Above and Below The Waters -

 Here's what I'm up to in the Studio right now - I'm designing, printing, and assembling a group of Hand-Bound (actually, The Cinch Bound) Journals, with the theme of Above and Below The Waters. 

There are Blowfish:

And Octopusses...

You've already seen the Coral Bouquet, under construction:

And I couldn't resist pushing the Coral Branch design on out -

A flotilla of Sailboats:

More sailboats to come, but now I have to go to work!

I'll show you The Cinch Bookbinding Tool in action later on today - I'm off to the studio!

My Memories Software Giveaway No. 2

As promised, here is one more post on My Memories Digital Scrapbooking, Version 2 - and a reminder that I'm giving one FREE copy of this software to one of my readers!  To enter, just leave me a comment.  More details at the bottom of the page...

I wanted to show you how easy it is to lay out a custom album with this software, so I quickly pulled together a catalog from some of my stationery designs:

And here is how it did it, in less than 30 minutes, using the software in the Custom Mode:

Choosing the Custom Mode from the opening page, through choosing the background for the front cover, took less than two minutes...

Now, on to the layout.

 I went to my Art Files, and chose one of my Stationery Frames and an image for the Cover:

Then just clicked on the "Add T" button for text, picked the font and size, and then the Paint Bucket button to pick my own font color...here's a screen shot of me doing that on the second page:

You can pick one of their offered colors, and then get REALLY custom by going to their RGB tab.  See the little sliders?  When you slide them left or right, your color changes, and you can see the resulting hue right underneath in the Sample Text area.  If you love what you've created, click Add To Favorites so you can go back to it, over and over.

Then I just kept adding images and moving them around until I liked the layout.  Added text boxes, edited those a few times, and Boom!  I had a catalog!

This is now ready to go to the printer, or I can print it here in my studio, or upload it to My Memories  for them to print and bind.  How Super Easy is That for pulling together a catalog of your work??

To enter the giveaway for the free software, just leave me a comment.  And be sure to go over to the

My Memories website to browse through their products.

You can use this code at Checkout to get up to $20.00 off your order:  STMMMS97941

 

How to Design a Pattern Repeat

When I first started designing images that I uploaded to Spoonflower for digital printing, I was centering the images for use on an 18" x 18" pillow.  The images had "White Space" all around them, because they were centered on the pillow, like a framed painting.  That left plenty of room for the seams, trims, and the zipper at the bottom of the pillow.  Then I started fiddling around with putting my images into repeats, with the idea that they could be used for wallpaper or gift wrap.

Spoonflower's in-house software can put your images into various repeats, like this Half Brick repeat shown on a Paul Stuart tie:

This is their Blue Printed Surfer tie.  See how the surfer shifts over on every other row?   That is a simple Half Brick repeat, and is pretty for small objects...or in small doses.  You wouldn't want several yards of 54" wide fabric printed like this, or the image would turn into a ditsy sea of dots.

To get an image to Flow across a large expanse, with no obvious start or finish, you have to use a few tricks.  

There is no defined center when you look at this Waverly fabric called Hidden Reef- it just flows seamlessly from side to side, and also from top to bottom.   Although it looks very complicated to create, it is actually quite simple.

After months of experimentation with Photoshop and their Offset Filter, I came across this straightforward tutorial in how to create a seamless repeat that flows effortlessly.  Julia Rothman shows us how she created this pattern:

Here is the text of Julia's tutorial:


"One of the questions I frequently get emailed is -how do you make a repeat pattern? I thought it would be fun today to do a little tutorial showing you how simple it is even with a very complex drawing. And you don’t even need a computer! (I usually do my repeats on the computer but today I’m doing it the way I was first taught.) Here’s the old fashioned way of making a tile-able design:

On a clean piece of paper draw a design in the middle of your paper without letting any of the drawing touch the edges- this is very important. (I am going to draw lions and vine-y things- an influence from last months visit to the American Folk Art museum in nyc.)

Once you finish the middle space as much as you want you are going to cut your drawing in half- scary I know- but that’s why computers are helpful. Once you have the two pieces flip them and tape your drawing back together. Put the tape on the back of the paper so it doesn’t obstruct your drawing at all later. Also try to tape your drawing back together as perfectly lined up as possible. It’s hard to see that I’ve even taped mine since I’ve lined it up so well. Next you are going to cut your drawing in half again the other way- (yikes!) and flip those pieces and tape them back together. Now your design should be on all the edges only and you have a big middle white space. Now fill this space with the rest of your design. Remember again- do not draw to any of the edges of the paper.

 

Once you finish filling in all the parts you want to fill in you now have your repeatable tile. You could color this tile and then xerox it many times and line up your design- plaster it on your walls and make wallpaper. I am going to cheat and do the final coloring steps in the computer to finish up my design. I am going to scan my drawing, take it into Adobe Illustrator, color and repeat it there."


I used Julia's tutorial to go to Photoshop and use the Offset Filter to whack my design into quarters, like she did, and then just filled in the center with the whole (original) design.  You could always put something different in there...the sky is the limit!

Now to figure out a half-drop, tileable repeat...any suggestions out there??

"Fishie Coral" Fabric Entry - Yikers!

Okay, now that I have been to Surtex and the National Stationery Show, it is time to put my money (courage?) where my mouth is.

Ta Daaa!  Here is my first ever entry in a fabric design contest:

"Fishie Coral" by Lula Belle - you can vote in the fabric design contest here: Fabric Design Contest

Spoonflower Custom Fabrics is the first digital printing company I ever used to print my own fabric designs.  They hold weekly design contests, and the competition has gotten stiffer as the months go by.  After dragging my husband up to New York to walk the Surtex surface design show, I knew I was toast - with myself and others - unless I jumped into the pool and got rolling.   So I did.

"Fishie Coral" can be printed on either 42" wide quilting weight cotton or 54" - 58" wide in several different fabrics, including my favorite upholstery weight twill at $32.00 per yard.  The repeat size can be customized by changing the image size on the page where you place orders.   


All you artists out there should take a look at Spoonflower - you can upload your designs and print as little as a $5.00 swatch, or a 21" x 18" piece for $11.00.  Caution: It Is Addictive!

Linking Surtex, the National Stationery Show and the Garment District

I've finally found a computer to use for a few minutes - thank heavens for the Public Library System!   Now I can tell you about the Garment District and how it all links completely back to Surtex, Surface Design, and the National Stationery Show.

The morning after walking the shows, I headed out to 38th and 39th streets to check out the New York Garment District.  The most surprising thing is that many of the shops were already open at 8:00, so I plunged right in...

Take a look at the juicy things I found at Pacific Trimmings:

There  were aisles and aisles of Buttons!

And zippers, the likes of which I have never seen:

These are Riri Zippers, and I find them to be absolutely Drool Worthy...
http://www.riri.com/

There was a complete wall of ribbons...

Thankfully, I'm not captivated by ribbons like I was a year ago - otherwise I would have wasted  precious time staring  at this wall and designing "Ribbon Things" on the fly.

The aisles and aisles of Buttons in small boxes that went from floor to ceiling were what just overwhelmed me and made me sigh to the person sweeping escapee buttons off the floor, "I'll have to come back when I know what I really need, because what I really want is ALL of these".  He nodded sagely, and continued to sweep for a few moments.  Resting his broom, he looked me in the eye and said, "You need to bring your patterns and any materials you are already working with; otherwise you will not be happy with your purchases."  Sound advice for a starry-eyed tourist who was living the dream, if only for a few hours.  He probably gives that same advice several times a day.

I walked around the Garment District and visited many shops, and the thing that kept reverberating inside me was that all this three-dimensional texture was the same two-dimensional texture that I had looked at the day before.  Only this time, the lines, dots, curly-cues and color combinations I saw at Surtex were now on fabrics, zippers, buttons, and a million other things that were probably produced thousands of miles away...all from drawings just a few blocks down the street.  Isn't it fabulous to be able to imagine something and then make it happen?

I can hardly wait to have my design time back - as soon as the Beach Cottage Renovation is finished, I am diving into my studio, and may miss the Summer altogether!  Speaking of which, as soon as the painters, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, tile and granite folks are gone, I'll hook the computer back up and show you the Renovation photos. 

Paint Before Granite...Always!

I have sooo much to tell you, but we still don't have the office set back up here at the Beach Cottage. There's more to report on about Surtex and the National Stationery Show, and the Garment District - not to mention what I've learned about not putting new granite and a thoroughly energetic painter in the same room together!

Hopefully we'll be able to set up a workspace tomorrow afternoon - my fingers will fly across a REAL keyboard. Many photos to come!

What I Learned At Surtex and The National Stationery Show

  I've mulled over this blog for a couple of days now, still reverberating from the sights and energy that swirled through the Javits Center - trying to get it all down to a nutshell.  It just isn't that simple. 

Having never walked this show, I was acutely aware that I should not approach the artist's booth unless invited - I kept my "Artist" badge front and center as I began walking the perimeter aisles.  Before I had even gotten to the end of the first aisle, I had been greeted with smiles and nods from several artists...I guess because after all, they were in my shoes at some time in their lives!   This is the first artist I met:

Julie Britton of Lillie and Julie

She's from Chattanooga - not far from me - and had a charming booth with wall sized posters of her work.  You can see her art at this link:  http://lillieandjulie.blogspot.com/   and read about how her Grandmother Lillie inspired her.  Love those power-house Grandmothers!  When I checked back in with her later, she was happy to report that she had made some promising contacts, even though this was only her first time to show at Surtex.

Then around the corner, I was drawn to the images and crisp colors in Laurie Wisbrun's booth:

Laurie Wisbrun

 She invited me to chat for a minute, and we quickly got to the fact that she is authoring a book that every Neophyte fabric designer is going to want to have:  The Complete Guide to Designing and Printing Fabric that you can preview here: http://lauriewisbrun.com/press-releases/2010/9/29/authoring-a-book-to-be-published-fall-2011.html.  I WILL be buying that book, as soon as it hits the shelves this Fall.  Laurie confirmed that I have to crack down and learn Illustrator, and revealed that she is getting tutored in Photoshop by her Father.  Goes to show, you can NEVER stop learning and teaching yourself new tricks.

Booth after booth of Fab art, the result of many long hours of hard work.

 I walked every aisle, and met more artists, and I'm here to tell you that there is no subject that isn't covered by the Surtex artists.  You could really see the individual styles, even when they dealt with the same subject.  I was just floored by the more graphic styles shown...simply beautiful colors and combinations.

After lunch, I walked most of the National Stationery Show, and just when I was getting blurry-eyed  I happened upon the booth for We R Memory Keepers, and met the dynamo who was giving demonstrations of their Cinch Book Binder, one Stephanie Coleman.  Good heavens.  That woman is AMAZING!  No matter what was thrown at her, she had the answer - all the while binding books, demonstrating new products, zooming around the booth to grab samples, and making it all look so simple.  I walked away a half-hour later with orders for most of their products, and can hardly wait to get them!  I'm dreaming of hand-bound books with my designs, both fabric and paper!

But, back to the recap - here is my take on all of this:  There are thousands of really good surface design artists out there.  Thousands.  And with the economy the way it still is, I think that for a new artist to get picked up by any major company is a very slim chance.  Buyers are looking for proven sellers, designs that are backed by known artists who have years of experience in surface design, and the street-wise knowledge that comes from having been "out there".  I just didn't feel like the newbies were getting that much attention at this show...and although the buyers may have really wanted new blood, they are constrained by what the general public is actually plunking down money for.  I may be wrong, but that's what it felt like.

So, a long "Thinking Walk" back to the hotel for a nap, under NYC "low ceiling" skies:

 

And then, a lovely dinner at Ai Fiori on 5th Avenue, with their renowned Lamb Chops:

Followed by a night-time shopping trip to Lord and Taylor!  I love New York City!  Tomorrow, I'll tell you what I found while exploring the amazing shops in the Garment District.




 

New York Style

Back from New York, and sooo much to tell you!  We hit the ground running on Sunday afternoon, and landed right in the middle of the Hell's Kitchen 9th Avenue Food Festival, a delightful intro that really showed the neighborhood NYC Style that I love so much.  There was Opera on the street:

And lots of pets who were very happy to be at the Festival with their Humans:

Waiting to score snacks.

Clearly an Opera lover - she cocked her head on high notes, and closed her eyes in pleasure.

A little shy, but her Human was very protective...

Our favorite of the day was the DJ who was selling CD's from his booth, but had the crowd rocking with him all afternoon - I've never seen such a diverse group of people spontaneously jump into a street dance!

He's the one in the green shirt - and he was GOOD.

 

 

 

 I did some shopping, of course-

And then it was time to browse some of the neighborhood grocery stores - I wish I could get my food here; it is all so fresh, so beautifully presented.  So lucky, you New York people!

An amazing array of Olive Oils, and this was only one wall!

Hundreds of Cheeses, stacked so pretty.

And, of course, the standard New York Deli buffet that we dove into:

This is only one row of offerings...there were four separate aisles of food, from cold to hot. Yummy!

 After a hot shower and fresh clothes, we headed out to Sushi Samba on Park, and reveled in Fusion Sushi, New York style! 

Now I know where Chef Mark at Shallotte Cattle Barn got his inspiration for the Cattle Barn Roll!

Sublime.  Happy Campers.  Next post: Surtex and the National Stationery Show!

Beach Cottage Renovation - Half Way!

I'm so excited by the progress made this week - just look at my new stairs!

 No more clumsy man-handling of the vacuum, no more worn path up the middle!  These will get a clear coat, just like the floor.  We'll see how slippery they are - could be a runner has to be put in place, but I hope not.

And, look at my new peninsula and cabinets:

The new vent hood is just visible over to the upper right - when the HVAC guys hooked it up, they stated that it would, indeed, lift the hair on my head when I turn it on.  That is just so perfect for the seared tuna, crab boils, grilled whatever, and flash-sauteed mahi-mahi that will continue to get cooked in this kitchen.  Only now, the whole house won't smell like dinner for 12 hours!

The refrigerator nook is finished except for the doors and painting...

There will be a pantry on the right hand side, and a pull-out pantry on the upper left.  Lots of storage.

See how the refrigerator is just inching over, trying to sneak into her new room?  She's going to be SO HAPPY there, no more grease splattering on her from the stove.  And, I settled on my paint colors, and wound up with a Valspar collection for the whole house - yummy sea oat, sand, and puffy white cloud colors.  Should be great with the new black Kitchen Island:

Got this at: http://www.tradewindsfurniture.com/Gallery/RJCD/RJ500_TuscanyBarIsland.html before I sold the store.

Monday, the floor should be finished in husband's office (no more carpet there, either), and the cabinets should be installed in the bathroom.  I took a picture in there, but it is still a jumble of studs and exposed plumbing.  I'm so excited, though!

Now, I'm off to New York to the Surtex Market - here is a link so you can see what it is all about:

http://www.surtex.com  

and also the National Stationery Show: http://www.nationalstationeryshow.com

so that I can check out what everyone is doing in the textile, paper goods, and home accent design arena.  Not to mention a little sight-seeing, eating fabulous food, and shopping.  I'll report when I get back!