Flywheel Press - letterpress, letterpress wedding invitations, letterpress stationery, stationary, greeting cards, letterpress announcements, custom invitations
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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Down & Dirty
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Of course before the shop can be beautiful it's gonna get ugly. Here are some pictures of the demo and our delusions of grandeur plans for the space. Enjoy!
1. This view is from the front window: The wall has been torn down to the studs. Although we wanted an open floor plan, that wall supports the 400 square foot mezzanine above. The solution is going to be beautiful. We will install an exposed support beam along with two columns adorned with crown molding.

The window on the existing wall will be removed and patched. We toyed with the idea of leaving it for customers to be able to see the press room, but ultimately we decided it was better to have the wall space!

The large opening from the retail space to the shop space will be framed, sheet rocked, and finished. Ultimately this will then "create" an actual separate retail space. . . yay!

The far that wall houses all of the electrical panels, is uneven and made of wood slats. The slats are cool but because of the uneven condition of the wall we will have to fur the entire wall out. Since we are going to have to do this we (I) decided we will just finish the wall off with built-ins and a salvaged antique fireplace.

2. This view is from the shop looking into the retail space: From here you can see where the wall will be put up, creating the two separate spaces. You can also see the garage door. Although I LOVE vintage industrial (and will pull that theme through the space) this is a little too industrial and not enough vintage. ;)

3. This view is from where the cash wrap area will be: From here you see the gorgeous barred window and garage door. Luckily the bars come off with a screw driver and a little elbow grease, reviling a stunning LARGE window. An easy fix, Rich was grateful for easy fixes considering they were far and few between. . . of course.

You can also see the floors. They were partially finished concrete (think gray garage floor) and the other was cement covered in carpet adhesive. We went through many many options for the floor. Ultimately we found an amazing product that was totally cost effective, environmentally friendly, and easy to install.

Pictured above, Gianna: cute, helpful, works for paper dolls, custom notebooks, & frozen yogurt.
(Loves to be mentioned on any & all forms of social media..her father’s trait).


4. Handmade bow by mom, working dirty but lookin’ good. . . always! His & Hers drills are pictured along side one of our wonderful daughters. In all sincerity the entire family pitched in. The kids were eager to help in anyway they could, whether it was drilling in the sub floor, organizing envelopes, cleaning up small messes or just being really great on those long long nights at the shop. We couldn't ask for better kids!

5. & 6. And last but certainly not least I have to give credit where credit is due. We had help from near and far. Even my dear friend Lisa of Sapling Press was there to lend a helping hand (or tote) all the way from PA!

Moving the heavy stuff is stressful because you have to plan it just right. After all, you have to shut down production during this time and if you don't plan accordingly you can really fall behind. Hicks Brother's Printing Equipment have never let me down. In fact, over the last 7 years they have saved me more than once. I feel lucky to call them friends. They moved my equipment flawlessly, and always offered an extra hand. If you are looking for equipment, movers, or expert advice, they are the people to turn to.

To John of Celtic Custom Cabinets, a dear friend who is always around to help (and lend his truck) John creates incredible custom cabinets, desk (the one in my office that everyone loves, pics coming soon), fireplaces...okay too many great things to list! He's the best! Everyone should check out his work.

To my friends & family (both extended and immediate) for watching kids, feeding us on late nights and above all things believing in Flywheel Press. Much like raising a child, it takes a village to run a small business. No one could ask for a better cheering section. Thank you so much for all your help not only for the last 6 months but the last 7 years of Flywheel Press adventures!

Next up: The Build. Stay tuned. . . .







Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Words to live by. . .
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Growing up I had many people that told me to be practical and to not be such a dreamer. Sometimes in life it is just as important not to listen....

My mom was a single mom struggling to raise three young kids and to this day I have no idea how she did such an outstanding job. She is, without a doubt, my hero. Thanks to her, I had a fantastic childhood filled with wonderful memories. Although we didn't have much in the way of money we were never short on love and support.

Judy Mac was born an entertainer, starting her professional career at the age of 15. She struggled through high school receiving her diploma, all the while barely being able to read. Later in life she married and divorced, raising four children without any family around to help. My mom accomplished a lot of impressive things in her life (she would never see it that way), including performing with a varity of famous people, raising four children, and returning to school at the age of 56 to learn to read. While all of those things are
impressive, in my mind the most amazing thing she ever did was convincing me that I could do anything I set my mind to. She knew the power of that lesson. And here I am, proving her right every day.

Mom doing HER dance...the swim




I always thought of this poem, when it came to my life. It is embodies not only the naysayers I have encountered along the way, but also my mom and that little thing she told me over and over and over again..."you can do anything you set your mind to".

Listen to the mustn'ts, child.

Listen to the don'ts.

Listen to the shouldn'ts,

the impossibles, the won'ts.

Listen to the never haves,

then listen close to me...

Anything can happen, child.

Anything can be."Shel Silverstein


I have been so flattered by the outpouring of support from my peers for my latest adventure of opening a retail store front. So many people have said they "admire" what I am doing. Honestly I don't think of myself as anything special. I don't mean that in a self-deprecating way. I only mean that I think anyone can accomplish extraordinary things if they just believe in themselves. If you think you can't then you will consider all of the reasons why something is bound to fail. If you believe in yourself you can see all the ways in which you will succeed. So
you too can be crazy, throwing caution to the wind, just live by my mantra "what's the worse thing that could happen"? I truly believe it can be that simple, of course it also takes a lot of dedication and hard work. Thanks Mom, and with that being said...it's time to get back to work!

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

"I have an idea"
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I have always been known to have "an idea". This a great quality in a lot of respects, but every time my husband hears that phrase pass my lips a little piece of him dies. To Rich these four little words are trouble as he is often the brawn to my brains...

So of course it was no surprise, knowing me, that in January I wanted to move my shop. It was a fantastic new location with space for my presses, an office, retail, and after school art classes for kids. Of course it wasn't quite turn key...but I had an idea....

shop pic. no. 1 view from what will be the cash wrap area

shop pic. no. 2 view from what will be the front door



shop pic. no. 3 view from what will be the back wall of the retail store front

For those of you unfamiliar with letterpress equipment, that means moving thousands of pounds of very very heavy metal. Not to mention, paper, envelopes and a bazillion other small things. But let's be honest, a good idea is a good idea.

Fortunately Rich believes in me, wacky ideas and all. So on January 15th 2011 we signed the lease and got our keys. Shortly after the insanity began.

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Greetings & Salutations
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My name is Amber Ellis Seguine and among many other things, I am Flywheel Press. I am starting this blog to share my journey with friends, family, paper enthusiasts, working mothers, dreamers, artists, and anyone interested in knowing what goes into this crazy life I am so lucky to live.

In the coming days I will be sharing my latest project of turning a garage/shop into a beautiful retail store front. Complete with before and after pictures, you will feel like you are there, minus the dust and paint in your hair!

So pull up your computer and together we will watch as this madness unfolds. . .