Maps, Maps Baby!

We are crazy about maps even though refolding them can make us crazy! We just added a Map Category to our shopping cart so you can find them easily. We wanted to show you some cool things you can do with maps!

First up are map pendants from two talented designers.

Kimiko of The Green Daisy uses our pendant trays to make gorgeous map pendants. Kimiko lots of really lovely styles and designs so be sure to check our her etsy site at:

http://kimiko611.etsy.com/

Kristy of  Daisy Mae Designs also does map pendants in lots of styles, colors and shapes. She also does custom work so check out her website at ww.daisymaedesigns.net

These map pendants make a terrific gift for that special person in your life as a memento of a trip you've take or one that you hope to take or for someone who just loves travel. The pendants would make a fantastic graduation gift! (really fabulous if you include plane tickets!!)

Maps Part II

Oh the love affair with maps continues! We made some fun map poppies. Visualize a room filled with map bouquets for the the couple who loves to travel!

 We used the flower pop up design for these poppies (posted in an earlier blog post)

 Then we lined envelopes with maps which were were gaga over! We letterpressed a vintage ornament on sumptuous lettra paper and used hemisphere maps to line moss and gavel envelopes.

 For a more colorful pop, we took vintage map pages and line a variety of colored envelopes. We all would be delighted to get mail that looks like this!

To make these handmade journals, we used the Americas, Globes and Hemispheres maps. At 3.25 x 5.5 inches, they are perfect for taking on a trip to record your journey.

While we didn't make these soft sided mini notebooks, we are crazy about them and the set of 3 for 10 bucks is a great deal!

New Addition to the Family - Elliot the Tortoise!

Nothing to do with paper or letterpress but awfully cute!

Here's the newest addition to our family--Elliot the Desert Tortoise. Desert tortoises are found in in southeastern California, southeastern Nevada, southwestern Utah, western Arizona. We got him from a school and he is 2yrs old. He is about 6-8 inches long and weights a couple of pounds but can get up to 10-12 lbs. He like blueberries--and still has the blueberry stains on his chin--he definitely has a sweet tooth for fruit but can only have it occasionally.

He is acclimatising to the outdoors very well considering he lived in a cage inside a 4th grade classroom since he was a hatchling. He lives in our yard and he cruises around the place like he owns it. He sleeps under the rosemary bush so he now smells like rosemary! Gary built him a burrow/shelter but he seems to prefer the rosemary bush.

I brought him inside last night because it was pretty cold. Desert tortoises start hibernating if the night temps are below 60 for several days and he is definitely sluggish in the am when it is still cold. They can survive heat up to 140 degrees and they cannot swim.

He's a pretty funny tortoise because he comes up right up to the glass where our cats can watch him. Because the kitties never go outside, they are fascinated with him. Elliot the Tortoise makes a beeline to cats if he sees them watching him.

In addition to the Elliot in our yard we also have a dove nest with 2 eggs. The nest sits low in the tree about chest level (didn't even have to stand on anything to take this picture) so the mom dove startles the beegeebers out of us when she suddenly flies out. Doves build the most scattery nests, I hope it doesn't get too windy.