A Tangled Return

Just a quick update – TangleCrafts will be home again next weekend, and the catch-up process will then commence.  All orders will be prioritised, and a little extra surprise will be included with all orders placed up to May 20th, as a thank you for your patience.  Full stock range will be gradually re-introduced over the following weeks, as I get back into the swing of ‘normal’ life again.  E.T.Printworks will also re-open once all is settled.

A Richness of Martins*

My dad has passed away – 3 weeks and 3 days after being given just a few days to live.  His strength of character was remarkable, and I appreciated more than can be said being able to spend so much time with him before he passed.  We were grateful for every day and minute, time that was only possible because he was so determined.

Please be aware of the early signs of bowel cancer so that somebody you love is not taken from you before their time.  If you can, please help to raise awareness by donating to Beating Bowel Cancer or purchasing a Project Dissimulation badge or zine from the TangleStore.  Thank you.

* A richness of martins is the traditional collective noun for the martin, a bird from the swallow family.  In case it’s not obvious, Martin was also my dad’s name.

Project Dissimulation Update

I have just re-opened the TangleStore, although I will be unable to despatch any orders until I return home in a few weeks’ time.  I only closed the shop yesterday so apologies for see-sawing – but I realised that now is the time when Project Dissimulation matters the most, and I really want to make those items available.  If you prefer not to wait for your print copy of the zine, though, I am also making a PDF edition available (just click on the pic):

If you enjoy this Project Dissimulation zine please make a donation directly to Beating Bowel Cancer, or a charity of your choice.

Temporary shop closure

Unfortunately my dad’s condition has worsened dramatically, so I am heading home this afternoon.  The TangleStores will be closed until further notice, but will re-open once I am home & things are slightly more settled but I don’t know yet exactly when that will be.  Thank you to everyone who has supported my Project Dissimulation so far.  My dad really appreciated the first zines and badges, and I’m glad that he had a chance to see them.  Thank you again.  I’ll be back when I can.

A Princely new zine

The latest subscription issue of Enchanted Times Mini is now available (April only!) in the E.T.Printworks store.  In the headline story, Frogments, the a Frog Prince claimant is dismissed by medical professionals as delusional, but tells a curious story to an investigative reporter from the Enchanted Times, involving an inept fairy Godmother, and a decomposing Cinderella.   A preliminary report of murder, madness and mermaids also features in this brand new, never-before-released issue of Enchanted Times.

Limited edition print by feverishart.etsy.com

In honour of this latest issue, a new Etsy treasury has been curated – Look Before You Leap.  This ‘narrative’ treasury re-tells the traditional story of the Frog Prince through a variety of Etsy finds.  Please check it out – lots of fun, and some wonderful artwork & photography!  (In case you missed it, a Princess and the Pea treasury is also available.)

A question for you (about notecards)

I must confess, I’m really not much of a letter writer (something which I’m sure will be readily confirmed by anybody who has corresponded with me in the past).  It’s a little odd, you might think, because my zines are generally pretty wordy; but for some reason I just don’t seem to have many words left over when it comes to actual personal communication.  I can usually fill a postcard, but not much more.  If I’m sending somebody a zine (etc), usually a mini card (/business card) has more than enough space for what I have to say.  Thus, my latest range of postage stamp stationery consists of flat notecards (/blank postcards) and mini notecards.  Because these are the sizes I’m most likely to use myself.

My question is…actually a series of questions…  I’ll list them instead!  So, are you ready?  When it comes to correspondence:

• What kind of cards do you prefer?
• Are you a full-on letter writer and would prefer notepaper, instead?
• Do you ever/often use notepaper & notecard combined, or would it usually be one or the other?
• If you use notecards, do you prefer a flat, single-sided notecard or a single-fold notecard with more space to write inside?
• If you prefer a folded notecard, do you prefer a design printed on the back as well as the front, or do you prefer the back to be left blank so that you can continue your note?
• Do you have any other thoughts about notecard design which might be relevant?

You might gather, I’m thinking of adding a blank-inside single-fold notecard to the range in the future, so I’m just trying to establish what would be the most practical, attractive-to-a-buyer/notewriter option.  But I’m also genuinely interested in your correspondence habits & preferences, so please do share.  And browse the current range, too.

Set of 4 notecards w/ envelopes

Notecard & envelope

Notecard, envelope & mini notecard

Project Dissimulation – first creations

As April is bowel cancer awareness month, I was keen to get the first issue of the Project Dissimulation zine completed in time for April – so keen that I managed to be finished early!  When I first put out a call for donations of bird-themed used postage stamps and artistamps, I didn’t really have a clear idea of what exactly I would do with them, although the title chosen for the project obviously lent itself to working with collective nouns (a dissimulation of birds being the traditional collective noun for a group of birds).  Once I sat down to get started, though, the idea shaped itself and the first zine was quickly born, as well as a series of badges.

Please click through to the TangleStore to support Project Dissimulation with a purchase – any profits from Project items sold will be donated to a bowel cancer research/awareness charity.

So far I have completed Volume I of the zine, a matching Project Dissimulation badge (I will create a new badge design for each issue, so they can be collected!), and bird badges made from upcycled postage stamps for anyone who would like a completely individual souvenir of the Project:

The first issue of the Project zine features a variety of collective nouns for birds, illustrated with selected used postage stamps which were donated to the Project.  I’m not sure yet how many zines there will be in total, but I will keep going as long as there are stamps to work with.  In addition to the current items available, there will soon be a one-off chance to buy a set of badges made from the actual stamps used to illustrate Volume I, as well as bird badges grouped by species.  As the Project progresses, I’m also planning envelope seals, address labels, postcards and mini-notecards – watch this space for updates & availability!

Project Dissimulation Store

If there are any bloggers out there reading this who would be willing to help spread the word with a mention of the Project (please feel free to ‘borrow’ any of the pics used in this post), I would really appreciate your help, too – the more people we can reach, the bigger difference we can make.