Kansas City to LA via Tokyo

No, that’s not crazy flight routing. It’s the path some of my designs have taken to arrive on American desks.

I’ve been fortunate to work with some really quality people making really quality products from my designs, and near the top of that list is Gakken Sta:Ful, the stationery company from Japan who we met at Surtex 2011.

As I said a year ago, Gakken’s designers have created beautiful products based on my patterns and illustrations, and I am delighted by their understanding and honored by their preservation of my style even as they format and combine my patterns in their own unique and original way. It’s interesting to see how this visual “editing” process produces something that is distinctly new and Japanese in its sensibility--even with its American roots. And their commitment to quality and detail is outstanding.

Although intended mainly for the Japanese market (and sold under the trademark “Sheri Lynn,” which better fits their home market’s needs), the stationery Gakken has created is also distributed in America exclusively via Ginko Papers, a company that specializes in bringing Japanese stationery to the U.S.

After keeping an eye on the many Sheri Lynn-branded Gakken products that Ginko distributes for the past year or so, we recently introduced ourselves to Garin Hussenjian, who founded and operates Ginko in Los Angeles. I was eager to learn a little more about her background and what she’s envisioning for the future.

Garin Hussenjian

According to LinkedIn, you have degrees in both English and art. How did these experiences lead you to start a paper products company?

Garin: I’d like to think everything in life feeds into one another in some way. The links between my education and my company are not direct and clear, but knowing that education is a part of me must shape my outlook and aesthetic decisions all along the way.

Why did you decide to focus on Japanese stationery?

Garin: I have always loved Japanese culture and paper. I was three when I first encountered a Japanese children’s exhibit at the Boston Children’s Museum. A traditional Japanese room was recreated with tatami floors and bamboo accents. I took my shoes off, walked in, and didn’t want to leave! After many trips to Japan and collecting stationery--which I had done since I was a little girl--I knew I wanted to start a business that filled this stationery void in the States.

Do you think large retailers will ever carry products like these, or will they always be a “specialty shop” thing?

Garin: One of our best buyers is a large national chain called Blick Art Materials. They carry quite a bit of our letter sets, mini bags, and FunTape. I think we have been able to bring in low enough pricing to interest the bigger stores, but have a unique high-end product that remains the niche of the smaller, specialty shops.

How do you feel about the demand for pattern-driven stationery products vs. character-driven lines? Do you think America would ever embrace another Japanese character giant like Hello Kitty?

Garin: As a little girl, I loved the Sanrio line of characters, especially Hello Kitty! I am not sure how characters will do in the current market. Sanrio established a strong foothold in the US in the mid-1970s and has not let go. All other characters have become secondary to the Sanrio market. Between Disney’s characters and Sanrio, I am not sure there’s room for more.

How do you foresee growth on the direct-sales retail side of your website vs. the wholesale business?

Garin: We started as a retail website and after getting many, many wholesale requests, we finally added wholesale to our business. Since then, our wholesale sales have far surpassed our retail sales. We may eventually consider eliminating retail entirely and making the business entirely wholesale.

Garin, making new friends in the industry and seeing them prosper is one of the best parts of art licensing, and we wish you continued success with Ginko Papers. I look forward to developing new products with Gakken Sta:Ful that will help keep your pipeline filled with the beauty and mystique of Japan (and a little American inspiration) for years to come.

If you are in the business and attend the National Stationery Show or Surtex next week, be sure to visit the Ginko Papers booth (NSS booths 2657-2659) and the Sheri McCulley Studio (right next door at Surtex, booth 730). 

Cruiser Blvd. Pillow

Hello, Brooke here again from Silly Mama Quilts to share my Cruiser Blvd pillow tutorial. The completed pillow is an 18 inches square. This is a fat quarter friendly project with just a bit of yardage for the back. 

First I selected this fun car print for the center. I decided to set my center square on point for something different. My center square is 6.5 inches.

I like sewing strips around the square. My strips for this round are 2 and 2.5 inches.

For the next round, my strips are 2.5 and 3 inches.

Next I sewed a 2.5 inch strip of this adorable stripe around the whole piece. I trimmed 2 opposing sides to 18.5 inches.

Since I was a bit short on one side, I added a 1.5 inch strip to the top of the pillow front.

I used the yellow main print in this line for the back. I cut a piece 18.5 wide. I finished the ends and then overlapped them before sewing the back and front together.

One tip - I like to sew opposing sides; top and bottom and then the sides, so that there is less slippage.

Turn right side out and insert an 18 inch pillow form and you are set to go! Hope you have enjoyed this fun project. See you soon with another tutorial! Happy Sewing!

Cruiser Blvd. Burp Cloths

Hello, Brooke here from SillyMamaQuilts with a quick, adorable baby gift project using Sheri’s new Cruiser Blvd fabric line.  I enjoy giving handmade gifts.  Recently I have begun giving burp cloths as shower and new baby gifts.

I selected three prints from this line.

I use chenille on the reverse side. 

I cut fabric 10 x 18.  I pair up the fabric and chenille, right sides together and sew around the outer edge leaving an opening for turning.  I use my walking foot so there is no slippage.

I turn them right side out and then top-stitch around the entire edges to finish them.

Next, I pop them in the washer to prewash them without detergent in a warm wash.  Then onto the dryer.  This helps to fluff them and remove any lint.  I love the look of them rolled up....so adorable!  Such a fun gift to give and to receive!  Enjoy! 

Spring flowers ~ forever fresh

It isn’t Easter time without daffodils, tulips and of course Easter lilies. I have a way for you to force these bulbs to bloom right now and become a beautiful bouquet in time for Easter Sunday.

I have created another set of Cut Flowers files for Lettering Delights, this time for the Easter ~ Spring season. This complete set comes with daffodils, tulips, Easter lilies, hyacinths, crocuses and lily of the valley flowers. You can see the complete set of the flowers in the diagram below and tutorials for each type of flower to help in making your own bouquet.

To make the tulip flowers use the tulip petals and leaves (I chose to have two petal sets). Cut out the petals on text weight paper, bend into cup shape by using dull scissors (or I use a bamboo skewer) to gently bend the individual petals into shape (both inward and outward at the ends). Then thread over painted or dyed bamboo skewer that becomes the stem for the tulip (using the center hole that is in the middle of the petal pieces). Next, make the stamen (once it is cut out of text paper) by twisting it tightly around the skewer and gluing it over the pointed end of the tip of the skewer (after you have positions the petals as you like them). Cut out the leaves and glue them (use tacky or white glue) onto the green skewer stem to complete the flower. For the tulip and the daffodil flowers I used a 10 or 12 inch skewer for the stem.

To make the daffodil flowers cut out all pieces of the flower using text weight paper in appropriate colors. Make the bell/cone of the flower by gently bending (rolling) the piece into a trumpet or bell shape and glue the ends of the rolled piece together. Bend the main petal flower downward with the skewer or dull scissors and then glue the bell/cone shape to the main petals (matching up the pointed tips of the cone to the center of each petal. (see white daffodil in photo above). Next, make the stamen by twisting it tightly around the skewer and gluing it over the pointed end of the tip of the skewer (after you have positions the petals as you like them). Cut out the leaves and glue them onto the green skewer stem to complete the flower.

To make the Easter lily flowers cut out all pieces of the flower using text weight paper in appropriate colors. Make the trumpet of the lily by gently bending (rolling) the piece into a cone shape. Bend the ends of each petal flower outward with the skewer or dull scissors and then glue the ends of the trumpet shape together. Next, make the stamen by twisting it gently around the skewer and gluing then individual stamen piece with the others. As the stem for this flower I used thick florist green cloth wire so the lily would bend out from it. I used a glue gun to attach the trumpet and stamen (tucked inside the trumpet to the end of the wire and then also glues leaves down the wire. You could also use a skewer for the stem, but I think a bend in the stem is nice for this type of flower and a wire looks better.

To make the crocus flowers use the same instructions and technique as described for the tulip, with the exception of bending the petals inward and not back outward. Also, to make the leaves for this flower twist them tightly around the skewer and glue near the base of the painted or dyes green skewer that becomes the stem. For this flower I used a six or eight inch skewer.

To make the hyacinth flowers cut out many star shaped petals from text weight paper to have enough for a full flower. Then shape each petal by bending it into shape with the skewer (bending the petals away from the center outwardly). Once there are enough petals, glue them onto a dyed (or painted) wooden dowel with a glue gun, about a .25-.375 inch dowel and about 6-8 inched long, positioning them around the dowel. Then glue the leaves quite far down onto the dowel-stem to complete the flower.

To make the lily of the valley flowers cut out many of the little white star shaped petals from text weight paper. Once cut, shape each flower with the skewer, bending inward and outward each petal. I chose to use green cloth florist wire to hang the flowers from and glue gunned each white flower onto the curved end of the wire. I then glued all of the wired flowers together with the glue gun and covered up the wire cluster with the large lily of the valley leaves. There is a stem shape in the file that can be used for the little white lilies to hang from, but you will need to use thick paper if you are using that stem and glue each flower shape to it.

To make this lovely spring bouquet in time for Easter, go to Lettering Delights and you will find the Cut Flowers Easter set to choose this set and many others for your Easter and spring celebrations. Have a happy Easter this year!

A simple statement for Easter

I love the look of silhouette art as it can make a clean and direct statement without a lot of fuss. This year I thought it would be fun to spring into Easter with those direct and basic icons that specifically say Easter ~ the bunny, the chick, the lamb, the duck and of course the egg. I added a few additional animals to complete the springtime look.

These egg shaped silhouettes can be found on Lettering Delights and be made into hanging eggs, or used in cards, crafting, Easter signs and decor, and many more spring and Easter projects. In the image, just above, you will see the artwork that is on the file available. The egg art is made with two main layers ~ one is the silhouette of the animal, and the other is the framing egg shape surrounding the animal. I also provide you with trim for each egg that can be used for hanging the garland of eggs or for other crafting. It would be cute just to use the trim as paper chains any time of year.

Above is a photo of all of the eggs that are vertical designs.

Above is a photo of all of the eggs that are horizontal designs (minus the word eggs).

To make these silhouette eggs, I simply cut out each part of the egg design ~ the top layer, which is the framing egg shape; the middle layer, which is the silhouette of the animal; and the base layer, which is the solid egg background (in this case I used a charcoal gray paper).

After each layer was cut out (and the two layers of trim for hanging), I spray mounted the silhouette animal layer to the gray egg, then the top framing layer to the middle layer. I then attached the top trim layer with spray mount to the gray base of the trim and then used a brad to loop the handle over and attach it to the top, center of each egg, shown in the photo above with the deer scene, and the photo below.

These silhouette eggs can be used inside or outside for Easter. You can even use the stencils to spray your own art onto just about anything you can think of with spray paint, chalk or even egg dye and a spray bottle. Let’s see what you can do with the world of stencils this Easter. I can’t wait to see!

To get your set of Cut Flowers Easter silhouette eggs go here to LD and start stenciling away!