happy monday! i am so excited that nss is less than a week away! i’m looking forward to my trip to nyc and getting to meet some of my stationery friends in real life. one such acquaintance is alisa bobzien, who designs prints, t-shirts and other goodies for sibling design. i came across both of these great prints at craftland last week while i was putting together the in downcity mother’s day gift guide and i’m definitely going back to pick up both of them (i imagine putting the rhode island constellation in my office and the i just want to go somewhere with you print in the bedroom).
alisa’s design work is also amazing… i highly recommend checking it out!
and now… the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the winner of my never stop fighting print is:
Kristin!
congrats, and thank you to everyone who left a lovely comment. i plan on doing another giveaway in the near future, so you’ll have another chance to win a foxtrot press print. :)
happy friday! last night i was able to try my hand out at screen printing at the as220 printshop… i have to say, it is way harder than everyone makes it look! making the actual screen was a piece of cake, it was the printing that was the hardest part. i went through so many test prints and couldn’t figure out why the ink was bleeding all over the place and nothing was printing the way i wanted it to. after a bit of rushing through the process and some frustration, my teacher gave me a few pointers. even though they were directed towards printing, i realized they also held some truth in my day to day life.
the two lessons i took away last night (aside from learning how to screen print) were to slow down and examine my workspace. i was trying to crank out prints without giving any thought to the technique and my workspace was working against me. as soon as i slowed my pace, things started coming together much more smoothly. then i adjusted my workspace and realized i was working harder, not smarter. by setting up a couple of easy fixes, everything started to flow and i started creating prints that i was happy with. these were both easy things to accomplish, i just needed someone to point out the obvious.
as we go into the weekend, i’m going to keep those two things in mind. but instead of thinking to myself, “slow down and examine my surroundings”, i’m just going to tell myself, “be present”. because, really, that’s what it’s all about.
i implore you to also be present this weekend… and also, stop planning and start doing. ;)
i know that most of you who follow me on twitter probably saw that i’ve been talking all things national stationery show since january now (yeah, i’m a bit obsessive). i didn’t want to say, “yes, i’m so there!” only to have things fall apart and say, “oh, maybe not”. luckily, all of my plans have been solidified and i’ll be walking the show on sunday, may 19th. i’m thrilled to attend because it’s a stationery lover’s haven, i hope to one day be exhibiting at nss, and my friend, colleen, is making her national stationery show debut with another lovely designer, sarah! plus, i’ll be able to meet up with some other stationery folks who i only know on twitter or facebook. i’m kind of looking at it as alt on the smaller side.
i hope to walk away with lots of inspiration and ideas. i walked the show last year but didn’t really have a chance to go through it the way i would have liked to. now’s my chance and i’ll make sure to document the trip as much as i can to share with you all afterwards!
unrelated items: isn’t that image awesome?! i saw ez of creature comforts pinned it and i followed the link to hazel terry’s flickr account where she has this project. remember when i posted about funny pigeons before?
i totally meant to pull together a recap post from last week’s activities and it never happened. so i’m doing a brief week/weekend recap for you now.
if you didn’t see my last post, i’m headed to nashville in august for amber housley: inspired. seriously, super pumped for this. i can just feel that it’s going to be a life-changing event. i can’t wait!
last year, right around christmas, erin of pixology approached me about being featured in her magazine, glimpse mag, that encourages women to become graphic designers and entrepreneurs. i happily obliged and my feature debuted last week. make sure to check it out if you get a chance!
my friend, nick of icarus rex productions, filmed my letterpress printing process over the weekend. the above image is the result, one of my favorite quotes by e.e. cummings. you can buy it on my shop, along with some other new products that i’ve been working on. i can’t wait to debut the video… i think it’s going to be awesome!
we hit up the in downcity cinco de mayo block party on sunday. tons of food trucks, lots of beverages, tons of people and a good time to be had by all. i’m thrilled to be a part of this team, especially since they’re all about making providence an even more exciting and awesome place than it already is.
last, but not least, i spent my saturday afternoon lounging about with the cats and generally relaxing. also, there was lots of listening to the great gatsby soundtrack and dancing in the living room (i tend to dance a lot when i’m by myself… it keeps me occupied)
i think this week will be less jam-packed but i’m happy for that. although mother’s day is coming up quickly… so i probably want to get started on getting my mom a gift. good thing there are plenty of awesome mother’s day gift guides out there for me to peruse.
and… i’m going to be giving away one of the above prints to a lucky reader! leave a comment letting me know something about your week and a random winner will be chosen, to be announced next monday!
you know how they say, “be careful what you wish for”? i think i’ve found a loophole… and one that is without the negative undertones (why can’t wishes just be granted without the snarky side of “told ya so” thrown in?). i’m sure for most of you, this isn’t anything new. it’s not really a new thing for me either but this time around, i decided to pay attention. the secret? put your goal/intention/thoughts out into the universe without forcing it. i made it clear that i wanted a bit of change in my life so i put it out there. okay, maybe it was only to world of twitter but i think that still counts. yesterday, that little intention manifested itself.
you know how i posted about amber housley: inspired last week? well, amber held a scholarship for a spot in the summit. i really wanted to attend but knew that i couldn’t put everything on a credit card (hello, mortgage!) and hope to pay it off by the time my 0% interest rate ran out. so i applied for said scholarship. and then i let it be. i didn’t try to force anything, i didn’t try to think of the “what ifs”, i put it out there and let go of some of the control. then, as i was driving home from the dentist yesterday afternoon, i got an email from amber saying i had won the scholarship! just like that, the universe delivered. i’m still stunned and in slight disbelief that i’m now going to be attending AH: Inspired in august. i am beyond grateful for this opportunity. so much good stuff is going to come out of this, i know it.
with all of that, have any of you ever had a similar experience where you put your thoughts out into the universe and relinquished control for a bit? it’s kind of awesome to let things just happen.
happy monday! spring has finally sprung here, the weather is beautiful and it has been wonderful to be able to hang outside in the sun. i’ve always found that once the weather gets nice again, i get inspired and start working on projects that i may have put on the back burner.
one such project is my grazie mille cards. i’ve had these printed since early february now but hadn’t gotten around to photographing them for the shop. friday afternoon, we had some beautiful light streaming into our dining room and i thought it was the perfect time to finally snap some photos. i’m still getting used to working my boyfriend’s dslr (i shot a whole bunch of pics of a local shop with the wide angle lens on instead of a normal lens, oops) but i’m happy with this first pass. i also know that the way i took my photos are a bit different than typical product photography but i wanted them to feel romantic and tell a bit of a story.
what are your thoughts on product photography? should it be cut and dry or do you like images to be a bit more creative?
this weekend, i attended and taught a workshop at the lady project summit, hosted by the pvd lady project. it was informative, entertaining, and most of all, inspiring. i left the summit feeling energized and refreshed and with a new perspective on my own personal and business goals. i know it takes time for things to come to fruition but i’m feeling more confident about what i want out of my business and where i’m hoping to go.
in keeping with the idea of being inspired, i came across another fantastic summit being held in nashville this august. amber housley, who i met at alt summit, is super talented, driven and successful and is all about helping empower other women in their creative endeavors. i came across amber housley: inspired after reading a particularly powerful email interview that amber had done with jess lively. everything she said in the message resonated so deeply with me, i almost can’t articulate it. when i read that she hosts a 2 day summit, i knew it was going to be on my list of 2013 goals to get myself down there and be a part of it.
i’m finding that many of these workshops/summits/conferences i’ve been attending have really been helping me to find my tribe. other ladies who get it, who want the same things that i want. the best thing? they’re all living proof that it is possible to live out your dreams. who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?
it has taken me some time, and is still taking more time, to process the events of monday. boston is near and dear in my heart and i know many people who live and work there. i cannot comprehend the atrocious acts that occurred and have been haunted by many of the images that are out there. there is something to be said about the human spirit… about all of those people who ran into the chaos to help others, all of the runners who ran to the hospitals to donate blood, the first responders, the strangers who put their own safety on hold to help others who needed it more. yes, there is darkness and tragedy in all of this and of that, i cannot fathom and my heart aches for every single person affected. but i believe that the light will always outshine the darkness. there is still love and generosity and peace in this world and those are the things we need to focus on.
boston is strong. my thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected.
hello, my long lost blogging friends. i know i’ve taken a longer, unexpected hiatus than i had imagined. i’m getting my thoughts back in order and flexing my content skills again. i wish i could say i’m back to posting regularly. i wish i could say i have a lot of new content for you. i wish i could say my house was fully painted (who knew painting takes forever?!). i wish i could say a lot of things but i’m not going to make false promises nor be fake about any of this.
i have been feeling the blog itch again lately. well, i never stopped feeling it but life got in the way. essentially, i had to cut way back in a multitude of areas, which i touched upon ever so briefly in my last post. obviously, the blog got placed on the way, way, super back burner. at the time, i was unhappy about that decision… but getting away from here made me realize a) i really do like blogging and b) i want to make a serious effort in providing you original, well thought out, fun content.
some other big changes… i’m now living in the new house and am so happy to be here. we’re already experiencing what it’s like to be homeowners (clogged kitchen sink, anyone?) but we’re also thrilled to turn this place into our home. i never thought i’d be so thrilled to work on home improvement projects. i’d like to document these projects here… and as soon as we find the camera cord to actually upload photos (apparently, our system of throwing everything and anything in a random box is not the best idea) i hope to share some “before” photos with all of you.
i became a keymember at the as220 printshop and have been more involved with projects around there. i’m gearing up to teach three intro to letterpress sessions in a row and have had a bunch of one-on-one sessions, too. i’m also going to shift my focus back on my business and (non-existant) stationery line. it’s going to take time, i know, but it’s something i’m serious about and want to see blossom.
speaking of blossoms, i’m thrilled spring has arrived since it has also brought with a new sense of renewal and energy. i’m feeling really good about things, as of late, and know that things are going to continue to flourish and grow. have you felt the same way with the arrival of spring?
wait… erika wrote a post?! are you kidding me?! haha, i know, i know. things have been a bit on the hectic side and i had to scale back on a few of my projects to bring me back into sane territory. unfortunately, the blog was one of those things that i had to cut back on. i’m hoping to get back into a routine with it but may come back at only 3 posts a week as opposed to 5.
anyway… today is a big day for us. i am entering the ranks of home ownership. i know i’ve talked about the house in the past but it’s finally, really, ACTUALLY happening. this long journey that started back in november is coming to an end. but with that end comes a new beginning. i am so, so excited to get into the house and make it ours. i will definitely be documenting everything and hope to have some really great before and afters (and maybe even some DIYs! but don’t hold me to it).
i’m still going to do a recap about my time at camera ready (i highly suggest you take it if you get the chance! you won’t be disappointed!!) and i know i owe an herb garden challenge to lorien and joanna at get along and go… and, oh yeah, a series about what i love in providence. plus, i’ve got some new work i’m excited to share with everyone (both design-wise and letterpress-wise)… i’ve got a lot to catch up on. but first, let me get through packing, moving and decorating. ;) thanks for checking in and following along.
xoxo
{image from my time at camera ready, documenting my very first diy!}
hi there! my name is erika and i’m a graphic designer and letterpress printer. foxtrot press & studio is where i not only share my process and portfolio but also my inspirations and thoughts. i’m on a mission to make the world a lovelier place through design.
all design layouts are created solely for foxtrot press & studio. if you choose to feature anything from the site, please link back to it. also, if i have not given credit properly, please contact me. thank you!
