Studio music

This song has been stuck in my head for a while now. Who knew that the video was so awesome. Particularly the background dancers. They have some moves.

It's Monday, again

We had a really wonderful Easter potluck with friends yesterday. I think it might have been our fifth or sixth year doing this and I still love it. These planned meals are some of the only times I slow down and visit. I'm grateful we did yesterday. And the puppies were exhausted last night from sitting on laps and begging for food.

I'm not sure why I haven't been writing in this space. Part of me feels like it's becoming unnecessary with Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. I'm a little overwhelmed keeping up with all of these and I'm almost always too busy to sit down and read blogs, even the ones I love. Maybe that's just me.  I think I need a little time to figure out why I'm still drawn to blogging. And I think it might be helpful if I have a schedule for doing it - like weekly features. All of this rambling is mainly to say thanks for continuing to check in here and that I hope you had a beautiful and relaxing weekend.

hello again

I'm sure you thought I was never coming back. Well, it seems about time to check in. I've been traveling (to Baton Rouge and New Orleans), teaching (printmaking and book making), and printing (in the shop). Actually, Jake has been doing most of the printing and I've been doing a lot of design work. Wedding season knocks us out every year. Hopefully I'll be back here more regularly...soon.

Just popping in to share some pics from AmericasMart. Kathryn and I split a booth in Paper Boutique and we had such an awesome time. I couldn't have asked for a better booth-mate! It's amazing how long it takes to set up (even if we've done it many times before) and how quickly we can tear down a booth. Although the days were incredibly long, it was so nice to bounce ideas back and forth with Kathryn.

The day after I got back the semester started. I have two great classes this semester and a really wonderful bunch of independent study students. For real, I can't wait to see what they make this semester.

For your sweetheart

We've been busy printing a bunch of new Valentine's and are excited to share them with you! Head on over to the shop to check out the full collection. We even have an anti-Valentine's Day card :)

Where we are now...Atlanta!

We've been at AmericasMart for the past few days and have a few more to go. The days are long, but it's been awesome to hang with our booth-mate Blackbird Letterpress. Kathryn and I get to talk shop all day and hang colorful washi tape all over :)

Please excuse the cell phone pic :) 

Where we were...

At the end of December, just before Christmas, Jake and I headed to Aruba for a vacation. It was awesome! I don't think that we've ever gone on vacation without extensively planning it, but I am so glad we did. We got a great last minute deal (booked three weeks beforehand) through JetBlue that we just couldn't pass up. And the timing was perfect - just after the end of the semester and before trade show season and Christmas. So we spent six days on the beach, horseback riding and kayaking on the ocean. In short, we did nothing. I didn't research things to do, we didn't pack our days full of exploring, we only ate out once thanks to a kitchen suite. It was, thankfully, the most refreshing trip I have ever taken.

A new adventure

The start of January also brings about the beginning of the new trade show season. This year we are heading to AmericasMart for the Atlanta International Gift Show. We're splitting a booth with blackbird letterpress and we couldn't be more excited! Somehow (I'll probably jinx myself for saying this) we are really prepared this time around. Aside from not knowing quite what to expect from this new location we know how to efficiently plan and set up a booth, how much product to bring and where to make catalogs and buy vinyl.I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

If you are interested in carrying the Pistachio Press line in your shop but can't make it to a tradeshow, just shoot us an email (info{at}pistachiopress{dot}com) and we can send you our wholesale info.

ps- we won't be exhibiting at NYIGF this January since we'll be at the Atlanta show.

In the shop: Interstellar Love Craft

 

 

You know we carry stationery in the new shop, but did you realize we also carry some jewelry? Well, we do, and today I'd like to introduce you to Interstellar Love Craft. Marissa (the maker of these amazing pieces) works in our studio building. Actually, she works in the very first studio space I ever had in the building! We have a small collection of her work available and it's all gorgeous.

Thank you.

 Christmas potluck at the studio.

Dolly at the studio.

Yep, it's been a month since I posted here. That is crazy! This past month has been really wonderful. We had an awesome first holiday season in the shop and I am so beyond floored by the local support. For those of you who have followed this journey, come in to the shop, directed friends to us, or sent notes of encouragement, THANK YOU! We truly appreciate your support and we hope you had a great holiday with friends and family. We had a rejuvenating break and I can't wait to share with you what we've been doing for the past month - including a trip to the beach :)

In the shop: Shanna Murray Illustrated Decals

Shanna Murray's beautiful decals are perfectly at home in almost any setting. The chalkboard is particularly awesome in the kitchen or office.  I first met Shanna during the second storie indie market and we became fast friends. When we opened the shop, Shanna was one of the first people I called and I am so happy to carry her work!

Another month

It's just about calendar time. Every year we produce a letterpress-printed calendar and this year we made a few! The 2012 Cross Stitch calendar was designed by our dear friend Abbey of Aesthetic Outburst. Abbey is wickedly talented and we are in love with the result of the calendar.

Our second calendar is a Perpetual calendar. There are no days of the week listed so this is perfect for listing birthdays and anniversaries and using it every year! I have been wanting to make a perpetual calendar for about four years now and it finally happened. We also have a tear-away calendar available in two colorways. 

DISCOUNT ::: To celebrate the grand opening of the shop and the changing seasons, we're offering 15% off all orders placed by November 30th. Use code 'CONGRATS' at checkout.

In the shop: Blackbird Letterpress

We first met Kathryn of Blackbird Letterpress at the National Stationery Show a few years ago. We immediately became friends (how couldn't we!), not to mention we fell in love with her work! These die-cut cards are perfect for just about any occasion but you might want to pick up two of them and keep one for yourself :)

In the shop: Yellow Owl Workshop

Over the next few weeks I'll share with you some of the lines we carry in the new retail space. They're all so great and I'm thrilled we are carrying them!

First up is Yellow Owl Workshop. Their line of stamps is completely adorable and perfect for holiday gift giving. Actually, they're perfect for any time of the year!

*All images by Yellow Owl Workshop

Reflection

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

My friend Lizz posted this last night and I couldn't stop thinking about it. It's such an amazing occurrence. I had something similar happen a few years ago when I was on campus. Thousands of birds flew overhead and the sky grew dark. It was so incredible.

We're been keeping a low profile since the shop opening. It was such a huge success and thank you so much to everyone who made it out and sent well wishes. I promise to post pictures soon!

Tomorrow is the big day!

I've got butterflies as I write this...our Grand Opening is tomorrow! We've spent the last month really pulling the new retail space together and I am so excited and nervous for the official grand opening. The last week in particular has been nuts. We've painted the space, packaged inventory, priced the merchandise, found a vintage cash register, hung posters and moved in another new press. We've also been juggling our current printing schedule, meeting with new clients, shipping orders and teaching. We couldn't have done it without help from our amazing friends and awesome intern! Thank you all so much!!

Without further ado, here's the plan for the weekend:

Friday, November 4th, 6-10pm
First Friday opening party.
Check out the new space and paintings by Jim DeLucia in our Work in Progress Gallery. We'll also have a super cool DJ to keep it lively.

Saturday, November 5th, noon-5pm
Studio tours, hands-on printing (pull your own print on our letterpress and take it home), delicious snacks by Fig and Purl.

**Also, I have to say that the response from people in the community, especially when I was hanging posters, has been amazing. You other shop owners in Rochester are amazing and so supportive. We are SO lucky to live in such an awesome city!

Starting to look organized

Alright, the new space is really starting to look good. We painted a ton this weekend and have gotten a lot of organization done. I can't believe the shop opens in just a few days!!! We might be able to sleep after this :) Sorry for the cell phone pics, that all I have time for lately!

Welcome home C&P

As of last night, Pistachio press is now home to a beautiful C&P that belonged to Robert Marx. Robert is an incredible (and I don't say that lightly) printmaker who happens to have a studio in our building. He was selling this press and we knew it would fit right in with our collection. Our press-moving team (Jake, Jim, and Eric) made short work of this move - they're pros!

artist talk and round table

Tomorrow I'll be giving a round-table artist's talk with Abbey Hedrickson and Phil Hendrickson in conjunction with the alumni show at SUNY Brockport. The three of us and artist Ben Entner (who won't be able to make the talk) each have recent work in the exhibition. The talk will focus on how we each got started, how we maintain connections and how we ended up where we are now. If you're in Rochester, please stop by. Brockport really isn't that far away!

Department of Art Alumni Exhibition
October 26 - December 4

Round-table discussion
Tuesday, October 25, 3pm (Room 2203 Tower)

Opening Reception
Tuesday, October 25, 4-6pm (Tower Fine Arts Gallery)

Grand Opening: Nov 4 & 5

We have been working like crazy to prepare for the grand opening of our new studio and retail space! If you're free (and in town) November 4 & 5, please stop by. We'll be hosting demos and you'll be able to pull your own print and take it home with you! For more details, click here.

***spread the word***