Over a recent lunch at the Josephine House, my dear friend Jackie Rangel, the content manager for C3 Presents’ multiple festival brands, was lamenting the fact she never got around to sending a glammed up New Years card featuring festive Polaroid photos of she and her beloved dog Franklin together. As she described the concept, I knew we had to make it happen for Valentine’s Day. So, we called in the great photographer Nicole Mlakar, and armed with balloons, heart-shaped sunglasses and both her Fuji Instax Mini 90 and Fuji Instax 210 cameras, she met up with Jackie and Franklin on a sunny Saturday afternoon to capture the BFFs in action. And together, along with superstar hand lettering artist Carolyn Jane, they created a charming Valentine’s Day card idea for friends to send to friends, proving you don’t need a significant other or a gaggle of kids in matching sweaters to send out a photo card to those you love most.
*photos by nicole mlakar
“I love Polaroid Instax cameras and wanted to have some fun with it. Plus, who doesn’t like a note in the mail? Every year I miss the boat on sending holiday cards, so this sounded like an ideal compromise,” Jackie says. Hair + Makeup by Mollie Morgan of Mirror Mirror Salon
Carolyn Jane worked her hand lettering magic on the photos by adding in sweet sentiments across the bottom of each image. Jackie is a big fan of Jane’s work, so was thrilled to work with her. Jackie says: “Jane’s lettering is gorgeous and elegantly whimsical!”
Jane recommends using Sharpie’s brush tip marker for beginners interested in getting in to hand lettering. She typically works with a pointed pen calligraphy nib called Brause 66ef that is dipped in Sumi ink. Check out Jane’s beautiful wedding on 100 Layer Cake.
We are convinced Franklin has done this before…talk about perfect posing.
Chanel stepped in to provide the finishing touches by slipping the pics in to Paper Source’s glassine envelopes that seemed especially made for the Instax Mini 90 photos and closed the envelopes with a variety of Washi tapes from Paper Source. For packaging the wide photos, we recommend the Vellum A2 envelopes.
Now, Jackie’s cards are signed, sealed and ready to be delivered to her closest friends and family.
