where's Toto?!

eek! my house looks like a tornado hit this past week. there are fabric scraps and newsprint lying everywhere and my hubby's probably about to go on the fritz ... at least i know i am and it's MY mess! well, needless to say, it's good news for all YOU! i've been SUPER busy this past week creating new designs, reclaiming and burning new screens, printing, cutting, sewing and experimenting with new designs and styles. it's actually very exciting, but, i AM exhausted! tomorrow night is photo shoot night and thursday evening is posting night. then, it's just in time to go away for the weekend to visit my fam in PA! yikes... still a lot to do but that's my plan at least :/ so, wish me the best and check back so you can see all my new goodies! oh yeah, and ... Happy EARLY Easter!!!! :)

tweet.

after discovering speedball's speedy carve, i thought it'd be fun to carve my own stamp. and, this stuff is great and so easy to use! now, i can use my stamp to personalize products and packaging. it works perfect! here's a few tips i found very useful:

+ it's easiest to stencil on your drawing with a lead pencil but remember when you're doing this draw your design on backwards bec/ when you go to print you will be flipping it over to stamp. i did this backwards my first time and now i have an extra bird mate on hand.

+when cleaning your stamp be gentle! i learned the hard way when i tore the tail off of my bird while attempting to clean the ink from its corners. sorry birdie. :/

+ if you're carving out a design with fine lines, place the block of rubber in the freezer for 10 mins or so before carving. this will help keep the block firmer as you carve. it worked great for me. give it a shot, it's very therapeutic.

screen printing 101

i plan on posting a video of my screen printing process but for now, a few images and a step-by-step overview will have to do. above is an image of some of the frames i use. i try to keep a collection of different sized frames for various projects.
1. the screens must be coated with photo-sensitized emulsion and left to dry in a dark space.
2. next then the design must be printed in all black and placed backwards on the screen to be burnt using some type of UV light source.
3. once the image is burned, you must rinse the screen to reveal the design (the remaining emulsion acts as a stencil). once the screen has dried, it's time to print.
4. attach your frame to your hinge clamps (http://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-deluxe-hinge-clamps/) and register your print by using the transparency in which you used to burn your images as a guide. this will allow you to identify where your print will line up on whatever you choose to print.
5. add some ink (i use water-based fabric ink, it's softer and green... http://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-water-base-textile-screen-printing-inks/) to the top and bottom of your frame and make a few passes at (the number will vary depending on the detail and line-weight of your design) and don't forget to flood your image before setting up your next print. this will prevent the ink from drying in your screen which can ruin it.
6. once finished printing, the screens must be rinsed immediately.
7. after the prints have dried, the ink must be cured so it can be washed (to do this, many print houses use flash dryers, but if you're like me, a household iron will do the trick).
voila! now, you can enjoy your new print(s).

MY studio ...+ stairs.

This is where all the printing gets done, in MY studio! It may be a bit small and I may not have the luxury equipment that most professional print shops have, but I make it work. If you love something enough, you'll find a way. Someday I may have my dream studio, but for now, this is it, my twiddle+tweet studio, and IT makes me happy ...even when it comes to using my stairs as a non-conventional drying rack. :)

beginning adventures.

screen printing was the first technique i wanted to learn in printmaking, so i enrolled in a class at the visual arts center of richmond (http://visarts.org/) where i learned the basics. this class taught me many tricks of the trade, especially when printing repeat patterns. it was a lot of fun. i really miss the huge drying racks and the wash bin to reclaim my screens...my steps and bathroom tub don't compare - but, i make it work.

hello world.

so here it is, my first blog: twiddle+tweet. this blog is an extension of my recently launched shop (www.twiddleandtweet.etsy.com) and my NEW site, www.twiddleandtweet.com. i am excited to use this feed as a way to learn more about me and the process in which i design and make my products. i have been collecting pictures to post so now it's time to play a bit of catch up. but first, here's a little bit more about me...

it's been a dream of mine to design and sell my own line of goods since a young tot. i've always loved to doodle patterns on the edges of all my papers and draw sketch after sketch of fashion ideas in my brightly colored lisa frank notebooks, but i never really knew where that could ever take me.

then, after gaining an education in graphic design while taking some additional fashion design classes, things started to connect.

i had never really considered printmaking in the past. i guess i didn't understand what the term "printmaking" really even meant until i became an addict of fashion and home design blogs and began to learn more about the designers featured in them. it was then, that i realized that printmaking was the calling for me.

since then, i've became a familiar face at my local library and arts/fabric stores. it's been a fun journey and i am still learning new things everyday. follow me in my exciting adventure.