Limited edition watercolor & letterpress prints

February 23, 2015February 23, 2015 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 4 Comments

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!

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.

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

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!

Radiant Orchid

November 3, 2014November 3, 2014 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 2 Comments

Last week I had my annual order from long-time client Jen, who stocks up on monogram stationery every year around this time. I’m honored that she likes my work enough to re-order time and time again, and dazzled that she writes so many cards throughout the year!

As you know, it takes quite a bit of time to set up and then clean up the press, so I usually try to print several designs per color. I started some new holiday cards (stay tuned!) and knocked out a few designs from the running list I keep of future ideas. My favorite? An old-timey saying appropriate for myriad occasions paired with my sweet little bee illustration. Like it too? Get it here!

beesknees_4427

Who runs this place, anyway?

January 15, 2009 ~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

Ahhhh I know, I’ve failed you again. I promise I’ll be back next week, but in the mean time here’s a sneak peak at what I’ve been working on:

newcollection That, my friends, is only part of a brand new collection of stationery from 622 press. A few pieces are up in my etsy shop — more to come.