Twice Mice

I arrived back to my desk after lunch to find this delicious looking box sitting on my desk.A colleague asked me about it, but the more I explained that I had writing paper shipped all the way from England, the more confused he looked. I stared at it hungrily all day, but I wanted to do a proper private and documented unboxing at home. So it sat there for hours, unopened, wrapped up in blue cord. I carefully hoisted it home on the metro and then on the train. I didn’t want to accidentally leave my stationery behind, like the last time I visited Smythson. Finally, I was at home, and the unboxing process began.

I had just cut the cord and I was about to open the box when I heard a knock at the door. The agent had decided to come and show some people in, completely without notice. I really should have just flat out denied them entry, but instead I let them come in and they picked their way through our messy apartment. I was very cranky at the agent for (1) breaking all the rules of privacy and prior notice and (2) for interrupting my moment. So I made pesto, mozzarella, and tomato sandwiches as I waited for them to leave, pointing out all the problems with the apartment when the viewers asked me questions. Finally, they left, and I was able to pull back the bubble wrap to reveal a cluster of blue boxes.

I carefully opened up the boxes, pealed back the layers of tissue paper, and there was my personalised writing paper, sealed with a Nile blue band. I ran my finger gently across the letterhead to feel it raised against my fingers, and I turned it over to see the slight bruising made by the copperplate die on the back. Each envelope was expertly hand lined in purple tissue paper before folding, with a blind-embossed “Smythson” mark just beneath the diamond flap. I held it up to the light to see the subtle “Glen Clova” watermark. The photos don’t really capture the fresh pale green and vibrant violet, and I have removed my surname from the images in some sort of vague attempt at privacy.

Now I can’t wait to start writing – email me your address to and I may post you a letter.

Related posts:

1. Smythson personalised stationery
2. A Stationery Wardrobe
3. Blue Skies

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 at 7:13 pm and is filed under Shiny things.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.