Hand-Made Lover's Paradise

 Atlanta folks who shop at The Beehive know how awesome, big and heavenly this sale is.  For the rest of you around the country and for my readers overseas....wish you could be here.  This SALE is so sweet!!

What's Your Color Personality?

Better Homes and Gardens online has a fun quiz that determines your "color personality". I rather like to think I know myself, likes and dislike pretty well.  I took the quiz anyway for fun.  Well, the results were no less than on-the-mark!  My color personality is Earthy Green.  Try it.  You have to be completely honest with your answers.

Just Plum Crazy!

I'm working on colorways for the fall collection right now.  I keep coming back to plum.  Its very warm and sophisticated and certain deep shades can almost replace brown--which I use alot of in the fall.  Mixed with punches of gold or green its becomes fun and current. I've found these inspirations which are influencing and directing me right now.

 

Gold, green and plum clutch by Upstyle.

Plum and green wallpaper.  Visually stunning! Interiorideaz.com

 

Gold and plum cotton fabric by Art Gallery Fabrics.

Oh La La--so French.  Look at all those gorgeous hues on that plum sofa!  Trendey.com

 

Gold bird and plum pillow at purplepajamas.etsy.com

Sewing Camp Adventures

Throughout the summer, I've been conducting a sewing camp at The Beehive Atlanta.  I've taught sewing to girls before, but this was my first fore into teaching a daily class --five days a week, three hours a day!  What fun and how educational for me.  I've fine-tuned my teaching style, honed my class format and above all sharpened my patience!! The skills the kids have taken away were three basic hand stitches, how to thread aneedle and tie a knot (no easy feat), how to thread a machine, the major parts and how the machine works, and how to make straight stitches on that machine. SIMPLE. BASIC.  With these skills they were able to complete a project that they designed themselves.

Week one was comprised of girls and boys! They made personal decorative pillows for their bed.  Week two students (all girls) made a top and then cut off jeans into shorts and embellished them with applique techniques and hand stitches and, during week three students made a lined tote.  I have been so impressed with their creativity and complete immersion into what they were doing.  I have two more camp sessions to go--the week of the 18th and the week of the 25th.  But this definitely has inspired me to teach more and perhaps to adults as well.  I'll keep you posted if that transpires.

Back from Vacation!

 I feel as if I'm in a tree house when we are at the cabin.

We had ten wonderful days in the beautiful mountains of north Georgia.  I did pretty much a little of everything I love to do--hiked in the woods with my family, swam in the lake, cooked some gorgeous and creative meals with the venison my husband and my boy wonder harvested last fall, visited the local quilt shop, sewed a pretty market tote with some Art Gallery Fabrics I've had, and read to my children every night before they went to bed (Little House in the Big Woods).  I'm back in the studio energized and inspired for the fall collection.

 My sweet love helped me gather these lovely wildflowers.

I made this market tote leisurely--lined it and even added a zippered pocket for my wallet!

Women in the Sew

From where or whom do you get your inspiration?  Yes, the beauty of nature, your family--especially kids, history, an event,  current or past trends of clothing or interiors -- or the simple pattern of a newly introduced fabric, a vintage button  or the color of that yarn you just bought.

During the weekend of the 11th at the ICE show here in Atlanta, I had the pleasure of meeting and showing along side several amazing women who are all brilliant artists and designers and who have created some very successful businesses. We chatted craft, business, kids, multi-tasking, the King of Pops (see Jessica Swift's blog for more info on that delicious subject). I found their humor, hard work, their varying aesthetics, their talent and openness completely inspiring.  This week I've been working on the theme of my winter 2011/2012 collection.  More to come on that subject as I solidify my designs.

I also met Deborah Moebes owner of the fabulous fabric studio Whipstich, and Ellen Lucket Baker whose blog TheLongThread.com boasts 75,000 visitors a month!  Talk about inspiration--both these ladies have recently published a book.  Deborah's book, Stitch by Stitch, is a lovely companion for those who make clothing, and focuses on garment constructing techniques. I don't know about about you, but I can get in a rut using the same techniques, sewing the same thing over and over.  

Ellen's book 1-2-3 Sew features 33 unique and simple projects that allow you to build your skills as you progress through the book. This past Saturday I went to Ellen's book signing and took a class she taught on one of the projects in the book--making a clutch.  Ooh la la.  You should see what I can do now! 

 

Deborah and Ellen at the ICE show.  Thanks for the inspiration ladies!

My Prints Charming Has Arrived!

This little bird is waiting for me!

I few weeks ago I posted about the Australian dynamic print duo Cath and Kirsten at Prints Charming--I ordered their book and was waiting on it with bated breath. Well those sweet gals read my post and sent me one of their coveted project kits!  So now I am perusing through one of the best craft books I've gotten my hands on (do I sound biased?) and drooling at the sight of my kit waiting for the most opportune time to start my project--probably after all the festivals and markets--during my summer vacation.

Prints Charming is a treasure trove of 40 holiday, children's, and home projects--the photography is beautiful and abundant.  It's a wire-bound hard back that lays completely flat when open--very useful when your hands are immersed in something. My favorite chapter is the one on screen printing.  Cath and Kirsten teach the technique they use in their studio with step by step, clear and easy instructions. I am NOT an instruction manual reader--my brain truly shuts down when I am forced to read one--I learn by doing.  Don't tell me what to do--show me!  And that's what their book does. The book's instructions are written really as if they are chatting with you, providing lots of side bar tips. The piece-de-resistance is the small back pocket which includes a pattern for almost every project.  If you are like me, I trace my favorite patterns and save the originals folded nicely in their envelope.

A pocket full of patterns!

Thank you ladies for sharing your beautiful work in a beautiful book!

Cheers!