Bari J.

I so wish I had studied harder in high school French class... I love when Marie Claire Idees arrives in the mail. It's just too bad I can only understand a couple words per page. I've been typing entire articles 150 words at a time into babelfish to get the translations. Of course, I do love the pictures!

Here's a world of French style out of just a few pages of the December issue.

 

I ordered my subscription here, if you were wondering how to get your hands on this beautiful magazine!

Many of you know that although I've been sewing for a while, I only just started quilting. I guess I had been doing many quilting-like things for years, but I had never made finished a whole quilt. When I got started on the whole quilt thing a couple months ago I had no idea... no idea at all... how easily I would become obsessed with it. I can't stop. I'll work all day and piece quilts all night and weekend. I've now finished three quilts and I am on my fourth.

I'm really excited about this one. I'd had Anna Maria's gorgeous incredible fabulous fabrics sitting in stacks calling my name for months and I was loathe to cut them... they looked so great just there in the stacks and I didn't want to make any mistakes. But then the other day Miss Laurie stopped by with her fabulous quilt made out of many of the same fabrics and motivated my butt. 

This weekend after all was settled in house and work, I dove in... foot loose and pattern free. I hate to follow a pattern. Not that I can't follow a pattern, I can, but I don't like to. Rules stink.

I decided that I wanted to really mix up the colors and patterns so that whatever color we paint our master bedroom in, it will work. (Did I ever tell you that we've had test paint splotches on our wall in there for three years? We can't decide. And it's such a big undertaking and such a messy process... that's our excuse anyways.) 

The other thing I wanted to do with this quilt was test out all sorts of angles and different kinds of piecing so that I can learn a bunch as I go along. One of the things I learned right away was that I need to learn paper piecing. Which apparently would have helped this block a whole lot... If you don't know, with paper piecing you build in the seam allowance on things like these triangles in order to get a beautiful point. I think the color play works here so I decided to ignore the wibbly-wobbiliness (I'm being kind to myself) of my piecing and use it anyways.

Here's a bunch more of the unfinished quilt. It's about 1/3 of the way there. I can not wait until it's finished!

It is truly the best way I know to get things done. Have too much to do. When I am too busy I go into overdrive and zoom away until I can't zoom anymore. When there's a lull, I'm cranky.

 

When there's a lot to do, I write lists, I get organized, I get things done. I love to reign over the chaos. It's a "Look what I accomplished" kind of feeling. I spent an un-Godly amount of time cutting my scraps into smaller scraps for instance, because it was on the list (it's part of a project, but it was on the list).

I was behind schedule a bit because I added more than I needed to to the list, but tomorrow I am sending a package express mail to Amy over at Inspire Co. I even got motivated enough to take out something I hadn't looked at in a long time and decided to get it finished.

This is something like 30" x 24" it's all individual motifs that have been cut out from various fabrics and quilted together. It sat in a basket needing another round of quilting, some satin stitching and binding in order to be finished for probably a year or so. Today I finally finished it up (I had time to sit on the couch after I had a root canal today. I thought I was going to nap, but instead I found myself finishing the binding.. not kidding.) I'm tempted to keep it for myself really. But it's going to be up for grabs at Inspire Co instead. I don't know, I could change my mind by tomorrow. You never know.

None the less, it's done, because it made it's way onto the list. I won't go into what is on the list that did not get done. But since the numbing stuff is starting to wear out, I think I shall go take some Advil and march my tired tush back to the couch. Grey's Anatomy time quite soon...Doubtlessly Super Husband has hidden the needles and thread that I stashed in the vicinity so I'm thinkin' I may actually try very hard to sit still and ignore my aching jaw. 

G'night.

While chatting with my friend, Laurie, on the phone this morning I was clearing the mounds of scrapage (a real word... it's in the Bari J. dictionary, so you can look it up) I had accumulated on my cutting table.

By the by, did I tell you that Laurie moved just a mile away from me? So now my virtual bloggy friend is a real friend!

But I digress... back to scrapage. I mentioned the scrapage aloud to Laurie and she asked do I ever make covered buttons. 

Why, just last night I had covered one to go on a pillow, so beneath the mounds of scrapage somewhere I found the buttons and button kit and started plugging away at that little job. 

Do you know that there are not enough buttons in the world for me to make in order to use up all of my scrapage? I used up all the buttons I had in my possession, and tossed the rest of the fabric into the laundry basket under my table that serves as overflow (it's a disgrace). 

Then I got back to work on what I was really working on in the first place which was creating a pattern for this... also a good use for your scraps. With the fabric line, I'm bound and determined to have some patterns to offer as well. This little birdie (the bird obsession rages on...) is my slow start to that project. I hope to have the patterns available ... uh... let's just say... in the near relatively near future. 

Right now, it's back to the cutting table for the next project of the day... and at least now I can find my cutting table. I'm thinking though that I need a skirt to go around it so that one can't see the carnage that lies beneath it.

Have a nice Thursday!

~b

I've been getting ready for a special event that I have been graciously invited to take part in. Amy Powers of Inspire Company has invited me to be her "Inspired Friend" for two weeks starting December 1.

I've been plotting and planning what to do for months... And, true to my nature I got started on it... just last week. But I'm making some great progress.

Looky-loo what I got my hands on yesterday...

It's a stack of Sandy Klop's Look and Learn line. Perfection for what I've been doing. It's going to be part of some mini quilts and probably some pin cushions and aprons too. Doesn't look so Christmas cheery here... but, I see all sorts of potential. 

Here's some bits and pieces from goodies in progress. I hope you'll join me over at Inspire Co. (December 1)... there's a project for you to do in the planning too.

Truly, was the cat ever in the bag? In March after the Country Living Women Entrepreneurs event, I told you that I was interested in designing a fabric line. I even asked you to hold me to it. I'd been thinking about it for a while, but until then I was too scared to say it out loud. 

But I've learned a lesson... saying it out loud is what makes it real.

Since then, I've been on a tear. Obsessively designing fabric. (LOL. First I had to figure out HOW to design fabric) After several rounds and versions and toss away lines, eventually, I came up with something I loved and knew I could present. For display purposes I had it printed up by Spoonflower (they rock), and off to market I went last week. Finished quilt and goodies in hand. Shaking and quivering in my boots. I presented to a lot of companies, and to my amazement, I ended up with a lot of interest.

A couple days later, and I now know that my designs will be available this spring at the Pittsburgh quilt market. I can hardly believe it. I have an actual real contract in my hands.

So, what do I take away from this part of the adventure? I am sure that the decision to say it aloud, to state what I wanted, that made me go for it in the way I have. Uh, somewhat relentlessly. There's probably some people who are a little sick of me. You know who you are. Sorry ya'll. (That's my new Houston-speak. I like it)

Next up on my list of to dos... paper. Hold me to it. Right after I get this fabric line out. 

Note: If you read this post earlier, you may notice I went back in and edited it. Sometimes it just doesn't seem like any of the wording in these blog posts are right. And I worry that things will be misconstrued. This post was super hard to write for whatever reason. I felt like the wording was too contrite, the story not completely told... which is bad, because I think that people reading this should know the details. It wasn't super easy to do, but it was all well worth it. So, you are now reading the edited version of the first post. I hope that whoever you are and whatever you are trying to do, that this post will inspire you to do it and know that there have been those who have inspired me as well. Thanks for understanding, and for your very kind support.

If you ever get the opportunity to go to a quilt market, you should. Here's more of the delights I took in while I was there!

This is Paula Prass and her sweet daughter Jennifer. Pictured in the background and foreground is her debut line for Michael Miller. Please stop and note Jennifer's shoes. I have shoe envy... even if I can't stand in any sort of heal for more than 5 minutes.

Here Paula and I are showing off the bags I had made for her... notice I removed the red pocket from the front... I was so pleased and excited when she agreed with me that it had to go that I jumped out of bed when I got her message on my iphone and ran down here to tear it off... gently.

And below is my new friend, Melissa with her debut line, Sugar Snap... and how much ya' wanna' bet it was "snapped" right up... sorry couldn't resist.

This is a shot of Joanna Figueroa's booth (Fig Tree Quilts). Adorable, huh? Miss Joanna showed me the ins and outs of installing a zipper right there in her booth... thereby killing my zipper fear. It's actually pretty easy! 

This is Sandy Klop of American Jane (Moda) and her wonderful supportive husband... plus gorgeous quilts.

And this is her new floor mat (pattern to be available soon)... I almost died and went to heaven. Thank heavens Sandy is a local... I'll run into her and nag her ... "Floor Mat Pattern Please."

This: A shot of the nifty flower that Sandi Henderson made for her booth. Wow again, Sandi.

Another "wow" for Lakehouse Dry Goods...

I loved these quilts from Denise Sheehan of A Graceful Stitch:

And, this certainly wouldn't be complete without a shot of Amy Butler's booth. 

For good measure, I'll include this awful picture of me with Amy... Ugh. But now I can say I met her. She's too nice. Melissa graciously introduced me (I asked her to LOL), and Amy is as wonderful as the reputation that precedes her. (I cut out the bottom of this picture because we are standing behind a chair and I look rather short to say the least... don't laugh, I know I look short anyways, it was the best I could do.)

That about raps it up... I wish I had more pictures to share. Other things I saw and loved were Anna Griffin's new line from Windham, and Kaffe Fassett who said "I like your purse" as I was purchasing his newest book, Country Garden Quilts (which he signed). I of course wanted to respond with "That's my fabric! I designed that!" But I restrained myself from looking like a goofball and said "Thank you.".

I also got a chance to gander at Verna Mosquera's new line... it's really wonderful with bright vibrant colors added to her soft palette. Fabulous! I'm sorry I don't have pics. I really was running around like a chicken with my head cut off for sure!

Be sure to catch Patti Young's debut line for Michael Miller too! I'm sorry, now pictures of that either.

If I have left anyone or anything out, please don't be offended. I have a brain like a sieve. 

I have barely recovered enough to resize and doctor my pics, so this first report will be on the brief side, I apologize.

Here's a couple peeps I was crazy about and there will be WAY more tomorrow as there were many many designers that were incredible... and so wonderful to meet.

Anna Maria Horner came out with her new line, Good Folks. I am absolutely in love with this line, and I know I said that about her last one too, but... there you have it. I think Anna Maria is the bomb. And, btw, so very kind and friendly.

I also was enamored with Sandy Henderson's line, and her booth, as expected, rocked! You'll also note that Sandy is extremely giving and generous. I just really like that lady!

In other quilt market news... You will be seeing my (my?... really?) line appearing very soon... maybe even Spring Market in Pittsburgh. We'll just have to wait and see. It was a fabulous market on a personal level too. It's all so surreal.

{insert tears of joy here...}

 

I mentioned before that I was making a quilt to drag along with me to some appointments I have at quilt market to show how my fabric designs go together... I got all the piecing done when it struck me... it sure would be nice to have this quilted when I go... and then the lightening bolt that is causing me to stay up all night...

I thought, "You know, what would be really cool is if instead of doing a traditional border and binding, I cut out the motifs and build a collage border using free motion quilting." Yeah. No problem... That just means cutting enough flowers to go around a 58" x 58" square, pinning every one of them into place, quilting each and every flower, and then sewing zig zag stitch all the way around it... 3 times. Not to mention washing and drying it to get the perfect amount of scrunchiness on the collage.

Uh, Hello! I also have orders to get out (not complaining about that, for sure), various and sundry orders for supplies to be placed, and goodness knows what I'm forgetting... 

I may very well be completely nuts... but it sounded like Such A Good Idea when I dreamed it up... (oh, and I did literally dream it... woke up in the middle of the night in a sweat going, "Must Collage Border, Must Collage Border..."

To date... (I started yesterday on the collage) I've finished two sides. I'll be cutting out the backing and finishing it off on my way out the door to the airport. 

Certifiable, ladies and gentlemen. Certifiable.

 

Let me tell you, there is nothing that makes me more nervous than having my picture taken. But, when the fabulous Deb Kennedy asked me at Farm Chicks to be part of her series on the giftandhomechannel.com,  I was more than happy to oblige... The video is now available to view  here, (I think you have to sign up to get to the video, but there's nothing to it and there's lots of cool info on the site). 

Of course, me being me, all I focused on was my weight and the way my voice sounds and my haircut... all I have to say is thank goodness for Weight Watchers... I've lost 20 lbs since then. Holy potatoes! Literally. Super Husband, being Super Husband, said, "It's not that bad, you just look really nervous. Uh... Yeah. Just a little. 

PS... A side note... The Farm Chicks now have a beautiful new blog that you have to visit!

Tum dum... tee dee... What in the world do you wear with this in the Fall? I'm making new rules... are there rules anymore? No. no. no. no. There are no rules. If you are not in a completely cold climate where it's snowing and sleeting and something like this might get ruined, then I think it's perfectly acceptable to wear bright yellow, pink, green, blue and red all year. 

So I was forced to go shopping. 

And looky-loo what I found. I found an apple green jacket (fall fruit) at J.Jill... It's CORDUROY. And, if you ask me that is decidedly Fall-like. (Of course, in the Spring I'll tell you I think it's acceptable now too). Plus it was discounted from over $100 to $35. I'd actually been eying this for months and waiting patiently for it to be reduced... a game that paid off. They are having an awesome sale ... 25% off already reduced items. Wee hoo! I scored on a bunch of goodies...

Now, is there any way I could also wear this? And why is my daughter so embarrassed when I pick her up from school wearing it? I'm in the car... no one can even see me!

Likely, you already know Paula Prass from her gorgeous paper, but if you didn't you will soon! Paula has just come out with a line of fabric from Michael Miller that will debut in Houston next week!

I was honored to have made a couple pieces for her using her fabrics... Here's a sneak preview. Hop on over to Paula's blog for more!

 

What I'm working on now is making various and sundry goodies to drag with me next week to the Houston quilt market out of the fabrics I had printed. This is the first of which is coming together. I'm also bringing with a bag, apron, pin cushions... and anything else I can throw in a bag.

I'm thinking this is going to be pretty exciting... even though I have no idea how this is going to work out. I have a couple of appointments though to hopefully license a line (and then maybe I'll have my own booth next year and actually be selling this stuff to YOU). I'm planning on doing a lot of shopping though for my Spring handbag line. Should be really fun meeting people too! 

If you are going to be there... let me know. I'd love to meet you!

Today on Studio Five in Utah... You'll have to go about 1/2 way into the video, but there I am!
And they say such nice things... listen for what they say about quality ...
We've worked really hard on that!

I just got word that they're on the way from Australia! A joint effort between Cathy Penton Design (charms) and Bari J. (art)! I'll let you know as soon as they arrive.

Between Etsy & Flickr I'm going to go broke.

Julie Found me on Flickr today and added me as a contact. I took a peeky at her pics and went gaga crazy!
This is why...

I immediately went to her Etsy Shop & click, in the cart it went. I Can Not Wait to get it!

The same thing happened the other day when I got a message from Teresa of French Poppy. I popped over there to her Etsy shop and clickidy-click, click, click. Got some gorgeous tea towels. I have ZERO impulse control.

But admit it, you're drooling.

Daphne's Cottage Update and Sale:

Just wanted to let you all know the status of Daphne's Cottage. I know some of you have asked what's going on with Elizabeth and her Mom.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth's Mom, Jane, has been diagnosed with cancer.

Daphne's cottage will be put on hold for the meantime.
Elizabeth is therefore liquidating a lot of the merchandise that is on her site including paintings, art and jewelry. There is no shopping cart on the site, but you can call or email to order anything on there excluding Bari J. bags which are apparently sold. And Elizabeth says to ignore the pricing. She'll be selling most of it at or near wholesale cost.

She can be reached at elizabeth@daphnescottage.com or either of these numbers:
352-622-8449
352-361-7269

Please say a prayer for Jane and for Elizabeth and her family.

Here's a little of what's on the Daphne's Cottage site:

When we woke up this morning it was beautifully foggy, and I took my regular walk with Isabelle, our yellow Lab. It does this in the fall, thick gorgeous fog turns to bright sunshine by midmorning.

I started the walk wishing the time away because I had a million things to get to back here, but as we reached the top of a hill and I looked down into the valley, all I could see was mist. And I remembered why I love Fall in Northern California so much.

For months after we moved here from Chicago (an unbelievable 11 years ago now), all I wanted to do was go home. But it was Fall weather, hiking and that incredible sense of renewal it all gives me that made me want to stay.

I'll try not to go into the gory details... As you all with kids know, as soon as they go back to school they come home with all sorts of disgusting boogers. Literally. I don't know about you, but I think my immune system must be compromised because while they are just out for a day or so, when their little boogers infect me, I am down for the count. ie: I spent Sunday through Tuesday and even part of Wednesday on the couch.

Every once in a while I'd wander in here and decide I could take it. But dizziness bowled me over and back to the couch I went. I decided it was probably not worth cutting a finger off with a rotary blade.

And this was how half of the week evaporated before my eyes.

Then yesterday, Ms. iMac decided (or it may have been iMail) that it was not necessary for recipients to be able to actually view the attachments I was sending them. Hence, I spent the day, writing back and forth to various clients, "Can you see it now?". By about five pm I realized it must be the mail app, and went directly online to my server to send the pieces... and wowee... it worked. Aargh. If I only thought of that at 9am.

Another day... gone. Not sure where they go.

None the less, there was still one day left, I was sure I could get the entire list done today. There was hope yet.

Not so fast, Missy!

Today was a "Teacher Work Day". Excuse me, but how many of these do they need anyways?

Kids at home, a mattress delivery, a long back up of laundry, several other various and sundry people through the house, rush a slew of cuts up to a seamstress, and Blammo! Day gone.

What's the deal with that?

The deal is that certain people were forced to eat their choice of grilled cheese sandwiches or a corn dog for dinner or starve because I couldn't take it anymore. Suck it up, folks. I made some broccoli to go with it. What more do you want?

"Am I done whining yet?" Yes, fine. I did manage to get a little tiny bit up on the website (there are about 20 belts, a bijillion keyfobs and several more bags waiting their turn)...

Here are the two lovelies I managed to extract from their background and make shiny and pretty enough for all to see...

It's amazing how long this all takes. Is it ok to pay a 12 year old to take pictures, and spend hours upon hours photoshopping them? No? Hmmm...

Maybe I can teach Super Husband. I wonder if he'll go for that. I better wait until he's over the boogers. He seems to have just caught it. If you think I was whining, just wait. You'll probably be able to hear it from there. He's already asked for homemade chicken soup and announced he's going to bed at 8:30. Ugh. It's going to be a long night.

It's done! I finished a whole quilt. Got it yesterday pm from the quilter, and did the whole binding last night... Thank goodness the good stuff is back on TV... Survivor and Grey's Anatomy whiled away the hours.

Nothing earthshaking to report today, but I am enjoying the sight of my new pin board wreath. A lot of people have been making these for their doors, but I thought I'd use mine to pin goodies and inspiration on. The yarn had been sitting there since April when I planned on a pretty spring wreath for the front door. I got it about 1/4 wrapped around and gave up. I'm not sure who has the patience for that.

In the end I finished mine in front of the T.V.. Which is what I should have done in the first place.

You can see I didn't manage to go one pretty wrap at a time, but rather willy-nilly... I didn't have the patience. That's all part of my theory that random is better.

Generally, I follow the rules... unless I decide that it's a useless, ridiculous idea that only causes more problems...

Like for instance, there's this new rule at my daughter's school that you can't park in the front because there is a bike lane there. Nevermind we don't have a bus system to get the kids to school, and 800 parents try to drive through the circle pickup all at once. Nevermind that the line to get through is backed up down the street and through and around a major intersection. And, nevermind that all the kids are riding on the sidewalk anyways because the cars are backed up all the way down the street and in the bike lanes.

This rule, I ignore. Completely. I park my car for the ten seconds and run get my kid, cut across the parking lot with her, hop in the car and drive right off thereby bi-passing an half hour's worth of wasted time. (BTW, you can't get into the parking lot because of the car backup. So even if there are empty spots there's no getting to them.)

There's a couple of rules in Girl Scouts that have driven me nuts and these I ignore too. The Girl Scouts are so darn rigid. ... Just thought I'd get that in while I was on the subject.

All that ranting and raving behind me, there are certain rules that should not be ignored... especially when they are coming from Margrette and Janis (December's Child) and are sewing rules. I took a collage/free motion quilting class from Margrette not too long ago and she told me at least 10 times to pull the thread up from the back side.

I didn't believe that this was necessary and instead left them there. I thought it was a waste of time and hence ended up with a collage wall hanging that needs to be lined on the back instead of showing all the pretty quilting lines which in my project are not pretty but incredibly tangled. Not so smart a rule to ignore.

So now my rule of thumb is "Margarette talk, Bari listen."... And truly, things turn out much better when I do.

That was a whole lot to say in order to get to what that picture is up there at the top. That is the back of this front panel of a handbag. I wanted to show you how really very pretty the back does look when you pull that back thread up before you go merrily along your way.

Surely you enjoyed my rambling mumbo jumbo along the way to that, oh, so important thing to say.

Don't be like me. Follow the rules, boys and girls.

And just for added color in this post...

Have a great rule following day.

You are going to love this, I'm telling you! I can't believe how it feeds my little tea-theme addiction. Yummy!

T.J., Janie and Chrissy got hold of me last week to do some graphics, they're friends of Heather's who took some really gorgeous photos for them a bit ago (Does Heather do anything but gorgeous? Uh... no.).

These ladies are up to something so super. I looooved it. Their new business, Orange Blossom Tea House brings the gift of tea service right to you with Teagrams... they've trademarked that little ditty, aren't they smart? The ad below has all of the details.

More arty charmy previews...

For the holidays, I'll soon have Art Charms. They are a collaboration... art by Bari J, charms by Cathy Penton.
Here's a sneak preview of our double sided charms.

As you might know from my previous post, my family has been in need of a little of this. Thank goodness it comes in many kinds... we could use all the therapeutic treatments we could find... My sister and I found some of it when I visited her this weekend in Arizona. One of which was getting some blond highlights in her hair by a super fantastic hair "therapist". I have to say, Lara looked amazing, as did our mom. She needed a little treatment too.

I am relatively scared of hair color and thank goodness, I unbelievably haven't but a few stray grays. Plus, I actually like my hair color (hmmm... now that's unusual. I said aloud that I liked my hair.) Which makes me think... why didn't I go get the alternative and much-needed nail therapy? I shall indulge later this week, me-thinks.

In addition to beautification therapy, we also spent time getting some of our most favorite therapy of all... retail therapy as it is commonly known.

Amazingly enough, we didn't indulge in food therapy because we figured that would have been therapy that eventually would have made us feel worse. Plus, of course, the thought of weighing in at WW and weighing more is enough to scare me straight any day... Good girls...

The retail therapy was as expected very, very satisfying.

Below... a goodie from that part of our adventure... at Paris Envy, a shop in Phoenix that carries my bags... and btw, is undeniably "Wow.". I'm not just sayin' so because my bags are there either, it really really is. And the prices are reasonable too which I'm finding unusual (someone remind me later to show you the little spread about it that was in the Arizona Republic a couple weeks ago... it looked incredible).

There is also Puppy Therapy ... Lara has much of this... Roxy, our girl, will not leave her side and barks at anyone who comes near Lara these days. Amazing how animals know when we are vulnerable, isn't it? I threatened to take this cute potato home with me... She's the most amazing rescue dog ever. We think she had been abandoned... who in the world could abandon this???

Then all said and done I came home tonight finding the squeezing of my little peeps and Super Husband quite therapeutic as well... Then, unexpectedly... an added bonus... my own personal form of therapy... my Very Own Fabric Therapy... it arrived while I was away. I did really cry too. Very, very good therapy.

My most favorite therapy of all however... My Family. Seeing my Lara, hugging her and knowing that everything will be alright. There really is something to be said about the connections that siblings have. The shared experiences, all the ups and downs. I'll never know anyone like I know my sisters and brother. They are undeniably the best friends I'll ever have.

We have our mother to thank for that. She has always said, "I always wanted four kids, because I wanted you all to always have each other." And we do (she said through happy sad, sad happy tears.). Thanks, Mom.

Awww... darn. That was a sort of emotional post. Off to hug the squeezy girls some more!
Thanks for listening... Hmmmm... blog therapy too! Good stuff!
XO,

I'm having one of those days when I love what I do. I can't believe I get to play with fabric and goodies all day. Don't anyone tell Super Husband I am enjoying myself so much. Tell him I'm working my butt off please.

And truthfully, not every day feels like this. A lot of days are spent doing the dreaded accounting and paperwork. That's what you should tell Super Husband. Tell him I'm doing math all day. It's horrifying.

But on the sly I'm going to tell you that today I am in heaven. Fabric fabric pattern pattern color color. I love it.

Today, I mixed and matched and matched and mixed. It had my little pea brain all in a tizzy. "Ooooh, pretty! Oh... I know, not that fabric! This fabric! Move this here! Do that!" I was all a-whirl with thought.

As I was going along it occurred to me to wonder why it works out. What makes these seemingly random patterns and colors come together?

When I'm designing I find it curious that sometimes I have no idea where it's going. I'm simply taking various items, mixing them up and trying to make sense of them. It may look pretty random when I'm done, but really I think that as I'm mixing and adding my brain is tying it all together.

Sometimes as I am doing this, I have a hovering sense of doubt about what it will all look like in the end, but so often it has managed to come out "right" that I have taught myself to keep going even if it's not making sense at the moment.

I was having that sense of dread and doubt as I was lining up my piles of rectangles for this quilt for Jennifer. The blue wasn't doing it for me. Then the yellow made no sense. But as I mixed and placed and replaced the rectangles it started to meld, as it always seems to with pattern and colors.

And when it does all come together, it usually leaves me wondering why. Why does that look right? One color answers another and one pattern answers another even if the colors seem totally unrelated when you look at them separately.

Sometimes I do that I purpose. I take things I know have no business being together just to see if I can make it work. That's what I did with this particular quilt. And somehow or another, that blue does look right.

That's what gave me this sense of satisfaction today. For no reason at all... that blue does look like it belongs. It just brings me joy.

Of course, I better not let Super Husband know. Not that he begrudges me my happiness. He'll think I was having far too much fun, and might want me to (I can't bear to think it) get "a real job".

Next time he walks in, I'm going to have to switch over to Quickbooks on the screen and furrow my brow. That throws him off every time.

Do not walk... run to The Chit Chat Cafe, a new blog by my new friend, Lisa K. who owns the fabby Trunk Show Boutique in New Jersey.

Lisa's advice and "chit chat" will have you cracking up. And laughter is totally the best medicine.

Plus... yours truly made the new banner. My daughter was teasing me because I spent a good hour fiddling with the red shoe design only to reduce it down in size and hang it from the letter "C". But I think it was worth it. I love that cute shoe. It was based on this $695 shoe (yikes!) from NM. Don't you think I'd look HOT in those shoes? Hello!

Sadness

We've been mourning. Last week my sister miscarried her twins at 19 weeks along. I don't know what to say, or where to begin, but it's been just horrible for her and her husband as well as the rest of us.

To Lara I'll say what I've said over and over... I know you have the strength to carry on. We all love you, and we are with you. And to our beautiful angels, Max and Michael... you were and are loved by the most wonderful parents God could give you and your family will love and think of you always.

Jennifer sent a couple boxes full of fabby fabric for belts and a quilt for her store. (She got very carried away with the sheer amount of fabric she sent... not that I'm complaining, mind you). So first I sorted it ...

And then I made stuff out of it (Jennifer's fabrics, even when you mix this and that from different lines, look great together)...

And when I was all done making stuff... and tell me this doesn't look familiar... this is what my sorting looked like...

Impatience is a Virtue.

OK, this was not part of the plan, but I'm giving up some of the goods. I've been hinting and hinting at this and "duh" I know you knew what I was hinting at but ok so, I can't keep a secret. Never have been able to... Telegraph, Telephone, Tele-Bari. I can't shut up.

Actually, if you tell me a secret, I am like a vault unless you are endangering yourself or you are my sister. I can keep the secrets of others, but not my very own. It's ugly.

So... Oui. I am on my way to my goal of having licensed designs as a lot of you know I am DYING to do. You would not believe the single track mind I have. It's good and bad and all that stuff. No one ever said I wasn't totally type A. The good news is that progress is really being made (as S.L.O.W. as that process is).

However... I wanted to see what it would look like on fabric. It was driving me nuts. What would these designs on this little screen look like on real actual fabric? Honestly, I couldn't take it.

And, how cool would it be to be able to show fabric companies my designs on F.A.B.R.I.C.??? Seriously, is that cool or what?

So, I decided to take the matter into my own hands and print some of my own darn fabric. And, VOILA! These pieces showed up in my mailbox today (more on how later). I can tell you I really did almost pee myself.

I even used my fabric scissors to open the envelope. That's the kind of desperation we're talking about here.

And now look, I'm not even showing you the whole enchilada.

Seriously, I think I might lay down on the floor and cry.

EDIT: I just want to clarify that this is not a licensed line yet. It has not been picked up although I am making in-roads on that. This is my dream. This line in whatever form it takes will be licensed at some point ... because I am not going to let it not be. The getting to that point is a really, really long road. I feel sharing the process with you along the way will show that it can be done. Whatever that "it" is for you. Thank you so much for your encouragement. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

Ahhh... the artistic process. And, oh dear... the art of business. Oh, what a long road it is to get where you want to go. I'm making headway. So, you all will probably get a better idea of what's up in oh, about a year or so. Progress is good. I sure could use a nap though.
Here's another, yet even meaner, oh so much smaller hint... (paranoid much?)

On another note, look what came today. This sweet Stephanie made me quite happy. Oh, how actually finishing a project can fill a girl with joy. BTW, Mathilda and Grace... next week... (see below if you have no clue what I'm taking about.) Steph will take their place on the art bags page.