• Tater Tots, Kings Wine Bar, Letterpress, Deer John,

    Let’s talk about the kitchen in my first apartment: A room the size of an airplane galley* with the bonus feature of a countertop hinged to the wall. If that countertop was not in the lift and stow position (just like an airplane tray-table) it wasn’t possible to open the refrigerator or the oven.

    This was great incentive (for my roommate) to do the dishes. I preferred moving the dirty dishes to the living room. *I’ve peeked in an airplane galley – it’s usually hidden behind a curtain (that matches the drapes) – the flight attendant works mechanically, loading up that cumbersome cart to roll down the aisle.

    The delicacies that came out of that first apartment kitchen included (and were limited to) chicken pot-pies and tater tots. The crisper drawer in my refrigerator contained a large amount of an herb – but that was none of my business.

    Oh, but the tater tots!

    Straight from the freezer and onto my cast-iron skillet: washed down with an Old Milwaukee and a Camel Lights cigarette.*camel-lights-34110Whew! Did I mention I had 18 by the balls? ALSO, if I had a hankering for ribs OR pizza, I only had to walk down the stairs. That’s right, the one and only Ribizza fulfilled that strange combination requirement for Uptown, Minneapolis.

    Exactly five minutes West of my house is Kings Wine Bar - a newish (rhymes with Jewish) little neighborhood restaurant. They serve tater tots but with sauces far fancier than ketchup.  I was there last night and there didn’t seem to be any Old Milwaukee or Camel cigarettes on the menu but somehow, after we ate our tater tots, our table was magically covered with candy.

    This doesn’t have anything to do with the card I wrote/designed last night. Or does it?Deer-John-June-13

    June 13, 2010
  • Letterpress in Minneapolis

    Sunday: The Corpus Christi procession brought oodles of the Devout through Loring Park – all busses were rerouted and the Minneapolis Police department was on high alert for any shenanigans. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little emotional as the church bell solemnly rang out and I watched Barb perform CPR on my husband.

    Tuesday: Our new intern (Andrea Sanow) showed up with the enthusiasm of a 22 year old girl. We love her – and we’re not just saying that because she reads the blog and is, like, the strangest mix of a Type A Personality and totally laid back. What?! It’s true. Thanks to her, I got so much done: Here are the Room & Board prints in color:

    room-and-board-in-color-on-piano

     

    June 9, 2010
  • Black ink can be so nice

    It’s unofficially Summer around here and to celebrate I’m going to make some more prints for Room & Board. People always ask me (no, they don’t) if I feel lonely or maybe a little afraid working out in the studio/shop/time warp at night. But how could I feel lonely or afraid out there when I have all of those cabinets of cold, lead type and Mark Wheat‘s voice coming from the plastic radio?

    newest-room-board-print-450x440

    June 2, 2010
  • More letterpress for Room & Board??!

    I hit my head on the asphalt yesterday and when I snapped out of that familiar concussive daze, I thought to myself: Again? And: That wasn’t as bad as running into the tree. Or the windshield. Or the Christmas tree-stand. Or the windshield. 

    Walking my bicycle and openly weeping, I made it home just in time to work on the new Room & Board project:

    r-and-b-4-450x439 r-and-b-3-450x439 r-and-b-2-450x439 r-and-b-1-450x439r-and-b-layout-450x439

    Thanks MADGE for introducing me to the Polaroid app for my iPhone!!

    May 27, 2010
  • A Typical Day for Zeichen Press (Minneapolis Design and Letterpress Studio At Large)

    “Yeah, you should wear the wig.”

    May 22, 2010
  • Achieving perfect balance

    People always ask me, “Fran, how do you balance everything so well?? Zeichen Press, kids, marriage, hypochondria, facebook, animal-taming, daydreaming – It doesn’t even seem possible!” I wish I had some fluffy (Oprah-approved) secret to share but it’s really much more simple: Evil twin. What?! Yes. You’d be surprised by how many people actually have evil twins.

    This has been a regular rat king of a week: The big Tanek party is tomorrow and Jen and I have been planning the whole thing – From venue to letterpress printed coaster to life-jackets. One of my favorite things is the Tanek 10 Year CD - a music mix and letterpress printed sleeve/party favor/door prize. My playlist skills were honed as a teenager – hour after hour spent with the dual cassette player… see, mom?? I told you it was more important than algebra.

    Tanek 10 Year Party CD Sleeve
    Tanek 10 Year Party CD Sleeve

     

    Tanek 10 Year Party CD Sleeve

    As soon as this party is done I can get rid of that mannequin.

    lucy-and-other-mother

    May 19, 2010
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  • Notorious B.I.G.

    Madge The Intern and I wore our Burger King© crowns and spent the day printing.*Notorious B.I.GDoes Madge look different??

    So serious.

    Zeichen Press was invited to join other Notorious Letterpress Printers and contribute to The Smallest Museum In St. Paul. Don’t pretend you’ve never thought about turning an empty firehose cabinet into a tiny museum.littlest musuem firehose cabinetAction shots:IMG_6839

    IMG_6850I was pretending to be a mouse with a camera — I think Madge was scared/intrigued.

    The (petite) Opening Reception is August 1, from 2-4 at Workhouse Coffee Bar.

    July 16, 2015
  • Gin & Tonic & Optimism

    I’ve observed the greedy, groping limbs of an Octopus on television.

    I SEE YOU, OCTOPUS.

    I SEE YOUR SELF-INDULGENT, FLESH-LIKE, SUCTION-COVERED BOUGHS, BUMPING ALONG THE OCEAN FLOOR.birthday cake octopusSea Creatures are on my mind because I’m back in Barnstable. 29 freezer road door.IMG_6598Ah, Barnstable. How is it possible for the sunsets to always fill me with awe, the hammock to always fill me with peace, and people to always fill my belly with booze on the deck overlooking the Great Salt Marsh?deck marsh chair.IMG_6670IT’S A TOUGH LIFE.

    July 4, 2015
  • A Thank You Card From Fran Shea’s Cat Ranch

    Oh, BOTHER!

    One more kitten needs adopting.

    AND how about this card?

    BECAUSE ALL I EVER THINK ABOUT IS CATS.

    Help. Me.never said thank you.cat

    June 24, 2015
  • Oh, how do you say… letterpress?

    Kids (like mine) graduated last week,HeGradhouses were open, cards (stuffed with money) were given… And I realized, THESE KIDS NEED THANK YOU CARDS.

    And always the giver, I made this:mare see bow coo.2I forced my son to read this handy blog post about proper thank you note writing.

    You’re welcome.

    June 10, 2015
  • NEW CARDS!!!

    LAUGHING THROUGH OUR TEARSHEAVEN IS A GARBAGEWE HAVE NEW CARDS!

    TWELVE OF THEM!

    Meat suits,

    tuna-filled mice,

    hungry wolves.

    AND SO MUCH MORE!

    Have a look!

    June 3, 2015
  • Letterpress For The People

    Tib mouthed these words while she nursed her latest brood:

    To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

    Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

    To the last syllable of recorded time;

    And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

    The way to dusty death.

    Out, out, brief candle!

    Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player,

    That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,

    And then is heard no more.

    It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,

    Signifying nothing.tib stoicDo you see what I’m working with here??

    She just gives and gives AND GIVES.

    Ah, suckle away…IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

    May 20, 2015
  • NO SOLICITORS + boing boing

    But, what IS boing boing??

    JUST AN AWARD-WINNING ZINE, BLOG AND DIRECTORY OF WONDERFUL THINGS.

    And a mention from them made me almost choke to death on my pb&j.gareth door bacon(That’s Gareth‘s door. And peephole.)That's better.BRANWYN
    Need your own card?? BUY HERE!!!

    May 13, 2015
  • We want to be more than just friends with: Treehaus

    Treehaus -> 3153 Glendale Blvd. LA, CA 90039

    ANOTHER profile in that special series dedicated to bringing our readers biased reviews of shops that carry our goods.

    AM I BIASED because Meesh (SP?!) said I was her favorite person?? TREEHAUS IS THE BEST SHOP EVER CREATED. There. I said it. What’s done is done. She has spoken.

    I will visit you Treehaus… someday… And on that day, people’s hearts will be filled with gladness and their mouths will proclaim the goodness of all things boutique.

     

    May 12, 2015
  • A SPECIAL DAY

    My cards express all of the feelings for Mother’s Day.

    Done.silly old daychronic condition.2DearMaeating her youngsometimes I cry.use it.2Once upon a timemomb you are the bombmother let us not dwell

    May 10, 2015
  • Keep On The Sunny Side

    The weather is (finally) nice and that means the shop is open!GARAGE OPEN DOOR spring 2015Like, LITERALLY, open.

    I observed Jen scurrying about (just like the mice we had to poison last year) while I took photos of The New Cards. Here’s a teaser:clean.success failures

    April 30, 2015
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