Dear Everyone ~

Janet Bouldin is, in a wonderful sense, our house illustrator. This past summer, her long-time appreciation of Bari Zaki Studio blossomed into her Glimpses & Whimsies of Bari Zaki Studio series of postcards. Earlier in the year, she illustrated the “chic sheaf” of instructions for our More Art of the Hand-folded Envelope Kit, which debuted on Valentine’s Day. Last year, on Christmas Eve to be exact, we presented Janet’s set of Tableaux postcards (alongside Cat Bennett’s letterpressed Botanical Silhouettes notecards).

A big believer that busy hands are happy hands, Janet has now created two freshly printed sets of postcards, which we’ve named Trio of Bouquets and Daily Domesticity. The A-6 cards are printed on Mohawk Superfine, paired with Rivoli vanilla envelopes with their beautiful deep pointed flap and rounded bottom tip. A truly tasty combination, in the mail, atop a package, at the table, or on the pillow.

For Glimpses & Whimsies, Janet illustrated some of her favourite items from our shop. We asked her about objets and scenes in her new series, and are delighted to share with you her responses.

For Trio of Bouquets: “I always draw from my own things, or from my surroundings. I don’t draw from my imagination or from photos, generally. The flowers are from my yard, and the vases are mine, though I do sometimes change their colour. The purple vase, for example, is actually blue and white.”

For Daily Domesticity: “The pens, the wellies, the coffee cup are all mine. I originally put the boots and the cup together to amuse my Swedish cousin. The stove is my friend Gene’s, out in Marblehead, Mass. I’ve sat in his kitchen many, many times. The kettle is his, and the towels are two that I’ve given him. I’m often most inspired by the small, homey stories in my sight line.”

* * * * *

I love knowing the backstory of these images. Somehow, it makes them feel more intimate. Even if you don’t have the pleasure of knowing Janet, I hope you enjoy her watercolour cards!

Trio of Bouquets
Daily Domesticity

Charmed, Bari