My Woodcut

Several years ago I took a wood cutting class where I did not learn anything. I made this woodcut prior to the class as I tried out my new cutting tools. It is my only woodcut!

For the last two years I’ve been a member of the Rubber Amateur Press Society and we have a quarterly swap of hand-stamped images. Click here for my October blog:

https://anneritataylor.blogspot.com/2016/10/print-vibe.html

Since I had not carved anything recently and the due date of April 30th was approaching, I thought of my wood carving. 

I could have used the Press at The Printing Museum in Houston, but they are renovating due to a fire last May. How would I print? I tried printing using my Arnold Grummer Paper Press and it worked OK.

I carefully lined up the paper and placed the inked wood as close to the middle as possible and lowered the press.

I used water based ink and rolled it on a piece of copper side-taped glass before rolling the ink on the woodcut. My first one came out great, pictured up top.

The third time came out too light, so I added ink and rolled again, great images for 3 of them, so I added more ink - then it came out too dark.

It took me 24 prints to have 15 OK prints to swap. I'm experimenting with the lighter ones to add some color. I tried coloring in the circle to have the Sun but I like the black & white Moon effect better.

I bought the Wood Carving tools at Walmart plus I already had the extra V-shaped cutting tool in my carving supplies. The piece of wood is from Hobby Lobby.

All in all, I think they came out OK. Although I plan to do more experimenting. Any thoughts from any of my blog readers is appreciated.

©Anne Rita Taylor 2017

Album Bookbinding Revisited

A member of my family is getting married next month. She had her wedding shower last week and received two guest books I made, one for shower guests, another for wedding guests to sign & write greetings.

You can see full instructions for Creating a Photo or Guest Album with this Arnold Grummer kit.

Click here for my June 2016 blog: https://anneritataylor.blogspot.com/2016/06/creating-photo-album.html

For the 2nd album I used a spiral binding. I bought The Cinch machine by We R Memory Keepers at the Archivers shop a while ago (sold at Hobby Lobby where I found the heart-shaped doilies too). 

I made sure to use my awl to punch holes through the first layer of paper - after the glue dried on the cover - before I glued the back piece, to know where the holes were located.

Lining up the spiral bindings and pushing down the wire binding to close it are two valuable features of The Cinch.

I found this lovely Happily Ever After ribbon at Michaels. I used it on both albums. LOVE this modern look for a young couple.

The Cinch comes with great instructions, plus another page of helpful tips and sells for around $75. So worth it for bookbinders, just for hole punching multiple times in a straight row!

My family was very pleased with the Wedding Guest Albums. Please let me know what you think of them too.

©Anne Rita Taylor 2017

Cards for Christmas

Every December the Houston Calligraphy Guild has members exchange up to three Christmas cards that we can actually send to others. There is a numbering system at the meeting so you never know which cards you’ll receive.

My Xyron machine added adhesive to the back of the green paper. Double-sided tape works too.

Happy to say - my carved stamps make unique cards. See my carving instructions here: https://anneritataylor.blogspot.com/2016/01/carving-images-for-prints.html - I carved the deer, ornament, PEACE, Merry Christmas, the tree and small circle. The Earth stamp was from All Night Media - out of business from my Google search.

On my visit to Hobby Lobby last week I found Christmas stamps too. Here is the Christmas Ornament card with supplies used.

And I carved a Christmas tree with open circles for tree ornaments and the planet Earth.

Do you send Christmas cards - store-bought or home-made? Are you satisfied with sending a text!?! What Christmas cards, if any, are you sending this year?

©Anne Rita Taylor 2016