New finds: Prickle Press & Emily McDowell

Here are a couple of brands I have come across over the last few months that produce some lovely things...

Prickle Press - Rachel, who also took part in last years Renegade (where I picked up a '2b or not 2b' for my own collection) prints these on her vintage press in London.

Emily McDowell produces some text based cards that are fun and original. My favourite being the anti-valentines card!

Print & Pattern

It's been more than a while and everything has come to a bit of a stand-still for many reasons that I won't go into, apart from my general lack of motivation. Looking to rectify this I have been thinking a lot about prints recently. I've used them already on notebooks and cards but would love to spend time developing some more. My current obsession is to find a garment in the ultimate tropical/palm print. I am yet to do this and I think the turn in the weather might be to blame but the hours of internet shopping are not exactly helping with the aforementioned motivation.

Here are some of the prints I've been admiring recently....

A couple from Marcus Walters and Rachel Lee from my recent trip to Whitstable's Frank.

A book purchased from Present & Correct, that I won't go on about (yet again).

From this months Elle Decoration. I don't know why I torture myself with it!

And an envelope I was sent...

Nice new CHRISTMAS things....

Have a lovely Christmas and a very HAPPY new year! Bring on 2014!

The first CottonPost Calendar

As I was taking part in the Renegade Craft fair this year I felt that having something to sell at a higher price point would be a great way to help cover the costs as well as trial a new product. I decided on a calendar, not really thinking about the fact that this involved 12 new designs, only slightly less than I had done in the 18 months since I started CottonPost.

I personally prefer calendars that are day/date specific but knew that if I produced approximately 150 of them, as I would a new card design that I'd struggle to sell them all in the 2 months prior to Christmas. The solution to this was to design and digitally print the dates and design just the month names with the intention of using the Gocco to print these. I had to consider how many screens I could use and how I could digitally print easily before deciding on splitting A4 card lengthways and therefore getting 2 designs from each screen. I had difficultly finding a nice recycled card so instead sourced an off-white (as they do not use bleach) Bamboo card (as it's sustainable) and printed a total of 40 to trial the product and price, and I saved the screens so I could use them again for 2015. Starting as always in the sketchbook and moving on to the computer, it gradually starting coming together. It was a labour of love and production, as usual took over my room but the reaction I got at Renegade was great and I sold quite a few there. So the last few are going online... Snap them up quick.

I also designed (with some help from my sister) a folding screen from garden trellis to display the calendar on and to give my stand height. I needed something light and that I could carry around easily. A success all round!