A Pocket Full of Posies

April 26, 2015April 26, 2015 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

I’ve been working on this project for so long, it almost feels like old news now, but I’m still excited to finally share it with you!

Several weeks ago, a pair California floral shop owners got in touch about business cards. After only a few emails back and forth, I realized they were pretty much my ideal clients—quick and decisive with feedback, open to new ideas, and maybe most importantly, they seemed to truly understand and value the work that goes into letterpress printing. Plus, they were interested in incorporating my new watercolor illustration services into their cards!

We nailed down the design after just a few rounds, and I ordered plates toward the beginning of March, allowing me plenty of time to print before my recent house guests arrived. You know the quote about the best-laid plans? UPS of course “misplaced” my printing plates for 10—TEN!—days in one of their facilities, and then instead of realizing the mistake and attempting to make up for it by rushing the order the rest of the way, it spent the next several days moseying along on a truck. I had planned to have it delivered to my friends who were coming to visit, since that’s usually faster (and always a lot cheaper) than having it shipped to the island, but of course it didn’t arrive before their flight. After several hours of calling 1-800 numbers by both me and my boyfriend, Owosso (the company that makes my plates) finally stepped in and managed to have them rerouted to Bermuda by the end of the week which was lovely… except that I had to pay an additional 40% in duty and “airport fees” (whatever that is).

Lucky for me, from then on it was smooth sailing. I printed the card backs the day after receiving the plates, and let them dry for about two weeks. I was surprised by the amount of ink the all-over pattern used up, but they turned out just fine. The fronts printed even more beautifully—and then the fun began!

I hand-painted a funky flower on each card individually—at one point I had them drying all over the living room floor. As always, the cards were finished by hand-cutting them to size and sorting out the best ones to send to the client! I’m so happy with how they turned out and I can’t wait until they arrive in California to hear what Taryn and Michelle think!

Fill In the Blank

February 28, 2015February 25, 2015 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

While I’ve spent hundreds of hours over the years designing and producing custom invitation suites for weddings and parties, I realize not every event has the budget or timeline necessary for bespoke invites.

However, I believe more casual events deserve special stationery too, so I created the first several designs in a new line of fill-in invitations. Perfect for a dinner party, kids’ birthday, or casual shower, these flat letterpress invitations feature space to write in the details and are available in five designs—with more to come.

My two favorite designs (above) incorporate extra-special handmade elements. One features a hand-painted watercolor ombre background, while the other’s polka dots were carved by hand before being letterpress printed in baby blue ink. (And the latter has matching coasters available as well!)

These and more—bikes, daisies, lace—available in the shop!

Readymade Wedding Invitations

January 8, 2015January 9, 2015 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 2 Comments

As I’ve mentioned in a few past blog posts, I’ve been working on wedding invitation designs that couple can just pluck off the digital shelf, send me their event information, and—presto!—their invites arrive within a few weeks. Last year I had several couple get in touch with too little time before their nuptials, so I thought these would be the perfect solution for last minute brides.

I’ve also recently realized that for non-designers, starting to brainstorm a design from scratch is totally overwhelming. I’ve had a few designs bopping around my head for a while that haven’t quite suited any of my clients thus far—so my hope is that by having a design in front of them, couples will find the process easier.

Find all current designs here—I’ll be adding more all the time! Get in touch if you’re getting hitched!

Just Dandy

July 27, 2011 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Apparently dandelions are the thing this summer—I had two custom projects featuring my dandelion gone to seed illustration this spring. If you’re looking to get in on the trend, try clicking here, here or here!