Have you ever received a letter or invitation and thought to yourself: wow, this just feels good? The paper is thick and soft to the touch, and the lettering has a satisfying texture to it, giving it an elegant reverence. If the lettering is pressed in to the paper, it was most likely done with a letterpress — you’re probably familiar with this technique, as it’s common for wedding invitations and greeting cards. But if the letters are raised slightly from the paper, the piece has likely been engraved. And that, friends, is our specialty.
Like letterpressing, engraving utilizes immense amounts of pressure (2 tons of it, to be exact) to press a metal plate into the paper. The whole plate is inked with a special thick engraving ink, then wiped off so that only the recessed parts (the lettering and decorations) retain the ink. Once the pressure is applied, the letters pop out from the paper, like little gems. At Dear Annabelle, we love how engraving takes a notecard or invitation to the next level, turning a bit of mail into a work of art in itself.
We could go on about the merits of engraving — how it catches the light if done with gold, how it elevates the simplest designs, how it turns us into weirdos who keep touching our paper products gleefully — but it’s best to see the magic for yourself. All of our Monogrammed sets, as well as everything from our Expressions collection andSoirée invites, are made using this technique.
And while we have you obsessing over the little details with us, a word about our paper stock. We purchase from FSC-certified companies who not only deliver the loveliest paper — smooth, bright white sheets that are incredibly fun to write on — but who are committed to sustainable forestry practices that prioritize the health of our planet. Oh, and they’re also all based in the U.S. So you can feel good knowing your Dear Annabelle products are thoughtful in all the ways.
Yep, it's engraved.
Notes on one of our very favorite printing techniques.
