A Shop Newbie
…for all your hipster birthday needs.
Check it out in my shop!
Etsy Front Page Love
Yay - I always love getting chosen for the front page! Check out Etsy’s love themed picks…
In other PaperMichelle love, I just found this lovely little gocco write-up featuring a couple photos of my domo arigato darling on the weddingbee. Thanks for the shout out!
StudioWisco Love!
Rachel of StudioWisco was kind enough to feature my Bicycle Built for Two card on her fantastic design blog. I’m a big fan of her site, so this was a pleasant surprise on this fine Friday!
It is almost dad’s day.
Remember when it was just Christmas like five minutes ago? Well, tomorrow is Memorial Day and shortly thereafter, Father’s Day. I’ve got just a couple designs…but I think they’re pretty spectacular as far as Father’s Day cards go. lol. My own father will be getting “You Are So Manly” in one of the two colors. I’m so sorry for being totally not-modest, but this card cracks me up.
You Are So Manly (in yellow)
…and you are in luck, it also comes in blue:
You Are So Manly (in blue)
And a totally different, specifically Father’s Day card:
BBQ Father’s Day Card
Lets be honest, dads are pretty important guys; they fix things, they teach us how to fish, they scare off potential boyfriends. I speak for myself when I say my dad is the best dad I know. Reciprocate the love to your daddy-dearest.
P.S. Father’s Day is on June 21st of this year. I’m sure you knew that.
Etsy Front Page
I’m really sick today, so it was a nice surprise to see one of my cards on Etsy’s Front Page! Its my first time…and I’m way excited about it. (Middle photo, bottom row…my little Woodland Wedding card!)
I also put together a bright and cheerful treasury tonight…because I’m feeling slightly less than bright or cheerful. Check it out, then send some soup.
everyone loves a birthday
I’ve got a birthday party tonight, so I found myself checking out the vast collection of birthday cards on Etsy. Here are some of my faves. Happy Saturday! XOXO
Cake Card by JillKinLA
A Very Yeti Birthday by crackeddesigns
Happy Birthday Card by twoguitars
Party Dress by dudeandchick
Treats Letterpress by afavorite
Doves in Chicago
May 29th - Doves in Chicago (the Vic)…yes, yes, yes! Doves, if you’re not familiar, is a fantastic and highly underrated band from the UK. I vowed to go see them if they ever came within driving distance and thank god, they’re comin’! Looks like they’re out supporting their new release, Kingdom of Rust. Don’t you worry, there will be photos after the show.
I loves it…Catch the Sun
Kingdom of Rust - new, long awaited single!
Maybe one of the best songs you’ll ever hear…Black and White Town
My 2009 Easter Trio
I’ve got a whopping three designs for Easter this year. I’ve had a lot of fun and gotten into some trouble making them. All three are small batch gocco prints. Please enjoy!
Disaster Strikes
If you’ve ever wondered why multitasking is a bad idea, here is why…
For those of you that don’t know how a gocco screen printer works…its a complicated process but basically you burn an image onto a screen so you can make multiple copies of the image. Got it so far? This is a great system, works perfectly…when you’re paying attention and REMEMBER TO INSERT THE SCREEN! Yes, I totally burned a silly image of schools of fish directly onto my stage glass. Alas, it cannot be saved but the replacement part is on its way from Japan. The production line at the PaperMichelle factory has been brought to a dramatic, annoying halt. We hope to be up and running in 7-10 days. *frown*
The moral: Pay attention. Always.
The Creative Process
I thought I could take a minute to explain my process. Over the last month or so, I’ve had several people ask me if I use die cuts or precut scrap-booking pieces to make the cut paper cards. The answer is no. Never, ever. Stop telling that nasty little lie.
Ideas for my cards come to me randomly. I find that showering and running are really conducive to creative thought, and many of these cards have been thought up on the Bally’s treadmill. Otherwise, actual events unleash a bit of inspiration. For example, the “Make A Wish” card was designed specifically for my brother’s 25th birthday. Its so much easier to have solid ideas when there is a subject in mind.
Each design is completely original. The drawings are done by hand, because my kind of “design” doesn’t involve the assistance of computer programs…and lets be honest, I don’t know how to use said programs. I cut each individual piece by hand. I use a really old pair of silver scissors from a sewing kit (no, they’re not even meant for paper.) I’ve used these scissors my whole life and I’m yet to find a replacement. When the pieces are cut out, I use a dainty little brush to paint on some fancy glue and actually build the image. I set the cards out to dry for a bit…and voila!
Some of my cards are screen-printed by hand. Anything that is not cut paper (hand drawings, text) has been done by my favorite toy, the RISO Print Gocco. The Gocco was invented in Japan in 1977, intended for color screen-printing in the home. It uses a system of flashbulbs, carbon images and silk screens to create multiple copies of a colored image. Its an amazing contraption, but it is at risk of being discontinued due to failing popularity in Japan. The units are sometimes hard to get and the supplies aren’t much better. I love my Gocco and I’ll use it until there is not a screen left in the land.
Thats kind of how this PaperMichelle thing works, at least on the production end. Its a constructive little project that makes me quite happy. I’ll keep on doing it until I start to get angry about cutting out raccoons and cupcakes. Is that possible? I certainly hope not.
