Birch Organic Giveaway

Birch Organic 

We have received such wonderful feedback and support for our Birch Organic line of baby bedding and accessories that we thought it would be fun to do a GIVEAWAY!

Yes, we are giving away a Woodcut bumper!  This sweet fabric is from our Storyboek collection.

To Enter the Giveaway -

Please leave a comment on this post before midnight on Wednesday 12/21 letting us know about the funniest holiday gift you have ever received  and that you would like to be entered in the giveaway.  Anonymous commenters please be sure and leave your email address.

Optional entries -

If you would like extra entries you can post about the giveaway on any of your social networking sites....such as twitter, facebook and/ or your blog (i.e. blogger, Wordpress).  You will need to leave an additional comment for each site you posted about the giveaway on, and the winner will be chosen by random number.  

If you would like to find out more about Birch Fabrics  please visit our website.

xx Cynthia 

To order Birch Organic baby bedding and accessories please click over to our sister company, Fabricworm.  (LINK)

Mod Squad & Next Stop Strike Offs

Birch Fabrics - Mod Squad & Next Stop

We were delighted to receive our Next Stop and Mod Squad strike offs last week.  Look at these great colors, we think they are perfect!  We can't wait for these fabrics to arrive this coming Spring.

We are going to have to dream up some amazing sewing projects for these fun prints.  We would love to hear what you would do with the fabric...please let us know by leaving a comment below.

Next Stop is due to arrive in March, Mod Squad following in April 2012. 

xx

Cynthia

Birch Fabrics + Dan Stiles

Birch Fabrics Interviews Dan Stiles

Today we would like to introduce everyone to the amazingly talented Dan Stiles.  We have worked with Dan on a few fabric collections (Marine and the upcoming, Mod Squad), and we thought it would be interesting to share more about Dan, his work and his rock-n-roll design career. 

1.    Tell us about yourself in 50 words or less.
I'm a designer and illustrator living and working in sunny Portland, Oregon.

2.    Your work is a combination of Music & Design – tell us about this?  And, how you found your niche in the design world.
Music and art were always separate passions of mine since childhood. I always knew they intersected in places like album covers and band T shirts, but I never tried it myself until I started making rock posters in college. A roommate saw some of my graffiti and coerced me into making posters for the campus concert promoter.  My entire career has grown from that seed.

3.    Of all the projects you had done tell us about-
 
   a.    Your favorite one (one that is special to you and why!)

The Sisters Brothers, Nike & Canal

BCwax Label

There have been so many great jobs, it's really hard to pick a favorite. The Nike poster series, the BCwax album covers, The Sisters Brothers book cover, the AT&T and Canal+ ads, the Marine fabric series for Birch. I think the important thing is that the client comes to me with an interesting project and asks me to apply my vision to it, which surprisingly in design isn't always the case. Many times the client arrives with both the project and the vision, and in that case anyone could act as the designer. 

AT&T

Birch Fabrics Marine

       
    b.    Your most successful one (successful means so many things to so many people – which one do you deem the most successful in your eyes and why?)

My Feist and Death Cab for Cutie posters have received a lot of critical attention. I think people respond to the mix of minimalism and patterning I used to convey the messages. I view success in terms of public response. I'm a commercial artist, people need to like what I do or it fails it's purpose. If I were making fine art I could do whatever I wanted and the public be damned, but I'm not into that.

    c. The game changer –  (was there a project that changed your career?  One that opened up new opportunities or one that solidified in your mind that music & design was your future.)
Like most things in life my career has been a slow incremental progression. There was never a Hollywood moment where I was discovered working as a janitor and whisked off in a limousine. I'm a firm believer in the notion that you make your own opportunities through consistent and dedicated hard work. It seems that with each year there are projects that open new doors. I could go back to 1993 connecting the dots between projects I did and the subsequent opportunities that grew from them. For example the project I did for Nike grew from the fact that the art director that hired me is a huge rock poster fan. Or the national advertising campaign I did for AT&T grew out of a small CD cover I did for a folk music compilation that was posted on the design blog grainedit.com. I look at it like the sorcerer's apprentice. I'm Mickey Mouse, and every project I complete is another broomstick out in the world doing work for me. The more quality work I release, the wider my reach.

4. How would you describe your style?

I've heard a lot of different things, the two I like best are punk rock modern and folk pop. I would describe myself as a design illustrator. Today most people are usually either one or the other. I try to use both skills to create simple, clear and concise work. 

5. What inspires you?
 Minimalism, skateboard graphics, folk art, anything Japanese, vintage packaging, children's art, modernism, punk album covers, nature, art nouveau, indigenous art, graffiti, golden era comic books, wallpaper, vintage advertising, art deco, the list could go on forever.

6. Birch Fabrics & Dan Stiles – Did you ever imagine your designs on fabric?  Do you design differently for the fabric collections? 
 I've always been inspired by pattern design, fabric, wallpaper, etc. I've been incorporating pattern elements into my work for quite a while. Thanks to the magic of the internet some of my poster work came to the attention of Birch, who recognized that my style would be effective on fabrics. Surface design was something I had been looking to break into for a while, so it was a great fit for me. The process is a little different in that I'm making something more decorative and less conceptual, which means I get to play more with shapes and color and spend less time thinking about delivering a concise message.

7. Tell us about Mod Squad – the inspiration for the concept, and how you would describe the collection.

With Marine Birch came to me and asked me to expand upon the submarine theme I started with my poster for AC Newman. For Mod Squad they wanted something that played off Mod era Britain. Starting from that I did things like revisiting old Jam and Who albums. I watched Quadrophenia for the first time in 20 years. From there I tried to pull together a visual language that summarized the symbolism and feeling of the period. Yes, I got paid to listen to The Jam. How cool is that?

8.    What would be your dream project?
 My career is an ongoing dream project, it gets better every year. I wouldn't mind doing a series of snowboards or a BMW art car though.

9.    What is next for Dan Stiles?
 I'm always working on something. I have a series of illustrations in the works with Intel, those should be rolling out soon. My wife is a jewelry designer and we're working on a new line together. I have a series of children's clothes coming out with All Good Living. Posters for M83 and Tune-Yards are in progress. I'm looking to branch out into as many different avenues as I can.

OK…the fun questions –

10. Favorite color?
 Do I have to pick just one? Isn't that some form of discrimination? In my work I gravitate towards a primary palette because I like the contrast and the opportunity to overlap the colors. On the other hand when dressing myself I tend towards dark colors with bright color accents.

11. If you could be someone other than yourself who would it be?
 I can't say I've ever thought about that one. There are scores of people I've learned from, whether I've met them or not. For instance I love the spirit of Muhammad Ali and the vision of the Eames, but that doesn't mean I want to actually be any of them. In the end we're all human with weaknesses and foibles regardless of our talents and accomplishments. I'll stick with being me, it's the devil I know.

12. What actor would play you in a movie about your life?
 How about Alexander Skarsgård, he's about the right height and is far more handsome.

13. Favorite food?
Vietnamese, I can't get enough of the stuff.

14. Favorite Movie?
Battleship Potemkin. No, not really, but that makes me sound like I have taste doesn't it? I like French cinema, Delicatessen, La Femme Nikita. Sci-fi stuff like Brazil, The Matrix, The Terminator, Blade Runner, The Matrix. Psychological thrillers like Memento. I also have a real weakness for modern swords and sandals style flicks like 300, and war movies like Saving Private Ryan. And this doesn't even touch on animation which is a whole other list. I guess that's more than one isn't it?

15. Something everyone should know about you but probably doesn't
    I've never eaten a Twinkie.

Thanks Dan!  We really appreciate you taking the time to chat with us.  To learn more about Dan and his work please check out his website.

Birch Fabrics Launches Birch Organic

Introducing Birch Organic Baby Goods

We are excited to announce the launch of our organic baby bedding and accessories under the Birch Organic brand.  We have children, we design and print fabric so one might think it was inevitable that we would launch our own children's product line...or maybe it was my dream all along!   

I'm thrilled with our first collection of Play Quilts and Crib Bumpers. The entire line is made with our 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and cotton batting.  This soft and luxurious cotton is pesticide and chemical free to keep your little one safe, and Mums can be proud of choosing a healthy alternative for the nursery.

We chose to feature the whimsical Storyboek and adventurous Avalon fabric collections for Crib Bumpers in order to offer an array of boy and girl products. 

And LOOK at these Play Quilts...I think they are gorgeous, and just in time for the holidays.  The Play Quilts come in Storyboek, Avalon by JayCyn, Marine by Dan Stiles, and Circa 60 Beach Mod by Monaluna.

We would love to know your thoughts on our new venture.  We hope you enjoy.

To order Birch Organic baby bedding and accessories please click over to our sister company, Fabricworm.  (LINK)

xx Cynthia

Birch + Rag Quilts

Eye Candy Rag Quilts

I'm drawn to the juxtaposition of rag quilts made with modern prints.  Rag quilts seem timeless and when mixed with contemporary designs have such panache...I love them!  

These quilts remind me of when my boys were younger and their little fingers would play with the tags and soft edges of blankets.  A rag quilt's construction creates an inviting tactile quality that seems so wonderful for little ones to play with and enjoy.

Here are some gorgeous Rag Quilts that we found, and wanted to share.

WestCoastQuilts/Etsy

WestCoastQuilts/Etsy

WestCoastQuilts/Etsy

SouthernCharmQuilts/Etsy

Sweet Peppermint Girl/Etsy

SeptemberOaks/Etsy

Oh, and girls...check out these bags!

WestCoastQuilts/Etsy

WestCoastQuilts/Etsy

SoutherCharmQuilts/Etsy

SouthernCharmQuilts/Etsy

I'd love to see someone make a Rag Quilt with our fabrics...any takers?

Enjoy,

Cynthia

Birch Being Thankful

After such a wonderful day yesterday with my family, friends and loved ones I wanted to extend a heartfelt "Thanks" to our Birch Fabrics family.  We are THANKFUL each and every day for your support of our dream to own an organic fabric company.  We couldn't do it without YOU, and we will continue to work hard to provide exciting new fabric collections, and personal customer service.

Thank you,

Cynthia

xx

Birch Fabric's Inspiration

My Inspiration

I want to share with you a new magazine, Stitch Craft Create, that I find to be wonderfully inspiring.  People often ask me what inspires me and as an artist (because I'll always be an artist first and a business woman second) being inspired is a constant state of mind for me.  It might be something I see in my child's drawing, a new designer collection or, often for me, nature and its unwavering beauty...Oooo or one of those fabulous Japanese designers I so covet. 

Today though I found Stitch Craft Create inspiring.  The magazine is full of super projects  in a welcoming order of craft, sewing and mixed medium projects. 

I was of course drawn to the fabric projects...big surprise for all of you I am sure.  Look at this Advent Calendar...how sweet.  I love the vibrancy of the green felt but wouldn't this be gorgeous in fabric too? 

Their photography is super and the layout is inviting.  This is the spread leading into the fabric project section...are you inspired?  I was.

And this is my favorite project...LOOK at these Christmas trees.   If someone will make these for me I'll send you the fabric...I think I must have them.

This premier issue is holiday themed, which makes it especially luscious and vibrant...a wonderful treat as we head into the long Thanksgiving weekend.

Here is a LINK to their website too...they have some great tutorials on their site. 

I say "Welcome" Stich Craft Create and thank you for such an inspiring first issue...I can't wait for the next one.

xx

Cynthia