I had a really hard time coming up with a name for my business. If you have kids, or a pet you know how hard it is to choose something like a name. They will be stuck with it forever. It has to last. It has to be “now” but also something that will stand the test of time. And you want it to be memorable, and marketable, and fun. Let’s see, how many requirements could you put on the search for a new business name?
And I loved the name of my old press. Haywire Letterpress. It had a ring to it. We were in a barn. The logo was awesome. What could I possibly come up with that could come close to that? What would fit me, moving forward as a solo act? I was hung up on the thought that I might not be able to think of something as good as that. My husband was subjected to long drives where we did nothing but brainstorm ideas. Still nothing. My friends were put to task to send me ideas. My mom and dad sent me lists. But nothing fit.
Then, one fateful Saturday morning, as I was getting ready for my day, something caught my eye. It was something that I’ve had for a couple of years, a birthday present from my friend Melissa, as a matter of fact. And I had the name.
Let’s go back in time. The year is 1990. I was in high school. Two of my best friends were Melissa and Robbi and my favorite band put out a new album. The album was Flood by They Might Be Giants. I had it on tape and played it over and over. I still know every song by heart. On the album was a song called “Birdhouse in Your Soul” which has a line that goes “Blue Canary in the outlet by the light switch, who watches over you, Make a little birdhouse in your soul.”
So that fateful Saturday morning, I walked by the blue canary nightlight my friend Melissa had given me, and the name Blue Canary Letterpress popped into my head. That was it!
So now you know, and in case you were wondering, here is the inspiration:
