Making Books and Secret Belgian Binding

I became interested in letterpress printing because of my involvement in paper making and making books. This is a dos a dos (two by two) book that I made that depicts a bamboo grove at night and at early morning. The binding is known as a Secret Belgian Binding. It's interesting how the spine has a weaving effect. The handmade papers are made of Hollander beaten cotton rag and straw. No dyeing of the paper and I liked how the pages had rich, deep olive colors and sunny green hues.

Letterpress Cards Custom Blind Debossing with Lydian Bold Cursive Metal Type

Another example of blind debossing using Lydian Bold Cursive metal type. Debossing and embossing are often confused. Debossing is when the type or image is impressed into the paper. Embossing is when the image or text is raised. Embossing requires male and female dies so the image or text is "pushed up." Custom personalized cards are offered at my Etsy Shop. There's a sale going on now!

Letterpress Cards Sunny Poppies

Sunny Poppies printed on 100 percent cotton Lettra paper. A recent printing that I did with a magnesium plate and metal type handset with Lydian Bold Cursive type. Just right for a brief note of thanks.

Letterpress Cards Love Birds Etsy Treasury

What a warm welcome! My letterpress printed cards of lovebirds were featured on an Etsy Treasury that featured shop owners who are new to Etsy's online shops. Thank you, Megan! Megan's shop is meganbauerle on Etsy. Etsy has some wonderful treasures that are handmade by many creative people. If you've never shopped Etsy, do visit and take a look at the many unique items created by artisans from around the world.

Featured on ETSY Zodiac Letterpress Cards

My letterpress cards were featured on an Etsy Treasury today (Bottom Row). Thank you, Karen! Karen owns goldenneedlecreation on Etsy. My cards are customized to include people's names and their Zodiac sign. They are printed on a thick stock of 100 percent cotton and printed a deep blue ink. You can check them out at my Etsy Shop.

Custom Letterpress Cards Blind Debossing

This is a recent printing that I did, a blind debossing on beautiful 100 percent cotton paper. I used my metal type, Bodoni Bold, and a metal heart ornament. Blind debossing presses the type and image into the thick paper. Hmm... what else should I heart?

Handmade Gampi and Straw Paper

These are sheets of Gampi and straw. After cooking and beating the gampi, I added the processed straw fibers. The more pronounced fibers are the straw. The paper is crisp and strong. The deckled edges of these sheets give the paper its distinctive handmade quality. Because the mould and deckle is dipped into the vat of pulp, some fibers seep slightly beyond the deckle.

Gampi Papermaking

This is the Gampi paper I made. I added some cooked and beaten straw, so the larger fibers you see are actually the straw fibers. Gampi actually did not have distinct fibers and by itself, is a creamy tan color. This particular view of the gampi and straw paper was held up to the sunlight for better viewing of the fibers in the paper.

Letterpress Peace Cards

Letterpress printed Peace cards using wood type and magnesium cut.

These cards were printed using wood type and a magnesium cut. Wood type must be set into the composing stick one at a time like other metal type. The plate of the press is inked, the type and cut is set into the chase and then printed.

Papermaking with Gampi

(Bubble. Bubble. Toil and Trouble. Strips of cut gampi cook in water and soda ash.)

In addition to letterpress printing, I love to make paper. Today, I am preparing some strips of gampi (fiber from the inner bark of the gampi branches) in some hot water with soda ash. After "cooking" for about 3 hours, it will be rinsed several times and placed into my Hollander that will crush the kozo and separate the fibers. That may take about another two hours or so before it can then be used the for papermaking. What do I do with this paper? I might use them for cards or binding into a book.

Custom Letterpress Cards and Blind Debossing

This is an example of a blind debossing where I used Bodoni Bold metal type. The individual type was first placed on a composing stick (backwards and upside down). Then the line of type was fitted into the chase with some wooden furniture and locked into place. Once this was done, I was ready to place it onto the press and try a test print. I love the look of blind debossing. The metal type bites into the plush Lettra 100 percent cotton paper. It has a nice impression and no ink is used. It is subtle but quite elegant, I think.