Block Printer & Surface Pattern Designer

Dear Reader, One thing I’m thinking about Catherine and I took our first trip to Joshua Tree in early 2018, not long after we moved to California. I had always thought of the desert as a barren wasteland, a place I wanted to pass through to get to something better. Since that first trip, we have returned many times, camping in tents, being surprised by snow on the ground, and even watching a roadrunner hop on a fence just outside our Airbnb. Turns out I was wrong about the desert. The six...

Dear Reader, One thing I’m thinking about When it comes to the block printing process, the transfer is the step that gets rushed. It’s the thing you do before the real work starts, so it rarely gets much attention, and it’s where a lot of beginners get tripped up. The main thing A few pieces of washi tape do two jobs when you transfer a drawing to a block. The first is the obvious one. Tape your tracing paper down so it can’t move while you rub. If it shifts even a little, you end up with...

Dear Reader, One thing I’m thinking about In my day job, I handle books that are hundreds of years old, some of them printed using the exact same block printing process I use at my kitchen table. There’s a specific kind of quiet that comes from realizing you’re doing something people have been doing for centuries, with basically the same motions, the same kind of patience. I don’t think about that every time I carve. But some days it stops me for a second. The main thing I started block...

Dear Reader, One thing I’m thinking about Catherine and I have been trying something a little different with our evening routine. Instead of eating dinner on the couch with Netflix streaming away, we've been changing things up. Some nights that means working on sewing projects, reading, or doing a chore we would normally do on the weekend. It sounds small, but I can't tell you how nice it feels to sit with someone you love and just enjoy their company (even if you are both quietly working...

Dear Reader, One thing I’m thinking about This week I've been thinking about how often "good enough" is actually the perfect place to stop, even when I know exactly how to make that thing better. It's not a resignation to "sub-par" work; it's an actual decision I've made. There is a version of me that would keep fiddling, jeujing if you will. But this week I didn't let her. The main thing A while back I carved a moth-and-moon design with a puzzle block – two colors that interlock like pieces,...

Dear Reader, One of the questions I get asked most when someone is just starting out with block printing is whether to start on paper or fabric. And I get why it's confusing — the supplies are different, the inks are different, and nobody wants to spend money on the wrong thing before they've even made their first print. If this is a question you've asked yourself....I made a video that walks through each side of the coin: I don't give you one right answer, because there isn't one — but I do...

Dear Reader, I have to tell you about something I'm a little obsessed with right now. I block printed my own fabric and turned it into a top I actually want to wear. I didn't expect to pick up garment sewing again (it's been over 20 years!), but here we are — apparently, one creative obsession can just casually open the door to another. More on that soon. In the meantime, my latest YouTube video is up — if you've ever been curious about block printing but felt overwhelmed by all the tools out...

Dear Reader, I’ve been staring at strawberries, sketching pumpkins, and sneaking in risograph textures ant today I finally get to share it with you: 🥕 Introducing the 2026 Fresh Picked Calendar Twelve months of fruit + veg inspired by slow mornings, California color, and the simple pleasure of making something by hand. Each page is a little love letter to the market stand: bright, graphic, and full of vintage riso texture. You’ll love it if you: decorate your kitchen with color and cheer keep...

Dear Reader, It’s been a busy and exciting few weeks here at At the Dot Design! Between new podcast episodes, fresh videos, and the launch of my Tiny Treasures Press print club, there’s been so much happening in the studio — and I can’t wait to share it all with you. 🐌 Tiny Treasures Press: Month One! October marked the very first month of my print club, and I’m thrilled to say three amazing subscribers joined me for the launch. (If that was you — thank you! 💛). Remember, amazing things start...