We’ve decided to try out a few new looks for our blog, and I think we’ve found something we like. We have a new portfolio page here where we can easily upload new photos for you to see which will be happening soon.
Work has also started on the Phantom Chicken site as well, so be watching for new changes there! We want your feedback… so let us know what you like or dislike about the new look. Thanks G&G
Gregg recently printed a job for Write Around Portland, an amazing organization that works to build community through writing workshops. They offer writing workshops to all, and offer free workshops to those in need as well:
“free to people living with HIV/AIDS, veterans, survivors of domestic violence, adults and youth in addiction recovery, low income seniors, people in prison, homeless youth and others who may not have access to writing in community because of income, isolation or other barriers.”
I think it’s yet another great Portland presence, and we are so happy to have been able to work with them! They now have T-shirts available ~ you can buy one here.
They sent us a couple great photos:
Write Around Portland Back
Write Around Portland Front
The Chicken has erupted! This spring has been a full one ~ one of the big jobs Gregg recently printed is for the Cascades Volcano Observatory.
They are having a big shindig this Saturday from 10am-5pm at the observatory… full of demos and exhibits and scientists… and they’ll even identify your “mystery rocks” if you bring them in! Here is a link for more info: Volcano Open House
The shirts are great… they say “If you see me running, try to keep up!”
We just printed a couple very cool designs for Dan at Atlas Tattoo a few weeks ago. One is a 2-color design on black… we used discharge ink for the white and regular plastisol ink for the red and black. It turned out pretty cool:
The second shirt we did for them was a great 4-color tiger image. As some of you know, printing 4-colors can be tricky ~ luckily Dan had all his artwork color separated for us ~ it made making film so much easier! So when we print 4 colors, we need 4 screens:
This design has Yellow, Red, Green, and black ink. To start Gregg loads a clean white shirt onto the platen
Then he prints the yellow first:
Next was the red
Then the Green
And last, but not least, the black ink:
for a completed shirt that looks like this:
It turned out all old-school looking… we were very happy with the printing! Plus I was excited to print a cool design on white shirts. It seems everyone is so stuck on black… but white makes a nice change ~ especially for summer!
While Gregg is printing away in the studio, I’ve been taking some time to do some sewing. I am excited to be inspired by sewing again. Fabric is one of my most favorite mediums, and I’ve recently just finished something new:
It’s a fully quilted pillow cover with a small flower applique on front and some fuzzy blue fabric on back. I usually make pillows that are handstuffed and then stitched closed. This makes them hard to ship and tote around for shows… so the new idea behind this is that it is a pillow COVER. It will fit any 18″x18″ pillow form which can be purchased at any fabric or home furnishing store.
I love sewing with funky palates and patterns. The orange and blues on this cover work really well together and I am very pleased with how this came out. People often ask me how long it takes to sew something like this. For this particular pillow cover, I spent 4.5 hours which included choosing fabrics from my small collection. This may seem like quite a bit of time to spend on something like a pillow, but I find to sew something of quality ~ that it just takes time. This pillow cover is quilted and fully lined and double stitched. I know, even with wear and tear, this pillow cover will last.
I sew one thing at a time with love and thoughtfulness as if it is going to be a gift for my best friend. Usually this is where most of my projects end up… as gifts for friends. It makes me feel great when I can give a gift that is truly loved. Luckily, every once in a while, I do make a sale too. We have a little Phantom Chicken shop on Etsy where I’ve been posting my sewing projects and Gregg’s hand printed T-shirts too. Go check it out and feel free to give our shop a “heart”.
**NEW**
I just started a new blog called “Just Another Girl” for all my sewing and cooking projects… check it out!
As the chicken hits another milestone, 15 years of independent printing from the subterranean chamber, credit must be given where credit is deserved. A supporting cast of characters crucial to the exploits of Phantom Chicken need to be recognized… so why not now? 
She may not be pretty but her output is impressive. A smooth 40 ounces a day of Thundermuck black gold or maybe the Ethiopian-Tanzanian blend flow mellifluously from her nozzles. And who needs some form fitting carafe when an improvised Pyrex measure-master is involved?
Then there’s the back-up crew and party favorite Procter Silex, a percolator from the 60′s… just like chicken and just as tasty! The twin towers of Thermos keep the heat on when demand is high or maybe overflow used as an offering to the coffee gods themselves.
And then there’s the mug trio: Sista Surfer, Strap-on, and Bud – a weathered well traveled band of bad-ass plastic integrity spanning the length of the chicken itself from it’s auspicious start in 1995 to the present day. Is it healthy to still be using 15 year old mugs even when cleaned daily? Whatever!
Strap-on was ideal for bike riding when the chicken was more mobile and the riding got rough. Now it is resigned to dog park detail drawing attention and danger to itself with it’s own wagging tail.
But all would be naught without the beans, beautiful bold shiny beans, blended and jarred, grinder ready, oh shoot, I forgot the grinder. The beans can not possibly grind themselves and even Protor Silex with his futuristic knowledge and intergalactic space travel could not squeeze coffee from an unbroken bean. Be right back!
Order has been restored. The beans are ground and the dripping has begun.
Coffee for life!
PADA on press... again
Shock and Awe repeat a winning season this fall with a tight championship victory defending their Spring 2009 Portland Area Dart Association league AA division championship! Way to conclude the Fall 2009 season team!
Plaque for the Horsebrass
The chicken is doubly pleased in that in addition to wearing the captain’s hat of said championship team a printer’s cap is also in order for the PADA. Championship shirts for Shock and Awe, the A, B and, C divisions along with some Board member shirts with indie names was a nice way to start the new year. Screen printing joy.
So after a very quiet season at the dog park, an interesting occurrence did happen. A young bold squirrel was following… actually chasing a woman walking her Aussie pup. As she was pulling the dog away, the relentless squirrel pursued so I stepped in. The docile little creature was extremely curious and allowed me to not only crouch down beside and pet it but even crawled into my outreached hands. After several attempts to leave him in various wooded areas away from the dogs, his insistent almost imploring need to be with me led me to bring it home. He now sleeps in my canvas bag on the front porch hopefully regaining strength for the return tomorrow providing he sticks around through the night. What a cutie, hope he survives.
It’s that time of year… yep ~ tomorrow is the Belmont Street Fair and Phantom Chicken will again have a booth set up at the corner of 34th and Belmont.
BSF Booth 08
We have a few new shirts, and a lot of old favorites… all t-shirts will be $15… there will even be a pile of sample shirts available for only $5 each ~ we really need to clear some space in the studio!
Plus, if we have room… I’ll have some handmade pillows available as well.
This year we worked with a Portland Illustrator, Jake D. Hollomon, to create the street fair poster. It turned out to be a great collaboration… I love playing with color!
The fair will be going all day from 10 am to 5pm and there will be booths and things to do all along Belmont street from 20th to 48th! They even have a free Trolley that takes you from one end all the way to the other. Hundreds of vendors including some of our personal friends and clients like the Mt. Tabor Veterinary Clinic, The Pie Spot, and Puddletown Cakes, Birthingway College of Midwifery, Friends of Trees, and possibly ceramic artist: Sian Alexander.
The weather is supposed to be sunny and in the 90′s… so no excuse ~come on down, say hello… and maybe grab a t-shirt or two 
Business cards are a crucial tool when spreading your gospel. A first impression may be the difference between memory reward recollection or possible limbo, not passing go quickly being forgotten. In other words dazzle them with a card that stands out and nail that work.
The Chicken loves to print and takes full advantage of this self serving medium by screening 6-color cards on a thick chipboard stock. All colors pulled by hand in sequence create a keepsake worthy of any fridge or wallet insert. A white underbase highlights the psychedelic design where the logo type traps using full color absorption of the the 4/color overprint. The chicken stands alone.
But the point of this entry is to show off Gail’s incredible ability to get the job done. After a quick rip of the screens squeegees singing and ink a’flingin’ these 10-up puppies need to be cut into desirable little rectangles of joy. So by hand and guillotine my little chickadee meticulously measures and slices Pangaea into little continents for individual dispersion.
Nothing like self serve in a society that is service based creating our own chicken reality one chop at a time. Watch those fingers though!
And while I’m at it and looking forward to the local Belmont Street Fair next weekend a little shameless self promotion may be in order as in pre-order. Check it out: Street Fair Designs
