It’s back-to-school time and that mean I’m spending money: on myself. When I was a little girl, my elegant grandmother (still quite immaculately dressed at 101) would drive up from Massachusetts to Maine with a trunkful of dresses in late August or early September, and I would immediately run up to my room with all my loot, change into these beautiful frocks, and “treat” everyone to a fashion show. Many years later, I still think I deserve a back-to-school shopping spree every September, even though I’m a professor rather than a student (and I have to pay for it myself). I remain the clotheshorse/monster that my grandmother created, but this year I haven’t been spending much money on clothes: instead I seem strangely drawn to stationery. In the past week I’ve purchased calendars, planners, notecards, mousepads and other pads, and lots and lots of folders. I’m concerned that this is the administrative side of me taking over, now that I’ve been department chair for a year, and hope that my materialistic side reasserts itself when my term is over. And looking at the array of paper spread out before me, one thing is patently obvious: there are a lot of queens. Apparently mere mundane paper products are not enough for me; I must have royalty.
Just a few of my purchases:
Queen Elizabeth I and Marie Antoinette notebooks from SHHH My Darling.
Queen Elizabeth I and Marie Antoinette note cards by Rifle Paper Co.
Post-marked Photo Album from Campbell Raw Press.
Queen Elizabeth II stamp wrapping paper at Kate‘s Paperie
And a reorder of a perennial favorite, Alexa Pulitzer‘s Royal Elephant mousepad (although I think he’s a king).
September 4th, 2014 at 10:08 am
What a lovely thing, your grandmother appearing laden with back-to-school dresses! Growing up amidst relentless intellectuals I developed into an ace materialist, and have a house full of early Victoriana (stress on early) as proof. Imagine my surprise when in my fifties a sudden and complete aversion to “stuff” emerged! One of the many unexpected developments of middle age…..Love your site- keep ’em coming!
September 4th, 2014 at 11:12 am
Still have not quite developed the aversion to stuff—but I do feel it coming.
September 4th, 2014 at 10:10 am
I love stationery! I have been collecting notecards and decorated letter sheets for the longest time, though I often find I don’t actually have anyone to send them to because no one uses postal mail anymore. And I must have pretty notebooks for school. Just the other day I bought two notebooks (after a lot of debate about which design to choose) for the grad courses I’m starting this semester 🙂
September 4th, 2014 at 11:04 am
I’m with you!
September 4th, 2014 at 11:06 am
Well Donna, you’ve emerged as the ‘Martha Stewart’ of royalty stationary!
Great gift ideas, thank you!
September 4th, 2014 at 3:46 pm
I miss getting all the new office supplies.
September 5th, 2014 at 9:47 am
I hope this does not mean that you’ve become confused and are going to start wearing stationery and scribbling on clothes, although a blouse made from sewing copies of the Royal Elephant design together, on top of a long skirt or slacks using the QEII stamp design could work, though perhaps best suited for a course on monarchy. 🙂
September 8th, 2014 at 9:51 am
Dear Donna, months ago I noticed your taste for colonial stuff and now discover your liking for royalty! There is definitely something aristocratic about you… I suppose not all of us were born to be country bumpkins! The paper queens are beautiful anyway.