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Happy Mother’s Day!

by Sara McNally | May 13th, 2012

Happy Mother’s Day to all the best moms ever out there, especially our awesome moms, Suzi & Gail!

This is the first mother’s day in years that i’ve gotten to spend with my mom, which is really exciting. I love having family nearby – it wasn’t something we ever thought would happen, and we are so blessed to have them! Family is awesome.

Speaking of family, I’ll be out of the office Wednesday through Friday for my cousin’s wedding. (Remember Liz & Andrew?) Andrew and I have always been close (we’re only a few months apart in age) and he was a groomsman in our wedding, so it means a lot to me to be there as a bridesmaid when he ties the knot! My mom, sister and I are making the trip to St. Louis together (and leaving the boys at home to work), so it will be a girl’s getaway. I’m definitely looking forward to the time away and seeing extended family that I haven’t seen since our wedding. Should be a great time! I’ll be back on the blog (and answering e-mails again) once i’m back on the 20th.

Crafty and counting…

by Sara McNally | May 7th, 2012

Here’s the scoop: Crafty Wonderland is this weekend in Portland, and we are so excited! I checked out a bunch of our fellow vendors, and blew several hours of my morning… these folks are a-maz-ing! You don’t want to miss this one. Here’s a run down of the booths i’m most excited to check out:

Things I want:
Beautiful, feminine jewelry from Amy Wing
Gorgeous textiles from Anna Joyce
Nerdy goodness from Betty Turbo (I’ve gotta get me some of those Buffy cards!)
I feel like my summer needs feather earrings from Bird Crap Featherwear
I love these cut paper shadowboxes from Bird Mafia Cut Paper Design
How amazing are these mounted trophy magnets by bishoplennonart?
The pillow pincushions by Chet & Dot are too cute for words. Makes me want to take up sewing!
Tiny felted mushrooms in bottlecaps? Yes please! Gonna have to stop by House of Moss.
I simply can’t wait to see Wee Green Spot‘s sweet terrariums in person! (Been crushing on them for awhile.)

Things Hubby’s Gonna Want:
Ultra nerdy accessories by Pixel Party
Felted Star Wars Mobiles? OMG. Sheep Creek has too many cute things for words.
I don’t know what Beard Balm is for, but my hubby’s got a beard so i’m sure we’ll find out! Looking forward to dropping by Man’s Face Stuff.

Familiar Faces:
I’ve got a Berkley Illustration print hung above my desk, and I can’t wait to see more!
We’ve got Mary Kate McDevitt’s Abe print hung up in the studio – a very sweet reminder, even on rainy days. Can’t wait to see what she’s been up to!
I totally stalked the gorgeous hats by Humperdinck His and Hers Haberdashery at the last Urban Craft Uprising, and can’t wait to see them again!

Framed: 1934 Needlecraft Magazine Cover

by Sara McNally | May 1st, 2012

We’ve been on a bit of an estate sale shopping spree lately. (Cheapest shopping spree ever, but still a spree.) In the name of Constellation & Co. Vintage, we’ve been pairing lonely antique frames with unlikely ephemera to make beautiful framed art. It’s been fun, and we’ve got more to come! The only downside is… we’re having trouble parting with our creations.

This lovely damsel is from a 1934 issue of Needlecraft Magazine we discovered at an estate sale in our neighborhood. I’m in love with her blouse. Perfect summer fashion, straight from the 30′s. I can’t get over how lovely she is. More fun framed ephemera to come – but for now, this one is ours!

We’re in the Seattle Times!

by Sara McNally | April 30th, 2012

We were so excited to zip down to our local bookstore and pick up Sunday’s paper – because look, it’s us! (Well, it’s our logo, Josephine the printing machine, and Sara…sweeping.) The Seattle Times has been in touch with us and our studio mates since before the big move, and it’s great to see the story finally come out.

If you missed the ink and newsprint version, you can read the article online here. There are also several more photos and an audio clip here. Continue reading  ☞

You Need a Wreath!

by Sara McNally | April 18th, 2012

My best friend Holly (seriously she’s my BFF) has opened her own Etsy store, making handmade custom wreaths. She brought a bunch of them to the studio yesterday to photograph, and they are gorgeous! Every wreath is totally one-of-a-kind, with each flower made of different textiles, including vintage fabric & lace! Holly offers ready-made wreaths AND completely custom wreaths, to perfectly fit your desires and decor.

Continue reading  ☞

Updates: New Stores! Upcoming Events! Etcetera!

by Sara McNally | April 17th, 2012

We have been busy bees over here at Constellation & Co. (Hence the blog silence. “Update blog” is on my Teux Deux every day, but it tends to get neglected for other tasks.) But here I am, and here are some highlights.

Visit our new stores!

Our card & gift items are available for purchase in several new stores! It’s been a great month since we launched our wholesale catalog, and we’ve enjoyed seeing orders coming in from lovely shops in fun cities.


McNally Jackson Books, NYC

Continue reading  ☞

Saint Patty’s Day Inspiration Board

by Sara McNally | March 17th, 2012

In honor of the great holiday that is upon us (and the sudden appearance of Spring green in Seattle), I present to you: two green things that I like.

I really like this Mini Textured Felted Wool Bundle from Purl Soho. They die several fabrics the same color for a unified palette that you can use in all kinds of fun crafty projects. I would love to make a quilt like this. (When I learn how to quilt.) I also really like this sweet terrarium by weegreenspot on Etsy. It’s inspired by the Irish landscape, and even has a “wee” felted sheep. It’s way too cute. My desk would love to have it.

If it would ever stop raining, i’d take some pictures of the Spring-y goodness that is happening all over our fair city right now. But, alas: the rain pours on. At least it’s good for all those daffodils that are blooming!

Vintage Finds: ‘Prentice Rubber Type Set

by Sara McNally | March 15th, 2012

While in Michigan last month, Brad and I picked up this ‘Prentice Rubber Type Set at an antique store. As you see, at one point it cost 35 cents – we paid more than that, but not a whole lot more! The antique stores in Michigan had totally different pricing than we’re used to. Certain items (furniture, glassware, etc.) were priced quite high, but ephemera-type items (books, paper goods, and this beauty) were priced much lower than what you’d find in Seattle. (It was good news for us, of course!) I was so excited when we found this, and i’m thrilled to share it with you now! Continue reading  ☞

A Constellation Catalog

by Sara McNally | March 13th, 2012

Last week, we launched our first full wholesale catalog. And let me tell you, it was more certainly a labor of love! Our goal was to send it out in January, but I caught a case of the “it’s not ready yet!” panic. While I would have loved to get it out sooner, I’m really pleased with how it came out. Hopefully it’s worth the wait! Continue reading  ☞

Pep

by Sara McNally | March 2nd, 2012

Some days, you just need a pep talk. Small business can be a lonely business if you let it. It’s easy to get caught up in the hard work and long hours, and forget to let people in. Sure, I love design and paper and ink and printing. But those are just things.

The most rewarding part of my job are the relationships I’ve built and the people I get to bring into this space. I love having friends, interns, students and family here to share, chat and help out. Continue reading  ☞

In Honor…

by Sara McNally | February 15th, 2012

Today, Brad’s grandfather passed away.

Hank was a collector, a lover of old things. He and his wife spent a lot of time together at garage sales and estate sales, finding treasures. Hank was really good at Wii Bowling. (This past Thanksgiving, we had so much fun playing with him – and he beat us almost every time.) Hank is man who leaves behind a legacy – kids, grandkids, and a sweet great-granddaughter that will miss him dearly.

When Hank and his wife moved out of their family home last year, they shared some of their treasures with their kids and grandkids. The stately eagle that hangs in our studio was once hung in their kitchen for many years. Continue reading  ☞

Happy Lincoln Day!

by Sara McNally | February 12th, 2012

Today is Abraham Lincoln’s 203rd birthday! We’re big Abe fans over here at Constellation & Co. So in honor of the big guy’s big day, here are a few Lincoln themed activities for your celebration and enjoyment.

Send a fellow Lincoln-lover our “Abe’s a Babe” mini card (better late than never!),
Buy some Abe swag from this Abe Treasury on Etsy,
Listen out this great song by Sufjan Stevens that mentions our favorite 16th president and his epic “great emancipator”-ness,
Or listen to this mediocre and slightly bizarre song that is actually about Abe Lincoln’s Birthday…
And while we’re at it, here’s a Civil War era song about how Jeff Davis tore down the government and Abe built a better one…

(We found the printer’s block above awhile back, and absolutely had to bring it home with us. I would most certainly shop there.)

Constellation & Beth

by Sara McNally | February 8th, 2012

In an exciting turn of events, my parents and sister moved from Florida to Washington State a little over a month ago. They’ve been coming to help out in the studio about once a week since they arrived, and it’s been so much fun to share our space and our life with them. This past week, my sister spent the night with Brad and I, and came in to work with me the next day. Jenny was in the studio taking product photos that day as well, and captured some pretty wonderful “Beth moments.” Continue reading  ☞

Introducing: Constellation & Co. Vintage!

by Sara McNally | February 6th, 2012


Photograph of Aunt Helen

For some time now, we’ve been spending our Saturday mornings digging through estate sales, browsing off the beaten path antique stores and finding lovely vintage things. Our favorite things to discover and collect are ephemeral items: books, photos, advertising, letters, pamphlets, playbills, board games, etc. Most of these items (from the 1800′s all the way up the 1960′s) were letterpress printed, just like how Constellation & Co.’s products are printed now. This knowledge gives us a special affinity for these pieces of paper and ink history. Some of these items have found a special place in our home and studio. But more often than not, we find something, fall in love with it, and then realize we have no room for it. That’s where our new venture comes in! Continue reading  ☞

Snow Week!

by Sara McNally | January 23rd, 2012

Last week we had the rare pleasure/challenge of a LOT of snow. Seattle rarely gets much snow (the first year we lived here, it didn’t snow at all), so when it does, it’s exciting. It’s also dangerous, as we have lots of hills and very few snow plows. But those two elements (fun + danger) equal a stay at home snow week! We worked from home as much as possible – although most things I do aren’t really portable, so there was lots of time to enjoy reading, knitting, cat snuggling and snowy walks. Continue reading  ☞

Welcome, 2012.

by Sara McNally | January 2nd, 2012

Well, we’ve wrapped up the old year. The holidays have passed, and i’m feeling reflective.

I spent this New Year’s Eve (and the week before it) curled up with a box of tissues, a bottle of NyQuil, and a bad attitude. Brad had this week off work, so we had lots of adventures planned for this last week of 2011. Unfortunately, my stupid cold made us miss out on most of them. It was a bummer. I hate being sick, and I hate missing out on quality adventure time. But adventures aside, Brad caught up on some painting projects at home (goodbye ugly flesh colored accent walls!), and I caught up on a lot of rest and television.

I’ve always loved New Year’s Eve. It’s such an ideal time to draw lines in the sand – to look back on the year before and make plans for the year to come. It’s a reboot, a clean slate. It’s always fresh and ripe with all the things that are possible in a new year. And it’s a sweet time to look back at the joys and lessons of the last year. In honor of that, here’s a bit of both. Continue reading  ☞

Safety First!

by Sara McNally | December 16th, 2011

The following is an excerpt from the 1953 edition of Platen Press Operation by George J. Mills.
(More information on the book can be found here.)

Quotes from the book are italic and the other comments are my interjections/self-reminders.

The platen press is as dangerous or as safe as the operator makes it. Student operators should follow common sense safety practices until each becomes a habit. Continue reading  ☞

Urban Craft Uprising – Winter Show 2011

by Sara McNally | December 8th, 2011

We made it back from our Florida trip just in time to set up for the Urban Craft Uprising winter show! We did the summer show this year, so we assumed that we knew what to expect. But instead… holy 10,000 people, Batman! Our expectations were far exceeded – the amount of people in attendance was astounding, and we were busy all day, both days. We really had a great weekend. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who came out to see us!

For those of you who couldn’t make it, here are some photos of our booth (taken by our stellar intern, Jenny).

Continue reading  ☞

Grand Opening!

by Sara McNally | December 1st, 2011

Today I’m excited to bring you photos and info about the Grand Opening we had a few weeks ago! Our amazing intern Jenny took all of the photos and wrote the following post. Enjoy!

Jenny the intern here. A few weeks ago the ’57 Biscayne residents opened their doors to the public for the first time. It was quite the party, with lots of wine, cheese, friends, and Carmelita (our landlady and fellow studio-mate’s dog).


Taking a Break

by Sara McNally | November 14th, 2011

Hello friends. Just wanted to let you know that we’ll be out of town / out of office from November 16th – 30th. We’re looking forward to some time off, seeing our wonderful families and enjoying some summer weather in November. Our fabulous intern Jenny will drop in soon to give you the low down on our recent grand opening, so check back in for that! Continue reading  ☞

Everything needs a sweater.

by Sara McNally | November 9th, 2011

Now that our office and print shop have been united in our new studio, I’ve been making a pot of french press coffee every morning when I get in. Since I drink coffee super slow, the pot tends to get cold. (There’s a microwave down the hall, but one gets tired of going back and forth.) The solution to this age old problem? A french press sweater.

Continue reading  ☞

Grand Opening!

by Sara McNally | October 28th, 2011

We’re moved in, getting settled, and soon we’ll both open AND grand!

Join us in celebrating the grand opening of our new home in Pioneer Square! You don’t miss out on this special night of open studios, demonstrations (we’ll be printing keepsakes to take home!), refreshments, and art for your viewing pleasure (and for sale!) Bring your friends!

Come see our new digs at:
110 Cherry Street, 2nd Floor, Seattle

On: November 12, 2012
From: Six to Ten p.m.

Visit ’57 Biscayne online at: 57biscayne.com

We’ll also be printing letterpress postcard invitations – if you’d like one to arrive in your mailbox, e-mail your address to: hello[at]constellationco.com.

Then & Now

by Sara McNally | October 24th, 2011

Brad and I wandered into our favorite Pioneer Square antique store, Fairlook Antiques, on lunch break the other day. We knew better. We knew it was dangerous. But we did it anyway. And, as usual, we walked out with goodies.

We were really excited to find this Seattle postcard (left), showing the view up Cherry Street from 1st Avenue. The first building on the left is our new building! I took this iPhone photo (right) from approximately the same spot. I love seeing how little has changed! Continue reading  ☞

Sick

by Sara McNally | October 18th, 2011

Last week, I spent several days at home, sick in bed. It’s not surprising that I got sick… Stress + Long Days + Change of Temperature = Sick Sara. I’m finally back at work, but i’m still sniffly and hoarse. So, in light of that, here are things that make me feel cozy when i’m sick. I’ll get back to serious topics when I can stop carrying a box of tissues around with me. (By the way, these are the best thing to ever happen to noses.)

Fisherman Sweater and Camp Socks from J. Crew Continue reading  ☞

Working Hard or Hardly Working

by Sara McNally | October 7th, 2011

In many ways we’ve been working much much harder than usual (late nights, long days, lots of manual labor): hence, the working hard. But in the midst of that, we haven’t been doing the work we typically do: hence, the hardly working. Soon the new studio will be in order and we’ll be back to printing – but for now, here’s an update on what we’ve been doing in the meantime.

Continue reading  ☞

Fall-o-up

by Sara McNally | October 3rd, 2011

A few weeks ago, I blogged about our “first day of fall” party, and I wanted to follow up with some info about how our baking & crafts went!

I wanted a fall wreath for our front door, since this is our first season with an actual (non-apartment) front door. But I wanted it to be somewhat year-round friendly – less pressure for other new wreaths! Although, after making this one, I’m ready to make more. This one took me just the afternoon to make, and it was so fun! I originally saw this type of wreath here, and used this tutorial to make the flowers. I liked this yellow (been digging it lately – just made a scarf in this color too),  but wanted to break it up with some cream. I made several different types of flowers, and switched up the size as well. I’m really happy with how it came out, and it makes our front door so cozy! Continue reading  ☞

Logistics

by Sara McNally | September 26th, 2011

Well friends, it’s the last week of September, and our last week at 619 Western. It’s going to be a crazy one, so there will be some “radio silence” on the blog. Here’s what we’ve got going on:

We spent our Sunday scrubbing and preparing the floors of the new studio. Monday & Tuesday evenings will be stain & clear coat.

Continue reading  ☞

Well, hello Fall!

by Sara McNally | September 23rd, 2011

Happy official first day of Fall! After a lovely few weeks of Indian Summer, Fall has arrived in Seattle. No colorful leaves yet, but the crisp air and cooler temperatures have me thinking about pumpkin, cider, and getting cozy by a fire. I’ve been collecting pumpkin-y dessert recipes and craft ideas for today’s First Day of Fall party with my best friend. Today will be a nice break from the crazy amount of busy we’ve got going on right now. And we’re hoping to keep the fun going with a series of Friday afternoon baking & crafting sessions throughout the Fall. In honor of today’s “holiday,” here are a few favorites from my Fall themed Pinterest board.

Pumpkin Scones from The Shoebox Kitchen
Saxton Cider Packaging via Designworklife
Fall Felt Wreath from Little Things Bring Smiles

Welcome, Jenny!

by Sara McNally | September 21st, 2011

Our fabulous new intern, Jenny Linquist, started with us this past week. And let me tell you, I am excited to have her!

You may remember her as the artist of “The Artist & The Engineer.” She and her husband Mike were possibly our favorite clients ever. They were excited and interested in the process, trusted our expertise, and let us imagine and play and experiment. We were really happy with the results, and they were too. It was so lovely to work with them, and we were super honored to attend their wedding. Speaking of their wedding… please do yourself a favor and take a gander at their wedding photos. Too sweet for words.

Jenny will be keeping up a blog of her internship, which you should definitely follow. She’s a talented photographer, a super creative human being, and i’m excited to see what we create together!

Dress the Printer!

by Sara McNally | September 19th, 2011

Recently Seattle was listed as #6 worst dressed city in the world. And you know, I kind of get it. Seattle’s really laid back about work dress codes, and comfort is #1 for most people. We really love our plaid shirts and windbreakers here. (And I won’t even mention the outfits that can be spotted in especially hipster areas or on the Microsoft campus. They’re shocking.) Personally, I spend most of my time doing an inky, greasy job. While printing, I live in old band tee shirts, hoodies, stained/torn jeans, and sneakers that have seen better days. I’m definitely a fashion offender. It just doesn’t seem important to get “dolled up” to stand in front of my press. She doesn’t judge.

HOWEVER… I really do appreciate fashion. I love wearing simple, classic, well made clothes. It’s an issue of time and effort. Most days, it just doesn’t happen – i’m up and gone and onto the next thing. But on select non-print days, or days with client meetings, I really enjoying dressing up. It doesn’t happen often enough. (And it’s probably time to start acting like the owner of a growing business. Down with grunge.)

So, in honor of cleaning up Seattle’s fashion reputation, here’s a new segment of the blog called “Dress the Printer!” As a child, I loved playing paper dolls – meticulously cutting them out and carefully choosing their outfits. This is kind of like that. When i’ve chosen a particularly non-grungy outfit, i’ll document it (for posterity!) and share my shopping sources. Hopefully it will be fun for you and inspire me to fashion success! Let’s get Seattle off that list… who’s with me?

Pencil Skirt and Sweater from the Gap Outlet
Boots by Clarks (last season)
Necklace by Yellow Owl Workshop
Iphone Case by Tech Candy

We’re Fab, too!

by Sara McNally | September 16th, 2011

We’re big fans of Fab (as you can tell from our gushy blog entry a few weeks ago). So, we’re proud and excited to announce that we’ll be a featured seller on Fab this coming week, September 20-23! (We’re super excited. Seriously.) We’ll be offering two of our letterpress art prints and several of our boxed card sets at a huge savings! Make sure you check out the sale and stock up!

If you still haven’t heard: Fab.com is “design online.” The Fab.com website offers daily design inspirations and sales 70% off retail. Membership is free but by invitation only. Members receive exclusive access to daily curated design sales featuring the world’s leading designers and manufacturers. And you can join by clicking here!

New Studio Location

by Sara McNally | September 8th, 2011


Photo from an article on the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerence

Constellation & Co. has officially found a new home! We will soon be moving with several other SixNineteen artists to another historic building in Pioneer Square. Our new studio will be located on the 2nd floor of 110 Cherry Street, on the corner of 1st and Cherry. The new floor of studio spaces will be named “57 Biscayne,” a clever and timely nod to a line of Joni Mitchell song lyrics. 57 Biscayne also has available studio spaces, if you’re looking. Join us!

Continue reading  ☞

Labor Day

by Sara McNally | September 5th, 2011

Happy Labor Day, friends. Enjoy the long weekend, and wave goodbye to summer as it slips away. This summer has been a crazy season of ups and downs and planning and changes. With all that’s gone on, we’re about ready to say goodbye to our warm, sunny friend and embrace his cooler, more mellow brother. Once we finally finish our moves (home and studio – I’m tired just thinking about it), i’ll be settling in behind my press and welcoming the fall.

This one-of-a-kind letterpress print is available for purchase on our interactive online gallery.

Here’s to all of us.

by Sara McNally | September 2nd, 2011

Bear with me for a moment, It’s going to get sentimental up in here.

In January of 2008, Brad and I came to Seattle for the first time with our friends Ron & Jesse. We were all really good friends, hanging out in Sarasota and working on design projects together. I can’t recall what initially inspired to spend our winter break in the Northwest – but I’m so glad we did! We walked up and down the city, took a lot of pictures, and didn’t want to leave. We only spent 2 days in Seattle (before heading down to Portland and other parts of Oregon), but those 2 days were enough. We fell in love. Continue reading  ☞

Wayzgoose 2011

by Sara McNally | August 30th, 2011

This weekend we participated in the 10th annual Wayzgoose event at the School of Visual Concepts. (For general Wayzgoose info/history, check out our previous blog post.) SVC is a great school with relevant classes on web topics, digital media, advertising, etc., as well as a full print shop, offering letterpress classes each quarter. (The best of both worlds, I’d say!) SVC is also the host of the Seattle Wayzgoose, and has been for 10 years!

Continue reading  ☞

New Studio Inspiration

by Sara McNally | August 29th, 2011

With all the 619 hullabaloo, we’ve been excited to put it behind us and start planning for the new studio. We’ve found the space (details coming soon, I promise!), and we’ll be moving sometime before October 1st (as soon as the new space is ready). We’ve got a plan brewing for the new studio that takes into account the style of the building, the additional space (Yes, it’s going to be bigger!), and our aesthetic desires. We love our current studio and had so much fun designing the space, painting, decorating, etc. – but we’re even more excited to take what we learned on that “project” and improve upon it. Here’s some of the photos we’ve been gathering on Pinterest for inspiration.

DIY Built-in Shelving from The Brick House, Metal Truss Work Table from West Elm, Architect’s Boom Sconce from Restoration Hardware

Continue reading  ☞

Home Inspiration

by Sara McNally | August 26th, 2011

We’re moving soon from our 1 bedroom apartment (in a noisy downtown neighborhood) to a 2 bedroom duplex (in a cute, quiet residential neighborhood).  We’re excited to start making our new place a home! Our new place is painted all white, with neutral colored carpet and white cabinets. We’re really digging the shades of gray lately, and are planning to keep things clean, classic and neutral with pops of color that we can change with the seasons. (We’re not actually in the market to buy new furniture right now, but a girl can dream! And some of the small touches (shower curtain, kitchen towels, etc.) can make a big difference!) Here’s some of the home inspiration we’ve been collecting on Pinterest lately.

Tea towels from Olive Manna, Duvet from Dwell Studio, Hand Towel from West Elm

Continue reading  ☞

Elevated Envelope

by Sara McNally | August 22nd, 2011

Tara, a local letterpress printer and owner of Ephemera, put together a super fun envelope exchange called “The Elevated Envelope.” The theme was “summer,” and the envelopes had to be mostly handmade and definitely creative. We decided to join in the fun, and signed up (before the giant move fiasco came to be). With all that’s going on, the deadline snuck up on me (why does this always happen to the fun stuff!?), so we put together a pretty restrained envelope. Had I more time,  it would have been much more elaborate – but instead of what i’d initially planned, I went with a theme that is the the theme of my life lately… Summer Time Flies! (And hey, sometimes restraint isn’t a bad thing.)

Continue reading  ☞

Print Jobs 2

by Sara McNally | August 19th, 2011

We really enjoy working with the talented designers in our city to produce great print pieces. However, our business & equipment are really not set up as a “job shop” or full service print shop. We’re a small operation, and it’s become more and more important for us to be specific about the kind of work we want to be doing. Otherwise, we say yes to everything and have time for nothing. (And trust me, that’s my tendency! I hate to turn down work, and I love to overfill my plate.) We’ve decided to narrow our focus – We will still be printing for designers in our network, but on a more limited basis. This shift will give us more time to pursue the things that we love: offering high quality, full service design & letterpress packages for weddings, business stationery, baby announcements, etc., as well as expanding our line of letterpress cards and gifts.

We are so thankful that local designers have used us for their letterpress projects. Here are a few of the great client projects that we’ve gotten to print lately.

Continue reading  ☞

Coming Soon!

by Sara McNally | August 17th, 2011

We are excited to announce that we’ll have a table in the letterpress marketplace for the 2011 Seattle Wayzgoose! We’ll be in good company with 20+ vendors, offering their best letterpress goodies for perusal and purchase.

Wayzgoose is a tradition in the printing world that goes back to the days of working by candlelight. Each year on or around St. Bartholomew’s Day (the 24th of August), a wayzgoose would be given by the master printer to mark the end of summer and the start of the darker winter season of working by candlelight.

Continue reading  ☞

The Dream

by Sara McNally | August 8th, 2011

The Dream is a series of 24 letterpress prints sized 5 1/2 inches square. Each print is one of a kind – only one final print of each piece exists, and each one is signed and framed. Brad and I designed and printed this series in collaboration, using our collection of wood type and vintage printer’s blocks, along with original linoleum carvings. It was one of the first major print projects we took on together, and we had so much fun dreaming them up (puns!) and putting them together.

Continue reading  ☞

A Constellation Summer

by Sara McNally | August 2nd, 2011

Hey Everybody, my name is Sarah and I’ve been interning at Constellation & Co. all summer long. I am a graphic design student at Ringling College of Art + Design, which is how I know Sara and Brad. They were graduating while I entered the school! I had contacted Constellation because I was interested in branding and I love working with typography, and Constellation has done a lot of beautiful work that I am impressed by. I have never had an internship before nor have I done much “real world” client work before either, so I was really excited to work for a studio and dip into the creative world.

Sarah at the Constellation table for Seattle Square Market

Continue reading  ☞

A Blog About Blogs

by Sara McNally | July 25th, 2011

I really love blogs. I’ve been inspired, motivated, and educated by great blogs and bloggers for several years now. My Google Reader feed is quite long, but I can’t bring myself to narrow my blogs down – there’s something new, interesting, and exciting on each one! I’ve had several personal blogs over the years, but (like my diaries & journals from childhood), I tend to get busy and stop writing. (But not this time! I really do love to share my thoughts here, and hope to keep up the current pace!) Here’s a list of some of my favorite blogs – written by talented, interesting people who don’t give up!


Wedding Inspiration
Style Me Pretty, Ruffled*, Snippet & Ink, 100 Layer Cake

Continue reading  ☞

619 Western

by Sara McNally | July 20th, 2011

Constellation & Co. moved into the 619 Western Artist’s building in January of 2011 – 101 years after the building was built in Pioneer Square.

619 was built in 1910 during an economic boom after the Alaskan gold rush. The building was used as a multipurpose warehouse and was the site of light manufacturing. Fishing nets, coffee beans and tavern punch cards are a few of the products that have been stored & made on the premises. In the late 1970′s, the first artists moved their studios into the building. Currently, more than 100 artists have studios in all six stories of this historic building. For more information on 619′s history, please visit the official 619 site.


The first Thursday of every month, the 619 Building is open for the Pioneer Square Art Walk which brings crowds of art lovers to the neighborhood. The 619 building has long been considered the epicenter of this monthly event, with the largest concentration of artists’ studios and gallery spaces in one building.

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Public Service Announcement

by Sara McNally | July 18th, 2011

The letterpress revival has been thriving in Seattle for some time – but there are definitely parts of the country that haven’t experienced it. Recently, my family took a road trip through the south, on an antiquing expedition. After asking around in lots of small towns about printing presses and printer’s blocks, my family was given the number of a gentleman who was a retired printer. They called him up and asked about his printing supplies, and specifically his collection of wood type. The gentleman was shocked that anyone would be interested in letterpress things – and told them that he threw away his large collection of wood type years ago! It breaks my heart to think about all of that history and craftsmanship thrown out with the trash. Here’s a public service announcement: If you or anyone you know (uncles, grandparents, elderly friends) were a printer and have wood type, printing presses, or printer’s blocks – PLEASE contact me, and I will purchase them from you, or find someone who will. These items are valuable and important – historically, and monetarily. Please don’t throw them away!

Meet the Presses: Annabelle

by Sara McNally | July 15th, 2011

Annabelle is a Chicago Printing Press No. 11, made by the Sigwalt Company in the late 1800’s & early 1900’s. These presses were built on exactly the same principals as the large presses of the same era that we use to produce all of our products – this one is just miniaturized! (For example: our Chandler & Price press weighs 1,200 pounds, and this press weighs 8 pounds!) This particular style of press was often used by schools, offices, pharmacists, churches and hobbyists in the way a label maker or desktop computer would be used today. This size & style of press originally sold for $12.00, complete with type, ink, rollers, tweezers, paper, and more!

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Urban Craft Uprising Vendors

by Sara McNally | July 13th, 2011

We loved browsing the Urban Craft Uprising. Our fellow vendors were super talented, and offering such exciting things! Here are a few of our favorites.

Heather of Material and Movement makes beautiful jewelry from recycled vintage china. Her pieces are beyond beautiful, and definitely on my wish list.

Alexa of Foamy Wader has delicate and fun jewelry. This axe necklace has me written all over it. I visited it several times throughout the show – too bad my birthday isn’t coming up!

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Our Urban Craft Uprising Booth!

by Sara McNally | July 12th, 2011

This weekend we were a vendor at the Urban Craft Uprising! We attended our first summer show right after we moved to Seattle two years ago, and we loved it! At the time, Brad and I shared a daydream/goal of selling at the show, and we were so excited and pleased to see that come true this weekend!

We’ve done small shows in the past, but this one is the best, and we wanted to rise to the occasion! We built a display shelf from scratch. It was a fun project, but it taught us that we definitely prefer working with paper than with wood! Nonetheless, we really like how it turned out, and it was so fun to see all of our new designs displayed.

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Meet the Presses: Jefferson

by Sara McNally | July 7th, 2011

A few months ago, we walked into a very dark and cluttered antique store in Tacoma, WA. In true American Pickers fashion, we looked high & low, under things & over things, sifting through boxes and piles of unnameable old things. After some searching, Brad moved a pile of bicycle wheels aside and found something that made us both gasp. In that odd place, we found an 1880′s era Galley Proof Press by the Chandler & Price company (the same company that made our large platen press).

An iphone photo from the day we found the press.

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Locket Studios

by Sara McNally | June 29th, 2011

Last week, I had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot with Locket Studios. Chris & Tara Bowden (the creative pair behind the studio), are an incredibly talented couple. She’s a hair & makeup artist, and he’s a wedding and portrait photographer. They work together seamlessly to create classic, elegant, and memorable photo shoots. I’m typically not super comfortable in front of the camera, but they put me right at ease. Tara made me feel so beautiful, and Chris gave really helpful, respectful direction. They are a total joy to work with. We are blessed to call them friends, but on a completely professional level can suggest them wholeheartedly for your wedding or portrait session. In fact, we’re planning anniversary portraits with them soon.

There are a few more photos from our shoot on the portrait section of their site. And on a side note – I’m so far from a model, it’s funny. I’m more often found covered in grease than covered in makeup – but it’s definitely a fun change to play dress up!

Sondre Lerche

by Sara McNally | June 26th, 2011

Brad planned a “surprise date” for us on Saturday night. I had no idea where we were going, and the suspense was killing me! We’ve been super busy lately (pulling nights and weekends at the print shop), so this was a super special treat for us. We walked up to the Crocodile in Belltown, and Brad told me that we were seeing Sondre Lerche in concert! Due to the magic of twitter, Sondre added Brad’s name to the “list” for a plus one, so we only had to pay for one ticket! (Big win for the McNally budget.)

If you haven’t heard Sondre, do yourself a big favor and check him out. We first heard his music right after we got married, almost 2 years ago. His album Heartbeat Radio was the soundtrack of our newlywed fall & winter. I have such strong memories of that period of time, and that album is unbelievably dear to us. It’s joyful and sentimental and sad, just like those months. I started working a really tough job right after we got back from our honeymoon – it didn’t pay the bills, and required unbelievably long hours. For 3 months, I walked to work in the dark and left work in the dark. It was a tough couple months career-wise, a wonderful couple months newlywed-wise, and Heartbeat Radio was just right for all the complexities of that season of our life.

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Letterpress Finds: Kelsey Press Company Catalog

by Sara McNally | June 22nd, 2011

We took a trip to Fairlook Antiques on our lunch break this week. While perusing their large catalog section, we found this absolute gem.

The Kelsey Press Company was established in 1872 in Meriden, Connecticut. Kelsey produced small printing presses and supplies for hobby printers. This particular catalog is from the early 1930′s, and displays presses, supplies, and typefaces for sale from Kelsey.

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Vintage Finds: Eyeglass Frames

by Sara McNally | June 20th, 2011

These fabulous eyeglass frames came in the mail from Brad’s grandparents’ home in Michigan. His grandmother likely wore them in the 50′s. I’m not nearly hipster enough to wear them, but they are so charming and have won a place in our home. I really like things that are instant collections – perhaps i’ll frame them in a column like this and enjoy them on the wall.

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Stamps!

by Sara McNally | May 18th, 2011

Recently I helped a friend send out wedding invitations for her sister. Her husband did the design as a gift, we did the printing, and my friend (as maid of honor) took on the task of addressing and sending out the invitations. We took a trip to the post office to pick up stamps, and found that the options were dismal. Stops at 3 post offices revealed that Evergreens are nearly the only thing kept in stock in the Pacific Northwest. This outing also brought back memories of our own wedding invite stamp dilemma – we sent postcards for save the dates and response cards, and the only postcard stamps we could find were polar bears. Polar bears just didn’t match our theme.

We carefully craft each element of the wedding invitations we design & print. Paper, envelopes, ink colors, string, etc., are all chosen with unity in mind. However, when we hand off the finished pieces (typically wrapped in brown paper and tied with coordinating ribbon or string), we’re leaving stamp choice up to the couple. And until now, we hadn’t really thought about it.

If you’ve had the same stamp woes, don’t be daunted by the depressing options at your local post office. If you’re not interested in the traditional rings, roses, or cake, fear not! Here’s the good stuff.

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Print Jobs

by Sara McNally | May 16th, 2011

We make a big deal about our custom design & print work – each piece becomes our new baby, watching it grow from idea to finished print. But we also do letterpress print work for other designers – bringing their “idea baby” to life on paper. These pieces don’t typically make it into our portfolio, because it gets confusing for clients to have to double check to see what we’ve designed and what we haven’t. Nevertheless, here are a few print pieces we’ve worked on lately.

Design by Jessie Orvidas

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I’m Finally Pinterested.

by Sara McNally | May 10th, 2011

Somehow I missed finding out about Pinterest until recently. (I suppose I knew it existed, but was avoiding what could be a potential time bandit.) Since signing up, i’ve definitely lost hours to pinning and searching for things to pin – but they’ve been really enjoyable, inspirational hours. It’s a great tool for aggregating the cream of the crop from my large list of online inspiration tools. (To name a few: Google Reader, Svpply, shared links on Twitter, etc.) And now that they’ve launched an iPhone app, (just in time, as I mentioned a desire for one just a few days prior to the announcement!) I can pin things that I see in the “real world” as well. (A few examples: products seen in stores, images/type from books, signage, etc.) Here’s where you can find my pinboards – I hope you enjoy browsing them as much as i’m enjoying putting them together!

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At Long Last…

by Sara McNally | May 9th, 2011

It occurred to me while preparing for this month’s art walk that we’ve neglected to show photos of our shop all put together. Just like the process of refurbishing our press, the studio needed a lot of love when we moved in at the beginning of the year. We scrubbed and painted before we moved the press in, and have spent the last couple of months collecting, decorating, and organizing (when we’re not printing, of course). It took us some time to figure out where everything should go, but I think we’re finally happy with the results. So at long last, here are some progress photos, and that glorious “taaaa daaaa” moment.

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Tales from the Tympan

by Sara McNally | April 28th, 2011

Letterpress is an inky, greasy business. It’s trial & error, mistakes & happy accidents. It’s a magic process that uses a greasy press, chaotic print shop and grimy printer (me!) to produce gleaming white sheets of paper impressed with clean, crisp type. It shouldn’t work, but it does. We often share the final product with you, but today i’d like to take a step back and share part of the process.

Tympan is a sheet of oiled manilla paper, fastened to the face of the platen. It is used to affix guides which hold the sheets of paper to be printed, and covers the packing (which affects the amount of impression to be printed). It is also often used to aid in registering the guides and paper to the printing surface. We will sometimes print an image directly onto the tympan (instead of the paper), and align the paper to the image on the tympan.

I try to use one sheet of tympan for as many prints as possible. In doing so, the tympan becomes a visual history of the work i’ve done on the press. There’s a poetry to the layers of ink & imagery on the tympan, and i’ve started collecting my favorites. They’re unintentional art – messy and beautiful and unplanned.

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Open House!

by Sara McNally | March 1st, 2011

Hello Friends! We’re preparing for an Open House at our new studio in a few weeks, and you’re invited! If you’re in Seattle (or willing to travel), we’d love to see you there. Come see where we work, what we do, and enjoy an evening with us. We genuinely believe in an open door, open heart policy – we want you to know us, and we want to get to know you. This is an opportunity to celebrate this new step for the company with old friends, and make new friends!

If you’d like to receive your own limited edition letterpress invitation postcard, e-mail us your address: hello AT constellationco.com

Go, Make Stuff.

by Sara McNally | February 18th, 2011

Vintage magnesium image cut & lead type, printed on our 5×8 Kelsey Excelsior printing press by students from SPU

Yesterday I had the pleasure of giving a tour of our letterpress shop to a typography class from Seattle Pacific University here in Seattle. They were simply lovely, asked lots of great questions, and were patient with my nervous rambling. It was such a blessing to be able to share our little space with design students. In the not so distant past, we were right there.

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I <3 Weddings

by Sara McNally | February 1st, 2011

Two of our dearest friends are getting married in March, and Brad and I have not only had the honor of designing & printing their wedding invitations, but we’re in the wedding party! Above are photos of elements from their wedding suite, and bridesmaid finery. I can’t wait to see how the wedding comes together in the next month, and i’m so glad we get to be a part of it!

Constellation Wish List: Meteor Wines

by Sara McNally | January 30th, 2011

We’re suckers for anything interplanetary, and we love to share a bottle of wine after a long week of work. (We also buy wine based on the design of the bottle, and then try to save them forever.) This series of wines by White Fences Vineyard and designed by Work Labs marry this trifecta of our favorite things into something magical. We’ve yet to see a bottle in person (they’re in Virginia, and we’re way out here in the Pacific Northwest), but we’re sure to snag one (or two or three) if ever we get the chance. (And once we’ve enjoyed the beverage, you can be sure that they’ll end up on display. And someday our children will be stuck with a pile of our “collections” to deal with. I <3 American Pickers.)

Constellation Wish List: SVPPLY

by Sara McNally | January 28th, 2011

I’ve been a little bored with the internet lately. However, Brad sent me to Svpply this morning, and i’ve been hard pressed to get anything done since! I love how I can aggregate my wish list & product inspiration from all over the internet, and share it. Our Svpply page is constellationco, and i’ve been having fun adding goodies to it all day. Check it out and leave your username in the comments, i’d love to follow you.

Our Shop!

by Sara McNally | January 28th, 2011

We are very excited to announce that we’ve found a space, bought a press, and set up our own letterpress shop! It was a major new year’s resolution for us, and we’re so excited that it’s come to fruition. We’ve spent January scrubbing, painting, renting equipment, and taking daily trips to Home Depot for wire brushes, steel wool, and WD40. Here are a few before & after shots of our new baby, Josephine the Printing Machine! We’re still doing the finishing touches on the shop, but we have a big open house planned for the first Thursday in March. We’ll send out a formal invite once the details are in place. Put it on your calendar, we’d love to see you there!

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Constellation Wish List: Planetary Chart

by Sara McNally | January 15th, 2011

Sara here, taking a stab at the blog. I’m thinking this will be an ongoing feature: our Constellation Wish List. Brad sent me the link yesterday to this product yesterday, and it’s to die for. It’s Restoration Hardware’s Antique Planisphere Chart, perfect for our new studio space! So if you’re in the market to buy us a thousand dollar gift, now you know what to pick up. (Caveat: Not really an antique, and not really in anyone’s price range.)

We’re at Nancy!

by Sara McNally | December 13th, 2010

We’re happy to announce that there’s a new place for our Seattle friends to shop for Constellation & Co. products! Come by and see our new calendars, holiday cards, coaster ornaments, and more at Nancy, a great local shop for handmade goods and art pieces. Nancy is located in Belltown on 2nd Avenue between Virginia & Stewart (next to the Moore theatre).

We’re a Great Find!

by Sara McNally | September 3rd, 2010

We are excited and pleased to have our cards featured at Lucca Great Finds! Lucca is located in the historic Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. It features a ceiling full of chandeliers, an enchanting garden, a great selection of vintage inspired home goods, and a wonderful room full of cards, ribbon, wrapping paper, etc. Lucca is one of our most favorite Seattle shops – there’s always something new to discover. And now, you can discover us! Come by and check it out – and tell them we sent you!

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Books = <3

by Sara McNally | September 2nd, 2010

Brad and I are both starting new books this week. This is a very exciting thing for us. We’ve been saving them, so that we have lots of thrilling pages to read while on our anniversary road trip! (We haven’t had a weekend together in almost 6 months, so this is a big deal.) Brad is reading A Game of Thrones and i’m reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. No spoilers, please!

In honor of the first crisp, enigmatic page of a new book, here are some new book themed cards just for you! Paste one in an old favorite, or send one to someone you like.

Vintage handset lead type, printed on genuine library checkout cards. The book illustration is by an old favorite, Johnny Gruelle (the creator of Raggedy Ann), and printed with a photopolymer plate.

Can I borrow you?

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Wayzgoose 2010

by Sara McNally | September 1st, 2010

Last weekend, we had the great fortune of participating in the School of Visual Concepts’ Letterpress Wayzgoose!

Wayzgoose was traditionally a day given by a master printer to his workmen each year on or about St. Bartholomew’s Day, August 24th. This day marked the end of summer and the point at which the season of working by candlelight began. (Think tiny pieces of lead and no light…) Ironically enough, this week got dark and rainy – fall has been ushered in, and it came riding a steamroller.

The festivities included an equipment swap, a letterpress marketplace, shop tours, printing demos, and the Steamroller Smackdown! The smackdown consisted of several teams (made up of some of the best design firms & organizations in the city), a 2 ton steamroller, and giant linoleum carvings.

We shared a booth with the lovely Rebecca Mullins of Myrtle Alley Press, and Bethany Sahlberg of Sugabug. Here are some photos of our booth & smackdown poster – we had a blast!

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Our Constellation Wedding

by Sara McNally | June 27th, 2010

Brad and I were married one year ago, on September 6, 2009. We loved planning our wedding together- which may be why we love being a part of other people’s weddings! It’s such a special time of excitement and anticipation – we can’t help but enjoy it!

Our wedding took place in Sarasota, Florida at the historic Powel Crosley Estate. Our photos were taken by the fabulous duo of Mandy & Me, our flowers were artfully arranged by Sarasota Enchanted Flowers, and our lovely and scrumptious cupcakes were by the Wired Whisk Bakehouse.

Here are a few of our favorite wedding details.

My dress by Casablanca Bridal, and the wooden dowel cupcake toppers – hand painted by myself in a fit of crazed creativity a few nights before the wedding.

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