Merry 1887!

sleepy monkey cat

I went home for the holidays and got to take a closer look at my press, which is currently in storage in New Jersey. The press move was a such a blur, I didn't have time to take a close look at the thing.

Like the serial number on my Chandler & Price 10 x 15 Old Style, which is located on its dirty dirty platen. According to this list, that means this press dates from 1887. That's old. And when you're old, along the way you acquire a great deal of dust and grease and lose some parts.

One thing I'm wondering about is whether I should look for a saddle for the (not present) third roller. A third roller would help in inking large forms, although I have seen C&P's being operated with either two or three rollers. Hmm. I will have to investigate. To Briar Press!

I'm also researching the dimensions of the wooden feed and delivery boards. I'm lucky to had a Dad who's a woodworker and willing to help me make some sparkly new ones out of birch or maple.

All in all, the second inspection was very encouraging. Both the platen and the inking disc look smooth, although they'll need a good cleaning and the press seems to have been well maintained. The motor may even be salvageable!

mmm. christmas log.

Lastly, the traditional picture of the Buche De Noel that I helped decorate. It's a cake that French people try very hard to make look like a log. And it's delicious.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

And thank you for reading...

Best,

Marianne

It snowed.

A lot.

This has hindered my plans for driving to Delaware today and has left me with no choice but to play video games and drink coffee instead. Did you know that after getting 9 lives in Super Mario Bros. your lives become symbols? So you can have Crown-Brick lives!

It's true!

Perhaps due to the snow, there is now something living in my wall. Something with little gnawing teeth that kept me up last night . I would like to tell that critter that unless he/she is a mongoose and planning on coming out soon and becoming my mongoose friend, I am not pleased with this arrangement. Not at all.

Lastly, I also finished these business cards for the husband of a friend. It's their one year anniversary, which is the paper anniversary, so she is getting him these as a gift. I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard.

These were very good practice for precise trimming on the guillotine paper cutter. The guillotine, while being an enormous time saver, has always made me very nervous because if you are not paying attention, you can ruin days of work with one bad cut.

Happily, I feel like I'm getting better at it, calmer and more focused, and these came out very well. Nicely centered and even all around.

Stalking Cats

This cat does not know his picture is being taken

The little orange feller has been hanging around campus for a few weeks now, he's very skittish. I took this picture from inside the studio while he was outside enjoying himself eating grass. I think it's the closest I'm ever going to get to him. Why won't he return my calls? Flashes of Quincy!

Well, I've also been printing. I finished these cards for local blacksmith, Zack Noble. Silver on French Paper's Muscletone Black. Very nice. He's got a new website which is also very nice, you should take a look.

That's pretty much it. Finishing up odds and ends. Going to roast a chicken tonight. Going to attempt to drive home 10 hours with my cat and said chicken together in my car. It's always nice to go home for a visit. I can't wait to see my friends and family around Philadelphia.

Happy Holidays!

Brought to You by the letter "F"

The F mug.

It's a shame that the letter F has some bad connotations, because it's a lovely letter. It's my favorite letter to write in cursive. It's fun to say in words like filigree and fennel and. In letterpress, you get to use ligatures with it. Fascinating.

I've been reading Elementary Platen Presswork by those Polk boys and the picture below says it all. Finally, a readable, informative, basic guide to platen presses. Without fear mongering.

isn't that beautiful?

And lastly friends, for whom I wrote this book. Inspired by taking a walk in the woods, "For You" is a small edition, letterpress book handprinted by Huldra Press. The text is set in Gill Sans and the images are linoleum block cuts. Each book is signed and editioned. There are only 36 copies.

It's now available in my Etsy Shop.

A flicker.

Farewell!

New Holiday & Recipe Cards

All available at Huldra Press's Etsy Shop

Huldra Press Holiday Card : Available in Blue or Green

My first holiday themed cards. Not being a fan of Christmas colors and holly and such, it wasn't the easiest card to design. But I'm happy with how they turned out. Yes, there's red and green in there but not that red and green. It's subtle.

Gift Tags too

Everything I've been printing these last couple weeks has been using the vintage wood and metal type in the Penland shop. No photopolymer plates. I'm going to miss having access to all those unusual little ornaments and drawer after drawer of tall wood letters, so I'm taking advantage of them now.

About a month ago, the school got a donation of wood type, I loved the simple wood borders and used them for these recipe cards. They remind me of an old movie theatre marquee.

kind of like this

4" x 6" recipe cards

printed front and back

It's winter, so that means cooking, lots of it. Roast chickens, soups, scones, and of course, rosemary potatoes. This afternoon, I made oatmeal raisin cookies for my mechanic. An honest mechanic deserves cookies.

Sunshine, Lollipops & ...