Posts in DIY

March 23, 2013
zeichenpress

PHEW!

My Faith in Humanity was fortified! I bought a tripod from a stranger on Craiglist and he made no mention of kidnappng, torturing, OR skinning me.

Now I can stumble my way through taking photographs of the new cards!

The Craigslist man assured me (three times) that the tripod was the "real deal" so that should help.

As if that wasn't fulfilling enough, I realized my calling as a social media doula by gently helping Tanek onto Facebook.

It was beautiful — I bawled like a baby and insisted on bare-bottom spankings. I was told that was "unprofessional". 

Here's a new release teaser:

 

 

Posts in DIY

March 8, 2013
zeichenpress

That's the sound that March makes — that and a muffled sobbing. February triggers cabin fever but March in Minnesota is far more dangerous. 

Here's a story about March: One Christmas, Santa put a baby albino rabbit under the tree — so delightful! 

The little rabbit grew into a big rabbit and by the next Winter, our basement smelled like the bunny barn at the State Fair. With scraps of wood and a bale of hay, I built an outdoor rabbit hutch.

In a pinch, it could serve as a coffin for an adult man.

IN A PINCH.

By March it was buried under several feet of snow and I'd order my eldest to go spend time with the rabbit in the snow coffin. 

The moral of the story is: Get a dog.

And something about March creating crazy. Thank God I have an outlet for my March crazy:

Posts in DIY

February 17, 2013
zeichenpress

There IS a universal language on the World Wide Web and understanding it only requires the appreciation of three things:

1) Kittens

2) Wine

3) Talking dogs

Also, videos where guys get kicked in the nuts — but those existed before YouTube.

I follow the dog around the house with my iPhone and I plan on kicking a guy in the nuts this week.

My life is all kittens and wine, so I was able to create the following: 

Feel free to share that 1,000,000 times.

And here's a new card: It's a true story.

Posts in DIY

February 10, 2013
zeichenpress

For Immediate Release: In an attempt to build the Zeichen Press Fan Base, Jen Shea and Fran Shea will appear on a local cable-access show locked in a cell and covered in Fancy Feast™. 1,000 cats will be released into the cell through a small hatch. Fran and Jen will sing a medley of famous duets, including Islands In the Stream, Endless Love, and You Don't Bring Me Flowers.

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Posts in DIY

January 13, 2013
zeichenpress

It was time for The Sign Of Peace, and as all members of the congregation turned to offer their hand for a firm shaking, I slowly let my sleeve swallow my hand. 

With a forlorn look and one missing hand, I imagined the gasps of concern for my deformity. I turned to the family in the pew behind me — they would wonder if I was born crippled or if my hand had been lost in a bloody accident. I was eager to extend my handless arm, my face already prepared and appropriately pitiful.

Oh, but why do parents have to crush their children's fantasies?

And here's another story about hands:

I took woodshop in highschool.

I did. I was the only girl. The room was filled with dangerous power-tools and I secretly hoped for the "automatic A" decribed by the teacher: "If a student is dumb enough to sever a finger or an entire hand, they will receive an automatic A." 

Unfortunately, I successfully made a box:

Speaking of hands, here's a new card:

 

Posts in DIY

December 17, 2012
zeichenpress

The Christmas Tree lot shack doubled as a meth-lab and while I admire ingenuity and entrepreneurship, I like my Holiday Traditions to be more "cozy-by-the-fire" and less "mix-up-a-batch-in-the-tub."

BUT THAT'S JUST ME.

The "lot" contained exactly eight trees but due to a Christmas Miracle, we found the perfect tree!

We only had to retie the tree back onto the car once. To be fair, cooking meth doesn't really prepare a person for handling Christmas Trees.

My Jewish friends don't have these stories and this saddens me, so I made them a card:

Posts in DIY

December 11, 2012
zeichenpress

The No-Coast Craft-O-Rama was a success!

I think it might be because Jen and I were wearing our new uniforms. 

It's hard to know — but marketing is SO important these days and we really do our best to be, as the kids say, cutting edge.

After the show, we packed our uniforms in bubble-wrap, sat by a roaring fire, and watched the snow fall. 

And fall.

And fall.

That inspired a Chanukah card!

This goes out to my Jewish brothers and sisters:


 

 

Posts in DIY

December 6, 2012
zeichenpress

And like the Canadian Goose, she stayed. She stayed and embraced the cold, using her derriére to warm the waters of her pond.

And by derriére, I mean "bottom" and by waters of her pond, I mean "the Midtown Market."

What?!

It's time for the No-Coast Craft-o-Rama! TOMORROW (Friday, December 7 AND Saturday, December 8)!!

Here's what I've done to get ready:

That's a full cord of wood that I ordered.

AND I made this card:

Jen did everything else.

See you tomorrow!

xo,

Fran