Archive for the ‘accessoriesies’ Category

All Tied Up

Saturday, March 5th, 2011

This week I heard the first Sandhill Crane, a sign that spring is truly in the wings. I also shipped my new fabric designs to Westminster and found the perfect shelves to store fabric in the new studio. The giant work wall is installed and covered with white paper. A little progress occurs every day.

But after so many months of designing exclusively with paper, pencil and computers I am feeling a desperate need to fondle some fabric and sit at the sewing machine. It is always best to warm up with a smaller project, so this week I am showing off these fabulous new bow ties made with Sassaman fabrics past and present.

Oh, that feels better! These are “mood altering” accessories! You can’t be crabby when you wear one of these happy ties. Now I can pull out my Illinois Album quilt, the one with the salamanders, and begin quilting the borders. This week I will also be visiting the Heritage Quilter’s Guild in Lockport, Illinois. It is always a treat to have work so close to home!

All Tied Up

Saturday, March 5th, 2011

This week I heard the first Sandhill Crane, a sign that spring is truly in the wings. I also shipped my new fabric designs to Westminster and found the perfect shelves to store fabric in the new studio. The giant work wall is installed and covered with white paper. A little progress occurs every day.

But after so many months of designing exclusively with paper, pencil and computers I am feeling a desperate need to fondle some fabric and sit at the sewing machine. It is always best to warm up with a smaller project, so this week I am showing off these fabulous new bow ties made with Sassaman fabrics past and present.

Oh, that feels better! These are “mood altering” accessories! You can’t be crabby when you wear one of these happy ties. Now I can pull out my Illinois Album quilt, the one with the salamanders, and begin quilting the borders. This week I will also be visiting the Heritage Quilter’s Guild in Lockport, Illinois. It is always a treat to have work so close to home!

Naturescapes Winner!

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

Wow! Thank you all for your positive response to our first gift give away! It is nice to know who is actually checking into the Idea Book and to know there is a real audience out there. The winner of Noriko Endo’s lovely new book, Naturescapes, is “momto2wasd“! Congratulations!! We are planning to do this every few weeks, so stay tuned.

While you were enjoying Noriko’s work, we were enjoying another snow storm, so now the landscape is white and gray again. But here in the studio the colors are as brilliant as ever. The pastels have been irresistible this season, which is an unusual attraction for me! I was one of those women that rejected the color pink for many years. It seemed like a frivolous and airheaded color. But now I feel differently! Now I see pink as extravagant and heart achingly optimistic.

Pink and green is always a refreshing combination, so here I have teamed two fabrics
( Lively Silhouette, Blush and Dragonfly Moon, Peacock) from the Garden Divas line for the Reversible Party Napkin pattern. The coordinating Button-Down Napkin Ring is made with the Dragonfly Check, as is the old fashioned styled tablecloth. The English Tea Cozy, another of our Pint Size Patterns, teams up the Lively Silhouette, Aqua with a finishing band and yo-yo with the Dragonfly Check again.

Yes, optimism is the mood this week. I think this is a very pretty combination and I really enjoy the mix of critters, too. Perhaps the new seed catalogs have helped to sprout this spring like project.

Our house is trimmed with honey colored oak woodwork, so I am always looking for blonds baskets and accessories. But, of course, we crafters have to add our own touch. This handsome tea tray is from Ikea with a little extra decoupaged lining of Sassaman fabric… perfect for a summer celebration in January!

Naturescapes Winner!

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

Wow! Thank you all for your positive response to our first gift give away! It is nice to know who is actually checking into the Idea Book and to know there is a real audience out there. The winner of Noriko Endo’s lovely new book, Naturescapes, is “momto2wasd“! Congratulations!! We are planning to do this every few weeks, so stay tuned.

While you were enjoying Noriko’s work, we were enjoying another snow storm, so now the landscape is white and gray again. But here in the studio the colors are as brilliant as ever. The pastels have been irresistible this season, which is an unusual attraction for me! I was one of those women that rejected the color pink for many years. It seemed like a frivolous and airheaded color. But now I feel differently! Now I see pink as extravagant and heart achingly optimistic.

Pink and green is always a refreshing combination, so here I have teamed two fabrics
( Lively Silhouette, Blush and Dragonfly Moon, Peacock) from the Garden Divas line for the Reversible Party Napkin pattern. The coordinating Button-Down Napkin Ring is made with the Dragonfly Check, as is the old fashioned styled tablecloth. The English Tea Cozy, another of our Pint Size Patterns, teams up the Lively Silhouette, Aqua with a finishing band and yo-yo with the Dragonfly Check again.

Yes, optimism is the mood this week. I think this is a very pretty combination and I really enjoy the mix of critters, too. Perhaps the new seed catalogs have helped to sprout this spring like project.

Our house is trimmed with honey colored oak woodwork, so I am always looking for blonds baskets and accessories. But, of course, we crafters have to add our own touch. This handsome tea tray is from Ikea with a little extra decoupaged lining of Sassaman fabric… perfect for a summer celebration in January!