no longer catching up! first FO of 2008! lino printing!

my birthday this year was very much full of crafty goodness. my sister got me a 2.5" xyron machine, which i used that very day (to finish a tip in page!), and my brother got me a bunch of lino printing supplies (i gave him VERY clear instructions, and it worked!)

i'm so excited to play around with lino printing/block printing, i did it in high school, and i've been acheing to try it again.

tonight i hauled out the supplies, and went at it!

this is first OFFICIAL finished object for 2008 (the sweater i sewed yesterday is not going well, so it's still a WIP!)

it's not perfect, but for my first attempt, i'm pretty happy with it!




the block itself was 2.5" x 2.5", so the heart's just a bit smaller than that.

the block's quite handy, it's staedtler mastercarve artist carving block that "cuts "like butter"" (the "like butter" quotations are actually what it says on the block, quotes and all! it amuses me. what are they quoting that from?)

it really did cut awesomely though. i tried doing a couple of erasers -toooo small for me! too bad the blocks are kinda pricey. i buy them at a local indie art store, they're probably cheaper at one of the chains, but i'd rather support local.

i read this thing the other day in a vintage popular mechanics book on a technique for how to make rubber stamps, and i REALLY want to try that too!


the problem, of course, is thinking of images to carve.... i have such a hard time with this, it's the same problem i have with silkscreening. i think of images i like, and then i can't decide if i'll actually USE the image enough to make carving it (or silkscreening it) worth my while....


suggestions are very much appreciated!