Snail Mail Still Exists!

Happy Friday and three-day weekend!

I am curious to know how many out there still send snail mail? I sure do because it is so much more personalized when you actually receive a piece of mail from someone (that is not the constant junk mail and bills we get all the time). The mail would be so much nicer without the bills and junk mail, right?!

Today I introduced my newest gocco greeting card, the "Artsy Alphabet." I personally love this drawing and design I created since I am both a teacher and an artist. If you look really closely, you will notice something new every time! I hope you enjoy this card as much as I did in creating it! Let me know what you think below!

New Screenprinted T-Shirts in my Shop!

I added two new listings to my shop today with many more to come from my new line of screenprinted t-shirts. These fun shirts have original art I created when on a trip to Italy.

Check them out and let me know what you think!

Pisa Pride

Leaning Tower Love

I'm Yours

Rarely do I really feature items from my shop, but I wanted to share with you an amazing Gocco printed greeting card that etsian KateFitzpatrick and I created over the weekend.

She is the artist of this original drawing titled, "I'm Yours."

This is an amazing piece of art to own and send to a loved one, friend who is getting married, or just to say, "I'm Yours."

This is a Gocco print card using the "I'm Yours" illustration by my friend and fellow etsian KateFitzpatrick, who is on sumer hiatus. We have been working on a collaborative listing for gocco printed cards based on her original drawing. Kate writes...

This is a card based on my illustration, 'I'm Yours'. It was inspired by one of my all time favorite songs by Jason Mraz. If you have not heard it, look for it on his website because it is so romantic, so simple, so beautiful, and so true! I wanted to do a piece of artwork inspired by how it made me feel.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So I was in the Etsy forums again and found out that they are discontinuing shipments and production of the Gocco printers.

For those who have one, they will still be selling supplies for the time being.

Does anyone know the shelf life of the inks??? I think I will be stocking up!

Fore more information, please visit http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=18414

If you would like to buy one, here is the etsian I bought mine from.

Zickezacke
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5583283

Gocco Print Sharing

I wanted to share a few gocco prints from some etsians who read, posted, and replyed to my latest gocco entry!

***UPDATE 5/11***

I put a new gocco print in my Etsy shop today! I have it in both print and ACEO format so far, but wanting to make cards soon!

Etsian clearpink has the coolest gocco note cards in her shop! I love the fish and the flower one personally and they are a great price!

Lizplummer has sold several of her gocco prints and journals since opening her shop on December 16, 2007. She took the time to share these images with me in a post!

Visit her shop HERE!

Want to share your gocco? Just put some links of your work in a comment in this post and I will share with readers!

Listed Etsy Items From my First Gocco Experience!!!!

Last night I made my first gocco screen and printed a small edition of prints and ACEOs from the "Paisley Ann" design!

Below are photos of this at each step from the sketches in my journal to the actual making of the screen and prints.

I have listed the actual prints in my Etsy shop ( limited edition of 10).

I have also listed two ACEO designs that are limited editions of 3 each of that style.

-"Paisley Ann ACEO"

-"Paisley Ann II ACEO"

I would love any feedback that you may have for me. 

I would also love to see what you are creating. Please share YOUR gocco prints with my by replying with a link to the item in your shop and I will post them for you in my future postings!!!!

My First Gocco Night

On a rainy Friday night, I decided to try my hand at my gocco and break it in for the first time. I was a little scared that I would mess up my first screen (because they cost $20.00 for the screen and bulbs that you can only use once basically).

Last weekend, I made two sketches of some interesting designs for my first print (see pervious entry) and hopefully make cards from. I prepared earlier in the week making photocopies in various sizes to see how large or small I wanted my design to be. 

I also went to Kinkos, where I grabbed a large stack of good quality card stock and had a staff member use the electronic cutter to cut the paper to the size I wanted (only about $1.40 per cut though the whole stack). It saved me time and cost me less than $10.00 for about 200 sheets of smaller paper cut perfectly (and only took 3 minutes after getting their attention). 

All I really did before beginning  tonight was look at the tutorials and step-by-step pictures that I had listed in my previous blogs about gocco. It was very easy and self explanatory for the most part. 

Here are some photos below from tonight!

This is just starting off with my photo copy on the gray sticky pad. 

Inking the screen! I was worried that I did something wrong because the screen looked like it had squares on it afterwards.

Did I put too much on the screen???

Ready to print my first one...

Press down!

Voila! My first print!!!!!

It was very easy to keep printing. I even made a few ACEOs! 

Look in my shop for my prints and a few limited edition ACEOs this weekend! 

Sketch Ideas for my First Gocco!

Hello again everyone!!! Sorry there has been a delay in my posts. As the school year comes to a close, my schedule keeps getting busier and busier!

This week was filled with a lot of things, but I did find some time to start sketching ideas for my first gocco. I have had my gocco for about three weeks now and have not done much with it. The screens and bulbs are so expensive, that I wanted to make sure I had some good ideas first.

 

I want to make some greeting cards first! The first two  ideas I have are below! The one with lots of designs is a little too crowded in one corner I think, but I can white out that part once I make the photocopy for the gocco. 

What do you think? Too crowded or some good diversity and asymmetry?

These designs have been inspired by Vera Bradley and a Crate and Barrel Catalogue for a starting point. I had fun trying to come up with different paisley patterns on the one below. No two paisleys are the same!

Which one do you like better? I am thinking about doing some black and white, a turquoise on brown paper, and  pink on brown paper. I love those color combinations.

I am also on the hunt for print plush!! Link me some from your shop or Flickr if you make them. I am going to do a feature soon on print plush. I really want to make some!

Please vote for your favorite design above!

Updates and What's New!

Hi everyone! It has been a week since I have updated... yea... I know... It has been a busy week getting back into the swing of things, but I want to catch you up on what I have been doing!

I finally have my place clean!!!!!! I do not think it has been this clean since I moved in, but this time it is ORGANIZED! This is a picture of my new shelf, which is much taller than me. This has most of my current projects and materials I work with stored in it for safe keeping and ALL IN ONE PLACE! Do you even have that problem where you cant quite keep it all in one place or stay organized? It drives me nuts sometimes.

I also got my GOCCO! It came in less than 3 days from Japan! I have not got the chance to use it yet due to my busy schedule, but brainstorming ways to use it and things to make. I know I want to make my fiend's bridal shower invitations using it. Now if only I could get a hold of her to start!

I also finished the ACEO book I have been working hard on the last 3 or so months! I want to thank everyone who has supported this project and waited very patiently for the book. It took about a month longer than I had hoped it would, but now I have worked out the kinks and feel like a pro, so the next edition should be super speedy and just as amazing! I am so impressed with the artists and the student artists involved.

If you would like to order a copy for yourself and support this project (all proceeds go towards buying copies of the book for students and ACEO education) you can snag one of the 2 copies that are at pre-sale SALE PRICE in my etsy shop, or click on the Blurb icon to the right of the blog.

Here are a few sneak peeks at the student pages. More sneak peaks can be found by visiting the Official Book Blog for Create. Collect. Trade.

Gocco Printing

4/6/08 UPDATE: I BOUGHT ONE FROM ZICKEZACKE!!!

(And was also told of 2 US suppliers. The kits are expensive, but the bulbs and inks are cheap!)

I was over at my friend's house last night, who is amazing at making wedding invitations and all things that have to do with weddings, and she told me about a Gocco Machine.  I had seen Gocco prints in Etsy shops and heard of them before, but had no clue about what it actually was and definitely did not know you cannot find them in the states?!

I REALLY want to get one badly. I thought about e-bay, because for some reason, I did not even think to look on etsy, so I did. I came across etsian, zickezacke, who sells the kits and supplies in her shop. It sells for $100 and $49.00 shipping to the US (EEEEK).  The price is not bad but the shipping?! Understandable because it comes from Japan.

I really, really, really, want to try this. Now I just need to find the money. 

Do you print Gocco? Do you know a great place to get supplies or kits? I would love to hear some of YOUR opinions and even links to samples of your work! 

I am learning all about this wonderful art. I have posted some links to the left of this entry under the crafting section. Here are a few others that are great to check out!

ETSY Labs Library: Gocco! Gocco! Gocco!

ETSY Video: Gocco Printing (VERY HELPFUL)

FeltCafe: How to Print with the Gocco!

Gocco Printing with SecretMe

Weddingbee (Invitations) 

Buy Supplies and Gocco in the US (Supplies and inks are cheaper!)

Marlenewatson.com Gocco Supplies (US Supplier)