Yes Dear, Yes Please!

Nothing is better than receiving goodies in the mail - not even shopping for it yourself and it's even better when the 'things' are a total surprise and EVEN BETTER STILL (if that's at all possible) when the 'stuff' you receive are just the perfect mix of awesomeness!

"Oh yes, I concur! How do I receive parcels of perfect loveliness in the mail too?" I hear you say, well..you will have to wait until next time 'The Lady that blogs' AKA 'Yes Dear' organizes a 'gift swap'.

I was involved and it was a wonderful experience. Basically, you signed up with the lovely Angela from Yes Dear!: The Lady that Blogs, you are given the task to purchase for another lucky swapper with the following conditions.

• Minimum spend $50 (including registered or express postage to ensure a tracking number), you can spend more if you wish but the tracking number is not negotiable.
• Item(s) MUST be sourced from a handmade designer in Australia or New Zealand.
• If you yourself are a handmade designer of course you are most welcome to include some of your wares BUT you will need to also purchase from another party.  This is about injecting some cash flow into, and creating some further exposure for, the local handmade community at large.

You fill in a quick survey asking what your fave colours are, a few fave designers and your 'style' so that the person buying for you has an idea on what you are about. 

I had the tremendous fortune of being gifted by Angela herself and whoa what a bounty! Ok I should have photographed the package all neatly wrapped up in the vintage dressmaking patten paper (tops idea - will use and make my own) but I was in a pressie frenzy and alas, it was too late... 

Included in my perfectly selected pack (photographed above) was:
B Broach from Return to sender
Infinity knit grey scarf (am wearing it now) from Burrowed
Earrings silver and mustard yellow from bellebird
Wooden car brooch by Naomi Murrell
Cute card from Nomuu
Check out the brilliant sketch of the bird - an original just for me from Angela!


Oh swooooooon

I love you more...

New design. Plates were re-used from my 'pick your poison' coasters. This is the first of a series of I love you more... greeting cards. Printed on recycled Kraft card, size c6 (105x148mm) with Turquoise envelope.

A glance at the processes behind letterpress. - design to plates - Episode 2

DESIGN TO POLYMER PLATES

The second installment of our 'how to letterpress' series (If you missed the first episode 'Mixing Ink', click HERE)
There are many considerations when designing for letterpress (for a detailed run down go HERE)

Since the polymer plates are quite an expense, I try to consider using my designs in several ways. Can the polymer plates be used as as a coaster, a card, gift tags, invitation etc? This gives me the opportunity to expand my range and re-use the plates over and over.
Once I have finalized a design on my computer, I email the file off site to have negatives or film made. Polymer plates are made from the negatives or film. Making the plates involves light, exposure, chemicals, wash off etc. Kind of - but not quite - like developing photographic film - old school!

Here is a fantastic video from the very successful team at Hello Lucky (my idols!)

We have been featured!

Our wonderful friends at We love Perth have featured Fluid Ink in an interview! Check it out HERE

NEW Doily cards

My doily plates have been given a new lease on life!
As polymer plates are quite an expense, I try to design so that the plates have multiple uses. These humble doily plates have been used for the 'Yellow and grey save the date cards', 'Christmas Peace Hope gift tags' and now, a super cute doily blank greeting card. I love these colours. they remind me of Fruit Tingles!

A glance at the processes behind letterpress. - Mixing Ink - Episode 1

Mixing and Making colours - Episode 1

There are numerous ways to mix inks. This is my humble version!

Choose a colour - I find colour combos I like on the web, from other print media, photographs anywhere! I  match the colour as close as I can using Pantone colour swatches. However, if I input the Pantone colours into my monitor chances are they will look vastly different on screen. Everyone's monitor has a different colour setting as well as different indoor lighting environments. Seeing a hard copy of the colour and matching it to a Pantone swatch is really the best way.

Letterpress inks are also greatly affected by paper stock. Even the slightest hint of cream or brown etc can change the colour tones of the ink.

HINT: I have found that swapping 50% of the transparent white in the mix with opaque white can help make the final ink colour more opaque and therefore brighter - but I have only just discovered this so more experimenting is required!

A Pantone formula tells you what percentage of each base colour you need to mix (I have 10 base colours but you can get by with less)  If you are mixing 100grams, and the Pantone formula is 50% transparent white, 10% black, 40% yellow, then you can change the percent measurements into grams. If you only need 50grams (usually my preferred quantity) then you halve the quantities when you are weighing them.

In the mix below, I set out to make a retro aqua (now called 'Valiant Aqua' after the colour of the car my Father in law owned!)

process blue, blue, green, transparent white & opaque white are required for this mix

I use a piece of scrap gloss card to mix upon. It lets me add straight onto the scales and as it makes for easy clean up.
This mix was for 50gms (yes I know, not entirely accurate, but close enough....)

Mix with spatula and Hey presto!

Vegimite jar and label

My storage of choice is the small Vegimite jars. they are the perfect size and have a nice wide opening, a great screw top lid and it reminds me to only put on the ink disk, the same amount of ink as you would Vegimite on a slice of toast..

Tune in next time for 'Design to Polymer Plates'

Spring coasters

So we are in Autumn in here in Australia, but the weather in Perth is amazing at the moment. These cheerful coasters are the perfect colour combo for Mother's Day.