Pumping out some Christmas Greetings

I can't believe I printed Christmas cards tonight. The Holiday season is approaching fast and this year I'm going to be ready. I'd love to take on more custom orders this year. I'm thinking of listing a few Custom Christmas cards on Etsy. I could use the cards I've already printed, but customize the inside.Thoughts?

My parents are probably my biggest supporters and clients. My dad asked if I could do his Company's Holiday cards this year. Of course I said yes and quoted him a good price. He picked my vintage Christmas Greetings with the smoking chimney home and the Merry Christmas with a candle burning. He also chose my 14pt. script font. I printed the outside and inside tonight in Blue. I'll go back and add the Santa to the front and print Owens Electric's return address in Santa Red. I'm really happy with the way they are turning out.


Custom printing is my favorite kind. Especially when it's family. What I love about printing for my parents is I know I'll get paid and they will be pleased. My mom has commissioned me to do their personal Christmas cards as well. I'm planning on carving a Santa out of linoleum. It's crazy that summer is over and I'm printing Holiday cards! Second to Fall, it is my favorite time of year :)

Gorgeous day for The MARTE

My discouragement was quieted a bit after yesterday's vending at the MARTE. I sold a few cards and it made this schlepping about seem like it could be worth it. I made a little over what I paid for the table so I wouldn't call it a success, but it's all a learning experience. I sold one package ofo the Poker coasters I made years ago so that thrilled me. Hopefully, the promoters will get more people in for upcoming fairs. I've signed up for 3 more at this location. Dolores and Lu were my tent mates and we had a good time chatting throughout the day.

I was really bummed that I didn't sign up for Sunday's Atlantic Antic. I didn't realize it was so huge and had such a turn out in the past. I hope the vendors that went had a good turn out. Something to put on my calendar for next year.

Motivation Station

I feel like I've been running at full steam ahead for over a month and starting to run on empty. I took a break this weekend to enjoy my birthday and recoup. It's hard getting back in the swing of things after only a small break. Every time I clean up my work space and put everything away, it's hard to drag it all back out... even when inspired or commissioned to. My defunct attitude needs to be lightened up. I need a little ray of sunshine to get me through... all of these things make me think of Journey's Don't Stop Believing or any Journey song for that matter. I feel full of cliché's with no direction.

I am attempting to make this business thrive. Keep on working and doing what I love and selling my cards. I already know that I have gained so much knowledge this summer after dedicating more brain power and determination to this business. I know I have to see it through and trek on. I just need a little encouragement... a little fuel. I've had some pretty shitty rainy days, but I do wonder if I'm barking up the wrong tree in general. I love the creative energy and a place to direct it, it provides fulfillment that I can't get anywhere else at the moment. I just don't feel as high on creative juices as I did before. My practicality mixed with my dreamy sense that anything is possible is a rough mental hurdle to jump. Anyway, searching for some motivation... I need a good New York day, a pat on the back, and little kick in the butt. Good things are on the horizon, I can feel it.

In case you need reminding of the lyrics:

Journey ~ Don't Stop Believing

Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin' anywhere

Just a city boy
Born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin' anywhere

A singer in a smoky room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night

Working hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice just one more time

Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on

Strangers waiting
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people
Living just to find emotion
Hiding somewhere in the night

Don't stop believin'
Hold on to that feelin'
Streetlight people

Messin with Impression

The new Boxcar base has made a huge improvement in my printing. I'm messing around with printing my business cards sans ink. Maybe some with and some only imprinted. I'm pretty psyched about it!

Thinking of Mimi today

Today I was reminded of one of the first cards I made. This Thinking of you card was inspired when one of my dear friends lost her grandmother. I adored her and wanted to send my condolences to the family in a handmade way.

Last night my childhood friends lost their grandmother. She lived a long and happy life and will be missed.

I only have 2 of these cards left and should print more.

Market madness

After spending the weekend at 2 fairs, I have taken a bit of a break from anything Letterpress for a few days. I once again had high hopes for the weekend. Saturday, I was at Brooklyn Indie Market in Carrol Gardens and sold 3 cards. Sunday at Hester street, I sold 2 cards and 1 bookmark. It rained once again at Hester Street. The weather forecast said a few showers, but once it got started.. it just kept coming down. Louise and I once again just laughed. We're starting to think we're not meant to do Hester Street Fair... and yet we still want to go back. It's like a bad gambling problem. Just another try, and another. Man, someone else is going to need to tell me when to quit. I've already signed up for 5 other fairs. I hope they turn out to be profitable. At what point do I say, people just don't want what I have to sell? I didn't think it was going to be easy, but I surely didn't think it was going to be this depressing. I'll keep on treckin' I think my displays are getting better and better though.

Home Sweet Home

I finished the Home Sweet Home prints I started the other night while printing pink. Tonight I added all the little home items in navy. I love this print. I'm going to frame them in a matte to fit in an 8 x 10 frame. I'm hoping to make more frame-able prints. This was a good first run.






Home Sweet Home bubbled up from all the emotions I've been having lately about the kind of home I want. I feel in between stages in my life in addition to feeling homesick for Ohio. I haven't been there enough this year. I'm so happy the holidays are just around the corner. The little lamp and curtains conjure up memories of my childhood. I dream of a home for my family similar to the one I grew up in. My sisters and I were surrounded by family heirlooms. The light fixture in the living room once hung in my great grandmother's home. We ran around the inherited dining room table, passing a bookcase that we would pull the wooden joints out to mimic guns, pass the oak side table that held my mom's china, and the China cabinet that was the home of all kinds of little treasures and hid the only bar my parents ever had. The wet bar usually contained an ice bucket, some questionable homemade liquor, and cooking sherry. The piano I learned to play on was handed down from previous generations and sounded like 50 other children had abused it's chords as well. Mostly, we were blessed with space to grow and surrounded with love. Our fenced in backyard was a huge part of our everyday life. We had a sandbox made out of an old tractor tire. It always felt cozy, warm, and inviting. I wish everyone this, especially my future children. Which puts me in a prediciment living in a small Brooklyn apartment with one room taken over by printing equipment. I know that wherever Coury and I are will feel at "home", but I'm feeling like I want so much more for any little ones we are blessed with. It's crazy scary to make a leap and find the space I crave. We love our world right now, but it might be time to look for another spot to hang our Home Sweet Home print.

Can I get an OH- IO?

A little shout out to my lovely Ohio that I miss so. hello, little Ohio card!

Monkeying around

Printing pink went quite well last night. Thank you to Amanda for keeping me company during most of it. It always goes faster with company. I finally printed this little monkey that I drew at the same time as the giraffe and elephant. I was never quite sure what color he should be. Glad I grabbed him last night and threw some pink ink on him. He makes me smile.

hyc Creative dot com

The new site is up as well! hycCreative.com
Check is out.

Orange you Glad I didn't say....?

Printing with Orange was a Delight. I finally made the Giraffe Birthday card I've been wanting to print and restocked my Pear Blossom card. I really like the Wedding cake topper Congratulations card too. One more day of printing this weekend and the press will have a little rest. I've run out of space to hang items!

The first color of the weekend-Green

Today ended up being pretty productive towards the end. I had lofty aspirations to print 2 colors today, but I didn't get started until 6. After sleeping little last weekend and most of the week, and good sleep in was in order. Printing was mostly good though. I took my time since I was starting fresh with my new Boxcar Base. I removed the yucky masking tape from the roller rails and made nice new layers of tape. I measured the height with my roller gauge and I replaced the tympan paper. All treats, but things I should do more. I was priveledged with time since it's a holiday weekend.

The choice of ink today was green. I've been wanting to print the new miss you tree plate. The new base turned out great. It took a little adjusting, but I was printing away in no time. I also printed my diamond design so I can add the cake topper bride and groom with an additional color. Ohio and XOXO came next. I also made bookmarks with the XOXO that I'm pretty excited about. Lastly, I printed happy birthday to rerun my pink and green cupcake card. I can only locate 1 more card, so I must have sold the rest! It was going pretty smooth until it wasn't. For the first time, I actually damaged some of my type. After 20 or so excellent prints, I couldn't get the happy birthday to print anymore. It appeared to not be inking so I removed the masking tape, but that didn't help either. I realized the type had shifted out of place and every time I made a pass on the press I was squashing my little "!". After straightening it out and replacing the ! with another, I got a few more printed, but they still weren't perfect. I decided to throw in the towel. I blame the 2 White Russians I had while printing. That's right, Coury decided to buy the liquor for White Russians last night after dinner and the only reason I bring it up is the words he said "We're not going to regret this!" I thought it was the funniest thing after enjoying a lovely dinner and splitting a bottle of wine. I'm regretting starting on the vodka before finishing my list of cards though! Overall, not much was lost and much was gained. I'd still like to pump out more of my Pear Blossom card and finish the cupcake birthday cards this weekend. I meant to bake cookies for my friend Amanda's birthday party tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a busy day. I think I'll tackle orange tomorrow (Giraffe and Pear) and Pink Monday (cupcakes and XOXO)

More Cowbell?

I may have gone from too little website, to too much website. I've been getting a little sick of my personal site and bought hyccreative.com not too long ago. dawnhylonlucas.com is good for representing all the many things I do, but I want something mainly dedicated to my letterpress. I would like to have my wholesale catalog available for download from the site as well. By trying to simplify the site, I may have gotten a little out of hand. I haven't updated my sites in such a long time, that I almost forgot Dreamweaver. I had to search my Dreamweaver for Dummies book for a few things I used to know. I think I'm too tired to figure this out tonight. Luckily, the lovely and long Labor Day weekend is approaching fast. I need to take a look with fresh eyes! I never really thought I was an impatient person until lately. Time seems of the essence and I can't seem to pump out all the ideas in my head fast enough. It was silly to expect I could throw together a site in one evening. It is started though and that makes me feel a bit more accomplished. It's under construction, but take a look and tell me what you think! Test Site


My new Boxcar Base arrived in the mail today! I'm so thankful that my Dad created the wooden bases I've been using for the last 4 years, but it's time to upgrade. I may have been making things more difficult for myself all along. Can't wait to try it out this weekend. The weekend is feeling a little jammed packed already. I'm hoping to get our bikes on the pavement too, but we'll see.