Had some fun with Gann Bros. Printing this Valentines this weekend! They were asked by Madewell to do a live letterpress demonstration printing Valenitnes cards at their shop in the Pearl District. I was lucky enough to design and cut some linoleum blocks to print in a 5×8 tabletop Kelsey press. What a fun experience! If you get a chance to stop by the Gann’s shop in the Pearl do it! They are the nicest guys and they’ll give you a tour of their historic building (right across from REI) and presses. I think they’re the best unknown letterpress printers in Portland right now and take their craft very seriously. They were the first people we met when we first came to Portland and they already feel like family. Josh saw an old Linotype (I think it was actually a Intertype) on their dock and knew they were serious guys.

After a crazy year of illnesses and being kicked out of our rental it seems there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel. I feel extremely lucky to announce that the hubs and I are buying our first house! Not only is it our first house, but it’s totally our dream house. The house is a 1960s Mid Century Eichler-style ranch house, one level and open floorplan with a pretty rockin office area where I can set up shop. It’s on a quiet street in the burbs right outside of Portland with some of the best neighbors I’ve ever met.

A big thanks to all of my Etsy customers for the support. I’m being serious when I say I actually couldn’t have done this without you. It’s because of all you guys that I was able to save up enough to buy a home in the first place.

Here’s a sneak peek at my new office setup. Right in front of a wall of windows looking out on some 100 year old trees. Talk about inspiration! And check out my mid century POST brand drafting table from the 1960s. Feels right at home already.

It was hard to make the decision to leave my hometown of LA and make the journey to a place with weather and seasons! But I can’t think of a more amazing way to say goodbye to my home state than with a big ol’ roadtrip from LA to Portland via PCH. It was one of the most beautiful drives and it honestly rocked my world. I was a bit hesitant of the amount of time it would take at first but that drive/scenery is a life-changer! I know it’s cliche… If you ever get the chance to drive up the California coast, do it!

I know it’s pretty crazy, I feel like I have been picking up shop and moving every few months. Actually, I think it has been once a year for the past few years. But after a trip to Portland I think I’ve finally found my home city. It’s such a beautiful place and overflowing with creativity.

We found this great house to rent with plenty of workspace, so stay tuned for some productivity! It even has a basement prime for splash dyeing and getting messy. Love you all and thanks for sticking with me and giving me your continued support. I’m so lucky to have such loyal customers!