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Window Treatment Wednesday--Burlap Edition

Sarah — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:18:07 GMT

Welcome to Window Treatment Wednesday--a weekly blog post where I share out of the box ideas and inspiration for your window treatments. Today's inspiration has made quite a splash on the decor scene in the past few years. It used to be relegated to the barn but now our country cousin has taken center stage because of its simple design and inexpensive pricing.

Cote de Texas

source unknown

Thistlewood Farm

Nieman Marcus

circalighting.com

curbly.com

veradana

triciafontaine

Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to make the whole picture beautiful and unique.

Unknown

Croquet Balls Repurposed

Sarah — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:11:16 GMT

We had a croquet set at our house growing up; did you? We brought it out for parties in the summer and for something to do on a lazy day. I've always loved how bright and colorful croquet balls are and when I found a lonely set that had lost their mallets at a garage sale a while I back I had to find a way to repurpose them. So my dad cut them in half for me and then also cut a slit across the top. I think they will be perfect for summer parties as...

Place Card Holders...

Menu Holders...

Picture Holders...

Party Favors...send your guests home with one with a picture from your event.

They're already listed in my Etsy shop and waiting for your summer party!

So they left the subject and played croquet, which is a very good game for people who are annoyed with one another, giving many opportunities for venting rancor.”

Rose Macaulay

Do you have a croquet set?

Kitchen Floors and Pinterest

Sarah — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:37:36 GMT

I spent the better part of 3 hours today scrubbing the grout on my kitchen floor tile. That much time on your hands and knees gives you time to reflect. You see my preferred floor in a kitchen is a wood one. In my very first house, I had carpet in the kitchen and can you believe I put it there? That was way back before HGTV and the DIY Network to warn you of the danger and idiocy of carpeting your kitchen. The house was a post war brick bungalow with a 10 x 10 kitchen. The rest of the home had gorgeous oak hardwoods but the kitchen had ugly linoleum. I was only 24 and didn't want anyone's advice and Mr. Upscale and I thought the carpeting would make it cozy. Like a 10 x 10 kitchen isn't cozy?? Live and learn! My next home was a 1960s ranch house that also had linoleum in the kitchen. Interesting thing about it was that the former owner had painted it. She was a true DIYer and sponge painted every surface in that house. It was cream with light blue checks and was a killer to keep clean with 3 little boys. So we replaced it with a beautiful dark walnut wood. It was so easy to maintain and to clean. Fast forward to this house, a 1940 colonial and we have ceramic tile with grout. I think it originally was light gray grout but it definitely isn't anymore! With teenagers and Corgis in and out of my home on a daily basis, my kitchen floor gets dirty! I pinned an idea on Pinterest a few weeks back that suggested using carpet cleaner to clean your grout. So today I gave it a try...

BEFORE:

I used Woolite Heavy Traffic foam carpet cleaner, a Scotch-Brite green scrubby pad and then wiped the floor with a damp rag followed by my Shark steam cleaner. While the result is not perfection, it did clean and brighten the floor quite a bit. In the past I had used a toothbrush and bleach and I found this to be much easier and just as effective.

AFTER:

About half way through my cleaning job, my son asked me if in the grand scheme of life did it mattered if the grout was clean? I told him no but it made me feel better. His comment changed my reflection from my former kitchen floors to my blessings. I made sure to spend the rest of the time on my knees counting them.

Thank you God that....

--I have kids stepping in and out of my house everyday and that it is a busy place and that I can be a mother to my wonderful boys and their friends
--I have a healthy body that I can spend time cleaning on my hands and knees. I see people everyday that can't hardly walk.
--I am getting an arm workout as I clean
--I have furry friends that add so much love to our home
--I have a beautiful home with a tile floor

It's amazing how time on your knees can change your perspective.

Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.

Victor Hugo

What's the worst kitchen floor you've ever had?

Vocabulary Building with a Vintage Twist

Sarah — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:06 GMT

Tim Gunn, of Project Runway fame, said, "Few activities are as delightful as learning new vocabulary". I couldn't agree more, Tim! I've had a penchant for educational games and activities for as long as I've had children. I was one of those moms who bought all the Discovery toys. My boys may be big but I couldn't pass by this vintage vocabulary building game during my rummaging adventures this weekend. I've still got one more son in high school who needs to take the ACT and vocabulary building is a very important part of that.

Of course I couldn't leave it in its original package if it was going to be sitting in my kitchen. So I transferred the cards to this vintage candy tin. I'm envisioning lively discussions about interesting words and their meanings with all the teenagers who drop by my house. They'll probably stop dropping by...some day they'll appreciate that cooky Mrs. Ives.

This tin was featured in one of my favorite movies. Do you know which one?

I'd call him a sadistic, hippophilic necrophile, but that would be beating a dead horse.

Woody Allen

Have you increased your vocabulary lately? Do you have a favorite word?

Antique Taco

Sarah — Mon, 06 May 2013 10:36:53 GMT

Happy Monday! Today's post is dedicated to living your passion... I am pleased to announce that I have my very first retail account which will be selling my embellished upscale antlers! Antique Taco is located in Chicago and is the brainchild of a husband and wife team, Rick and Ashely Ortiz.

They combined both their passions to create an amazing restaurant where Rick uses fresh and local ingredients to put a modern spin on Mexican cuisine.

Ashley takes her love of decorating and antiques to create an unique ambiance much different than your average Mexican restaurant.

Together they are a winning combination that has been recognized by Chicago Magazine, Serious Eats Chicago, ABC News and many others. Ashley has a small shopping area in the restaurant where the antlers will be placed. She is also starting a flea market this summer.

If you're in the Chicago area, give Antique Taco a visit and tell them Sarah sent you! I know a visit is part of my summer plans. I'm looking forward to trying the Maple Farm Duck Enchiladas and Abuelita's Pop Tart from their eclectic menu.

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

Harriet Tubman

Do something to feed your soul and passion today!

The Child's Anti-Slavery Book

Sarah — Sun, 05 May 2013 20:11:50 GMT

Do you watch the Academy Awards? We do at our house. It's how we get ideas for which movies we want to rent for the next few months. We've been working our way through the list of Best Picture nominees and have recently watched Django Unchained and Lincoln. Both pictures take place in the 1800s before the Civil War and at the end of it. Ironically I found a wonderful treasure from the same time period during my antiquing adventures.

You may be thinking that it looks like an ordinary book; an old one but quite ordinary. That's precisely why you can't judge a book by its cover. It's a rare copy of an anti-slavery book for children published in 1859. This mid nineteenth-century, abolitionist tract, distributed by the Sunday School Union, uses actual life stories about slave children separated from their parents or mistreated by their masters to appeal to the sympathies of free children. Vivid illustrations help to reinforce the message that black children should have the same rights as white children, and that holding humans as property is "a sin against God."

It contains 3 sets of stories about the lives of real slaves and also has a short introduction about the immorality of slavery from a Biblical perspective. I've always enjoyed history class but through watching the movie Lincoln I realized I'm just a casual observer on the subject. During my education, history was approached through a series of events and dates and not from the perspective of its participants. I always thought that "everyone" in the North was against slavery and "everyone" in the South was for it. I never realized the political wrangling that went on to get the 13th Amendment passed and that a good portion of the people in the North were against it.

The book contains 10 etchings depicting slave life by Charles Howland Hammatt Billings who also illustrated Uncle Tom's Cabin. I read this book this week and found it to be quite moving. I absolutely can not believe how despicably humans can treat each other. I can appreciate the way Quentin Tarrantino rewrites history for his movies so the bad guy loses in the end and the good guy triumphs. That's the way we'd all like it to work. Even though Django Unchained was quite violent and there were parts I could not watch, I do admire his creativity.

I'm so glad that fate had me stumble across this simple and powerful volume and that I took the time to learn from its contents. I plan on selling it on Ebay to someone else who will appreciate it.

That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history.

Aldous Huxley

Did you like history class? Have you seen either Lincoln or Django Unchained?

Window Treatment Wednesday--Roman Shade Edition

Sarah — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:01:52 GMT

Welcome to Window Treatment Wednesday--a weekly blog post where I share out of the box ideas and inspiration for your window treatments. This week the future's so bright we have to wear shades...Roman shades...

Jenny Wolf Interiors

Amanda Nisbet

The Nesting Game

Maple & Magnolia

Amy Morris Interiors

Country Living

Kevin Malone

Red Door Home

There are certain shades of limelight that can wreck a girl's complexion.

Audrey Hepburn

Vintage Finds--Jewelry Edition

Sarah — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:12:04 GMT

I'm a homebody. I love to be at home so my new job has been a big transition for me emotionally and I'm still working through it. I'm very thankful for my new position but like I said, "There's no place like home" and I have had less and less time here between work and other activities. All this had me feeling a bit down last week but it was nothing that a good garage score couldn't fix. Usually all the "good stuff" is taken on Saturdays because the garage sale pros hit the sales the first day but I was blessed enough to stumble across a gem of a sale. (pun intended) It was an estate sale advertised as a garage sale and the prices were fantastic. All the jewelry was $.50 each. Here are the treasures I found...

BROOCHES

EARRINGS

BANGLE BRACLETS

And a carved Butterscotch Bakelite one...

For those of you in the cheap seats I'd like ya to clap your hands to this one; the rest of you can just rattle your jewelry!

John Lennon

Did you find any treasures this weekend?

Solving Mysteries as Furniture Detectives

Sarah — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 23:46:30 GMT

Riddle:
What has 6 sides, 28 joints and is red all over?
Answer:
My latest antique purchase!

Mr. Upscale and I enjoy a good mystery whether it's a movie plot or an antique so we purchased this six board chest at the auction house on Sunday. I loved it for its milky red paint and he for its dovetailed joints. We hauled it home and started to clean it and discover some of its mysteries.
Case in point: Notice the different types of woods between the chest and the trim.

The trim is oak and the chest is pine. This means that the trim was probably added at a later date. Sometimes the maker did use different types of wood on the same piece but these two just don't look like they go together at all. Different types of woods would be used because people used what they had on hand and also because they planned on painting the piece. Most likely it was someone's effort to restore it. We believe it had trim originally and here's how we know for sure. We removed the nasty oak trim and found this underneath.

Notice the nail holes. There are small ones where the oak was nailed in and there are larger ones which means there was another type of trim on the chest. It was most likely made of pine like the rest of the piece. Now that the trim has been removed another question has to be asked...Is that red paint that I love original? What do you think? Are you a furniture detective, too? I don't believe that the red paint is original because of the gray look of the boards underneath. It could have been painted red with the trim on and then this top piece would still have a gray border but this picture of the back leads me to believe it was originally gray.

The back of the chest has no red paint on it at all but can you see the traces of gray in the picture above? I do believe the red paint is quite old just because of it's lovely worn and milky patina.

Even though this six board chest is missing some of its original elements, like it's original trim, paint and hinges it's a lovely example of 19th century handmade furniture. It's called a six board chest because it is made of six individual boards and there was no joining of wood to make wider pieces. Think about how big those trees had to be to harvest wood that wide.

Now it sits in my living room as my coffee table and I will thoroughly enjoy it in all its handmade glory. If you'd like to see more examples of antique chests, I found this Pinterest Board called Trunks, Chests. It's definitely eye candy for the antique chest lover! I also found this example of a blue six board chest that is probably a bit earlier than this one but with all its original parts.

Uncertainty and mystery are the energies of life. Don't let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.

R. I. Fitzhenry

Do you love a good mystery?

Vintage Finds---Spring is on its Way Edition

Sarah — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 01:37:30 GMT

We Wisconsinites are hearty folk but even folks like us need some springlike weather around these parts. It's basically in the high 30s for weeks and weeks. So, I was pleasantly surprised last Friday when I spotted my first garage sale sign of the season. I promptly turned my car around and went to thank the hearty souls who decided to make spring happen around here. Soon, I was known as the "cheery girl" by the older ladies running the sale maybe because I was just so happy to be searching for treasures. I found a vintage flannel shirt for making antlers, a couple of belts for making bracelets and these awesome vintage music pins...

I plan to try my hand at making a "kitchen sink" style necklace like I learned about at Mitzi's Miscellany and these would be perfect additions. After my Friday rummaging adventure, we headed to the antique mall and thrift shop on Saturday. I shared about my antique English horse brasses for Window Treatment Wednesday but I also found some other unique items like these four pieces from an early wooden box camera.

I thought they would make great mini chalkboards or picture frames. I am drawn to anything handmade and this walnut tote was no exception. It has a spindle for the handle and it's made from pieces of furniture.

Notice the "spoon" detail on the inside of the box. I wonder why they put the pretty side to the inside? It must have been made by a man! I wonder if they intended to reuse and recycle the wood? And, we think we started that movement; our grandparents and great grandparents lived that way out of necessity. Currently it's holding TP in my powder room but it's such a versatile piece.

This vintage picture is a bit of a mystery. It looks like a picture of a window display at a department store at Christmas and I find it intriguing.

I also found two sets of antlers mounted on some very old barn wood. Now I just need to give them an upscale makeover...

If winter comes, can spring be far behind?

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy did not live in Wisconsin.

Have you found any treasures lately?

Window Treatment Wednesday--Equestrian Edition

Sarah — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:56:09 GMT

Welcome to Window Treatment Wednesday---a weekly blog post where I share out of the box ideas and inspiration for your window treatments. Remember a few weeks ago when I said customers have the best ideas? It's proved true for my business again. Last week a customer purchased two equestrian tie backs from my shop. Since I use vintage items in my designs they are limited edition and she needed a third tie back so I told her I would be on the hunt for more equestrian items. I went antiquing on Saturday for this express purpose and found some antique English horse brasses.

I love the patina of the brass and they are the perfect size for embellishing curtains. My next stop was my local farm store where I visited the tack aisle. I found this leather curbing which is used for horses and basically is a little belt. I paired the two together and have a fabulous equestrian look.

I plan to list them in my Etsy shop soon. If you like the equestrian look, you really need to check out my friend Allison's blog, The Polohouse. She lives in a converted polo house in Illinois and has the most beautiful antiques.

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.

Winston Churchill

Times are a Changin'

Sarah — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:43:22 GMT

They say that change is the only thing that is certain. I've got a big change happening in my life and I thought I'd share it with you...

One week ago today I started a full-time job after having been a part-time substitute teacher and Etsy shop owner for the past three years
I wasn't job hunting; the position just came to me through a series of "it's not odd; it's God" circumstances

I am a medical receptionist at a growing practice of physicians

I'm enjoying my new position but learning to adjust to less time to all my favorite things like create, design and blog
I plan to continue my Etsy shop and blog but will have to definitely improve on my time management skills

That's what's happening with me. I hope good things are happening in your life right now.

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.

Leo Tolstoy

Book Report---Recipe for Press

Sarah — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 20:12:47 GMT

One of my favorite possessions is a small recipe book handwritten by my mother. In it she shares our family's special sweet treats and little stories of how she acquired each recipe. My mother makes a mean carrot cake and her super simple apple crisp is a go to recipe for me. I'm so lucky to have these little treasures from her, and I was also lucky enough to stumble across a different kind of recipe book recently. It's called Recipe for Press by Amy Flurry. This recipe book promises to help you pitch your story like the pros and create a buzz.

The author, Amy Flurry, is a longtime editor and freelance writer working with such publications as, Lucky, InStyle, O @ Home, Country Living, Condé Nast Traveler, Better Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Budget Living and Refinery 29. I really appreciated Amy's practical and step-by-step approach to DIY publicity. Here are a couple of quick take away ideas that have me thinking:

Learn how to think like an editor and recognize the many stories-within-your story
Study back issues of publications to see patterns in how content is featured
Make sure your picture is included in the body of your email when you pitch to an editor---they are too busy and receive too many pitches to open attachments

Up until this point, I have been spending my time on creating and designing and letting my ideas flow but have been frustrated with getting my products noticed. From reading Amy's book, I've realized that I need to take some time to strategically plan and implement a publicity plan quarterly and yearly. I highly recommend this read for all etsy shop owners, indie artists, and small business owners. You can also follow Amy on her blog, Recipe for Press, where she shares great snippets of information on trends and products to inspire you.

A big thing that gets people in trouble in the kitchen is not reading the recipe from start to finish before you cook it. Before you start anything, read through the entire recipe once.

Gail Simmons

What do you do for publicity for your business/product?

Forcing the Issue

Sarah — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 23:14:25 GMT

Spring is taking its time coming to my little corner of the world. The farthest we've gotten is that the snow has receded quite a bit but there are still big piles of it all around. My son's high school baseball team has yet to play a game and today for practice they are removing snow from the fields! So I am forcing some spring attitude inside my house...

I've been wanting to force bulbs for years and I finally got around to trying it a couple of weeks ago. I'm thrilled that my bulb is getting green and a flower will grow! In case you didn't know...I do not have a green thumb AT ALL. The only plants I can keep alive are succulents because they hardly ever need watering.

To add a little more spring to the house, I picked up a purple hyacinth on clearance at Wally world today and added one of the bulbs to a gravy boat I found at the local thrift store. I know it will only survive a week or so but felt it deserved to look pretty while it was living here.

Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"...
"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine.

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Has spring arrived in your corner of the world?

Window Treatment Wednesday--Modern Antler Edition

Sarah — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 15:49:51 GMT

Welcome to Window Treatment Wednesday--a weekly blog post where I share out of the box ideas and inspiration for your window treatments. Common business sense says to listen to your customers and their special requests in regard to expanding your product line and this idea came directly from an Etsy customer. Last week, I was contacted by a design firm in California who wanted to use antler tie backs to hold their fabric samples in their showroom. They were going to paint the antlers white themselves but I loved the idea so much I just had to try it myself. I love the clean and modern look it gives and I think I will be eventually adding it to my shop.

Don't bother being modern. Unfortunately it is the one thing that, whatever you do, you cannot avoid.

Salvador Dali

What do you think of the modern antler look?

King Size Comfort

Sarah — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:08:30 GMT

Summer weather will be here before we know it and I can't wait for those warm summer breezes. One of the simple things in life that I love is the smell of fresh sheets off the clothesline that have been dried by those warm winds and sunshine.

Source: flickr.com via Pati's Pin on Pinterest

I've said it before but my big, comfy bed is one of my favorite places to be on earth and I like it even more now with my vintage piano headboard. Shouldn't you love your bed since you spend one third of your life in it? Several years ago I was lucky enough to work a short stint for a well-known mattress company and my sales goals allowed me to choose a free mattress. It was one of the best sales incentives I've ever earned and I received a $4000 mattress for free. So, after spending fifteen years in a cozy double bed, Mr. Upscale and I got a generous king size; it was spacious and felt like pure heaven. Next we needed to outfit ourselves with king size bedding. I had no idea how extra deep mattresses had become and the problems it created with purchasing sheets and blankets large enough. You really have to be careful when purchasing to make sure they fit correctly. I wish I had heard about the Linen Cupboard and their extra deep fitted sheets, and mattress protectors. They would have made my life a little easier back then. Their Sorrento Bedspread is on my wish list now because the coverlet I have on the bed now is not nearly long enough.

It's 104 inches of creamy cotton goodness that I love for it's simple lines and classic style. We dressed our bed with as much luxury as our tight budget could afford and purchased a Hungarian goose down comforter, a silk blanket, as well as, 600 thread count sheets and lots of comfy pillows. So while we're on the subject of beds and sheets and all things comfy, here a few favorite links on the subject:

Gorgeously styled beds with a few secrets from a stylist at New England Home
Four ways to fold sheets at Imperfect Homemaking
If you love the smell of freshly laundered sheets, you can buy it in candle form at Gold Canyon Candles
According to Real Simple here are the best ways to clean sheets
How to fold hospital corners at Apartment Therapy

A well-spent day brings happy sleep.

Leonardo da Vinci

What have you done to make your bed extra comfy and special?

Easter Decorating Favorites

Sarah — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 18:43:49 GMT

Have you seen the million and one ways to decorate Easter eggs on Pinterest? There are truly a ton of really cool ideas out there! I've found the Easter ideas that I've pinned are mostly pretty simple but I thought I'd share a few favorites...

Source: images.search.yahoo.com viaSarah on Pinterest

Source: sinajina.com viaSarah on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com viaSarah on Pinterest

Source: feeds.feedburner.com viaSarah on Pinterest

Source: partyresources.blogspot.com viaSarah on Pinterest

Visit my Easter Board on Pinterest for more cool ideas pinned by me. Here's an Easter gift I'd like to give myself...Matthew Mead has his new Recycled Style magazine out and available for purchase. It is full of Easter ideas and looks amazing as we would expect, of course.

We live and die; Christ died and lived!

John Stott

Are you on Pinterest?

Antiques as Souvenirs

Sarah — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:03:54 GMT

The summer travel season will be here before we know it and with the cabin fever that most of America has experienced this winter, I'm sure it will be a busy one. I don't have any travel plans of yet but a girl can always hope, right? Tourists have collected travel kitsch since the Crusaders plundered their way through the Holy Land. Postcards, pennants, shot glasses, spoons, as well as, a plethora of other items have topped the list of must haves from exotic and pastoral locales. These items are readily available at estate sales as they lose their meaning once their purchaser has passed. I have a different take on souvenir purchases; I try to find an antique or vintage piece that I can use and enjoy in my home decor. For example, two summers ago we did an old-fashioned road trip, packed our mini van and headed to Maine and all points of interest along the way. One of our favorite stops was in the Hudson Valley of New York where we did some antiquing. We picked up this unique sign made of cast iron for a jewelry shop.

Originally it would have hung on flange outside the store. This purchase carried special meaning for us because we also visited the American Clock and Watch Museumin Connecticut. This wonderful souvenir now hangs in our living room and is a daily reminder of our special trip out East. So forget those shot glasses and t-shirts and purchase an antique as your souvenir of your next trip. It definitely won't wind up in your estate sale.

The world is a book and those who do not travel only read one page.

Augustine of Hippo

What kind of mementos do you buy when you travel?

Window Treatment Wednesday---Outdoor Edition

Sarah — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 18:16:54 GMT

Welcome to Window Treatment Wednesday--a weekly blog post where I share out of the box ideas and inspiration for your window treatments. I stopped dreaming of spring a week or so ago since it is taking so long to actually arrive and now I am dreaming of summer. Warm sunshine, no more snow, billowy light breezes, no more snow, a drink on the patio in the evening, and of course, no more snow! You get the picture. So do some summertime dreaming with me as I share outdoor curtain ideas...

Source: holtum.dk via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: roomzaar.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: inspirationlane.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: buddhainteriors.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: facebook.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: ruemag.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: thenovogratz.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: organized-design.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Source: shannonfricke.blogspot.com via Sarah on Pinterest

                    One must maintain a bit of summer even in the middle of winter.

                        Henry David Thoreau

                         Do you have a place to use outdoor curtains?

The Beauty and Allure of Letterpress Printing

Sarah — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:38:29 GMT

Several weeks ago at the auction house I purchased a table top letter press printing press. It was made by Excelsior in the 1940s and its beautiful in all its mechanical glory. I've had a romantic inclination to learn about letter press printing and this was going to be my ticket to get started.

Source: typeverything.com via Sir Edmund on Pinterest

I paid less than $30 for the press so the investment was going to be minimal. Ideas swirled in my head! I envisioned Upscale Downhome business cards,

Source: ohsobeautifulpaper.com via Ariel on Pinterest

hang tags,

Source: seaboldvintagemarket.blogspot.com via Michelle on Pinterest

greeting cards made for friends,

Source: Uploaded by user via Heather on Pinterest

and possibly a line of stationery.

Source: sheaff-ephemera.com via Heather on Pinterest

I think I'm so attracted to the idea because it's old school. The beauty of the machines and the work they produce stirs up the romantic idealism of a different era.

Source: mitchellanddent.com.au via Katherine on Pinterest

I've had time to think about it and I know that it would be too much for me to start a new hobby with everything else going on in my life right now. I hate being practical! So I am going to sell my little press. It's worth hundreds of dollars online so I am going to put it on Ebay and also Craigslist and see what happens. I guess I'll have to settle for these letter press cookie cutters until life slows down a little...

Source: coxandcox.co.uk via Sandra on Pinterest

What gunpowder did for war the printing press has done for the mind.

Wendell Phillips

Do you think letter press printing is as fantastic as I do?