Letterpress Planner and Methods

Paper, thinking and writing come hand in hand in planners, notebooks, calendars, journals...  I wrote in an earlier post of the newest wave, the bullet journal, bringing note taking all together. It’s a creative and tidy method to put all your projects, to do lists, sketches, calendar of events into one place rather than having sheets of paper, numerous notebooks or even bookmarked links all over the place. What’s is more, you have more control over what goes into it.

i.e. ABOVE ALL, ME
CUSTOMIZED LETTERPRESS COVER - PLANNER

Happy Maker Station :: Secret to Happiness Revealed

Along with a host of original Italian craft, art and design, Happy Maker Station introduced a couple of dedicated products at the second annual event this year. Pirouette Press along with graphic designer Paola Paoletti created fleece wood type letterpress “Be Happy” pillows and printed cotton shopping bags. 

Here’s a mini diy: Vintage Milk Bottle Packaging
Use re-purposed tomato sauce bottles. Spray paint the lids, use cotton tape (or other decorative tape) and sticker (in our case, we used the HMS logo) to create a vintage type seal.

The bottles could be fun to re-use again in other imaginative ways. The pillows included a secret to happiness tag which read, “ La felicita sta in una bollincina - Happiness is in a bubble" (roughly translated) and bubble wrap overlay. Who doesn’t love the simple funny pleasures of popping bubble wrap?

A parallel prints on cloth laboratory was also conducted. The public could bring in a t-shirt or similar cloth for us to print on. Some of the stylists brought cloth to be eventually turned into their own creations. I can’t wait to see them!

A re-cap of Happy Maker Station 2014 / Italian creatives works here
photo credits: Lisa Di Sabato, Maker at HMS 2014

Happy Maker Station: A Maker’s Market, Takes a Second Look

Asleep at the wheel, not quite. Happy Maker Station takes a second look with a host of new creatives. I’m really excited to be collaborating with such talented people, and perhaps more than that, I love the chance at offering the public an alternative experience (true to my Austin, Texas spirit) in the bucolic north of Italy.

There’s textile, fine art, print & ecological design to be found. In addition, I’ve tried to introduce more home decor, demonstration and workshops.  Small brands and plenty of heart go into the products and making of the event. Local shops even lent a hand and allowed makers to give an anteprima (pre-show) in their shop windows. 

top left to right: Caterinette laboratorio/bottega, Korai - textile, Cobo lighting, Marcoantonio sculptor, Rama illustrator, ElimondHandMade eco design

24-25 maggio Mondovì, Italia

Publicity Foto Credit: Matteo Barberis

Creative Direction: Pirouette Press

Barnwood Sign Painting DIY

Never tried my hand at sign painting. So why not try!  In the studio with HMS creative creating some DIY signage out of salvaged barnwood for 2nd annual creative market in Mondovì. 

It couldn’t be easier! After choosing a motif (I’m digging Indian arrows). We’re just about done going over the sketch with Sharpie.

mini diy: Barnwood Sign Painting

find a piece of barnwood, sand it down and give it one hand of white primer paint. After laying out to dry in the sun for half an hour, sketch out your design in pencil and then copy over it with a Sharpie marker. 

Happy Maker Station II: Meet & Greet

Happy Maker Station II had a face to face (love off-screen time) meet & greet this week. There are new and interesting work by creatives to add to the event this year. Here we are KALATA’S co-working space.

Happy Maker Station Part II è un mercato creativo di prodotti con la targhetta “made in Italy”, materializzati dall'arricchimento delle idee dei creativi a Km 0 e 100% di passione. Questa è un'esperienza intima tra pubblico e maker, con creativi di varie tipologie, dalla stampa tradizionale al design, dalla moda all’arte. Nuovamente saremo nel centro storico di  Mondovì Piazza - un’accogliente location da valorizzare con l’aiuto di tutti, dove ognuno è protagonista.