
  • The ruckus group of beautiful ladies in sparkly, ruffly dresses who kept begging the DJ for one more R & B song and danced until the lights went up.

And then there are people who make a lasting impression in our fleeting time together: the stunning woman who looked like Paloma Picasso, the young lady in the gold baubled necklace cleverly fixed with a piece of wire, the ebullient man brimming with excitement over his new promotion, the planner who noticed my Santacafe matchbook and swapped local restaurant recommendations. My gratitude goes to everyone who contributed to such a terrific night.

If you stopped by last night: it was delightful meeting you. Please be in touch. And for everyone: look out for another storytelling giveaway later this week.

Giveaway Winner

I can't remember the conversation, precisely, but the feeling of it still returns to me now. Part exhilaration, part comfort. As he got ready to leave at the end of the night, he touched the small of my back, just so. Not presumptuously, and not with clear intent, but naturally, as if that was where his hand was meant to go. I felt protected, cherished--yet still so very free. I knew this man would never hinder me from anything I wanted to do. He'd just be there to bolster me, if I needed it. And yes, reader, I married him. :)
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Emprint Studio Visit

         Last week I returned from a trip to the Pacific Northwest, which I’ll be posting more about. First up: a few snapshots from EmPrint Press. I was reflecting on it and I owe Emily a great deal. In college, she was a pixie of talent and inspiration in our book arts class. On vacation in Canada, she made a superlative blackberry pie. A year and a half ago, while planning our wedding, she uttered the fateful words “Why don’t you just do the calligraphy yourself?”. She’s since printed my business cards, our wedding invitations, and now we collaborate often on client projects. Em invited me to her print shop housed in what will soon be revealed as one of the most stunning arts spaces in Portland (and, I’ll go ahead and say it: all of North America). I’m still flabbergasted at what Emily’s managed to accomplish. I won’t go into everything else she does (involving artisanal food production, veterinary medicine, physics and an academic career). But I will say that her print shop is one of the most special places I’ve ever been, and she is one of the most special people I know.

Aisle Candy posted a photo of a recent project Emily and I worked on together -- a charming deckled menu for a wedding celebration in Capri.

Collaboration with: Natalie Frigo


Do you remember when, as a teenager, you met the coolest person in the world who was a little bit older than you? When you thought “I want to be like this wonderful person”? Maybe it was a babysitter, or a friend’s sibling, or a camp counselor? For me, that person was the wildly talented Natalie Frigo whom I met when I was 16. Now, 14 years later, I’m so excited to share this little collaboration that we worked on together -- an engraved jewelry box designed by Natalie. Her jewelry is just stunning so please stop by and take a look. This birdcage necklace that opens? Literally the only piece of jewelry I own, and the only piece I’ll ever need.

Housekeeping

I am often contacted about calligraphy for tattoos. I can't tell you what an honor it is to work on these types of projects. The idea of Neither Snow's calligraphy forever adorning a wrist or ankle or hip gives me goose bumps. I thought I'd post some information here about my policy. So briefly:

Yes: Please contact me. I'd be delighted to learn more about your vision and provide you with an estimate.

But: I only work with clients who pledge to send me high quality photographs of the tattoo once it is completed. This expense is built in to and deducted from the estimate, and I can even help you locate a local photographer. I'd love to share the photo with my blog readers, but if you prefer to keep it private that's fine too. It is heartbreaking (and, honestly, hurtful) never to see the final result.

Also: I will announce the winner of the giveaway in conjunction with the Martha Stewart event by the end of the week. My apologies for the delay + thank you for participating!

A Look Inside + Outside

As promised I wanted to give you a glimpse of the calligraphy I recently did for outer envelopes designed by Mr. Boddington’s. They do an outstanding job with lined envelopes-- they feel so substantial and special. These envelopes have a hand-drawn wave motif. It isn’t often that I get the chance to individually letter the return address but in this case, the client made an excellent choice. 

Tent to Text

Sometimes I come across objects or spaces or people or literary passages or even the irregular tendril of a grapevine in the back yard and I think to myself: “This is what I want Neither Snow’s calligraphy to feel like.” This is what I thought when I saw the Christmas tent that Stephen built Shauna. Just another reason to head over to Something’s Hiding in Here whenever you’re looking for inspiration.

Politics + Postcards

I often land on photographers’ sites thanks to my talented photographer friends. And when I see a photo like this by Katie Barnes  -- a candidate for governor handwriting postcards using a phone book ...well, how could I not share it with you? Go check out the rest of Katie’s work.

 

Cleanwash, Round 2

It’s been so fun collaborating with Colleen over at Cleanwash Letterpress. She recently sent me final product for Hannah and Young’s invite, which was designed by Curious and Company. This is a great example of how you can slice up and repurpose calligraphed scanned names to tie together all of the pieces in an invitation suite. And the different blue patterns add so much texture. Thanks Collen, Curious, Hannah and Young!