The Hands That Built America
Derrick Castle is one designer who’s work always gets my attention. He has a unique style, but the best part about this particular design is that it is handmade. The 12.5 x 19 block print was designed, carved, and printed by hand. Could you really ask for more? I plan on adding The Hands That [...]
American Made Matters
Americans are the largest consumers, and we need to put our money to good use – back into American companies. American Made Matters is an initiative founded by Don Rongione, CEO of Bollman Hat Company in Adamstown, Pa, after having to lay off over a hundred employees due to outsourcing. The organization tripled its membership in [...]
Expand & Conquer!
Many, if not most makers eventually toy with the idea of expanding. Maybe it’s personnel or your product offerings, but where do you begin? I for one, am always battling with this. I juggle corporate graphic design with illustration & lettering and hand-drawn wedding invitations. This year, I decided to add birth certificates and wedding [...]
Maker’s Schedule
Until recently, I didn’t know how I managed to get through a typical 9-5 work day prior to being self-employed. That was until I read Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule and it ALL made sense. I’m a maker, and I am on a Maker’s schedule. Carving out a few hours from my day can break my [...]
Blackletter
I knew letters were something special before I ever really understood design or typography. Living around the Pennsylvania German culture, you become accustomed to its style, and seems a little less spectacular on a day-to-day basis. That is, until I began honing my skills for lettering and typography. Then I rediscovered the style of letterforms [...]
Uppercase Magazine
If you miss the days of wonderfully made publications that you can hold, smell the ink and the paper, and turn each page, then Uppercase magazine is for you. Created by Janine Vangool, a Canadian designer, each issue features page after page of art, wonders, and reader-submitted content. Coined as a magazine for the ‘creative [...]
Craft or Design?
Driving down the road I saw a sign for a “designer” handbags at a bingo hall. These days anything can be coined “designer” or “handmade,” so how do you know what’s quality and what isn’t? (The Pennsylvania Guild, by the way, answers this question by holding Juried Status sessions in which members’ work is judged [...]
