Magpie Press

Vintage Vegas glamour is the order of the day for this stunning wedding invitation.  The emblematic sunburst and retro typeface were printed in antique gold and black on luscious Somerset 500gsm.  On the reverse we offset printed a great black&white image from the brat-pack days (can you hear Sinatra crooning?).   You’d just have to pack your bags and go if this invitation arrived in your mailbox, wouldn’t you?

We’ve been keeping busy at Magpie Press recently, rustling up some designs for our about-to-be-released ‘off-the-peg’ range of wedding invitations and baby announcement cards.  Here is a taste of the first few.  If you’re interested in having any of these printed up for your wedding or baby, please drop me line here>

Baby Bird

Trellis

Zinnea

We had such a great time this week on the press.  This project was a highlight – designed in New Zealand for a London-based client.  The only direction was to include the colour coral – so we went for a warm, rich coral which positively pops off the invitation.  The Japanese-inspired set includes a DL size invitation (210mm x 105mm) along with a gorgeous RSVP featuring a blind deboss top and bottom, then wrapped with a letterpress printed band.

Being magpies, we just adore the perfect simplicity of black and white.  This wonderful wedding invitation was accompanied by a second card detailing accommodation options, complete with a map on the reverse – then the two were bound together with black grosgrain ribbon and finished with a name tag.  Many thanks to our wonderful clients who took the time to send us these pics of the finished suite.

Blind debossing (making an imprint without ink) is an elegant way to include design elements of your wedding into the invitation.  This charming couple were keen to incorporate the gorgeous lace from the wedding dress into their invitations.  The very contemporary treatment of a very old world fabric works brilliantly, and also softens the formality of the card.

Here’s one of my favourite recent prints.  The A5 Somerset 500gsm card was printed as a frame for the invitation proper (which was A6 size, poppped into and envelope and adhered to the centre of this card).  This is also a good example of how metallic silver ink prints in letterpress – a pared back effect.

design (c) Smoothfluid

I just fell in love with these pretty brown birds, happily perched in their eau-de-nil trees..  The inspired design (and perfect use of letterpress) was supplied by Kate Cullum.  We also letterpressed a matching Order of Ceremony folder, printed at the same time.  This is the most cost-effective way of printing letterpress, as the press is already set with your special shade of ink.

Design by Kate Cullum

Delicate and feminine were the words that popped into my head when the artwork for this beautiful invitation arrived.  Up super close, it almost looks like applique – a minutely hand-worked border with the paper stock puffing like fabric from the stitches.  Designed by Sheryl at invitesonline.co.nz

Design (c) invitesonline.co.nz

Light-hearted and groovy is how we felt when this invitation was on the press.  The fabulously whimsical typeface is called LaPointe’s Road and has come up a treat in this letterpress print.  I think that wedding looks like fun!

design Sarah Gladwell

In a dramatic change of pace, colour-wise, we spent the end of last week happily immersed in these warm cocoa & gold tones.  The metallic gold ink on the uncoated letterpress board adds a hint of richness, and is the perfect match for the rich brown.  The matching envelope completes the elegant set.  It’s making me hanker for cooler days, dark chocolate (always dangerous!) and a glamorous wardrobe…