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Furniture maker and woodworker Geremy Coy wanted a crisper, whiter look for his business card, so ink wouldn’t do. Instead, he opted for white foil. Still letterpress, but using foil instead of ink ensures nearly 100% opacity, as well as a crisp, bright white on a darker stock. Much like gold foil, white foil is a bit more expensive, but a good option in many cases, especially for small type on brown Kraft or black paper. We’re always happy to look at your project and make suggestions so that the finished product is exactly how you imagined it.

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Theoretically, you want everyone you invite to come (it’s the people that make it fun, after all!), but life is busy, so you need to get on everyone’s calendar before they fill it up with daily life. By sending a save-the-date pre-invitation (because there will an official invitation, as soon as your printer can print it), you have both helped your event to be successful and have helped your guests schedule and manage their busy lives. They really should thank you!

(It’s easy to see why save-the-dates are so popular for all big parties and events, not just weddings. My father-in-law is turning 90 this fall and he lives in Oklahoma. After 90 years of life, he has friends and family all across the nation, so I’m going to suggest we send a save-the-date early this spring. My goal is to get as many folks from all over the country packed into the Barttelsville Lions Club as possible!)

At Thomas-Printers, we have printed a variety of save-the-dates in recent memory: for a surprise birthday party, a Concert Artists Guild event, and, of course, weddings.

What’s your next big event? And did you save the date?

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We start with a vector-based outline of the shape we want, which gets sent to the die-maker who uses a laser to cut the shape into wood. Then pieces of metal called rule that are sharp on one end are bent and inserted into the channel in the wood. The result is a type-high (that is, the same height as printing type, .918″) cutting die that we lock into the press just as we would a form of metal type or printing base. The black rubber bits around the blade compress when the press closes to cut the paper, and then spring back when the press opens to help keep the paper from sticking to the die. Just like printing, we cut the shapes one at a time until the job is done.

We can make a die for virtually any shape; the more complicated or bumpy the shape–like the scalloped shape below–the more expensive the die. The good news is is that dies can be re-used, and also re-ruled if the blade edge eventually gets dull.

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The tiny type and creature-filled, multi-colored floral border belie the serious subject of the poem. At its core, this poem is about the passing of time and the magic of being a child, at home in one’s imagination. It is good choice for ringing in the new year, if only to remind us of how beautiful a new year is, and how filled with promise.

We hope you might take a moment and read the poem and then go off and make the most of 2013! Best wishes to all.

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