tiny-pine-press-blog-featured-image

Pretty Pictures

A couple of weeks ago, I went out on a little hiking adventure with Gia Canali in Fryman Canyon (in Los Angeles)… Well, it was more than just a hike. Gia’s husband Matt was lugging 3 or 4 heavy camera’s along because this was to be a photo shoot. I haven’t ever had my pictures taken professionally before so I didn’t think it at all peculiar that we would take a hike….

I was uncomfortable as Gia started clicking the cameras… apparently I am a “blinker”… and the more we hiked along the trail, the more relaxed (and probably sweaty) I got.

We got to the last bit of light that day and I tied on my printing apron that I carried with me up the hill. Gia got out her big old lovely 4×5 camera and loaded some polaroid film. I instantly felt in my element… In front of a BIG tree, as the sun was setting, with the mountains behind me… I was wearing my work out fit and I was comfortable.

Gia took the picture and promptly starting doing some magic work on the film and a couple of days later, she emailed this to me. Everything combined created an antique photo of me…. making me look as if I was a printer plucked from the turn of the century… (the 1900’s)

Now I can’t help but post this picture everywhere… I feel like she was able to capture me and then somehow with her chemical processes, Gia produced this vintage looking version of me.

So, all of that was to say… Gia sure does know how to make a picture. Literally….


Joyful Heart Tee-Party at Michael Stars via The Buzz Girls

Isn’t that a lot of great names in one sentence!

Tiny Pine Press has been ramping up involvement with the Joyful Heart Foundation for a few years now… When the Michael Stars company saw the cards I did for the another Joyful event, they requested I make some up for The Buzz Girls party at their Montana Avenue store in Santa Monica.

Michael Stars has created a T shirt and for every Joyful Heart Tshirt sold, they give one to a woman in need at a shelter. And I have to tell you, these T shirts are AMAZING! For the launch party with the Buzz Girls, Tiny Pine Press provided the “gratitude” cards and the party guests were to write a note of hope and  inspiration for the recipients of the t shirts. It was a big honor, truthfully. What an amazing cause! And what a fun to be included with this amazing group of women.

Since I provided the cards, Tiny Pine was included in the very exceptional Buzz Girls gift bag. FANCY!!!

Sooooo make sure to go buy lots of the Joyful Heart T shirts… cause every time you make you or your friends feel lovely in one of those shirts, you make another woman feel lovely at what is likely to be a really tough time in her life.

Here are some pictures of the event.. including one of me with the Joyful Heart crew! xoxo

photos by  lisarosephoto.com


Merci!

In all of my free time (HA!), I have been beefing up my line of sell-ables for the etsy shop and potentially wholesale line for the future. Mostly I have been getting bursts of inspiration and trying to figure out a paper product to coincide. When I was cleaning out my paper closet, I found a small pile of Dirty Byrd cards in this sagey celedon color leftover from a job years and years ago.

There is nothing I like printing more than soft cotton handmade paper from the magical Dirty Byrd.

So I decided to make up some thank you notes. this one says “merci” for all the Francophiles… I also did a similar one that says “thank you” for those Anglophiles! hee hee…

By they way, these aren’t just green. They are green And GREEN. Printed by hand with no electricity on tree free paper with soy based ink. Can’t get much greener than that.

They will be available in the next week or so on the Tiny Pine Press Etsy store.. check back!



My Joyful Heart

Tiny Pine Press has been working with the Joyful Heart Foundation for a few years now, designing and printing invitations for some of their events in New York and recently in Los Angeles. The Joyful Heart Foundation’s mission is to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, and to shed light into the darkness that surrounds these issues.

Since I have really gotten to know the organization over the years, I realize that what they do is truly focus on spreading JOY in the present and for the future and not focus too much on the negativity of experiences.

I designed and created these cards with the same intentions. I wanted to create something that represented the Joyful Heart mission from a pure place…. something that someone would be so grateful to send and grateful to receive.

cheryl's scoring hands

The result was that I was grateful to create them. I haven’t done a line of cards before like this. I cut all the paper (with my new cutter!!), printed two runs on 650 cards, watched Cheryl score them….. (my hand was hurting from the 1300 previous pressings) had some extremely helpful hands with the rhinestone gluing (thanks CHERYL and JILL!), packaged them for gift bags on a Friday night (thanks Joanna), AND I loved every minute of it. I felt joy and love in this work.

What’s amazing about gratitude is that if you truly feel it, your heart opens up and love comes flowing right. Sometimes it lands on the ink disk in the form of soy ink and gets printed on luxurious cotton.


One man’s trash…

is my treasure! especially in this case.

Well, actually, I did pay a little bit for this press. (and then I paid almost as much to have it moved!)

Introducing my new big bad printing giant. He’s a Chandler & Price 10×15 old style from around 1912. He is OLD and sweet and so far his personality is easy-going. He still hasn’t told me his name. I do know that he is a loving gentle giant. His heart is open and exposed because look what I found. He has an ink fountain attached and the pins are shaped like little hearts. A whole row. I saw those and fell in LOVE!

I parked him in my garage with his girlfriend, the big cutter. I think she told mentioned that her name is Betsy. They are about the same age and they came from the same shop. I just couldn’t bear to separate them. Betsy doesn’t look her age, but she is set in her ways. Photos of her are coming shortly.

I have been spending extensive quality time with my new friends, just getting to know them…. Cleaning up the quiet Mr. printing press and trying to listen for his name – exploring all of the possible ole holes for his old joints. and getting ready to have the chiropractor come over soon to give him an adjustment so he will be ready to print print print.


Thomas A Minor & The Picket Line

My younger brother (he’s taller than me so I hesitate to call him my ‘little’ brother anymore), Oscar Lee Riley Parsons lives in Louisville and spends his days making leather, doing some construction, AND making music. All the shy genes went to me and my older brother, James, I reckon, cause Oscar has been a singer and performer for as long as I can remember.

And people listen. His current bluegrass-ish band has backed Bonnie Prince Billy at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, been mentioned in the New Yorker, and now they have released their own EP.

They did a small run of covers. The banjo picker Bradley did the artwork (except for the moonshine jug that I drew and added at the last minute) and I typeset it, and ran them through my press x 250 or so. I think they are really nice… and appropriate for a semi-old timey bluegrass-ish rock band.

As a side note, the band members are in charge of gluing the covers onto sleeves. The ones I received were quite straight because Oscar did them. but I heard reports of crooked gluing. Adds to the charm?

Anyways, it is wonderful to hear my little brother sing. I can’t figure out what song is my favorite, but the first track “Ain’t No Doubt About It” is a familiar story about Daddy and JC racing towards the county line to get some booze before the store closed. We hear that story every christmas from JC. I am not surprised it worked it’s way into true permanence.

I also LOVE “Magnolia” and “Back In Town”. Ok. I love all of them. I will stop listing them… go to their myspace to hear a couple of songs! and check out their facebook page!

I am proud of you Oscar!

If you want to attain a copy, try harassing the band on myspace? I think they only have local distribution out of my brother’s truck right now.

BUT if you want your copy of their release, send $10 Cash and an address to:

Oscar Parsons
713 S. Barbee Way
Louisville, Kentucky 40217

(they prefer cash but checks are ok. make it out to Bradley Reinstedler to the same address)

He will pop one in the mail to you for sure….

for info email: thepicketline at gmail dot com

It really is ALBUM OF THE YEAR. except that it’s only an EP. WE NEED MORE!!


HOLIDAY! CELEBRATE!

Tis the season. I am working double time to do all the holiday cards and party invitations. It was so exciting to give my 2 cents for a holiday card article about city moms on the Stroller Traffic blog.

Family holiday cards are the funnest way to share your joy with everyone you know… one of my all time favorite holiday cards is this one – a Dirty Byrd Paper bird. I love printing on shapes. This one was for my friends over at Sillapere Events. It’s handmade, It’s green. And it’s a super cool surprise in the mail. 

What ends up happening because I am so busy this time of year, is that Thanksgiving will arrive and I will expect a pile of presents.

But it’s all good, cause I accept pies as presents!  Maple Pecan Pie… yum.