"Serenity Blue", Pantone's Spring Wedding Colors of 2016

Cathleen Hearts in blueberry by LilyOake

Pantone's Spring 2016 Wedding Color Serenity is a dead match to LilyOake's "blueberry blue"

I was so excited to see Pantone's new 2016 Wedding Colors!
Why?
Because the their color "Serenity"(15-3919) is a very close match to my "blueberry" blue color in my lines of fabric, wallpaper and gift wraps in my Spoonflower shop, LilyOake!

A sun faded blue with hints of red undertones, my version of Serenity, "blueberry", is soft, romantic and soothing.

Annika in blueberry by LilyOake

I have over 400 original, copyrighted designs in blueberry (as well as many other soft pastels such as peony or sorbet pinks, basil green, Belgian linen, buttercup yellow, blue-violet...)in my Spoonflower shop, where you can order any of my patterns on 18 different fabrics, 2 types wallpaper (including removable) and even gift wrap!  Its a fabulous print-on-demand website where you can decorate with beautiful designs by new fabric designers, to make your home unique and romantic.

Here are a few examples of my designs in blueberry, which would make fabulous bridesmaid dresses, even a wedding dress!
The reception is a  fabulous place to use soft, romantic florals in tablecloths and napkins, chair slipcovers or a wedding canopy!

Ames Chinoiserie in blueberry by LilyOake

Check out my shop LilyOake, on Spoonflower, for all of my many patterns of florals, checks, tartans, stripes or chinoiserie in the luscious shade of "blueberry" - or, known to Pantone as "Serenity".

And enjoy my patterns featured here - just a small sampling of what I can offer you, for your special celebration or home decor.

Blue Rose Wreath in blueberry by LilyOake

Blueberry Watercolor Roses in blueberry by LilyOake

Caroline Bouquet on white by LilyOake

Edwina in blueberry by LilyOake

Saint Katherine in blueberry by LilyOake

Seaside Garden Stripe in blueberry by LilyOake

Sommarhus Tartan in blueberry by LilyOake

Stella in blueberry by LilyOake

Susan in blueberry by LilyOake

Swedish Folk Hearts in blueberry by LilyOake

New Lake Emily Summer Roses curtains on a brighter day!

They really are ethereal to look at - and bring a refreshing lightness to the room.
Its a bit hard to capture on film but I thought I'd try again...

Lake Emily Summer Roses in blueberry, on linen cotton canvas

Lake Emily Summer Roses in blueberry, on linen cotton canvas

Spring Colors

I love the clear, fresh colors of spring flowers, and how the light brings a crispness to interiors after a long, dark winter.

Ames Chinoiserie linen-cotton in peony pink

Lake Emily Summer Roses linen-cotton curtains in blueberry blue

Rococo Garden wallpaper in blueberry blue

NEW Zazzle Store items!

I just signed up for a Zazzle store and am busy uploading patterns for designs available through Zazzle!

Did you know you can get my lovely English country florals printed on everything from blankets, to clocks, plates, all manner of stationery and party accessories, ceramic tiles, totes, etc?!

Here are the links to my newest (and first) designs, 
"Lake Emily Summer Roses" postcards in blueberry blue.
"Lady Enid" postcards in blueberry blue.
"Seaside Garden Stripe Roses" in blueberry blue.
What a fun and romantic way to send an old fashioned snail-mail "hello" to a dear friend!

Here's what they look like: 

"Lake Emily Summer Roses" postcards in blueberry blue

"Lake Emily Summer Roses" postcards in blueberry blue

"Seaside Garden Stripe" postcards in blueberry blue

"Seaside Garden Stripe" postcards in blueberry blue, on Zazzle

"Lady Enid" postcards in blueberry blue

"Lady Enid" postcards in blueberry blue

Looking Ahead to a Flower-Filled New Year

One thing constant in my life: flowers!
Whether they enliven my breakfast table, turn their sweet faces to the sun in my own garden, flow from the tip of my paint brush or grace my fabric and wallpaper designs, I have decided I cannot live without them, and I am in good company!

Happy New Year, all!
And here's to a year filled with wonderful, happy, colorful flowers!

"I must have flowers, always, and always."  - Claude Monet

"People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us."  - Iris Murdoch

"Perfumes are the feelings of flowers." - Heinrich Heine

My "Goodie Drawer"

   I once told a friend about my kitchen "goodie drawer' post idea and she thought it a good one but to change the title for it because someone else once blogged about their goodie drawer - next to their bed, if you kin my meaning!

   Well I can understand why she'd be worried about that!  But I have called my "goodie drawer" just that, for years!  And to people like me, this is a real goodie drawer - full of beautiful kitchen and serving pieces I use but rarely or on special occasions.  Silver knives with M.O.P. handles...silver sugar cube tongs, tea strainers, etc.  And my favorite pieces of all, the soft paste porcelain handled serving pieces made by A.E. Lewis in Sheffield, England.

   Some have navy handles with a colorful filigree pattern, some have a pale blue handle.  My favorites are in the classic Blue Onion pattern.  I used to have over 110 pieces but sold some off now and then to raise money for other household projects.  The pieces I sold were flatware - fish sets and soup spoons, etc.  The pieces I kept are ones I use and bring out at tea parties or during the holidays.

   The pieces range from bread and cheese knives to salad servers, berry spoons, cheese planes, pickle forks and even iced tea spoons, with long necks and a perforated  bowl with etched filigree.
   Most are stainless while a few are silver plate, like the gorgeous 2-sided punch ladle I found on eBay for $55, around 15 years ago!

   All are treasured and live in my kitchen "goodie drawer", which is off limits to everyone in the house but me.  I can't tell you how many times someone has dropped one and shattered the precious and delicate porcelain handles so now they are used very sparingly but are wonderful to look at in between those occasions!
   My kitchen is tiny so to set aside an entire drawer for these treasures shows you how I feel about them!  

   I thought I'd set a few up outside on the patio table, under the protective umbrella, on a very hot summer day, and take photos to show you.  This isn't all of them, I have around 50 pieces, but they are some of the more fun ones!  I used one of my own fabric designs I have available on Spoonflower, for the back drop: "Watercolor Roses in blueberry blue".

 Server, berry spoon, bread knife and serving fork in Blue Onion

 Pickle fork and cheese knife in Blue Onion

 A cake server and combed cutter in navy Floraine

 Cheese knives and planes in periwinkle Floraine

 Iced Tea Spoons in navy Floraine

 Double-sided silver ladle in periwinkle Floraine

 Butter knives in navy Floraine

 Silver salad servers in navy Floraine

 Bread knife and extra large serving spoon in navy Floriane

A very old Austrian-made silver dessert fork in Blue Onion

Link to Pink Pagoda to see many other wonderful blue and white entries!
 Pink Pagoda Blue and White Bash

May's Rose Slip Cover

   I have completed the second dining chair slipcover, this one in "May's Rose" in pale blueberry blue and white!
Same pattern as the first chair's slip - thought that if I was using a different fabric on each chair, I could keep some cohesiveness by using same colorway and pattern.

Don't they look summery!?

   I am working on a blue and white tartan fabric design for winter versions of these same slip covers...stay tuned for that!

   Once again, my fabric collection, all in blue & white, can be purchased by the yard or in wallpaper, wrapping paper and wall decals at:
Spoonflower

Slip Covering Some Dining Chairs

Hi!

   I acquired these four dining room chairs through a small shop in Seattle for a killer price (on clearance for around $20/each) and I have to say they are very comfortable to sit on!

   BUT, they are peach and cream, friends, and anyone who knows me, knows my entire cottage is blue & white!

    So the stage was/is set for a transformation to fit them into the decor at Elinor Cottage.

I decided to start with a slip cover for each.  I will use my own fabric designs I have for sale on Spoonflower under my designer name, "Lilyoake", and each chair will be different as far as fabric.  But the same as far as design.

Spoonflower

I ordered my design on 2 yards of Spoonflowers linen-cotton blend.  Its BEAUTIFUL.  Honestly - what a soft but tight weave. Its the perfect weight for slip covers and I might even have some printed up for curtains!

I chose my Jane's Rose Bouquet in blueberry blue for my first chair.  Its a big bouquet of roses in blueberry blues, on a lighter baby blue background.  The blues tend towards the red side as that is what I decorate Elinor Cottage with.

First step was to make a paper pattern I can than use on all four chairs as I go along.  Easy enough.  I taped together printer paper and traced the chair top and back. Trim it out and tweak from there.

Once that was done, I cut out my fabric pieces (I was nervous now too - cutting into this precious two yards!!  Were my measurements right? Was this going to work!?)

Once I managed to get it cut out and started sewing, it just came together.  I decided to add a small drop around the seat and then attach white piping and a more tailored, pleated ruffle (more to my taste).

The back was more of a challenge as I had not planned it as well and I wanted to make sure I was able to remove it easily enough for washing.  Since the chair frames will also get a make over with white and light blue chalk paint with details in gold leaf, I wanted parts of the frame to show through the slip cover so I planned accordingly.  (stay tuned for another posting of how I paint & gild the frame)

The result at the end of my weekend was a very pretty slip covered chair that now fits into my blue & white color scheme - and best of all, I got to use my own fabric design and the slip cover is machine washable!  (I pre-washed the fabric already too, to avoid excess shrinkage later.)

Now I will decide which of my other fabric designs to use next and order the next few yards.  (left over fabrics are becoming napkins and tea pot cozies or pillows!!)

I am very happy with the results!