Check out “Print Workshop“

We are big fans of artist Christine Schmidt. She was even a part of our “Long Live Art” project during the Fall. We are so excited that her new book, “Print Workshop,” is available to buy NOW! Inside, Christine shares her hand-print techniques as well as fantastic craft projects. We love how easy the projects are to follow—so clear and concise! Plus, every page is a visual dream. One of our favorite projects is pictured below, the Aspen Tree Forest Mural stencil print. Christine shows you the step-by-step process on how to make a wall-sized print for your space.

Aspen Tree Forest Mural project from “Print Workshop“

Since Christine and her book are one of our current obsessions, we decided to have a little q&a session with her.

Q: Where do you get all of your ideas from?

A: Wow, that is tough! It changes every minute. Earlier today I was looking at Moroccan tile patterns and then I started thinking about how I could create a window treatment with the paper cups I saw at the 99-cent store. In retrospect, both had to do with the repetition of shapes to create patterns—same idea coming from two vastly different sources.

Q: When you are not being creative, what are you doing?

A: I love to cook. Although I collect cookbooks and love to read recipes, I never follow them directly. I just chop and cook and stir and space out. I don’t often bake because it requires specific proportions and temps and all sorts of things that are the enemy of my dinner-dormant brain.

Potato Printing project from “Print Workshop“

Q: What’s on your reading list this Spring?

A: I have been meaning to pick up “Cleopatra: A Life” by Stacy Schiff.  I want to read about what really happened when a teenager took over a whole kingdom. If I had taken over a kingdom at 18 I probably only would have abolished curfews and boys I didn’t like.

Q: We LOVE vintage. What is your all-time favorite vintage item? Why?

A: I have a collection of vintage cameras. They are my favorites because they are still functional and I like taking pictures with film. New electronic cameras are so sleek and mysterious, but I like the turning wheels and knobs of my old cameras. Plus, I consider the shot much more if I have to haul the film in for development.

Water-Slide Decal Jars project from “Print Workshop“

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? The worst?

A: Best and worst is always “try this!”

Q: Name an item in your closet you can’t live without.

A: A hoodie. It’s part of the San Francisco uniform and you can always tell a tourist by his or her optimistic, lightweight clothing.