STEPH DEROSA: SWEET PEA ON A STEAMROLLER!

 Wintertime in Tacoma can really, really suck a huge rotten egg.  I'm not telling you anything new, right?  Spring is around the corner (but not quite here), we're all getting over our colds, and I'm about to throw my antsy 5 year old out a fifth story window.  My friend Bettylucious and I have officially named it the "Tacoma off-season."

But then along comes Wayzgoose, a yearly celebration of Small Press Month held at King's Books. Yet another of the numerous reasons why I love my T-town community and its glorious six degrees of separation:  Celebrating Small Press Month, supporting the community, the arts, local merchants, and seeing my friends.  It's what makes my huge warm heart oh-so-very happy. 

Large, small, medium, and gynormous steamroller size presses were all on display this year for kids and adults to drool over and touch.

Amongst the many local friends I was able to catch up with today were: Chris Trashcan and his lovely wife and family, Mo Ratorium from Dockyard Derby Dames, Tacomachickadee, Tacoma Mama, and of course Pat McDermott and his amazing family.

The mini-me was able to participate in a small press that created an elephant with Jessica Spring and Springtide Press.

We also took part in an embossing of stars with Jenny Craig and Notta Pixie Press.

People loved hammering out a bookmark with the design of their choice.  Thank you Jami Heinricher and The Sherwood Press!

I purchased a super cool poster from Rebecca Mullins, which supported School of Visual Concepts.  It's going to look incredible in my living room.

Lance and Tom from Beautiful Angle provided hands-on letterpressing.

As you watched sweet pea navigate the steamroller over a large piece of work, the kids could get dirty in a hands-on paper making demonstration.

Thank you King's Books, all Small Press artists, and all the amazing people in Tacoma for making the 2008 "Tacoma off-season" that much more bearable.