For our Summer Collection, all about the simple joys in life and in season, we immediately knew we wanted to partner with Hound Dog Press, a local printmaker in Louisville, Kentucky.  We'd met the owners, Nick and Robert, at an event at 21c Museum Hotel several years ago (we were selling our respective wares for a holiday shopping night) and felt we'd found a kindred spirit in craft--they create all of their designs by hand, manually operating the giant 19th-century printing presses in their Market Street shop.  (We LOVED this video about Hound Dog Press filmed by the talented team at Kertis Creative...beautifully shares their story.)

We chose a paper coaster design--perfect for those lazy hazy days of summer when a cold beverage is a refreshing simple pleasure--and though several ideas were on the table, we loved the idea of depicting a mason jar of fireflies, capturing one of our favorite summer evening enjoyments.  Included in each purchase of $100 or more, we hope it delights and cheers when you open your Elva package--and it brings to mind how a simple joy is often the most fulfilling.  (We're posting ours on the studio inspiration board--a reminder of how special a handmade creation can be, and to savor the small things this season.)

Happy summer!