Grey Moggie Press

Customer Service Success Story::Amy Smyth Made It

A few weeks ago, I searched online for my favorite engagement cards. I always order these cute milk & cookie cards directly from Amy Smyth Made It, but I noticed that she wasn’t selling them on her website anymore. After being unable to locate them elsewhere online, I emailed Amy directly using an email address I had from filling out a customer survey. She emailed me back later that morning asking how many I wanted. Two days later seven milk & cookie cards arrived in my mailbox.

I think I’m supposed to disclose that I got these seven cards for free so this is me disclosing that fact. Another fact: I’ve bought and given this card to every one of my engaged friends over the last three years. Except for the one couple I sent this card to instead – they’re no longer engaged (nor married) so I’ve shied away from using that one again.  Bottom line: I think Amy’s cards are funny and smart and she wins the customer service game. Go check her out! 

Sweetness Abounds

I survived the MPRE on Saturday. Who knows if I passed the exam, but I made it through the test and back home in time to help Mr. Moggie with the engagement party we had been planning (along with some friends) for very good friends of ours. We had decided on a dessert party and for weeks, Mr. Moggie had been baking all manner of sweet treats. I came across this Amy Atlas party theme and we used it as inspiration for our white-themed centerpiece table.

The whole day was very hectic. I was up late studying (cramming) on Friday night, and then was up early for the exam on Saturday. Of course, these things never start on time, so there was a lot of waiting in line, and waiting for test booklets to be distributed. Once finished, I made a quick stop at Paper Source for lokta and ribbon, because of course, I had to do something with paper for the party!

I had time for a quick nap and a quick lunch, and then I packed up lots of project materials and a pretty party dress while Mr. Moggie packed up about a thousand bite sized desserts to head over to our friend Chris's house to set up for the party.

The desserts were such a hit, and I was so proud of my little baker. As for my paper contribution, I letterpressed some menus listing all of the desserts and beverages (including sparkling rose). Unfortunately, the menu project was the one with all the typos I mentioned in an earlier post. I used them anyway, and unless I pointed them out, no one said anything. Also, I made some awesome paper flower chains that went over so well the bride wants to use them in her wedding now.
I was so inspired by the sweetness of Mr. Moggie in wanting to hand make each dessert for the friends he holds so dear, and by the deliciousness of all of the treats, that I tried to capture it in this little layout.

All photos in this post (except for the photo of the scrapbook page) shared courtesy of our friend, Chris Heishman. Thanks, Chris!!

My new loves

...small type and handmade papers.
 
These are the beauties I felt so strongly about during Friday's letterpress session. I think it was my favorite letterpress project so far. I used a 12-point marjery type from the Pyramid Atlantic collection. It was stowed away in a smaller case of type I hadn't yet explored, despite the fact that I literally touch the case each time I use the Chandler & Price press in the studio.

The paper I used was part of the stash I got when I visited New York this summer and spent a day wandering through paper stores and bakeries with some lovely girlfriends. The paper is soft, thick, and a beautiful shade somewhere between blue and gray. It picked up the pressed ink beautifully. I asked a paper artist at Pyramid if she could tell what the paper was made of, since I'd love to find more of it. It's definitely cotton and she thought there was some abaca in it as well.
 
I mixed up some blue ink with a little dollop of black ink to make a dark gray. The similarity in color of the paper and the ink really helped give the finished product an organic feel.
 
I was only able to get 27 4-bar cards from the sheets of paper I had picked up in New York. Strangely, I needed to make exactly 27 invitations. I got some cream colored Lokta at Paper Source, however, and made a few extra. The Lokta also worked splendidly for this project, though it is much more delicate than the cotton paper.
 
I cannot wait to have another reason to use high quality handmade paper, and set lots and lots of type!