A couple days of printing

So this Monday & Tuesday I got a lot of work done. I printed all the envelopes & Love Nest cards for the special order, I printed a second edition of Hazel cards to sell on Etsy, I made up plates for my newest designs, and I even had a chance to print these cute little onesies & toddler shirt using wood type.

Ojiah is the newest son of a couple from work. Their older son (almost 3) is Sedge. I made a onesie for Ojiah professing his love for his older brother and a matching/reciprocating tee for Sedge.

Santino is the name my friend upstate has chosen for her first child. I wanted to make her something special to celebrate. I may end up making a lot more of these onesies and shirts – it seems that everyone's having a baby!

A few examples of experiments from my letterpress class

These are a few examples of work I did during my letterpress class. Everything I did in class was inspired by someone and/or made as a gift for a friend. Even though I will probably do mainly cards through Three Red Hens, I really fell in love with making t-shirts during class. Working with large wood type is reminiscent of playing with children's wood blocks. It's a feeling of physical construction & creative expression in a very concrete way. Letterpress, in general, has a very hands-on feeling that you don't experience when using a computer to construct designs. It is rewarding to finish a product, though it can take many hours (at least for a beginner like myself) to churn out a satisfactory print.

The holiday cards were made for my husband & I. I traced a photograph of deciduous holly that I took while I was working & living in central Minnesota a few years ago. The larger text was created on the computer. Both the illustration & larger text were made into photopolymer plates, while the italic text was hand-typeset. I printed about 100 cards and matching envelopes with a handset return address on the back flap.

"Roosters don't lay eggs"? Just trying to make a [fashion] statement.

Hazel, a Jack Russell terrier belonging to a friend, is the inspiration for the second card. This inquisitive look is the one she gives me whenever I'm trying to enjoy my delicious lunch or if she suspects you may have a b-a-l-l in your possession.

I made "Rachael Ray Eats Kittens" shirts for a few people – the original test for my shirt was the one where I spelled her name wrong. The quote comes from a coworker, although I think we all know it's not just Dunkin' Donuts keeping that girl going. :-)