I love little packages. I also love little packaging. I package most small items I sell on Etsy (shop here) in Lunar New Year red envelopes -- they're small, they're beautifully adorned, and they remind me of San Francisco. I travel across town to Chinatown to purchase red envelopes a few times each year. I always seek out my favorite tiny store specializing in stationary (903 Grant Ave). The store is tiny, and had been run by an older gentleman, and I always felt like I was the first customer of the day. As I approached the tiny store earlier today my eyes fell on a series of perfectly displayed tiny boxes of paper arranged carefully on the entry step. Upon closer inspection the boxes were full of vintage stationary (Gibson, made in USA). Greeting cards galore! I soon had a pile of vintage greeting cards, some in their original boxes, piled up on my lap. As I made my way into the store I was met by a young woman who was as sweet as could be. She assured me that the gentleman has retired and that she is now digging the store out of fifty years of dead stock inventory he had stashed away. I left with way more than I planned on buying but I completely forgot to buy red envelopes.
the haul: these will all end up on Etsy, eventually...
(1) "hello there!" valentine's day cards (Gibson, USA)
(2) birds and bird houses greeting cards in original boxes (Gibson, USA)
(3) die cut valentine's day cards in sheet form (Gibson, USA)
(4) "You are invited" invitations in original box (Gibson, USA)
(5) amazing Chinatown San Francisco emblems (souvenirs from the 1950s)
(6) unused Thanksgiving postcards (Gibson, USA)
(7) unused Christmas postcards (Gibson, USA)
(8) Chinese wedding paper stationary with decorative edging and embossed designs in original box
(9) zero red envelopes
