[Inspire Me] One Pattern, Two Cards

I had a brayer full of brown ink for another project, so I deiced to letterpress several brown backgrounds that I then quickly embellished.  I put them in my file box full of cards that I have ready to pull when I need something quick. 

Supplies:
L Letterpress and Epic Tools

L Letterpress Paper (A2, white)
Everyday Printing Plate Set 2(flower background)
Holiday Printing Plate Set 2 ("Thank You")
L Letterpress Ink (hot pink, brown)
Ribbon
Corner Rounder
QuicKutz Nesting Die

[Inspire Me] Blind Emboss

Here is a blind embossed "Thank You" card I made for a friend who helped me move into my new house a couple of weeks ago (remind me to never move again...I'm still exhausted).

Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
L Letterpress Ink (teal blue)
Wedding Printing Plate Set 3 ("Thank You")
Flower (not in the L line right now *wink*)

[Inspire Me] Chevron Pattern

I've been seeing chevron patterns everywhere, so we played around with the zigzag pattern from the Holiday Printing Plate Set 1 and several different ink colors to come up with these vibrant designs.  It's easier than it looks.  Scroll down for directions.

Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
Ink Brayer
Cleaning Cloths
L Letterpress Paper
Holiday Printing Plate Set 1 (zigzag/chevron pattern)
L Letterpress Ink (bright green, orange, navy, teal blue & black, orange, silver)

How To:
Here is where the clear lid and grid on the L Letterpress come in handy.  First ink the whole chevron pattern in one color and letterpress that onto your piece of paper.  While this first layer is drying, clean off your printing plate (chevron pattern) and brayer with your cleaning cloths.  Select another color and ink the whole chevron pattern again.  This time, before you close the lid of your L Letterpress, look through the top of the clear plastic lid and using the grid (or just eyeballing) shift your paper slightly up or down so that the second color does not overlap the first color.  Repeat this process with up to 4 colors.

[Inspire Me] Yellow + Blue

I love the color combination of blue and yellow.  Here I've used these ink colors to create several different projects for a variety of occasions. To create the frame around the "Thinking of You" card, I used just half of the circle border from the Celebration Printing Plate Set 2 and repeated four times. 

Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
L Letterpress Inks (Yellow, Teal Blue, Gray)
L Letterpress White Paper (A2 Flat, Mini Flat)
Everyday Printing Plate Set 5 ("just because")
Celebration Printing Plate Set 2 (circle border)
Celebration Printing Plate Set 1 (diamond border)
Everyday Printing Plate Set 2 ("thinking of you")

[Inspire Me] Baby O Shower

In November I escaped the Utah cold and headed to Florida to throw my sister a baby shower.  She and her husband hadn't decided on a name yet, and since their last name starts with an "O" we called the little guy Baby O throughout the pregnancy.  "O" was the inspiration for this circle themed baby shower.  I included a lot of details, all of which I created using the L Letterpress.

[Invitations]
I used my home printer for the shower information then letterpressed the design using printing plates that I created. 

[Food Labels]

I cut the circles using the QuicKutz nesting circle dies then letterpressed the ring patterns using red and orange letterpress inks.

[Guest Favors]

I filled small cello bags with candy, a letterpressed mustache and a little game, closing it off with a custom letterpressed tag to thank the guests for coming.  We had everyone pose in front of a piece of fabric with their letterrpessed mustaches.

 

 

For more party details and photos click here!

P.S. Baby O is now McKay!

Design Summit

We're still here...promise.  We've been incredibly busy preparing for the Altitude Summit and an upcoming product release. Michelle and I have been up to our ears in Letterpress creating samples and projects for the summit, while our other team members have been gathering all sorts of lovely things to give the L area some flavor.

If you're attending, look for us at the Lounge from 9:30-11:30. 

Here's out work station.  Yes, a complete mess.  But, that's when we get our best work done.

12 Days of Letterpress: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from L!

I found an old photo of my grandmother and her brothers, cleaned it up a bit in photoshop and attached it to an A7 cream piece of a letterpress paper. The ornaments from the Holiday set 3 remind me of the vintage old world ornaments my grandmother put on her Christmas tree.

Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
Letterpress Paper (A7 Flat)
Letterpress Ink (gold & custom purple)
Pallet Knife
Holiday Printing Plate set 3
Holiday Printing Plate set 2
Paper Placement Guides

How To:
I mixed red, blue and a bit of brown with my pallet knife to create a shade of purple that I was happy with.

12 Days of Letterpress: Reindeer Card

Here's another idea for a Christmas card to attach to a gift, give as a thank you or send with a family photo. I thought the hot pink and silver was a fun combination.




Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
Letterpress Paper (square flat, white)
Letterpress Ink (silver, hot pink)
Holiday printing plate set 3
QuicKutz die
ribbon

How To:
Letterpress the square flourish pattern from the Holiday set 2 in silver. While that is drying, cut out a shape with a QuicKutz nesting die, then letterpress the reindeer on that shape with your hot pink ink. Attach ribbon and reindeer to your square card with double sided adhesive.

12 Days of Letterpress: Thank You

Thank you cards are always handy to have on hand. It's easy to create multiples of this card. Express gratitude for a particular gift you've received, or bring it to a holiday party for the hostess.




Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
Letterpress Paper (A2 flat, white)
Letterpress Ink (silver & red)
Paper Placement Guides
Holiday printing plate set 4
Everyday printing plate set 1
Wedding printing plate set 1

How To:
First blind emboss the decorative frame from the Everyday printing plate set 1. Make sure you use your paper placements guides, as this will ensure all of your card are lined up. Next letterpress the silver tree then "Thank You" in red ink.

12 Days of Letterpress: Place Cards

I've used a combination of blind embossing and inking in golds and silvers to create this coordinated set of place cards. They are already packed in my luggage ready to take to Georiga where I'll be spending Christmas this year.



Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
Lettepress Paper (No.10 Flat OR Mini Fold)
Holiday Printing Plate Set 3
Holiday Printing Plate Set 4
Letterpress Inks (silver & gold)
QuicKutz Place Cards

How To:
For the names, you can either run the letterpress paper through your printer or hand write them. Cut out the place cards using the QK place card die. You can also use your bone folder from the Accessory Tool kit to fold a piece of paper in half.

12 Days of Letterpress: Christmas Tree

I went to Target last week to buy this mirror tree I had seen a few weeks earlier. To my chagrin, they were sold out! This has happened to me so many times, you'd think I'd learn my lesson and buy instead of hesitating.



Fast forward to last night...

I was up with insomnia (thinking about some new letterpress designs, actually), and spotted a cone shaped piece of Styrofoam I had in a box full of other craft supplies to take to my basement storage. Add a little glitter and letterpressed ornaments and voila. I bit out there, but I was happy with the result. I think it would look so pretty on a mantle piece paired with glass candlesticks and ornaments. Make the ornaments with inks in traditional reds and greens, if that matches your Christmas decor.







Supplies:
L Letterpress Tool
Holiday Printing Plate set 3
Holiday Printing Plate set 4Letterpress Paper (any size, white)
Letterpress Inks (silver, gold, teal blue)
Circle Cutting Dies (from your LP combo kit, or QK)
Paper Placement Guides
bamboo skewer
ribbon
glitter
Styrofoam tree/cone
spray adhesive

How To:
Spray a Styrofoam cone (in a well ventilated area) with spray adhesive. Cover cone with silver glitter. Cut several circles out of white letterpress paper using your circle nesting shapes and Epic die cutting tool. Use your Paper Placement Guides to keep your paper circles secure as you letterpress a variety of snowflakes (Holiday set 4) and ornaments (Holiday set 4) in silver, gold and teal blue inks. Tie several knots/bows with your choice of ribbon and secure along with your letterpressed circle ornament to the dried Styrofoam tree with straight pins. Top it all off with your "star" using a bamboo skewer.