When I decided to release these toot designs one at a time, I wasn’t thinking ahead. One design per week means three weeks of fart humor. I understand that may be a little much for some people. 
I hope you’ve enjoyed them. Soon we’ll be moving on to sweeter smelling designs.
Check out My Farts on Etsy and Spreadshirt
May 25 is international Geek Pride Day.
Nerds, geeks, dorks – there’s a lot of overlap. I suppose they all involve a certain amount of zeal that others think is awkward or misplaced. But that amount of passion has also become widely accepted as charming and cool. Especially because the nerds are the ones developing all the cool toys and gadgets these days. Yay for nerds!
You could use more toot in your life, and this little dude has a lot to offer: cuteness, happiness and … well, that’s about it really. But it’s a lot of cuteness and happiness. With a touch of hilarity, because fart jokes never get old. Right? RIGHT? (Oh please tell me it’s not weird that 25% or more of the laughs in my marriage are toot-related.)
The Tootin’ Bean, like most of my designs, is available on Etsy and Spreadshirt.
Tooty Tuesdays are almost over, I promise. Just bear with me for one more fart design next week, and then I’m moving on to other more polite foods.
The new broccoli-fart design is out! By special request from a flatulence-fan who got my other fart designs on Etsy and just needs MORE FART in her life. It’s a cute, happy little broccoli dude excitedly exclaiming at his similarity to cartoon fart drawings. Stay tuned: there are more tootin’ good designs coming in the next few weeks.
Etsy has this funny little thing called an “Appreciation Photo.” I had never seen it used until recently, when I found one in my Feedback. I love it! I feel like I need to go back and send appreciation photos for everything I’ve ever bought through Etsy.
A happy customer’s Appreciation Photo – showing my little round alphabet magnets as part of her growing collection.
Hey guyze,
Did you know that April 2 was National Ferret Day in the US? Yeah, I just found out too. Sad! But if you’re in England, National Ferret Day is on May 5, so you still have time to gear up. Here are a few things to get started:
Buttons and magnets from my shop,
all kinds of ferret fashions from Marshall Farms,
and a delightfully disgusting ferret fart soap from Goat Mountain Soap Company.
Happy chittering!
If you’re wondering how to put your band/organization name on a button without crowding out the logo, don’t fret! I can drop the text in my button template without disturbing your masterpiece.
Ta-da! Visible on edge but hidden from front view.
Last month, for inspiration, I printed out a US map so I can color in the states where my products are sold. But I’m going to be on the lookout for a globe, because my buttons are now for sale in Canada!
If you’re anywhere near Burlington, Ontario, you can find them at Revolver, a junior/adult retail consignment shop. The mixed bag of designs will delight not only adults but also the kids who shop at their sister store, Twice The Fun.
I’d like to recommend a book, but first I have a bit of gushing to do…
I love the library! Especially the Seattle Central Library. It’s 11 stories of crazy architecture, sci-fi elements and mind-boggling color – including neon escalators and a solid red hallway that feels like something out of The Shining. (These pictures don’t do it justice.) They also have a collapsible gift shop and all kinds of other curiosities that you’ll have to see for yourself someday, because now I have a book to talk about.
I’ve been checking out piles of books for inspiration. I’m especially interested in typography and color – two of the main ingredients of an awesome button. When I’m working inside a 1-inch space, it can be difficult to create designs that are legible in both text and image.
So, for me, Elegantissima: The Design and Typography of Louise Fili
Her creations are never too plain, never too “busy”, and all gorgeous, even when they are conveying machismo. You can flip to almost any page let your gaze just relax there – it’s like an image spa for the eyes. (Except the food packaging section, which is so provocative that I’ve had to stop reading at times because I start craving the products.)
Each project is explained with pictures and an engaging one-page description of the process, client, inspiration and often a humorous anecdote. If I had to guess what Fili is like in person, I’d say, like many of her designs, “almost-but-not-quite-intimidatingly classy.”
This book will probably be one that I check out again. Several more times. (Unless it miraculously appears at the used bookstore).
I’ve signed up for the Get Ready to Wholesale class at Schoolhouse Craft. My goals are many – brush up my catalog, ask questions, get suggestions – but I’m also eager to meet some other makers in the area. I’m excited!
In preparation for the class, I’ve updated the Etsy banner and my business cards. For these, I created a background that reads like fabric somewhere between denim and tweed.
Aside from my Etsy shop, I have just a few wholesale accounts. I love creating, and I’ve got over a decade of retail experience, but when I envision shopping my own merchandise around, I feel like a pest! It makes me feel like I’m tooting my own horn, but I’m going to have to get over it if I want to expand my business.
