Postcards

I managed to get my 4 additional embossing plates made on Monday, which is lucky as there technically wasn't meant to be drop-in - apparently I'm really bad at reading the spreadsheet because I definitely checked it 3 times to make sure. The plates turned out really well and since no-one pays the hydraulic press much love these days I was able to come in and use it while there was a class in.

So I've spent all day Tuesday and 2 hours today going ape shit on the hydraulics. My. Arms. Hurt. It's not an easy job getting the press up to 6000psi , and the grip on the press handle is made out of sand paper or something to that effect - I hope it is becoming apparent that this hasn't been an enjoyable experience BUT I SOLDIERED ON. Somebody acknowledge and reward my manual labor. Please.

Then came the horrible realisation that I do actually have to align and cut each card by hand. Ordinarily that wouldn't be a problem, however these cards have no markings. Nothing. Trying to align an image that is raised by a mere millimeter is ridiculous. Although I did devise an efficient tactic involving tracing paper and pin holes, but still it's ridiculous. Ridiculous and time consuming - it took me about 3 hours to align, mark out and cut 5 sets of cards. Hmmm.

When snow blindness forced me to take a break I started thinking about how my cards will be presented for sale. I've ordered some A6 cellophane sleeves from ebay (which will come in time if they know what's good for them) but obviously I can't just whack them in there and send them on their merry way; I need some sort of personal branding.

I considered making business cards and putting them in there as well but to be honest my ideas are quite aspirational and involve cutting stuff with lasers and folding stuff and double sided printing and considering I'm struggling with the concept of fitting all of my tasks into each 24 hour day I really can't pile that on to my work load as well. Let's be sensible. So I knocked up a lovely little sleeve. Nice and simple bit of graphic design (which Paul said he likes and he IS graphics so therefore it must be acceptable).

AND. I used the copyright symbol for the first time ever! (I don't know how to make it appear in this text... fail) I'm not sure what I have to do about that now.. Do I have to post it to myself? Someone said it works the same if you email it? Should probably find out really.

My only issue now is what material to print the sleeve on to. As much as I'm hammering the white on white at the moment I just don't think it would work here. Too much white. I'm gunna have to look in the library an see what papers are available, I want something with a natural earthy colour, maybe brown paper but I don't know if that will be printable. Damn you lack of knowledge.