Lunch and Letterpress

It's quite fabulous that my in-laws own Sun Graphics – a great print shop that’s very well known in the community, has very loyal customers, and has been around since 1924. In fact, my father-in-law is a 7th generation printer. Talk about blood as thick as ink!

And, thank goodness. They've done our wedding stationery, Christmas cards, baby Nina announcement and more.

It really was a match made in paper heaven when Mr. Evans (an 8th generation could-be printer) and I got married. It’s no secret I love all things paper. I swoon over office supplies and lose it at Papyrus, PaperSource and Broadway Paper.

So, for our first anniversary (the traditional “paper” gift), Mr. Evans made me handmade letterpress stationery. What a guy. Too perfect.

We've been married over three years now and ever since he made me this gift I have been wanting to learn more about letterpress. So, this past weekend we (finally) went up to Plymouth with the sole purpose(s) of lunch and letterpress.

My in-laws own a 1922 Chandler & Price 10x15 inch letterpress. Isn't it a beauty? The press still has its original one-horsepower 3-phase electric motor. They don't do much letterpressing anymore (except when we come over), but their business uses it to die-cut. My father-in-law loves it though. He said it makes him feel like a kid again to play around with these bits of history.

I love looking at these old type cases. I could sit all day and peruse the type fonts, custom logos, images and more. Their type cases are original Hamilton's from Two Rivers, WI. My father-in-law said these must be older than 1922 because of the wood facing on the drawers.

I trust him. He learned to run a press when he was 12 and his dad had him stand on a wooden roller box in order to hand feed the press.

Like the five generations before, then like grandfather, like father, like son. Here is Mr. Evans hard at work!

This time around, we made Nina her very first stationery complete with a vintage ballerina I found buried in the cases. Aren't they too cute? Now when she writes thank you notes, she'll do so in style.

Here's my creation. I went for something a little less formal this time, although I do miss the Mrs. :)

I think I could go back every weekend and learn more. I love love letterpress. Don't even get me started on all the boutique letterpressing that can be seen on Pinterest and Etsy. Ahh-mazing. Although for now, I'm quite satisfied with the simplicity and tradition of my cards. Sometimes the more personal and uncomplicated the better.

Jealous? Interested in creating some cards like this for yourself? Leave me a comment and maybe I know someone who could help you out!