Steel Petal Press shares beauty and humor with the world through handmade stationery. We create products that help people celebrate and connect through life’s important moments. We are committed to preserving the history of letterpress by educating the public on the process and craft of letterpress printing.
1: Laughter and beauty brings joy to the world
2: Strive for the highest standards in everything we do
3: Be ready to help — with enthusiasm
4: Positive communication creates a respectful environment
5: Work smarter, not harder
6: Focus on community
7: Celebrate the little things
8: Be Kind
9: Have fun!
MEET OUR PEOPLE.
SHAYNA OWNER & DESIGNER
Shayna Norwood (she/her) is a professionally trained visual artist with a BFA from San Francisco Art Institute. She's been letterpress printing since 2004, and Steel Petal Press has been her full time gig since 2011...
Shayna Norwood is a professionally trained visual artist with a BFA from San Francisco Art Institute. She's been letterpress printing since 2004, and Steel Petal Press has been her full time gig since 2011. When not thinking up funny greeting card ideas you can find her riding her bike around Chicago, enjoying tacos, hanging out at home with her cats and plants, or out dancing to her favorite DJs and bands.
KAT OPERATIONS MANAGER
Kat (she/her) enjoys a variety of artistic endeavors, including her previous 15-year run as a glass chain mail jewelry expert, author and instructor. Currently she is fully immersed in...
Kat enjoys a variety of artistic endeavors, including her previous 15-year run as a glass chain mail jewelry expert, author and instructor. Currently she is fully immersed in her fitness journey and in learning Shibari/Kinbaku techniques. She also loves baking and cooking. Kat had worked for Steel Petal Press as the Studio Manager from 2015-2018 and returned in the Fall of 2020 as the Operations Manager. She oversees all internal processes and from inventory management, materials, shipping, project management and customer service.
MARTI Assistant Retail Manager
Marti (she/her) is our Assistant Retail Manager. Originally from the UK, she has a BA in Fine Art with an emphasis in mixed media. Some of her favorite things to do ..
Marti (she/her) is our Assistant Retail Manager. Originally from the UK, she has a BA in Fine Art with an emphasis in mixed media. Some of her favorite things to do at SPP are unboxing new products and creating fun window displays! When she isn't merchandising at our store, she enjoys thrift shopping with her husband, walking her rescue dog and binge watching historical dramas.
HAYLEY WHOLESALE + Marketing
Hayley (they/them) is our Wholesale Specialist. A native Floridian and Auburn alum, they’ve adjusted to Chicago winters better than....
Hayley (they/them) is our Wholesale Specialist. A native Floridian and Auburn alum, they’ve adjusted to Chicago winters better than expected. Their love of snail mail and obsession with seeking out “shoppy-shops” while traveling make them especially passionate about connecting with our diverse mix of retailers. Outside of work, they enjoy performing improv, playing pool, and getting a little too competitive about bar trivia.
Learn Our History
Steel Petal Press® is a Chicago–based letterpress studio owned and operated by Shayna Norwood. What began as a part–time endeavor in 2008 has grown to include two presses, a paper cutter, and a small + awesome team. Together we print, package and ship each item by hand.
Steel Petal Press® was born in December 2008 when Shayna decided to design and print her own holiday cards to send to friends and family. Since then, the business has expanded to include a full line of greeting cards and gift items sold in over 750 stores across the country. “Penelope”, a 1960s Chandler & Price Model-N, joined the Steel Petal Press family in the spring of 2011. In the winter of 2012 we welcomed a 1950s Challenge level paper cutter, affectionately known as “Jaws,” into our studio.
In the spring of 2016 we moved into our current location in Logan Square where we opened up a flagship retail shop in the front of our space. Here we sell Steel Petal Press greeting cards, gifts and cards from independent designers from Chicago around the country.
In the summer of 2018 a drunk driver tragically crashed through our shop window. Luckily no one was hurt, but our poor window was completely shattered. We were able to turn lemons into lemonade. We used the gaping hole in our storefront to move in our most recent press, Helen, a Heidelberg windmill made in 1960.
As of 2018 we no longer offer custom printing services.
