Filed under: BirdDog Press, Bozeman Collaborative, Craft Biz, Design, Feedsacks, Handmade Revolution, Letterpress | Tags: Depression, Julia Vandenoever Photography, media kit, press kit, Recession
After two photoshoots at the end of last summer, a pow wow or three with my wonderfully smart entrepreneurial woman-friends, a test-market run to my marvelously smart media professional friends, and countless hours the think tank, at the sewing machine, glued to the computer, among piles of crafty ephemera, on the press, … I am finally ready to send out my first batch of press/media kits – Recession got you down? Let the Depression cheer you up! These feedsack inspired bags of goodness are far from gloomy even though the vintage fabric comes from that era. They are pattern filled, colorful, overflowing with flattering photography {by Julia Vandenoever} and best of all they tell a story, the tale of my greatest inspiration and what makes the BirdDog Press tick.
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Craft Biz, Feedsacks, Letterpress | Tags: Chandler & Price, film, letterpress printing, letterpress video, movie, platen press, process, Super 8
a feedsack apron, that is …
I suwanee! Beyond thrilled to announce this BirdDog Press Super 8 film by the great Kevin Von Qualen. The process of letterpress printing vintage wood type stationery on a Chandler & Price platen press. Ta-Da!
ps. the skirt is made out of feedsacks too!
Filed under: Craft Biz, Inspirations, Life, Tangents | Tags: Shrinky Dinks, valentine
I am blown away by how many people I’ve run into this week that have never heard of Shrinky Dinks! So much fun. We used them on our valentines this year along with funky edge scissors & loads of glitter! I’m bringing this sev’ craft back!
Filed under: Craft Biz, Handmade Revolution, Mama Monday | Tags: Soule Mama, The Creative Family
Got this book for myself quite a while back and haven’t made the time for the ideas that line it’s pages yet. That is not reflective of my enthusiasm for it. I have read the SouleMama blog for quite some time and just made a pact with my neighbor/mama friend to do some projects out of this book with our boys. Maybe I’ll get lucky and receive her other book, Handmade Home for my birthday this spring, hint. hint.
Filed under: Craft Biz, Feedsacks, Handmade Revolution | Tags: Hop Skip Jump, Wee Wonderfuls
Some feedsack scraps are soon to be used on two patterns I found online. Check out Olive & Archie from Wee Wonderfuls – they even have backpacks! and I’ve mentioned Hop Skip Jump’s giraffes before, but I cannot resist a call out to little Jack Rabbit and Poppy Doll. Happy sewing!
Filed under: Craft Biz, Handmade Revolution | Tags: Abigail Brown, fabric, Hop Skip Jump, letterM, sewing, True Up
a quilt by Amy Karol, from True Up blog
i wish i were a better seamstress. maybe if i were a more patient person. i mean, i get it done. just don’t inspect my stitches for beauty or craftsmanship. been sewing up a storm here lately though. feedsack bags for press kits, napkins for C’s school, mending a hem here & there. my granny is good behind the sewing machine. i’m going to make a lifetime goal to make a quilt someday. it would be silly for me to say it’s a new years resolution, but maybe someday when life slows down a bit again i would like to commit myself to that kind of a project.
toothpillow by letterM from Ohdeedoh blog
I’m also going through folders of blog images and such that I keep for inspiration. Here are a few related to sewing. Enjoy!
fabric creatures from Abigail Brown
from HopSkipJump, check them out on Flickr!
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Craft Biz, Feedsacks | Tags: @birdmaiden, Feedsack Friday, new year goals, Pantone, turquoise, Twitter
How serendipitous that 2010 would begin on a Feedsack Friday!
So it would seem that last year at this time, I posted no assessment of goals or a how-far-have-I-come post and I am remembering that it was because I was moving into my new studio! That alone is just HUGE! Finishing up construction and painting over the holidays, I got my Chandler & Price 8×12 platen press moved in the first week of 2009 and there was no looking back. It has become a great little space for my creativity to take root, has been a wonderful meeting place for clients to come and get the whole experience and it is still evolving. In fact, I hope to get in there tomorrow and finish a bit of reorganizing so that another press can be moved in soon!
I am once again exhilarated and overwhelmed all at the same time. Despite talk of a weak economy in 2009, it was a year of progress for the BirdDog Press. Trying to get everything squared away to hit the ground running in the new year has been a noble effort, and I haven’t given up yet. Among other planning madness, I have already picked all of the patterns for 12 more months of the letterpress Feedsack of the Month Club, purchased the lookbooks for the official launch of the bdp custom wood type stationery collection, finished up assignments for my Bakery Half Dozen biz e-course, and signed my life away to exhibit again at this year’s National Stationery Show!
ps. Happy First Feedsack Friday! It has been estimated that there were 20,000 feedsack patterns produced, so I figured it wouldn’t be hard to come up with 365 of them. For 2010, I will be revealing a Daily Feedsack via Twitter @birdmaiden. The first one {above} is from my Granny’s first feedsack dress, while it is the same pattern, she says hers was more of an aqua/turquoise – similar to the color of the year!
Filed under: Craft Biz, Handmade Revolution, Mama Monday | Tags: giftwrap, homemade
I’m very proud to say all of my packages were sent out before the 15th of December this year. I am on top of it! {for me} My husband got a call from my mother-in-law today, raving about my wrapping & presentation – gosh, I hope they aren’t disappointed by what’s inside! I used wrapping paper created by my now 3-year-old, {probably 2 at the time} and repurposed ribbons, letterpress gift tags and a small infusion of feedsacks that I sewed into poinsettia-like flowers with felt & paper. I am also thrilled to announce that everything in these packages is either handmade, vintage second-hand, or a photograph {which were obviously printed new}
Oh! and in case you are looking for some more inspired packaging options, try Nice Package. Awesome.
ps. Hope this makes up for Mama Monday, on a Tuesday, but I had to honor the first day of Winter with a new desktop wallpaper!
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Craft Biz, Design, Feedsacks | Tags: desktop, free download, wallpaper, winter
Happy first day of Winter everyone! Let’s celebrate with a free downloadable desktop wallpaper! Inspired by a feedsack, of course. Choose your resolution below.
1600 x 1200
1680 x 1050 (iMac)
1024 x 768
320×480
