Tag: instagram

Around the Block for a Third Time

Leave a comment

I have participated in the #BlockPartyWithGina Instagram challenge run by Gina of Ridge and Roots three times now (but somehow only wrote a wrap up post once), and it really is something I look forward to every time it is announced. Though I am realizing that the things I want to do with block printing might require some different tools and perhaps a little more time dedicated to each block. I always feel like I’m rushing each design because I procrastinate too much in the beginning stages.

It’s tough to pick my favorite block this time around, but I do love that I figrued out a way to do two-colored prints. Might’ve gone overboard by doing so many of them with that technique, though. I think that caused a lot of my rushing this time.

These little ones that I framed are some of my favorites. They are currently available on my Etsy shop.

This design I originally wanted to do half this size to be the front of a card, but I wasnt’ able to get the definition I wanted. Instead of continuing on and forcing myself to finish something I didn’t like, I restarted and made it full size. I like it way more this way. It’s also available on my Etsy page.

This design is the first one that I actually abandoned. I kept trying and trying to fix it, but couldn’t get it to do what I wanted. Eventually I got so frustrated with it that I stepped away from the whole block party project for a week, despite knowing what I wanted to do for the next design.

Once I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t happy with the direction this card was going, I was able to move on and make something that I did end up really ahppy with, even though it didn’t quite turn out the way I wanted it to, either.

Unfortunately, because I backed this block in cardboard, I was unable to get as consistent prints as I wanted with this block, it’s not ready to be on my Etsy. I am going to fix the mounting issues and make a better run of them soon, hopefully to post before the cut off for the holidays.

I think my favorite of all to make was this final print. The print portion was done in a single color, but I embossed the spiders indiviually after printing. I didn’t get these finished in time to list before Halloween this year, but I’ll hold onto them to list in time for Halloween next year.

All in all, I think this Block Party was the best yet. I learned a lot that I want to implement in my printing, and I made quite a few blocks I was really happy with. Next on my to-do list, printing on fabric!

Block Party Round 2

Leave a comment

Recently I completed another Instagram challenge, the Block Party with Gina. It’s run by Gina of Ridge and Roots (hence the “with Gina” portion of the name) and it’s a block printing challenge in which you create a new block print each week for five weeks. This was the second version of the challenge, and I feel like I did much better this time than the first time.

The first week’s prompt was “Celestial”. I went with a ringed planet with moons and stars surrounding it. I printed this one with a gradient in two different colorways.

The second week’s prompt was “delicate”. I decided to go with the tiny flowers that grow on the tree right outside the back door. In this case, I printed the outline and then finished it up with watercolors. I also decided this time to turn some of the prints into blank greeting cards. They are available on my Etsy shop under the Stationary heading.

Week three coincided with Earth Week, so the prompt was “Our Earth, Our Home”. I decided to go along with a little forrest nook, and the tiny owl friend in the tree is quite possibly the favorite thing I ended up making in this whole challenge. I’m definitely planning to do a bigger owl soon.

Week four brought the “(insert song lyrics here)” prompt. I had, of course, had the recently released Fiona Apple album “Fetch The Boltcutters” on repeat (it makes a great workout soundtrack, by the way) for the entire week, and those lyrics along with a Leslie Jordan Instagram post lead to the idea of being inside your own head.

The final week was “Mind, Body, Spirit”, and I had to include both coffee and music. I had originally intended to make a bright, hot purple, but the mauve ended up suiting the block really well.

All of the results of these blocks, both cards and prints, are all available on my Etsy store (along with some fabric face masks, if you are still looking for some).