Search results for: “kaye rachelle”

ASCB Vendor Spotlight: Kaye Rachelle

the ladies behind Kaye Rachelle; Susan (L) & Bonnie (R)

Company: Kaye Rachelle
Proprietors: Bonnie Kaye Whitfield + Susan R. Dreifuss
Located In: Philadelphia / New Jersey
http://www.kayerachelledesigns.com

Art Star: Tell us a little bit about yourselves. What are your backgrounds & how did you two meet? When did you decide to transition your art making into a business?

Kaye Rachelle: We met at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY in 2008 as MFA candidates in Printmaking. We were studiomates, busy focusing on our independent work. But within the next year, we were asked to collaborate as designers & printers for a special Pratt project – we designed & screen printed all the home textiles for two showroom apartments at 3rd + Bond Apartments in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. We had never before screen-printed on fabric – and it rocked our world. Custom orders started rolling in from our friends and family. After getting entrepreneurial advice live on Fox Business News just days before graduation, we dove forward & have yet to look back.

Autumn Morning Cloth Napkin

AS: Are you able to focus on Kaye Rachelle full time or do you have day jobs?

KR: While Kaye Rachelle certainly feels like a full time job for both of us, we have day jobs, too. Bonnie is a teaching artist for the Mural Arts Program, and Susan teaches art classes for a non-profit organization in NJ.

Cloth Napkins

AS: Do you both work on all aspects of the business, or do you each have specific jobs that you focus on?

KR: We collaborate from start to finish but we do have specific tasks. We live about two hours apart, so we are constantly communicating via g-chat and email. Primarily, Susan is in charge of inventory, printing fabrics, & research, whereas Bonnie sews & works on daily communication, such as emails, Etsy posting, & social media.

Bonnie & Susan in the studio

AS: What is your creative process like? Do you fully plan out a piece from start to finish?

KR: Our goal is to release a new batch of designs twice a year, with other special & custom design projects in between. After deciding on a main theme & creating an inspiration board, we then work individually to come up with a variety of designs. From manipulating photographs we have shot to scanning in drawings, we pull imagery from our daily inspiration. Together, we choose & polish the designs that are the strongest and most complimentary to one another. Lastly, we select our seasonal color palette. We like the idea of customers being able to pick a product, design, & color that fits perfectly with the aesthetic of their home.

AS: What types of items can we find in your collection?

KR: Our collection includes screen-printed pillows, placemats, table runners, cloth napkins, tea towels, wall organizers, market totes, cocktail napkins and small prints on paper.

Fire Escape Pillow

AS: What are some of the inspirations for your collection?

KR: Our latest line (Fall 2011/Winter 2012) is called Transported. It consists of a collection of prints inspired by travel and transportation, such as crosswalks, traffic lights, bicycles & Philly’s 30^th Street Station.

AS: Where do you hope to see Kaye Rachelle in the next 5 years?

KR: We hope to be in a variety of retail locations nationwide and to eventually open our own space. Our goal is to find a location where we can print, teach, sell, eat & entertain. (We are both avid cooks!)

Tea Towel

AS: Do you have any new products in the works?

KR: Yes! We are currently working on wine totes, aprons, and Philadelphia-inspired recipe cards.

AS: Aside from the Art Star Craft Bazaar (and soon Art Star!) where can
customers find your work?

KR: In Philadelphia, our products can be found at COOK, SquarePeg Artery & Salvage, and Lodge215. We also sell at Clover Market in Ardmore, PA, and will be at the Crafty Balboa Holiday Market on Sat. Dec 17th at the Broad St. Ministry. We also have products at Teich in the West Village, NYC. Last and not least, you can find our latest creations on Etsy, at www.KayeRachelle.Etsy.com.

AS: What can customers expect to see in your ASCB booth?

KR: From floursack tea towels to linen throw pillows, expect to see a cozy array of our screen-printed textiles, ready to wrap up as gifts. We will also have hostess gift bundles, a sweet way to say thanks to your holiday hosts.

Visit Kaye Rachelle at Booth # 10 at our upcoming Art Star Craft Bazaar

November 10, 2011
Art Star Crafternoons

We have decided to put together a series of what we are calling “crafternoons”, which will essentially be an afternoon of artist studio visits, demonstrations, make & takes, discount shopping & more! It has always been a goal of ours to integrate education into what we do at Art Star. We want to offer the public the opportunity to learn more about the artists we carry & to see first hand what goes into the work that they make & also get an intimate view into their daily studio practices.

First up is a visit to glass jewelry artist, Penelope Rakov’s studio in the Crane Arts Building + a demo/make & take with home textile designers Bonnie & Susan of Kaye Rachelle Designs.

Penelope Rakov with her dog Ella / a pair of lovely glass earrings & a necklace, both set in sterling silver

Here are the details & Full Itinerary for the day!

Saturday, September 15th
10:15am-approximately 2pm
$25 per person, limit 10 people per Crafternoon (must have 5 to run)

10:15am– Meet up at Penelope Rakov’s studio at the Crane Building.
You will get an intimite view of Penelope’s studio + her full line of jewelry.
Penelope will also talk about her work & give a demonstration on her process.
coffee, tea & snacks will be provided.

Bonnie & Susan from Kaye Rachelle in their studio / Knot Placemat / Sunday Stroll Linen Pillow

11:45am – approximately 2pm Meet at Art Star where Kaye Rachelle will be set up with their latest line of homegoods. They will talk about their work & demonstrate a simple paper stencil technique. Everyone will get a chance to print onto a tote bag or tea towel & take it home! Finger foods & refreshments provided.

You will receive 20% off any item purchased from Art Star or from any of the artists that day!

Register here
or call us at 215.238.1557

To learn more about Penelope Rakov & her work, visit her website or check out our blog post. To view her collection of work at Art Star, click here. (more added soon!!)

To learn more about Kaye Rachelle & their work, visit their website or check out our blog post. To view their collection of work at Art Star, click here (more added soon!!)

August 18, 2012
September Crafternoon Recap

We had so much fun this past Saturday at our first ever Crafternoon! We are definitely going to make this a monthly event – so please sign up for our email newsletter or follow us on Facebook/Twitter for updates!

We met up at Penelope Rakov‘s studio in the morning & she treated us to donuts & coffee while she chatted about her work & walked us through her process. Here are some photos from the visit. Check out all the photos on Flickr.

Penelope (far right) chatting about her work

bars of colored glass that Penny uses to pull glass cane used to make her jewelry

Penny showed us each step that is involved in her process. Here are bundles of pulled glass cane.

after Penny talked about her work, we all got to shop her entire collection, which included new & older pieces. All crafternoon purchases were 20% off!

We found a drawer filled with finished glass pieces that just needed to be set in sterling silver. A few of our crafternooners picked out their favorites from the drawers & Penny custom set them!

After we were finished at Penny’s studio, we headed over to Art Star for a lovely spread of food from A Full Plate Cafe. Bonnie & Susan of Kaye Rachelle were all set up & ready for us. They chatted a bit about their line of printed home textiles & then we dove right into our make & take! They created 3 simple chevron designs cut from acetate & crafternooners could choose their color/design/placement for their tote/tea towel. We had tons of extra totes & towels, so everyone got to make a few. The results were great!

Bonnie & Susan with their three screens. They gave us step by step instructions on how to silk screen. The cut stencil technique is so simple to do at home. Their chevron designs were inspired by the One & Two Liberty Place Buildings right here in Philly. All three designs worked so great together – perfect for layering them onto the totes in different color inks.

Bonnie & Susan showing us how to print. Everyone loved the minty green color they mixed! They chose the perfect fall palette – this green, mustard yellow, & navy blue. Susan suggested mixing a little of each color in with the color you choose so they all have the same tone & work nicely together.

The lovely Lisa Castellano is the first one up to print her tote bag!

Lisa with her completed tote bag

Me (Megan) hanging up all the printed totes to dry.

Thanks so much to Penny, Bonnie, & Susan for making our first Crafternoon so special.

Visit their websites: http://peneloperakov.com/ + http://www.kayerachelledesigns.com/

September 20, 2012
Make This: Easiest Handmade Book Ever

Photos + Tutorial by Bonnie Kaye Whitfield

I am obsessed with this book form. It is the fastest way to turn a simple sheet of paper into an 8-page book, all without gluing or sewing. Use this tutorial to whip up a quick notebook, zine or to quickly transform an old work of art.

You will need:

paper – either blank or an old print, etc
scissors or cutting knife
bonefolder – optional

Gather your materials. I’ll demo with a blank sheet of 12 x 18” paper, but I also have an old test print to make into a book, too.

Start by carefully folding your paper in half, with the shortest ends together (like a “hamburger”). If you have a bonefolder, a super handy tool for making tight creases, then use it. Otherwise, your finger/fingernail will work just fine.

Next, fold your paper once more in the same direction. When you open it, you should have 4 sections created on your paper.

Then fold your paper in the opposite direction, where the longest ends touch (like a “hotdog”). Make a tight crease. When you open your paper up you should now have 8 sections.

Fold you paper back in half again, on the very first crease you created (like a “hamburger”). Hold the paper carefully, and begin to cut into the folded edge on the crease – STOP when you get to the corner where the 4 creases come together. When you open your paper, it should look like you have a big slit in the middle.

Refold you paper long ways (like a “hotdog”) and begin to squeeze the two ends of the paper together so that the hole in your paper closes to form 2 more pages. Fold these 4 page “spokes” together to close the book. Sometimes the book has a mind of its own, and you just let the pages tell you how to close up the book.

And there you have it, your new 8-page, no-glue, no-sew book!

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Bonnie Kaye Whitfield designs and screen prints home textiles + paper goods under the name, Bonnie Kaye Studio. Products are created to inspire memories at home and around the table. A donation is made with every purchase to help feed hungry Americans.

www.BonnieKayeStudio.com

July 30, 2015
Make This: Quick + Easy Matte Medium Transfer

Photos + Tutorial by Bonnie Kaye Whitfield

Here’s a quick and simple image transfer for using matte medium and a photocopy of an image. It’s a helpful trick for adding layers of imagery to mix media works of art. On the other hand, it can also be a beautiful way to create a piece for your home or a friend that encapsulates a memory or person.

You will need:

photocopy of image to transfer / copy in reverse if it matters to the image
thick paper, canvas, or wood to use as background
matte medium
foam brush or wide brush
old plastic card or brayer
container for water
sponge (optional)
hair dryer (optional)

Gather your materials. Make a photocopy or laser print of your image that you want to transfer. You need the toner in the paper, so an ink jet print will not work. I recommend starting with a small image the first time you try this process.

Depending on your design or what you want to make, if you want a background to your image then you’ll want to do that first. Go crazy, if you like, with painting a simple background using paint or ink washes. Let the background dry completely.

Cut out the image that you want to transfer, removing any excess paper. Using a foam brush, brush on matte medium on the frontside of the entire image, using a smooth and thick coat. Foam brushes are ideal since they don’t leave many streaks, but any brush can work.

Flip the image over onto your background. Use a brayer or old plastic card to smooth out the image and make sure that it has solid contact to the background. Any air bubbles may result in small areas of the image not being transferred. Let dry completely. Feel free to use a hairdryer to speed up the process.

Once the image dries (the paper will turn opaque again), grab your water container and sponge. Slowly use a damp sponge (or your finger) and work in a small circular motion to begin to remove the paper backing. This might take a while so put on a good podcast or your favorite Netflix show.

Try to work slowly, but if some of the transfer rubs off, it will just add to the rustic quality of the image. You’ll likely need to repeat this process a few times. As the image dries, any fibers that are not rubbed off will continue to cloud the image. Once you get the image to your satisfaction, give the image a top coat of matte medium to seal it.

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Bonnie Kaye Whitfield designs and screen prints home textiles + paper goods under the name, Bonnie Kaye Studio. Products are created to inspire memories at home and around the table. A donation is made with every purchase to help feed hungry Americans.

www.BonnieKayeStudio.com

June 26, 2015
MAKE THIS: 3D Geometric Wrapping Paper

Photos + Tutorial by Bonnie Kaye Whitfield

It takes just a few extra minutes to turn your gift into a conversation piece. Here’s a super simple tutorial to create fun 3D Geometric shapes on the top of your package for the next upcoming summer party you attend.

You will need:

box to wrap
colorful tissue paper
brown kraft paper
cardboard or chipboard
scissors
exacto knife
self-healing mat
tape
pencil

Gather your materials. Grab whatever tissue paper and solid wrapping paper you have on hand.

First, wrap your packages in the tissue paper.

Put your packages aside and begin to draw and cut out simple geometric shapes out of your cardboard or chipboard. Keep your shapes small, under 1” in any given direction.

Next, cut a sheet of your solid wrapping paper, large enough to wrap your package for a second time. Place your package in the middle of the sheet and trace around the edges of the box.

Grab your cut out shapes and begin to trace HALF of the shape within the outline of the box. For example, if you cut out a circle, only trace half of the circle. You want to make sure that half or at least one side of your shape stays connected to the wrapping sheet. Play around with patterns and arrangement with your shapes.

Using an exacto knife, carefully cut along the lines that you traced.

Place your box inside the outline that you originally traced and now wrap your package with the wrapping paper. Flip the box over and carefully fold back all your cut shapes. (Tip: I like to use the blade of my exacto knife to help get under the cut slits. Makes for easier grabbing and folding of the paper.)

Now you can go wow all your friends at your next birthday/babyshower/wedding!!

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Bonnie Kaye Whitfield designs and screen prints home textiles + paper goods under the name, Bonnie Kaye Studio. Products are created to inspire memories at home and around the table. A donation is made with every purchase to help feed hungry Americans.

www.BonnieKayeStudio.com

June 4, 2015
Make This: Striped Screen Printed Clipboards

Photos + Tutorial by Bonnie Kaye Whitfield

Sometimes things just needs a little sprucing up. This time of year, when many of us try to focus on spring cleaning and organizing, I find that I need a bit of motivation. Here’s a speedy screen printing method to jazz up old clipboards, but could also be used on other flat office supplies, such as binders, folders, box lids, etc.

You will need:

clipboards
screen printing frame
screen printing ink
spatula or plastic spoon
squeegee
packaging or blue tape
a friend to hold down your screen / or a hinge clamp board

Gather your materials. I had a few old clipboards lying around my studio that definitely needed a facelift, but you can always purchase plain ones at Staples or Target. The screen printing frame that I am using is from Blick. It’s pretty amazing what you can do without fancy screen printing equipment. With screen printing, you are masking, or blocking, parts of the open screen to create a stencil. Whatever is “open” will print, whatever is “blocked” – in our case with tape – won’t print. I find that you can create fun geometric designs by simply using tape. If you’re looking for something more complex, try cutting a stencil out of contact paper. Same idea.

When you screen print, the screen needs to be directly flush and in contact with whatever you are printing on, with the frame facing upwards. Place your clipboard underneath your screen, as you’ll be printing, to get a sense of size. Your screen should be larger than your clipboard, and needs at least a 2” border buffer, as printing too closely to the edge of the screen is tricky and just doesn’t print well.

Flip your screen over. You’ll now block parts of the screen using tape. Begin with the sides and bottom of the screen so that you get closer to the actual size of the clipboard. Then have fun with creating open stripes or geometric patterns with your tape. Just keep in mind that you’ll eventually have to flip your screen over again, so remember that your print will come out in reverse of what you are taping.

Before printing, flip your screen over to get a better sense as to what will print. I’m going to print off the edges of my clipboard, which is why the open area is larger than my clipboard, but feel free to keep the printing contained within the printing surface. It’s definitely less messy that way.

To print, you’ll need the frame to be held in place, either by a handy friend or in my case, a hinge-clamp board. Gather your ink + squeegee.

Position the clipboard directly under the screen where you want to print. Using a spatula or spoon, spread ink to the top of your screen in a line.

Before printing, you need to “flood” your screen. Using your squeegee, which should be a little wider than your design, in your dominant hand and holding the frame up in your other hand, pull the ink towards you at a 45 degree angle. This is filling the open screen with ink prior to printing. (Since I was taking a picture, I just rested my frame on my tape roll.)

Once the screen is full of ink, place the screen down directly on the clipboard. With the screen firmly in place, pull the squeegee down again at a 45 degree angle. Don’t be afraid of really applying some pressure here. In fact, you may want to do 2 or 3 pulls, as wood will absorb some of the ink.

Gently pull up the frame and you should have a new, fancy updated clipboard. If you are printing on various size clipboards, as I did, be sure to print in order from large to small. And with printing, the time is in the setup not the printing, so why not line up a pile of flat items to print on while you’re at it!

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Bonnie Kaye Whitfield designs and screen prints home textiles + paper goods under the name, Bonnie Kaye Studio. Products are created to inspire memories at home and around the table. A donation is made with every purchase to help feed hungry Americans.

www.BonnieKayeStudio.com

April 9, 2015
MAKE THIS: Printed Pinwheels for Spring!
Photos + Tutorial by Bonnie Kaye Whitfield

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved pinwheels. This printed version of pinwheels is a perfect way to lift your spirits after months and months of winter. Make as festive decor for your next party or create with your kiddo on a rainy day.

You will need:
- square cardstock, ideally different colors on each side
- scissors or x-acto
- ink for printing, either water-based block printing or stamp pads
- ink tray + brayer if using block printing ink
- circular tools for printing – pencil eraser, wine cork, empty cardboard tape ring
- dowel rods
- small tacks/pins
- scrap piece of cardboard
Gather your materials. Try to work with colored cardstock. You can test out other papers to see if they hold up to lots of blowing and twirling. If you have colored ink pads (I didn’t…) then I would use those before turning towards block printing ink, as the prints will take less time to dry.

If you can find paper that is different colors on each side, it will add to the colorful pop of the pinwheels. If not, no biggie. Just work with whatcha got.

Before you begin printing, go ahead and draw two lines of the backside of your printing side. Use a ruler and a pen to line up opposite corners and draw a line, making a big X across the paper.

Now for printing fun! Roll out some ink in a tray. Dip your pencil eraser in the ink and go to town. Pencil erasers make the perfect tiny dot.

Feel free to just use a pencil eraser for all your printing, or grab some other circular items to print with. Here, I’m using a wine cork for a larger circle blob.

I also had an empty tape roll on hand. I recommended scouting out other circular items in your recycling bin, like a toilet paper roll or yogurt container.

After the prints have thoroughly dried, grab your scissors and begin to cut on the lines that you drew at the beginning. Cut on each line until you get about an inch away from the center point – then stop!

Now for the only tricky part … pinning them all together. First, unless these are going to be purely decorative and you don’t want them to spin, you’re going to want to cut out a few dime-sized circles out of cardboard. This will help the pinwheels spin. Set the cardboard circles aside.

Begin by folding down every other corner of the pinwheel and hold in one hand. Grab the pin with your other hand and push through the center, making sure you are going through all 4 corners that you are holding down. Grab one of your cardboard circles and press it in between the paper pinwheel and the wooden dowel rod. I find that a couple long presses in the dowel does the trick for me, but then again, I don’t have a 4-year-old that’s going to run around with it. So if you do, you might want to add a dab of glue before jamming into the dowel.

Lastly, if you really want some good spin action, you’ll need to play around with moving the paper around so that it it doesn’t hit the dowel rod when you try to spin it.

So there you have it – springtime pinwheels + insta mood lifter!

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Bonnie Kaye Whitfield designs and screen prints home textiles + paper goods under the name, Bonnie Kaye Studio. Products are created to inspire memories at home and around the table. A donation is made with every purchase to help feed hungry Americans.

www.BonnieKayeStudio.com
March 26, 2015
Bonnie’s Two Piece Tote Bag

Photos + Tutorial by Bonnie Kaye Whitfield

You are not going to believe how quick and easy this tote bag is to make. I first discovered this tote bag design after getting one with a purchase from a major retailer. It is simply constructed of two pieces of fabric. Brilliant.

You will need:
|
❖ 2 rectangular pieces of fabric

❖ scissors or rotary cutter to customize fabric sizes

❖ pins

❖ serger and/or sewing machine

❖ iron (optional)

Your two pieces of fabric will determine your overall shape and size of the tote. One piece will serve as the body of the tote and should be wider and shorter. The second piece of fabric will serve as the sides and the strap of the tote and should be thinner (depends on the depth you wish your tote to have) and much longer. For the body of my tote, I’m using some scrap fabric from my studio and you can see that I sewed them together in order to have a large enough piece – so feel free to hinge pieces of fabric together if needed.

Take the two short ends of your fabric piece that will serve as the body of the tote. Iron and pin a 1⁄2” hem and sew. This will create a more finished look for the top edges of your tote.

Grab a bunch of pins and your two pieces of fabric and take a seat. Fold the body of the tote, so that the nice sides are facing each other on the inside. You’ll be pinning your tote together from the inside.

Start by pinning the long piece of fabric to the bottom of the body piece, matching the center/bottoms. Keep pinning as you go around the corner edge of the long piece of fabric. Stop when you get to the top edge of the tote. Repeat on the other side of the tote, starting at the bottom/center of the bag again.

Once the two pieces have been completely pinned together, you are ready to sew. You should also be able to get a pretty good idea of the overall size and shape of your tote at this point.

I’m using a serger, but you can also simply use a sewing machine. First, begin by sewing the two bottom edges of the two sides. The length of the stitch will depend on the width of your strap.

Next, you’ll do two long stitches and that’s it! Begin at one end of the tote and sew over the strap, until you get to the other side of the bag. Repeat on the other side.

Turn the bag inside out and you’ll now have a splendid new tote, perfect for all your toting needs.

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Bonnie Kaye Whitfield designs and screen prints home textiles + paper goods under the name, Bonnie Kaye Studio. Products are created to inspire memories at home and around the table. A donation is made with every purchase to help feed hungry Americans. www.BonnieKayeStudio.com

March 5, 2015
Bonnie’s Inspirational Wall Hanging
Photos + Tutorial by Bonnie Kaye Whitfield

Sometimes everyone needs a little pick-me-up, especially in the studio or office, where it’s easy to get overwhelmed with projects and deadlines. These simple inspirational wall hangings combine the magic of masking fluid and watercolor to create your own, personalized message that will keep your chin up and head high.

You will need:
- white or cream cardstock or smooth watercolor paper
- pencil
- art masking fluid
- old, thin brush (one that you don’t mind tossing in the trash after use)
- watercolor
- watercolor brushes
- container of water
- wooden dowel (optional)
- heavy duty tape or hot glue gun (optional)
- rope or twine (optional)
As you gather your materials, make sure you have thick, smooth paper to work with; any paper that is “soft” or textured will not work well with the masking fluid. Also, note that the last three materials are optional and needed only if you want to hang your message as pictured. Otherwise, you could simply cut your wall hanging to size for a frame or pin directly onto your wall.

If you want to hang using a dowel rod, you’ll first want to cut your paper so that the width of the paper is about 2” shorter than your dowel rod. Next, go ahead and fold down the top edge of the wall hanging (approx, 2”). This will serve as your loop for inserting your dowel rod. Wait to tape down the flap until the very end.

Flip your wall hanging over, so that you are now working on the front side of the paper. Decide your message, font, and layout, and lightly sketch out the words on your paper using a pencil.

Next, grab your old brush. Working quickly, apply the masking fluid over your penciled-in letters. The masking fluid is basically liquid rubber. It will be blocking, or masking, the watercolor. It does dry fairly quickly, so you’ll want to work quickly and then immediately clean your brush after using the masking fluid, otherwise, you might have to throw away your brush.

Let the masking fluid letters dry thoroughly. It should dry darker, and you can test if it’s dry just by gently touching it.

Once the masking fluid has dried, you can add watercolor to your wall hanging. In order for the letters to show up, you’ll need to apply watercolor on top of and around all the letters.

Now for the hardest part … waiting! The watercolor and paper must dry completely before peeling off the masking fluid. Trust me, I have learned this lesson the hard way. If it’s not dry, the paper will start to pull off with the masking fluid. When you think it’s dry, you can begin to rub/pull the masking fluid off gently. When all the dried letters are removed, you can erase any pencil lines showing.

Lastly, flip the hanging over and tape down the flap. Insert the dowel rod. Cut your rope or twine to desired length and tie to the ends of the rod.

Hang in a visible area, get back to work, and stay inspired.

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Bonnie Kaye Whitfield designs and screen prints home textiles + paper goods under the name, Bonnie Kaye Studio. Products are created to inspire memories at home and around the table. A donation is made with every purchase to help feed hungry Americans.

www.BonnieKayeStudio.com
February 20, 2015

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