I had to pick my jaw up off the floor after seeing the awesomeness that is these unique letterpress holiday party invitations. These fantastically festive invites were created by Morgan and Arley of Ladyfingers Letterpress and feature so many things that I love: letterpress printing, super cool lettering, a wonderfully clever concept, and an evocative seasonal scent. Yep, they’re scented!

Please Note : The tree design is a registered trademark and is displayed here with permission.

Here’s what Morgan and Arley had to say about this fun project:

We had a very big year and were looking for a way to celebrate the end and beginning of a new era at Ladyfingers Letterpress, our design and print shop. Between opening a new shop, getting married and both of us being full time, we felt it was time for a party.

Holiday cards generally have a “shelf life” and don’t stick around all year. It was important that some part of what we were investing in lasted beyond December and made an impression beyond the holidays. A very dear friend of ours collects air fresheners that she finds in parking lots (keep an eye out, folks just toss them on the ground when the scent expires). The icon of the air freshener wasn’t particular to any religion or day, but it felt festive because it kinda looks like a Christmas Tree, which we loved. Also, what would an air freshener be if it wasn’t smelly? We decided to investigate ways to add scent to the paper.

We had a custom die made, and die cut them here in the studio. Each invitation came complete with a kraft-lined red envelope and the red and white bakers twine to hang from your favorite rear-view mirror. We started by mixed peppermint essential oil directly into the oil-based ink. Initially the smell was amazing, but over the weekend it dissipated. The back of each card was then sprayed with the peppermint oil from a spray bottle. By using a fine mist, we were able to avoid any bleed though or oily marks and it dried without being visible. And the scent is much stronger and our shop still smells like candy canes!

Thanks for sharing these awesome invites, Morgan and Arley!

Ladyfingers Letterpress is a Rhode Island-based design and print shop with a primary focus on wedding invitation design and printing. Be sure to check out their portfolio to see more of their incredible work.

images from Ladyfingers Letterpress