blind quilt

I really loved working on this winter invitation. The envelopes are a gorgeous and festive red, but my favorite part is the blind border on each piece. I used 100% cotton paper and a very soft typan to get the maximum impression.

korhogo 126

The delicious Bouillabaisse 126 here in Brooklyn is reopening in mid-September as French African style restaurant, Korhogo 126. The logo is somewhat similar but we've changed paper/color scheme.

Because it's a harder cover stock, this marigold Rossler paper was a little tricky at first. Unlike a 100% cotton paper, there isn't a lot of "give" with hard or coated papers. In this case I changed the tympan (the backing that goes under the piece to be printed) to a very soft somerset stock. This seems to have worked, it pulled a great impression while keeping the small text very sharp and clear.

rounding corners

One option for stationery finishing is to have the corners rounded. But as with any project, using the right tool makes all the difference. If you think you'll be doing a lot of rounding it's probably worth investing in a good machine. I use a manual lever-operated rounder. It is set up to handle a small stack at a time, but I think the corners look better when done one by one.

merci

I finished some thank you notes last week for a very nice client in Paris. Just some flat A6 cards and envelopes to match her wedding invitations. In fact, they are crossing the Atlantic as I speak. merci beaucoup madame ranjard. :)

abigail

I had a fun collaboration this week with designer Sean Oakes. Sean welcomed his new daughter in style by designing this lovely birth announcement in grey and fuscha. :)

the return of diego

A busy week here in dumbo. Our favorite press rigger Diego (striking a serious pose here) came by on Wednesday with a new addition to the studio, a beautifully restored C&P press for my studiomate Breck. Diego worked as a mechanical engineer in a large print shop before becoming a machine mover some years back, so his expertise with presses puts him in a league of his own. Anyone needing a mover in the area just let me know and I'll forward his contact info.

tiny website mention

A lot of people struggle over whether or not to include a website address on their wedding invitation. On one hand it can look slightly out of place, but on the other is rather necessary these days. I love this solution - a small, separate enclosure card. Very sweet and it gets the job done.

obi calendar

Hooray...now that August is here I'm starting work on my latest pet project, a 2008 calendar in all neutrals. Even though I love experimenting with different colors, I'll admit that my favorite style is minimalist - in both graphics and inks. I modeled the page design on Japanese obi's, which are the wide cloth belts worn with kimonos.

I'll be working on these for the next month or so, and if all goes according to schedule they will be available for purchase on the site in early Fall.

summer break

Whew, just back today after a much needed getaway. I had a chance to escape to europe for 8 days, with a nice mix of city and country in france and england. I'm truly inspired, what a fantastic experience. I'll be back on track this coming week with photography and starting the august printing schedule. But for today its laundry, plants and jetlag... :)