Cedar Suite
Ivory invitation with walnut ink and a quiet flourished initial.
Ink studio
Invitation sets lettered so names sit calm on the page
- Invitation suites
- Envelope addressing
- Place cards
Pointed pen, sumi and iron gall inks, and cotton stock—each suite leaves with spacing notes and envelope counts, not a print-on-demand file.
Frostcrest Ink is a Portland desk studio for invitation suites where drying time is protected as carefully as the first downstroke.
How a commission moves
Numbered studio verbs from first measure to handoff.
01
Brief
We lock wording, guest count, and stock before the first trial line.
02
Trial
Ink and nib tests land on scrap; you approve the hand sample.
03
Letter
Sheets are lettered in batches with drying racks between passes.
Named pieces
Recent work from the bench — each piece is titled so you can reference it when you book.
River Envelope
Soft gray envelope set addressed in a slanted pointed-pen hand.
Harbor Place
Place cards with guest names in a compact upright script.
Grove Menu
A single-page menu lettered for a small supper table.
Studio rates
Indicative prices before custom additions.
Place cardsHand-lettered names, set of 20$95
Envelope setOuter envelopes addressed, per 50$220
Full suite accentsNames, flourishes, and menu lines$480
Visit the bench
Appointments keep the workspace clear. Walk-ins are rare; send a request and we confirm a slot by email.
1824 NW Thurman Street, Portland, OR 97209
Tue–Sat 11:00–18:00
Same-week openings are confirmed by email after you send the booking form.
Common questions
How long for a suite?
Most invitation sets need 12–18 days after wording and stock are locked.
Can you match a sample hand?
We can work toward a style; exact celebrity-hand copies are refused.
Do you print the body text?
Letterpress or digital body text is fine; we letter names and accents by hand.
What if ink smudges in humid weather?
We choose stock and ink for the season and pack with blotters.
Materials and pacing
Clients often arrive with wording drafts and a guest count. We answer with paper and ink samples on the desk first, then a clear day count for lettering.
The desk keeps scrap trials so you can see how walnut ink sits on ivory stock before you commit. That single check settles hand debates faster than a screen mockup.
We write down which flourishes you approved and which celebrity-hand copies we refused so the suite matches the honest plan.
Appointments are paced so drying racks stay clear between batches. If a slot is full, we offer the next open window rather than stacking wet sheets.
Care notes travel with every handoff: blotter packing, humidity tips, and when to return if a smudge needs a careful lift.
Seasonal humidity shifts how iron gall and sumi dry on cotton stock. Bring timing notes for the event; rush windows alone can push ink choices that need longer rest.
We do not promise awards or viral finishes. We promise measured spacing, named steps, and a reply when your message lands in the booking form.
If you are gifting a suite, tell us the handoff date early. Envelope liners and packing boards are prepared after the last drying pass, not before ink is set.
Book a slot
Tell us what you need; we reply with timing and next materials questions.