On vacation!

Hey friends! I'll be taking a bit of a break this upcoming week since we'll be on vacation. Have a great Fourth of July and a great week! I'll be back with lots of posts in the following week. Enjoy!

WOW! I just found out that Paper-Source has worked with Riso overseas to import the Big Daddy version of the Print Gocco machine!(It' prints large prints, but also takes the smaller screens as well). Since all Gocco products had been discontinued, it's been nearly impossible to find supplies. Well...no longer! They are fully stocking the inks and supplies as well all online. Hooray! Looks like we can all stop being pack rats as we snap up all the leftover supplies and enjoy the rebirth! Found via Paper Crave.

Press Alert!

Hey everyone! Woo, it's hot out there! Just a quick note: My new limited edition prints were mentioned today on Poppytalk I'm so honored to be mentioned on her blog in the fresh/affordable art entry. I was also mentioned this past Friday on the ever-amazing blog DesignSponge. So exciting! I'm thrilled to get mentioned by these amazing design sites; and be amongst so many amazing artists and designers out there. It feels good to be making art again and to be making it affordable for everyone. Well, it's a busy day so I'm off. I've got to work on several quotes (this will eat up most of the day), finish printing for a wedding and ship it, and send out shop orders. I'll follow it up with some invoicing and emails and call it a day! (blah). I hope I can squeeze in some sketch and design time today; but sometimes the business side of life takes over, you know? More soon!

Seahorses Abound!

Hey everyone! And now for my next print....I introduce "The Seahorses." This is a limited edition of only 60 prints. For sale on my etsy shop. It's illustrated and letterpressed by me in a turquoise sort of pool blue ink...but light in color. It's printed in soft and pillowy Crane's Lettra letterpress paper. It's very thick and almost feels like fabric; and I got a pretty good impression in the paper with this. This is inspired by the beautiful shapes of the bodies of seahorses amongst the coral. I like the soothing calm that I feel when I look at this print and I think it would look nice in a bathroom or child's room. But it could work anywhere I guess. Now I'm off to get cleaned up and we're off to a barbecue this evening! I hope you're enjoying your weekend as I am!

Leaves and Follows

Hey everyone! I'd like to introduce my limited edition original series of letterpressed prints titled "Leaves and Follows." The total size of the piece is 5 x 7 inches and I've only printed 135 in the edition. What do you think of it? Warm red ink is pressed into Crane's Lettra paper...it's soft, pillowy, and thick. The impression can be felt when you run your hand over the bright white paper. It is so soft it almost feels like fabric. You can purchase it at my etsy shop. The design is an illustration I did...a sort of abstract combination of shapes inspired by nature. It depcits a mother bird and her hatchlings following her through the bushes. I love the organic leaf shapes and I think I'll use similar ones in future prints. I have tons of thicket outside of my house where loads of species of birds live and get visited by squirrels, groundhogs, chipmunks, mice, turkey, deer, and other fine folks. It's fascinating to stare out the windows at the world of activity going on outside and they have no idea I'm spying. Very inspirational! Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have a great weekend ahead!

Happy Summer!

Happy summer!!! To celebrate, I got a new haircut today. It used to be down to the middle of my back, so this is quite a change! I've finished my first limited edition original prints today; so I plan to put it on Etsy tomorrow (after it is photographed). I'm so happy with how it came out! Be well, and see you tomorrow!

Tuesday Inspiration

Chris and I went for a walk this morning and it was so nice to enjoy the weather and just be outside. There were pretty little blooms falling off the trees everywhere so I grabbed one and put it in a glass to float. I also love this page from the latest issue of Elle Decor magazine...I love the different fabrics on the couch and I also love the grass wallpaper on the wall. You can click on the image to see it larger. I would love to do a small part of a room in that paper... Busy day; I'm off to continue to check items off my "to do" list, including printing my next stationery set design. Happy Tuesday!

Summer Sun

The weather has been amazing lately! So warm yet not humid. Trying to enjoy it while it lasts. I had my first reflexology appointment today and it was amazing. It's the use of foot massage and working certain areas of the feet and ankles (and sometimes hands and ears) to balance the inside of the body and thus treat illness/imbalance. I have tendonitis in my right hip and chronic pressure hives so I thought I'd give this a try since nothing else works to help. My hip felt immediately better when I left; and we'll see how things go with the hives. I have to go back a few more times so we'll see! It felt great and I highly recommend it. I had a follow-up doctor appointment for my other recent issues and the doctor thinks things are going beautifully. I'm finally putting the whole thing behind me and am excited for the future. I'm trying to stay positive to bring positive things into my life. And finally, I got notice that I'll be getting the plates for my new limited edition designs on Wednesday. I can't wait to work with them! But tomorrow I'll work on my new stationery prints for my shop and do some administrative work for my business. And onward we go!

Pinkish

Hi there! Here's my latest creation; the peacock flat notecard. I have several sets ready to go and it's up for sale on my etsy shop. It's printed in a bright magenta pink ink and on really soft thick cotton paper. I'm very happy with how they came out and the letterpress impression is deep for these. It was fun to work on them! In other art news: I've finished up two drawings and am currently having them turned into plates so I can do a limited edition letterpress print run for each. I'm excited to finally be able to offer my own art prints. It feels good to be able to contribute to the affordable art movement. I like the idea that everyone can find artwork that is unique and affordable for their walls rather than mass-marketed items that can be found anywhere. I hope to get the plates next week and also get the printing done next week as well. Of course I'll post them here as soon as they're ready! I'm excited about them if you can't tell. I'm spending other time this weekend gathering inspiration and enjoying the nice weather. I hope you're enjoying your weekends! Be well and stay positive!

Seagulls

Hello all! Feeling pretty bad and in pain, but have managed to print some new stationery to sell on etsy! Living in New England, the beaches in summer are filled with flocking seagulls who bob and dive through the air. I thought it would make the perfect notecard...preppy and unique and very New England. It's printed on my letterpress in Navy Blue ink onto thick cotton bright white paper...Crane's Lettra letterpress paper. I kept the corners on this square, since rounding them didn't seem to go with the look and feel. I had a lot of fun printing them and it's my favorite card set so far. It's a great way to celebrate summer, but feels like it could be used all year long.
I've been brainstorming lots of ideas and have been making plans for limited edition prints that are affordable. My plan is to come up with 2 designs and see how they do. I've spent a lot of time getting inspired and sketching ideas...that's most of the fun!
I'm thinking they will be 5 x 7 letterpressed works. Stay tuned!

We go on...

Hello! I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. Just healing and being. Since my last entry I've had a second methotrexate shot and I go in every 3 days for blood testing. I feel like a pincushion. My hormones are lowering verrrrrrrrry slowly. I still have all my pregnancy symptoms, so it's a bit torturous. I figure this should all be done in another 2 months total (I hope). I wouldn't wish this on anyone, that's for sure! My next blood test is on Monday; and by the looks of things I'll still be going in for the next 3 weeks at least. There's still danger that I'll need surgery so I'm pretty much nervous every day and have nightmares every night. I feel like I've aged 10 years at once. My eyes always look tired and I sort of have to pull myself around the house to get things done. I can't escape myself so I have to learn to adapt and overcome. It's a true lesson in patience. Thanks so much to everyone for the kind comments and emails. It is so great to know I have such support out there rooting for us. We appreciate it!

In other news, I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things with my work, doing little small projects done. I just finished this birth announcement. It's 2 colors, printed on the cottony soft, ultra thick Crane's Lettra letterpress paper. It's a tea-length card with a photo affixed with a brad at the end. If you swing the photo out of the way, it reveals a kitten underneath! The envelope says "special delivery" on the front and has the return address and a little kitten on the back. It was so fun to design and put together. A real joy for me and a nice distraction.




I also finished up some baby thank you notes for my cousin as a baby shower gift. I had done her shower invitations, so I made the letterpressed cards to match. Another fun project! I made some extras for sale on my etsy shop.





My next projects are some new flat stationery card designs...some neat animals to come to go along with the turtle, frog, hummingbird, and penguin. Look for that next week! I promise I am back to writing more frequently now; thanks for sticking with me through my medical delay!