In with the New.

January is notoriously slow on the retail front. The holiday insanity has come to a close, and the signs of life that return with Spring are a long way off. So, with a little bit of extra time on my hands, I decided to create some new designs. It’s my favorite part of the job, and lately, I’ve just been flooded with inspiration. In the coming weeks, my hope is to debut several new designs, but today, I’ll introduce you to the first two… Continue reading »

Spotted: Janelle Haskin

Large Bow in Plum, $24

Last week, I was featured in an Etsy Treasury (member curated collections that fill the Etsy home page) with this lovely gal. Aside from the fact that her hand knitted items are superbly cute and feminine, it’s her fantastic pictures that make the shop so memorable. I’m particularly fond of this one… Continue reading »

All Lit Up.

Wrap yourself up like a present for the season in this plaid jumper from Necessity is the Mother.

Screenprinting can be an awfully messy gig, and I nearly always wander from place to place in old levis and even older Converse, but something about the sparkle of the holidays stirs up an oh-so-girly desire to throw on some fancier duds. The twinkle of lights has begun to spill out onto patios and front yards all around my neighborhood, and it has inspired me to find some equally festive items and add them to my wish list. Continue reading »

Midnight Dreary.

Point the Way, print of an original work by John Clark.

Daylight Savings comes to an end today, and while it can breathe new life into a drunken celebration to gain an hour, particularly on Halloween night, ultimately, this change signals the slow fade of sunlight. Daily doses of vitamin D will plummet dramatically, especially here in the Pacific Northwest, but hey, it’s not all bad. There’s something eerily comforting about the encroaching darkness. I feel as though it gives you permission to retreat into yourself a bit more, allowing a more experimental, creative side to take the reins. So, I’m going to attempt to welcome it in this year with open arms. Who knows what might be lurking in the shadows… Continue reading »

Hit the Pavement.

I can’t think of anything better to break up the bleak, gray cold of the outside. Electric blue, and just the right size. Rapture - Upcycled bright blue leather bag from Hoakon/Helga. 

One of my absolute favorite blogs to follow is The Sartorialist. Started by Scott Schuman, a veteran of the fashion industry, it chronicles the very best of day-to-day street style from around the world. Aside from the refreshingly minimal layout of the blog itself (no flashing ads or distracting content filling every margin of the page), Schuman’s pictures manage to successfully capture a completely different mood than a more traditional fashion magazine. For the most part, The Sartorialist features regular, every day people that choose to maintain an inspired wardrobe. As you scan the images, you begin to notice the care that goes into even the smallest detail. It motivated me to pull together a collection of some of my favorite inspired pieces for fall… Continue reading »

Teen Spirit

Grunge Gloves in Curry by While They Play.

My boyfriend and I joined Netflix this summer, and after checking out a handful of new releases, we quickly spiraled into a silly obsession with 90s television shows. Last time I checked, we had churned through the first 5 seasons of Beverly Hills 90210, and I recently felt compelled to rent the first (and only) season of My So-called Life. Within a week, I devoured all 15 or so episodes. I had such affection for  the show when it originally aired and thought it would stir up some of my own teen angst-filled memories. Continue reading »

Something Wicked.

A book of poetry straight from the shadows, At Night, The Dead by Lisa Ciccarello & Blood Pudding Press.

Two days ago, a spider large enough to make me nervous took up residence in a shadowy corner of my bedroom. I’ve always harbored equal amounts of love and hate for spiders. On the one hand, I’m completely repulsed by their overall appearance and feeding methods, but on the other hand, I’m utterly fascinated when I see one. The hair will stand up on my arms and I’ll let out frightened little giggles like a 5 year old as I watch them crawl around. Since I have a thing for predatory women and animals, I thought these creepy crawlers would make a perfect holiday addition to my collection. And while I’m on the subject of creepy, I figured I’d pull together a sampling of other bits and bobs that go bump in the night… Continue reading »

Pitter-Patter.

Lovely mini art print, Eloise Jumps in a Puddle, by Flapper Doodle.

After a long stint of record breaking heat, the rain and cold finally returned home to Seattle this week. Even the most vitamin D deprived little face here welcomed it back with a smile. Extreme weather in either direction sends us in to hysterics, and we have, unfortunately, experienced both ends of that spectrum this year. So, needless to say, the recent wave of drizzle and the familiar pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof has put us all back in our comfort zone.  And even though my school days are long gone, that tinge of excitement for a new academic year, sweater weather, pumpkins, big bowls of soup, horror movies, and falling leaves moved in with the cloud cover. I’m ready for autumn. Continue reading »

Through the Woods.

Whimsical card, Seduction, by Hide ‘n Seek.

The past few weeks have been a hectic blur. Long hours spent preparing for the August issue of Seattle magazine (which includes a sweet little feature on Flock & Blackbird Tees) to hit shelves, and helping my boyfriend with the beginning phases of his own flourishing biz and Etsy shop.  But now, as this week slowly comes to a close, I’m ripe for an escape. Olympic National Park is calling my name, as it does every summer, and I’ve decided this is the time to answer. We’ve taken stock of all our camping gear, run every errand imaginable, and mapped our route. Bright and early Monday morning, we’ll be heading west to the lush green mountains and cool drizzle of the rainforest. Continue reading »

Come Together.

The Gathering. An original little drawing by Pretty Little Thieves. 

Occasionally, living the life of a crafter can feel extremely lonely. My average week is about 50-60 hours and probably just over half of that is spent completely alone in my print studio. And while I certainly wouldn’t trade it for anything, sometimes I forget what it’s like to be in a room full of people. Well, actually, I suppose I should clarify that. I do go to bars–primarily of the karaoke variety, and I do participate in a bootcamp workout class. So, it’s more honest to say that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be in a room full of sober, non-sweaty, grunt-free people. Continue reading »

So, This Bird Walks into a Diner…

Print of an original gouache painting, Large Charlie Bird by Matte Stephens.

For the first time in quite a while, I’ve had a handful of afternoons off, and my favorite thing to do is to sit by one of my living room windows, coffee in hand, and listen to the wee birds that gather just outside. Right around 5pm, the same tall tree transforms into a hotbed of excitement and conversation. I can’t be absolutely certain, but from what I can tell, they look like Black-capped Chickadees. Tiny with robust round bellies and the chattiest little chirp. Continue reading »

To the Moon, Alice.

Melancholy and sweet print by BestArtStudios2, It’s Lonely Down Here.

Over the past several days, I’ve come in contact with an unusually large number of crazies, and these run-ins brought to mind the urban legend about full moons. For those that don’t know, legend has it that the rise of a full moon does something to people’s mental state. Emergency rooms report an increase in patients. There’s a higher incidence of strange behavior and bizarre crimes, etc. Continue reading »

I Scream.

Fireworks, sparklers, apple pie, cookouts, sunblock, crowds as far as the eye can see. These are all reasonable things to associate with the 4th of July. Seeing as how I’m not a fan of crowds, sunblock, heat, or screaming children, I make no such associations. For me, Independence Day conjures up fond memories of ice cream and bad movie marathons. So, to the majority of you, have fun and try not to catch anything on fire.  Know that I’m listening from afar, creamsicle in hand, and independence intact.

Flying Dreamsicle Says Hello (and in the most delightful way) by Betty Turbo. Continue reading »

Birds of a Feather

As my shop name would suggest, I have a healthy dose of affection for the birdies of the world. And since I recently launched a new Tail Feather design on tees and tanks, I thought it only fitting to pull together a small collection of feathered favorites today. Tweet, tweet.

Channel your inner Stevie Nicks with this feathery bohemian headband by L.A. Native. Continue reading »

Office Space.

8 x 12 glossy print, Don’t Go To Work by Oak and Acorn.

Today is officially my boyfriend’s last day at his job of 5 years. He will be the third person in my life to quit their day job and pursue a more creative, independent career. It’s a little ridiculous how contagious quitting can actually become. Especially considering that, over the past 2 years, all of these people have seen me stressed out, poor, overworked and exhausted. It must really say something when that looks like an appealing alternative to the daily grind. Continue reading »