Mother’s Day is around the corner, and if you’re looking for something unexpected, consider a gift subscription to Nicely Noted. Each month Mom will receive a thoughtfully-curated and splendidly presented assemblage of letterpress cards and stamps. Not only does it keep the art of letter-writing alive — you might just get a magnificent missive yourself!
So, how does proprietress Perry Nelson create her amazing letterpressed assemblages? “It’s a long process,” she told me. “I request samples from a wide variety of vendors; some I meet through National Stationery Show and others I discover at my favorite shops, on Etsy or through recommendations or submissions. I aim to support small, independent letterpress printers. That means typically they print their own work. There are a few exceptions, but I try to stick to that goal.
“Dozens of the samples I request end up together on my desk in various groupings of how I imagine they could work together. It’s a mix of wanting to be sure I vary the card messages; birthday, blank, congratulations, thank you, etc., that the selects align with the season, and that the colors, patterns or themes of the cards coordinate. I also want to vary the card designers represented. Often I love several cards from one designer and need to space out the collections where I include them.
“Once a grouping seems like it’s going to stick, I sit with it for a time. The cards remain in their coordinated groupings and I revisit them for a few days or weeks before pulling the trigger and placing the order. It’s really fun and also a touch stressful. I want to surprise and delight our customers with cards they will love.”
It may take time, but it looks like Perry’s found a winning formula! Here are some of her carefully assembled mailings, culled from the some of the finest lettepress houses out there.
This is such a great way to make Mother’s Day last. Gift subscriptions span from two to 12 months and start at just $40. 
All photography courtesy of Kate LeSueur.
