tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19310029551567954792024-03-06T01:04:43.403-08:00Ladies of Letterpressdedicated to the proposition that a woman's place is in the print shopThomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-6921637143806672722010-10-27T17:53:00.001-07:002012-05-06T17:54:19.136-07:00Hey--we're over here!Looking for Ladies of Letterpress? We're over here, at ladiesofletterpress.ning.com. We have over 1500 members, and are growing every day. So much so, that we're having a conference too: Letterpressconference.com. Come on over and visit!Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-48982035434929037712010-04-19T19:23:00.000-07:002010-04-19T19:24:41.275-07:00Ladies of Letterpress Scholarship<div style="text-align: left;">Because we care about preserving the craft of letterpress printing, Ladies of Letterpress has created a <span class="il">scholarship</span> fund to help defray costs for members interested in taking classes, working in internships/apprenticeships, go to conferences, or other educational activities related to letterpress. Through this <span class="il">scholarship</span>, we want to assist members as they continually grow, learn, and educate others about letterpress printing.<br /><br />Submission Guidelines:<br /><br />- We only accept submissions from current members of Ladies of Letterpress.<br /><br />- The class/educational opportunity must already be scheduled (we can’t make assumptions about possible future events).<br /><br />- The class/educational opportunity must be related to letterpress printing, or running a letterpress printing business.<br /><br />- Please share your experience with us! The <span class="il">scholarship</span> recipient must report back after completion of the class/educational opportunity with descriptions and photos of the experience, posted on the Ladies of Letterpress site.<br /><br />- The <span class="il">scholarship</span> is for $300. If the entire amount isn’t needed, remaining $ will go to a 2nd recipient.<br /><br />- The <span class="il">scholarship</span> recipient will be reimbursed after the expenses have been paid. Please keep a receipt and send us a copy.<br /><br /><br />Please answer the following questions:<br /><br />- Tell us the title, teacher, place and date of the class you want to take (or describe the apprenticeship/internship opportunity):<br /><br />- What is the cost? (tell us if it’s for tuition, housing, travel, etc.)<br /><br />- How will this class help you with printing or with your printing business? (please describe in 300 words or less).<br /><br /><br />Send your responses as a pdf file to <a href="mailto:jessica.c.white@gmail.com" target="_blank">jessica.c.white@gmail.com</a> by May 15, 2010.<br />Winner(s) will be announced June 1, 2010.<br /><br />Feel free to pass this info along to friends, colleagues, schools and community print shops! <br /></div>Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-54713789262027830042009-07-10T08:44:00.001-07:002009-07-10T08:44:31.566-07:00Printing--A KissI leave you some very warm printing thoughts this weekend--the below was posted by Fritz of NA Graphics on his excellent <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53177163@N00/" target="_blank">photostream</a>. No matter where you come down on the kiss vs. punch debate, reading the way printers used to be (and still are) transported by their work is really refreshing. Check it out, and have a nice weekend!<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/AAP28itQoNUKa4uKTpHJGToYHvQj-M*lJL21gmXV8UugxtZJUyv*xxhOOtBSAjw7CxdVWv1xpgFFg3Uw1EZgaGRXLmRF5GIw/PrintingAKiss.jpg" alt="" width="738" height="1024" /></p>Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-44930229428533915842009-06-30T11:29:00.000-07:002009-06-30T11:31:06.458-07:00Lettra in small quantitiesVia the <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="https://listserv.unb.ca/cgi-bin/wa?A0=LETPRESS&X=0FBD8D4B58C66D59AE&Y=kseniya.thomas%40gmail.com" target="_blank">Letpress Listserv</a>, Legion Paper is now offering Lettra in 25 (rather than 50 or 100) sheet increments, with no minimum order--envelopes too!<br /><br />http://www.legionpaper.com/buylettra.aspThomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-48420961487432660062009-06-10T14:12:00.001-07:002009-06-10T14:12:51.983-07:0020x200<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/nO6CzcHXrrn-ABWGySvBk4j5tbgYBpNtQXWARlLMIuJ-f2EsmNe2sqEaMRHsC9IzvEw0yRGfFF9FDfUWvx9uh54e6jMYnkxJ/Picture1.png" alt="" width="283" height="485" /></br><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Art by <a href="http://www.20x200.com/art/2009/04/vogue-jul07pg145-ripeness-is-all.html">Lauren DiCioccio</a></span><br /><br />20x200 offers art at affordable prices, in limited quantities. Twice each week, new editions of photos, prints, or drawings are introduced, starting at $20 for the edition of 200. As it says on the <a href="http://www.20x200.com/our-story/">site</a>:<br /><br />(limited editions x low prices) + the internet = art for everyone<br /><br />There is a serious lack of letterpress on the site, so if you're up for it (you can also make digital prints of letterpress-printed work, and save the actual letterpress for the more expensive editions), you can read submission guidelines <a href="http://www.20x200.com//artistsubmissions.html">here</a>.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-80109302323775932362009-06-10T14:00:00.000-07:002009-06-10T14:01:32.427-07:00The Recession's Hidden Victims<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/PBcfVmR*hIjznHrDupH9L2z25rtErb*NvGeizpb7FrjdPwK5j7yV*d-K91nbpn8HwF5AA1CzTqOx4lZQ74cIKcFrSkLbSaJN/Picture1.png" alt="" width="314" height="320" /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Picture via <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/magazine/07unemployed-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine">The New York Times</a></span><br /><br />The New York Times had an interesting <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/magazine/07unemployed-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine">article</a> in its Sunday Magazine last week called "The Self-Employed Depression"--needless to say, I thought, "That's me!" (Self-employed, though not depressed). It's a great article about those self-employed people who, because of how unemployment numbers are tallied, are often left out of poverty and unemployment calculations even as they struggle to make ends meet and how this "downturn" is affecting them. The article focuses on Lisa Feuer (shown above), a freelance yoga teacher in NYC who has seen her gigs steadily decline over the last year, to the point where she's had to apply for food stamps. We're not exactly in the same boat as letterpress printers, but our product, like yoga classes, could be considered something to buy chiefly when times are good. I haven't seen a big decline in orders from last year, but I do feel a little on edge, in case the bottom really hasn't fallen out of the economy yet.</p>Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-27215673097233487432009-05-29T09:22:00.000-07:002009-05-29T09:23:16.970-07:00Cool Blog Alert: FPO<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/pJrdXAEXBBTZH8Q1wkJhbFvGJeJtXrGsRYSLxIsUmQms*cSiZs7Qz-9XUzD1tMgjqBsUAODadmxmWyYrAs-EwnKw2DegVlns/Picture1.png" alt="" width="536" height="224" /></p><br /><br />FPO is For Print only, a blog by <a href="http://www.underconsideration.com/uc/founders/">Bryony Gomez-Palacio and Armin Vit</a> "dedicated to both the visual stimulus and the detailing of the development and production of printed matter: Annual reports, books, business cards, stationery suites, collateral materials, posters, packaging and anything else where ink meets substrate (<a href="http://www.underconsideration.com/fpo/about-fpo.php">source</a>)." They are also friends and featurers of letterpress--cf today's example, printed by the Cranky Pressman for Jennifer Blanco:<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/pJrdXAEXBBRHPZ4A4KteqHgMRKefEJEbkEYK2-gfGfraln88UW98N22iWRaY9MhirAW4gK8RN*aHYZ8CcnVuTgasJpmOb8Ub/Picture2.png" alt="" width="491" height="213" /></p><br /><br />They accept submissions of recent work, and each posting contains useful info about stock used, production time, and cost (curious about how you all would have priced out the Blanco job!). Essentially, the stuff I used to buy <a href="http://www.howdesign.com/GeneralMenu/">How</a> for.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-88648286409149817812009-05-27T13:17:00.001-07:002009-05-27T13:17:48.254-07:00The Recovery Act Wants YOUIf the economy is stressing both you and your business out, the Small Business Administration may want to give you free money. From the SBA's site:<br /><br /><blockquote>SBA’s America’s Recovery Capital Loan Program can provide up to $35,000 in short-term relief for viable small businesses facing immediate financial hardship to help ride out the current uncertain economic times and return to profitability.</blockquote><br />Some loans are interest free--this program runs till 2010. Get more details <a href="http://www.sba.gov/recovery/arcloanprogram/REC_WHATISARCLOAN.html">here</a>.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-9678689104947442402009-05-27T13:06:00.001-07:002009-05-27T13:06:57.043-07:00Love your MachinistI finally took the new press for a trial run this afternoon--it's new, of course, only in that it's new to me, though it's been sitting in its spot for a year while I got all the parts together. Here is the as-yet-unnamed press (sorry in advance for the low-res photos!):<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/dBaSFAINyzO16TtalMZx9yYqsEdAWLjzA-32rUcljw-d3Mc3Y11BFI9G38zZxLALIDpMjKpmaEssYXFXrCfIUYii-87kE9Hn/Photo0402.jpg" alt="" width="540" height="380" /></p><br /><br />It runs great, as it turns out, and had only ever had one owner. The hardest parts to find were not new rollers or other letterpress-era bits, but the modern stuff I needed to make it run. I found a motor on eBay, a belt on eBay, but the pulley eluded me. Then I thought: if you can't beat 'em, call the machinist and have one made. As we know, usually when something on the c+p breaks, heaven forfend, it's curtains for that press. The chase hook on my 12x18 broke at some point in the past, and my dad's machinist friend made me an aluminum beauty:<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/dBaSFAINyzOi25zvG5eNQN-ou001RaqQycCIpZaNywy-IcjmK5qZE0EJpE9IlkOic3uwjrrpbhg*1hK3gS3bbeyYc95OH3qo/IMG_0293copy.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="270" /></p><br /><br />(needless to say, it doesn't look near that blindingly shiny anymore.)<br /><br />So, I took the old, steel and leather pulley I had<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/dBaSFAINyzMrFhEhNBYwmpCh6oaW3vygn6srNB3uzh1*owobc2D152ukXsFK15aHNQz9hJCpmZbl8jTDltv0*r7IbNcwrXUu/Photo04022.jpg" alt="" width="440" height="280" /></p><br /><br />to the local machine shop, and they measured it in and out, and made the perfect thing out of aluminum:<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/dBaSFAINyzN03Hnje3xaDSJkfzufODHshJhtqj9EDZV-YhS0DcGcWhFCj2dfIPRUsCICmLssbLY-3VdIOtRLaK9hXWseg-cH/Photo04021.jpg" alt="" width="440" height="280" /></p><br /><br />They even made a crown in the middle so that the belt gravitates toward the center. It cost about $115, but was just what I needed. I'm about to put some tape on it to make it a little more grippy, so I wanted to show it to you all before it became another hard-working shop part. If you want to see more pictures of the motor setup or hookup, just let me know.<br /><br />Share your problem-solving stories in the comments below!Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-80487356085417418322009-05-21T08:57:00.001-07:002009-05-21T08:57:34.279-07:00Wacky Weddings? Promo Opportunity!This came through the grapevine yesterday:<br /><br /><blockquote>Newsweek is looking for a few fun brides who are loosening up the reins of tradition…wearing gowns that are sexier, hosting epic, just-like-the-boys bachelorette parties and booking boudoir shoots as gifts for their hubbies. If you know of any, the editor would love to chat with you!</blockquote><br /><br />If you're working with any clients who you suspect would be a good fit, send me an email or message and I'll forward along the editor's contact info.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-84874411833329286852009-05-11T12:59:00.001-07:002009-05-11T12:59:52.596-07:00Fleuron Sale at P22<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/WEF1UOy5dPx8vjvp2uEBtgdf13NLIrG-IHKzD0hHb8lpTdX6bLzXdA-CZYSwl1qRRd6PuOLIrXfZBvt7KiGVxFKSK0mrdHRv/Picture4.png" alt="" width="230" height="374" /></p><br /><br />Time to clean out the stock art file and make room for some fresh fleurons! P22 is having an excellent sale on Lanston fleurons, to commemorate the birth of typographer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Rogers_(typographer)">Bruce Rogers</a>. Get yours from the P22 website <a href="http://p22.com/products/monthly.html">here</a>.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-58550480063630735772009-05-11T12:49:00.000-07:002009-05-11T12:52:39.551-07:00Ah, weddingsI'm sorry for the lag in new stuff to read from me--we are still wading through Wedding River, sometimes upstream! Speaking of which, did you hear about this?<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/WEF1UOy5dPwYEKdMC1aTuLNoqQIBfd9dkekjnViHoPo*kEYIhr1YBgQvN6--1*jyYBPm9cEfGJkAKA5j6EDK1ziPa2XDd*jG/Picture3.png" alt="" height="295" width="340" /></p><br /><br /><blockquote>The Berkshire Eagle reports that Martha Stewart has partnered with Crane's for a new line of social stationery products, starting with wedding stationery.<br /><br /> Megan Kuntze, Crane's brand director, said last week's layoffs and wage cuts were done to keep the company profitable through 2009. Although the new line of wedding stationery will be released this spring, Crane isn't expected to experience the benefits of the partnership until the first quarter of 2010.<br /><br /> "A particular launch like this is going to be a very slow build to a successful business," Kuntze said. "It's not going to be overnight. There's a lot of moving parts and pieces to make this successful. It will only really begin to see the light of day in the first quarter of next year. In order to save 2009, it was imperative to make the difficult decision that we made.<br /><br /> "Could this turn things around?" she said. "It could be positive in making things go the other way."<br /><br /> The new stationery line will be available through Crane stationers that are equipped with the company's new "personalized design studio," which is a new ordering system, Kuntze said.<br /><br />The article says Martha Stewart was once featured in a Crane stationery advertising campaign during her modeling days in the 1960s and 1970s. There are some Martha Stewart wedding invitations that show up in Crane.com's database already. You can see Martha Stewart's Pearlized Striae Letterpressed Invitations (pictured above) here on Crane's website.</blockquote><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Via <a href="http://www.shoppingblog.com/cgi-bin/sblog.pl?sblog=3310923">shoppingblog</a></span><br /><br />What do you all think of this development in letterpress mass-production?Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-69589140835901720942009-04-30T10:30:00.001-07:002009-04-30T10:30:34.142-07:00Pretty things made from paper by PapermodeMaybe you inherited your love of paper from your mother? Maybe your mother is from France? If so, and regardless, maybe you'll like these<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/4NEXKwzuDgZTbao-rfRvy4rgt*s-EcG16yfzW2Fe-OMckbMc4BKT-k34zI*FUgt5CAMwKux6IcSOFpWevW3XBMO-7uEEVZlf/Picture2.png" alt="" width="351" height="424" /></p><br /><br />from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5558985">Papermode</a> in Paris, via Etsy.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-9823964605836800042009-04-30T10:24:00.000-07:002009-04-30T10:25:05.298-07:00On Soy InksThe debate over soy vs. oil. vs. rubber (and vs. acrylic, don't forget) rages on: last week the discussion about the pros and cons of each variety was being hotly debated on the Photopolymer Listserv, where an astute member referred us to this great post from the Spark Stationery blog. You can read the full post <a href="http://sparkstationery.blogspot.com/2008/10/ink-soy-vs-oil-vs-rubber.html">here</a>, but here are the highlights, quoted directly from their post:<br /><br /> <blockquote> * When we looked into the actual composition of various inks, it turns out that soy inks are not vastly different. If not soy oil, most oil-based inks use linseed oil, which has been used for centuries in oil paint, etc. It also is plant based, and time proven. The breakdown of the ink is something like 20-30% oils (of either kind), 10-20% pigments, around 40% resins, and some other things such as drier or varnish.<br /> * In the very small quantities we use, there is no significant difference in VOCs emitted, or other environmental standards. Soy ink shows these advantages in large print runs such as newspapers, national mailings, and so forth.<br /> * The soy ink that is readily available to us is sort of “soupy,” and requires adding modifiers to reach the desired stiffness. Thinner inks make the printing appear sloppy as they “squeeze out” under impression.<br /> * The drive for soy inks came from a marketing council of soybean growers. When a printer of our size proclaims their use of soy ink, we wonder if it is more of a marketing tool than a concrete environmental difference. If the soy oil replaced volatile solvents like toluene or benzene it would be a clear advantage, but linseed has worked well for ages and has no ill effects that we know of.<br /> * We mix all of our inks by hand so even though we are a commercial letterpress shop we only have a can or maybe two of just the pantone mixing inks instead of buying a new can of a single PMS each time someone orders a new color. Common print jobs typically use a small amount of ink – about the size of a quarter. This helps us to be better to the environment instead of having a bunch of ink that might not ever get used sitting around.<br /> * We've also decided to start making the switch to rubber-based inks because of their anti-skimming properties. This keeps more of the ink more usable over time.</blockquote>Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-85865089183140325122009-04-28T07:42:00.001-07:002009-04-28T07:42:54.591-07:00Pantone equivalents for Waste-Not/Paper-SourceThis from Cynthia over at Waste-Not Paper, regarding their suggested PMS equivalents for their stocks:<br /><br />Chartreuse - PMS 610U<br />Chocolate - PMS 476U<br />Grape - PMS 273U<br />Lake - PMS 7459U<br />Moss - PMS 582U<br />Papaya - PMS 171U<br />Plum - PMS 523U<br />Pool - PMS 7464U<br />Poppy - PMS 150U<br />Red - PMS 200U<br />Strawberry - PMS 191UThomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-82684859646444879942009-04-20T13:59:00.000-07:002009-04-20T14:00:41.103-07:00The 3/50 Project<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/y5t7vNTW-947WhgJkg7ZLtageUPV9me1OdUj0vHfk919WAiT94aDVsv5Y0iBsYkARuUyKesFYNIQ28sbVKh9cgu*1TymsrLG/Picture3.png" alt="" width="419" height="646" /></p><br /><br /><a href="http://www.the350project.net/home.html"><br />The 3/50 Project</a> is an initiative to help save small businesses. Like yours! Like mine! Not unlike the popular <a href="http://www.buyhandmade.org/">Buy Handmade</a> pledge, 3/50 asks those who sign up--both businesses and individuals--to pick three local, independent retailers, and try to spend $50 there each month. $150 is not chump change, exactly, but the point is to be conscious of where you money goes and try to frequent your local businesses over chains--even over the Internet.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-6987293641937279192009-04-11T11:21:00.001-07:002009-04-11T11:21:53.471-07:00EM space - a new letterpress/book arts center in Portland, Oregon<a href="http://www.em-space.org/">EM Space Book Arts Center</a> is a new printing and book arts resource in Portland, Oregon, and we're getting ready to move into a new, 2400 sq ft space! Come celebrate with us. We are hosting an open house and membership show for all. We welcome book and print lovers to tour the new space, talk to current members, ask questions and see their work. There will be food provided by Salt, Fire and Time, as well as amazing raffle prizes from local restaurants, wineries, artists and more! And, of course, there will be drinks.<br /><br />NOTE: EM Space is now accepting applications for new Studio Members (read below for more details). The deadline for applications is April 18th (the night of the party!) To receive an application, please email info@em-space.org. Applications will be reviewed and notice of acceptance will be given no later than May 1st. We look forward to getting new applications and meeting members at the party!<br /><br />There are many different ways to get involved, even if you live outside of Portland - please contact us for future teaching and gallery opportunities.<br /><br />Please share this with anyone who may want to get involved. Thanks!!<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/H84Ep7zKL-pMiLq3y8e*7vtQftDKa5gqjpd1fKeTa6A9nHdafRQAqM6W5BUnsvouHinUZ2VscA7oaMcNQakoLr5yScH*QhbG/em_space_back.jpg" alt="" height="550" width="850" /></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><img style="width: 756px; height: 489px;" src="http://api.ning.com/files/H84Ep7zKL-qcF0xwCYHO9p2wCSPh1DWGkYNd4SFwLYmaIoqofTFXJbtokZvf1orJ0ROn-xHWwz1MsNVm3G6NgiVGWCyIRPER/em_space_front.jpg" alt="" /></p>Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-20071099377698779122009-04-07T19:06:00.001-07:002009-04-07T19:07:19.937-07:00I would like to talk to you about tapeTape is maybe the most important office supply in my printing office. I'm sure I don't have to count the reasons. Because I have some on just about every surface, as well as in the crevices of my presses and stuck to my shoes, I think about it a lot. I buy the industrial strength clear packing tape, and was happy in the knowledge that it probably stayed stuck until the package arrived at its destination. Until I turned around yesterday and saw a perfectly nice tape stripe peeling up on the edges of a very important package. That situation will not stand! So, I decided to get serious about serious tape.<br /><br />I already knew the perfect tape dispenser, but I didn't read about it in Tape Quarterly. I heard about this machine in the New Yorker's cartoon issue of 2007, where cartoonist R. Crumb told the tale of his and his wife's journey to the manufacturer of the golden fleece of tape dispensers. In this panel, Aline, Crumb's wife, sits in awe as the president introduces his 90-year old company:<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/8zPkFb8syELxY5H7IR8cbd9o6W95UTsF48L3plOWshQdWbgsfy12-Pvc8d*3HqDBDXQGyRo3vyTR8Uo7bzy-XPl--GyjiL5f/Crumb.jpg" alt="" height="553" width="445" /></span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://mleddy.blogspot.com/2007/11/better-packages-inc.html">Source</a></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.betterpackages.com/">Better Packages, Inc</a>. makes water-activated tape dispensers: durable, heavy, and, for someone used to scooping up bargain-basement machinery, sometimes out of basements, a bit of an investment. <a href="http://www.betterpackages.com/products/dispensers/manual/bp333plus.shtml">Manual BP 333 Plus</a> is my favorite, and looks like a tape dispenser one's grandkids could inherit, it's so durable:<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/8zPkFb8syEKcPOOMpSGwB*sl4lEUMMpMlA8CzD8E3QAhU6oeDhGApkl9g2HUV92OLT5Ui*cjcNi*2Hlgb9QTypmr6aPUylW3/Picture2.png" alt="" height="244" width="354" /></p><br /><br /><a href="http://www.uline.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?model=H-565">Uline</a> has them, of course, and you can even get a free case of reinforced tape if you buy a heater. Ebay has a few of the more expensive models, as well as some fabulous Deco scotch tape dispensers--maybe I should retrofit all my machines to pre-1920 models! I can't play the will-it-stick roulette forever, though, so one of these days . . . Better Packages will hear from me.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-73980255683968712472009-04-03T12:05:00.001-07:002009-04-03T12:06:54.692-07:00Happy Weekend<p style="text-align: left;"><img style="width: 458px; height: 343px;" src="http://api.ning.com/files/zz60xl7y*bSwGOPV7VoQqnQ2UwOzyw3iVYe026rV9ujkecJJHaZDk6b48UNtPgSHduFioOSrm-yXJSemm2Ndg5SCA1PtDN9h/WorkPile.gif" alt="" /></p><br /><br />I hope it was a productive week for you all--enjoy Spring, wherever you find yourself!Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-52590644808447375342009-04-01T17:41:00.001-07:002009-04-01T17:41:59.789-07:00Good, green news from Van Son Inks<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/j7xakXuj5Y6PQtR68Vib*nHjBm2k3C3sdFqc5SppL17N6P21RhxxlEOZbztISUJugpUNa7lKatr*QacacksBXsEWhfgqYhFO/Picture1.png" alt="" width="471" height="244" /></p><br /><br />Van Son, manufacturer of our favorite rubber base printing ink, has introduced a zero VOC, vegetable-based printing ink, called VS Zero. It contains neither petroleum solvents nor mineral oil, and should be available soon (Van Son's site is currently down . . . ). It'll be another way not only to protect you and yours, but also to make your shop even greener. Read more about VS Zero <a href="http://www.printingnews.com/web/online/Products/Van-Son-Intros-Vs-Zero-Ink-to-Vs-Series-Ink-Product-Line/4$9122">here</a>.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-51320088214118644552009-03-31T12:48:00.001-07:002009-03-31T12:48:16.165-07:00Books+AnimationNot done with a computer:<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/bkfsyt0hRylQAST8ADcsgoXF6i87plTq7P5efN4WlADeUx7cO7ELKKupMP4iTHTtvwT2lqhKqawVfv62gaOT5y071ZJLf3hn/Picture1.png" alt="" width="622" height="462" /></p><br /><br />You can watch the whole amazing thing <a href="http://asylumfilms.co.uk/media/fourthestate.mov">here</a>.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-29020590889133772492009-03-30T07:34:00.001-07:002009-03-30T07:34:34.844-07:00The Ikea of Fairy TalesThis is awesome. And dance-y:<br /><br /><object width="400" height="225"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3514904&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3514904&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="225"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/3514904">Slagsmålsklubben - Sponsored by destiny</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1379043">Tomas Nilsson</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.<br /><br />Letterpress related? You decide!Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-36113670146426814622009-03-27T18:24:00.001-07:002009-03-27T18:24:37.621-07:00Yes, steamroller.In case you haven't seen this, from my friend at <a href="http://acuriosityshop.blogspot.com/">A Curiosity Shop</a>--printing with a steamroller:<br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/dyeJmKo7jsYyEH4nKSQXd36xTlqMlr8Zuh-BDwM8isxiTHiCVyl47N*BonC94XyI62yfLe3P28wUTPHe5d4V9TqsMWpfGVD*/Picture2.png" alt="" width="518" height="348" /></p><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/sets/72157601920110156/">Source</a><br /><br />It does get results.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-44720250454490014892009-03-27T18:10:00.000-07:002009-03-27T18:11:00.871-07:00mmm . . . Bakery<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/fblrWZ4TZQ6TQGoORwzZMrAolc2wJqGWtIt*tMuRURsF*tiOWMjPwesFGyG-s7IgLS4G46If3*zvR-jUREX9FmBRlT4IFaLA/Picture1.png" alt="" width="288" height="121" /></p><br /><br />I've been hearing many good things lately about Bakery, a pubic-relations/marketing company owned by artist Jaime Derringer and publisher Erin Loechner. They specialize in helping small businesses with the most important, and most overlooked, parts of running one--marketing, PR, websites, strategic planning, etc. etc. Earlier this week, they had a great Biz Ladies post on media kits over on <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/03/biz-ladies-09-fresh-from-the-oven-media-kits.html">design*sponge</a>, too.<br /><br />Moreover, their <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7038735">Etsy shop</a> is full of really inexpenive, customized media and press kits, and a guide to selling on Etsy. Check out their <a href="http://thinkbakery.com/blog/">blog</a>, too. I think I'll scoot on over and get a dozen or so warm blog ads, and maybe a glazed press release too for dessert.Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1931002955156795479.post-16863338599192428372009-03-27T07:35:00.000-07:002009-03-27T07:40:08.402-07:00Pantone OOPS<p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/0c5LkTx6eXInX1QcOV62zfUFSCM5F96RuQG7x24sDeCidwuR8ixxkMQbuUHMPf1ZK0DFI4Xpn3OmFXHXhNzDvyNdcn*bxmJ-/Picture1.png" alt="" height="211" width="271" /></p><br /><br />My intern just let me know that the Spring 2009 forecast from Pantone is also available. I'm so embarrassed. :) Here is the Spring report for your downloading pleasure.<br /><br /><a href="http://api.ning.com/files/0c5LkTx6eXLww1lkk6MO7yFHrRwVu1Ftg05fP787OyttG3pFO*O6yroqwxXqN1p9TbguUhPLx9volEKm77ujxDdZXI5wABt5/PANTONEFCRsp2009.pdf">PANTONE-FCR-sp2009.pdf</a><br /><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><img src="http://api.ning.com/files/0c5LkTx6eXKgEqtsFwDzPKm26l1oUJ93P*7u7rTV0WnGchvthxNlLePyENk7vq6S45CZMCVkMiYVt7*6TZmTHFbEqXD9suKK/Picture2.png" alt="" height="265" width="535" /></p>Thomas-Printershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03932132670584404449noreply@blogger.com0