9.11.07

Tagging

No, not that kind of tagging...this kind of tagging...two shop orders and a craft fair to supply. Little Brown Dog generously offered to make space on her stall for some of my bits. I will be there in spirit if not in person, as it's in the next county. I've posted her several packs of my cards and Christmas gift tags. I have never 'done' a craft fair before, lacking the basic infra-structure (eg - transport and trestle table) so I will be interested to see how it goes. Ten packs of Red Flannel Elephant cards = one full load of wood. We need wood. It's getting cold.



I have somewhat made a rod for my own back, as I've done my designing and planning on the hoof with the letter press stuff; it's all got a bit out of hand and not very cost effective as far as time and effort goes. What started off as simple little packs ended up as swanky big packs, for presentation purposes. However, at least I should recover the cost of the not-brilliant-but-servicable inks.



I do confess to enjoying designing my own packaging - something I loathed at college. And writing blurb has to be the best part, riding the thin line between genuine enthusiasm and cheese.

Vintage Impressions

A selection of twelve individually printed Christmas
gift tags, using traditional letterpress techniques.



For six hundred years, until the advent of the modern computer, books and stationary were produced using a variety of ‘hot metal’ techniques. Unlike today’s uniform digital printing, letter press has a distinct personality. You will notice that the card is not only printed, but slightly impressed into the card, where it has been gently rolled through an antique proof press, before being finished off by hand. Using a variety of authentic vintage blocks and type faces, Vintage Impression tags will ornament your special gifts with unique style.

Because of the age of some of these blocks, print finish will vary.

(that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it)



The pack labels are not letterpressed - that would be a dedication too far. And it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, typesetting; more like decorative printing. But it's a step in the right direction.


Before I return to the busy land of small enterprise...I have two packages. One from Tara and one from my unknown SOSF partner. They are still both unopened, waiting for a quiet moment. That is unlikely to happen in the near future. I am going to open them this weekend. I feel I've earned it.


15 comments:

natural attrill said...

These packs look lovely Gretel, I hope they sell well at the craft fair.
Toby, his friend, and I, have a stall at the school xmas fair in a couple of weeks, hoping to sell some jewellery. I have never done one before, I will have to smile and be friendly to people for a whole day!!
Hope you have some lovely gifts in your suprise parcels.
Penny.
x

Un Peu Loufoque said...

superb tags!

LITTLE BROWN DOG said...

They look gorgeous - both on the screen and in the flesh, as I can now vouch! I think there's very much a market for beautiful handmade things - well, I'm very much hoping so! Here's to enough logs to last the winter.

LBD xx

tlchang said...

I hope you are happily getting your fill of inks and presses and blocks and dingbats. It's nice to get thoroughly caught up in projects you enjoy.

Tart said...

Wow, those are scrumptious. I hope they 'go like snow aff a dyke' as Scots are prone to say (that's dyke as in dry stone wall). I am well impressed that you have packages saved up - such willpower!

xL

Caroline B said...

These tags are truly beautiful! Good luck at the craft fair - I do the local school fairs and it generally is quite profitable and all you need to do is turn up with your wares and be nice (yurgh!) to people. How can you WAIT to open parcels - I just tear them apart as soon as delivered!

Rima Staines said...

I do admire your enterprise Gretel .. Hooray for old wonky prints ;) Hope you make a killing with all your marvellous bits n pieces. & fanks for your kind words about my animation :) X

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

These are lovely. Would you do some for me? Email address on my profile. Hope LBD sold loads for you.

Anonymous said...

I love anything letter press and these tags are lovely ... as is all of your work. I love "that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it." I think unevenness proves genuine, handmade, art ...

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

You are very talented-your tags are just delightful! Hope you enjoyed opening your parcels!

Sarah said...

wow.love the tags, best of luck. I used to have an adana printing press, loved it. BTW have just found out that you were my secret fairy...shall blog you belatedly today.
Anyway dear PG...I am in the cotswolds for some of the days in December, would love to come and see you (I have a car, you I imagine are on a bike?) will email you later today ref this.
So for now, great tags and big hugs for my very welcome parcel. xx

John Nez said...

Nice to see that printing press is getting a good work-out! It looks like it's being put to good use.

I wonder if you could carve out your own designs in linoleoum and print those.

All those mushroom postings look scary to me! I guess I'll just stick with Campbell's Creme of Mushroom soup...


lol!

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Hello Pg
I love the quality of letterpress.. it has a lovely bespoke feel about it.
Your tags are are charming and I now have a yearning to have a go at letterpress myself.
Love your blog!
Michelex

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

Hello Gretel
How nice of you to visit me and thanks so much for your kind comments.
I have just spotted your photos of letter press sets.. heavenly! Now I am even more determined to learn the art..
I am in awe of your art.. something I longed to be able to do when I was at art college was illustration.. so much better to leave it to those who know what they are doing.. like your good self.
Michele
P.s I shall look out for your art in my travels as we don't live a million miles apart.

The fabric of my life said...

Hi Gretel
Haven't visited in ages but today when clearing out my craft drawer I came across a few of your cards that i had stashed away for me to keep. So I thought of you.

I love these tags. Are you going to sell any on RFE? I would love to buy some. Do let me know x