RIVERTOWN PRESS & PAPERIE:
Experience design and letterpress by Barbara Stanaitis of Rivertown Press & Paperie; thoughtful designs inspired by romance and beautiful places. Collections include a variety of richly styled wedding stationery printed on luxurious papers. Rivertown Press & Paperie creates beautiful and classic letterpress prints, full-color digital press prints, as well as wedding favors that bring elegance and even a touch of whimsy to your event.
Using century-old techniques, RP&P delivers crisp, beautiful works of art that convey thoughtfulness and romance. A superior level of craftsmanship and service is integral to the design process we practice at our studio.
A NOTE TO YOU:
Here at RP&P, we understand brides! When you put endless hours into planning the perfect event, you deserve for it to be beautiful, fun, meaningful and memorable! We get that. We want to create beautiful invitations for you without causing any stress (because we really do understand this process).
We want your invitations to be amazing! We take on the responsibility of making the best first impression to your guests. And we definitely want to show off our skills as invitation designers/printers!
We care about our craft and want to make your shopping experience fun and worry-free; please feel free to contact us!
"We" are myself (Barbara) and my cousin Erika (she says "hello.")
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ABOUT THE PROCESS:
When you decide Rivertown Press is THE ONE, you will have already selected the design you like best from our online boutique. I will take that design style and alter it to fit your vision. I want for your invitations to reflect who you are and what your event will be like! I love to personalize, I love to make any design better. Just ask!
We both look forward to hearing about your wedding plans! We want to know colors, themes, travel plans,.. gosh, send us a photo of your dress! We get really excited for dresses!
Feel free and like us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram or Pinterest!
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OUR BEGINNING:
I started my letterpress business in 2010 with 16 years of design skill and vendors already in place. I learned to use a letterpress and soon began to get creative with it! I turned my basement into a print shop. I have a (1962) 705 pound SP15 Vandercook proof press and a (1922) 1500 pound, cast iron Chandler & Price platen press. I love everything about my antique presses; inking them up, watching the plates transfer my images and designs, and adjusting all the little parts to make it print just right.
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MY STORY:
With a childhood filled with art classes, endless art supplies (thanks Mom!) and full support from my parents to be an artist, I took my creative time seriously and indulged. I spent most of my time in my own private world and spent summers at the cabin wandering about, completely fascinated by the little bits of nature all around me.
Years later, after earning a reputation for creativity and artistic skill, and receiving recognition and awards throughout school, I was accepted to the prestigious Minneapolis College of Art and Design where I studied graphic design, art history, photography, painting, and illustration.
After I graduated in 1995 with a degree in Graphic Design, I spent a few years traveling and residing in beautiful places like Jackson Valley, WY, and Tucson, AZ. When I returned home, I found corporate life (and its design) to be incredibly dull. I longed to create beautiful, inspiring, romantic things.
In 2002, I was excited to create something beautiful for my own wedding invitations (I had just become engaged). The process was so inspiring and enjoyable! I began designing wedding suites for friends as gifts. It was a very natural choice for me to move into the wedding invitation biz.
In 2010, I stumbled across a beautiful letterpressed card in a gift shop. I immediately Googled everything about letterpress! I signed up for classes at Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis and learned how everything was done. I was able to find and purchase a Vandercook SP15 (AKA the "Cadillac of Presses") soon after. A friend told me about Etsy. I signed up and here I am. In 2019 I was thrilled to add a second press; a vintage Chandler and Price platen press (that cool-looking press with the fly wheel!)
Today I look forward to designing and printing each card. I love watching my designs come to life from the screen, to the plate, to the paper in brilliant color! Each card is a little work of art. I'm so happily obsessed with this craft! (Have you run your fingertips across a 100% cotton letterpressed card yet?)
I have since worked with couples all over the world. I love what I do and I hope to do this work until I retire,.. if ever 😊.
THANK YOU for reading to the end!! Now, you better get back to figuring out who will be pouring the coffee as the cake is served, and if they will be wearing a corsage, and what time should that happen, and…..
