There has been something super exciting in the works for about a month now for Row House 14. Some of you have either figured it out or may already know, but for those of you that aren't in the know-- I'm expanding Row House 14 to include letterpress greeting cards and stationery goods!
Learning how to do letterpress printing has been a dream of mine for quite some time. I've always had a love for paper and stationery, but the opportunity was never there. Letterpress printing presses are hard to come by and cost thousands of dollars. I had looked into renting press time from local printers or even attending classes so that I could learn, but that was also out of budget. In lieu of going the letterpress route, I decided to invest in my Kingsley gold foil press-- something that I could use for both paper and pencils, and it would also be compact enough to fit into my tiny 130 square foot studio space.
Meanwhile, I scoured Craigslist and real estate listings like mad, looking for an studio space that would be large enough to some day house a press. No such luck. Until, one day, while looking through listings, I happened upon a studio share opportunity with another woman who just so happened to own the exact printing press that I some day wish to own. And, she wanted to share the press and teach whomever shared her studio how to use the press. After a few back and forth emails and a studio visit, it was clear that the stars had somehow aligned perfectly and the situation was incredibly ideal for both of us.
Last week, I learned how to use the press using vintage wood type, hence the fun remake of my Holy Shit Balls card. I felt that the level of excitement surrounding this event made this card an appropriate enough candidate for my first go at printing. As I prepare for the upcoming holiday, however, I hope to include both a letterpress calendar and some greeting cards.
For now though, I want to have some fun and celebrate. My first letterpress card that you see pictured will be included for free along with any order in my shop or on Etsy. All you have to do is write Holy Shit Balls! in the message box when you check out so I know you'd like a free card, and I'll send one of these bad boys on its way! I'll keep the offer open for as long as I have cards available. In the meantime, stay tuned for some other super sweet letterpress goods coming your way in the future!