Update: Feb 9,2015

You can see more about these prints on Oh Joy's site and her process of how she put them together from photography, styling, to print. Click through to her site below.

---

This is quite late but I waited to post this until after the holidays.

We were tapped to print a striking print for Oh Joy announcing the birth of her second daughter Coco Grace. Joy provided the layout and the idea to print an ombre split fountain of fluorescent red to fluorscent purple over a photograph of little Coco. We digitally printed the photos on 130# stock , not too thick to resist those refridgerator magnets, and then ran the prints through the letterpress machine for name and birth details.  

It was so fun to have Joy and her mini Ruby come by the studio for visits. Ruby with hands-on ink tests definitely approved of the colors for her new baby sister!

Take a look at our Challenge press with the split fountain. It was the perfect press for the job with the hand cranked inking system to help retain the color separation.

A closeup of the neon purple to neon red gradient

Am I too late? I have been shrugging my shoulders about resoltuions when asked these weeks.
I have it. I found it. This one is for a lifetime.

In dwelling, live close to the ground.
In thinking, keep to the simple.
In conflict, be fair and generous.
In governing, don't try to control.
In work, do what you enjoy.
In family life, be completely present.

When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.

-Teo te ching

It's nerve racking to print in front of the designer and a camera. Cue the sweaty palms and nervous giggles.

Andrea of Nuhr Studio first approached me about printing her business cards, and along the way it morphed into this video of documenting the process of letterpress printing her cards in this short clip she shot and edited. She captured beautifully the start of the process with graphic designer, Maria of Grafikisto, from selecting the paper, mixing the ink, printing on the press and cutting. They made the day incredibly easy and fun so that moments in my nerves calmed and the anxiety subsided, and then it felt like a hang out with two fellow creative ladies. 

The studio has come an incredibly long way since the first video of Presshaus LA made two years ago. Since then, we added two more presses making the total count of three, filled the studio with more furniture, learned a ton more about printing and even hired some help.
ooking back, it's been quite a journey.

Thank you for your time and talent Andrea!! Check out more of her videos (the surfboard and bakery videos are my favorite) on her website.
More on Nuhr Studio branding and identity by Grafikisto here.

Chelsey Dyer's calendar printed by PresshausLA. Find them here.

Happy new year!

It's the first day back in the studio.
The winter break has given be some time off to reflect and to just enjoy my time with beloved friends and family, eat my favorite things and watch lots of movies.  I hope you did the same too.

These recent days, I've thinking about Presshaus LA and it's direction because with each passing year brings to new projects, new people and challenges. The challenges have been not only with how to print and execute a certain print job, but there are other hurdles like time management, delegating, being a good boss, knowing when to not overload my plate; you get it.

This year I want to start a line of my own paper goods - design and production all Presshaus LA-  but that means slowing down a few things on the bespoke end. I'll be taking on less commissioned projects to allow focus on a few projects that have been brewing. Especially in 2014, I've found myself delving head first into collaborative prints with fellow creatives who were just as passionate about their craft as I am with mine and together the end resulted in an amazing print with huge fulfillment. I'd like to continue this same essence and create beautiful paper goods with all this amassed printing know-how.

It'll be tough breaking habits and heading toward this unknown since client work is mostly what I do, but I'm willing to take a risk. Bring on the new challenges of creating designs (client-less ones), producing them and we'll see from there.

Thanks for following along although these posts are all too sparse. This will change in the future. I hope you'll tag along to see what comes in the new year.

To all good things,
~K

I'm hanging up the apron for this and there are no inky finger tips on this post. Letterpress and paper aside, I'm so flattered and honored to be a part of this special collaboration. Jessica Comingore is launching the start of her new shop called The Essentials with this lovely blouse made in collaboration with LA fashion designer Jill Yee. I've seen tidbits of the creative process that went into creating this blouse and have even tried on an early prototypes; I can say it's tough creating a beautiful garment. The cut, the flow and feel of the fabric, the finish of the seams and ends have all been refined by Jill and Jessica together to create this essential blouse.

Big thanks for transforming me into a sophisticated and chic woman for an afternoon.  xo

Here's a video of their collaboration by John Liwag.