Greetings from ROPA

Cripes...I've been so busy with Tweedle print projects these days that I haven't even had a moment to take photos and post! I'm not complaining - I'm just surprised that my business has switched into high gear so rapidly. I'm still reeling a little, and trying to figure out how to handle all the new work. But as I keep saying, it's a good problem to have. And it's so rewarding to know that people really like my work and keep coming back for more.

I took a break last week from client projects to work on a postcard for a swap hosted by Ladies of Letterpress, a group I belong to. The only rules were that it be 6" x 4", and be a "Greetings From..." wherever you live. Because I like to challenge myself (or make myself crazy, as iHub would say), I decided to do a 3 color print on the front with really tight registration. I designed in a slightly older, cheesy postcard style with colors from the 70s. Printing it definitely made me work...especially since Leonard had a bit of a relapse into funky inking. But I'm pretty proud of how it turned out:


As you can see, I definitely went for some impression on the front...but not so much as to cause it to show through to the back. I plan to investigate duplexing my house cotton paper at some point in the near future.


Speaking of the back, it was slightly less insane with only 1 color and not nearly as critical of an alignment:


I was pretty happy I was able to get the registration so tight.


I can't wait to see all 125 other entries, which I should be receiving copies of soon!


While I only printed enough on this run for the swap itself, I may run some more in the future for sale through my shop.

Cow Cards

Recently I took on a project for Ashley from Monster Bites (which featured Tweedle Press on their cool blog a few months back). Ashley wanted to send me some old programs and flyers from one of her college's alumni events, and have me hand recycle them into new sheets of purple paper for note cards. I added some purple flecks from my own stash of scrap paper, and letterpress printed cows on the fronts. We came up with a joint message that states how the note cards were made, and they'll be handed out to other alums at an event. What a great idea! Talk about sustainable. And bovine-chic.

I love how my hand recycled paper takes a letterpress impression - it's so squishy and absorbent, and prints beautifully with my vegetable based inks.





Ever sine Paul came down to give Leonard a once over, he's been behaving rather well. My previous inking issues have been almost completely solved by adding roll bearers to the forme, and now I know how to adjust platen pressure myself. Leonard still has a problem with maintaining consistent pressure, but at least I can achieve the prints I want eventually. At some point I'll need to invest in a Vandercook, but this is working for now! Leonard is just big with the makeready. Oh well.