Dard Hunter Papermaking Keepsakes

Life really is a series of deja vu's, you know? I'm always the last minute creative with my personal artwork around here. It's the way I always work and it's maddening not only for me but it usually impinges on everyone within a 5 mile radius. This type of last minute creative rush was a killer in grad school when you had to create on demand! So anyhow, the Dard Hunter Papermaking Conference is approaching and while I can't attend this year, I wanted to participate by sending in a keepsake which is 200 of something delicious with handmade paper. Our papermaker, Donna had her paper made--banana, banana and it was beautiful--printed and mailed off before I even got started with mine. She was great at gently reminding me to get busy!

So of course, there I was with the deadline so close I could feel it breathing down my neck when I finally got my idea. Then I had to cut a bazillion circles, letterpress print them, bag them and ship them under extreme pressure. So Gary and Anne got sucked into the whirlwind and we found ourselves stuffing packages and fighting the clock before either Fedex or the post office closed. The post office won since it is open 15 minutes later! Anne was a hoot, she said she felt energized when we just made it under the finish line and that it wouldn't have been the same if I had finished early. Oh yes Anne, that would have been LESS STRESSFUL, oh what a concept.

I had to take of photo of my red press with red ink. I love this little sigwalt press. It is such a happy and cooperative little press!