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DeLuce Design

Gilbert, AZBrand · Paper goods

Hi! I'm Jill. My favorite part about being a greeting card designer is when I hear from a customer or someone who received one of my cards. I hear stories of how they framed the card, how it made them laugh, cry or simply inspired them. It is these stories that make me feel like my profession makes a positive difference in the world. My background is in art history and graphic design but in 2005 I fell in love with the art of letterpress printing and purchased an antique Vandercook Letterpress. I took a small collection of my cheerful and cheeky card designs to a trade show and turned my love into a small business. The 411 I live and work in Gilbert, Arizona. My garage doubles as a print shop for my vintage Vandercook letterpress. This is the beast I use to print all the letterpress goodness you see on the shelves of small businesses across the U.S.A. I mix ink, cut card stock, print, package and ship cards all from the comfort of home. When I'm not busy designing and printing cards, my interests include interior design, health and wellness, trying new restaurants and adventuring with my two Golden Retrievers, Giselle and Malibu. What Exactly is Letterpress Printing? Letterpress printing is the oldest form of printing. It is a very attractive, hands-on printing method that makes an impression in the cardstock you can see and feel. I mix all my ink by hand and I print on 100% cotton paper, which enhances the tactile quality of the letterpress printing method. Each sheet of paper is individually hand-fed into the press, printing one ink color at a time. It is a labor-intensive printing technique and can be a slow process. I currently practice this labor of love on my 1948 Vandercook Letterpress that was originally owned by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group.