Tag: Handmade

Slow and Steady

Block Printing is a tactile experience. My hands not only hold and maneuver blocks, cutting tools, rollers, inks, and press parts, they also gauge the pressure. A certain amount of force determines the width of a cut and the depth. The V and U blades remove wider strips from the block with more pressure and finer strips come away with less pressure.

Too much force upon a block to the printing surface can cause unwanted smudges, halos, or other changes to the image transfer. Some blocks only require hand painting. Some patterns are most easily achieved with hand printing. My Llama project bags are one of my favorite hand printing tasks. It can be a bit slower than others to complete yet I enjoy the opportunity to slow down and still accomplish my task.

What do you enjoy doing slowly?

Recurring Delights

Recently I restructured my Patreon tiers to include more options! The best part is that Patreon allows me to easily offer you subscription options! For now, that includes a stationery subscription that will give you monthly cards, envelopes, and a cool pen.

What would you like to see added?

Join me on Patreon for extra delights!

Hard-Pressed Studio

Getting Festive

December, the final month of the year is upon us and it is already full of lights, festive garlands, bedecked trees, advent calendars, candles, bells, and, of course, shopping guides.

Giving gifts can simultaneously be a joyous occasion and one filled with stress. We think through so many aspects: the price, the size, the color, and most importantly, will the receiver like it??? After all, if our gift pleases then we are triumphant and known as good gift-givers. We reap the rewards of praise and affection.

With that in mind I’ve put together a few suggestions below. No matter what you give this holiday season I hope you are rewarded for the effort and thought with much praise and affection.

Enamel Owl Pin

Little Dinosaur Print

Kelpie Print

Art Festivals

The past two weeks have been full of re-stocking prints, cards, and making a couple new offerings. I’ve enjoyed seeing the drying space in my tiny studio fill up with rows of llamas, flowers, and woodland creatures in bright colors. Saturday April 26th I’ll be set up in booth 141 for Double Decker Arts Festival in Oxford, MS. Hopefully I’ll see some of you there!

The next art festival will be in Baton Rouge, LA on May 10th. I’ll set up at the Mid City Makers Market portion of the art crawl from 5 – 10 PM! Excited to join such enthusiastic and wonderful vendors again in May. Unlike most of their monthly markets, this one is part of a larger art crawl in the area and so if you’re in Baton Rouge or plan to be, definitely add the art crawl to your plans!

Beyond May my traveling schedule is still undecided. Most art festivals and markets require editioned prints. I’ve got a series I’m working on now with a focus on birds. Look for pre-orders in The Print Shop or in my emails (scroll down to subscribe)!

Add a Touch of Handmade to Your Holiday

Throughout the winter holidays from Thanksgiving to New Years we gather together to share meals and exchange gifts. Picking up a gift card or buying all your decorations is certainly convenient, but may leave you feeling a bit out of synch with the holiday spirit.

Most of us don’t have the time or the skills to make every decoration or an appropriate gift for everyone. But most of us have a little time and a bit of creativity. Still not quite feeling like you can pull something beyond paper snowflakes together from scratch? Try starting with the craft equivalent of a box of cake mix. Kits provide a great boost to creating something of your own for the holidays while also relieving the pressure to create every aspect on your own.

Handmade Gift Wrap

Looking to add handmade frills without using your own hands? Check out my hand stamped wrapping paper! In December you can also download and print as much hand stamp designed gift wrap as you need from Hard-Pressed Studio on Etsy.

Handmade certainly makes things feel a bit cozier and personal. Indulge in a craft day with friends or family if you have the time and resources. If crafts just isn’t an activity you can enjoy, then consider taking advantage of handmade by other hands.

 

Stickers and Banners, oh my!

The party animals print series has been made into die cut style vinyl stickers! You can pick your favorite to adorn your laptop, pelican case, or journal in person at Good Citizen in Clinton, MS or by following this link: Stickers. 

Similar to enamel pins, I enjoy using stickers to show a bit of personality. I find myself using it similarly to washi tape in my planner and journals. Personal books I can make even more personal by including a custom sticker or a promotional sticker from an organization I support. In cafes I’ve noticed that laptops seem to have replaced car bumpers to display opinions, brand associations, and fandoms. Stickers are definitely not just for kids anymore.

Banners

Enjoy personalizing your home decor or want a fun way to entertain children and decorate for the party? Check out these banner kits: Cactus and Birthday.

Each kit comes with enough pieces and colorful twine to create a handsome 12 foot banner. All the pieces are based off of hand carved linoleum block prints, which lends the finished product a folk art feel.
Use colored pencils, markers, pastels, or perhaps even paint to add your own color scheme to the cupcakes, balloons, and cacti. Perhaps add some sprinkles or spines too!

Want More?

All of the stickers and banner kits are made in the studio, so if you want stickers of a different print or something completely custom, please contact me directly at hardpressedstudio@gmail.com to discuss details.