Filed under: BirdDog Press, Handmade Revolution, Life, Tangents | Tags: Divine Twine, Eley Wellness, Etsy, Handmade Nation, Lee Meszaros, Nikon D40, vintage wood type
As the end of the year wraps up and I look back on the holidays and how I could have streamlined anything or simplify for next year, I am wondering : How do you manage your giving and receiving? I keep a giving list spreadsheet every year so that when someone mentions something they like in conversation or if I see a great blog post on a handmade project, I write it down and when it’s gift giving time, the task is hopefully a little less daunting. On the flipside, I rarely dig deep and think about what I really want until my family has asked so many times it’s too late. and that’s okay, I really don’t NEED anything. But I am human, so there are always wishes and since I have had time to think about it over the giving season, here are a few:
- Handmade Nation DVD : The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design, Documentary By Faythe Levine
- orange Divine Twine
- personal training sessions with Eley Wellness
- some sort of fancier Winter Boots {meaning more fancy than my Sorels, but I guess this wouldn’t fall into my Dottie Angel Challenge pledge}
- a Nikon D40 digital SLR camera
- one wonderful Merit Badge from Lee Meszaros on Etsy
- and of course I can never get enough vintage Wood Type
Simply wishes. on a list. My Granny always told me “you’re old enough for your wants not to hurt you” and that’s true. It doesn’t hurt to wish.
ps. one of my favorite gifts received this holiday season was a jar of homemade grape juice. My amazing friend & neighbor, Lina, started picking local grapes on the South St. Vrain back in August! I am also quite smitten with my punchcard to Mayama Studio here in Lyons and a facial from J.B. Skincare to revive my skin from the drying winter air.
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Feedsacks, Letterpress | Tags: bees, big cartel, chicken, Etsy, feedsack patterns, shop, vintage illustrations
Our series of vintage animal print notecards started with ZOO {zebra, lion, elephant, giraffe, penguin, monkey, kangaroo} and then we added MOO {cow, pig, goat, donkey, chicken, sheep, bee} but it seems that at least around Lyons, folks are really into chicken coops and beekeeping, so we’ve singled out these two and made a few notesets just featuring some vintage feedsack patterns and chickens or bees. If I get these two up in my Etsy/Shoppe it will be a Two Timin’ Tuesday miracle. Fingers crossed for me?
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Craft Biz, Friends, Handmade Revolution, Inspirations, Letterpress | Tags: 2010 calendar, Etsy, Letterpress, Satsuma Press, Seesaw designs
I don’t design or print a calendar as of yet, so each year I’m on the lookout for a fabulous fellow printer who does. There is some stiff competition out there and let me just give kudos to them all for already having them ready for the taking in October! This year I have my lovely friend, Lynn’s Satsuma Press calendar on the wall. This year, I believe the Seesaw designs calendar will win my heart. I just love the combination of colors and shapes. I like to spread the love and support as many friends as I can by buying handmade gifts on Etsy and keeping it local or handmade, or making it myself when I can.
Filed under: Craft Biz, Handmade Revolution, Inspirations, Letterpress, Life | Tags: birthday, Etsy, Julie Afflerbaugh, party, smallville, Wonderboy Clothing, yellow
My husband was up at the crack of dawn, making sure we got the spot at the park that I had scoped out weeks earlier. It was right by the creek, trees just close enough to string up my flag banner, and soft green grass for gaming. Although I was a little concerned when the wind & clouds kicked up as I was setting everything up, the weather held.
The specially chosen outfit I scoured online shops for with yellow patterned shirt from Wonderboy and fabulous handmade sailor pants from Smallville {on Etsy} arrived in time – and fit! Cullin’s best friend was the first to arrive.
You could say I went a little overboard. I’m sure all of the parents were grateful for the meltdowns that ensued soon after leaving this party. But in the end I was over the moon with how it turned out, and the Birthday Boy was too.
{thanks, again, to photographer Julie Afflerbaugh}
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Craft Biz, Feedsacks, Handmade Revolution, Letterpress | Tags: Etsy, fabric flag cards, feedsack, greetings, Julia Vandenoever Photography, twirly-gigs greetings
The BirdDog Press is constantly making and creating things and we get so busy doing so, that we hardly remember to update our shop so you can buy them! We now have feedsack fabric flag greetings and halloween twirly*gig plantable greetings available in the shop. Stay tuned for custom woodtype stationery, soon to arrive in time for holiday orders – stationery makes a fabulous gift!
Filed under: Craft Biz, Friends, Handmade Revolution, Life | Tags: baby, craft project, Etsy, Julie Afflerbaugh, photography, sewing, small skivvies, SmallThreads
Saul the Snail! Finally had time to put the finishing touches on the project that I posted last week with my friend Julie, of Julie Afflerbaugh Photography. I used a mix of new fabrics and vintage feedsacks, with some machine stitching and fun vintage buttons for embellishment. If you think this is cute, go see the pirate series small skivvies and other ridiculous cuteness made by etsy shop stitching genious, SmallThreads. Mandy’s designs were an inspiration to our little project, but ours are just for fun and hers are works of art in fabric! Buy Handmade!
ps. Updated post with photos from the SmallThreads Etsy shop below!
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Feedsacks, Inspirations | Tags: Etsy, Feedsacks, flour sack, Lyons Outdoor Games
Yipee! Look what I got in the mail from Etsy!?!? Two real deal vintage feedsacks of the same pattern. Oh, well, technically they are flour sacks. I’m keeping one for myself to add to my feed sack collection and sending one to my Granny Lou! I’ll have to look in my book to see if I can date them.
ps. The Lyons Outdoor Games start today! If you are in Colorado, come join in the fun!
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Feedsacks, Friends, Inspirations, Life | Tags: aprons, birthday, Etsy, feed sack, Feedsacks, sewinggeek
I rarely cook anymore, which is funny because I love food and I really like to cook. My wonderful other half – Ben – does 99% of the cooking around this house. Still, on my southern pilgrimage, I went back to my Granny’s cabin in South Carolina, and you know what that means – feed sacks! This time, in the form of aprons. I am going to hang them in my studio and use them for printing aprons instead of cooking aprons.
And wouldn’t ya know it, when I returned home, there was a wonderful birthday box waiting for me at the post office just filled with goodies from my dear friend Jenny. She scored a fabulously orange feed sack apron on Etsy from sewinggeek and sent it to me! LOVE it!!
Filed under: BirdDog Press, Craft Biz, Friends | Tags: BirdDog Press, blog, Emma, Etsy, Facebook, fan, Flickr, follow, social media, Twitter
{Bird}Dogs are loyal companions. I love fanmail, fetch, frolicing and friends! Just wanted you to know where you can find me:
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Love,
Siler
