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
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 nationally recognized 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 is the main point of contact for all wholesale accounts and customer service interactions.
DAN PRINTER
Dan (he/him) is an interdisciplinary image-maker and storyteller from Cincinnati, Ohio. After receiving a BFA in Printmaking from Ohio University, Dan relocated to Chicago to join the city’s thriving printmaking scene...
Dan is an interdisciplinary image-maker and storyteller from Cincinnati, Ohio. After receiving a BFA in Printmaking from Ohio University, Dan relocated to Chicago to join the city’s thriving printmaking scene. He was initially introduced to letterpress printing as an intern at Steel Petal Press in 2018, and was hired soon after to assist Shayna in everyday printing at the shop. Outside of work, you can catch Dan working on both his own and commissioned projects, making bad jokes, and worrying... a lot of worrying.
SARA Wholesale Specialist
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 three 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 sold across the country, home goods, wedding invitations, and personal stationery. “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. Next we acquired “Sweetie” our Vandercook SP-15. And finally "Leonard" a C&P from the 1920s.
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.
