The home of carefully crafted letterpress stationery
THE SARAH AND MAUDE STUDIO
Proudly based in Derbyshire, UK
Established in 2012, and located on the doorstep of the stunning Peak District, the Sarah and Maude studio is a cosy space where print presses outnumber people and come with their own names – a long-standing tradition in the printing world.
Step inside and you’ll be greeted by delightful clanking sounds as the presses work their magic, and there’s always freshly brewed coffee and a biscuit or two. It’s here, amongst the piles of freshly trimmed paper and tins of ink that your stationery comes to life!
Sarah and Maude by numbers
2500 steps taken per hour when printing, that’s the equivalent of walking a mile
6000 pieces of letterpress stationery printed for close to 40 clients last year
10,000+ hours of letterpress printing completed in the last decade
Behind the scenes
Meet the Sarah and Maude team
Sarah Phelps
I’ve always loved stationery, and I can’t actually remember a time when I didn’t want to be a designer, so it was probably inevitable that I’d end up where I am today.
I spent the first decade of my career in the design agency world, but after rediscovering my love for letterpress – a love that began at university – I left agency life behind to pursue my passion for handcrafted stationery. Since launching Sarah and Maude in 2012 I’ve worked with hundreds of clients, in the UK and beyond, and I still have the same passion for thoughtful design and quality craftsmanship that I did over a decade ago.
It’s always an honour to create elegant wedding stationery that weaves its way through a celebration. And working with fellow business owners is always a pleasure, because I understand how satisfying it is to share your brand with the world through beautiful stationery.
What else can I tell you? I’m a maker at heart, so away from the studio you’ll find me tackling other creative projects – from gardening and baking to dressmaking and DIY. I live a simple, seasonal life and I love to keep my hands busy!
Maude
Still going strong at over 100 years of age, my trusty antique press, Maude, definitely brings a touch of maturity to the studio. Yes, she can be a bit temperamental at times, but the studio just wouldn't be the same without her.
This 300kg cast iron beauty was manufactured in 1912 in Massachusetts, USA. One of Golding Manufacturing Company’s most popular models, the Pearl No. 11 was known for its quality and precision, and its small footprint – a great choice for smaller print studios like mine. I was lucky to find Maude on eBay in 2014 and the rest is history. She quickly became an essential part of my creative process, perfectly suited for the smaller print jobs I specialise in.
As you’d expect with an antique press, printing with Maude is a true hands-on experience. She’s powered by a treadle, so every day feels like leg day, and paper is hand-fed into the press, one piece at a time. Yes it takes time, but the beauty of this traditional process is the truly unique stationery that it creates.
Martha
The newest addition to the team definitely brings the sparkle. Martha is a vintage hot foil press, and allows me to offer a range of colour not possible with letterpress – from stunning shiny metallics to crisp matte white.
Millie
Millie is a vintage Adana tabletop press and her speciality is small projects and print workshops. She may be small in size but she certainly packs a punch. Not bad considering she’s almost 70 years of age!
Florence
And last, but certainly not least, there's Florence, the adorable studio whippet. She's a big fan of snuggles and biscuits, and she likes to keep a keen eye on quality control – when she’s not busy snoozing.
Modern and minimal
Design with space to breathe
With a long-time love of / mild obsession with Scandinavian style and modern minimalism, I’m a firm believer that less is always more. And that belief really forms the foundation of my signature design aesthetic: understated details, minimal typography, simple organic shapes, and muted earthy tones. It’s about cutting through visual clutter and creating designs with space to breathe.
A gentle approach
Working with you, at your pace
I share my studio with a foot-operated antique press, so it’s probably no surprise that I take a gentler, individual approach to the creative process.
What does that mean? Well, I only take on a handful of clients at a time, so I can give you (and your stationery) my full attention, and ensure the process is calm and enjoyable for both of us. When you work with me there’s always time for questions, and you’ll have the time you need to make the right decisions. And you never need to apologise for taking a little longer than planned to reply to an email.
Feeling inspired?