Stationery as Art

One of my favorite activities when exploring a new town is investigating unusual coffee shops and affordable art galleries.  In Olde Town Fredericksburg (VA) there is a delightful bakery housed in a converted church, with some of the prettiest cupcakes and desserts around.  In good weather you can sit in an walled patio and enjoy your coffee and treat in filtered shade from the old, old trees.  http://eileensbakeryandcafe.com/

A couple of weeks ago a childhood friend was visiting from the Midwest and we trekked over to Charlottesville (VA)to spend one day of our fun time together.  My buddy is quite the artist and she was interested in the wide variety of creative work at C'ville arts.  Although I rarely purchase a full-size objet d'art I always come away with n'little cards made from reproductions of larger works from this artist and others:
https://cvillearts.org/our-artists/milenko-katic/

Speaking of cards...this compact shop will keep you enthralled for hours while you're browsing the enormous selection of stationery, scarves and other gift items.  It's my place to stock up on my letter writing supplies for the year:  O Suzannah

At home, my walls are full of beautiful prints, watercolors and handmade platters but there is still room in my life for "artistic" stationery, since it's one of my favorite means of letting family and friends know I care.  Instead of buying mass-produced cards at a chain store I delight in sending something made in Virginia, by an artist whose "larger" work I have admired in a brick-and-mortar shop.  When I admire the design on the card I'm sending it gives me a thrill to remember the day I spent with a good friend and to think that another good friend will soon receive something lovely.