Once Bitten
I’ve been working in marketing and advertising for over 11 years, starting out in print and moving into online design as the market for print diminished. Over the recent years, I’ve craved a way to apply my design to something more tactile, more genuine. I was looking for something that would satisfy and stir my creative soul again. In college, I remember an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction as I pulled sheets off the press or found new uses for the bi-products of my earlier projects. For Christmas 2010, my husband got me a letterpress lesson with local Connecticut expert, John Falstrom. After that day of smelling the inks, hearing the clanging of the cogs and wheels and then holding the beautiful result in my hand was overwhelming. I knew at that moment in my heart that letterpress would be part of my future.
A New Perspective
In January 2011, my daughter arrived. She is an endless source of inspiration for me, and her birth gave me a new perspective on life.
I’ve been working in marketing and advertising for over 11 years, starting out in print and moving into online design as the market for print diminished. Over the recent years, I’ve craved a way to apply my design to something more tactile, more genuine. I was looking for something that would satisfy and stir my creative soul again. In college, I remember an overwhelming feeling of satisfaction as I pulled sheets off the press or found new uses for the bi-products of my earlier projects. For Christmas 2010, my husband got me a letterpress lesson with local Connecticut expert, John Falstrom. After that day of smelling the inks, hearing the clanging of the cogs and wheels and then holding the beautiful result in my hand was overwhelming. I knew at that moment in my heart that letterpress would be part of my future.
A New Perspective
In January 2011, my daughter arrived. She is an endless source of inspiration for me, and her birth gave me a new perspective on life.
My daughter Hadley at around 7 months. She’s sporting some of the barrettes I’ve designed and sell on Etsy. I’m trying to get more of these up on my shop soon.
Follow the Bee
In September of 2011, my husband surprised me with 8 drawers of vintage metal type for my birthday. I didn’t have a press yet, but he knew that this might help me take the plunge. As I looked over the dirty letters with him one night trying to see if there was enough of a particular font to spell out BeeBottomDesigns, we discovered an item tucked beneath the dirty letters. It was an old plastic stencil of a Bee!! I don’t know about you, but that’s a sign to me! After that I knew I needed to follow my heart.
A 600lb Beauty
So, in Sept of 2011, I made the decision to purchased Betty, a gorgeous 1910 Golding Pearl-#11. John rescued her from a basement and is restoring her to the original 600lb beauty she was 100 years ago. Soon she will be in tip, top shape and ready to print for another 100 years. I should have her by Christmas.
