Posters: Finding the Print Shop with Pizazz

Though my "Save the Date" postcards were printed, there were still posters for the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" premiere to produce.

I had to find a company other than PrintsMadeEasy.com to print the posters. That online company specialized in postcards and business cards.

This time I wanted to choose a local print shop so I could easily drive to the place and authorize the coloring before the mass printing. My posters needed to have the light blue background and not the blue-purple as what happened with the postcards.

If the print shop had a listing online but no website, then I automatically crossed them off my list.

Finally, I discovered Bell Printing and Design.

As I scoured the website, I looked for hints that Bell Printing was a print shop and not a copy center. Higher quality would most likely be at a print shop where heavier and more expensive equipment filled the building.

My trip to Belling Printing and Design happened to be on a slippery and snow-filled day. The drive was a little dangerous, but I made it into the driveway without a scratch.

I brought a poster I liked from a different storytelling event to show what I wanted for the premiere posters. As I was unaware of print shop lingo, then the workers could "translate".

While waving the poster I said, "I like thick and heavy paper with a glossy front".

Bell Printing and Design interpreted this to mean "I like 11 X 17 posters with Blue White Carolina C1S Cover Ultra Light 94 12pt, Digital Press on 1 side".

I asked for a quote on 100 posters. It would be $72.50.

I had budgeted one hundred dollars for the posters so I happy to have an extra $27.50 to apply to another area for the premiere.

I insisted on a color check before all 100 posters would be printed. Fortunately, there was no extra charge for this service.

I knew the printing would take a few business days, but I was excited to see the results.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Lullaby of Love: Song of the Gardener's Wife

Songs and lullabies rushed to my mind after choosing "The Gardener's Wife" story for the grand finale piece of the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love".

In a matter of moments, I could envision the gardener's wife rocking a baby in her arms. This image quickly switched to me caressing a baby. As my husband and I do not have children yet, such an image stirred emotions of great excitement.

The words came out of my mouth and I could see them sung to my future children.

In the story, a baby is sent to the gardener and his wife by the river. Water is also an essential part to birth.

So the words that came to me:
Oh my child, my precious child
The waters sent you here
Oh my child, my precious child
To have you close and near

This lullaby is short though such a song of love is often that way.

I called my storytelling friend, Holly Robison, and told her my discovery. I sung the lullaby to her and asked if she could sing it as a duet for a certain part of the story. We have told tandem tales before where we harmonized.

She said yes.

I explained that when the song is first sung, I would sing it. Then Holly would harmonize with me for the second time. She would "oooo" the tune while I narrated that throughout the village other mothers and fathers sung the song. This would be a hint to the audience to join in. As they would have heard the words twice and there are four lines with two lines repeating, then it would be simple enough. The words--though few--would also be in the program.

I may have an ASL interpreter so we would have the song in sign language.

Something happens when everyone sings together.

As the adopted children of the gardener and his wife grow up in the story, then the song will be sung again though not in such a dramatic way as the first time. However, the audience would be familiar with the tune and the words and could join in each time.

As the gardener and his wife wanted children for a long time, it seemed natural that the wife would have another song--a grieving song--while waiting for that moment.

The words and tune have yet to come to me.

There is a line that I feel must be part of it:
There's a hunger in my soul. I yearn for more.

As I explore the story more, then more inspiration will come.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Student to my Rescue: Research Assistance

When approached to be part of the Weber State University Storytelling Festival Board, I was honored.

Then I realized how many other projects and positions I had and wondered if this was too much.

Finally, I was promised that in return for work with the festival, an undergraduate student would be found within the Department of Education to assist in research for the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" project.

Today I received the telephone call from the student.

We did not chat for long, though we were able to discuss the main ideas of the project and the goals. Eventually, we will meet in-person to get to know each other better and see how we could mutually benefit from the exchange.

She is majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in American Sign Language. I did not think about it while speaking with her, though afterward I wondered about the possibility of having an ASL interpreter at the premiere. A couple months ago this idea intrigued me. I forgot about it. . .until now.

In the meantime, I am requesting to see the senior project guidelines to make sure "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" will match what is required of the university. Interestingly, this narrative production connects to achieving my Storytelling Masters.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller