19 February 2006
I took this picture yesterday, back when there was still a sun and the days were bright. You know how when you're ascending in an airplane, and you pass through a layer of clouds and you're in clear sky, but there's still a layer of clouds above you? I think there must be somewhere in the range of sixteen to twenty-nine layers of clouds today. Glum, glum, glum. But! I can look at this picture and remember how it used to be, back in the good old yesterdays.
I took the picture just before leaving the flat, whilst in the middle of picking out letters for a new 'business' card. While the picking out of letters is middling-to-low in terms of excitment (and putting them back is at the very bottom of the list of things I'd like to be doing), I do love the trays. These two are drawers from one of my little cabinets; there are twenty-plus others just like them, plus three bigger (and massively heavier) trays for the large fonts. In a way, it's good that I don't have a dedicated space for working with the type; if I did, I know I'd never put it away, and it would quickly become a useless pile of trays and loose bits of lead.
Anyway, I made these:
I made these to replace the business cards I've been tucking in with prints, etc. The old design was an exercise in using as many faces as possible (such a no-no, and something I'd never do in the 'real world'), so these are simple and clean. I printed the text first and then went back with one of my newly carved birdie stamps to finish them off. They're cute, no?
Before I go (figuratively -- I doubt I'll actually get up), I want to say thank you for all the lovely comments yesterday. A lot of thinking and planning and sewing and ripping out and sewing again went into that bag, and people I see on the street probably will never know. This is why I love the internets!
You have such a lovely site. Everything you make is beautiful and so are your photos and layout.
I need to think about getting some cards done. I wish I had some letters in my drawers.
posted by Jackie at February 19, 2006 09:18 PM
so beautiful! a few years back my husband bought me a small old press - i was pregnant then and i've never refurbished it for use. i'm so jealous. the trays, the type and your cards are lovely.
posted by jennifer at February 21, 2006 11:19 PM
ooh i have missed so much! every single thing ihere is gorgeous. love the cards-
:)
posted by tania at February 22, 2006 04:29 PM
The cards are gorgeous! And I love the photo of the trays.
posted by myra at February 23, 2006 01:38 AM
I'm feeling major envy of your lovely selection, I have the tiniest tub with my type in it and no letterpress so you will laugh when you recieve my splodgy bits - but they are kind of sweet in their way :-)
posted by cally at February 23, 2006 03:44 AM
Your cards are just beautiful, I love them. I also have to tell you that I actually gasped when I saw your green bag. Its almost exactly the same as one I've been dreaming about for the last few months except I imagine mine being deep deep pink velvet. Needless to say, its gorgeous!
posted by kerrie at February 23, 2006 03:03 PM