A Most Excellent Midwinter's Feast

Here are the invites for the fundraiser, A Most Excellent Midwinter's Feast, hosted by the Ottawa Chapter of Canadian Organic Growers to promote their Growing Up Organic Project. 

The invitation printing plate artwork on press, but not yet inked up.

A table full of invitation fronts...

... and the inside text.

Ticket, back and front. Printed "2-up".

Lastly, the finished invite and ticket, with a nice brown, craft envelope.

The ink I'm using is from a supplier in England who carries a line of Caligo Safe Wash oil-based inks. They clean up with soap and water so they are more environmentally friendly and safer for me, working in my poorly ventilated basement. 

Paper is a lovely, thick, 100% cotton rag, tree-free Fabriano paper from Jason Vaughan, one of the owners of a local fine arts supplier and gallery, Artguise. I ordered my printing plates from terrific folks at Boxcar Press. The plates are a photopolymer (plastic) and are thin flexible sheets. There is adhesive on the back and they mount on a heavy metal base that goes in the "chase" of the press (see pic at beginning of this post). Here is a shot of the base and the plates from Boxcar. You can see the plates for the Medieval Feast as well as illustrations for greeting cards (top and third one) and my business cards (last one).

The printing was a big learning experience for me, from how my press works (in all it's maddening, charming quirkiness) to taming the high expectations I have for myself and the work I produce. The pieces have turned out to have a lovely "antique" and handmade quality to them that suits the event. I now have a much bigger appreciation for the printing industry. And my least favourite thing: cleaning the press.

My cat Lucy's favourite thing – all the packaging...

I took advantage of the press being inked up and did a few birthday cards using 2 of my illustrated designs. 

Before the weekend is out I will finish some merchandise tags for my friend Nadine who makes beautiful, felted, wool scarves. 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Gina