I’m a big big fan of using vintage postage stamps on everything from wedding invitations to baby announcements. So when Cara from Underwood Letterpress and Anne Robin Calligraphy sent over a few tips for mixing vintage postage to create little art collections on your envelopes, I couldn’t resist! These envelopes definitely make an impression and, especially when combined with stunning calligraphy, are a beautiful keepsake for the recipients!
From Cara of Underwood Letterpress: Your wedding invitation sets the tone for your special event. The vintage postage on these envelopes takes first impressions to the next level by mixing genre, color and technique. Here are a few tips for ways to turn your outer envelope in to a piece of art that will leave a lasting impression!
Don’t Be Afraid of Color!
Pops of color are essential to any design palette. Go bold with these fun and out there envelope designs. Mixing traditional design with Pop Art never looked so good. Each of these fabulous postage collages in the “In Love†line come with an eclectic mix of vintage postage plus a special Love stamp to celebrate the occasion!
Tone on Tone
Tone on tone is all the rage this season and there is no better way to maximize your wedding colors than by using multiple shades of your favorite hues. Check out these vintage postage collages with purple tones, blues and greens. Your guests might just decide to put these envelopes in a frame.
Mix Your Mediums
Try mixing techniques on your envelopes with this beautiful watercolor calligraphy design. The watercolor adds a whimsical touch while the modern address provides the perfect amount of juxtaposition.
Vintage Postage: Underwood Letterpress
Calligraphy: Anne Robin
Photography: Stephanie Collins Photography
These are absolutely stunning! I especially love the green + yellow, and lavender + purple envelopes. I believe the envelope should be just as beautiful as the paper good(s) inside. These are all frame worthy!
Hi Kyle – so glad you like them! I couldn’t agree more! I almost always keep any envelope with vintage postage or calligraphy to display on my inspiration board. They’re so beautiful that I love looking at them every day!
WOW – these are so, so gorgeous.
Thanks Katie! Cara from Underwood Letterpress and Anne Robin did such a great job pulling them together!
Oh my goodness, these are so beautiful! Where does one even find vintage postage?! So lovely!
Hi Jillian! If you have the patience, you can search Ebay for full sheets of vintage stamps. It helps to know the USPS-issued number of a particular stamp, which is the easiest way to search for the best deals. If you don’t have the time to search, there are plenty of folks that will gather postage for you (for a small fee, of course), including Underwood Letterpress (featured above), Verde Studio, and Pack + Post (the last two on Etsy).
Any tips on getting big batches of vintage stamps? I am planning to use them for my May wedding and have gotten a bunch on Ebay but aren’t necessarily “budget-friendly” so far
Hi Kate! I’ve had the best luck searching for full sheets of a particular stamp on Ebay. It helps to know the USPS-issued stamp number to filter for a particular stamp and find the best deals. For example, the 1973 LOVE stamp is #1475. That can be pretty time-intensive though, so if you don’t have the time or energy for a big search you can turn to curators like Underwood Letterpress (featured above) or etsy sellers like Verde Studio or Pack & Post to find stamps for you.
But you’re right, vintage stamps aren’t the most budget-friendly option for postage. The most popular vintage stamps rarely sell for pure face value, so you’ll almost always end up spending more on vintage postage than you would on a recently-issued stamp. It’s a tradeoff and something you’d have to take into account for your particular budget. I hope that helps!
I’m surprised you haven’t had good luck on eBay. I’ve gotten some great lots of mint vintage stamps at or below face value. They’re often grouped by denomination, so you can calculate combinations for standard postage. Of course, it’s best no to be too picky about particular designs with such batches.
I forgot to add that another place to try would be a local stamp collecting store or philatelic show. The stores or some show dealers will often sell less desirable (in terms of value for a collector) designs in partial or full sheets, or even loose, typically at face value or close to it.