We are so good together

I had the last couple of days off from my day-job, with big plans of spending time with my vandercook. I didn't get as much done as I had hoped, but it was still a much needed few days to just relax and re-energize my creativity. I got around to printing these posters today in a lovely violet colour. I love how woodtype is never perfect and brings so much character and meaning to a print. I try not to fiddle with making every letter look the same (in this case), since I was loving the unevenness that the type was giving me. Every print is a little different, and I love that about it. I did a limited run of only 10 prints of these, which will eventually be available on my online store.

Cheers to a happy Friday!

A Creative Fix

And so I was trying to do something nice for a group of people that are totally awesome! They work so hard to help out the community with their bicycle problems at Bike Sauce. They've set up shop with all the tools you'll ever need... and they teach you with complete patience how get your bicycle in complete working order, no matter how simple or challenging. Anyway Justin's been volunteering there on and off over the last year or two, getting his hands greasy and all. I'm not really all that good at that sort of thing and am totally the wrong person to be teaching people how to fix bicycles... so i thought I'll volunteer in my own way... by printing a much needed flyer for them.

Well as it turns out, I got the times wrong! BLAH! So I needed to come up with a good solution where I didn't need to reprint them ALL. So... I stole a wrench (that I totally plan on returning) from Bike Sauce and printed with it. I stuck it down to some furniture and placed a few sheets of boxboard underneath to raise it up enough to print. There was also a bit of trial and error with getting the ink to be the proper consistency for the metal. But anyway, I'm liking this design better than the original design. The wrench totally suits what they do, and good way to cover up my boo-boo. lol.  

You make me happy...

I hope you had a lovely day yesterday with your sweetie-pies. I didn't have that much time with Justin for Valentine's Day this year... (he had a class to go to for most of the evening), but we're those lucky few that commute together on the subway (or bicycles) everyday, so I just cherished those moments, plus we had a quick dinner before he rushed off. 

In the evening I spent using Justin as my inspiration for some printing. What a great excuse to finally use some borders! I also used 2 sizes of wood type plus a bit of lead type for this print. It was the first time that I used a scale to mix my ink. It was a bit weird actually... and involved a bit of math, which was challenging to do with my right brain... but eventually I figured it out! Have you ever done that?! Mixed ink by weighing it?! It's a bit crazy, and one of these days I'll document it, so you know what I mean (in case you have no idea what I'm talking about). 

I made only a very limited 10 prints. Making them that much more special. I will have them on my etsy store (if it ever gets off the ground)

... and of course these are dedicated to the one that makes me happy when skies are grey. :)

Skinny Love, part 2

I'm not quite finished this design yet... but thought I'd give you a glimpse of the 2nd colour. I've been sticking to wood type thus far, but I'm thinking of breaking out some good old fashioned lead type for the next round. I gotta say that one of my favourite parts of printing is the test prints... the parts that don't quite work out, it's basically a beautiful ugly poster... perfect in it's imperfections.

Skinny Love, part 1

At the moment I'm taking it slow and steady as I get comfortable around the press... and still even though it's been about a year since I moved into this studio space and started up this shop, I feel like I'm still learning with every single print run that I do. Which is giving me more reason to print for the sake of printing... like this poster that I started on last night. It's not done yet, just the first layer of red... a cool turquoise is hopefully next and a little bit of black as well... (I'm testing these colours out and how they react overlaid and next to each other on the kraft paper as research for a cool wedding invite that I'm in the middle of designing)... Anyway, printing just for the sake of printing is frikin' awesome, and hopefully I will be doing more of it soon... And the test prints made for some pretty cool wrapping paper. lol. Maybe that's what I'll do next; letterpress wrapping paper!

Live Your Own Life

As 2012 is settling in and getting comfortable. I know there are tons of resolutions being thrown at us – get fit, be healthy, organize, de-clutter, etc. etc... I try not to think of this time of year in that context. Instead I usually find myself reflecting on the years past, remembering favourite moments and then thinking of possibilities and exciting moments that lay ahead. I don't really need January to tell me how to change my life... I use January to remind me to live the life I want. This is the time of year that I feel energized, refreshed and feel that anything is possible for the year ahead, I just need to remember to live that way for the rest of the 11 months of the year.

So this year live your own life. Live the way you want, cherish the moments, enjoy, and embrace what life has to offer. And know that there is a whole year of goodness ahead if you decide to truly live instead of waiting for another January to come along to tell you how your should be doing things.

I letterpress printed this print to remind me of just that. It was the first time I printed just for the sake of printing in a long time! Lately it's just been printing for this or that, but not really for me. It was nice. It was calming and almost meditative to set the type on the press bed... to mix a lovely energizing orange, and roll the cylinder over the type to leave such a beautiful and deep impression into some blotter paper I happen to have lying around. It was nice to not have anyone but myself to answer to... and to completely absorb myself in printing.

I'll be selling this limited edition set of prints whenever I open up an etsy store. They are about 10" x 14" (but I'll have to check the exact size). There were only 30, so if you'd like to buy one (only 10 bucks! + shipping), let me know.

I hope your today will be a lovely day.

photos take by Me: Amanda Keenan, on my phone.