Adopting a dog, or any animal for that matter, can truly impact your life. My life, possibly more so than others. Three years ago, Sheila turned me into a vegetarian and 3 weeks ago the new pup, Mate, opened a new chapter in my relationship.

A month ago a friend and dog lover posted a picture of an 8 month old pup that looked remarkably a lot like Sheila and was at the same shelter I rescued her from. I showed the boy to simply compare how similar they look and he wouldn’t stop talking about him over the next few days, “I want him,”  “He’s mine, I can tell,”  and so on. I didn’t think too much about it being that his apartment doesn’t allow pets and mine only allows 2 on the property, mine and the yellow lab Ivan whom belongs upstairs. I found this out because it prevented me from being able to foster any other dogs. So I comforted the boy by saying a family will love him but the idea was returned with, “But I’m the one who will love him the most.” Before I knew it, we were driving the hour and a half to Logan. And before I knew it, he was in the back of my car with Sheila, both of them wondering what is going on.

On the drive home we talked about how to care for Mate. I was told Mate was a sign that the boy and I are meant to be since he had fallen in love with me and Sheila and wanted to get a dog just like her. That he’s already told his mom he wants to marry me. That he wants to live with me, forever and ever. Before I knew it, we were looking at newly listed rentals. Before I knew it, my soon to be living space has more than doubled accompanied by a garage I can work in. Before I knew it, our sentences were full of “we this,” and “we that.” Before I knew it, everything was falling into place.

So, I’m moving in two days. It’s bittersweet and exciting all at once. I’m a little sad to leave the Avenues and the apartment I lived alone in for 2 years. My first adult apartment with the most beautiful view of the city (above). With such small space (300 sq ft), I learned how to continue my art after college and did a lot of growing up. I’m excited to explore a new part of town, Sugarhouse, with the guy I love and have a faster turnaround time on my art now that my scroll saw can live with me and not in my parent’s garage, 45 minutes away. It’s a good change.

This was the quickest I was able to produce a design to press piece and love it during the entirety of the process. I did the design on Wednesday, ordered negatives on Thursday and made the plates as well as printed 4 runs on Friday.

My graduation gift to the boy is a set of designed and letterpress printed announcements/invitations. When I had the text all done, I felt like something was missing. I told him I really want to blind de-boss a pattern in the background but couldn’t think of imagery that was more personal to him and his degree. This is when I learned about the greek symbol for psychology, Psi. Mixed with the University of Utah’s “U” really completes it, I think (click on image to view larger). The boy and I only had a few “bridezilla” moments when he made me flip the direction of the pattern, told me to make the symbols bigger (which I refused) and demanded picture messages after each run. Other than that, he was a delightful client!

I’ve heard scary stories in the letterpress studio about people smushing their fingers in the press. I never understood how until today while finishing up my old roommate’s wedding invites. After printing 400 invites, 100 ceremony/RSVP postcards, I was a little tired to do 400 envelopes. I wanted them done quickly as possible. With the extra flap flapping in the air as I feed the paper across the cylinder, I held on to ensure it eased through the machine until my index and middle finger put a stop to the whole production. They were stuck between the cylinder and a bar that the paper slips through. I thought for sure I was going to lose a fingernail or two, but as of right now they’re still painfully intact. The first thing I thought, I must really love Di, and I powered through the rest of the set.

I have never designed or printed wedding invitations before but Di and Matt are such amazing and supportive friends, I thought it’d make a great wonderful gift. I have to be honest though, I don’t think I am cut out for wedding stuff. I felt burnt out after shooting two weddings with my holga camera and this, this was another world. So many freakin’ options and so many people to invite. Oy! Luckily I knew how much they love cats and how they will be cat people – married or single – forever and ever. It seemed obvious that their two cats, Monster and Zim, had to be on there. I am more of a dog person myself so that may be the reason why I am not in love with my design. But Di and Matt love the invites and I love those two so that’s all that matters.

Printed on Crane’s Lettra Ecru and Neenah Classic Crest Slate.

I am a little attached to this thrift shop ring I always wear. I’ve never taken it off for nearly 3 years now and it’s been with me through a lot of thicks and a lot of thins. I wouldn’t mind this being “the ring” either. Future husband will have to pay the $3 for it though because a lady can’t pay for her own ring, damn it!

(Photos above courtesy of Lauren Brady, host of Amore Lounge)

I celebrated Valentine’s Day yesterday with an awesome breakfast at Ruth’s diner, snowshoeing up Big Cottonwood Canyon, the most amazing onion rings I’ve ever had at Red Rock, a massage, dinner at The Copper Onion and attending the most well-thought out themed party I’ve ever been to. Lauren (in photo) is so adorable. She mailed out invites that were letterpress printed for her Amore Lounge party. Cocktail attire required. Her gorgeous apartment was decked out with hand made paper and wooden hearts, a custom sign, stringed lights, delicious food, an open cocktail bar, a guest book, party favors and great people! I can’t wait to see the photos on my holga. I only took a few until some technical difficulties crammed my film (the sponge that held the film in place, rolled with it).

17 3/4″ x 12. Printed on Bleached Lettra, wet pack.

Exactly 33 years ago, my parents married. They were 21 years old and in love. How did they meet? I’m glad you asked.

The Vietnam War was getting bad and my Uncle, a white guy in the army who married my mom’s oldest sister, moved the family from everything they knew to his hometown -Caste Dale, UT. Now something you should know about the mama and all of my Aunts and Uncle – they’re all deaf but the youngest sister. The only deaf school in Utah at the time was in Ogden so the kids journeyed north for school. Now, a few weeks before this my dad had no job. He received his last welfare check and knew he needed to start looking for work. One day coming home from school at Weber State University, he turned left to the deaf school to see if they were hiring. That left turn changed his life, as he likes to put it. My dad was an RA for the boys dorm and this is how he learned his fifth language, American Sign Language. Him and my mom were the same age and older than most of the others and once she got the courage to talk to him, they started dating.

One day, my dad got down on one knee and signed, “Will you marry me?” Even though she was mostly confused on why he was down on one knee, she answered, “Ask my parents first.” So my dad hired a Vietnamese translator and drove 3 hours to Castle Dale just to be shot down. My grandparents justification for declining was that they were both goats in the Chinese Zodiac which meant they’ll butt heads. But somehow when they heard my dad had a house they agreed to the marriage and moved in with them with 3 of my mom’s siblings. As newlyweds, my dad had 5 extra people in the house to take care of, none who spoke English or spoke at all. This is how much he loved her and still does today.

Happy Anniversary!

Even after losing some plants, some eye glasses, some clothes, part of the kitchen floor, a couch, the back seat of my car all to her stomach, she’s perfect for me.

I’ve created a Sheila photo album of pictures throughout the year most of you might have not seen, on facebook.

I don’t really know Dustin all too well, and to be honest I don’t know my half sister all that well either (yet). But during the ceremony both of them shed tears while smiling so brightly. The fact that Dustin couldn’t hold back his tears means something to me – he’s in absolute love with her. I think that’s the sign of a happy marriage when a man can cry at the person he wants to spend the rest of his life with. I am so happy for them both!

Congratulations you two! Thanks for having a wedding where I can put on a hoodie and eat a (veggie) burger.

I will never forget our first pull. I chose the letter “P” from the woodblock family to ink up for the first time. I was very gentle, I didn’t want to overdo it. I felt really nervous but excited at the same time – a good sign, right? We’re planning on meeting every Wednesday at 4pm at the U of U Library. We might sneak in some more studio time, but I don’t want to rush this new relationship too fast. You can’t overwhelm something this good.

I hope Letterpress likes me as much as I like Letterpress.