Art of the written word

New Dallas greeting card collection invites recipients to read between the lines

Read Between the Lines is the "paper baby" of lifestyle blog Super Much Love,founded by SMU alumna Melinda Jones.
Super Much Love/Facebook
Melinda Jones (right), with her Super Much Love co-stars Tammy Shugart (left)and Sally McMullin.
Photo courtesy of Super Much Love
Read Between the Lines is made with 100 percent recycled cotton, so it is sturdyand luxurious.
Super Much Love/Facebook
Subtle messaging on the cards is cheeky and fun.
Photo courtesy of Read Between The Lines
There is room between the lines for the sender to write his or her own message.
Photo courtesy of Read Between The Lines
The collection includes cards for holiday, baby and bridal, friendship, love(sweet and salty), and more.
Photo courtesy of Read Between The Lines
Each card comes with a "That Is All" sticker to seal the envelope.
Photo courtesy of Read Between The Lines

After starting lifestyle blog Super Much Love in 2010, SMU alumna, literacy tutor and self-described paper freak Melinda Jones decided to expand with the launch of a modern greeting card collection called Read Between the Lines. Jones believed that traditional greeting cards, with their bold statements inside, often stole the thunder of the sender.

So she and Tammy Shugart — partners in this and in Super Much Love — take a different, more subtle approach. The sentiment of the card, printed in gray and repeated in rows, leaves room for the sender to write between the lines. So the messaging on the card, while clever and witty, plays softly in the background so as not to outshine the sender's words.

If you don't know quite what to say — to a sick friend, a new boyfriend on Valentine's Day, a co-worker on his birthday or the dreaded ex — Jones and Shugart have provided the inspiration without doing all of the work. These are a few of our favorite lines:

Let me woo you.
Engaged? That rocks.
I love your hair. Will you marry me?
You are on my bucket list.
You're the best and mostest.
Give me my stuff back.
Moron is my name. I am so sorry.
Mistletoe. Like. Now.
Happy holidays, fruitcake.

Jones had attended to every detail in her paper collection. Each individually wrapped card is made with 100 percent recycled cotton, which is substantial and luxurious. Lettering is gold foil, and envelopes are embossed withe the Read Between the Lines signature. And, because Jones never stopped loving stickers, each card includes a sticker that reads "That Is All" to seal the envelope.

Also noteworthy: The greeting cards are made in the good old United States of America, and a portion of the proceeds from each card help fund nonprofits MANA Nutrition and Rolling Dog Farm.

Now that's the kind of entrepreneur we want to succeed.

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Read Between the Lines greeting cards are available online for $6.95 and can also be purchased at Neighborhood in Oak Cliff.

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HAUTE PROPERTIES

Southern Living to open 2026 Idea House in Texas Hill Country

Southern Living Idea House Fredericksburg

Rendering by Jon Messer.

Southern Living Idea House will be open for tours beginning September 18.

Whether Texas is part of the South may still be an open question, but Southern Living is settling the debate with a big investment. The Birmingham, Alabama-based lifestyle magazine will build its newest Idea House in the Hill Country town of Fredericksburg.

For more than 35 years, Southern Living has drafted Southern builders, architects, and designers to build new homes that not only showcase the latest innovations in home design but are the epitomes of Southern style. This year, the magazine chose Fredericksburg's Friedën community, a 130-acre development featuring parks, nature trails, and lakes.

"We're excited to call Fredericksburg home for the year and to celebrate the distinct character of the Texas Hill Country,” says editor-in-chief Sid Evans in a release. “Surrounded by rolling hills and wide-open views, this home reflects the region's natural beauty and the relaxed spirit of the Lone Star State."

The design of the versatile home proves the modern farmhouse trend still has some legs. Southern Living’s designers update the look by ditching whitewashed everything for a more contemporary color palette that blends in with the Hill Country’s natural landscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows further “dissolve the boundaries” between the interior and the great outdoors.

To bring their vision to life, Southern Living drafted a local team, including builder Kurk Homes, architect Andrew Bray of Mustard Architects, landscape designer Melissa Gerstle, and interior designers Jean Liu, Marcus Mohon, and Paloma Contreras. But real estate gawkers will have to wait to see most of the details. The house won’t be unveiled until September 18, when public tours open and the October issue hits stands.

Southern Living, however, did tease a few details, saying the home is being built for “multi-generational” living with sustainable products and appliances, a motor court entry, and a private casita. No doubt, interior design buffs will also find inspiration in the decor's bold choices. Last year’s Idea House in Virginia mixed in everything from garden florals and African mudcloth to animal prints and kitchsy cottagecore art.

The Idea House will be open to the public for tours from September 18 through December 20, 2026. Tickets will be available beginning in April, with a portion of the proceeds supporting area charities. After the open house, the home will be available for sale at an undisclosed price.

homes home design interior design fredericksburg hill country southern living