Friday, October 24, 2008

choosing the right paper

...just a quick note to say hi, and remind you about the seminar I'm offering tomorrow at Letterpress Things: Choosing the Right Paper. I have samples from several different papermakers and paper mills, lots of swatchbooks, and a pretty concise guide to the best (and friendliest!) paper peeps in the US.
There'll be a sign-up sheet at the front counter--just choose the session you want (9:30-11, 11:30-1, and 1:30-3) and meet me there! Cost is only $10, which covers the paper samples. Bring your questions!

chapbook -- the last day!

Sometimes you think a project will be fantastic. And then it is, but takes two months longer than you'd scheduled for. Last Tuesday, the signed pages finally arrived on my doorstep (after this fiasco, I was despairing of them ever arriving!). I had all the rest of the chapbook assembled--I just needed to sew it all together, basically.

Four hours later, voila!
One hundred poetry chapbooks, printed and bound by me! (Buy yours here!)

And only seven weeks late.

That Wednesday, I took a short break from the chapbook to greet two very special guests: Dave and Beth from Hot Metal Services, who very kindly drove all the way from Tennessee to fix big metal machines in the Northeast. They had a day off, so after they were done with Shelley's Vandercook, they took the drive up to Montpelier to attend to Lucy.

The diagnosis: dirty, but in great condition. Beth took out the tiniest screwdriver ever, and dug out all the gunk in the gear teeth. Dave measured the rollers (exactly 2-1/2", thank goodness!), adjusted the ink drum belt, and answered all of my questions about funny noises and dust. Lucy is now 100% shiny metal from top to bottom--and in perfect health!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

a quiet day

Last Saturday's workshop was definitely quiet!  I had two cancellations late Friday night--and so only one student!
Samantha was a very good sport, and put up with me talking all day long!  

She made notecards with an old saying of her father's: "Why is a mouse when it spins?" and inside "The higher, the fewer."  Has anyone else heard this before?

Friday, October 10, 2008

intro workshop blur

Last night I taught the first (of what I hope will be many!) session of Intro to Letterpress in my studio. Thanks to Maria, Emily, and Megan for having the faith in me to sign up in the first place!

Unfortunately, all the pictures I took last night were blurry. I was feeling a bit blurry, too--it's been a long few weeks, kids, and this is just the beginning.
(above) Emily (below) Megan and Maria, all checking out my crazy collection of magnesium and copper images
Right now: running out the door to prep for tomorrow's Experience the Letterpress Thing in Chicopee. Next week's intro workshop: setting type!

P.S. I have one more spot left in my 10/18 Wood Type Fun workshop--email me now if youre interested!

Friday, October 03, 2008

meet me here:

From Letterpress Things Printshop
Tomorrow, Saturday October 4, from 11-3. Check out the full flyer; get directions here; see you soon!

And, because I'm so excited about them, a sneak peek at some new work: