Category Archives: Uncategorized

Thomas A Minor & The Picket Line

Posted on November 22nd, 2009

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!

Posted on November 18th, 2009

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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.

Style Me Pretty talks about Tiny Pine Press!

Posted on November 14th, 2009

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tinypinepress36-300x233 What a surprise to find out that Tiny Pine got a BIG shout out on that fanciest of all wedding blogs.

Thank goodness for Gia Canali and her pretty pictures. And to Yifat Oren for styling (and planning) so so beautifully. I love it when our collaborations get some attention. Its so nice….

Here are some other photos of sweet Dara & Dan’s invitation and save the

date (photos taken from Gia’s blog….)

My only woe about the wedding is that they didn’t need an onsite stationer in the Turks and Caicos. But alas, I had to stay home on that one…

tinypinepress35-300x226

An English Breakfast

Posted on September 6th, 2009

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I invited a friend over for morning tea today. I got up and drank some pre-tea to get enough caffeine to un-morningize enough to bake scones for us.

I LOVE scones. But not always. I remember tasting them at a coffee shop and be confused about why someone would want to eat dry crumbly flour with their hot beverage.

My momma used to bake biscuits all the time. Biscuits are just the yummiest at all times of the day, with jelly or tomatoes or just by themselves with butter. (ohhh butter biscuits) and once I figured out that scones were just sweet biscuits, well, I found my new favorite treat. I can bake a batch and have them all week for breakfast or toss them around to friends and then everyone is smiling. Which is a goal. Smiles via baked goods are so sincere.

Ok, the point of this post is this… I realize there are lots of cooks out there who are afraid of baking because it involves measuring and commitment and timing and chemistry and mostly that once those dry ingredients get mixed with the wet, well, there’s no going back…………

So, say you got up this morning with the intention of baking some blueberry scones for your friend who thinks of you as a really great “bakestress” already. and then you are sort of tired because usually you drink coffee instead of tea and maybe you are used to MORE caffeine than that. and you get distracted doing the substitution for double acting baking powder, that you FORGET to put in the baking soda. all together. 1/2 tablespoon baking soda missing totally from the recipe. hmmmm.

this happens 15 minutes before the friend is due. the friend that thinks you bake so well… too late to make a new batch. the blueberries are in short supply. there are some clementines? what to do? what to do?????

scones

you cross your fingers and hope hope hope that because you remembered the baking powder….. maybe that will be enough to rise them a little. OR you will get blueberry biscotti rounds…..

Guess what. in the end, these were delicious and they aren’t perfect. a little life lesson on a lovely morning.

JAAAHWS

Posted on August 26th, 2009

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5613_1218472664185_1299930400_626076_1930507_n I realize it’s a bit early for figuring out a halloween costume…. but.

My neighbor Brian brought over this set of fangs yesterday (after I gave him a medium sized piece of homemade carrot cake). I instantly stuck my head inside the GIANT teeth. Then I took them to work, contemplated wearing them as a printing uniform when they reached over and bit my press, verdie! goodness!

5613_1218473384203_1299930400_626077_439186_n In these days of vampire obsession, I am pretty sure these fangs are going to be the HIT of the Halloween parade. I am trying to figure out how big of a cake I can bake to convince Brian to paint me some blood on them fangs. then I can dress up as a mouth from either True Blood OR Twilight……

OR, better yet, I can wear them next time I go to the dentist. That will confuse her!

get a pair of your own from Jaaahws.com

Variations Launch Party – The Full Report

Posted on August 14th, 2009

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I have been so busy catching up with my day job at tiny pine that I neglected my blog responsibilities (for silly tea parties and episodes of Madmen) to post images from the super fun party at Urbanic Paper Boutique last week… (Fortunately Audrey at Parcel Post and Gia Canali were more diligent with their blogging)

In preparation for the party and because it was at a store, I created a bunch of stationery to sell there that night. It kind of makes me feel like I should open an etsy shop.. that’s next on the to do list!!

It really isn’t my normal style to solicit attention, but when I delivered the album to Urbanic and Audrey thought to combine the Abbott Kinney First Fridays event with the Launch of the Variations collection, then I had to agree… I mean, I couldn’t resist a chance to have some amazing music, yummy snacks AND a really cool Project Social (as they like to call it there at Urbanic when they make crafties on the back patio)

The Tiny Pine sponsored the project social – mix CD sleeves for someone you love or like…. I had a bunch of leftover sheets die cut and pre-glued… I brought a bunch of myleftover materials (leaves, flowers, rhinestones, rubberstamps) to combine with Urbanic’s pile for all the visitors to create their little works of art.

Anyways, that night was really fun. Lots of friends came out to support me and I am very grateful for to them –

Particularly Cheryl & Angelo Catering for creating the yummiest snacks and to DJ’s John & Jeremy- for spinning the music that everyone used as inspiration for the cd sleeves…. also they stayed til the very end, which led to me getting my groove on after everyone had left…

Ok. There’s the report… Any questions?

THANKS EVERYONE!!

xoxojennifer

Photos by Paul Esposito
more pictures at Tiny Pine’s Facebook Page become a fan!

Tiny Pine Press – Variations

Posted on August 9th, 2009

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This past Friday night I had a launch party for the new album collection of invitations which are available now to view and purchase at Urbanic Paper Boutique in Venice, CA. (it’s the first store I have offered any invitations – custom & pre-designed)

Photos of that party are forthcoming but I thought I would post the designs. They are also viewable as scans on the Tiny Pine Press s ite but these photos are a bit nicer and bigger….

On a side note, these are all variations on invitation designs I have done in the past as custom options. I think this shows 9 of the all time favorites which have been redesigned for the brides all over who can’t meet to create custom invitations.

They are digitally printed (but can be done letterpress, obviously) and use recycled papers and some tree free papers… to be as green as I can!

Take a look!

waves

horizon

california

garden

flora

sky

sugargrove

canopy

Super Recycled

Posted on June 9th, 2009

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The truth about recycled paper is that normally it’s not so great. Usually it only comes in light weights and smooth finish and, well, not the super duper best recipient of letterpress…

So when I caught wind (no pun intended – you’ll see) of this fairly new product, I had my doubts. This paper is not only 100% recycled, it super soft and comes in some great colors.

It also is comprised of 75% or so Elephant Poop. monkey on poop paper

YUP.

I printed on it recently. The color is a super awesome bright green. I used it for a birth announcement (appropriate, right?) for my friend Nikki Flores (who has logged some hours as a letterpress printer but gave that all up to go to Harvard Law and raise a child at the same time…..) and printed this monkey on it.

It took pressing really nicely. It’s super airy, giving the print a pillowy feel that all us letterpress lovers seek.

As I was printing it, I kept wondering if it was weird that I was touching this processed poop, but at the end of the day, touching elephant pooh paper doesn’t weird me out…. but I would second guess licking any envelopes!!