The Rebirth of Block Printing

 I have been trying to come up with some new crafting ideas. It has to be inexpensive, unique, user friendly and did I mention inexpensive. All this was rattling around in my head, when I had a flash....wait for it....wait for it....Block Printing!


 About eight years ago, my artistic Boyfriend took a Block Printing class. He really enjoyed it and had gotten quite good at it. He made a print that we ended up using on our wedding invitations ( making him my artistic Husband).
 Well, life goes on, and with the birth of our son a lot of things fell by the wayside. For me, it was playing the guitar and sleeping all day. For my Husband it was calling chips and salsa a meal and Block Printing. So, I dusted off his box full of Block Printing supplies and tried my hand at it last night.


 Block Printing is a lot like using rubber stamps except you get to make the stamps your self. It's carved with a nifty little tool into squares of printing linoleum. Next, you ink your image and press it onto paper. Speedball Art is a great resource for Block Printing supplies and has a great online catalog.


  There is a learning curve and I made A LOT of mistakes. But, it was fun! I got to see the beautiful Block my sweet man made for our wedding invites for the first time in years. Very special.


 Another plus is that we seem to have most of the supplies we need for this craft(except for the carving tool) which meets my "Inexpensive" criteria.
  Next I want to try carving some blocks myself. I have some ideas of simple designs (owls,acorns,ukuleles etc.)and I am so excited to try! 
 High Fives for rediscovering Block Printing!!

Recycling,Reusing and Remembering

I am seized by the desire to craft. It's getting a little out of hand. You can see evidence of this for yourself at www. asnailspace.etsy.com I have been gathering supplies, writing down ideas, cruising the library and bookshops for free and cheap old books and magazines, and yes, actually also crafting . I have been admittedly cutting corners here at home. I mean, if some frozen food or a delivered pizza are going to let me work on my projects a little longer, so be it! Clothes go unfolded and put away less frequently and my son is watching a bit too much television these days.But I have been prolific and the muse is upon me. Of course, I am blessed to have such a wonderfully self entertaining Son and understanding Husband. I am lucky to be able to ride these crests of activity only because of them.

Today though, I just couldn't walk by the pile of papers on the kitchen counter, or the dirty dishes or the voice of my boy asking me what we were going to do today. So, I stopped. Hand-in-hand we walked to the park and played there for a long time. It was a priceless day and I was so glad I had heard him.

Later, I caught up on my housework after dinner and watched a movie with my Husband before bed. Unlike my Son, my Husband will not always come right out and ask for my attention. I have to remember that he needs me, too. It feels good actually, to know I'm so important to others.

Balance is a good thing and I am constantly working on bringing it all together to try and be the Mother, Wife, Sister,Daughter, Friend and Crafty Woman I want to be. Best job I ever had, this is!