Stay Tuned for New Cards!

Todd and Gino are back from the Stationary Show in NYC
and they are super excited about the new card lines they have added to the already awesome cards at Foursided and Twosided!
Stay tuned for updates on all of our new lines as they get delivered in the coming weeks.

Crafty Contest!

Hey Foursided & Twosided Devotees!

We want to see what you are making with our fun stuff
and we want to post it on our blog!

It is time to show off those flashcard collages, anagram signs, jewelry, and any other creative projects you have constructed from the ephemra you found
at one of our stores....and it's time to win prizes!

All winners and 10 runners up will be posted right here on our blog (which should be incentive enough!), and the exciting prizes are as follows:

1st Place $75 Gift Certificate

2nd Place $50 Gift Certificate

3rd Place $25 Gift Certificate

1 Honorable Mention $10 Gift Certificate

Contest Criteria:

Make something big or small, flat or 3 dimensional, boring or exciting... anything goes!

Please email a brief description of your project, your name, contact email,

and a maximum of 3 pictures in jpeg format to:

foursidedblog@gmail.com

DEADLINE IS MAY 28, 2009 so get cracking!

Winners will be contacted via email in early June

Pass this along to any friends who might be interested
and may the best maker win!

Flash-tastic!

Well you didn't expect us to stop with Mother's Day cards now did you?!
Let the card assembly continue!

We can't get enough of our mid-century flashcards, and making them into small batches of unique greeting cards has been so fun. Blank inside for you to write you own message, they are a unique way to say congrats, happy birthday, or anything your heart desires. Who wouldn't love a card with their initials or a picture of a "Gay Dog" in a jaunty cap? The cards pictured above range from $3-4 and only represent a tiny portion of the cards we have been cranking out. Check out the others in store and be sure let us know if you can think of a great card idea you would love to see on our shelves!

This Just In!

Get a load of these cool vintage inspired coasters we just acquired made by Jennifer Hill!
Various designs at both stores, $13.99 each.

We hate to nag, but...

"Have you done your homework yet?"
"I don't want to have to ask you again to take out the trash!"

It's a mother's job to nag once in while, so in honor of their special day we can't help but ask in that special motherly tone:
"Have you purchased your Mother's Day gift yet?"
Seriously people, this is your mama, and she deserves something nice!

We know moms can be hard to shop for, but we have loads of fun stuff, and great ideas for a special gift. Check out these amazing one-of-a-kind cards made from our anagram letters ($4-5.50), and our framed vintage flashcards ($32-60).

May 10th will be here before you know it, so don't dilly dally (another great mom phrase).
Stop in today for some great Mother's Day swag.

As Simple As Black & White

Hey did you see Todd's great animal and insect silhouettes featured in the March/April issue of Chicago Home + Garden Magazine? This Style of art may have originated in the 18th century, but these fun pieces make it as modern as ever!

Clockwise from top left: Ouija Card by Oddball Press, $5; Cat Card by Egg Press, $5.50; Assorted Rings by Lusterbunny, $15-30; Animals Card by Enormous Champion, $5.50; Obama Silhouette hand-cut by our very own Kelly Reynolds, $18.

Amazing Anagrams!

we just received a whole bunch of letters from a to z perfect for creating a dit scrabble game or makinga ransom note with flair. anagrams wooden letters letter tiles scrabble pieces

Mom, Mother, Ma!

Don't forget Mom on Sunday May 10...

She wouldn't forget your day, would she?

We've posted a sampling
of cards for mom...

from cool letterpress...
to silly cards...
to cards just for your MOM!

From $3 to $6.50 that's less

than your daily coffee stop!

Spring Has Sprung!

We know this is Chicago and it will probably snow tomorrow, but we can't help but be excited about the recent warmer weather and what the coming weeks will bring! Beat the winter blues and put a little spring in your step with these fun items:

Decorative Deer Tray $75

Ceramic Bird Rings $22ea

Grasshopper Magnets $4ea
Go Green, by Nancy Taylor $12.95

Hummingbird Glass Tray $14
Fern Card $5.50

Boxed Floral Notes $14(set of 6)
Bird Votive Peony Candle $23

MAKING A CONVERSATION PIECE OUT OF ALL THAT STUFF YOU COLLECT, BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH.

People, that's you, are always telling us they have this box of stuff under their bed or at the back of their closet, full of things they love, but have no idea what to do with them.
We say frame it in a shadow box why don'tcha?

To be used as an example, we have a collection of early 20th century marquee letters that when put together,

make the entire alphabet.

After we layout our letters and design what we'd like the final piece to look like, we just order a frame. Luckily we have a frame shop, so we can do that. It's like magic.
We then do final measurements for our frame installation.

We then simply, line the walls
with the same color as the background, which
holds the glass to the front to create the "box" look.

Now, we will raise the letters at different levels to create an unexpected texture to the piece. We'll raise and lower objects in most shadow boxes 'cuz it just looks cooler.

After our glue has dried and we're recovering from the arduous task of individually mounting 26 letters to its backing, we have some coffee.

Time for the final "fitting" process of fastening it in and putting a paper seal on its back to make the back look pretty. You're never going to see the back again so, it's important
that it looks good to the wall, who will be
looking at it, up close, for the rest of its life.

Time to hang it up, pat ourselves on the back, and compliment each other on how creative we are!

Todd Mack-Proprietor/FOURSIDED & TWOSIDED 3.5.09

Midwest Is Best!

Sorry NY and LA, but we think the Midwest is best! Show your Chicago pride with a few of these fun items:

1. Chicago Rapid Transit Wrapping Paper $4
2. Chicago Kid's Tee $27
3. Neighborhood Magnets $5ea
4. 123 Chicago Board Book $8.95
5. My Kind of Town Card $6.75
6. Chicago City Walks Deck $14.95
7. Vintage Postcard Set $23
8. Vintage Chicago Tribune Truck $44
9. Eat Shop Chicago Book $14.95
10. Silkscreened Neighborhood Poster $32.50
11. Obama Flashcard $16
    

Flashy!

Foursided's Flashcard Mobile

Wall-o-flashcards at Twosided

We love a fun, quirky, inexpensive gift more than anyone, so it's no shock that right now we are majorly digging these vintage flashcards. Spell a name, say 'I love you,' or frame a big ol' hunk of meat (yes, cuts of meat flashcards really exist). The possibilities are endless, and with a price range of $.25-$5 you can afford to get creative and stock up on the fun!

Letters, fish, math, milk... more flashcards than you can shake a stick at