GALION — Don and Rosie Faulds are pros at pairing pictures with prose.
They have combined their love of nature and passion for photography into a unique line of handmade greeting cards. Not just ordinary birthday and anniversary cards, but one-of-a-kind creations featuring glossy photos and elegant penmanship.
“There’s always something fun about getting a new picture,” said Rosie, whose calligraphy is showcased on the front or inside of every card they design. “And then the verses, I’ve found it’s fun matching them to the pictures because they really do have to match.”
If she doesn’t snap the 4-by-6-inch glossy glued to the front of the card, it’s one of Don’s. They share a digital Nikon camera, which they take on frequent outings to Amann’s Reservoir in Galion or Lowe-Volk Park north of town in search of the perfect photo.
Birds perched on a wire fence along County Line Road become the image on a card that reads, “It’s been ages since I’ve heard a ‘peep’ from you.”
A snowy owl on a Holmes County farm becomes a get-well message for “peaceful moments and restful days.”
The two have been producing cards for nearly every occasion for years, all assembled and penned on the kitchen counter of their Cherry St. home. But now, packages of their personal greetings are also available at gift shops in Bellville, Westerville and Vermilion.
The idea for turning a hobby into a sideline business actually originated about 20 years ago, Rosie said, when she received a birthday card from her aunt with a photograph glued to the front.
“I thought well I could do that. It was the spark that got me going,” she said.
“And now it’s a five-alarm fire,” quipped Don, whose professional photography background dates to his years working as a photographer at the former United Church Directories in town.
In the early days, the couple toted around an old Nikon camera and bag, then had to develop the film. As they gathered the photos, Rosie gathered the messages – quotes from Thoreau, Emerson and Mother Teresa. Verses from the Bible, too.
The traveling twosome have captured tulips at Kingwood Center and deer on the Galion City School grounds. Waterfowl at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary and, in sub-zero temperatures, a spectacular shot of the moon and Venus in the early-morning January sky.
Naturally their two daughters and five grandchildren are always favorite subjects. But it’s not uncommon for longtime customers to place special orders and restock their collections with cards featuring their own flower gardens and front porches.
Rosie’s black calligraphy pen with India ink cartridges has been her mainstay, but she also uses a fast-drying white gel pen to write sentiments on some photos.
“I always have the urge to write,” she said. “He’ll be watching TV and I’ll come over here and I’ll just write.”
Don, meanwhile, said he enjoys the many creative capabilities modern-day photography offers, such as enhancing photos and changing colors digitally. Sometimes he dabbles with the watercolor or colored pencil drawing features of the camera.
The couple, who have been married 48 years, especially enjoy their summer shoots on and around Lake Erie. Sunny sailboat images, quaint storefronts in Vermilion, sand and sea glass along remote beaches. And plenty of lighthouses.
“You just can’t beat it,” said Rosie, who admits sending volumes of the cards that bear the Faulds stamp on the back, even to a stranger who recently celebrated her 108th birthday. “Since we don’t travel a lot, it’s closer, plus it keeps us together.”
