Tag: Hard-Pressed Studio

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?

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.