Places 'Yule' Love: Green Pea Press | Arts & Culture

It's time to get into the Holiday spirit, and this year I am focusing on our locals with a series of articles that I am calling: Places 'Yule' Love.

The first thing I always do to is get my addresses together to send out Christmas Cards.  Every year, I try to top myself with funny, creative, and cute cards for my family and friends. 

This year, I am planning on getting locally printed cards from Green Pea Press.  Rachel Lackey is the driving force for this local business that is located at Lowe Mill.

Green Pea Press started in 2011 with a leap of faith.  Rachel, a single mother at the time, decided to take her printing skills she learned in college and put them to use forming a new shop.  A series of events including her mother's passing and getting laid off from her job as a teacher gave her the push she needed to start something new.

It takes a gutsy person to make a change like that, but Rachel said that it has turned out great!  She loves the concept of a printing press community.  Green Pea has just over 20 members who use the facilities for their own printing.  As for the name of Green Pea?  It was just a random name thrown out during a lunch meeting that stuck.  The concept of peas in a pod isexactly what these artists are.  They are a collective group of people collaborating with the art community -- Cool huh? 

If you want to get a jump on your Christmas Card Collection and make yours stand out from the generic ones on your family's mantel, then simply stop in on November the 24th at Lowe Mill.  It's a family activity that kids from 4 years old and up can work together to create their own cards.  The cost is $2.50/ card and you get to run it through the printing press then decorate it all fancy. They print two at a time.

Cards are just one idea, they also have "Print your own Present Day" on December 8th.  They have more information on how you can do that on their website.

When I talked to Rachel about why it's so important to shop local, she said you are basically supporting your neighbors.  You are helping a local company and giving someone a gift that is something thoughtful and not picked up at the last minute from a store.

If you are thinking of a custom order, send them an idea or stop by at Lowe Mill.  They just opened up a new retail area on the second floor!