This month's video and blog give a little of the backstory to my (plus Madison’s) “Go Mad and Drink Tea” line of products. You can access it here:
In the interest of time, I left out a few things, or quickly went through and past them. So here’s a little more for you.
The “original Tenniel top hat” to which I refer about 2 minutes in is from this illustration by John Tenniel that you’ll find in Chapter 11 of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
The fonts I used for each version of the design are both sans serif fonts. What does that mean? For those unfamiliar with graphic design or typography, a serif is the little foot that one finds in typefaces like Times Roman or Baskerville. That is the reason they are called serif fonts. Typefaces without this little foot, such as Helvetica or Gill Sans are called sans serif fonts, French for “without serif”.
How I took the design from ink on paper original to digital: For the first version, I used the design tools in the Zazzle online platform for the text. I scanned the Hatter’s hat into my computer and edited it in Photoshop. I was then able to import the scan into and finish the design on Zazzle. When I decided to “uplevel” the design, I used Canva for the text and the top hat. It is ridiculously easy to change the color of the hat in Canva, and Gill Sans is one of the standard fonts available in this app. I created a JPEG of the whole design, and uploaded it into Zazzle for the Tea Towel and other items I created on that platform.
Now that I have moved my print on demand store to Printful, I have had to modify the offerings of the Whimsical Things Shop, since Printful carries different items than does Zazzle. I mentioned the mug and framed poster, but forgot to show this hardcover bound journal.
I’m very happy with this item, having purchased a sample for myself. It’s the same kind of bound journal one can find in stores like Barnes and Noble for around the same price. It has a bookmark and a little pocket in the back for ephemera. And it has a handy elastic band to keep it closed.
It’s a very satisfying feeling to have something go from idea to physical creation. It’s even more gratifying to be able to share that creation with others, spreading the inspiration.