Learn, Think, Write

Organizing myself online

The Right Quote

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I’ve been looking and looking for the right words for a Valentine’s Day card. Today, I found the quote by Hermann Hesse, and, well, it’s right.

 

When the Dark Gets Me Down

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Is it the dark? Or is it the cold rain?

Either way, I struggle (as my dad often did) with this weather. Nevertheless, I must pull on my boots (literally pulling on Birkenstock boots today) and head out. I am attending the University of Mary Washington Student Holiday Market as a vendor. I have to admit– this is not my favorite thing to do. Who likes selling themselves? But if I want to get my work out into the world, I have to, well, get it out into the world.

And what I know about weather is this: it always changes, much like anything, any moment in life.

Onward.

 

Finished

swapWell, I’m finished with the print for the Ladies of Letterpress swap. I am not as happy as I thought I would be, but here’s what I’ve learned:

  • don’t run the print through the press with three different forms of type. (I couldn’t keep the straight as you can see especially on the bottom. Trying to register the orange was– trying.)
  • don’t ever print 100 of anything without doing a full test print on ONE. (I realized after printing the brown tree on 100 that it should have been higher, and I would have made significant other changes as well.)
  • write out everything before you set it. (duh, I was revising the poem and the colophon as I set it- stupid!)

I had a great time getting input from friends on Instagram— and the comments were a huge help. But next time– I’ll be prepared and it won’t take me three press runs and, oh, at least four full days of setting type and printing.

Oh, and I’ve ordered new quad guides, which will help me register to keep the lines straight. The adhesive ones don’t seem to stick for me, thus the ever-moving prints and crooked lines!

A Swap….

Hello people interested in letterpress printing,

I’m recovering from a bout of vertigo– not fun when you want to stand at the press all day.

I am participating in Ladies of Letterpress swap, which means I am creating 100 5×7 posters on my little press. Not only that, I’ve decided to do two colors. This means three passes for each poster- one for the tree, one for the leaves, and one for the poem. Oh, and probably a fourth since I want to put a colophon on the bottom. Seven gazillion hours later, and I’ll have 100 prints to share!

Like my drying rack?

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First Friday

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I’m always exhausted on First Fridays, not that I am complaining. It’s really my body that says– “enough.”

I’ve been up since 5am, a normal time for me, so by 6 tonight, I am plastering on a smile, hoping people don’t see the weariness in my eyes.

Even so, First Friday of Fredericksburg gives artists a wonderful opportunity to show what they do. We are hosting Carol Josefiak, whose work I love. And I also have a chance to talk about letterpress printing!

Stop by if you are local. Or even if you’re not. I promise I’ll be awake.