Designer Interview: Sarah of Sarah Ridgley Letterpress

I was taking a look at the TTAH archives, and reread the Designer Interviews from Bright Ideas Week. They were so wonderful, I've decided to make a habit of it: every Friday, I'll try to post a new interview with some of my favorite designers out there - obviously, it'll depend on their schedules as well as mine. Kicking off the new feature is the wonderful Sarah Ridgley, whose work you've seen on many blogs already, but has been kind enough to answer some of our questions with incredible insight!

Sarah Ridgley runs the lovely letterpress studio Sarah Ridgley Letterpress. She is based out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and was kind enough to share with us a little bit about herself, her process, and some of her favorite things.

ABOUT SARAH
 

What does your company sell?
Letterpress cards and coasters.  I also do custom work like wedding invitations and baby announcements.

Who are your favorite visual artists or crafters?
I absolutely love Mandy of Belle and Boo. Her illustrations are delightful and they always make me smile.

What's your favorite food?
A perfect steak from Doe's Eat Place.

What's your favorite color?
Green, in all its glorious shades.

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?
Shopping at Anthropologie, I spend lots of hours and dollars there.

What's your favorite pastime?
I think my favorite thing would have to be cuddling in a blanket on the couch reading my favorite magazines (Domino, Martha Stewart Living, and Make).

Cats or dogs?
Dogs.

Pepsi or Coke?
Coke

Chocolate or vanilla?
Chocolate

Printed magazines or blogs?
Ohhh, I don't know. Probably printed magazines.

Where would you go if you had a plane ticket to anywhere?
Straight to India. I can't imagine a more visually stimulating place. I would love to wonder the markets and pick out amazing fabrics all day long.

If you were marooned on a deserted island, what three things would you be most desperate for?
My husband, bug spray, and my itouch with solar powered charger.

What websites are you addicted to?
Etsy, Briar Press, and Flickr.

ABOUT SARAH'S BUSINESS AND CREATIVE PROCESS

What's your creative background?
I don't really have any formal training in "creative."  I've been interested in fashion and design for as long as I can remember.  I think most of my training came from studying magazines and books to develop a sense of what appeals to me.

What made you pick up crafting in the first place, and how did you learn to do it?
After I got engaged I started researching wedding invitations.  That's when I first learned about letterpress printing.  I started reading everything I could find to learn how the process worked and what you needed to get started, thinking I could figure it out and make my own invitations.

At that time, there were lots of presses available for cheap.  I bought one in Memphis and my fiancée and I drove all night to pick it up.  It was very exciting! Unfortunately, once I started teaching myself how to use it, I realized there was no way I would be proficient enough to print my own invitations in time. I called several local printers to see if they could help me, but most of them didn't even know what letterpress printing was.

So, I was completely on my own for learning.  It was great though.  I would spend hours out in our barn mixing inks and pulling prints.

What motivated you to turn your hobby into a business?
One afternoon at work (I'm an attorney by day) I discovered a link to Etsy. I started looking at all the shops, and I thought it might be fun to see if my designs would sell.  So, I made a few cards and listed them. Once they started selling, I got hooked and decided to make my very own website.

What was your strategy for promoting yourself once you decided to start the business up, and was it effective?
I tried several different things when I first started up.  I used Google Adwords (a waste) started a little blog (fun, but very time consuming) and put pictures on Flickr (my favorite!!). I also did a little mini-campaign where I went through tons of blogs and left comments.  That way people could look up who I was and find my shop, and I wasn't too much in their face.

What are some of the lessons you've learned along the way? Is there anything you'd wished you'd known or thought of before taking the plunge?
Packaging was my biggest challenge. I had no idea what to do.  I wasted a lot of money at first trying different ideas until I finally figured out what works for me. 

Is there any particular advice you'd give someone interested in starting a crafting business, online or off?
Test your ideas on a few people (not relatives or close friends) first. I presented several card options to my coworkers before I listed anything. They were quick to tell me which ones were lame and would ruin me. *smile*  Everyone should get a little criticism before jumping in there. It only makes us better!

Are there any other people in the independent design and craft community that you look to for inspiration or whose work you really admire?
Oh yes! I love Heather Bailey and all of her fantastic patterns.  I also enjoy anything from Oh My Cavalier and Abela Bloom.  I was very excited to have Trevor (from Abela Bloom) design some Christmas cards for me this year.

Do you have any big influences outside of the crafts community that have significantly impacted your work?
I lived in London for a year after I graduated college.  After growing up in a small town in Arkansas, I was blown away by all the culture and opportunity that comes from living in a big city. I went to every museum I could find, and spent most Saturdays trolling down Portobello Road.

What's your favorite part of your design process?
My favorite part would be actually pulling the prints. It's exciting every time I get it all set up and the first perfect print comes through.

If you could pick up another craft, what would it be, and why?
I've always wanted to learn to sew.  My mom gave me her old sewing machine, but I could never figure out how to get it threaded.  I guess I use up all my patience when I print.  If I do something else, I want it to be simple.

SARAH BECOMES THE BLOGGER

What are your favorite supply sites?
Owosso Graphics - they make my printing plates.

What's your favorite supply item?
My magnesium printing plates.

What are your favorite indie companies?
Little Odd Forest, and The Shiny Squirrel.

What's your favorite purchase you've ever made in the indie community?
I love this ring. I never take it off.

Thank you again, Sarah, for your time and patience! I hope everyone finds her answers just as interesting and insightful as I did!

I Love Letterpress, Too! (And I Definitely Love This Directory...)

It's not the first time I've been to the blog I Love Letterpress, but yesterday was the first time I really looked through their directory - as in, pretty much every link. It's phenomenal, and it's so inspiring to see all the different things people are punching out with their letterpress and leaves me utterly envious of those who have a press! ILL gets a big round of applause from me for documenting all of those letterpress companies in such an organized manner - you absolutely must check it out!

SPONSORED FEATURE: Elephantine

I highly recommend you visit Elephantine for some of the most adorably illustrated note cards I've ever seen! If I could pinch these little guys' cheeks, I would. There's also some equally "awwwww" inspiring plushies you've got to get your hands on!

My Kingdom for a Tabletop Press!

And so my search begins for a letterpress. I'm desperately wanting a Craftsman Imperial, the press above, but Briar Press and Ebay are coming up short. If anyone has a lead, let me know! I've started designing paper goods but I'm not entirely sure how long it'll be before I can find one available. If it takes me more than three or four months, I'll probably go after a Kelsey, but the reviews I hear about them are pretty bad - disappointing, since they're the most readily available brand. Le sigh.

12/18 - Edit: I have a classified up on Briar Press if you have a tabletop to unload. My request is here.

Holy Smokes, Bullwinkle! Check Out These Pads!

It's not like I haven't seen anything with a moose design on it before - I live in Minnesota now, for Pete's sake! - but something about these cute notepads from Linda and Harriet brought me back to the days when I'd spend hours in front of the television with my dad watching tapes of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. It's definitely in the style of drawing - a very stylized silhouette drawing that reflects the whole line. Memory Lane connections aside, Mr. Moose is positively adorable and so winter appropriate, making him the perfect gift for a teacher, office buddy, or anyone else you want to show your appreciation to at this time of year without getting too holiday-specific. $12 for 100 sheets.

Here, I Have a Note! [Let Me See It!]

I have a confession to make: I'm a sucker for anything vaguely related to The Phantom of the Opera. When I saw these beautiful holiday cards by Mulberry Muse were inspired by the story, clearly I was sold. Like the rest of the cards at Mulberry Muse (which I highly suggest you check out), the design was already elegant and so in the spirit of the holidays, but to know where the design originated made it hit home even more - Phantom is sort of the "official" family musical, so it's utterly fitting!

And remember... you might want to watch your head while opening these cards. Chandeliers, well - they have a tendency to fall.

Just as Impressive as the Bling?: Our Engagement Announcements

The physical labor paid off: our engagement announcements came out great! The above picture is a scan, so it's not going to be color accurate, but the ink is an antique gold and the paper is a blush pink. I'm going to slowly be adding photos of it as part of my documentation of the planning process, so keep checking my Flickr account for new uploads. I'm going to try to get some done tonight.

If you're a design-it-yourselfer like I am, and you like this look, here was my supply list:

• polymer plates
• Linotronic film negatives of my art work
• Vandercook SP20 press
• Van Son letterpress inks - the pink was custom mixed by me with Pantone base colors; gold is Unipak Gold Pantone 873
• Paper Source A9 Flat Cards in Luxe Blush and A9 Envelope in Stardream Antique Gold
• Bickham Script and Garamond Small Caps
• Flora & Fauna Engraved Illustrations Disk

Since you need all hands in the studio that are available, I couldn't take step-by-step pictures of the process, but I will be going back soon to press the holiday ornaments for the swap, so if anyone would like to see them, comment here to request them. I will, however, give you a brief overview of what to do to press your own. I can't get too specific, because the process greatly depends on what kind of press and images you're using, but here we go:

1. Design your invitation or announcement, then get it ready for prepress. Convert all images to black and white, and outline our text so it becomes a vector image rather than a font. If you don't use SmartSet, the Linotronic film vendor I have linked above, contact your negative producer to see what formats they'll accept. My file was submitted as an Illustrator file. Send off your file, and you'll usually receive it back fairly quickly.
2. When you have your negative, prepare and make your plates. This step, and the negative making process, can be consolidated by simply by having your plates made by Boxcar Press. You can choose metal or vinyl backed plates - vinyl are more flexible and transparent, so you can easily register and square off your plates with a Boxcar base (available through them). I recommend vinyl, but it's a personal preference - if you end up washing your plates out by hand, you may prefer metal backs.
3. To make your plates, they need to be exposed to UV light. Place the negative so that it is wrong-reading (emulsion side down) on the surface of the plate and expose it - 3 minutes is generally enough if you have strong bulbs. The plate will noticeably be different - exposed areas will have slightly changed color. Wash out your plates gently in a lukewarm bath with a soft brush (Boxcar supplies these brushes as well, I believe) until the gummy surface of the unexposed plate has washed away and water rolls off of the surface like it would on glass. Let the plate dry thoroughly; it's best to do a flash dry with a hair dryer so that water spots are avoided as much as possible. If you have a plate dryer, let it sit in there for 10-15 minutes. Re-expose the plate without the negative for equal to or slightly more time than it took to initially expose it to completely harden the plate. If you're using vinyl plates (instead of metal backed with a magnetic base), you'll need to add plate adhesive to the back of it, which is also available at Boxcar.
4. Print them!

Crafting Good Gifts with the Handmade, Part Two

It took me a few days, but I finally got around to planning the second installment of my Holiday shopping list, and I'd love to share my selects with you. Since I'm now buying for two families and our friends, this might end up being longer than the two-parter I was originally figuring it would be!

For a family friend who is like a little sister to me, a simple but sophisticated necklace from Tryst by Kerry that reflects the maturity she has for someone who's only in their early teens. The gold and warm pearl will look excellent with her olive skin tone!

We've got friends of the family that collect really unique and vintage ornaments, and I think a couple hand-blown glass ornaments from Teagues Beads on Etsy would fit right in with their collection. I love that this one is non-traditional all around - the shape is incredibly interesting and the color is unexpected!

For my best friend who is a very talented writer and was probably a pirate in a past life, there's no question that she needs If'N Books' Jen Corace Pirate Journal. I don't think anything has possibly suited her better.

Four Ways to Coast Through a Mess-Free Holiday

It's inevitable, right? At some point, condensation - or worse, spillage - is going to happen around a glass while you're entertaining this holiday season. Thanks to the Martha Era, the population generally knows to avoid those tacky rubber coasters that double as an advertisement for [insert beer or other alcoholic beverage company here], so what's a host or hostess to do?

Fortunately for us all, many letterpress inks (which are generally made of oil or rubber) are waterproof and more and more indie paper goods companies are designing coasters, so it's easy to accent your decor with a little bit of your favorite designer this year. Here are my picks!

Greer VH1 Limited Edition Coasters: beautiful graphic designs with an aqua blue to bring out the season, but are also good for any time! If you thought it can't get any better, you're in for a surprise: twenty percent of the proceeds from each sale goes to support VH1's Save the Music program, putting music education back into public schools. $8.50 for a set of 8.

Femme Fatale Coaster by Magic Jelly: perfect for your holiday party with the girls, and, with the opportunity to mix and match these coasters with a variety of other designs, they can make for a fun and unique way to add some quirkiness to your festivities. Consider using these coasters in the place of wine charms or Sharpie-written names to help guests distinguish which cup is theirs.$6.00 each, or 4 for $20.

Snowflake Coasters by Green Chair Press: between the letterpress "hit" and the silver ink, this coaster was easily on its way to add elegance and classic flair to any party. The design adds festivity into the mix, making it the perfect compliment to any tabletop with a silver theme. Consider using aqua and red accents into the mix to add pop and let these guys become a subtle, sophisticated part of your table. $10 for a set of 8.

Two Red Deer Coasters by Papered Together: I love these adorable coasters, and I love the fact that it appears like they're two male deer kissing. Between the cocktails and the champagne, I'd put out a prize for the first one to notice at the party! $10 for a set of 8.

It's Absolutely Spooktacular

All bad jokes aside, here are my picks for Halloween themed loot from Etsy!

Window Cat Pop Up Card by Tracy Chong, $4.50

Ceramic Rustic Leaf by Achristina, $28.00

Halloween Dolly Doll by SAplanet, $18.00

Candy Corn Lampwork Beads by Avenue Beads, $20.00

Bleeding Heart Fused Glass Charm Pendant by Shoozles, $22.00