Morning strolls

Photos above from our walk along the beach today. Usually my husband is up at the crack of dawn and takes Ruby our Toller for a one hour run (see previous post about how much I don't do mornings and you can see why its a one man adventure).

At the moment my husband is in training for an ocean swim so Ruby and I head down for a morning stroll (thats stroll, not run, and its not the crack of dawn!) and watch Haydens head out bobbing in the ocean. It really is such a beautiful time of day and the beach is so still and peaceful. Although stopping every 3 minutes to take photos surely doesn't count as exercise but it really is a nice time of day to relax, prepare for the busy day back at our studio and count our lucky buttons that we live in such a glorious location!

Loving Little Jane St.

Im one of those people who stay up until 2am working everynight. Crazy I know, but I just don't do mornings.

Although Im starting to think I might have to change this as most mornings my routine goes something like this: Get woken at 8am by couriors knocking on our door and Ruby (our previousally sleeping dog) barking with mad oblivion. After almost falling out of bed in fright its a mad rush to the door, while trying to throw a dressing gown over my shoulders and open the door with beautiful bed hair and a dog deterimined that the courior needs a kiss. In turn, the courior isnt impressed he has been waiting, he throws the parcel at me, and tries not to laugh at my beehive hair do. I don't know what it is about 8am, But the couriors with out fail, do arrrive. You think I would learn...

Usually our deliveries are paper stocks, printing plates and other studio items we are expecting. Today our package was a most unexpected surprise by the gorgeous Alarna at Little Jane St. I met Alarna last year at the Southbank Young Designers markets and not only is she a gorgeous thing but she is a beautiful illustrator and designer. She had sent our way a gorgeous pack of greeting cards, christmas cards and the most sweetest screen printed little pouches you have ever seen. I am totally in awe of her products, her sense of style and her beautifull illustrative work. She has a fabulous blog, and online shop here.

Thanks Alarna, your the sweetest!

In the studio today

Have I ever mentioned that our printing presses are human power operated, just like they were supposed to be when they were built in 1893?

Before the invent of motors, big tough strong printing men operating these presses at lightening chop off your finger speeds. These days, we are never in that much of a hurry (and value our fingers too much) but using your foot to treadle and set 600kilos of cast iron in motion surely isn't for the faint hearted!

Your thigh muscles get pumping, your abs start crunching, your arm muscles start pulsing and you have most ladylike sweet dribbling down your legs. Trust me, its not at all glamorous. And did I mention the distinct perfume I now wear of mineral turps? Im positive it will surely will be the next big thing on the perfume scene.

Ruby our press dog, watches on with much amusement. From her comfy spot in the most coolest part of the studio some days I look down at her watching me and think damn, she must think im crazy!!

A sneak peak into our studio!

New Years Day saw the start of a new year and a new office space for Bespoke Press!

Late last year I mentioned that my dear husband was building us a studio table out of heavy mdf board and turned pine legs. Over the christmas break he surprised me by organising the table to be 2pac painted at a local spray booth and installed into our new office. It was a beautiful surprise to come home and see our 300x60cm table installed all shiny and white!

This of course promted a mass office redecoration and organisation! New Years Day saw us up bright and early bring the office to life! After a mass buy at Kikki.K, a gorgeous desk calender by Nora Whynot Press, a wall calender by Frankie (you can never have too many calenders!) and Eames era chairs a bargain for $30 each off ebay recovered in Amy Butler fabric, we now love walking into our office each day.

The table was looking beautiful, the views out the windows to Moreton Bay are gorgeous, but then we turned around and the book case was attrocious! So a whole another day later, 2 massive garbage bags of books for donation, and several more visits to purchase stationery the office is now complete. Viola!

The cost of producing our table was
$100 for 30mm MDF board 3000x600mm
$120 for pine turned legs
$50 for decorative mouldings & screws
$30 for router blade
$330 for 2pac spray painting
Total $630.00

Back in the studio

My dear friends, I hope you had a most lovely Christmas season! We closed up shop and headed down South to spend time with our families. 4874 kilometers later, we had visited them all. Thankfully we flew and not drove, although after being in 3 different states in 10 days, im thinking next year, we might just say, we love you, but cant visit you all!

While in Sydney my Mum and I had a lovely day of styling and shooting some of our recent wedding invitation packages. How much of a beautiful job did my Mum do with the photographs of Susan & Mikes wedding package above. She has an amazing collection of vintage silverware and a gorgeous garden - absolute bliss for styling!

Wishing you all a very happy new year!

All wrapped up

Growing up my Mum taught me many wonderful things like how to be a good person, how to live life (which basically means how to be silly), how to be honest and warm hearted, how to cherish each day and love unconditionally. But most of all she taught me that presentation means everything!

My mum has always been the queen bee of beautiful wrapping. Last year she wrapped in Florence Broadhurst wallpapers, and this year she has outdone herself with her gorgeous blue and red dragonfly theme in the photo above. What a special mum, I feel so privileged to have grown up surrounded by such appreciation of the beautiful things in life!

Merry Chirstmas Mum!

xox

Happy Weekend!

My lovely friends, im wishing you beautiful pre christmas weekend. I hope you get time amongst the rush of shopping confusion this weekend to enjoy with friends and family. I am having a very big avoidance of the shops this year and have gone for a handmade approach and have made or purchased from other beautiful designers. With many 3am mornings this week madly sewing and swearing at my sewing machine, I hope, fingers crossed, I can now relax and enjoy the magic of christmas. I'ld love to show you what I've made, but that will just spoil the surprise!!

Before I head down to Sydney today I wanted to share with you a gorgeous letterpress idea which is being started by Paper Stories. Now unfortuantly its only open to those of us who print letterpress, and not admirers, but she is organising a global swap amongst the letterpress designers and printers of the world. You can find more information here. It will certianally be all my christmases at once receiving a beautiful big bundle of prints!

Have a most lovely weekend, and I'll see you all next week from somewhere down south!

xox

Christmas Giveaway Winners Announced!

Thankyou for all your entries into our giveaway, we had a huge number of entries and we are so smitten by all your lovely messages we received about our new shop. To celebrate I pulled out my Grandmas silverware and Old Country Roses tea set, mimicked a little drum roll and we are pleased to announce that the winners are:

Our limited edition Owl print goes to Lorena Mair
Our limited edition Bird print goes to Sena Sagani
Our pack of 5 Christmas Cards goes to Laura Kahn

Congratulations Ladies, your parcels will be on their way shortly!

And a quick reminder that our Christmas Sale continues right up until the 24th of December with our limited edition prints on sale for only $20!