A Simple Slipcover

I had found a really nice footstool at a local Goodwill store - nice size and height to sit on for big tushes like mine, plus the casters worked perfectly and even the fabric was in perfect condition.
But unfortunately it was a burnt orange velvet from the 70's palette!  ECH

Luckily, footstools are a snap to recover or sew a quick slip cover for.
Since I have kitty cats who sleep on everything, I always slip cover my furniture for ease of laundering.
A slip cover for this was a no brainer.

I wanted something simple but with some feminine gathering, even though I was using one of my more masculine stripe designs, SIGNE STRIPE in pale blueberry and white.
I had it printed on the linen cotton canvas, which sews well and launders well too!

It turned a nicely made, but very ugly footstool into something I can proudly place in any room in my home for use.
Did I mention my entire house is this shade of blue so anything I slip cover will fit in, in any room, as needed!
Saves money and also allows you to have functional, pretty furniture without cluttering up a small cottage with too many pieces.

Laundered and ready to cut!  Signe Stripe in blueberry, on linen cotton canvas from my Spoonflower shop, LilyOake.

Adding readymade piping.  I know color is a bit off but they also somehow worked well together and it saved me time, which is precious to me nowadays.

Piping in place, all I had to do is hem the gathered skirt.

Simple readymade piping and a gently gathered skirt did the trick.

The complete footstool slip cover, awaiting its first use.

Blue and White Watercolors

It had been a few months since I had sat down to paint blue and white china so I decided to pick out some of my Meissen Blue Onion porcelain and some other pottery from the china hutch and recreate it on paper with watercolor!

I have always been fascinated by monochromatic paints not only because I can overdose on a particular color I am obsessed with, but also its really easy to work with!
Instead of concentrating on color and shade, you just work with shades, to bring about depth and emotion.

I chose a cobalt, straight from the tube (because its....duh.... monochromatic!).  Cobalt also suits my subject - blue and white china!
I also love the crisp contrast and clean, fresh look monochromatic cobalt blue and white gives to a piece of spot art.

While i was at it, I also created a few European-inspured folksy art florals to use in a new collection of fabric I am working on.

Painting my Blue Onion pieces

Sometimes I use Google images to find pieces to reference while I paint.

This grouping was painted on ready-to-mail greeting cards with envelopes. So the art becomes the car and gift.

Watercolor Flowers

This past spring as the flowers were blooming all around the yard and at flower markets, I decided it was time to break out my watercolors and try my hand at creating a few whimsical watercolor flowers I could use in various fabric designs.

I was in the mood for color, having been influenced by a visit to a Portuguese friend's home where everything is bright, colorful and fresh!

I also love how pinks, tangerine oranges and bright garden greens all mix together.
You cannot help but smile at the combination.

So I set myself up in my favorite spot, at my dining room table in front of a large picture window overlooking some gorgeous lilacs, turned on some romantic music and just began painting.

As you can see I also play dangerously...using old teacups as my water dish has caused me confusion on occasions where I am not sure if I dipped my brush into the right cup, as I also enjoy a cup of tea when I paint!  LOL

Fall is For Knitting!

Now that the temps are dropping, I turn my attention back to knitting.
I put it away in warmer months because there's so much other stuff to do outside AND who wants a ball of hot, wool yarn in their lap?  lol

There's nothing more relaxing for me right now, in between office work and house projects, then to sit for 30 minutes in the sun on a quiet Sunday morning and just knit.

Here is a current new project, color coordinated with one of my pillows I designed.  I didn't plan that, it just happened.  hahaha
The pattern's name is ELVIE in blueberry, printed here on the eco canvas.

ELVIE in blueberry, on eco canvas

A Fun Article in Romantic Homes Magazine

I was honored to be included in the early spring 2017 issue of Romantic Homes magazine!
They featured some of my fabric designs and a brief blurb about what inspires me.

Honestly, I get inspiration from a variety of things, including this magazine! lol

But hopefully seeing my work in it, has inspired some other artists out there to go for it and design their own fabrics.
Its such a fun way to further explore art and design and express one's style.

Starting Where I Left Off

Hello!

Its been so long since I have posted, I am not sure where to even begin. 
I think just starting where I left office best.
I have endured many changes (most for the best) this past year since I last posted.

I have had new experiences and learned a lot from all of them!
From escaping an abusive relationship to dating again, reclaiming my home for myself, participating in new art shows, fairs and embracing the welcoming publicity of 2 magazine articles!

In the spring I decided to try moving renters into my home.
Seattle has become a very expensive place to live.
I felt like I needed to seek help in keeping the day-to-day expenses paid up and instead of finding a second job (once again), I chose to lose some privacy instead of lose my free time.

While my roommates are nice people, they aren't necessarily the types I want to live with, except for one person who has become my very good friend and partner-in-crime.  A young Persian nicknamed Arash.

In the mean time, I decided to stop always playing catch up with finances, while struggling to live as a single, middle-aged artist in Seattle, and instead quit the 40-hour-a-week day job that has become tedious and boring, leave the wet, rainy clime of Seattle and head back east for a fresh start and new things to explore!

My house goes on the market soon - within a few weeks.  I'm very excited about that too!
The past few months have been topsy-turvy as I gently nudge roommates to move on (and out), and begin the repairs and improvements that will make my house more attractive to buyers.
Its been a steep learning curve for me - learning how to re-do countertops, install baseboard, install linoleum and wood floors and of course, stuff I already am good at, like painting everything in sight a refreshing coat of white!  lol

But I decided to just post photos of some of the things I have been doing, creatively, the past year since I last posted.
I have been busy designing, painting, attending shows and just enjoying life in my sweet cottage as  newly single person.

I do hope you rejoin me on my adventures as I close the book on my Seattle chapter in life and begin a new one (probably in historic Virginia).

Enjoy, and thanks for coming back to read up on my updates and see what I have been creating.
:D

Southern Lady featured my work in one of their issues!

They used my "Capetian Toile" in basil green, to make lovely laced-back slip covers for traditional chairs.

These are the very talented gals who sewed the slips!