We love hearing about all the new and popular creative programs & apps out there. From Canva to Procreate…  we’ve got you covered in terms of how to set-up a digital file. Our hope is that by sharing some tips & tricks, the process is as headache-free as possible. Boxcar’s Note: All of the above programs are pretty good, however, they do not get you all the way to what we need for a plate ready file.  You’ll need to email us your pdf so that we can fix them up for the “last mile” leg.  Reach out to us at info@boxcarpress.com.  We’re here to help! The Short & Swe ..read more

What is playing in your earbuds right now?  What keeps you engaged and entertained while you work, walk the dog, or drive in the car? If podcasts are “your thing”, we know there are over a half million active podcasts to keep you engaged and entertained and learning. Have you given printing-related podcasts a chance?  This article is all about content that speaks to your love and interest in letterpress, book arts and printing. It isn’t complete because there are new channels all the time but here is the start of a fascinating ride down the letterpress road. Podcasts ..read more

When Michael first met Patricia, she saw his printing press and said, “I’ve always wanted to have a greeting card company.” That’s all it took. Three years later, the duo has over 200 card designs via Sweet Bippy Press; a 1,000-square-foot shop, and is having more fun than adults should be allowed to have. As co-owners, Michael and Patricia love coming up with ideas for new cards. For the last 30 years, the pair has been honing their skills—Michael in national consumer advertising and Patricia in sales and customer success. It’s a perfect match (the title of one of their card designs, coincide ..read more

I’ve had a fifty-year obsession with QSL cards. And a newfound interest in letterpress. This is the tale of how they cross paths. Dad had a cigar box full of these nifty “ham radio postcards” (aka QSL cards) from when he first got his license in the 1930’s back in Nova Scotia. Amateur radio operators, or “hams,” send QSL’s to one another to commemorate a contact they’ve made over the air. Going after distant signals has always fascinated me. As a kid in 1960s Prescott, Ontario, I’d love to tune the TV dial, seeking out stations that were only there on certain days. Why did that happen? As a y ..read more

One of the newcomers to our staff is Rachel. A cheery team-member who cuts our Flurry paper and ships our supply orders, she loves to send snail mail. Since she has joined us, she has her eye on letterpress cards that bring a laugh, Rachel shares with us her round-up of humor-filled prints to make anyone’s day. Let us know which one is tickling your funny bone in the comments below! 1. OK self care card by Sapling Press  | 2. Moving Away Card See Ya Later Alligator card by dodelinedesign  | 3. Letterpress Father’s Day card by StackCreates | 4. Domestic Adventures by HappyFinchStudio ..read more

Nancy Hill of Hazel & Violet Letterpress, is a fine press printer who calls Phoenix, Arizona home.  The colorful and inviting letterpress studio (which matches Nancy’s personality to a T) is also a teaching facility and commercial print shop with roots in the community. She was kind enough to give us a shop tour of her printing paradise. AROUND THE SHOP Lighting…[we have] a bunch of LED flood high up on a 20′ wooden ceiling. The overall lighting is good, however, specific lighting (like to take photos) sucks. The floor plan changes annually but I think we have it right now. Productio ..read more

Nothing makes us more proud and excited when we learn about young printers and poets in the schools getting a chance to put their hand to a press. The sixth grade students of Mount Desert Elementary School (Mount Desert Island, Maine) experienced the joys and challenges while printing their own poetry this past year. The project was led by writing teachers Ms. Mariah Baker and Ms. Maria Simpson combined with artists/printers Nikki Moser and Katherine Emery.  Read on to hear all about the group’s instruction in hand-set type, printing with photopolymer plates, bookbinding, and the fun that ..read more

[Installment 5] Next up in our Letterpress Friend chat series is AJ Masthay. We are bowled over by the mesmerizing details in his concert poster series and his bright + bold color combinations. AJ is a Connecticut-based printer who always makes us wonder “What is he up to this time?!” We sat down for a quick minute to see what’s on his Vandercook (and beyond!) via Masthay Studios. Boxcar Press: So good to catch up with you! We’ve all got the printing bug and we’re just curious about when you got “bitten”! AJ: That happened back in my sophomore year of art school when I was first introduced to ..read more

I think we can all agree letterpress fits the dictionary definition of niche (a specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service), but when we gather as a community as we love to do, we feel dynamic, vibrant, and that we are at the peak of the printing heap. To start, our presses are beautiful and have stood the test of time, our printing papers are luxurious and rainbow gorgeous, and our type options number in the thousands.  We can carve a lino block or make a polymer plate or handset some letters and in relatively little time, make a beautiful print or a th ..read more

[ Installment 4 ] Next up in our Letterpress Friend chat is Ben Sargent. A Texas native and avid Chandler & Price printer, Ben is an inspiration for the pursuit of printing knowledge, and offers some good chuckles, and stories. As the conductor of Sargent Brothers Printers & Typographers, he adds a bit of charismatic style that comes only with letterpress. Boxcar Press: So wonderful to catch up with you and delightful to have you. Speaking of delights… is there one defining moment or point that you just fell hard for printing? Ben: It was last Christmas. I realized that ..read more