Shop online or in-store - 1453 South Park Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Don't forget we also have gift cards available, if you can't decide!
Hair Metal or Synth Pop, Hip Hop or New Wave, come print your own mix tape art print using our century-old letterpress, this Saturday night!
With nostalgia in the air, the movement of cast iron and paper will result in a blank cassette for you to keep or share. The print is a blank cassette, but what you put on it is up to you. More importantly, who are you giving it to? We hope "I Made You a Mix Tape" brings back memories for some and makes new memories for everyone.
Please note the temporary adjustment in our hours on Saturday, Oct 14th: open noon-midnight.
The FREE art print will be available to make during the hours of 6pm-midnight TONIGHT - Saturday, Oct 14, 2023!
Can't make it? A limited number of mix tape art prints will be available online for the cost of shipping and handling, while quantity lasts. Order a Nocturne Keepsake!
Check out the Nocturne guide to explore all of the projects and events taking place in Halifax/Dartmouth!
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Are you ready for Stationery Store Day tomorrow?! We are! Here are the exciting in-store specials we have planned for Saturday, August 5th:
✏️ Free stationery-themed letterpress print (no purchase necessary)
✏️ Stationery Goodie Bag (valued at more than $65!) with purchase over $40*
💌 BIG thanks to the amazing makers that contributed to these outstanding hauls! Visit the link above for a shout out! 💌
✏️ Stationery Store Day tote bag + treats inside with purchase over $75*
*In-store only. Total before tax. While quantities last.
💌 Online orders on 8/5/23 will receive a free stationery-themed print!
We’ve teamed up with our paper pals - Duly Noted Stationery, Paper Hearts Halifax and The Trainyard! Make a day of it and visit all 4 of our businesses on the paper trail, for awesome papery stickery freebies, sales and special activities!
And if you're elsewhere in the country (or the world!), visit one of the 100's of participating shops and spread the paper love.
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Do you make work you'd like to see featured at Inkwell?
Or maybe you know a maker who creates great handmade items?
CONSIGNMENT DETAILS + APPLICATION
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Before, and after.
The above photos clearly show the restoration work done to our Golding Pearl No. 11 Improved Press serial #1918 built c. 1920 in Massachusetts, USA.
When I decided to open Inkwell, one of my goals was to have at least one working floor model letterpress in the shop. Finding an old piece of equipment such as this, in working order can be a costly and time consuming quest. So with some patience and hard work we can now introduce our working floor model press that we affectionately named Isabella aka "Pretty Izzy".
We first found Isabella for sale on the letterpress classifieds at Briar Press. She was located in Connecticut. After negotiations with the owner, we agreed on a purchase price and pick-up date. This happened in December 2010, just as winter was beginning in Atlantic Canada and the New England states. Not an ideal time to plan a road trip, but with a clear forecast, and borrowed new van (thanks Mom & Dad!) my partner Daniel and I began the 2800 km (roundtrip) journey.
Weather was fantastic during our travels and we found our way around easily. We disassembled Isabella (would we remember how it all goes back together!?) and with the help of some local movers to do the heavy lifting, loaded Isabella into the van for her journey to Canada.
As you can see she was a colourful beast. Previous owners had really botched her surfaces with poorly applied paint. She was pretty beat up, but still in working order, so we were excited to have her and knew her potential.
The next few months were spent stripping and sanding her various cast iron parts. Working in an un-heated garage during a Canadian winter makes cast iron VERY cold to work with.
Work continued into the spring when weather allowed for more outdoor work, including painting and varnishing. So many parts, so many screws and bolts collected. Fingers were crossed through the whole process that we'd know how she went together.
Parts we painted, gears were oiled and everything fit together. Every part has its own specific function which made assembly quite easy. Everything fit into place nicely.
Here she is today. Our 90 year old black beauty - Isabella. On a warm Saturday in August we ran our first prints on her. With very little adjustment she was printing great. It was us, as press operators that needed more work. We ran about 100 Inkwell Boutique business cards and cleaned her up.
Stop by soon and see her in person!
After 5 years on Brunswick, we're moving and are beyond excited to let you know that Inkwell will soon be found on South Park Street!
Our new location is in a neighbourhood with complementary local businesses and a park across the street! Inkwell will be accessible by broad sidewalks, protected bike lanes, nearby bus stops, and street parking.
In June, you will find Inkwell in the Spring Garden Area of Halifax, sitting between the stylish folks at Thumpers Hair Salon and the tasty treats of Bliss Caffeine Bar! The block also includes local businesses Fawcett's Fine Jewellery, Thornbloom, as well as Dairy Bar in the warmer months.
While we're going to miss the friends we've made on Brunswick, we're confident that our customers will fall in love with our new digs! It will offer more space to display our handmade delights, as well as more space for our studio.
We’ll be open on Brunswick until we’re ready to make the leap. Until then, watch this space for updates — we’ll share some sneak peeks in the coming weeks!
This move wouldn’t be possible without all of YOU — I’ve truly been blown away by your continued support these last 11 years! I promise I’ll do everything I can to make our new space just as special as the two that you came to know and love. I hope you'll help us spread the word!
With so much gratitude + excitement,
💖
Andrea and team Inkwell
This week marks 10 years of business for Inkwell!
Thank you to the wonderful customers who shop at Inkwell. I'm so proud and thankful to still be here and couldn't have done it without your incredible support over the years - through all the highs and lows!
Over the last decade, we've had 2 different locations, countless open houses and book signings, printing demos and letterpress keepsakes, collaborations, crafting workshops, an in-house/wholesale product line, awards, accolades, and features on TV, in books, magazines and newspapers. We've gone from a one page website to a full e-commerce site with thousands of products.
During this time, we've made countless friendships, worked alongside the best employees and makers. I can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring!
We've seen you, our customers, through the celebrations and sorrows that life brings and our community has seen us through the joys and challenges that shop ownership presents.
I hope you feel every purchase is a transfer of the enthusiasm I feel for everything we offer in Inkwell. I hope that some of the love that each maker puts into the handmade items we sell brightens your day, whether it's something for yourself or a gift for someone else.
Ten years in business is a major milestone and we'll celebrate in person when it's safe to do so.
Thank you all for your continued support and for allowing me to live my dream.
Andrea
The Halifax Chamber of Commerce has made the "Rebuild Nova Scotia" poster that appeared in the Saltwire.com flyer bundle across Nova Scotia available as PDF.
You're welcome to download and print one of your own posters to display with pride.
For those looking for a high quality, larger hand printed version, the 16x20 print is available for purchase here.
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