bird madness

February 7, 2012
by annwood

Wholesale -that is what I am up to over here.   I shipped off the first order for 2012 yesterday – letty and lou – for BHLDN.  Here they are packaged to go. I like the idea of purchasing something from a giant retailer  and receiving something so personal and direct –  each unique and expressive, each made as if it is the only one I will ever make. Really. That’s the hard part. And the good part. I also like that BHLDN supports and celebrates that idea.

ann wood caketopper

This set will be available soon online at BHLDN  – I’m not sure if it will be in stores but I’ll find out. Over the next couple weeks I’m finishing orders for Catbird , Cog and Pearl,  and another order for BHLDN – all  beautiful collections I’m flattered to be part of.  This is not a pace I can maintain for a great deal of time without losing my marbles though. I am still doing everything myself – every label, every package, every stitch, every word, every photo, all the book keeping, and communication etc. etc. The details are endless.  My first priority after these orders ship is to get a little help with the stuff I can, should  and must have help with.

pink fascinators

letty and lou

letty and lou

work in progress and caption contest results

December 16, 2011
by annwood

I’m working on a little group of things – bats and perching owls mostly. I’ll put some of these things in the shop next week – most likely in time for delivery  (in the US)  before Christmas.

bats and owls

pearl gray bat

And The winners  of the first ever ann wood handmade caption contest !

The voter chosen at random ( # generated by random.org) is:

comment # 15 – Geiger. Who is apparently a black cat with a recently replaced hip.
And for a variety of reasons I have decided to award birds to the top 2 vote getters and those winners ( it was very close) are:
7. Lauren
“Now witness, dear friends, as David Blainebird prepares to package himself alive for 6-10 business days! Don’t try this at home!”
and

8. Cari
Darlene had told only her best friend, Eliza, but by the time her mail-order groom was set to arrive, the whole town had heard about it.
Thank you and Happy Holidays to all participants ! (winners – I’ll be in touch for address etc.)

P. S. – Another first ever for me – I’m going to teach a workshop!! (boat making). I’m something beyond excited about this and plan to go on and on about it next week but you can find more info right now here if you like.

Filed under WIP

caption contest – vote for a winner

December 13, 2011
by annwood

Update:  comments are closed, votes are being counted , winners announced later today.

****************************************************************************

Thanks  to all of you – a panel of expert judges has, with difficulty, narrowed the field to twelve and a winner will be chosen by your vote. Also,  as a thanks for your time, imagination  and enthusiasm 2 prizes will be awarded – one bundled up bird for the caption contest  winner and another bird will be awarded to a name chosen at random from the voters. Please vote by number (and only once) in the comments section of this post  and I’ll announce both winners by the end of the day Friday.

caption contest

1. patty

“Now watch me friends, as I restores this lad to ‘is full strength with Dr. Bulfinch’s Magic Potion!”

2. gayle ortiz
They all agreed that, although it wasn’t the Ark, it had potential!

3. Lindsey
I heard that she will awake at love’s first kiss.

4. Jennifer Cheek-Payan

“Honest guys, he just fell”

5. Linda Richter
Okay, everyone! Take a minute and say your goodbyes. I’ll be sending you back to clean up your workspace and then get in your box. We will miss you around here! Make it work!

6. Kristin
“Attention flyers, we would like to remind everyone that there is absolutely no perching in the loading and unloading zones.”

7. Lauren
“Now witness, dear friends, as David Blainebird prepares to package himself alive for 6-10 business days! Don’t try this at home!”

8. Cari
Darlene had told only her best friend, Eliza, but by the time her mail-order groom was set to arrive, the whole town had heard about it.

9. Brian GadgetSponge
If only Henry had seen that it was a glass window…

10. Shelby Medina
Listen up birds! Look what they’ve done to Simon! We gotta blow this coop!

11. Polly Anna
Maybe we should rethink this destination wedding thing.

12. Janet Wilson
“Coming soon to a theater near you: Two Weddings, a Flashmob and a Funeral.”

packing and shipping and a contest!

December 5, 2011
by annwood

I spent the larger part of the day packing and shipping things – that will occupy about half of tomorrow too. I secretly enjoy it.

cake topper birds

Today was mostly birds and tomorrow larger things – ships.  Later this week I’ll post my very inexpensive but effective method for shipping large -ish fragile things – so check back if that’s of interest.

packing and shipping

And just for fun – a caption contest! A while back  Lisa of  a thread from the edge suggested a caption contest. I think it’s a brilliant suggestion and if you check out the comments to this post you can see some of  her caption ideas – so funny and perfect. And a prize! A winner will be chosen by a yet to be determined method  – either a vote or a panel of expert judges and the best caption gets their very own bundled up  bird!

eliza

Find the pattern to make your own little bird here.

Everyone  is welcome to participate – just create a caption for this photo and leave it in the comment section:

(you can click the image for a larger version if that helps you with your captioning)

A winner will be chosen next Wednesday 12/14.

the new artisans

November 28, 2011
by annwood

I can hardly believe I’m included in this book – it is magnificent in every way. I think Olivier Dupon has created something very special.  In less expert hands this wealth of  information might  have been overwhelming or the spirit could have been lost but Olivier presents it with simplicity and real elegance – you are never distracted from the central idea: that this is a book about love of craft, process and materials or Olivier’s true affection for the subject.

Find the book: http://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/new/fall11/551585.htm

on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Artisans/108346249261751

Olivier’s blog:  http://dossier37.tumblr.com/

the new artisans

the new artisans

the new artisans

“This book captures the new mood – a return to a preference for the unique and the handmade. Design expert and acclaimed blogger Olivier Dupon has sourced the cream of the contemporary design world from all over Europe, Australia and the United States, profiling 75 artisans who use craft techniques, rather than mass-production methods, to create stylish, whimsical, covetable objects. Hundreds of colour photographs feature a huge variety of crafts, including art, ceramics, furniture, glasswork, jewelry, lighting, metalwork, papercraft, textiles and woodwork. Complete with a directory of products, and Dupon’s personal recommendations for inspiring shops and websites to visit, this is the perfect resource for discovering unique and beautiful objects made by new, talented artisans from all around the world.”

a new garment

November 15, 2011
by annwood

This  antique gown arrived a while ago. I think it’s Edwardian  but it was definitely reworked at some point  – it has fasteners and hardware and repairs that were added later. I guess it has had many lives.

antique lace gown

The peach silk is almost all shattered, it’s torn, stained and many of the seams have let go but the gauze, sheer silk lining and lace are still strong. First I’m making  a bird.

lace bird
Two really – one from each lace and tulle sleeve. And maybe later today a little boat with gauzy sails and little peach silk flags.

*update:

snowflake and ashton
Finished! snowflake and ashton

dark owls

October 31, 2011
by annwood

darkowls_sm

The dark things collection begins appearing today with owls. ( I don’t trust the little one on the right).
The next updates will be this Wednesday and Friday – there will be spiders and bats and some suprises.

playhouse

October 24, 2011
by annwood

playhouse

I made this playhouse a little while ago for  Clare Crespo’s Yummyfun Kooking.  It’s made of cardboard boxes, bits of found wood, foil, plastic and lots and lots of popsicle sticks. I had a blast making it and it was a nice shift of gears and a good “brain opener”.  Clare is filming some new episodes of the Yummyfun Kooking show and I can’t wait to see the playhouse in action.  I’m a huge fan of C. Crespo and Yummyfun – if you are not already familiar I  recommend you check it out, most especially if you have little folks. There’s a recipe club and everything where you get stuff in the mail!