Modish Guest Blog

a super handmade collection - portland's edith and edna

i'm wrapping my guest blogging stint up today with a final post about one of my favorite places in portland to find handmade goodies.

edith and edna on exchange street in the old port is a bright and cheerful space full of local and web-favorite handmade items.

local favorites include bobbin bags and clothing by betsy scheintaub, milo in maine adult + kids shirts, lulubeans yarns, buttons by pixiegenne, handmade baby clothes + bags by soulemama, pinecone + chickadee shirts and papergoods, sewn goodies and mixed media collage by betsy thompson, and much more.

they also carry  dovetail ceramics (a personal favorite of mine - i love the square mugs,) collages and owls by leya at curious bird, nikki mcclure prints and calendars, walter and veronica scarves (i got one for christmas and haven't taken it off since. really) and cd cases, lovely stuff from alena hennessy, wonderful books from if'n books + marks, a wide selection of craft books, and tons more.

my pictures are a bit dark because it was a rainy day when i visited, but i bet you can get a sense of how wonderful the shop is. most definitely worth a visit next time you're in portland!  thanks to shop owners brandie and julie for letting me come by and snap some pictures.

i've had a great time guest blogging this week, and i hope i've given you all a good sense of what a great town the east coast portland is. i didn't come close to covering everything here, but i've tried to show you a good smattering!
thanks so much to jena for inviting me to make these posts this week.
cheers, jen

ferdinand ::: portland maine

when jena asked me to guest blog this week, i immediately started thinking about all of the local portland talent that i wanted to share here. perhaps one of the best-known local indie/handmade pioneers (plus an all-around excellent gal,) diane toepfer of ferdinand is one of my favorite people and a wonderful artist and craftsperson to boot. at her storefront on munjoy hill in portland's east end, she makes a wide range of fun and eclectic handmade goodies - pretty much anything that strikes her fancy.

she carries a terrific selection of new + refashioned vintage items, such as these fabulous feather barrettes:

and vintage clothing and shoes, too.

many of you may recognize her famous drum-playing squirrel, which adorns adult and childrens tees.

she also makes a wide selection of gocco and screenprinted cards, totebags, notebooks and journals, jewelery, patches, potholders and accessories,   and features many other local and nationally known crafters as well.

here are some diane's own hot-off-the-press screenprinted valentines - aren't they great?

some of diane's favorite art-y/crafty peeps:
local maine stuff:
pinecone and chickadee
(here are some p+c valentine cards i spied at ferdinand today):

morris + essex
strong arm bindery

and goodies from elsewhere:
dog and pony show
lisa jones cards
nineteen seventy three
motel deluxe

ferdinand is located at 243 congress street, portland, me 04101, and is a must-visit next time you're in town.

Thanks!

Thanks to Jena for inviting me to be the guest blogger this week! I have a whole new respect for what it takes to write a blog like Modish. Hopefully I've been able to demonstrate the versatility of screenprinting with the range of products that I picked and inspired some of you to try it out for yourselves.

If you're looking for gift wrap for your handmade gift this holiday season, take a look at my little shop where I have a small selection of screenprinted papers (more to come in 2008!) printed, trimmed and packaged by me here in Boston. As always, you can visit my blog to see what's going on behind the scenes.

Happy Holidays to all, stay warm and dry!

Of Paper and Thread

Danielle from Of Paper and Thread silkscreens her original designs onto cards and onto fabric that she uses to make coin purses. Danielle is based in Western Australia. There is alot of great screenprinted fabric coming out of Australia lately. There must be something in the water over there.

Morris & Essex

I'm absolutely crazy for these cards by Morris and Essex. Designer Eliza Jane Curtis- based in Buenos Aires- creates the cards using both traditional screenprinting tenchniques and a Gocco. I think she has a great eye for color, pattern and detail. All available for purchase in her Etsy shop.

Baz Biz Part 2

My third stop at Baz Biz was at the table of Big Dead Gerbil.

I was immediately drawn to William's silkscreened prints, especially the tree of life print pictured above, to the left. See the step by step process of how the print was created here. William ages the paper himself using various homemade concoctions discovered through trial and error. I love how the white ink looks on the dark-colored paper. The prints range from $20 - $40, totally reasonable for an original, handmade work of art.

4th Stop: Foxy and Winston

Foxy and Winston is a line of screenprinted art prints, cards and baby gear. Their aesthetic is bold, colorful, and graphic; it caught my eye in between the hordes of people crowding the table.

The bold graphic images are sophisticated and sweet at the same time. I picked up this deer card and I wish I had gotten more because the colors are so lush and saturated. Jane and I talked a little bit about the difficulties of working from the spare bedroom of her Brooklyn apartment. If you ever have the chance to go to a big craft fair like Bazarre Bizaar or Renegade Craft Fair, I highly encourage it. It's incredibly inspiring to talk to small business owners producing such amazing work from their homes.

Final stop: Two Trick Pony

My final stop was at the table of local company, Two Trick Pony. Owned by two friends, Laurie and Carrie, they produce vibrantly colored cards, art prints and journals. Last year, shortly after starting the company, they exhibited at the National Stationery Show in NY, where their line was picked up by over 20 stores! I'm a fan of their Holiday cards which are sweet and festive, without being saccharine.

So that's it for my Baz Biz recaps but I'll see you back here tomorrow for more screenprinted goodness.

Baz Biz Part 1

I am lucky enough to live in Boston and be able to attend the annual Bazaar Bizaare, the grandaddy of craft fairs. Originating in Boston in 2001, Bazarr Bizarre (Baz Biz) has expanded to include fairs in Cleveland, Los Angeles and San Francisco and attracts thousands of attendees annually. At yesterday's fair, to get into the venue, I waited in a line that extended around the perimeter of the building in 30 degree weather! It's great to see so many people supporting independent artisans. I love to speak with artists and learn more about their process, how they got started, etc. So, with the magic words at my disposal- "Modish Guest Blogger"- I entered the Cyclorama on a mission to track down some silkscreened goodies.

First stop: Heather Jeany

Providence, RI- based Heather Toupin of Heather Jeany didn't have far to travel to attend the Baz Biz. Exclusively using a   Gocco to print her line of paper goods, she offers a huge array of cards, flats, and also does custom work. I'm a huge fan of her mixtape stationary set which is cute enough to work for correspondence for any occasion.

Stop 2: Pinecone and Chickadee

I really enjoyed meeting the charismatic Amy and Noah from Pinecone and Chickadee. Is it beyond corny to say that they were just as sunny and fun as their colorful shirts and cards? I picked up a few cards for myself, including the three desings below. I love how their graphic animal shapes and bold colors really work to the strengths of the silkscreening technique. They use the traditional silkscreening method, shooting screens in the basement and printing on a homemade press made from the rotating base of a lazy susan (!).

That's it for now. Check back later this afternoon for Part 2 of my Baz Biz recap where I met three more crafters, including a gerbil, a fox and a pair of ponies...

Five under Ten

Tis the season for holiday parties, a little too much imbibing and the need for quick and easy gifts, no?  So here you go: My top 5 under $10.  The best part about all of these?  Their affordable enough you can buy one for them and one for you!

Jaime Zollars is a-okay in my book, her silkscreens are amazing in person and her subjects are a smidgen of fantasy and a hefty emphasis on beauty.  Ask for Underwater Circus for yourself, and load up on the Sampler's collaborative print, perfect for a hostess gifts on the fly.  A mere $7!!

The Small Object's Mighty Tin Can comes in right at $10, but I don't think you could find a cuter way to package up an assortment of holiday sweets.  Much cuter than a paper plate, this tin is a sure fire holiday keeper.

 

Heyday Fashion paired up with Crafters for Critters to make a DIY knitting needle kit. $10! And, even better, you support handmade, while the proceeds go to a variety of organizations that help animals in need!  After you buy, you're more than welcome to pat yourself on the back for a long long time with all the good you'll be doing by supporting this shop!

Paula Weigel of Plays With Mud (NC Crafty ladies represent!!) makes affordable ceramics intended for everyday use.  The pictures on her site are beautiful, but let me tell you, you can't appreciate her work until you hold it.  Delicate in appearance but durable, she offers Wee Bowls individually or as a set ($8 for 1, $22 for 4) BUT the Hand stamped Wee Tray just might be the best bargain you'll find this year for a mere $6!

There is nothing hotter on the design scene right now with typography.  A little something for the designer on your list?  $5 CAD, this little notepad is made up of print job offcuts and found sign pieces and absolutely eco-awesome! Available from Uppercase Gallery. 

Remember those perfume commercials. . .

the ones where they say, "If you like _____, then you'll love. . ."
In support of buying handmade, i thought it might be fun to do some of these throughout the holiday season.
Let's play, shall we?

If you like Anthropologie, then you'll love Sew Bliss Sew (left: a view of Bliss's table at the Handmade Market; right image: Anthropologie)

If you like Room Service Home's Holiday beauties (below left), how about Maggie Kern's cute creations over on Makool Loves you? (below, right)

If you love Jonathan Adler (image below, right)  then you'll adore George Ryan (below, left)!

If you like a bright and cheery desk (see left, 3-M brand post it notes) then you'll (REALLY) love boygirlparty's notepads (see right).

If you like Tord Boontje's work (remember the special guest Target designer everyone loooooved last year around the holiday season?; black and white image on right) then fall in love with Rob Ryan's (red and white image on left) work, then clickity click through his etsy shop an swoon!

And, finally, for this installment, if you like Crate and Barrel's birch bark candles, perhaps you'll love the longer lasting birch bark picture frames from Annemarie Sandstrom's etsy shop!

What have you seen in the great big world of shopping that reminds you of a mass produced Indie Crafter's work.  Anyone out there have any "If you like _____ then you'll love _____?"  I'd love to see what you've come up with, and what better way to draw a bit of attention to those out there working so hard to make quality handmade goods? Post a comment and please share!