Putting away so much type from custom projects. #letterpress

I built a cassette from metal type ornaments for the latest Print Club print and I’m pretty pleased with it. #letterpress

Digging into these 150 year old beauties this week. #letterpress

The Type High Prize mails out to all Print Club members that’ve been in the Club for a whole year (starting in September) to celebrate Type High Day (9/18). These ornaments were designed by me and cast by @bowerbox.com. Super grateful to all the PC members that keep the studio going!

We’ll be a part of Open House Chicago again this October and the studio will be in full glory. This was last year’s print, made in collaboration with @chiarchitecture.bsky.social. Learn a bit about Chicago’s print history!

Printing today, 11-6, as part of the @ravenswood-chicago.bsky.social Art Walk.

Setting up a print for folks to pull at the Ravenswood Art Walk this weekend. The ‘Chicago’ type was designed by @chgohoods.bsky.social based on the Starsiak store signage; I had it laser cut as a wood font. #letterpress

Tis the season for fall events in the shop, starting with the @ravenswood-chicago.bsky.social Art Walk this coming weekend. Hope to see you. #letterpress

A favorite piece in my collection, this vintage printing plate is getting new life with the addition of linoleum cuts for definition. It can be roughly dated by what’s on it so have fun with that, fellow nerds!#letterpress

Tiny Chicago on press. #letterpress

A 21st century postcard made with 19th century tech. #letterpress

Late night printing buddy.

If I keep printing it, it’ll be true, right? New Print Club print for August. https://www.starshaped.com/printclub

Made this print as part of an exchange hosted by @centralprintstudio.bsky.social. Journalist Martha Gellhorn collected responses to the horrors of dropping atomic bombs. More on the print here: https://www.starshaped.com/small-prints/marthagellhorn

I wish the dog days of summer were more about dogs and less about heat, a sentiment my dog seems to agree with. #letterpress #disgruntleddog

The war on rats is never won, especially in August. #letterpress

Lurie Children’s Hospital is medieval. I was reminded of that yesterday and it’s why my new artists book ‘An Open Letter to Doctors’ was written, printed & bound with antique surgical thread. Only a few pages shown… more info here: https://www.starshaped.com/blog #letterpress

🧵1/2: Thank you @starshapedpress.bsky.social for turning the power of John Wayne Fry’s quote into a beautiful piece of art. “You don’t stop wars with guns and bombs. You stop war by talking to your neighbors.” You can get your print from Starshaped Press at 4636 N Ravenswood #103.

Us print geeks geeking out about being in print. Val is the future of typecasting!

Ornamental Chicago cityscape waiting to get on press today. #letterpress

Binding a freshly printed new artist book entitled ‘An Open Letter to Doctors’, with text written from years of experience as a caregiver. Coming soon. #letterpress

Quite pleased with this simple type form for a card. The Lydian Cursive is angle-bodied type that comes with its own spacing (including wedge-shaped end pieces). #letterpress

Pulling and prepping type for a new book. #letterpress

Seeking solace on press today. #letterpress

We have @littlelobbyists.com families on the way to Washington DC right now, they'll be on the House-side of the Capitol tomorrow. We're going to make them see us before they vote to kill disabled children. If you can help cover the costs of this urgent action: secure.actblue.com/donate/littl...

Medicaid has kept my child alive for the past 5 years after my late husband’s insurance cobra was weightier than the mortgage.

The next poster in our Free the Books series is a quote from Jason Reynolds. Read more and see it here: https://www.starshaped.com/postersprints/booksbelong. #letterpress

Same, girl. #letterpress

Just a star made of metal type stars, waiting for its moment to shine. #letterpress

I’m a finalist for a potential mural design in my Ravenswood neighborhood, Chicago. Mine is built from metal type ornaments and is an homage to both typographers of the past and my current neighbors.

When you delight in pulling out a type case to find your collection of Virgin Wood Type ampersands. #letterpress

The latest Print Club postcard just dropped, featuring printers fists cut by Virgin Wood Type. More details: https://www.starshaped.com/printclub #letterpress

We really like our neighbors. More details about this print here: https://www.starshaped.com/small-prints/neighbors #letterpress

One of these things will last another 100 years. #letterpress

Starshaped is part of the @ravenswood-chicago.bsky.social Sidewalk Sale today only (June 7th, 10-5). I’ll be setting type and printing throughout the day if you want to see the shop. Prints & cards are 20% off. #letterpress

Even in the midst of crippling pain, my kid says a lot of entertaining things. This print is one of them. Selling on the site now, with $10 of each sale going to the @trevorproject.bsky.social. https://www.starshaped.com/small-prints/allmyagendas #letterpress

Process over perfection! #letterpress

The next free postcard in our Extra! Extra! series is mailing soon. These cards are old school, snail mail updates about studio projects, historic type & tools, printers & vendors we love and more. Stuff we wanna share in a format we control that’s not training an algorithm or AI.

Maybe an apple print is more affordable than apples? At any rate, this one is for all the teachers. https://www.starshaped.com/small-prints/apple #letterpress

Thank you for your service, Dr. Hayden. https://www.starshaped.com/postersprints/greatequalizerposter #letterpress

My biggest accomplishment as a mother has been advocating for my kid as they navigate a grueling, often uncaring medical system designed for profit not healing.

Print Every Day is the best advice I ever got. I print 5-6 days a week and it’s the ultimate therapy for exorcising all the feelings, especially those 2025 has exacerbated. #letterpress

Better together! #letterpress

Bringing back our Free the Books campaign after a necessary caregiving hiatus. New email going out this week… join the list to see how printers are fighting book bans and library attacks. Get involved! https://www.starshaped.com/free-the-books

In honor of the new Scabby that just popped up in my neighborhood. #letterpress #theunionforever

A handful of cards printed for @pilsencommbooks.bsky.social over the years. Support your indies today! #letterpress #independentbookstoreday

Tomorrow, 4/26, I’m hosting a virtual workshop with @partnersinprint.bsky.social about the business side of running a print shop. Sharing the less-tangible and thoughtful side of it, gleaned from 25 years of successfully failing onward. #letterpress

When a recent chipboard delivery showed up two-toned (used for this Print Club postcard), it inspired me to write about all the ways this humble, 100% recycled material made me love letterpress. Read it here: https://www.starshaped.com/blog #letterpress

Bringing back our Free the Books campaign to help printers use their skills to fight book bans (& now library defunding). Taking pre-orders for this reprint. More details about getting involved are here: https://www.starshaped.com/free-the-books #letterpress

Make good choices. #letterpress