welcome to my weekend

Not only do I have one of my favorite craft fairs this weekend, I also have this pile to contend with:

100 pieces of bookboard, 6.5x 9.5, for 50 folding bar menus
4 pieces of bookboard, 8.5 x 5.75, for two custom albums
Eight boxes of A2 envelopes (1600 total), return address printed
Two reams (that's 200 sheets) of 23x35--to be made into 1500 holiday cards

And it'll definitely take me longer than the weekend to finish all of that--so I'll be back next Friday for a recap!

holiday happenings

Holy moly! It's that time again!

I've been very busy behind the scenes (more on that, I hope, soon)--not the least of which is scheduling five awesome shows to participate in this holiday season:

Craft Vermont: Fine Art and Craft Show
presented by Vermont Hand Crafters
Friday-Sunday, November 18-20
Burlington, VT

Women's Festival of Crafts
Saturday and Sunday, November 26-27
Burlington, VT

Handmade Holiday Festival
presented by Alchemy Initiative
Friday and Saturday, December 2-3
Pittsfield, MA

Touch of Vermont
Saturday, December 10
Montpelier, VT

Holiday Artist Market
sponsored by Burlington City Arts
Friday and Saturday, December 16-17
Burlington, VT

Hope to see you there!

Psst: if you can't make it, be sure to check out the fine selection of holiday cards and 2012 calendars now available online!

finished fridays: the finish line is just the beginning

So, I've been AWOL for a little while...and this little blog has been on my mind.  Not that I got to take any pictures before shipping out big orders to four(!) stores--just the aftermath.

Not much bubble wrap or tape left.

Empty boxes, for storing and sorting between steps.

Empty sheets of labels.

Leftover strips of paper--nothing wasted!

I had hoped to give you a sneak peek at some new product before it arrives in stores, but I ran out of time.  Instead, you'll have to come out tomorrow and see them for yourself!

I'll be at the Queen City Craft Bazaar, along with dozens of other brilliant and talented crafters--and I'll have loads of new stuff to show you!

finished fridays: off to new york!

Meet me in New York tomorrow, and I'll have a little something for you! 

finished fridays: off to boston!

Today I was so busy I didn't even get to take pictures!  But two (big!) boxes went out the door, lots + lots more paper was cut, and the car was loaded up for a big weekend!  Join me tomorrow at...

Paper & Chocolate!  Chez Albertine Press, with special guests both papery + chocolatey.

And then on Sunday, come on down to...

Bazaar Bizarre!  It'll be my first year at the BBB, so stop by to say hi and check out the new stuff!

finished fridays: well, hello there!

They're here!  I finished folding and sorting last night, and this morning printed the bands and hangers:

My first-ever calendar...in a very limited edition, and available this weekend at:

I'm sure I'll get around to putting it up on etsy next week...if they're not all gone!

on the press: eleventh-hour inspiration

So, at five o'clock yesterday, inspiration hit.  Hard.

It's not mind-blowing, or earth-shattering even, but I finally came up with a design for (drum roll, please):

May Day Studio's first ever calendar!  I am really excited about this, folks, and I hope you are, too.

But why eleventh-hour, you may ask.  Because we're already into the swing of the holiday season, and gosh darn it if holiday fairs and custom orders haven't started rolling in, leaving me little (if any) free time. 

Speaking of which, here's a peek at my table from Saturday's Queen City Craft Bazaar.

And my goodness! The fairs!  The full list is a sight to behold:

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 26-28
Women's Festival of Crafts
Burlington, VT

Saturday, December 4
Paper & Chocolate
Somerville, MA

Sunday, December 5
Bazaar Bizarre Boston
Boston, MA

Saturday, December 11
Touch of Vermont Holiday Market
Montpelier, VT

Sunday, December 12
Bust Holiday Craftacular
New York City

Friday and Saturday, December 17 and 18
Burlington City Arts Holiday Artist Market
Burlington, VT

Recently added to that list are this weekend's Women's Festival of Crafts, in Burlington, as well as the Bust Holiday Craftacular in New York City!

And my personal favorite, the Paper & Chocolate open house at Albertine Press.

finished fridays: in twelve hours...

...meet me here:

It's really, really hard to believe that it's already November, and that the craft show season is already upon me.  Where did the summer go?

on the bench: ready-set-go

My first craft fair for the holiday season is this weekend--the Queen City Craft Bazaar in Burlington.

This week I've been putting together pocket journals, and spiffing up my table banner---which today got a big patch to cover up the stains from summer rainstorms, and pretty fabric edging to finish it off!

Come by and scoop up your holiday gifts early: this Saturday from 10-5 at Union Station, Burlington, VT.

finished fridays: one small step

Well, I did accomplish a few other things this week, but this is the only one that I got to keep.

It's still just a prototype, but it's got a really nice size and weight in the hand.  More to come soon!

P.S. It's almost craft fair time! Get out your shopping lists, and meet me at the Queen City Craft Bazaar next Saturday!

here we are again!

Meet me in Brooklyn, tomorrow!  I'll be sharing a booth with Albertine Press again this year--let's hope the rain holds off a few more days.

holiday time!

The Paper & Chocolate Crew!

It's here again...Holiday Fair time!  And so I hope you'll excuse the light posting, because I've been working like a busy bee behind the scenes.

Paper & Chocolate!  Design Hive!  Touch of Vermont!  BCA Holiday Market!  Hope to see you four times over! 

P.S. Only two more days for the online sale...get your holiday gifts early!

come one, come all

It's that time again! Join me and a whole raft of folks who celebrate big, heavy machines and the pretty things they make. New this year: the steamroller-as-printing-press. You won't want to miss it.

renegade--this weekend!

Howdy folks!  I'm feeling very guilty about the lack of posts here...but up here in the sticks, it (apparently) takes two weeks to get new internet service.

That said, my camera is full of in-progress shots--but the real thing is this weekend.  Come visit me at Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn and see new products in person! 

a month of threes

Hello, dear neglected blog readers! I haven't forgotten about you...

Things have been a bit crazy at the studio--and in this topsy-turvy economy, I'm glad to be kept busy day-in and -out.

And so, why a month of threes, you ask? Just that! Since my last post, I've taught three workshops:



I've also printed wedding invitations for three outstanding couples, business cards for three local businesses, and have been accepted at three pretty rockin' indie craft fairs:

Saturday May 9, join me in Burlington, VT at the Queen City Craft Bazaar!

Saturday + Sunday, June 6 +7, meet me (and Shelley of Albertine Press) in Brooklyn!

Sunday, June 21--bring your dad to the Printer's Fair in North Andover, MA!

For which I'm working on over 300 new journals. And sometimes sleeping!

one last weekend...

A holiday bazaar weekend, that is.
It's your last chance to get May Day Studio goodies for your friends & family! (Until 2009, anyway.)

Friday, December 19th 11am-7pm
Saturday, December 20 10am-6pm
City Hall, Burlington, VT

paper + chocolate

Not only two of my most favorite things, but also the name of this weekend's extravaganza.
For those of you that have come for the last two years, you know what a good time it is. Tell your friends, bring someone new, or whatever you have to do to get over to Somerville this Saturday and say "hey"!

the details:
Paper & Chocolate: Albertine Press + Taza Chocolate
featuring May Day Studio, Carta Inc., Beck Wasilewski, Pressbound and more.
Saturday, December 6th, from 10 am until 6 pm<---note extended hours! 561 Windsor Street, Somerville, MA
(between Inman and Union Squares)

and just because I know you're curious...a sneak peek at some new cards:
See you there!

hiding out + working hard

I know I don't have a great track record, posting-wise, but I do feel guilty when it's been too long.

Here's a peek at what's been keeping me away from the computer:
Last night I finished eight new journals--all bound with bookcloth handmade from vintage and retro fabric. They're not in my etsy shop, but these are! (P.S. After much demand for a square journal, I've started making these in 7-1/2" squares. Only available at my winter craft shows!)
And it's taken awhile, but I'm finally ready to send out thank yous--to those few select folks (you know who you are!). These are printed on handmade paper from Langdell from a handcarved linoleum block. I'll have a few extras for sale, too.

open studio: recap

The open studio was great! Thanks to everyone who came, and talked my ear off, and tried the presses, and bought journals, and...

...everything. You kept me so busy, I didn't even get any pictures of the studio-in-action. For more pictures (well, more exciting than my gloves), check out photographer Curtis Savard, who stopped by (and stayed for awhile!) and Tara Jensen, fellow Fort Can-ite.

open studio

I hope you'll all (yes, all!) join me tomorrow at my open studio.It's been a very long day...and I'm still not ready! Back to work!