Tinder Love Stories

I love the small glimpses my work gives me into my customers’ lives—whether they’re the guy who opened an etsy account just to buy a handmade “I’m sorry” card, stocking up on congratulations cards because this is the summer all their friends are getting married, or creating custom invitations for one of the biggest days of their lives, every order reminds me of the small acts of kindness that are so prevalent, yet often overlooked, in this world.

tinder_7905My “So glad you swiped right” cards have definitely yielded the best stories. Recently I had the most moving order from a man in Brazil, who asked if I could write his message (which was in Portuguese) in the card and send it halfway around the world. Naturally I obliged… and then snooped to see what he had written (thank you Google Translate!). Turns out, I had just transcribed one of the sweetest love notes I’ve ever read!

Another customer shared the way she and her boyfriend met after purchasing the card. In her own words:
“Robert and I met on Tinder almost 2 years ago! I had been on Tinder for a couple of months before matching with him, and had never actually had anything come out of it besides a few almost date-worthy conversations. When we matched, I almost didn’t believe he was real because of how inconsistent his pictures were (some with a beard, some with a mustache, short hair, long hair, etc.)…but decided to still swipe right, because what are the odds I was actually going to date one of these people?

“After a day of talking, I immediately realized he was different than any of the other guys I was talking to, mainly because he didn’t ask me right away to get drinks or meet up. So, about a week after we started talking, I took a risk asked him out on a date! I wanted to meet at a super public space for our first date because I was terrified to meet someone off the internet, let alone Tinder (hello catfish!), so we met at a bar in Chicago for dinner. After a 6 hour dinner, we finally decided our first date should end…only to have our second date the next day. Two years and endless amounts of dates later, we both couldn’t be happier that we made the somewhat shallow decision to be on Tinder way back when :)”

And here’s a photo of the couple because they’re adorable. Share your Tinder love story below!

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Letterpress Card Sale!

You guys, I’m so excited. I finally took the plunge and switched from the magnesium and wood plates I’ve used for years to photopolymer plates from one of the biggest producers in the U.S. I say “finally” because it’s been a long time coming—not only have the quality and customer service declined at my old platemaker, but I’m looking forward to better print quality and registration as well with this new system. For a few years now, I’ve watched what other printers can do with photopolymer with amazement, and I’m so excited to be part of the club! And the icing on the cake? Shipping and production costs are a bit less, so I won’t have to raise my prices again right away this year. Win-win-win!

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I created a handful of new designs to learn the new system with, and I’m planning for a big order of new work this summer, so to make room for all these new designs, I’m trying to clear out a few older ones. I’ve moved a ton of merchandise to the SALE SECTION in my shop, so make sure to go check it out! I won’t be reprinting any of those designs soon, so if there’s one you love, make sure to stock up!

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New Retailer: The Waxwing

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I’m super excited to announce 622 Press goods are now available at The Waxwing in Milwaukee! I’ve been wanting to get into MKE for years now, but hadn’t found the right fit—until now! The Waxwing is just my style: an eclectic mix of local and international artists and makers curated into a one-stop shop for any occasion, including when you just need to treat yourself!

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Owner Steph carries art and paper goods as well as clothing, housewares and more! She’s carrying my wood type “hello” cards in exclusive colors, along with a few of my favorite designs for any occasion! Stop by E. North Avenue to see them all!hello_multi_1563

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Save the Date: Abi & Spencer’s Art Nouveau Wedding

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Just before the holidays, I finished up a save the date card for the boyfriend’s sister. Abi and her fiancé are planning an Art Nouveau themed soirée this fall and wanted their invitation suite to give guests a peek at what’s to come.

Once I saw Abi’s Pinterest board—full of soft candlelight, sparkling chandeliers, swirling illustrations and hues of cobalt and gold, I knew I had to use this amazing shimmery paper I had experimented with a few weeks prior. I love that while it definitely reads gold, the paper is actually more of a champagne hue, free of the brassy or yellow hues that can make gold look cheap.

I created a two-color design inspired by motifs of the era: vaguely nature-inspired, but stylized into pure decoration. The white ink I used to print it plays beautifully off the iridescent paper.

I struggled quite a lot with the typefaces for this project, primarily because I don’t particularly like fonts from this era. I offered several more modern options that fit with with the design motif, but in the end, Abi and Spencer preferred typography that was historically accurate, and I was able to find several typefaces that I liked and worked well together!

I’m so pleased with how the save the dates turned out and can’t wait to get started on their invites, stay tuned!

Limited edition watercolor & letterpress prints

Lately I’ve been feeling artsy with a capital A. I think it’s a reaction to the heavy production cycle I just finished, but I’ve had the urge to get my hands dirty for a few weeks now.

I’ve also been experimenting with creating limited edition prints with some of the new printing plates I created for the new collection (catch it here if you haven’t seen it yet!). I had sketched out the overall design of each print, I just couldn’t seem to find the right color combination to make them jive. I actually printed a few in silver and a few in gold, but didn’t love them… and then I had the idea to keep the ink neutral (black and white) and use bright watercolor washes for the backgrounds!

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The white ink ended up being a little more transparent than I expected, but I still really love the results. And I love how each one is absolutely unique—the cross between painting and print really speaks to me right now. quotes_5501

I printed 14 of each design and they’re available as a set of three in the shop—enjoy!