It's been a fun adventure settling in here at the official home of Two Little Birds Press in Reynolda Village. I'll have an update soon of pictures, etc. I'm really loving my new space and after the craziness of the holidays, my little retreat is beginning to feel like home.
I've been busy at work printing and designing. The other day, I realized that Valentine's day is right around the corner and it's time to start planning a special Valentine from Two Little Birds Press.
To be honest, I have never been a fan of Valentine's day. I don't mean to be a curmudgeon, but it's one of those holidays that carry so many cheesy expectations. I guess I'm just not one of those hopeless romantics; HOWEVER, the one thing I always love on this particular holiday is a special card...a Valentine.
Forget chocolate and red roses (I prefer orange roses, anyway), all I want for Valentine's day is to give a beautiful card with my own words and receive the same from the person I love. I also love the fact that a Valentine can be sent to not just your special someone but to a family member or friend. It really is the perfect opportunity to tell someone you're thinking of them. Remember back in elementary school when everyone in your class got a Valentine from each student? What a perfect example of how a little gesture can mean so much. I guess I am a sap for a little "love" note on Valentine's day!
So last week I set out to make my first letterpress Valentine for Two Little Birds Press. The creative process was so fun and my ideas kept morphing as I went along. I was going to print a plain heart (that I carved from a linoleum block) and put a little lovey-dovey saying over it. But, as I got going with this idea, all I could think was: LAME. This is not who I am. The red heart was too cliché and it just needed something else. So I grabbed my trusty Sharpie and tools and turned the plain, ol' heart into a more detailed, Scandinavian type heart. I was over the red ink, so I printed this new heart in white on Kraft paper.
I loved how it turned out, but I still needed to make this Valentine a little sweeter and threw in some wood type. Always holding true to my style that less is more. (Thanks Mies van der Rohe.)
Then my husband told me I needed red, since, come on, it's Valentine's Day. I had it under control, pop this card in a ruby red envelope and voilà!
This Valentine is simple, to the point, and really for everyone. I'm so happy with it and I hope you like it too! Check it out in more detail here: www.etsy.com/shop/TwoLittleBirdsPress .
I have to add, that I also got a little carrie away with the whole "creative process" and started printing the heart with red ink on off-white paper. I didn't like this as a Valentine, per say, but wanted to use these prints for something else. and then this banner/garland was born.
So now I have Valentine's and Valentine's day decor available at Two Little Birds Press. I guess I am turning into that hopeless romantic after all.