Brooklyn Design Lab

In my neighborhood, Brooklyn Design Lab just opened and it is the cutest art school ever. They offer design and art classes for little kids from 2-year-old to 6th graders and their window is filled with amazing arts created by little artists – always catches my eye and I always get so impressed by their creativity!

bklyndesignlab2

bklyndesignlab3

bklyndesignlab4

(sorry for the crazy reflection, it was so bright out and I just couldn’t get rid of the reflection)

Every time I pass by here (which is almost everyday), makes me think that I want to be working with little artists someday… :) I remember taking art classes on weekends when I was little and how much fun I had… I’m sure all these kids are having so much fun creating, it shows on their work!

bklyndesignlab1

Brooklyn Design Lab
413A 7th Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Alphabet Greeting Cards

Good morning! Hope you all had a great weekend. Starting today, I am participating Poppytalk Handmade for “Paper Pops,” a paper goods and affordable art market! When Jan and Earl contacted me and invited me, I was super excited and of course said yes without no hesitation. Please visit Poppytalk Handmade for more great artists and products!

I wanted to start a week by sharing my printing process for my new alphabet greeting cards. I had this idea for a long time, I’m so happy it’s finally printed and available for everyone! More alphabet cards will follow… but here are the first 4. I printed them in a few different sessions, I couldn’t do this in 1 day… (well, maybe…?)

I wanted to incorporate wood type and polymer plate (design from computer) so all the big letters for the cards are printed with vintage wood type blocks and the rest was designed in computer.

Letter T:

alphabetcard1

This T has lot of texture.

alphabetcard2

Letter M:

alphabetcard3

Letter B:

alphabetcard4

and “Birthday!” underneath.

alphabetcard6

and then, I realized that I could print wood type and polymer plate at the same time like this. See, I’m always learning. It worked out great!

alphabetcard5

After printing all the letters, apply the 2nd color – the border and the “is for” in the middle. I always design everything in Illustrator first, print it out, use it as a guide.

alphabetcard7

On Vandercook press:

alphabetcard8

Lots of adjusting to do, but once that’s done, just print, print, print…..

alphabetcard9

alphabetcard10

and here are the final product. I am so happy with the result!

B is for Birthday!

birthday1

T is for Thank You.

thankyou1

F is for Father (Reminder: Father’s day is June 21st this year.)

father1

and M is for Mother (Hope you had a nice Mother’s Day!) This card will be so cute for baby shower, mother-to-be, or anything mother related things!

mother1

Weekend Wishes…

It has been such a busy week for me, I sometimes surprise myslef managing to do everything somehow… It has been such a fun week, too, I got to go to Affordable Art Fair (lots of pictures to report soon), Design on a Dime event (see my donation!), and then a bachelorette party this weekend… :)

Just wanted to wish you guys a happy weekend, I am off to letterpress studio now…

Also, wishing our moms a happy mother’s day!!! We love you!!!

Pictures are from Brooklyn Botanical Garden I visited last weekend for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Perfect for our moms!

bbg1

bbg2

bbg3

bbg4

bbg5

bbg6

bbg7

bbg8

Popcorn Bags

There is something about popcorn bags… maybe it’s in my kitchen and I’m slowly building an obsession over it (see my popcon bags and popcorn container) but these vintage popcorn bags I found at etsy are calling me… Great stripe pattern, great type, great graphics!

popcorn

popcorn2

Available at paperpanache1 etsy shop.