Zeichen Press – Page 7 – Design & Letterpress for the people.

Canada: You’re strange and wonderful.

So, I (meaning the Zeichen Press intern) pulled one of everything (x3) for our new Canadian reps

while I sat on the cold concrete floor and worried.�Andrea is learning so much from me.

Our new reps will be taking our goods to the the�CGTA�and from there I guess back to their ice palace. Canada is so different than America!

I found�a short list of shops�in Toronto that I imagine will soon be carrying some letterpress from Minnesota… but that’s for the reps to decide. I’m not some kind of control freak.

July 18, 2010
Sweat Shop

The shop has been a very sultry 90� for the past couple of days – which makes for nearly nude printing. The latest Room & Board project is half done and it’s looking frantastic – the ink loves the heat and lays down like a whipped dog – I also love the heat and yet I stand. And stand. I’d like to thank cold-press coffee from�Sisters’ Sludge�for helping me to keep it real.

July 15, 2010
Tortured (commercial) Artist

I need to get into character for the big Room and Board project… “WHAT’S MY MOTIVATION??!”

Backstory:

In a post-apocalyptic world, one breathtakingly beautiful woman finds herself wandering through the residential remains of South Minneapolis. She stumbles upon a letterpress print shop – it is impossibly intact. She drags her shopping cart of possessions inside and studies her surroundings. Type, ink, paper, a giant wrench and an autographed photograph of Kelly Clarkson. This is exactly like her dream – except without Abraham Lincoln. There isn’t much time before the�feral cats�find her… �But she finally has a method to preserve the dying language – at last! At long last…�

Whew! That was intense! Okay, enough screwing around – the clock is ticking and the cats are coming.

July 13, 2010
My New Computer

I lived in Uptown when Chino Latino was Annie’s Parlor and the threat of a good bus-stop knifing made my morning commute thrilling.

Alas, that Uptown is no more.

The filthy (come ON! You�know�it was filthy!!) Uptown Bar has been replaced by a giant, sparkly�Apple Store�and�the smelly Uptown Bar bouncer has been replaced with fresh-faced (sober) computer geeks. Did I shed a tear during the demolition of this�Minneapolis Institution?

No. I did not. Don’t send me hate mail.�

I loved the Uptown Bar – when I was 21. I also loved smoking a pack of cigarettes every day and getting my furniture from the Salvation Army.

I love the new Apple Store – all brushed metal and snowy white… Perfectly climate controlled, smelling of new electronics, buzzing with energy… A 30 foot-tall-wall of tempered glass keeps the noise and heat of Hennepin Avenue out and the Apple-Zen in. Machines are tethered to maple tables so they won’t float away and maybe to prevent shoplifting.

I bought one of those machines – my old machine was jealous but it was time for it to be replaced. Laptops shouldn’t cause 1st degree burns on a lap.�I know I’ve made some very poor decisions recently, but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal. I’ve still got the greatest enthusiasm and confidence in the mission. And I want to help you.

What?! I know. My new computer would never say something like that.

July 6, 2010
Seriously??!

I’ve heard that some people use their kitchen table FOR EATING.

The squirrel came back again – this time looking for Fig Newtons.

Maybe if people (me) remember to shut the back door she wouldn’t think I was inviting her in for lunch. After I waved goodbye (screamed hysterically and jumped up on a chair) I had time to use the table for other things. : Project photographs for the new website!

I am tempted to leave my door open to see what other wildlife will enter my kitchen.

June 30, 2010
PR for Tanek, a pregnant cat and a squirrel in my kitchen

Something weird(er) is going on around here. First, we witnessed a large orange cat date-raping our little Siamese (cat) – and THEN there was a squirrel sitting at my kitchen table eating an avocado.

LATER, I drove myself (I did!) to the edge of downtown for a stand-up meeting with the managing editor for Minnesota Business* and the guys from�Tanek�and�Touchpoint. The meeting was in Touchpoint’s new (unfinished) space – which happens to be in�the building�that I imagine owning. So that’s a weird coincidence.

*The Managing Editor for Minnesota Business can be found�here:

June 24, 2010

Oh, YOU again.

I’m not sure if he was gently�curb-stomped, or he bit into a fresh apple. Either way, he lost his front teeth.

October 8, 2015
Stamp-Lickin’ So You Don’t Have To

Do you fantasize about a service that would lick your stamps (and mail awesome cards to a list of people in your address book)??

YOU DO??

Have you heard of�Postable??

Did I mention that there are Zeichen Press cards in their line?? (NOT letterpress printed, BUT STILL.)Now there really is zero excuse to NOT send a card IN THE MAIL.

*Stay tuned:�Postable�will be adding MORE Zeichen Press cards this week.*

WAIT, I didn’t mention the most important part:

September 28, 2015
Groucho Marx + Turkey = FUNNY

Hoohoo!�I’m laughing already!

More for�RSVP:

September 19, 2015
WOOT.

Does Jen hate letterpress printing SO much that I have to create and license all of the art and farm it off to art licensing companies??

Maybe.

The latest for�RSVP:I know one thing for sure. ONE THING. Jen would�really�hate to print these multi-colored designs. She makes me live in a monochromatic world.�But see how I defy??�FIVE colors??

FIVE.

And now they want more cards! FINE.I’m such a rebel.

September 12, 2015
So NOT Letterpress

Tanek�demanded�a new website, and who am I to argue??�I just do what I’m told.

I designed/art directed it and the good folks at�Carney, made my wishes their command.Observe the fancy bells and whistles!

Rollovers… PDF Downloads… Video Portraits…

And observe what you WON’T observe: My own, personal,�Content Management System.It’s okay to cry. It’s beautiful.

September 7, 2015
Tradition Dictates So I Don’t Have To!

Did I even see Jen on her birthday last week??

Hmm, I don’t think so… But I still made her a card because my love for her just bubbles over and soils the stovetop with a sort of gravy that becomes crusty and has to be scraped off months later with steel wool and maybe a knife.

Whew!

That’s a lot of love!GET IT?!?! CAT-SUP???

Omg, it just doesn’t stop over here!

August 30, 2015
Put a Cat On It

Do you need to sell something? You do??

PUT A CAT ON IT.That sweatshirt is not to be worn ironically and can be yours for a mere $65.

But really, it’s not even realistic. What sort of galaxy is full of white kittens and multi-colored roses??

And where’s the wine and unicorn??

All of those adorable kittens in space DID inspire a graduation card. Don’t ask me why. DON’T ASK ME.

August 23, 2015
What’s A Gal Gotta Do??

Oh, *I* know!

No problem.

August 13, 2015
BE A WOMAN

Don’t tell Blockbuster Video, but I still have a VHS copy of�Alive�in my attic.�I just love survival dramas.�*I*�survived the heat last week, it was pretty dramatic… But I ate no one, despite feeling very�hungry. To celebrate, the Intern and I set some type.AND THEN I wrote/designed more cards for�RSVP, deadline is TOMORROW.�No big deal. Chosen card(s) just go into the Major Supermarkets.

August 2, 2015
ART Licensing

ART, I say!

ART!

RSVP�asked me for some new�art,�SPECIFICALLY for 16th birthdays, BUT stay away from the subject of driving?

Um, ok.

How about the subject of dog poop?I KNOW this is a derivative of MY OWN card.AND a card I made for ANOTHER Art Licensor.�Recycled Paper Greetings.

They also asked for some Wedding Cards… Maybe I’ll say something about flatulence, MAYBE I WON’T.

July 24, 2015