Hi there. It’s May here.

All day and every day, I’m May. And this is Mayday Press. Born from an unquenchable love of design, ink, paper and possibility – I create hand-printed, letterpress goods that people can connect with.

For me, there was an immediate connection to letterpress. The machinery, the smell of the ink, setting type by hand, the physicality of printing and the rhythmic sound of the presses drew me in. The whole process was intoxicating. For you the connection will be different, but I hope it will be no less strong.

There is something to holding in your hand an item that has been thoughtfully crafted – a tactile connection to the process and intention that created it. That is the connection I want to share with you and the people you love.

My hope is that these hand-crafted letterpress goods will help you connect—connect with friends, family, and most importantly, connect with yourself. Say more. Share more. Write more. Draw more. Dream more. You’ll like it!

Come one. Come ALL.

To write, draw and share more.

Mayday is more than a shop or a print studio – it’s a space to connect with people and communities that you might not otherwise meet, and you can do it through the universal language of art. It’s a comfortable place to collaborate and share, and you are ALL cordially invited.

When you visit Mayday Press, you’ll feel a down-home, old-timey vibe while taking a gander at decidedly new-timey designs – all designed, printed and assembled here in Mineral Point, WI. Constantly tinkering with new letterpress designs, I feature, original greeting cards, hand bound notebooks and art prints – often straight off the hulking and handsome Harold the Heidelberg press.

You’ll find some guilty pleasures, too – the finer instruments of design, drawing and doodling. There will be a healthy portion of superbly swanky clutch pencils and pens. With everything from Blackwing to Wörther, E+M to Kaweco, they’re fun, a ‘lil fancy and super good quality. If you’re not familiar yet, you’ll want to be when you see them!

We also carry a range of functional to fabulous pencil sharpeners, erasers with all sorts of erasing prowess, other off-the-clock office supplies, computer carry-alls, totes to topple for and even a small selection of art, design, typography, printing and pattern books. And of course, the shelves are stocked with the always idea-inducing Fruit Strip Gum. (See the shop page to see what’s fresh, because the list of gotta-haves is growing!)

Even more important than what you find here is the way I hope you’ll feel. I want you to feel at home away from home in this wacky and wonderful little corner of the world.

Mayday Press is for everybody, regardless of skill level or familiarity. It’s a place to discover or rediscover a love of letterpress, doodling and design and to share it with the ones you love and the ones you’ll someday meet. It’s for everyone, and I hope you’ll come!

Share the love of Letterpress.

Want to leave your mark? Come in for an intimate class, whether you’re a beginner or you’ve been around the (wood and metal) blocks a few times. If you don’t yet know the fundamentals, we’ll start at the beginning with Letterpress Basics. If you are more familiar, you can pass “GO” and start with Project Specific and more Advanced classes.

Class sizes will be limited to 2-8 people, be taught by me (mostly) in the studio and use the Reprex no. 2, Vandercook no. 4 and Vandercook SP-20 presses.

Stay tuned for class dates, or email for information on upcoming workshops, Mineral Point Celebrity sightings (kidding) and Mayday Press guest lecturers. I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together!

Making custom letterpress goods by hand is a labor of love. From the initial concept to the final print there’s sweet satisfaction in knowing that each piece of paper has been thoughtfully crafted. Following is a peek at the process I love.

Making custom letterpress goods by hand is a labor of love. From the initial concept to the final print there’s sweet satisfaction in knowing that each piece of paper has been thoughtfully crafted. Following is a peek at the process I love.

Eureka! There’s an idea.

For me, ideas are everywhere. Everywhere! When I have one, I take note. Looking in any of my zillion notebooks, you’d see scribbled thoughts, random words, sketches, scraps of paper and a combination of everything in between.

If I’m really lucky, ideas arrive fully formed. When the execution of an idea is more elusive, though – I stop at nothing to visually realize it. It’s an investigation in nuance as I explore how words and visuals combine to convey my desired message.

Design that Delights.

The simple, the clever and the beautiful. My inspiration is found in nature, clouds, art, design – even in plain old WORDS. I am also influenced (but never limited!) by Swiss design. It’s graphic. It’s asymmetric. It’s both simple and bold. It all adds up to a design sensibility that is modern, refined, bright, smart and playful – a style that’s all my own. When possible, I love to use antique wood and metal type, but I am also oh-so-fond of polymer plates.

When I design for photopolymer, I start with sketches and then hop on the computer to experiment with shape, size, typography, colors, texture and the composition of elements as a whole. I repeat this investigation over and over until I find what I am looking for. Think, adjust, repeat!

Throughout the design process I am searching for simple, beautiful and clever solutions. I want to create designs that have a purpose – to make people grin, chuckle or pick up the phone. To help people connect. When I am satisfied that a design can achieve that connection, I send it to Boxcar Press to be made into polymer plates.

(I love) Printing.

Start the presses! Prior to the arrival of the finished polymer plates from Boxcar Press, I mix ink using the Pantone formula guide and evaluate how to best maximize and then cut the paper. Then, I start the presswork.

I prepare for printing by visually inspecting, cleaning and lovingly oiling the press. I treat each press like a dear friend, with names like Vandy, Rex, Harold and Big Hal. Big Hal the Heidelberg 13×18 is the latest addition to this merry crew. Once the press is ready to go I lock up the base, position the polymer plate and finally – I pull some initial prints.

Then comes makeready, the most difficult and rewarding part of printing – a time to troubleshoot problems, make adjustments and ensure that prints are uniform in impression and color. It can take minutes or hours, but once the kinks are worked out and everything looks good – I’m ready to print.

After the print run, each piece dries overnight. Cards are trimmed, scored and folded. Notebooks are scored, assembled, saddle-stitched or perfect bound, and then trimmed. And prints are trimmed, numbered and signed. It’s a LOT of work, but it’s rewarding – and I LOVE every minute of it. And I hope it shows!

Bespoke Design

Make your letterpress design dreams come true with Mayday Press. From business cards to notepads, notebooks and prints – everything is 100% one-of-a-kind.

Wholesale

Let’s talk shop! All cards, notepads and a few notebooks are available for wholesale. Drop me a line for more info.

Invitation Design

Every project starts with a conversation (how inviting!) and ends with a one-of-a-kind design – that’s one zillion percent just for you. It’s all made-to-order at Mayday Press.

Workshops

Want to get your learn on and make your mark? I’ve got letterpress workshops for all levels. Printmaking novices and enthusiasts, enjoy!