Rosy Lady

Happy weekend

Good morning everybody!  

Just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a good weekend, I know that I have certainly looked forward to it this week.

Hubby has finally finished his book and so, I will be proof reading this weekend.  Apart from that, I am still working my way around Illustrator, getting more comfortable with it and definitely feel convinced that it has the features that I have missed in Photoshop.  They work really well together though for textile design so, that's where my pennies will be going this month.  I also want to work on some sewing projects and I think that's where my to-do list has to end.

By the way, don't let these photos deceive you.  They were taken during Summer this year.  Looking outside my window this morning, we have clouds, rain and gale force winds, which doesn't make for a good photo and today, I'm in the mood for some colour.

Hope you have a good weekend.

xx

Thank you

I wanted to say a big 'thank you' to everyone who has voted for me in the Spoonflower fabric design competition.  I am thrilled to tell you that my design is through to the final round.  I would really appreciate it if you would vote again.  Voting will be a bit quicker now because we are down to one page of designs (mine is number 6) and you have one vote.  I think my first blog give-away would be in order, if my design wins.

xx

Spoonflower voting now open

I just wanted to let you know that voting for the Spoonflower fabric of the week has begun.  They've had over 70 entries for this contest and have displayed the entries as 10 designs per page over 7 pages.  You get to vote for 3 designs per page.  The designs with the most votes will be short-listed for a final vote next week.  If you wanted to vote, you can do so right here.  You don't need to register to vote so, it is a quick process.  My design is number 17 on the 2nd page. I would really appreciate your vote :-)

If you need a reminder of my entry, you can either scroll down to the heading Dahlias and antique teaspoons or, just click here.

 After yesterday's post, you'll be glad to know that I undertake to dilly-dally less, get my finger out and crack on with the steps that I know I need to take to become a textile and surface pattern designer.  As part of that, I have decided to learn Illustrator as I have found Photoshop to be great in some aspects but limiting when you're trying to draw or illustrate something.  I have downloaded the 30 day free trial and so far I am impressed enough to think that I will get it.  

Have a nice day.

xx

Dahlias and antique teaspoons

I've decided to enter the weekly themed textile design competition held by Spoonflower.  The theme is 'spoons and flowers'.  I like the challenge of an unusual theme and thought I'd give it a go.  

I started my inspiration with a teaspoon from a set that my Mum gave me:

I then added some Dahlias and loads of bright colours and this is the finished result:

The closing date for entries is on Monday (tomorrow) and voting should start after that but I will let you know as soon as I know.  I would really appreciate your vote!

xx

 

The road less travelled

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could 
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 

Then took the other, as just as fair, 
And having perhaps the better claim, 
Because it was grassy and wanted wear; 
Though as for that the passing there 
Had worn them really about the same, 

And both that morning equally lay 
In leaves no step had trodden black. 
Oh, I kept the first for another day! 
Yet knowing how way leads on to way, 
I doubted if I should ever come back. 

I shall be telling this with a sigh 
Somewhere ages and ages hence: 
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- 
I took the one less traveled by, 
And that has made all the difference

This poem by Robert Frost has always spoken to me.  I have never been one to do as everyone else; to take the safe or convenient option in life as I have always been determined not to have any "what if's" or "it could have been's" in my life.  I belief that we have one life and should make the most of it.  That it is up to us to fulfill our dreams and to live the lives that we want to live.  If you are passionate about something and have the commitment to pursue it, the right doors will open for you but you have to take the risk and walk through that door, no turning back.

If you have followed my blog for a while, you will know that I am following the road of becoming a full time pattern and textile designer.  Wherever your journey takes you, may have have the courage to follow your dreams.

xx

Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of Summer

It's a long weekend in England with Monday being a bank holiday.  We are enjoying the last of the Summer sun before Autumn starts to set in.  We've been spending time at the Italian market in town, swimming, playing tennis and today I want to go to a garden show.  We've been to the show a couple of years ago and it provided great opportunities to take photos to inspire future design work.  These are some of the photos we took last time but this time, we'll have a better camera:

xx

Festival of Quilts 2009 - Part 1

I've had a really good time at the Festival of Quilts.  There were so many beautiful quilts to see and I took plenty of photos, which I would like to share with you over the next few days.  I also met Amy Butler at one of the stalls.  At first, I felt a bit star-struck, hovered and then went over to introduce myself and ask for advice about submitting my textile designs.  She was very friendly and helpful.

I the evening, I also attended the event, 'An Evening with Amy Butler'.  She spoke about recent trips to Bali and India and showed some of her photos and shared the inspiration behind her next fabric line, which is called 'Love'.  

She also shared some of her future projects, which include handmade rugs, luggage and another book.

I met so many wonderful people from all over the world - kindred spirits - and it was great to talk to everyone about their interests and to share mine.  There were young and older people and the quilts ranged from traditional to contemporary with something for every taste.  It also struck me that despite the big crowd, people were polite and considerate, no rudeness, pushing or elbowing. So, without further ado, I would like to share some photos of some of the quilts that I saw.  I will not be able to give credit to any of the artists as there were just too many to remember.

Hope you've enjoyed these with me.  More photos to follow tomorrow.  Hope you have a good day.

xx

Heirloom textiles

I returned to work (my day job) on Thursday after I had two weeks off with the flu.  Although it is great to feel better, it means that I now have to use evenings and weekends again for my designing time.  I am currently working on my first fabric line to put forward to companies out there but as I can't show you any of those designs, I thought I would show you some photos of vintage textile patterns.  I took these when we were in the Cape, South-Africa, in February this year.  We stayed in an old house on the side of a mountain, amongst the vineyards and just outside Stellenbosch.  The house was packed with antiques and family heirlooms.  I could not resist the opportunity to take photos of some of the vintage textiles that was in the house.

I like the colors in this one:

I love this potholder: 

I've always loved vintage hand embroidered pieces so, I thought that I would include these too:

There are still loads but I think these will do.  Looking at pieces like these, it always makes me wonder about the people who made it.  Maybe a young bride sewed those pot holders to use in her kitchen?  Maybe it was lovingly made by a creative grandmother?  Handmade pieces are so special and become heirlooms and handed down from generation to generation.  How special to think that the sewing/quilting/embroidering that we do today, may be loved by generations to come?

I hope you have enjoyed this nostalgic journey with me?  Next weekend I am off to Birmingham for the Festival of Quilts.  I should have plenty of photos from that to share with you.  I am also hoping that someone there will sell me a rotary cutter so that I can crack on with that free pattern which I promised in my last post.

Hope you've had a great weekend!

xx

UK Handmade

I wanted to let you know about a social networking website for artists, designers, makers and crafters in the UK, which is well worth a visit.  I have been on UKhandmade for a while now and have met lots of people with similar interests and it is a great place to find out about art and craft fairs or markets or to link up with people either in your area or all over the country.

I have also started a group on the site for anybody who love and use textiles so, whether you sew, collect fabric, design textiles, quilt, do patchwork etc. I would love for you to join my group.  The group is called Textile Tinkerers and can be found under the group section in the left sidebar of the UKhandmade site.

So, go on over and take a look...

You spin me right round, baby right round, like a record baby, right round.

I'm up bright and early today, eager to (finally) start my textile design portfolio.  I have done various designs up to now but none specifically in the context of a fabric line and that is what I want to do now.  I am just bursting with ideas that seem to be all I can think about.  I once heard someone say that a woman's thoughts were like a washing machine, always going round-and-round, thinking about different things, like the different items in the washing machine, all at the same time.  When we went to Keukenhof in the Netherlands earlier this year, there was this beautiful statue that symbolizes my thought patterns so well today...

Each little ring representing a different thought on designs, patterns, colours, sewing, big dreams and the excitement about all the people who have been viewing my blog within the last few days.  It is so nice to have you here, I hope that you will keep coming back to share in my journey and feel free to leave a comment, I'd love to meet you all!  

I also have some ideas for a free sewing pattern.  I'm hoping to work on that when I need a break from my computer screen.  So, be sure to pop back for that.

I thought the words from the song by this group as seen in one of my favourite films, was quite appropriate for this post.

Have a good weekend everyone!

xx