Finding a Printer

Ever since I retired from teaching, I have been creating my own Christmas cards using a painting that I have done.  For many years I printed my own cards on the printer I had at home.  That was a very tedious task... trying to get set up the page so that the image of the painting was properly centered on one half of the paper, having the description of the painting positioned upside down on the other half that would be the back of the card, and running the cards through the printer again to print the inside verse.  Then I had to carefully fold all of the cards.

Finally, I think around 2018, I got smart and started going to a nearby print shop.  He scanned my painting, printed the cards, folded them, and even provided envelopes.  The cost was not much more than the expense of buying ink for my printer at home.

Well, now I am in Mexico, but I still intend to send my annual Christmas card.  I already have this year's painting completed.  My plan was to go to a print shop down here, have the cards printed, and then sign and address them.  In October, when I go back to Ohio to vote early, I can go to the post office, put stamps on them, and give them to a friend to mail after Thanksgiving.

So, my first job was to find a print shop.  I found one on Google Maps, not too far from me, that had good reviews.  I did a mock-up of how I wanted the card, with the inside greeting and description of the painting on the back.  I took it and the artwork to the print shop.

The fellow at the shop, an older man who was very talkative, but somewhat grumpy, told me that first I needed to go buy envelopes so he could determine the size of the card.  (They do not provide the envelopes.)  Then I would need to go to a store such as OfficeMax and have the painting scanned in high resolution onto a USB flash drive.  (Even though my original painting was not that large, their scanner was not big enough.)  He also said that I would have to have a minimum of 100 cards printed, which was more than I really needed.  

So, I went to the nearest OfficeMax with my painting, bought a flash drive, and had them scan the picture.  I also bought envelopes.  Then I went back to the print shop, but the guy grumbled that the image on the flash drive was a jpeg.  It had to be in PDF format.  So, I went back to OfficeMax.  I explained that the image needed to be a PDF, but when she scanned it in that format it looked terrible.  So, she converted the jpeg image that she had done previously into a PDF.  That looked fine.  I went to the print shop and told him about having to convert the jpeg.  "She doesn't know what she's doing," he grumbled.  Apparently, the image was good enough, however.  He downloaded the picture, took down the verse and description, and asked for my cellphone number and email address.  He said that his boss (I thought that he was the owner) would get back to me with an estimate of the cost.  I asked if a sample could be made first for my approval.  He said that would probably cost extra,

I waited for a call or email.  After a week, I went back to the shop.  "Oh, he hasn't called you yet?  I will remind him to get in touch with you."  I waited another week, and yesterday I decided to find another print shop.  I found another place, farther away in the neighborhood of Condesa.  I called first and asked if they do small jobs like printing a Christmas card.  She said, "Yes", and I said that I would come in later that afternoon.  She said to ring the doorbell for number 301 when I got there.

I took the Metrobus part of the way and then walked the rest of the way.  I found the address.  It was a small, non-descript apartment building.  

 

I found the doorbell for 301 which had a small sign saying "Imprenta Condesa" (Condesa Printing).  I rang several times, but there was no answer.  I called on my cellphone, and the lady answered.  She said that the battery on the doorbell must be dead.  She would come down and let me in.  A young woman with a baby in her arm appeared at the door and led me up the stairs to the third floor.  It was her apartment, but inside the entrance there was a cluttered office area with printing equipment.  It was an at-home business, and I frankly had my doubts.  But we discussed the project.  There was no minimum order, and the cost was 25 pesos per card (about $1.40 US).  I told her I wanted 75 cards.  I gave her the flash drive and the paper with the verse and description of the painting.  She said that she would do a sample card and call me today to come back and give my approval.

Even though it seems like a very informal business, I am, initially, much more satisfied than I was with the other print shop.  We shall see if I get a call today and how the sample card looks.  Fingers crossed!