More often than not, I feel just a little bit lost…like I misplaced my instruction manual, or directions…which is why I think I’m so drawn to maps. I think they’re fascinating, and an open invitation to explore and to dream about where life can take you…or, at the very least, to figure out where you are.

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That sense of misguided direction is probably why something like these hand-stamped Everything Here is Wonderful vintage maps by Best Made Company appeal to me so much. They’re kind of comforting.

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Similarly, I think these beautiful leather-bound datebooks made of old sea charts and set with French woodtype give me the sense I can (at the very least) get myself organized. And why wouldn’t I with such a beautiful helper? They’re made by Purgatory Pie Press who you might have already come across as the authors of The Paper Bride and How to Make Books.

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More beautiful stationery-related goodness can be found from Cutiepie Company, who’ve put together a personalized letter set made of handmade vintage educational maps and coupled with vintage stamps. This map-envelope and vintage stamp combination is just so cute and so appropriate. Think about it: you could send a letter on your personalized stationery around the world in a map of the world!

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Speaking of vintage educational maps: everywhere I look these days I see large-scale pull down maps featuring prominently in home interiors, as seen here, here, and here. I love this look. In fact, I want this look somewhere in some future abode…and I think something along the lines of this map of North America would do quite nicely:

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How do you feel about maps? Do they get your imagination racing about all the wonderful places you could go? Or are they purely utilitarian?