Kidical Mass is Kidically Awesome

Saturday was the monthly Kidical Mass ride in Welles Park, Chicago, a kid-friendly version of a Critical Mass ride. Instead of taking over the streets of the Loop, we had an enjoyable jaunt through Lincoln Square and North Center. And while Jo isn't big enough to 'drive' the Press Bike, she sure enjoys pretending to do so while other kids get the chance to print. Of course we needed a bike-themed print for the day, and here's what we came up with:

Needless to say, the press was popular, and many Bikes Are The Coolest stickers were printed.

Here's a shot of one stop, waiting for the lights to change. There was a great variety of bikes and ages!

This may very well be our new shop manager... oh the entrepreneurial spirit!

We stopped by the North Center Farmers Market for a breather, and to pick up some fresh produce for the rest of the ride. Our numerous markets (one or more for every day of the week!) are one of the best things about Chicago in the summer.

No, you don't need a helmet for printing, but when you're on the road it's a requirement!

We're back to Welles Park! You can get a little shot of Mr. Starshaped corking the ride in the left corner.

And of course here's Todd, a staple of all Kidical Mass rides! Thanks for providing the great tunes to keep us hummin' on the road.

 

A few last prints for the morning and then we were on our way. Jo wants to ride her own bike next time, so we're looking for a little volunteer to run the Press Bike!

 

Later in the evening, we headed back to the Ravenswood Outdoor Movie Night for a showing of Toy Story. We switched out the chase in the little Sigwalt for a more appropriate sticker and had a few of our youngest printers so far. Hats off to the 2 and 3 years olds! To infinity and beyond, indeed.

We've got another great event next weekend, so stay tuned for the details coming soon...

Ravenswood Outdoor Movie Night

Last night we were invited to print at the Ravenswood Outdoor Movie Night at Bethany United Church of Christ. It was the perfect night for printing while we waited for the sun to go down and for ET to start. In honor of the film's theme, we set up little envelopes on which the kids printed a famous line from the movie, and then stuffed them with Reese's Pieces. A big hit with kids and adults alike! And while Jo went to town printing the envelopes, these little cuties took to distributing them to the crowd so everyone could enjoy a treat. We'll see you next month at Toy Story!

Hurrah!

Today we had our first printing adventure as we celebrated Jo's final day of school. The press was in good form after a few tweaks and we set up a little 'School's out!' sticker for everyone to print. And print they did, drawn to the little press and thrilled with the chance to make something cool.

Thanks to all the kids from Chicago Montessori and Lill Street Art Camp for making our first outing a real success!

Final Assembly

Today Jo and I set up our little Sigwalt to print for the first time. It needs a few tweaks, but is well on its way to printing for our Press Bike. Our first print is on sticker stock (what kid doesn't love stickers?), and is bike themed to coordinate with our first event... more on that tomorrow!

Jo chose type to create the fabric signs for the sides and backs of the bucket of the bike, which we printed in happy red on yellow gingham (each letter is 5" tall, and represents our largest wood type in the studio).

Our signage is finished, and the press is ready to roll! The big reveal is coming soon.