Magpie Press

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…

Some jobs are just crackers from start to finish, and this beauty was certainly one of those.  Rob Calvert from www.robertcalvert.com submitted this perfectly formed letterpress design, which was a blast to print.  There were two versions of the invitations, along with a matching RSVP card, with a handy map printed on the reverse.  All were A6 size, printed on glorious Somerset 330gsm Radiant White paper stock and they formed a very handsome set when done.  We also photo-documented the process, which will give you some insight onto the labour-intensive process we follow to create our work.

And here are a couple of pics of the work in progress…

Design (c) Invitesonline

Happy New Year!  This post is well overdue – we hit the ground running in 2010, with several great jobs to start the year..  We do love the birds here at Magpie Press, so it’s been brilliant printing this lovely design by Sheryl at invitesonline.co.nz.  Sheryl is a joy to print for, as not only does she share our general nuttiness about all things letterpress, but she also gives us designs that totally zing off the paper once they’re printed.

Hydrangeas are one of my all time favourite flowers, so imagine my delight when this wedding invitation came to us this week.  It’s a two-colour letterpress invitation, with a matching letterpress envelope.. wouldn’t you feel so so special if this arrived in your mailbox!

I found the real thing blooming away in Richmond Road, near Ripe Deli in Grey Lynn (another of my favourite things!) this morning.

Blue Hydrangea

Hydrangea letterpress invitation & envelope

Hydrangea up close

Hydrangea corner

Our friends at Designstein came and hung out at the printshop recently, documenting the progress of their beautiful three piece, 2-colour wedding invitation suite.  We printed the invite, map and information card on letterpress board, and just love the photos Ray sent us afterwards – he even managed to capture the ‘whoosh’ of our beastie in action!