screen printing in the rubble

just look at that pegboard!

Making this move has had its ups and downs.  Sometimes you’ll be driving in the car for what seems like DAYS just to get to a decent Thai food place.  But then you go downstairs and realize:  “What??  I have a workshop?!  A real, live workshop!” and then suddenly pad thai accessibility doesn’t seem like such a deal breaker.

It should be noted that the nearest, decent Thai restaurant is only a ten minute drive away.  It should also be noted that I know I’m a crybaby.  City people are so spoiled.

Right now, the workshop kinda looks like this:

mystery boxes

Even though we’re working with only 20% of floor space I had a chance to break out the ol’ screen printing tools and go to work today.  I had two onesie orders to fill from a couple weeks ago when all our stuff was in limbo, and Metal Feathers needed t-shirts so I got to work.

Click on the image to buy your own Harbor Seal Onesie!

I made five of these in different sizes to complete the current stock I have.  If you think the harbor seal design is cute and want one of your own just click right here.

metal feathers

Then came the MFers tees — this was a tough design to print, because the glasses are so thick and the writing was pretty thin, so getting the ink saturation was difficult.  I had to go over it once and then a second time, with emphasis on the ‘m’ and the ‘s’ at the bottom/top of the design.  The guys said they came out well, though, so I guess my work here is done.

work!

There are a lot of lovely things about the new house, but one thing in particular is the utility sink in the workshop.  Just genius.  So now instead of running up to the kitchen or outside to the hose I can just walk my screen over to the sink and wash it, no threat of getting ink in non-crafty places.  Well, I can wash it conveniently right after I drop it on the floor and start screaming at the Yudu machine.  Seriously — it’s the dumbest machine to rely heavily on because I refuse to learn the right way to do anything.  Anyways, check this out:

swoon

Mostly it was just really relaxing to actually start making things with my hands again.  They’ve been busy with packing boxes, lifting boxes, scraping walls, ripping up carpet, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning for the last month.  I also picked up some light, summer knitting (100% cotton happy beach time hair bands… coming soon…) to do while we watch the Netflixes.  Handwork is essential to me and I’m glad I don’t have to put it on the back burner anymore, even if there are about 100 boxes that need to be unpacked…

A Week in Pictures

Cash and Jason surveying our seedlings, mostly salad stuff like cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and mesclun mix. But we've got some summer squash and basil in there for good measure. Yum.

Jason and I finally learned how to use the Yudu. It's definitely a machine meant for soccer moms, but to burn a screen and make a decent print for beginners is pretty sweet. Next task is to learn how to mix our own emulsion so we don't have to pay for those ridiculous sheets. Still! Bath Salts t-shirts are on their way!

Little K turned 3 last week, but we celebrated tonight. She is so interesting at this age - learning how to be shy (finally) but also regaling everyone with her sense of humor.

Ice Cream Cone Shaped Cake. Deliciously sweet, I think we all crashed about 10 minutes after each having just one teeny bit of it!

My favorite photograph this week: Cash blisses out on tissue paper under the coffee table and the excellent dinosaur print 'tablecloth.' She's a crowd pleaser while the other darn cat runs away and hides, which is fine because he smells a little funny most of the time, so it's probably better that way.

Spending unusually large amounts of money on unusual tchotchkes at the Prides Corner Flea Market

Perfect little objects, like this 4 inch tall kerosene lamp, perfectly usable and perfectly in tact, are definitely worth $10, even for a cheapskate.

We've been eating remarkably well, and almost entirely from the international market, Mittapheap, on Washington Ave. in Portland, ME. Neighborhoods need to support their international markets, frozen crickets and all, because where else will you find plantains, rice noodles, nag champa, sriracha, Vietnamese coffee supplies and pocky under one roof? Nowhere else.