I've often said that screen printing is a science or a math problem - there are so many variables that go in to a successful print outside of the design. It requires precision and an exact hand, which has taken me many many years to cultivate and is still one of my daily ...
]]>I've often said that screen printing is a science or a math problem - there are so many variables that go in to a successful print outside of the design. It requires precision and an exact hand, which has taken me many many years to cultivate and is still one of my daily struggles. I would often feel drained after a day of churning out pieces on a press. Sure, those first couple of prints are very satisfying but it doesn't take long before you begin to feel like a robot.
So in an effort to explore more creativity, I developed EC Mono Prints. They were inspired by my printing table drop cloths who, after accumulating months and months of layered prints, turn into a work of art that I then add to and embellish. But my printing table is precious real estate and can't be experimented with so I turned to paper. At the end of each day this summer, I would begin a piece. I'd take my every day studio tools, squeegees, spatulas, paint brushes, sponges and ink and build out a piece with layers of color and texture and top it off with added patterns from my textile collection. The end result is a one of a kind piece that will brighten any room.
In conjunction with my EC paper launch, I will be posting a new mono print each night of August at a fantastic price for 24 hours. If the piece doesn't sell within the sale window, it will remain in the shop at full price. I'll be posting sneak peeks on Facebook and Instagram - and if you see a piece that speaks to you, I recommend jumping on it as it can never be duplicated!
]]>** 8pm CST! Aug, 1 ** I am so excited to offer a selection of my designs and patterns in paper print form! Printed by hand these signed, limited edition runs on recycled French Construction, will be available in standard framing sizes.
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** 8pm CST! Aug, 1 ** I am so excited to offer a selection of my designs and patterns in paper print form! Printed by hand, these signed, limited edition runs on recycled French Construction will be available in standard framing sizes.
Along with the launch of recycled paper prints, the entire month of August, I will be posting on Instagram a different, one-of-a-kind, monoprint at an amazing price for 24 hrs. After the 24 hour period, if the piece hasn't sold, it will still be available in the shop at full price and a new piece will be posted at the fantastic discount. I'll be sharing some sneak peeks coming soon.
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Happiest St. Patrick's Day to you and yours (I 100% just said that out loud in an "Irish" accent as I typed that). Being a Callahan I can't help but feel a great connection to today. So in celebration...
]]>And just because I'm feeling lucky to know you, enjoy 17% off all orders placed today.
Use code LUCKYEC when checking out!
Download your free Earth Cadets' PDF coloring page here
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A whole new batch of stretched screens will launch today, Feb 3 at 8pm CST! Unique, one of a kind modern wall art pieces that will make any wall pop!
]]>Here's a sneak preview of my favorites (which was super hard to narrow down!)
Also, use the code 100FS for free shipping for orders over $100 - this is a great deal especially when ordering large items like pillows and screens!
]]>As you may know, as if the name doesn't give it away, that Earth Cadets is a company with a conscious commitment to maintain and respect our environment. From every day practices in the studio to...
]]>To celebrate we'd like to extend 22% off all items in the shop, and that includes our newly updated sale section! Use code 'ECEDAY' when checking out.
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I've mentioned this before, taking photos is one of the things that gets put on the back burner. When you run a one-person show, everything else seems more important, which is crazy because photos are number one. So thankfully I finally got my priorities straight for once, borrowed some babies and did the dang thing...
]]>Huge thanks to my models for making Earth Cadets look so good.
And because I do love you - I'm offering two discount codes in the shop until 2/7. $10 off any order over $50 using code HEART or Free Shipping on US orders using code LUBYA.
Enjoy the sweetness to come! xo
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Update on production and arrival for US holiday orders - if you need arrival in time for Christmas (24th), please place your order by December 11.
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Huge thank yous and high fives for supporting the makers and small biz owners. To celebrate, I'm offering....
]]>Huge thank yous and high fives for supporting the makers and small biz owners. To celebrate, I'm offering 30% off Saturday and Sunday- use code ECSMALLBIZ when checking out. And bonus! All US orders this weekend over $125 will receive FREE SHIPPING - shipping cost will be credited back to your account.
I love to love you all!
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Earth Cadets is working to win a $150,000 small business grant! We need 250 votes to move to the next round and would love your vote! Please visit https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/15277
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Earth Cadets is working to win a $150,000 small business grant! We need 250 votes to move to the next round and would love your vote! Please visit https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/15277
I've got big dreams for my little business and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me get closer to those.
xo
]]>I managed to get all orders out (sorry, postman) along with print just about everything on my list. I was packed and ready to get on the road Thursday 3:30 pm... (keep in mind plan was leave at 8am #bonehead)
I managed to get outside of Chicago about 30 miles and was in desperate need of a nap. I called my dad to wish him a happy birthday in the parking lot of a Hardee's and wound up sleeping for 30 minutes. I woke up refreshed and ready to go! I was going to crush the next 12 hours of driving. And I did... until about 2:30 am and wound up having to grab more sleep at a rest stop. 2 hours of napping later, I was ready to go. Despite crazy fog, sleepy eyes and what seemed to be a Bermuda Triangle situation, I made it to Richmond 10am Friday.... so 19 hours after leaving Chicago. I say again, Bermuda Triangle.
A quick nap in my childhood bedroom and by 1pm I was ready to go - I had 20 more pillows to sew, all new items to sort and tag and all the pillows to stuff (I had shipped my inserts home.) So the troops were called in. Dad (who works in Norfolk during the week) could tell I was distressed during his birthday phone call and left work early just to be a helper and my mom and sister came home right after school to get to work.
I mean, COME ON, how great is my family. I can't thank them enough!
We got all the work we needed done and with car packed, Mom, sister Jean and I made our way to D.C.. 5am wake up call on Saturday, we were the first to load in at Union Market at 6am. By start of fest, 10am, we were ready!
Mom and Jean, representing the EC brand so well.
Like a boss.
The crowds were spectacular and so nice! I loved chatting with everyone who came by!
Sweet customers coordinating their pillows with the outfits.
Checking out our pillow ceiling, it's now the EC claim to fame (and was Jeanne's labor of love! - thanks sister!)
View of pillow ceiling
Coordinating tattoos with pillow choices, I mean how awesome is this!!? #meantobe
The pillow wall
Sweet brothers and sister-in-laws paying us a visit!
These kiddos were the best! They picked out their own shirts and then immediately wanted to change in to them.
Teachers getting in some lesson planning in the admin area.
Jean taking down her pillow ceiling masterpiece.
Such hard workers!
This was such a special experience to be able to share with my family.
A huge thanks to all who came out. We had an amazing time!
xo
]]>You will find us, me my mom and sister, in booth #159, in Producers Plaza. Crafty Bastards requires a ticket for entry so be sure to get your ticket here in advance to save some bucks.
Hope to see you on the East Coast!
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Earth Cadets has been selected to be a part of the Etsy x Dossier Pop-up Boutique in NYC! Select Earth Cadets pillows will be available September 4th through 28th at 79 Delancey Street on New York City's lower east side.
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"Dossier creative director Skye Parrott and collaborator Stephanie Tran will offer a curated selection of art, gifts, home and lifestyle goods by 30 designers from Etsy Wholesale, Etsy’s new private, juried marketplace where retailers can source from professional designers. The temporary boutique is the latest in a series of art and design pop-ups the curators have staged in Lower Manhattan. Etsy x Dossier will be open to the general public from September 4 to September 28. Visitors can shop the items and engage in DIY Saturday workshops ranging from weaving and shibori dyeing to screen printing and homemade bath scrubs. (We’ll let you know when the workshops are open to RSVP.)"
More info here.
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I moved from operating Earth Cadets in the basement of my house this year to a larger studio in North Center with a couple goals in mind. A major one was to resume teaching classes. I taught screen printing and surface design...
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I moved from operating Earth Cadets in the basement of my house this year to a larger studio in North Center with a couple goals in mind. A major one was to resume teaching classes. I taught screen printing and surface design over at the fantastic The Needle Shop for 3 years and I loved sharing the process from start to finish. It's thrilling to begin with an idea and end with a finished product that you can keep/sell/give and it's so special to me to share the feeling of accomplishment when someone makes a really solid print for the first time.
The studio is finally coming to a place where I am ready to share the space with others so this summer I will begin Intro to Screen Printing. This will be a 3 hour course where you learn each step of the process and towards the end print some pieces yourself! Additionally, as my studio (and process) is a combination of traditional screen printing methods combined with DIY techniques, you'll learn how you can take what your learn in my studio and apply in your home.
I'll be reaching out soon for some guinea pigs to take a test class with me for free so I can work out all the kinks in the new space and shake the cobwebs out. If you are in the Chicago area and are interested, please fill out the contact us form with what you'd most like to use screen printing to make and level of screen printing experience. I'll then randomly select a handful to help me get this printing party started!
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We are doing some major (huge) spring cleaning in the studio and have marked down all existing inventory 25-50%.
To help us get the word out, we are asking our Instagram friends to spread the word and share our sale post. In return, we will email a code FREE SHIPPING (good on sale AND full price/made to order items) for domestic purchases.
To get the FREE SHIPPING code
1) take a screen shot of Earth Cadets' posting regarding memorial day sale
2) Share image on your feed and tag @earthcadets along with #ecspringclean
3) If your account is private, email or send me an Instagram Direct Message with your screen shot of the shared posting and I'll respond with the code for FREE SHIPPING. Make sure to include your email address so I can send you the code.
Valid 5/22 - 5/26
Please get in touch with any questions.
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But lemonade out of lemons, right? I've printed less than perfect pieces of fabric that won't work for pillows but are too lovely to throw away that there must be SOME use for them. Enter bunting. The charming and whimsical party decor that doesn't need a party to make the day bright. This was a custom request from a lovely California customer and I think she might be on to something. So stay tuned for some of these fellas popping up in the shop; it will be the summer of bunting!
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The team over at Manny and Friends and I have partnered to offer Earth Cadets' illustrated organic pillow cases so even if you live across the country, you too can have a little Manny of your own to cuddle. These are limited edition, made to order by me (Krissy) 12"x12" pillow cases. They are available only until April 24th, so be sure to snag one up before they are gone for good!
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The new studio windows face a courtyard and are covered with privacy decals allowing light in. But I have two giant widows that face the alley, and they are not covered so I was majorly lacking privacy at night. (The only back alley neighbor I met is a older man who reminds me of the next door neighbor in Home Alone - scraping shovel and all. While I am convinced we will some day be great friends, he will creep me out until then)
I went to pick up some of the Ikea Tupplur shades (which are $5 off until April 2). I chose the white 47" and knew I wanted to embellish them but didn't have a plan in mind. I am trying to keep the accents in the main part of the studio black and white because 1) it's classic and bold and 2) it goes with everything, so they will work great with all the crazy colors that will soon be splattering the floors and printing tables.
I highly recommend these shades as a blank canvas. They take latex paint and a roller well but also sharpies, so you could just write a love letter on these puppies and it would look amazing.
Here's how I did it myself:
Surface: It was really helpful to have my large printing tables to roll these out horizontally, but I think a dining room table would work. Also the shades I used were 47" and these come in a variety of sizes.
Supplies:
2 47" Tupplur shades, white
Black rustoleum latex paint
Painters tape 1.5" wide
3" mini roller
mini paint tray
4 chisel tip black sharpies
clear 6"w acrylic ruler
Project time: 6 hours for both shades
Step 1:
- Roll out shade on large surface. (make sure you place scrap paper or a tarp/sheet under shades if you don't want to get paint on your table)
- With painters tape, measure 5" down from the top of the shade. This sets a guide to measure off the stripes.
- Based on how thick you want the stripes, mark off with a sharpie where you want the next stripe to be. I used a 6"w x 26" clear acrylic ruler and marked every 3" all the way down.
Step 2:
- Place painters tape along the bottom of the sharpie line and make sure the tape is adhered to the shade. I rolled it flat using the tape roll to "iron" it down.
Step 3:
- Once all taped and ready to go, roll the paint, covering the shade. I applied two coats. Pull tape off following second coat.
- Let dry
- When I pulled up the tape I noticed it was the edges were bumpy and a little smudged. It looks more organic and painterly with the raw edged stripes, but I am a bit of a freak for clean edges. So I followed up each stripe using a fat chisel tip black sharpie and the acrylic ruler and that cleaned up the edges perfectly! But you could go either way and it would take much less time if you are ok with the raw edge look.
Step 4:
Hang and admire :)
Submit your guess of how many pillows I made in 2013 over on our Instagram and Facebook pages and enter to win a $75 shop credit! We are giving you some help the number is between 500 and 2,000 and you can enter twice per day on Instagram and Facebook with your guesses. Contest ends 3/9/14. Good luck, guessers!
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This business has become so important to me. I am challenged and rewarded on a daily basis. And while working in the basement of my home these last years of full employment has been a blessing for sure, it's time to spread my EC wings. I need space to grow and a space that I can share with stockists, hopefully future students and for open houses.
I am taking the month of February to move in and get settled and can't wait to share the space and new adventures to come with you in the next coming months!!
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So let the games begin!
xoxo
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So, head on over to our facebook page -and send us your guess for how many pillows you think are in the shot. We will be giving away two Earth Cadets credits for $100 to the two with the closest guesstimate but not over, you know, Price is Right style.
Contest is over Oct 1, midnight CST. Winners will be contacted via email. $100 gift certificate will be valid until 12/1/13.
]]>The day is ours, Earth Cadets! To celebrate the Earth we are offering 22% off our newly launched shop today with code EARTHDAY AND every order from earthcadets.com will receive a You brighten my day organic tea towel. Perfect for replacing paper towels in your kitchen! You get to pick the print color from our array of hand mixed eco-friendly inks. Just make a note when you are checking out and your gift will be included along with your discount.
]]>I must give a shout out to my bf, DJ for his hard work in creating most of what you see here. Please take a look around the site and stay tuned for even more updates, enhancements and exclusive Earth Cadets' products. I'd love to get your feedback.