Sexy-Hardworkin'-Man Week Wrap-up

Hello friends! So I decided to end this week with what I call: "Sexy-Hardworkin'-Man Week Wrap-up." This week my husband Andy and a few friends took off for one super looooong bike ride (198.8 miles) in one day. They rode from Des Moines, Iowa to essentially the northern border of Iowa to Okoboji. They left at 5 am and finished at 8:15 pm. So proud of the guys for their hardworkin' efforts. Here is a few photos to enjoy! Nice work men! Photos courtesy of Brad McClure.

Well I also couldn't end this week without a shout-out to an old favorite: Texas singer (former rodeo boy) Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses (binghammusic.com). I've known about him for a little while but every time I got on itunes I would forget to download, so I did last night finally and got the Muscalito album…mighty good and I still want Roadhouse Sun! He also fits the Sexy-Hardworkin'-Man category (I mean check out these photos!)

Hot!

Last week I showed you the process of printing a card http://thepermanentcollection.blogspot.com/2011/07/hotter-than-a-list.html
Here is that card trimmed out with a coordinating envelope. This is perfect for reminding that friend how cool she really is…or for your love!

What-I-Want-to-be-Wearing-Wednesday!

I don't know about you, but I've had enough heat and humidity. I was sweating it out at the weekend cabin (no air, just good old fashioned fans!) and I'm already dreaming of fall. I don't want the cold just yet but a little break from the hotter than you know what would be nice…so I put together a little group of things I'd like to be wearing kind of wednesday…

Images:

Whimsy top: Anthropologie "Helping Hands Top;" 

Cool grey top + gold-ish skirtt: JCrew "the puff sleeve pop-over" and "Cavalry skirt"; 

Anthropologie "Pilcro and the Letterpress Straight Ankle Chinos in gold;" Pilcrow is the name for a paragraph marker this is what is listed on the description: "there is an adorable print of letterpress machines on the pocket lining." Of Course I have to have these! 

Steampunkfunk: Urban Geometric Chevron Etched upcycled Leather Bracelet/Cuff (etsy) 

Orangeis the Sun: COOPER double wrap bracelet (etsy). 

What do you want to be wearing?

Bloom Where You Art Planted!

Hello friends! Over the past three years I had been doing a lot of soul searching on if I should stay at my full-time assistant professor position or be at home more with my daughters. I went back and forth over three years. I had such trouble deciding because I really loved what I did…I liked teaching, seeing students grow and develop over the years. My student evaluations were good and I was getting positive feedback from my colleagues. But in the end— this past spring— with the birth of my second daughter Gemma I realized I just couldn't do it all: full-time professor, research/scholarship, University service, full-time letterpress printer/small business owner, momma, wife and friend and I didn't want to miss these fun/tiring years with the girls. So I resigned my assistant professor position to take on letterpress full-time which allows me a little more time with the girls but also new challenges. It is an exciting place to be as I continue to grow my letterpress business, so this print grew out of trying to find my own new place in the world…(by the way, this is in progress, hoping to print brown accent elements soon)! You'll see below, I think I made the right choice (some days though…)! Where are you blooming these days?

A Studio Tour!

As promised I thought I would share with you some shots around my home letterpress studio. Some of the things that you see is the Press, I print on a Vandercook SP-15 a 750 lb. press. It has been moved twice and hoping never again…as you can see not an easy thing to move. I mix the various ink colors by hand, lock-up the type on the press using "furniture" (the pieces of wood you see in the shelf) and print from metal and woodtype. I also have things like checking the heights of the rollers and making sure the rollers have the correct amount of ink on them. Hope you enjoy a little photo tour, images courtesy of Allison Marie Photography.

Deep in the Heart of Texas!

Hello friends! Something you may or may not know about Andy and I is that when we were first married we had the option (in 1999 after undergrad) to either go to Austin, Texas or Chicago, Illinois. My mom grew up in Chicago and my Dad grew up on a farm in North Central Illinois so of course…we picked Austin, Texas (much to the dismay of our families). We ready for adventure and we fell in love with Austin when we had our "first real job interviews." We had a fantastic time exploring the town, finding wonderful friends, good careers and awesome Tex-Mex. In 2001 we headed back to Graduate school in Iowa City, Iowa, but we've always had a special spot in our heart for A-town. This card is the result of that. It will come with a red envelope. Oh yeah, and I hope you enjoy an early-in-our-marriage photograph of us in Austin it was taken at The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (http://www.wildflower.org)…Where have you loved living?

Talking about a Shakedown!

Hello readers! Last week the press was a busy girl inking and changing colors left and right! Here is a job I was working on for a vintage scooter club in Detroit. In August they will have their scooter rally this year's theme is: Motor City Shakedown 7 so I printed a custom print/poster for them. I'll have a few for sale on etsy as well…check it out! I'd love to have a vintage scooter, something probably like this:

How about you? Are you into scooters or classic cars? I'd love to know!