One of my favorite parts of going to the Stationery Show is not only meeting our customers but also getting to know the other companies that make the stationery industry so great. This year, I stumbled on the charming and mighty Felix Doolittle. The exquisite watercolor display lured me in, and then as I reached out my hand to introduce myself I saw “Newton, MA” on Loren’s badge. Wait, you’re in Boston? How have we not met before?! And so began our friendship with Felix and Loren and their Doolittle team.
On a record-breaking hot day last week, we hopped on the Pike and made our way to visit their studio. We were greeted by a cottage-like building covered in vines and boasting a sunny yellow door that instantly made you happy. Once inside, Felix joked that the tour lasted about 5 minutes given the small space but he would try to stretch it out. It wasn’t that hard to fill up an entire afternoon! 
(image: pretty address labels in the midst of packaging)
We met the rest of their team, arduously at work printing, proofing, trimming, packing and getting orders out the door. You could tell everything was handled with care and precision, a characteristic that clearly stems from Felix’s artwork. A quick look at any his illustrations and the amount of detail is remarkable, creating a world in itself. We were stunned to learn that the large pieces on their gallery wall were actually replicates as Felix’s originals are always so tiny—postage stamp tiny at times. It’s a gift he’s had ever since he was doodling as a child and didn’t want his teachers to reprimand him for not paying attention in class.
(image: a selection of Felix's sketches at different stages)
(image: from left to right, Loren, Kate, Felix, and Deb)
A big thanks to Loren, Jenny, and Felix for the warm invitation and treating us to some local ice cream!. We had a lovely time and hope to be back soon (with gummy bears in hand!).