letterpress signage for Cultural Hotspots project

For it's inaugural year, an initiative called Cultural Hotspots will be featuring the south area of Scarborough by celebrating culture, art and community. I was invited by craft maven Kalpna Patel to participate in her window installation project "Please Come Again" which transforms an unconventional space and brings it to life through the lost art of visual merchandising and striking displays.

 

Say Yes and Ask Questions Later

If you aren't familiar with Kalpna's work, get to know it - it's inspiring. I was both honoured and scared straight when she asked if I would create an installation. I loved the idea of this gallery of storefronts coming to an area that hasn't ever been mined for art installations before. I'm always griping about living so far out east from the downtown core where all the cool stuff happens. So the opportunity to do something that I've never done (and have always wanted to), and the chance to work with an ace in her field, and bringing some craft to an area nearby are all the reasons why I jumped in with both feet. 

 

The Big Idea

The storefront that I was assigned to isn't really a store. It's the Crossroads Business Improvement Area office. What these folks essentially do is market, promote and revitalize businesses in the area, which in this case is between Victoria Park Avenue and Warden Avenue. Kalpna came up with the concept of creatively displaying names of businesses along that strip. It was a simple and effective idea that gave both purpose and meaning to its storefront.

 

The Process

As a letterpress artist, I was excited to execute the vision. For this project, I knew I had to get type that was larger than what I owned. It's not often that I get to work on things larger than 5x7", so this was a treat. I selected various fonts with serifs and a  gothic trade and sizes between an inch and a half to 3 inches in height for visual interest. The primary press used was the Morgan Line-O-Scribe flatbed which has a bed size of 14x22". For the smaller signs, I used the Mini Showcard press. This was all very fitting because these antique machines were originally used by small shop owners to print temporary point-of-sale signs. The business names that were printed were, for the most part, selected at random. Other names, Kalpna and I just really liked the sound of regardless of the business type and its current state of operation.

 

The Community Notice Board

The BIA asked if I could help address their promotional flyers situation. Up until the installation, they would tape announcements of events to their windows for passer-bys to read. But it looked plain, scattered and a little untidy. I decided to create a notice board disguised as another piece of storefront signage. It's simply a corkboard covered in felt and "Crossroads of the Danforth" hand-painted in a fashion reminiscent of old-school signage. The board is now prominently showcased with the dual purpose of either displaying the business name or a collection of flyers neatly arranged.

 

Big Ups

This project was a hell of a lot of fun to work on. I only have big hugs and thanks to give to Kalpna for trusting me to see it through. She was a huge help in the actual installation. I brought the supplies but she brought the know-how.

My hope is that people who come upon the window stop, look, read, wonder and smile. The display will be up for a month, so if you are in the area (or even if you're not), have a look-see and please do check out the other window installations created by fellow artists. Each of them are truly unique and a sight to behold!

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natural body oil

A few weekends ago I participated in an Herbal Infusions workshop put on by the good people of Kinfolk and it was hosted by Julie Clark of Province Apothecary. I'm not exactly sure what prompted the desire to take this workshop because I don't ever remember being so interested in aromatherapy before. I think the main draw was that it was a hands-on, mini crash course of sorts and I can't resist a good DIY workshop. At the end of the 3 hour info-packed session, I came away with quite a few handmade products and the confidence to make some more on my own at home. Of the items that the group was taught to make, I was most excited about the body oil. We had also tried our hands at an herbal infused steam inhalation mixture, a sugar scrub, bath salts and an apple cider vinegar hair rinse. AH-mazing. After letting the body oil that I made in the workshop rest for a day, I used it after a (body sugar scrub) bath and loved it. I had infused the oil with geranium, pine, peppermint and lime for an uplifting and awakening scent to help me get moving in the mornings (Marcus still doesn't sleep through the night!).

Because I loved the body oil so much, I couldn't wait to try to make another, specifically for Marcus (my 23 month old). He's got a couple of dry patches on his legs and I wanted something natural and organic to put on his skin to relieve any discomfort he may have. I sought out some ingredients and started with something gentle for him. In his mixture, I used grapeseed, safflower and apricot kernel oil as the carrier oils. I had some chamomile tea leaves and found some useful sources on the net on how to infuse that in the oil. Of the options given, I decided on putting the oil mixture in a glass and put it inside a water bath in a mini slow cooker and left it on low for 48 hours. Once that was done, I strained the leaves and added some lavender essential oil for a soothing scent and bottled it. So easy and so lovely. 

I named it the Lullaby Oil and made a little label for the bottle in the hopes that Marcus would be able to recognize it as his own and make it a part of his bedtime routine.

After his bath that night, I used it on him and I think he liked it. He certainly didn't object to the leg massage that went with it :)

*If you want to make your own body oil, please do find some resources and how-to's online. I took some information from these helpful posts - here and here. If you can, I would also highly recommend taking one of Julie's workshops!

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I was recently introduced to a UK band called  Daughter and have pretty much fallen in love with their cover of Get Lucky by Daft Punk. The songs on their debut album are atmospheric, sad and beautiful. It inspired me to put a brush and watercolour ink to some lovely St. Armand paper and add handset type to it. I love moments like these when I'm moved to create something but not knowing exactly what it is that I want to make. It's times like that when you turn to the tools that you love to use so much for work and commissioned pieces that you often forget that they're also there for play time.

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totem cards

to·tem (noun)

Anything serving as a distinctive, often venerated, emblem or symbol.

 

There is something about this starburst shape that I love and can't seem to stop printing with. I once saw it referred to as a Slocum seal but haven't since found any more information about it. It's become my favorite go to piece when I'm printing on the Showcard press. Maybe it has something to do with how large the block is and how satisfying it is to roll an inked brayer over it. And no matter what colour it lays down, it always looks so, so good. Is it just me or do you also have something similar that you like to see in print? Is there something you have an affinity for and keep printing, drawing or painting?

 

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As we live a life of ease
Every one of us has all we need 

Sky of blue and sea of green

In our yellow submarine 

- The Beatles

 Sometimes you just have to print a yellow submarine card.

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colour block play II

More colour block play. It's no surprise that I lean towards blues, greens, whites and neutrals. You can see it in alot of my work. Though, I didn't think that these three colours would mix well but I actually quite like it - what do you think? The print in the middle was my test print and it happens to be my favorite. I'm enjoying adding more and more layers. Sometimes it's hard to know when to stop. I guess that's why I carved out some time to 'play' to find out what works and what doesn't.

Good weekend, all! And, Spring - where the heck are you?

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lovers rock

It's no big secret that I am a big Sade fan. Have been since I was 16 years old. No Ordinary Love is just one of those timeless songs. In 2001,  the band came out of an eight year hiatus and I attended her Toronto performance. Fast forward another ten years, and she released Soldier of Love. And that was my second Sade concert in 2011.

My latest print is the title of her fifth album, Lovers Rock. I handset my favorite gothic wood type in the mini Showcard and mixed a light beige I call 'sand'. The second colour is a Process Blue mixed with Transparent White and I got something that I call 'sea' and it looked like glass on the palette. Pretty, right? That colour was laid on top of the beige for the second pass. I wanted to stop there but also wanted to experiment with a third colour, gold, for the top portion of 'lovers'. I took one of my misaligned prints and made the third pass on the press. You can see the results in the last photo. I love the two prints equally.

The limited edition Lovers Rock print is now for sale here. The three colour print will also be for sale (only two available) at a discount because of it's misalignment, just email me if you're interested in this one.

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I'd like to say that I've been missing in action, but the truth is, I've just been at home with my little Milk Monster. M has been doing alot of growing these past couple of weeks (how did he reach the oven knobs so quickly?) and doing new things every day, it's been a treat to keep up with him.

I joined Instagram last year but have only been starting to really use it on an everyday basis about a month ago. How can I not snap pics of this ankle-biter for every moment of his existence? But every now and then, I'll take a picture of something other than M.

I recently found about make-up artist Lisa Eldridge and pretty much watched all of her tutorials in one sitting. Ever since M was born, my main concern and focus was all on him. It was an effort to look decent on days that I had to go out when all I wanted to do was sleep. So jogging pants became my best friends, and sometimes I took a comb to my hair. Then a year goes by and I had enough of that. Looking disheveled wasn't doing anything to help my mood. Lisa's videos were just the kind of pick-me-up that I needed to sort things out.

I got a smartphone wallet for Christmas and it's the handiest thing ever. Actually, I dig all of the products from  MochiThings. I used to be a purse-girl. Then somehow, the diaper bag became my purse. I only started to carry my ID and bank cards in the diaper bag and I ditched the purse because there was just too much to haul around when out with the babe. So, the new wallet is perfect. It fits the essentials and my phone and tucks away neatly in the diaper bag. And if I'm lucky to go out on my own, it's a nice neat wristlet.

Since January has been a mix of extreme cold and warm weather, I placed my bets on just staying indoors most of the time. I got a bit of cabin fever and started to clean up the house in that way that you go nuts and end up purging almost half of your belongings. Boy, did that ever feel good! So the pad is neater, less cluttered and organized. I've had my Jessica Bell collages on the wall for a while now but didn't get a chance to snap a photo of it until recently. Snowy months are good for cleaning up house and admiring artwork.

So, there's me in January.

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I am grateful for all that I have and that I'm able to do what I love for a living. This is, in a huge way, made possible by my immediate and extended family. I also wouldn't be where I am today without the support of the handmade community, those who buy handmade goods and specifically those who have trusted me to design and print their projects. A heartfelt, thank you.

A glittering 2013 to you, dear readers. May it be filled with all good things.

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If you're a frequent reader here, you might've noticed a few changes to the look of the blog. It's not that different from what it was before but just a bit cleaner and leaner. It was high time for a wee makeover and I asked a favorite artist of mine to help me get it started. The handsome illustration that got a prime seat at the top of the sidebar was done by the wonderful Caitlyn Murphy. We met at the 2009 City of Craft show and I knew then that she was the gal that would have to create a drawing for me one day. Check out her work, it's tops!

I hope you like the new outfit to the blog. Up next will be a mobile version!

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the tide is high

1. I've always like that tune, the Blondie version.
2. I feel that particular line applies to me in my life right now.
3. The colour I printed it in is not unlike the colour seafoam.
4. These limited edition prints will be on sale at The Junction Flea.

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Most of you might not remember my attempts to launch The Card Catalogue two years ago. I had too many other projects on the go that I wasn't able to focus on it. Now that I only have one main project, that being my 4 month old son, I'm still unable to sit down and figure out what the CC will actually consist of and look like. Still, I think about it often (in the waking hours of the early morning during nursing) and hope to get a chance to flesh it out and finally put it in the pop-up shop. Last week, however, I got some time to myself, pulled out one of the plates designed for the CC and printed. It was only a small batch of cards but I think it's important for me to get on the press when both the moment and the will strikes. I'm still trying to find a good balance of being a new mom ,a small business owner, and someone who just loves and wants to print. I really don't make it a habit of saying that I'll do something and then don't. So this is my way of keeping tabs on myself and carving out the CC at the same tme.

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two of my favorite things in the whole wide world

One of the best pieces of advice I got when I shared the news of my pregnancy, actually had nothing to do with being pregnant. It had to do with my livelihood and that advice was to not stop printing. For a while at the beginning of the pregnancy, I feared that I wouldn't be able to print as much as I used to or be able to print whenever I wanted to. This was actually the case, but it didn't last for very long. I took it easy during the pregnancy and promised myself to get right back into studio when I was good and ready. I had some moments of withdrawal but I just didn't have the energy to get on the press and be on my feet, even for a couple of hours. These were some of the saddest days for me. though, I have to admit, there may have been one or two occasions when I couldn't stand it anymore and slapped some ink on the press anyway and printed at 8 months pregnant.

I'm happy to report that I'm now slowly getting back into the studio. Marcus certainly makes it a challenge to print while he's hanging out with me by the press. Diaper changes during the make-ready process is just going to have to be the way of things around here for a little while...but I wouldn't have it any other way.

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I’ve worn glasses since I was nine years old. Every pair I owned were slim, light-weight, had metal rims and nose pads. I’m such a creature of habit. Fast forward twenty-five years later and I finally decided it was time for something different. Big, thick, plastic, non-padded spectacles! Change is good.

Speaking of change. The weather! Spring is here but it feels a whole lot like summer. Marcus and I have been getting into a routine with the help of the change of season. I'm taking plenty of walks with him on these gorgeous, warm, sunny days.

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special delivery

My boys sure know how to make a gal feel special. Thank you, my Valentines.

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handmade for baby

Baby M has been showered with wonderful and thoughtful gifts from friends and family. We've even received handmade goods like these beautiful crocheted blankets. I don't know a thing about how to knit or crochet and am always amazed at the speed of which these are made. I cannot wait to tuck little M in these blankets. They're perfect for the winter months ahead.

Speaking of the babe, no word yet on his arrival. I'm officially 40 weeks today so we can expect that it'll be any day now!

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brown paper packages...

...these are a few of my favorite things.

super duper busy this week.

inquiries, printing, and packaging.

i thought i was going on hiatus?

but i'm as happy as ever.

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at this very moment

With the amount of projects on I have on deck, I thought I might have to skip printing my own holiday cards this year. There's alot of work to be done (before I'm officially on hiatus) and there's so little time. But you know when you're just itching to do something, when you lose sleep over it, and when something just doesn't feel right? Well, enough of that, I say. I've just got to print! And if my water breaks in the middle of it, well then that'll just be a story to tell :)

Photos are a preview of what I'll be using for my personal holiday cards.

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friday pieces

 

+ Autumn has officially kicked off and I couldn't be happier with the weather.  Rainy, sunny, windy and cool.

+ I came down with a cold at the beginning of the week which postponed some projects but am now on the mend.

+ As if I don't already have enough to do, I'm all of the sudden interested in finding a workshop on how to hand-make soaps. Anyone have any leads in the GTA?

+ I'm 29 weeks pregnant and the baby is moving around  like he's training for some kind of Olympic event.

+ Letterpress inquiries are still coming in and I'm going to have wind things down soon. I'll put up a notification on the website that I won't be taking on anymore projects past October.

+ Above is a shot of custom letterpress stationery packaged and waiting to be posted to NY!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend ahead of them.

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summer shots

Just a few shots of this past summer (oh, how it feels so long ago). 1. Nifty small bottles of Joe nail polish because I was going through a metallic phase. These are Gunmetal and Sunkissed. What's a girl to do at the cottage? 2. ...Paint her toe nails. Picture of feet sort of freak me out and I'm still unsure if I should be posting a photo of mine. But here they are anyway :) 3. Peaches are in season! I've been devouring them like candy. Even threw in a couple in my latest batch of crumble - too good. We grilled a couple peaches at the cottage, sprinkled some brown sugar on them and it made for a delicious breakfast. 4. Chris studying at the cottage for his board exams. Which, I'm happy to say is now all in the past! He's now referred to as Dr. Roberts, so I guess that makes me Mrs. Dr. Roberts! That's so unreal. 5. Belly shot at just over 24 weeks. Everything seems to be moving so quickly (I'm actually 27 weeks right now). The weather makes it feel like autumn already, and that's all good to me.

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