paperclip flags and Happy NSD

A few folks emailed me yesterday asking whether the little flags I posted on Instagram yesterday would be for sale in the shop...the answer is no.

While they are super cute...I think they are so simple and fun to make. Some things are way better shared than sold:) I do forsee them popping up in Bananafishstudio  digital products though...

starting right now.

For free. Happy NSD! By the way, they are free everyday...not just today.

 download HERE

If you were wondering where I got the idea well...I kinda sorta got it from these lovely little bows I saw on the Silhouette blog a few weeks ago that prompted a search to actually purchase paper clip flags.

But I couldn't find any.

I found a lot of things with epoxy bits at the top and ribbon and such, but nothing quite like what I was looking for. I dug through my own stash and came up with some ribbon clips which I like, but I'm not much of a ribbon user. So I decided to make some with paper. After tweaking the design to make them easier to cut, I turned them into a PDF and there you go. I decided to forgo the Silhouette in favor of scissors. I like keeping things basic. Most of us have a pack of clips, a pair of scissors, and some paper right? While messing around I stumbled on the fact that by cutting a slit in my diecuts and using my craft knife, I can use those with paper clips too. See below.

 diecuts above by Studio Calico

with basic paper punched shapes>>>

** I used a super old Fiskars decorative scissors for the tiny ric rac edges. I don't know where to get them...maybe Michaels.

the art of doing my own thing

Non-scrapbooking readers? This post is quite scrapbooky so you might want to sit this one out.

As of last month I no longer subscribe to any scrapbooking kit clubs. 

This may seem like no big deal except for the fact that I have been receiving a kit...at times multiple kits for the last 5 years.

When I first started subscribing, I felt a bit at odds with scrapbooking. The industry, the community...I just didn't fit and felt as though I was constantly being reminded every time I looked at a magazine or went to my LSS. I also noticed...even a few years prior, that scrapbooking sites were quickly growing an increasingly active online community.

I wanted in.

It felt fresh and modern. Many new shops were popping up run by independent designers like myself. Scrapbookers in general seemed more diverse and with the growth of social networking...many non scrapbookers seemed a lot more receptive to the idea of documenting their lives through pictures and words.

The first kit I got was from a company that seemed headed in a much more current direction. The product I received in my monthly box was from a mix of manufacturers. I found the variety inspiring as it included lots of bits and pieces I wouldn't normally choose myself.

After a while, the boxes began to accumulate. At a price point between 30-40 dollars it suddenly occurred to me how much money was stacked up in the corner of my office. Not only could I not use it fast enough...but only about half of it was stuff I really loved. I mean, they had to cater to more than just me, right?

But I still didn't want to quit. I couldn't. Truth be told...I felt ever so slightly addicted to that box of paper heaven. Plus, I loved the community...I wasn't much of a contributor, but their gallery was awesome, not to mention that they were increasingly turning to independent designers for products to include in their kits. Bananafishstudio included.

This was all wonderful...save for the fact that boxes continued to be stacked unopened in the corner collecting dust. 

A few weeks ago I finally called it quits for a few reasons.

I went though all the boxes and the stack I decided to keep was really only a fraction of everything I received. All the other items were fabulous...just not for me.  As both a stamp designer and stamp collector, I have become super picky about the stamps I choose to purchase. Stamps represent a significant part of the cost of a kit...no stamp meant more money I could spend on something else.

As I looked through all the papers, and washi and veneers...I thought, it would be so lovely if I had someone who would pick out exactly what I want just for me every month. Then I thought...you do dummy...YOU. You can pick out your own stuff when and if you need it.

In the beginning I felt I needed the kits to be creative, to feel part of a burgeoning community, to be productive...and now I don't. As a major manufacturer of scrapbooking product I still support the kit company albeit in a different way...their products are now a part of the kits I choose for myself...

Yup! that's right. I now choose my own kit every month...well at least since April:)  I know the recipe...5-10 patterned papers...no cardstock because I just don't need it. Alpha stickers., but only if I love them because I have a ton, a roll of washi is a must:) NO STAMPS...unless they are super cute, 6x6 pads for my cards and embellishments, always embellishments...stickers, wood veneer, labels...the items I love from collections that are just my style.

For the record, I'm not doing this to save money.  I just wanted to take the budget I set for myself and repurpose it so that I could be sure I was getting exactly what I wanted. 

Check out my April and May picks:

April:

List:

All papers except the stripes by Dear Lizzy for American Crafts Lucky Charm Collection
Stripes-Oh Snap by Echo Park
Chipboard stickers- Dear Lizzy
Enamel dots and Label Stickers My Mind's Eye
Stars & Such  Woodchips- Freckled Fawn
Grey Alphas- Basic Grey
Pink Chevron Washi- Bella Blvd.
6x6 Pad-Studio Calico

 May:

 List:

All papers except for the tiny yellow dots and pink cameras part of the Dear Lizzy Lucky Charm collection for American Crafts
Pink Camera-Amy Tangerine
Tiny Yellow Dots-Echo Park
6x6 Pad-Dear Lizzy
Sticker Booklet- Dear Lizzy
Smile Washi- KI
Cloud Woodchips- Freckled Fawn
Diced Denim Alphs- Jillibean Soup
Trendsetter Tape Stickers- Fancy Pants

Both kits cost approx 30 dollars each

crush

emma

source

bringing the outside inside

 source

striped chair

source

black and white

source

open

After a somewhat lengthy hiatus, the Bananafishstudio shop re-opens today at 2PM PST.

The shop has undergone quite a metamorphosis since I first began on Etsy over 5 years ago. I started small and then gradually grew until I realized sometime last year that my goal was never really to have a large shop, but to occupy a small corner of the web with well designed paper products and stamps. My plans for this year, while not written in stone, is to remain in this vein for a while for I find that it suits me. It also allows for ample time to do side projects which subsidize my income and keep me inspired.

Because I fancy keeping things rather controlled,  my inventory is select and limited. My restocking schedule can be found under the "NEWS" section of the shop. I hate that anyone feels disappointment, but if you do miss out on something you were hoping to get...it shall return:) If a sold out item says "coming soon" it means the restock is already underway. I do not create a scarcity to increase demand, I simply order what I can afford and properly store. Unlike much larger companies, I could not maintain my shop nor my spirits if I was continuously saddled with stock I could not move.  Re-ordering, while not an immediate solution, helps me to satisfy customers and maintain on-going relationships with my printer and stamp manufacturer.  It also helps me feel a bit more brave about taking risks:) I hope you don't mind this bit of behind the scenes info, but I like to share this sort of thing.

I'll leave you with a few peeks at some new items.
As always...Thanks so very MUCH
-f

the fine print

 Well... the Bananafishstudio shop will be reopening on Monday, the 18th of March.

I took an extra long break to work on  a few personal projects, spend time with my family and recover from some major burnout.

Really, I was just waiting to be inspired.

This brings me back to the shop...there are a few changes.  I'm giving you a heads up so you won't be surprised.

Shipping:
There's now a flat rate for all packages shipped within the US. International shipping has gone up quite a bit. SO sorry my dear  customers in other countries, but you can blame the US Postal Service. The upside, I will refund any excess shipping for International customers if it turns out that you were overcharged.

Paper:
There are no new paper products this go round.  There will be some new sampler and bulk packs available and a few items have been redesigned, but that's about it. Most of my favorite basics will still be available.

Rubber stamps:
I really focused on a pretty big collection of stamps this time. If you follow me on Instagram you would have gotten a peak. I'm really quite happy with the results...a LOT of simple, useful images that work in a LOT of different ways...and here's the kicker:

NO MORE ASSEMBLY REQUIRED!!!!!!

One of the reasons I've had to delay the shop re-opening has to do with this very big change. I have long felt that cutting every piece of foam by myself was a practice I could not sustain forever.  Especially since all that cutting required so much time and energy...energy that could be better spent packaging and getting things shipped out more quickly. The transition required quite a bit of research and testing and, like most things, took way longer than I expected. The stamps are high quality deep etched red rubber so no need to worry that I've sacrificed anything. On the contrary, I am thrilled with the results and only wish I could have gone in this direction earlier.


So yeah, that's pretty much it. I will be updating the shop some time on Monday or Tuesday so you will be able to see the products, read descriptions and check out pricing well before they are made available. Although you will be able to see the products...they won't be available for purchase just yet. I will probably add things to the shop as inspiration strikes. As much as I appreciate companies creating new collections all the time... I can't compete with that. Rather, I try to just make things I would love...things that work well with the products you already have and adore...products that are a perfect representation of the Bananafishstudio style. I hope you find it worth the wait:)

project | watercolor card

Once upon a time I saw this post on Oh So Beautiful Paper and bookmarked it for a rainy day.

This isn't so much a novel idea as it is one worthy of being revisited often. As of late, I have noticed a lot of watercolor out there and I kinda sorta love it. It conjours up a wistfulness I associate with springtime and newness.

Now, like any self-respecting papercrafter, I own both watercolor paper and rarely used watercolors. They have gathered dust in a bin waiting for their fickle owner to scoop them up and actually make something.

I give you the incredibly basic watercolor card with guest appearance by "love you" rubberstamp.

fig.1: Gather your supplies. Some of the items you will need that aren't pictured...scratch paper to mix paint, paper towels to blot excess water, and a stamp pad.

 fig.2: Cut and score your watercolor paper. I made this 4Bar size which is 3 1/2" x 4 7/8". This is the smallest size you can safely send through the mail.

 fig.3: Create a wash of color. This is a totally freestyle exercise, so just experiment and have fun. If you are using watercolor paper you will get much better results. I tried using thick smooth paper and I couldn't get it to blend well. Perhaps human error.

stamp designed and sold by the talented Tina of LifeLovePaper

fig.4: Stamp your chosen image on a piece of smooth cardstock and cut out. I left a thin border around the edge.

TIP: Okay...so i tried to stamp this image directly onto the watercolor paper and, well, I should have known better. It's difficult to get a sharp result on textured paper. I was pretty mad at myself since I was really happy with the watercolor background and I didn't want to have to scrap it. Don't be like me:) Test your stamp on the same background you intend for your project...FIRST.

fig.5: Adhere your image to your card. I used a pop dot.

fig.6: Write a sweet note on the inside.

NOTES: I plan on making a version of this card about a million more times because I loved the result. I would really love to do it on smooth paper but it just didn't work for me. I used Papertrey paper since that's the heaviest stock I had on hand. I think it works fine if you just want color...but I wanted to achieve more of a wash effect with subtle gradations. I guess I can always do it digitally and print it out onto smooth paper like I did with the  sweetheart mini mini, but that's not quite the same as getting messy is it?  I would really love to try a resist effect with text and embossing. Maybe it's time to bust out the mists and distress inks...God knows they could use some love.

PROJECT MINI MINI

 Yeah, I did it. I took mini and doubled it.

Valentine's--a day for giving flowers, smooching your sweetheart, writing love notes and giving in to commercialism...if only for one little day.

it also happens to be my wedding anniversary.

Over the years I've made my husband a lot of crap. I like to think I'm making it for him, but really the things I make, the little books in particular, are a wonderful reminder that we have it pretty good.

After seven years of marriage and almost 13 years cohabitating...he is still my sweetheart.

So, if you have waited to the last minute to prepare a little something for your sweetheart, I've prepared a little project that just might score you a few points:)

Below you will find lots of images and instructions.

Simply print out the downloadable PDF. I used smooth white cardstock.

Cut out each rectangle and then score down the middle. Let the pattern guide your score rather than the size of the card itself. Once all cards are cut and scored fold and then trim while folded so that all your "pages" are the exact same size: 3 1/4 "

I like to embellish my cards at this point. Especially sewing and stamping. This gets more difficult once the book is assembled. You can also add photos but I usually prefer to do that later.

I then begin adhering the cards to one another in no particular order. I keep color and pattern in mind while doing this. All you have to do is use your favorite strong adhesive and glue the white side of one card to the white side of the other until you have adhered them all.

You then want to adhere both the white side of the front flap and the white side of the back flap to appropriately trimmed chipboard.  I used heavy weight white chipboard, but you can use any heavy weight material you like. You can even use wood or acrylic. I simply traced my little book onto the surface of my cover and cut them out. I use strong adhesive on this part...like score-tape.

 

You now have a mini minibook. You can choose to either leave the spine exposed or you can cover it up with fabric, light weight paper, wide washi or whatever you like.

Using my assembled book as a ruler, I traced the width of the spine and the length of the edge on the paper I chose. You can make it as wide as you like. Play with it and see what looks right to you. As shown, if using paper, you can score the spine area and add adhesive to only the portion that will be adhered to the front and back of the book.

Decorate the front of your book. I love the decorating parts:)

Add photos and journaling if you see fit. I usually do special moments from the previous year...that way, the contents of my Valentine's book are always different and serve as a sweet retrospective.

You're all done. If you have any square jewelry boxes hanging around from Christmas...this mini mini fits perfectly inside.

Other than the calendar page which can easily be covered with a photo, this book is not holiday specific so feel free to spread the love whenever and to whomever you like. If you share pics on Instagram, let me know, I'd love to see it.

shop talk

At this very moment my office/crafting room is in total disarray. It is in a state so disconcerting to me that I don't even dare open the door.

It was a goal of mine that, before I begin any new project, I would clean things up. Not just a quick tidy mind you, but a real deep down, get rid of shit type of clean.

This began with a trip to Ikea and the purchase of a desk and some storage bins so that I could...1)hide less frequently used items away and 2)relocate my sewing machine from a folding dinner tray.

It's only been a few days since I've procured the new desk and bins and I have yet to fill/build anything. I have languished a bit since my shopping excursion...content to work on things that don't require my entering that room.

That said, my date for re-opening the shop has slid back and forth for the last few weeks. I originally intended for it to be in late January, but that came and went. Then, as of last week I figured this week was as good as any, but perhaps not.

I'm still waiting on some new stamps, and trying to figure pricing. You'd think I'd have that down to a science, but I don't...and the new postal rates certainly aren't helping.

enough lamenting though, right? I'm a very small shop + I'm the boss.

So here's the skinny: I'm not ready yet.

I'm traveling for over a week in mid February and that's coming up fast. I don't want to open and then have to delay the sending of packages because I'm vacationing. Rather, I have decided to wait until I return to make items available for purchase. But I will open up the gallery so you can at least see what will be available upon my return. Hope this doesn't disappoint anyone...seems like "slowly but surely" is the name of the game.