OsloPress

Fall is officially here and, while a bit exhausted, it appears we have survived the wedding season.   Unfortunately, I found myself in need of a blogging hiatus and the past few months went by without any documentation.  Yes, I feel bad about that…  but I’m here now and doesn’t that count for something?

As usual, it has been crazy around here – even more so lately as everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong.  This goes for both the business and our personal lives.  I won’t bore you with in-depth details, but here is a little recap of what you have been missing:  equipment blowing up, people walking on my car, a leaky roof… and well, you get the picture.  (dare I even mention the economy…)

Needless to say, it is about time that things start running a little smoother around here.  So, I’m starting my new year right now.  Forget January – way too far off.   Nope.  New year.  Begins.  Now.

So here’s to reorganization, more initiative, getting back in touch with my creative side, and getting things done.

*specifically the verb, however  i wouldn’t mind some of the noun as well…

I fear this post will be a bit boring, but considering I havn’t had the chance to update in over 2 weeks, boring is better than nothing. In any case, it has come to my attention that not everyone is familiar with this thing called Google Checkout. I’m not too surprised, as it was launched around mid 2006, and unless you buy a ton of stuff online, you may have never had a reason to use it. Personally, I myself have never been on the consumer end, and my experience has always been from the merchant side of things. However, I’ve done a bit of reading and feel that I can give you a good idea of what to expect when using Google Checkout.

First of all, why Google Checkout? If you have dealt with us before, you know it is our preferred method of payment. Yes, we can take checks, but then you have to allow for the check to arrive to us and then wait for the check to clear. A process that can take just minutes with Checkout. So yes, it is a time saver, and when a last minute order is placed, we can certainly use all the extra time we can get.

Most importantly though is the issue of security. Along with other security checks that Google has set-up to prevent fraud, we will never see your credit card number. We can simply tell if the payment was made and cancel it if need be. So, when you call us and ask if we can take your order over the phone. Well, the answer is no, not really. Meaning, we won’t take your credit card information over the phone. We can however take down your e-mail address, and then send you an invoice via Google Checkout. (But wait!? I have no affiliations with Google – how does this work? umm… I’m getting to that. Promise.)

This brings me to my next point. Google Checkout is convenient. (Here’s the part where I have no experience to speak from, but I’ve done some reading, so bare with me. ) Once you have used Google Checkout once, you can keep using your account at any site that offers it. So instead of filling out your personal information at every place you shop, you can just use your Google Checkout account as long as it is an available option. Simply sign in with your e-mail address and password.

So how does it work exactly? Well, for us, unless you are purchasing a sample, we will send you an invoice for the total amount due via e-mail. Once you open the e-mail, you will find a link labeled “Pay now through Google Checkout…”. Once you click on the link, you will be asked to either sign in to Google Checkout, or if it is your first time, sign up for Checkout. If you need to sign up, you will be asked to provide the standard information – name, e-mail address, and credit card information. Once you are logged in you can confirm your order and hit the box that states “place your order now” to make your purchase. At this time, an e-mail confirmation will be sent to us alerting us that an invoice has been paid. If you are purchasing a sample packet, the process is very similar. Except that instead of receiving an invoice, you just click the little blue “buy now” button on the website.

So, while we know it may be new and different to some of you, and new and different can equal strange and scary, we really don’t think there is anything to be worried about. Here are a few other things you might be interested in knowing:

- No, you don’t need to have a g-mail account to use it.

- No, you don’t even need to know what g-mail is for that matter.

- You can store as many credit cards as you would like in your account.

- You can choose to keep your e-mail address confidential. So, if we need to contact you, we will just send a message to an address that looks pretty much like jumbled letters followed by @checkout.google.com.

- It allows you to rate merchants.

- It allows you to track your orders from wherever you make purchases.

- And lastly, no, you will not be giving Google complete control over the world by using their services. (at least, I don’t think so…)

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is in no way affiliated with or promoted by Google or Google Checkout.

As mentioned in the last post, I will try and upload several sneak peek images of the new designs that are on their way. Above you see a sample utilizing a combination of spring green and chocolate inks, maple wood, and crisp white cotton paper. The selected typefaces are Bolivar and Trajan – a combination I find elegant with  just a touch of attitude.

I would like to mention that this motif was created at the request of a bride. We felt it would be a perfect addition to our catalog, so we are keeping it around.

Enjoy!

As mentioned in previous posts, we have some new designs on the way. For the most part, all the details are finalized. Now begins the next step: producing samples and getting the photos ready for the website. Yes, we know we could just plop some renderings up and call it a day, but well, we just don’t find this acceptable. We must have photos! And apparently, we like making more work for ourselves.

So now begins the brain storming process… we get to select colors and wood species for each design that we feel will make them look that much better. This is exciting to me, as I have spent quite a bit of time staring at, for the most part, black and white illustrations on my monitor. Truth be told, I always visualize color combinations as I work on something, but this is no comparison to seeing the finished product.

Selecting the ink colors always involves flipping through the handy Pantone formula guide. I love it when the color I have been visualizing is there in front of me. Other times, sadly, it is nowhere to be found. In any case, decisions have to be made and the show must go on. We’ll keep you updated and hopefully update the blog with a sneak peek or two in the next couple of weeks.

Speaking of colors, I do want to remind everyone that custom blended ink colors are always an option. If you don’t see the right color listed on our process page, please let us know what you are looking for! Whether you send us a fabric sample to work with, or you send me to the grocery store in search of strawberry Mentos pink (yum), we will always do our best to accommodate your wishes.

Now, if only we can hurry this process up a bit…

Quite a while back, we were contacted by Christa Vagnozzi from The Knot, as well as Danielle Venokur of dvGreen, and asked if we could provide a few samples to possibly be used in an upcoming feature. What we really loved about the idea was they were interested in more than just invitations. We also created a menu and table number for them to work with. Well, some time passed by and as January came and went, we began wondering about that potential feature. On a whim I decided to check out the magazine stand while in a local Target and there it was – the latest publication of The Knot. I have to admit, I was a little hesitant to look inside, and just a bit disappointed when I began flipping through the pages only to find hundreds of wedding gowns. (I always start from the back!) Then I made myself slow down a bit and start from the beginning. That’s when I finally ran across what we had been waiting for. Several items from our Bloom collection are included in a feature titled 4 hot color combos. The white and wood combo is where you will find us – a two page spread highlighting eco-friendly ideas and scrumptious warm tones. So, so lovely you guys! A very big thank you to all those involved!

As seen on p. 36 & 37 in The Knot Spring/Summer ‘08: menu in Bloom and maple, invitation in Bloom and walnut, nestled in the flowers on the table you will see the table number in walnut as well (all images courtesy of The Knot)

I have to admit that after hopping in the car with a copy of the magazine I immediately placed it safely in the back seat. But my curiosity took over, and it wasn’t more than a minute or so before I was flipping through every page of that magazine and examining every single dress. I like to torture myself, you see. Even though my own wedding has come and gone… I have that fear that I will stumble upon the most perfect dress ever created and that I will be devastated because I couldn’t have it for my big day. Thankfully, that didn’t happen on this occasion.

Just for fun, I am posting some photos that give you a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes here at Oslo Press. As you will see, these only involve the printing side of things. So, I will have to do a follow-up in the future that includes the engraving as well. Below is a stack of wedding programs hot off the press. This only shows you a tiny portion of our 1960’s Heidelberg Windmill.

Next is a detail of the same programs after being scored and folded. This is an example of a blind impression – where an impression is made without the use of ink. In this case, we wanted to add a bit of detail to the programs so that they coordinated nicely with the invitations and other elements. At the same time, we wanted to keep it subtle… I think they turned out lovely.

Below you see 130 programs – all bound and ready to be packed for shipping!

This job also included favor tags, escort cards, and table cards. The couple chose Willow with Pearl White paper and a deep custom-blended aubergine ink. Here is a detail shot of the favor tags:

Last but certainly not least… Oslo pulling his weight around here. Okay, so maybe that only consists of napping, eating his fair share of food, and providing endless amounts of cuteness and entertainment. We like to think that is more than sufficient.

We have recently added a few new fonts to our existing list. However, since the list is a bit overwhelming, we are working on a way to better showcase them. Perhaps showing each one in use would allow you to get a better feel for them – in turn making the decision process a bit easier.

If you ask me, hunting for a new font is as exciting as buying a new pair of shoes. We have some new designs in the works and I can’t wait to try some of these out. Instead of explaining why we felt the need to add these particular fonts to our collection, I will let them speak for themselves:

I love details… really love them. I especially appreciate that someone put great thought, time, and attention into a particular detail.

So, it was only natural that I wanted to find a calligrapher who could help add a little extra something to our invitations. I am happy to announce that through a bit of searching, I have found a wonderful calligrapher. Sherri Coyle not only loves what she does and is great to work with, but as a bonus, she is located near us.

Here is a little example:

For some reason, this style makes me want to send little valentine notes to everyone I know. (Okay, maybe that is due to the fact that all the stores are already filled to the brim with little pink hearts and cupids… but I like to think it is the sweet simplicity of this hand writing.)

We will slowly be updating the website with prices and more examples. However, if you are interested in having Sherri address your envelopes or fill out your escort and table cards, please let us know!

Here are a few other close-ups:

Styles from top to bottom: Monoline Italics, Lowercase Romans, Monoline Bickham, Bickham

Just an update on how we are doing in the new space.  Last weekend we went to ikea in Woodbridge, VA, and bought a good bit of their BRODER storage system.  I’ve been modifying this, along with their PRONOMEN countertops in order to made work and storage space.  The new Heidelberg press has been behaving well, but I will certainly be more comfortable in the new space once our storage issues are taken care of.  Right now I’m gluing up red oak for shelving, woo!

We’ve been featured again, this time on the blog of local design firm Gamil Design. Check out what they had to say about us, and also their awesome tea stick!