Hello fall!

Well hello there, strangers! This long, dramatic pause in posting has been due to this little bundle:

who arrived in April after a challenging nine months! Beatrice has been (as you can imagine) a wonder and delight--and also a great distraction from getting any work done! Now that she's five months old, I'm attempting to work longer days, but as my instagram feed will attest, sometimes naps do not go my way and Bea and I are forced to ditch the studio for walks in the sunshine.

But let's talk about today--Hello fall! To celebrate this gorgeous fall day, I'm having a sale in my shop! Free tote bag with any $25 order! Mention the code "fallshopping" in the notes to seller box at checkout!

P.S. These days, it can be a bit challenging to update the blog, but we're updating our instagram, facebook, and twitter feeds almost every day! 

Long time, no see: the National Stationery Show edition

So...I've had this dream, for almost as long as I've been printing, of doing this:

Linoleum block-printed gift wrap! Two patterns, 18x24", available in five colors, and the only place you can get it (for now):

my super-duper new booth at the National Stationery Show! The show opens tomorrow, and I'm so excited about all of the new products I've been added to my collection. If you're walking the show, stop in to booth #2144 and say hello!

holiday happenings

Holy moly! It's that time again!

I've been very busy behind the scenes (more on that, I hope, soon)--not the least of which is scheduling five awesome shows to participate in this holiday season:

Craft Vermont: Fine Art and Craft Show
presented by Vermont Hand Crafters
Friday-Sunday, November 18-20
Burlington, VT

Women's Festival of Crafts
Saturday and Sunday, November 26-27
Burlington, VT

Handmade Holiday Festival
presented by Alchemy Initiative
Friday and Saturday, December 2-3
Pittsfield, MA

Touch of Vermont
Saturday, December 10
Montpelier, VT

Holiday Artist Market
sponsored by Burlington City Arts
Friday and Saturday, December 16-17
Burlington, VT

Hope to see you there!

Psst: if you can't make it, be sure to check out the fine selection of holiday cards and 2012 calendars now available online!

back on track

October was a bit hectic in my world--lots to do, but not much to report. Today I was sooooooo glad to finally get back on the press, printing something lovely!

This is just the first color (one more to come!) on some super save-the-dates. The bride-to-be designed them...but I get to put them on paper!

Oh, yeah.

So, there's been a whole lot of this:

in the studio lately.  And not much to write about.

But the end is in sight! And my sparkling commentary should return soon, too!

saturday edition: hard at work

So, here I am again: New York City. I had an "is this really my life?" flash this morning, as I was eating brunch in Central Park with the Pistachio Press crew.  The answer: yup.

Shelley from Albertine Press and I finished almost all of the setup for this summer's NYIGF yesterday, but I went back in today to finish a little labeling.

I'm trying out a new setup, color-coordinated this time, and highlighting my 2012 calendars, which I think are super-cool.

recap: to asheville and back (and a little bit of pretty)

The conference was awesome! Exhausting, but awesome.

Here's a little bit of me, setting up for my demo...getting all the tools lined up for show (and a little use).

And look at that crowd! There were sooooo many folks there, asking lots of good questions...I'm sorry if I didn't get to talk to you, but I'm sending out my biggest thanks to all of you for making my day!

And oh, the pretty things!  Asheville Bookworks was a lovely host, and they have so much cast iron I'd love to get my hands in.

And then home for a quick 48 hours, six of which was spent working on this:

A benefit print for my local bike co-op, Freeride Montpelier, to keep them open and keep newbie bicyclists like me on the road! They're hosting a fundraiser on Saturday, August 20--check it out (and buy a print!).

on the press: at the last minute

or very nearly! I'm leaving for the Ladies of Letterpress conference in just two days, and today was packing up a few supplies for the demo I'm giving, and oh! Guess who has almost no business cards!

So I quickly cut 300 cards down, and inked up the press.

First color down, one to go!

Usually I print my cards in just one color, but I've been loving blue lately, and so put that on the press for my logo.

I didn't get a better shot of the finished cards--so you'll just have to come to Asheville and get one for yourself!

finished fridays: the finish line is just the beginning

So, I've been AWOL for a little while...and this little blog has been on my mind.  Not that I got to take any pictures before shipping out big orders to four(!) stores--just the aftermath.

Not much bubble wrap or tape left.

Empty boxes, for storing and sorting between steps.

Empty sheets of labels.

Leftover strips of paper--nothing wasted!

I had hoped to give you a sneak peek at some new product before it arrives in stores, but I ran out of time.  Instead, you'll have to come out tomorrow and see them for yourself!

I'll be at the Queen City Craft Bazaar, along with dozens of other brilliant and talented crafters--and I'll have loads of new stuff to show you!

finished fridays: moments of stillness

The time: 6 pm, Friday night

The place: the studio

Last night, as I surveyed the madness that is my studio, I thought about all the other tiny little shops out there, trying to finish up whatever for the Stationery Show, plus, you know, real work.  From my corner, it's hard to find the moments of stillness, where there's nothing to check off the to-do list, no emails to answer, no telephone ringing, and no ink on the press!

So I turned off the stereo and took just a few minutes to BE--and to find something interesting (and not stressful to think about!).

When the studio is clean, it's so easy to see what might be.

And piles of paper are both overwhelming and inspiring.

Empty frames are just beginnings.

And patterns are everywhere!

on the press (almost)

Monday mornings are always a challenge--and today I had two post-its, written in very tiny print, full of stuff to get done.  Most of which was emails and phone calls...which doesn't make for very dynamic blogging.

So it wasn't until after 3 that I started working on the main body of my NSS recipe cards...which, after a lot of complicated design ideas, turned into this:

Which is way less complicated than it looks!

finished fridays: nothing wasted + the two whites + a new country

Nothing wasted No. 1: I think this is officially the first full can of ink that I've devoured.  Transparent White, of course, is in just about every PMS color...and I guess I use a lot of those really really light colors.

Nothing wasted No. 2: I'm part of a group of printers, doing a collective promo for the Stationery Show.  The theme is recipe cards, and I've been stumped...until today!  Inspiration finally hit, and I pulled out my Valentines hearts and the almost-empty can of transparent white, for the first color/background layer of the print.  I'm super excited about my card, now that it's in progress.  And I can't imagine why I don't print with just trans white more often--I love it!

The two whites: today the Vandercook was inked up with the other white--Opaque White.  It doesn't get much use in my shop (and I had heard that it was a pain-in-the-behind to clean!), but this project called for it...albeit with a little dash of yellow.  Truth be told, I impressed myself with how clean my rollers were--the white was very true first time out!

All that ink, for just a few prints...these are the proofs for a one-of-a-kind, custom personalized guest book.

And...I shipped to a new country today!  It's always exciting to send little packages of pretty things out into the world, and today this Grass is Greener print started it's journey to Sweden!

on the press: tiny hearts

After two weeks (!) of only bookbinding, I finally got back on the press today.

These tiny hearts are just about 3/4" tall, and are the first color of a business postcard.

Hooray!  And oh goodness, am I out of practice on the treadle!

finished fridays: what a week

It's been a doozy of a week.  Between client meetings, wholesale orders, member and show applications, and trying to catch up on custom work, I'm not sure which way is up.  I'm hoping that if I can just get these few books finished over the weekend, then a little breathing room will open up. 

P.S. Happy Spring!