Small steps

 As we begin to find our way back to making here in Maleny, I have been prepping and printing a few bits here and there. Always trying to push a few things forward at a time, just to make sure nothing gets left too far behind.

I know International Day of Peace isn't until September, but there is a process of choosing words, and selecting type, then setting type and sorting through the brown paper cutlery holders, and inking and printing, and making holes and threading cord and sorting and packing and posting.... so I figured I might start now in my spare moments!

This year I have returned to John Lennon, and am simply asking that we give peace a chance...

On return, it also became clear that I had run out of grief cards. That is not my preferred way of being so I spent time finding if I had any blanks already prepped, and cutting paper to make new cards.

And then I wanted to check which type I might have used to print the name of the press on the back of the cards...

My first guess was close, but no cigar as they say.

My second was the very essence of Goldilocks - just right!

And so I printed some backs, some fronts and some middles...

I do love a deckled edge.

Now to let them dry and do some illustrating, find some envelopes and cello bags and add them back into the inventory once more.

And in other spare moments I have been doing the very last transfer of type from a small and difficult to use (that is, to get your fingers in to pick up the type) set of drawers into a small drawer that will complete the job.

I am almost there, and then we will have our final collection of type. Next job is to re-make the type reference books and create some new paper inventory sample books.

I keep saying to myself that future me will thank present me for doing these small tasks of sorting and re-organising.

And then to the ongoing beauty and gift of flowers. My dad's orchids are doing him proud, even in the cold and windy and sometimes wet weather we are having for winter this year. I love both the purity of this white one and the buoyant joy of the orange one.

And another gift of flowers, this time from my cousin, and these kangaroo paws are now on the kitchen bench being beautiful.