Ted Bertz: Posterized impressions from the Durham Fair

[Ted Bertz] After recently finishing a personal project, a book commemorating posters completed from 1987 to 2008 for an agricultural fair held each year in Durham, Conn. — Fair Play: Twenty-three years of Durham Fair Posters — Ted Bertz, founder of Bertz Design Group, reflects on the evolution of the graphic design industry over the same period.

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02.03.12

Rachel Hazell, The Travelling Bookbinder, crosses the Pond

[Alyson Kuhn] Rachel Hazell is a book artist and have-punch-will-travel teacher of book arts. London-born Hazell, who currently lives in Edinburgh, has grand plans for 2012. She is scheduling a bookbinding workshop in a different part of the world each month. January’s was in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire; March’s will be on the Summer Isles in Northwest Scotland. And February’s — aptly titled Colour of Love — begins today in the Napa Valley. I’ll be right there — writing about paper engineering, stitching and all things Valentinear.

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02.02.12

Food, in print: Appreciating Lucky Peach

[Tom Biederbeck] Lucky Peach magazine has serious (and seriously funny) writing about food, lavish original illustrations, swell diversions and inserts (issue #2 has a sheet of parody fruit stickers), no online content, no advertising (well, very little) and curious art direction choices (on its cover, issue #1 displayed the south end of a northbound chicken). And it’s wildly successful.

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02.01.12

Aerogrammar

[Alyson Kuhn] Aerograms were very popular in the 1940s and 50s, when mail delivery by air was new. The aerogram format combined envelope and notesheet {and sometimes pre-printed postage} on a single piece of lightweight paper. Today, this “onesie” construction may be ripe for a stylish and sustainable comeback.

Announcing The Aerogram-a-rama! Herewith your very own pdf {Pretty Darn Fancy} containing three aerogram templates. Each one can be printed out on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of Strathmore paper. It’s not homework, it’s an opportunity. Trim it out, fold it up, embellish to taste, and send it to Felt & Wire by April 22. We will publish our favorites on May 1. Now then: The first 10 readers to leave a comment will promptly receive a Spring Sampler of sheets ideally suited for this very purpose {including the Editor’s personal favorite, Soft Aqua}. What Strathmore could you ask?

By the way, I  bought the 1947 aerogram (shown above & below)  last week, from a collection my stamp dealer in Napa had recently acquired. You can see many collections of vintage aerograms online. During WWII,  Victory Mail provided an emotional lifeline from the homefront to the battlefront. V-Mail allowed the troops and their loved ones to put their hearts and hopes on paper… and have them whisked overseas. A 2-minute 1944 newsreel shows the  logistics of the mass-scale micro-filming.  On a lighter note, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation was postally commemorated on aerograms and stamps. A grand cancellation proclaimed: Long live the Queen.

Send embellished aerograms to:
Felt & Wire
Attn: Tracy Smith
465 Saratoga Street
Cohoes, NY 12047

03.20.09
  1. Posted by millie on 03.20.09 at 9:41 am

    These are fab! I’d love Spring Sampler!

  2. Posted by oneheartpress on 03.20.09 at 11:50 am

    I’m a big aerogram fan from way back, although I think I destroyed a bunch of vintage versions making collages as a youth. These new designs are pretty darn cool. -val

  3. Posted by never mind the press on 03.20.09 at 12:10 pm

    Makes me want to fly! Very fun.

  4. Posted by Patricia on 03.20.09 at 12:59 pm

    I’d forgotten all about aerograms! (I was using them in the ’80s.)

  5. Posted by schultzparty on 03.20.09 at 2:52 pm

    Beautiful – can’t wait to print one off and give it a try!

  6. Posted by emilyabigail on 03.20.09 at 2:53 pm

    These are lovely! What a great idea!

  7. Posted by linseyl on 03.20.09 at 5:21 pm

    ooo–so fun! i would love to try one on a spring sampler!

  8. Posted by brickgrrl on 03.20.09 at 10:47 pm

    Light and breezy! I’d be walking on air if I would find a Spring Sampler on my doorstep.

  9. Posted by emilgill on 03.20.09 at 10:56 pm

    So fun. Sometimes is great to revisit the past.

  10. Posted by stets on 03.21.09 at 1:52 am

    so great! can’t wait to get started!

  11. Posted by MissiveMaven on 03.28.09 at 11:20 pm

    So lovely!

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