First things first: What is letterpress? I get asked this all the time. And I find that once you see it, touch it, the response is always the same: ooooooooohhh.

Letterpress means simply that the characters are pressed into the paper. You see the letters or image, also you can feel it. If you run your fingers across it, you feel that bite into the paper.

Letterpress entails printing on an antique printing press. I usually opt for my adorable 1907 Sigwalt or a versatile Vandercook. Text is assembled one character at a time using antique metal or wood type. Once text is set with at times a myriad adjustments and the press is inked, each card is printed one at a time. Each ink color represents a separate pass through the press.


What I love about letterpress?

{I love that bite or punch into the paper. That tactility is seductive.}

{I love using rich, velvety papers like cotton (say it with me people: tree-free) and handmade ones.}

{I love mixing rich ink colors and then adjusting them ever so slightly.}

{I love the freedom to experiment on the press.}

{And as I am sure you can tell by looking at my Etsy shop, I kinda adore overlays. Overlays of text upon text, text and image. You get the picture.}

Is this whole process time consuming? Sure. Let me say it one last time: I love the process and most importantly that tactile little missive that is the end result. Trust me there is plenty of time to admire it after I finish cleaning the press and the ink on it has dried.