we started something new

Ever since we got married, my husband and I have made our Christmas cards. A few years ago when I was renting space at the Printing and Book Arts studio in Rochester, NY , I letterpress printed our cards, but usually we made wintry collages on cards and mailed them out.

Last year, we started something new. I really missed printmaking, so I decided to do a linoleum block print for our card. We wanted it to say something meaningful, but didn't know what. After flipping through an old hymnal, we decided on "Joy To the World."
Our first print from last year says, "Joy to the World the Lord is come!"

This year our card will say, "Let earth receive her king!" ...get the pattern? It will take four years to get through one verse, but if we keep it up, it will be a nice collection of Christmas prints. Maybe people will collect them? Each print will have the year carved out. I have last year's print in a frame (which got a blue ribbon for printmaking at the Sparty Fair, but I think that's because only two other people entered.)

Before I started printing, I needed to come up with an idea. Since I love fonts, I used lots on this year's card.

 

 

I traced the design using a window as my light box and did a good ol' fashioned graphite transfer onto my block. It didn't transfer that cleanly, so I went over the letters again with pen.

 

Then the carving began! It really didn't take too long to carve out, but the cursive letters were a bit tricky.

I think it turned out nice! I may add some other designs on the sides because there isn't a frame to hold it together. The sides seem a bit open. If I do add some other elements I'll post an updated print for you to see.

I need to buy my paper to print on still. Yes, I am very last minute here and I don't know what color ink to use. Decisions, decisions! What do you think? Last year, we mailed out forty cards... I better get moving! <3