new and improved studio!
August 19, 2010 | no comments
Exciting things are happening around here! Up until now, Cleanwash has operated in a mini 400 square foot space (and an office). Now our square footage is doubling (plus some) and I am looking forward to to be able to walk without tripping.
A wall has been torn down, paint is going up, and I can’t wait to show you the place when its finished!
neither rain, nor snow, in rochester
August 2, 2010 | 1 comment
This past Saturday friends Rachel and Michael were married in Rochester, New York. The very talented Rachel designed these invitations and employed the equally talented and steady handed Mara, of Neither Snow calligraphy to add a little (or a lot! of) something to the design.
The couple went with the standard A7 invitation, A2 double sided postcard, and a 4bar celebration card. All of the pieces were printed in black and silver on coaster board.
A big congratulations to the Paolucci’s!! I heard that the wedding was an incredibly happy and beautiful one (no surprises there). Can’t wait to see the photos!
Check out Oh So Beautiful Paper for a feature of Mara’s work, including a few images of these invites!
a little goes a long way
July 23, 2010 | 2 comments
In case you didn’t know, letterpress printing is a lot different than digital or offset. The more colors you use, the more expensive the job will be (each color requires its own plate and a separate run through the press). Here are a few recent 1 color projects that show you don’t need to fork over a fortune to get beautiful letterpress printed pieces.
Wedding invitations designed by the groom, Zac Brooks.
Simple stationery designed for a friend.
Thank you cards designed by Tracy of MadCow Designs.
the woodcrest project pt. 2
July 7, 2010 | no comments
Remember these?
A while back Richard came to me with these gorgeous magnesium blocks that he found in the basement of his new home depicting the very home he lives in. We started by creating a few coasters with the smallest plate, but I soon realized that the plates were too damaged to get consistent prints from.
Warped wood and metal:
I made a print of each plate, scanned the image into my computer, and cleaned it up; getting rid of the damaged areas and making it look like new again. Then the stationery was printed…
#10 envelopes and letterheads:
A6 envelopes and matching flat cards:
And, of course, the wonderful map:
What a difference photopolymer makes. Next up, wedding invitations from the same plates!!
a family affair: part paper
June 25, 2010 | 2 comments
This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending (as a bridesmaid) the wedding of this beautiful couple:
Mary (the bride) just happens to be my cousin- and these are the invites we came up with for their special day:
2 color invitation on 110# Lettra:
This double sided rsvp postcard was printed on a coaster stock to give it a bit of extra weight for mailing:
2 color reception card printed on 110# Lettra:
My sister Maureen makes up half of the dynamic duo Domestic Construction, who were responsible for all of the decorations. Here’s a little peak of some of them going up (that ladder was HIGH!):
Every bit of this wedding was thought out and personalized by a family member or friend of the bride and groom. We had the chance to spend a week together getting everything ready; how rare that is in our adult lives, how perfect it made this day.
I’ll spare you my poorly lit shots (or those borrowed from Facebook); stay tuned for a family affair: part decor (and photos from the professionals)!
stella artois (bennett baker)
June 14, 2010 | 4 comments
I am sure that most of you who are old enough have heard of Stella Artois (warning: must be 21 to enter their site!) and are at least somewhat familiar with their logo:
Now look at this version:
Just one month ago, Terry (one of the very talented designers of Curious & Company) and her husband Josh welcomed their first child into the world: Stella Bennett Baker. As I mentioned in the post about her shower invites and thank you notes, Terry is not a fan of pink. It isn’t in her to design anything that isn’t smart and fun (and awesome). This announcement is no exception.
Elated and exhausted:
Baby proofed with the addition of a rattle and pacifier:
It just couldn’t be any more perfect.
Most of us go through that awkward stage where we find everything our parents do embarrassing or annoying (I certainly did). Hopefully Stella will move right on past that phase… In case she doesn’t, I’ll have a stack of these in reserve to show her that her parents are much cooler than she ever knew.
Terry and I have gotten to know each other over the past couple years and I quickly considered her a great friend. I am looking forward to our friendship in the years to come, and to watching this beautiful baby of hers (and Josh’s!) grow up.
wedding sneak peak
May 17, 2010 | no comments
Here is a sneak peak of a 2 color wedding suite I recently finished up… I cannot wait to show you the full set and all that is to come for this Cleveland June wedding. Domestic Construction will be doing the decorating for the reception; prepare yourself. And don’t forget to check out their new website!
one postcard to rule them all
May 13, 2010 | 2 comments
I cranked out a few promotional postcards this past week. They were printed 4/1 (four color front, one color back) on medium weight coaster stock and then die cut to 4″x6″ with rounded corners. Really happy with how they turned out!
Let me know if you’d like one!
show me what you’re working with pt. 2
May 5, 2010 | no comments
Danni over at oh, hello friend dedicated an entire week of blogging to letterpress printers and studios. She was nice enough to do a little write up about Cleanwash Letterpress. My plan was to wait until my studio was spotless and organized to take and post photos. Then letterpress week came up, and I stopped kidding myself. Here it is, as clean as it gets…
My 1913 12×18 Chandler & Price (we were both born in Cleveland, OH):
I cannot even begin to express what a challenge this speed control was in the beginning (luckily I worked with an amazing electrician):
The perfectly colored challenge paper cutter:
Lifesaver of a platemaker:
Imposing stone/galley/ furniture cabinet (I am convinced that this is the most beautiful one ever made):
My giant work table and fabric covered corner:
got your mood on?
April 22, 2010 | 2 comments
A few months ago I was approached by a client to design Bar Mitzvah invitations for her son. She was looking for a bold text and color with a bit of a weathered “rock and roll” look. This is what we came up with: a 2 color invitation, rsvp postcard, and thank you note, complete with a custom envelope liner. No small task, but it was a fun one!
{ street address removed for privacy }
