Oh good press.

You look so fancy in letterpress.

Rodrigo y Gabriela came to Charlottesville this week, and it was a good time all around.

Loved the camera style they used for the big screen shots.

save the date.

After a longstanding family tradition came to an end (Grandma had meticulously calligraphed the invitations for all the women of the family but retired due to arthritis), Addie took it upon herself to recreate the tradition.

Love the result.

happy customer.

OMG...received the invites at work this afternoon and I was BLOWN AWAY! They are soooo beautiful! They turned out just like I imagined!!! The detail in the crowns is freakin' ah-mazing, btw. You & your dads got skillz :) I loved the presentation of everything, too! You have a great attention to detail which will serve you well in your endeavors as a printer!

Thank you, thank you, thank you :)

Amy 

I die.

I am OBSESSED with this cover.  

How fabulous would it be to translate it into an invitation?

A classic block font pressed into thick, luxurious white paper 

with black lace wrapped around.

Yes, please.  

how to print an invitation

Over the summer, good press bought its very only Kluge Automatic Platen Letterpress.  Woohoo!

Last week, we printed our very first job. 

Here's how to go from zero to invitation in five easy steps.

step one: set up your plate (the yellow and red thing) in the chase (the big metal frame).

pantone color selection.

step two: mix your ink.  yes, by hand.

step 2A: keep mixing ink until you get desired pantone color. yup, you're still mixing by hand.

step three: ink the press.

note: a little goes a long way.  the above is actually too much.  lesson learned.

step four: set the chase (metal frame) in the press.

step five: fire up the press and here you go!

step 5A: check your progress as you go.

and voila!

your very own letterpress invitation.  

wish you were here

Yesterday I went on a little field trip.  During my travels, I stumbled upon the best unused vintage postcard stash at an estate store and snatched up a bunch to sell at good press.  The mix is random and includes highlighted locales both near and far.  Some of my favorites include this shot of the Sheraton Hotel in Military Circle and the Japanese Exhibition House at the Museum of Modern Art from 1954.