Merry Christmas Everyone!

I hope your holiday season is full of laughter, great memories, hope and peace, and that you are surrounded by those you love. I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for all of your support and encouragement this year, as it has meant the world to me. This year has been full of wonderful and new opportunities and friendships. Here's wishing you a beautiful 2010! Blessings to all of you and your families.

I'm So Excited & I Just Can't Hide It!

{Photos from Bazaar Magazine, Spring 2010 issue}

I was flipping through my January 2010 Bazaar magazine a few days ago, and came across some beautiful pages full of print trend inspiration, that I just HAD to share with you! I subscribe to a handful of fashion magazines, and for a while now, they have been sadly drab for print lovers like myself. The Spring 2010 runways were overflowing with exuberant prints...so much so that the rise of pattern and color was being forecasted as making a huge comeback. Which I ALWAYS like to see and hear!

For a little while now, due to our economic state and troubled times, print just hasn't been grasped confidently by consumers, as wearing print and bright color is a symbol of happiness and exuberance - hence the trends of gray & brown neutrals & dark jewel tones. With 2010 ahead, forecasters are predicting that we will rise above our hardships and want and need to be filled with joy - therefore causing us to express ourselves by joyful fashion.


So, what's better than one print? TWO! One of the top trends in Bazaar? Mixed prints!! YAY!
{"Spring Sneak Peak" Photo from In Style Magazine, Spring 2010}
Another favorite trend of mine is the rise of "Sorbet" shades, a.k.a. "pastels". These crept up on the runways a bit back, and it's exciting to see them FINALLY hit the market in a big and understandable way. I am SOoooo ready for my spring ensemble to be full of soft, light & airy wardrobe additions.


Speaking of sorbet & pastel shades, last weekend, Sandra and I stopped by a Free People store. The whole store was illuminated with clothing of soft & light colors, sheer fabrics with lurex and sweet prints on them, and sequins & beading everywhere. The color theme even got Sandra excited for a fresh new take on Spring - and she's not one to really like "sweet" and "soft" colors!
{Photo from Free People}

How about you? Are you excited about print making a big come back in fashion? Are you ready to joyfully express yourself with pattern? How about the sorbet & soft color trend?

Hot Blossom Wood Painted Panel Project

A handful of weeks ago, my wonderful friend Holly asked her many artist friends if they would be willing to paint a wood panel for her baby's room. She is such a dear friend, so I raised my hand to pretty-please decorate more than one panel for her - she sent me 3 - YAY!

Lucky me, she chose two of my fabrics from my Hot Blossom collection to decorate her baby girls room in: the large mum print, and the medallion print, both in the Fiesta colorway!! Being the fabulous art director that she is (um...she really is an Art Director!), she gave us a color palette to design into which composed of chocolate brown, aqua, red, orange & green. She also included snapshots of the fabrics, modern furniture & decorations in the baby's room already. Her husband then went and cut 12"x12" wood panels with rounded corners, and mailed them out to each of us. Let the project begin!


Since she used my Hot Blossom fabrics, I wanted to paint some motifs from my fabrics onto the wood panels, to help carry the theme & color story throughout the room. So I took my artwork and played around with the size and layout, printed the designs out from my computer and proceeded to transfer the artwork onto the wood panel.


Many of you probably already know this simple, quick and fun technique:
1. Take your artwork, turn it over and scribble pencil all across the back.


2. Then turn your artwork right-side-up, place it down where you want it to transfer, and proceed with drawing over the top of it. Your pencil texture will transfer the artwork onto your surface.


3. Begin painting away!


After hours of painting I shipped them off to Holly to decorate away! Baby made it just before I did though - bummer! Ha ha, couldn't plan that one! It was so fun to get away from the computer and paint with my hands. I'll have to work on another hands-on project soon. Well, now that I think about it, my next fabric collection "Glam Garden" is coming out next year, so in a few weeks I'll be sewing up some cute samples!! Stay tuned for a Glam Garden sneak peek in 2010!

Book Review: Hue, by Kelly Wearstler

Hue has been on my Amazon.com wish list for many months now as I've been anxiously awaiting for it to come out, and it finally did! I immediately ordered it and thought I'd share it with you here. (Check out my video review below for more inspiration)

Kelly Wearstler is the ultimate trendsetter in interior design. Her book is chocked full of beautiful photography of her work, which offers pages and pages of color, textural & interior inspiration. The pages are filled to the brim with photo's and no text, and are organized by color theme.

This book is not a "how-to" book with decorating tips but rather a book filled with the brilliant inspiration and beauty of Kelly's work. Overall, it's a wonderful one to add to any library!

Ornaments-Schmornaments!

Toasty Tree

Last year, Sandra and I went to Display and Costume here in Seattle to check out their Christmas ornaments and our mouths dropped to the floor - we had never seen trees decked out so fabulously before! In addition to ornaments, there were dripping gems, glitter strands, garlands of butterflies, glass flowers, hip glittered fronds, and the list goes on and on. In the end it made us say ornaments-schmornaments! Roses Tipped With Glitter and Pewter Glass Money-Tree Fronds Glittered & Jeweled Fronds, Flowers & Branches Woodland Creature Decorations

So this weekend we went to Display and Costume again to see what we might discover. And once again, they did NOT disappoint! I snapped some pictures for you this time, so I could share the holiday inspiration. The trees were so stuffed with such beautiful things, that the actual tree was outnumbered! Close-up of Toasty Tree

What is really fun, is that they have a variety of trees decked out with different theme's and color stories. In a little cove next to the tree, all the coordinating elements are hung from the ceiling, on the wall, and put into beautiful baskets allover, which really makes a statement! Super-hip, Pewter Art Deco Tree Luscious Vintage Gold & Warm Olive Tree Silver & Gold Tree Winter Wonderland Tree

I almost took this cute little feathered friend home with me. Once we put up our Christmas tree, I might need to go back to Display & Costume and pick him up! Our tree is always in shades of turquoise, teal, green, white & silver. After looking at all these tree's, I may want to try to incorporate some pewter, bronze and white gold this year. All of the metallics are so beautiful! What is your favorite Christmas combination for decorating?

Matryoshka Tattoo

Artwork by Josephine Kimberling

A few months ago my fabulous sister-in-law Sandra asked if I would be up for designing her a tattoo of one of her favorite things that is part of her ancestry - a Matryoshka doll. First I was extremely excited and flattered that she would ask, and second...super-scared. Why? Because I'd be creating art that would be forever on her body...emphasize-FOR-EV-ER. So, my ultimatum? That if there were things she didn't like about it, that she would need to be extremely honest with me, so I could re-work it and change it to her liking...because it would be there FOR-EV-ER. So after a pinkie-swear, I set out to create a Matryoshka doll tattoo.
She wanted one that resembled her, had a cat, was bright & colorful, had vines swirling in the background, and if I could incorporate a tiger-lily and a dahlia, then that would be a bonus. After a few months of working on it a little here and a little there, I finally finished and unveiled her Matryoshka, and to my happiness, she loved it and had a couple super-simple change requests. Once her Matryoshka was complete, she took it down to her tattoo artist (Jibo from Majenta's Diamond Tattoo) to have it created on her left forearm. Here's a picture of the finished tattoo! SO fun to see my art on her! Sniff, sniff.
It's funny, FOR-EV-ER didn't seem to bother her one bit! I think that might be because she has a few tattoo's already (and me...zilch) and has been wanting a Matryoshka for quite a long while now. The Matryoshka tattoo was to be her "next" one and she was all set to get the tattoo done much earlier this year, but Memorial Day weekend her father had a stroke, which of course was quite devastating to the family. Once they knew that he was going to be OK, in the spur of the moment, she and her sister went out and got matching tattoo's with the heart and sparrows that said "dad" (instead of mom) and unveiled them to him for Father's Day a few weeks later. Made her dad sprout tears, of COURSE! I really don't think any dad would be able to hold in tears on that one. It meant a great deal to him, and they don't regret the quick decision one bit, as it was the best way they could show him how much he meant to them.

So after the "dad" tattoo, the timing for the Matryoshka tattoo came, and the rest is history. I'm just so glad I got to be a part of it.

Hot Blossom finds on Etsy!

Made by KaraMiaSofia: Medium Make-up Pouch/Clutch in Paisley Spring

I came across some handmade products on Etsy that are using my Hot Blossom fabric collection. So fun to see! I've been dying to see what you crafty creatives out there are making with my fabrics, so this was a sweet treat. I thought I'd post some of the images, and links to the Etsy sellers in case you would like to check them out!!

Made by KaraMiaSofia: Medium Make-up Pouch/Clutch in Paisley Sunset

Made by KaraMiaSofia: Pleated Clutch with wrist strap in Paisley Spring
Made by KaraMiaSofia: Digital Camera or Cell Phone Pouch

Made by KimberlyJonesDesigns: Large Clutch Purse

Made by Lireca: Zipper Pouch

Made by gillygoose: Hot Blossom Handbag

Made by minigilmore: Hot Blossom Bag Tote Purse

Made by trendysisters: Knotty Top Shirt Outfit

Made by magicalscraps: Modern Patchwork Scarf

Made by PersnicketyHome: Throw Pillow removable cover

The Classy Crib helps you design perfect baby bedding! You can choose your baby bedding set or bedding component, and then choose your designer fabric collection. She then custom makes your request! I was excited to see my Hot Blossom fabric collection among her list of designer fabrics!

What fun and fashionable items you guys are making out of my Hot Blossom collection! Yay! And by the way - I have a Hot Blossom group on Flickr that I would LOVE for you to load your projects that include Hot Blossom fabrics! I haven't had any takers yet - and I think that's just how it goes for beginning designers (such a lonely road!), but I would love for you to take part and share your work!

Also, I get a bit of requests from you asking where you can find my Hot Blossom fabric collection. Unfortunately I don't know the whereabouts of the line, unless a retailer or e-tailer contacts me, or I happen to stumble across a shop online. So since I'm chatting about Etsy shops here today, I thought I'd give you the links to a few shops who are carrying my fabrics.

CutterGurlCreations
MyHeartandSew's
ColorsFabric's

Free Updated Ruffle Tote Pattern Download Available Now

Back when the Hot Blossom collection was released, we created a "Hot Blossom Ruffle Tote & Coin Purse" pattern for Quilt Market. These patterns are currently posted on Robert Kaufman's website. However, after sewing up the Ruffle Tote bag myself, I stumbled across some incorrect information in the pattern instructions. I believe the mistakes are pretty small, and once you've seen the photo of the tote, you would be able to make the adjustments yourself, however I wanted to update the instructions with my findings.

So, I can't believe that I am just now posting these updates for you! {Blush} Soooo sorry for the delay! If you haven't had a chance to download the Ruffle Tote pattern, it is now posted on my website under the Project Ideas page. It's a great sized tote, with a fun ruffle down the front, and loads of mixed patterns! Enjoy!