If you’re nuts for pretty coffee table books, then we’ve got a new one to add to your collection! Kseniya Thomas and Jessica White, the original ladies behind the Ladies of Letterpress, have published a beautiful compilation of print work among their members. And Smudge Ink is lucky to be among its pages! I finally had a moment to flip through the book with a cup of coffee the other day. (Thanks to my husband and Kate's dad who both saw it at a book store and promptly bought us copies because it’s not every day you see your name in print. And plus, they are our personal PR assistants).
I really enjoyed seeing the range of styles and designs and learning about the other 80+ artists and studios who also contributed. One of the great features of the book is that each featured printer has its own perforated page that it can be torn out and used as a poster for framing and hanging. This book truly celebrates the supportive and enthusiastic community of women printers to which we are proud to belong.
(image: Look, Heidi, Handsome, and Cookie's names are in print!)
(image: our featured greeting cards and custom projects)
(images left to right: wonderful work from printshops, Letterpers, The Permanent Collection, and Constellation & Co. that caught my eye)
(image: our signature poppy design ready to be turned into wall art)
I still remember the day I got my first library card. In my wide eyes, that small laminated rectangle was a passport to so many enchanting places—Narnia, Marlinspike Hall, River Heights and Sweet Valley just to name a few. My love for children’s literature and armchair traveling has only grown since then, and I often get asked for recommendations. In celebration of International Children’s Book Day (and Hans Christian Andersen´s birthday), here are a few of my favorite books to inspire budding bookworms. And if you need ideas for baby shower or birthday gifts, they make a wonderful edition to any library.
My all-time favorite read aloud is "We’re Going on a Bear Hunt" by Michael Rosen. After all, who can resist these opening lines?
Another great read aloud is "Owl Moon," a story about a young girl who goes out owling with her father late one night. Unlike the noisy romp of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, this is a quiet adventure.
As children, my three siblings and I read and re-read "The Adventures of Tintin," a comic series featuring the famous boy reporter who does a shockingly small amount of reporting but a whole lot of stumbling into mysteries of every kind. Tintin fueled my love of mysteries, both as a young reader (I know I’m not the only one who wanted to be Nancy Drew!) and as an adult (I can’t get enough of Kate Atkinson, Tana French and Craig Johnson to name a few).