Save the Dates for Daniella & Rick

It's been a good few weeks here in the studio were I got to wrap up a few nice projects – One for which was for a very good friend who is getting married soon. (Yeay Daniella!) These are the "Save-the-Dates", and I'm just so excited with how they turned out. They're printed on a super soft, natural white cotton paper. Printed with a lovely deep brown, a light lavender colour with a uber deep blind-emboss emblem. (I think that was my favourite part)

Sometimes mixing a specific colour is way more challenging than others. This lovely, soft lavender was one of those mixes that took some extra love and care to get perfect. A glob of transparent white, a drop of violet and the tiniest bit of black. At first it was way to dark... and took a little bit of time to bring it down to the colour I was looking for. But getting the colour right on was just SO gratifying that I honestly didn't care that it look me a day and a half to get perfect.

I'm so happy for Daniella & Rick as they get all the preparations together for their wedding, and I'm so honoured that I could be part of their day by printing these cards for them. It totally feels a little extra special printing for a close friend! Thanks again Daniella for asking me to letterpress these for you!

Steph & Sanjay ~ letterpress invites

Over the past little while I've been pretty busy printing in my spare time. I'm not sure if all of you know or not, but letterpress is one of those things that I do when I'm not working. It's an absolute labour of love and often I still need to pinch myself to make sure I'm not just dreaming that there is a Vandercook in my living room. Since I don't print every day, during the best natural-light times of the day... I truly cherish the time I spend printing. I've been getting requests here and there to letterpress invitations or business cards for designers and clients of designers... and it really got me thinking hard about what I want Silverplate Press to be for me now and what I'd like for it to become. How much of a part of my life will it be when we have kids for instance? Anyway, I didn't get everything answered, but it was nice to just reflect and think about what is important. I realized that since I'm not just a printer, (I'm a designer too)... one that just happens to have fallen head over heals for letterpress... that I should really print the projects that make me happiest. For now.... with my limited time with the press, I've decided that means that I mostly take on work that I get to design. (Even though the creative process almost kills me sometimes... you can read about that here.)

This invite for Steph & Sanjay was one project that helped me come to this realization. I worked with them for the past couple of months; designing and testing printing, (as I wrote about previously, here) and sorting out paper and colours. It was a lot of work, but immensely fun and I'm so proud with the result. It's got that rustic and handmade feel to it! Just great for them.

Thanks again Steph & Sanjay for trusting me to design & letterpress these for you! It was great working with you!

A reaction to our times.

 

I was looking through some old photos and I came across this cute little number! A photo of an old print I did back when I still had access to a linotype. (AH-MAZING that I have actually been able to use a linotype, forever grateful!) These words still ring so true to me as a reason why I letterpress. As the world gets faster, more efficient, more "perfect"... I have this urge to mess it up... to consciously move a little slower and take my time... to appreciate the process of making a print. I love the slight imperfections. When I print, the world of technology seems to not exist around me... (except for a random instagram photo I take)... I work on a piece of machinery that needs no electricity to run, just sheer human power! And I love it. There's a part of me that wishes more things ran at this pace... a slower and more appreciative pace. I wonder if people would be happier with less technology in their lives? Just something to think about on this lovely sunny Wednesday!

Friday night printing

If you read my other blog you probably already know that I'm about to become an aunt! I can't be more excited about it... I love the little guy so much already! A couple of weeks ago I hosted the baby shower and of course I needed to have a little something letterpress printed amoung the festivities. AND Of course I didn't figure out what to actually letterpress until, like, the night before the shower! So here I was, on a friday night, typesetting this "Wishes for Baby" card. I was a bit nervous for the day ahead... I really wanted everything to be just so... I had spent weeks planning and coming up with ideas with the help from one of my bestest creative friends, (hi Sandi!) and on that friday night it was all coming together. Arranging the type just so, having all the pieces in place... kind of interesting how similar it was to planning this event... figuring out how all the pieces will fit together... hoping that it will turn out the way I imagine... interesting to draw the parallel. Do I sounds crazy? hehe... but it was calming. 

That calmness only lastest while I was printing. I think I feel most relaxed when I'm printing. 

I hope you all have a lovely weekend! Thank goodness it's friday.

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. :)

Rough Paper test print

My little Kelsey press hasn't really gotten the attention that she deserves. She's constantly being over-shadowed by her much larger older brother (The Vandercook) and barely gets any play time these days. I decided to change that with this little test print. Since the clean up time is basically non-existent in comparison to the vandercook... it makes for some nice quick printing.

I am currently working on a wedding invite design for a pretty cool couple that love all things handmade and vintage! The thought was too use brown box board with blue, red and black ink. At first I thought that it was a great idea, but to make sure how the ink would react with such a rough paper, I thought it would be best to do a text print first. I started with the Skinny Love posters. Using wood type definitely produces more texture as it is... so when I saw the way it was turning out on the box board... I kinda freaked... and started second guessing myself... "maybe it looks a little too handmade..." or a bit too rough. This is a wedding invite, after all! But I think I forgot how cool Steph was.... I sent her this test print with a word of caution... not all the invites will be identical and the texture of the paper is proving to be difficult to work with to get consistent ink coverage...

She was like; "This is great! I like the texture! Identical!? Meh! They're handmade!"

Awesome!

In case you needed another reason...

Just in case you need another reason to love letterpress... this is a short video that I found on Fast Company.