Grey Moggie Press

mommy monday: my new(ish) life

finding a new normal. creating space. searching for balance. when we face major life changes, we do all these things to try to hold on to the self we once knew while embracing the good parts of change.

before elsie came along, I was used to balancing my letterpress life with all the other parts of my life: I would take an occasional friday off from my full-time job to print, I taught letterpress workshops and did craft fairs on the weekends, I took design classes in the evenings. after elsie was born, I spent two months at home full-time with her and then went back to work part-time. balance was really hard. after a lot of family discussions about the many factors involved, I decided to leave the job and be a stay-at-home mom. or so I thought.

it turns out I’ve become less of a stay-at-home mom and more of a work-at-home mom. I feel so fortunate to be here for my daughter every day and that I’ve also found time to design, to print, and to teach. the arrangement takes a lot of planning, coordination, and the willingness to jump right into work mode the minute elsie falls asleep for a nap. it means that sometimes I reply to email at 1am and sometimes I wear elsie in a baby carrier while I print. it means that while i’m at the studio I feel guilty that the dishes are piling up and that while I’m doing dishes I feel guilty that I haven’t been to the studio in days. it means that eric gets some quality one-on-one time with elsie while I’m tending my booth at the market and that we really make the most of the time we three get to spend together.

I want to spend more time in this blog space, sharing my work and my new life. but I also want to be honest and open about what that life is like.  since being a mom is a huge part of who I am and how I spend my time these days, I want it to be reflected here. for the most part, I’ll post letterpress news on the blog, but I’d like to carve out a little corner to share mommy news, too. I hope you’ll stick around for all of it!

(thanks to jose for that last photo, which was taken on his phone while i was printing so forgive the blur)

 

2011 in paper + welcome 2012

2012 is off to a great start! saturday was my first day as a vendor at eastern market. it was incredibly fun, i enjoyed all of the other vendors i met, and the weather was perfect. this year will host a lot more exciting news and adventures, but for now i want to reflect on 2011.

the biggest news for our family last year was Elsie's arrival. we were so excited to become parents, but we had no idea how much fun it was going to be. of course there have also been many challenges (oh how i miss sleep) but we feel fortunate to be new parents with an incredible support system of family and friends.

we also bought a house this year. in march. and we are still unpacking boxes. i want to tackle some design and decor projects in the spring, but for now i'm happy that most everything we need is easy-ish to find. except for that one pair of pants eric hasn't seen since the move.

2011 was also a fantastic year for grey moggie. i found a press to call my own and named him augie. eric and i took a scenic drive to roanoke with our dog, tick, in june to pick up the press from a sweet librarian and book artist. i haven't gotten a chance to use the press at home yet, but i'm hoping for a few hours in the next month or so to get him up and running. he's a 5x8 Kelsey and therefore the smallest press i've used, which makes him perfect for my little studio at home.

i got some exciting exposure this year, too. i designed and printed invitations, programs, and menus for a wedding that was featured on style me pretty. my dc flag posters were featured on oh so beautiful paper. and my post-emily calendars were part of the calendar round up at paper crave.

teaming up with my friend, julia, from orange tabby press, i sold my letterpress goodies all over the place last year. we were at the roller girls bash, crafts & kisses, spring bada bing, spring thing, handmade mart, artscape, and crafty bastards. grey moggie was also a part of the adams morgan pop-up shop in the spring.

here's to 2012. i can't wait to celebrate every day with my incredible little family, spread more letterpress cheer, and turn this house into a home. i hope you'll follow along and enjoy the ride!

Welcome, Baby Elsie!

Elsinore Clara Karlins was born on Wednesday, August 31st, 2011. Eric got to stay home with us during Elsie's first week and all of that new family time made it the best week I've ever had. My parents were here to ease the transition once Eric had to go back to work, but this week Elsie and I are winging it on our own. I think we're up for the challenge!

Some random mommy ramblings: I'm happy to share our birth story with anyone who is interested, but my thoughts below are as far as I'll go on the blog.

As wonderful as it is to finally have Elsie here with us, I sort of miss being pregnant. I learned so much about myself and my body during pregnancy, and my pospartum self feels a little bit like a stranger still. I was pregnant for 9 intense months and I've only been Elsie's mom for two and a half sleepy, hazy weeks, so it makes sense. I got all of my prenatal care from midwives at a birth center just two blocks from home and I delivered Elsie at the birth center with the midwives and a doula after 10 hours of labor without pain medication or other interventions. Eric and I also took a Bradley Method natural birthing class. If you're in DC, I cannot recommend Lindsay Gonzales enough as a Bradley instructor. And because of rib pain, I started seeing a chiropractor during my second trimester. In addition to alleviating some of the pain, the doctor's adjustments also helped to ensure that Baby Girl was in the best position for an intervention-free delivery. I can't imagine pregnancy without any of these three elements: midwife care, Bradley class, and chiropractor care. The women who cared for me and taught me during my pregnancy made me feel strong and smart and confident. Those feelings are always welcome, especially at a time when most people just make you feel fat. 

I'll be getting back to more regular letterpress posting, I hope. Understand that most posts will be typed slowly with just one hand as this baby requires a lot of holding and feeding.

Happy Birthday to me

Last year at this time, I was getting started on a year's worth of goals. For a while, I was keeping up with my list of 30 things to do while I was 30, and I was also keeping up with this little blog. Then lots of unexpected bits of life distracted me. Some of these bits were very, very good. We got a dog, Tick, who has kept us happy and active over the last 6 months. I started taking graphic design classes a couple nights a week. I took lots and lots of work trips in the fall. I'm helping a friend plan her wedding. I took on a new role at Pyramid Atlantic in which I do more teaching and more planning. We went to so. many. weddings.

One of those unexpected bits, however, has been much less than good. My father-in-law has been very, very ill for most of the year, an ordeal that started with a heart attack in late March. I can tell by looking back at photos and blog posts when it all began. Both became far less frequent. We visit E's parents more often than we did in the past and the holidays were different this year. We've had to use our adult wisdom and experience in the adult situations thrown our way.

I'm really happy with everything I learned while I was thirty and amazed at everything that fit into one year. I've never been all that eager to grow up, but I am thankful to have found a way to face the grown up world and its challenges in the past year. For the coming year, I think I'll continue to work on my list of goals from last year. Who says it can't be a "30 things to do in my thirties" list?

music monday: welcome back edition

I’ve missed this little online space. I’ve got tons of ideas and photos and stories i haven’t had the time or energy to share. For starters, my little family adopted a little (not so little) doggie in July. Her name is Tick, she’s now about 14 months old, we think she’s a boxer mix, and we know she has an endless supply of energy. And she is just the sweetest little furball.

I really want to find more time to post here in the coming weeks. For now, here's a "new" mix cd. "New" to this space but it's actually from May. Enjoy!

Let's Just Be Friends - May 2010

1. Starring :: Freelance Whales

2. Shadow People :: Dr. Dog

3. Lovers’ Carvings :: Bibio

4. Hide It Away :: Retribution Gospel Choir

5. Zebra :: Beach House

6. Valkyrie in the Roller Disco :: The New Pornographers

7. What’s In It For :: Avi Buffalo

8. Harvest Moon :: Pepper Rabbit

9. Living in Colour :: Frightened Rabbit

10. Terrible Love :: The National

11. Rill Rill :: Sleigh Bells

 



I miss my coffee buddy

Here’s a photo from my coffee date with Eric last Friday. He left on Saturday morning to be with family in Florida and returns today. I’ve missed him! I’m glad he’s coming back so I can have someone to drink coffee and eat scones with very early in the morning.

I read this post on Smile & Wave earlier and it made me miss Eric even more. If you can stomach the super sweet, check out all the comments about how different couples are making it work.

If you're like me and want to spend some quality time with Eric AND you want to learn how to roast coffee beans at home, check out his upcoming class at Hill's Kitchen in Eastern Market. I'll be his lovely assistant for the day!

I wanted shelves

 

I try not to be too acquisitive.* But man, did I want these Expedit shelves. And these. And these. And now that I have my own, I can go back to my schedule of doing & making (and fitting each craft into it’s own cubby) instead of coveting and shopping.  

*I know, I know. My Twitter feed is filled with “I need this” & “I want that.” What can I say? I'm a work in progress.

Steph's first 5K

Congratulations to one of my besties, Steph, for completing her first 5K on Sunday! She’s been training for weeks using the Couch to 5K program as a guide and signed up for the Race for Hope. She raised over $700 for brain tumor research in just a few days.

I dragged my parents downtown (well, not really dragged – they were excited to join me) to watch the start and the finish and we cheered for Steph when she was just 30 feet from her goal. And then, we ended the morning the way every race should end: with brunch!

A trip to the farm

 

This weekend, we went to check out the farm we get our milk from each week, South Mountain Creamery in Middletown, MD. Every Tuesday, a milk truck stops on our street and puts a gallon of milk (and sometimes butter, cream, and other goodies) in the cooler on our front porch.

The milk is ridiculously delicious and it was great to see the farm behind the products on Saturday. Enjoy the photos of the cutie pie animals!

 

And check out what Eric had to say about the milk when we first started our relationship with South Mountain.

birthday blues

when you get to be wise and old and thirty (haha) you begin to realize that the people who know you, even if it feels like it’s only been a short while, REALLY know you. so for your 30th, you receive gifts that are so perfectly suited for you that you think you picked them out yourself. Like a Pantone luggage tag. Or a whimsical unicorn card that says “unbelievable.” Or a polaroid camera. And they’re all blue!

I love my friends.

Thirty things to do while I'm Thirty

Birthday weekend (yes, it was a whole weekend) was amazing! It started off with a sweet lunch and cake and flowers with my office on Friday. Then Eric created the most beautiful spread of wine, cheese, and desserts for a party on Saturday night. I chose a dense, flourless chocolate cake with peanut butter icing; he baked it perfectly. You’d think a cake like that would be the centerpiece, but there was a whole display of bread and butter radishes. Three different varieties. With bread. And butter. And four different kinds of salt. I could eat radishes all day and all night, they make me so happy!

Sunday was for coffee, farmers market, dumplings and bubble tea for lunch, and then a drive to an adorable old schoolhouse where we spent the night. When I say “old” I mean 150 years old. That’s way old! Eric cooked up what we had found at the farmers market that morning while I cozied up in front of the fireplace with a glass of champagne and The New Yorker. Is there a better way to spend a rainy birthday? No, no there's not. 

We spent Monday exploring Charlottesville, VA. Two coffee shops, two vintage stores, one yarn store, three used book stores, and a delicious sushi dinner later, and I can confidently say that this was one of the best weekends and best birthdays ever. 

What a perfect way to kick off a year in which I want to accomplish so so so much!

Thirty Things to do While I’m Thirty

1:: Take one photo every day 2::Crochet pretty cowls 3::Alpahbet swap 4::Eat breakfast with Eric on weekdays 5::sew pretty headbands 6:: read 50 books more 7::Cherry Blossom 10-miler 8::Put stuff in my etsy shop 9::Sell at at least one craft fair 10::Photo shoot at Palace of Wonders 11::New Yorker covers project 12::Sew a skirt 13::NYC inspiration trip 14::Paint recipe art 15::(Re-)Learn calligraphy 16::Become more comfortable with Illustrator 17::Make at least one batch of macarons 18::Attend some combination of 5 yoga and/or dance classes 19::Send a letter or card once a week 20::Find vintage typewriter, suitcases, record player, polaroid, and/or sewing machine 21::Print & frame 4 photos each month 22::Make 6 mix CDs 23::Blog at least 10 times per month 24::Learn 5 new bookbinding methods 25::Seriously consider a new tattoo 26::Read and use The Printmaker’s Bible 27::Learn how to roast a chicken the way Eric does it 28::Collect printing blocks and type 29::Make notecards to keep on hand 30::Send holiday cards

i love my neighborhood

We’ve been at our little house on Rosedale for a little over two months now and we couldn’t love it more. Well, maybe if we had a dishwasher, but otherwise it’s perfection. When we first considered this neighborhood over the summer we realized we might see our friends a bit less frequently since it’s a bit out of the way. It was the most difficult part of the decision when we found a spot we loved.

In the end, we’ve seen our friends so much more in the new place. With lots of room for cooking and entertaining and with exciting nightlife just a couple blocks away, this house has hosted more friends and family in two months than our last apartment had in three years.

Here’s to even more ridiculous times with loved ones in the new year and beyond.

my husband is the coolest

I’m going back in time a bit with this one, but on Christmas Day Eric made me smile so much. First, he got me a gift certificate for Style School, an online crafting class I am so excited to start (January 10 – yay!). He also gave me a special little tea box. He made it himself with a cardboard box he found in our house, an old shirt of his, and many, many staples. He traced some printed letters from one of my favorite typefaces (awesome, right?). He made the “M” by joining 2 “A”s and the “I” by joining 2 “T”s. He knows how much handmade gifts mean to me and went out on a limb putting this present together for me. I loved it!

 

Inside he placed a selection of teas (from my own tea stash in the cupboard – haha) and a few band-aids. When I asked him why the band-aids, he explained that he used an awful lot of staples and he wasn’t sure if they might cause injury. He is a keeper. And so is my adorable tea box. Thanks, honey!

the aftermath

After baking cookies, making caramels, and drinking hot chocolate for 10 days in a row, and after spending the last few days with a house full of family and many visits with friends, today was a little more difficult than planned. At least I got to put it off for a few hours because my parents’ 8am flight was canceled and rescheduled for 3pm. We went on a long family walk with the dog and stopped along the way for pastries and coffee.

Then, on a stroll through Eastern Market, I finally caught up with the mysterious letterpress man. I picked up a few beauties that will be perfect for printing Valentines (thanks, Dad!). Wooden case upon wooden case of type will keep me coming back every once in a while. Or maybe every week.

really? only four days left?

Eric and I had a wonderful Christmas. We had snow, our families came to visit, we were dogsitting the sweetest pup, and we had many, many, many hours together in the kitchen. Also, we may have split a bottle of champagne after everyone else was asleep one night. And then 2009 was almost over. My life this year has been filled with so many amazing people and events and I have lots of reasons to believe 2010 will be just as good, maybe even better.

I’ve been a bit absent here. While all the crafting and letterpress this fall were fun I’m a law school graduate with law school-sized debt. So I’ve been job searching. Imagine: you went to law school, you don’t want to be a lawyer, you want a position of which there are only so many in your city, you don’t want to move, and the economy is bad, particularly for folks with fancy degrees who don't want to use their fancy degrees. Oh, and you try to keep negativity out of your blog. You can see the dilemma, right?

The story has a happy ending. My non-crafty part-time job recently turned into my full-time dream job, or at least the perfect first step to my full-time dream job. I will use my law degree, though not to practice law, my coworkers are beyond fabulous, and I get to travel and work with students. After this post, I probably won’t write much about that job on the blog. You come here for letterpress and mix cds, right? Who am I to bore you with tales of my new nine-to-five life? Come back for more letterpress, crafty, kitty, music posts over the next few days and into the new year. Maybe I’ll even start reviewing some of those books I’ve been reading.

For now, I am beyond thrilled to start a new job in January and to leap into 2010. And also to enjoy the next 7 days of sleeping in; I’ve got a bit of a Christmas hangover.

music to take you home

As party favors for Sunday’s birthday brunch I made a few mix cds for friends to take home. I’ve loved the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ song Home for the last couple months. And since we moved to a new home recently, I decided to make a whole mix based on the theme of home. I used this sweet new font I found and then handwrote some of the lyrics from the edward sharpe song. Then I copied the whole thing onto kraft paper and attached to a cd sleeve. So easy and fun! If you want your own copy, click on the song titles to connect to the song on iTunes. Enjoy!

home | edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros

via chicago | wilco

when they fight, they fight | the generationals

wasp nest | the national

come on home | honeyhoney

i feel like going home | yo la tengo

i’ll take us home | matt & kim

oklahoma | bishop allen

let me go home | camera obscura

to wild homes | the new pornographers

where is home? | bloc party

yankee bayonet (i will be home then) | the decemberists

eviction party | darlings

basic space | the xx

to go home | m. ward

birthday brunch and other goodness

I hope you all had a nice weekend. We got to celebrate Eric’s birthday. So fun! Eric spent all day on Saturday building a bench - for real. He's never done anything like that before, and it was perfect! I stayed up super late on Saturday night (Sunday morning, actually) baking his requested brownie cake with mocha ganache. And got up way early on Sunday to prepare our home for almost 20 guests. Four of whom were held up by Eric's fabulous bench. That’s the biggest party we’ve hosted in our home in a long time. And it was so great to be able to do that again. We served biscuits and gravy and apple muffins, all from scratch, with the aforementioned time-intensive cake for dessert (also from scratch).  Friends and neighbors and classmates joined us.

Today, Eric took the day off to come to my swearing in ceremony. We got dressed up, went to the courthouse, and followed up the ceremony with a stop at one of our favorite coffee shops before a long walk home. I started packaging things for this weekend’s craft fair and then we went out for mussels (for the second day in a row). Now I’m back at craft fair prep, probably until the wee hours of the morning.

dining room wall gets makeover

When I was single I shared an apartment with my friend, Jeff, for a while. It was one of the most fun living situations. We lived in a fabulous location, smack dab in the middle of our respective favorite bars. We hosted parties and dinners and had lots of guests stop by. I had my own bathroom and I decorated in outrageous shades of pink. A hot pink bath mat, a pink and purple shower curtain with a black cat on it, and these prints from Ikea on the wall.

 I took out the pink prints and filled the frames with some of our food photos from France. Now they’re hanging on the wall in our dining room. And we’re finally able to use the table. We thrifted a few chairs a couple weeks ago, and I’m on the lookout for some cool red fabric to reupholster them. Eric has plans to build a bench this weekend. We’ve had this table sitting, unused, for three years. We love that we can use it for every meal and for entertaining now!

that was a real weekend

Wow. I am feeling so rested and ready for this week. We biked around our new neighborhood on Saturday looking for good food options. We’ve found lots of fun restaurants in the two weeks we’ve been here, and South Mountain Creamery still delivers our milk, but a lot of the local farmers markets are closing for the winter. We wanted to find a place to get yummy local meat and bread and were so happy to find P & C market a short bike ride away. And for Italian meats, cheeses, olive oil and pasta, we’re now going to head to A. Litteri.

We got our kitchen up and running this weekend. There were lots of warm delicious smells wafting around the new house. Eric cooked a pork shoulder in the crockpot on Thursday and a saag paneer (with fresh cheese) on Sunday while I worked on some handmade gifts. I am a lucky woman! We also got the washer and dryer up and running: Eric is a lucky man. He has piles and piles of clean socks now :)

Did you have a relaxing weekend?

true love

Eric brought these four half walnut shells to me while I was working on stuff upstairs today. “They cracked so perfectly in half, and I’m sure you could find something to do with them.” Even after I refused to go to the bar with him to watch the football game (we decided to go tv-less at the new house). So sweet.