I really really like Marimekko. It’s a Finish textile company. Above is a particular pattern (called Siirtolapuutarha) that I really need to get my hands on. I think it would be amazing in a baby room. We have the Kevatjuhla pattern (below) hanging in our living room. It fits our farm quite perfectly.

My final submissions for the recent Minted February Showers Challenge! You can click on each image to find it at Minted.com.

Today I’m working on some of the “fun” parts of having a stationery biz. (Some sarcasm is inserted here.)  I’m working on putting together pricing guides for letterpress and custom design work. While I really enjoy designing these guides, I don’t enjoy putting together pricing. It makes my brain hurt with so many numbers flying all over the place.

I’m really struggling getting things done lately. If anybody has any life-changing productivity tips, let me know. Staying productive is the most challenging part of owning my own business. Photo by the wonderful Mary Kate McDevitt.

Since valentines day is quickly approaching, I thought I would put together some of my favorite valentine’s day stationery. It’s hard to have a letterpress sitting in my basement and not be able to use it to make some sweet valentines day goodies. (next year!!)

In order from top to bottom: 1. Seesaw’s oh so simple yet lovely gold foil greetings 2. Who can resist the bold floral hand-painted illustrations from Anna Bond at Rifle Paper Co.? 3. I love Old Tom Foolery’s fun and quirky cards. They always make me laugh out loud. 4. Sycamore Street Press’s cards are always super creative and beautiful 5. I love this adorable children’s valentine by Carrie Eckert from Minted. 6. Katie Daisy of the Wheatfield makes amazing watercolor works of art.

I am always in awe of Nicholas Felton’s infographic design work. Simply amazing. He recently released this year’s Feltron annual report. This year’s report is based on the life of his father. See more images here.

I’m currently inspired by patchwork quilts and textured fabrics. I admire textile designer Karen Barbé and her beautiful screen printed fabric.

I’m determined to make something out of this log-cabin pattern that I saw in Martha’s January 2011 issue.

Also loving hand-embroidered wall art! Wish I was talented with sewing machines and thread.

I adore these linen snakes I found on etsy! Such lovely little creatures.

CLA #1: large areas of ink: I’m constantly humbled by the two huge pieces of iron that live in my basement, and I’d like to start documenting certain things i’m learning in the printing world, so I’m starting this little segment called crazy letterpress adventures (CLA).

Last week I encountered something I haven’t yet tackled on my press: large printed areas of color. The design was a business card involving a backside flooded with ink with a logo reversed out. Large printed areas of color aren’t the strength of letterpress, and often this type of printing doesn’t leave any impression. During this job, I had to re-ink the press after every ten impressions, and every print had to be run through the press at least twice to achieve solid ink coverage. The job took six times the amount of ink I’ve been accustomed to using.  This particular job was printed on French Paper’s Speckletone Kraft 100 lb Cover and then duplexed to a be a heavy 200 lb stock. I’m used to printing on softer papers, so the hardness of this particular stock challenged me as well. In the future, I’d like to do more experimentation with this style of printing. I’m thinking it will work a bit better on a softer stock. I’ve also learned that I need to alert designers of the outcome of this sort of printing. Doing some further research I found this disclaimer that Studio on Fire sends to designers who are requesting prints of this type. Great idea! (The business cards were for a friend of mine, Marisa Falcigno, at Asirastudio LLC.)