My first textile class:

Block printing.

Block printing is not new to me, but what’s new is to cut out a shape/shapes from a cork sheet to make a printing block. The pores and roughness of cork give the printing result so much texture!

This is just a test print. Next class we’re going to learn how to dye fabrics and print from vegetables!

I can’t wait to get dirty! Textile printing is so much fun!

Finally, letterpress is no longer just something I’ve seen in shops or read in books, but something I’ve actually done!

This past Sunday, I signed up for a letterpress workshop at a local letterpress studio–Modus. From typesetting to lock-up to operating the platen press, I had the opportunity to participate in the whole process of letterpress printing. It isn’t as easy as it may seem, and it involves a lot of patience and practice.

When I was typesetting the metal types, I thought of how people has used this method to print for centuries. And then I thought the way we type with keyboard and designing layouts with InDesign…. True, today we can save lots of time and money in printing, and make everything line up perfectly and every print outs identical, but is it necessarily better? And yes, letterpress printing can be quite tedious sometimes, and the result isn’t consistent, but I think we appreciate the crafty feeling and imperfectness that automated machines can’t achieve.

When I said tedious, it really was, such as putting the fonts together and aligning them with small metal pieces; “locking-up” the type with wooden blocks (called “furniture”) and quoins (expansion devices) into a metal frame (“chase”), and making sure it’s not too loose and not too tight; and aligning artwork on the printing plate. You really need to be detail oriented and VERY patient, otherwise you might need to start all over again.

Despite all the challenges, I still managed to print out two kinds of cards – a Valentine’s Day card and a contact card – without any major “disasters.” Now I love letterpress even more!

❉ Special thanks to Manna, the owner of Modus and instructor of the workshop.

❈ 留言的人有機會拿到 Bee Mine 情人節卡喔! 數量有限, 請在 2/7 之前寄給我妳的住址: annie[at]lemonni[dot]com

This year, I didn’t buy any Christmas cards for family and friends. Instead, I made them :)

Making cards not only saves money but also brings a lot of joy!

Sorry I’ve been slacking off these days and haven’t put much effort in blogging…

But I haven’t forgotten about the “Paris, je t’aime” series that I was trying to complete. There’s still so much more that I wanna show here.

It seems that the more I blog about my trip to Paris, the more I fall in love with Paris and everything about it.

I finally found this set of stamps by Cavallini in Yaletown today. I’ve been looking for it everywhere in Vancouver and wasn’t having any luck till today. So happy that I got it! This could temporarily fulfill my longing for Paris before I revisit it again.

This is my first attempt to decorate my place for Christmas. I’m not planning to dig out our Christmas tree in the basement this year, so I gotta think about how to decorate without the tree and ornaments…

Sorry Waffles, no tree for you to hide under this year~

Making your own business cards not only can save tons, but is also lots of fun!

✱ My cards do have my phone number. I just didn’t want to show it on the web ;)

❈ Happy Birthday, Debby ❈

Making your own stamps is tons of fun!!

Bought a Sukie Iron-ons by Chronicle Books a while ago. The results aren’t as great as I thought, but I still like the organic look of it. It’s not perfect, but I printed the T-shirt myself!

前陣子去了 One of a Kind Show & Sale 的 sneak peak event, 只有收到 email 邀請函的媒體才能去。就是收到這樣的 email, 雖然不是署名我, 還是很厚臉皮地給它去了 (還更厚臉皮地順便幫 Poan reserve!!! 最害羞的竟然是在那裡碰到副編!!!!!!!)

這 event 是在 Gastown 的 Salt Tasting Room 地窖舉辦, 老實說我有點小失望, 因為只有幾個 designers/artists 的作品拿去展, 果真是掉人家胃口! 不過, 在那裡有 wine 喝又有 tapas 吃, 離開前還有大家都愛的 swag bag (如圖: 環保袋 + crackers + 有機乳液 & 護唇膏)!! 整個就是好害羞~~

喔對了, One of a Kind Show & Sale 是聚集加拿大和世界各地的設計師與手工藝術家作品的展覽會, 雖然沒去過, 但是應該就像是市集吧!! 從 Toronto 開始的 One of a Kind Show 今年在 Vancouver 只是第二屆…唉~次數能頻繁一點就好了。

＊ 活動詳情請按這: http://oneofakindvancouver.com/

先在 10 月份的行事曆上作記號唷~!

✱Lemonni Craft Shop – Opening Soon!