Daisy Janie

a glimpse of my day

Today was color matching.
Look at all those delicious colors! Profile cheat-sheets, graded swatch panels, palette printouts - so many things to contrast & compare. By far, this my favorite part of the job - not only b/c I'm wiggling with excitement that I'm almost done, but also b/c it's like signing a finished piece of artwork as it is the last step in my design process that really defines my work as mine. I always have placeholder colors as I go along, but assigning the final color value makes my design feel official, complete and tangible to me. Aaaah. Nice when it all comes together, isn't it?

As you probably are too, I am very particular about the colors I use in my work. Oh, I've had my fair share of hideous strike-offs and dud-sellers - that's why I try to make the most of this process. The time spent here sort of forces me to come to terms with my vision and its potential - to see if it gels or not. In addition, poring over palettes, profiles and panels to match colors enables me to get the same result every single, solitary time I re-order my fabric. No guessing, no stabs in the dark, nothing left to chance. Makes the effort worthwhile to know that, time and again, what I envisioned = what I created = what I will receive = what my customer will be able to purchase.

How about you? What are areas that you refuse to shortcut? What things do you feel add your 'signature' to your work?

color inspiration: freshly folded & quietly waiting

Today is a two-fer b/c I realized I've been heavy on the brights & pastels on these color inspirations. So if you're not hip to the jig above, maybe the one below will get you on the dance floor.

The brick below is actually a Behr paint called Outback. We rounded out this shade with a trim color that's a light, light yellowy white, a front door in a deep, rich plum and dark grey thresholds (which matches the crazy wrought-iron on our front porch).

must purge - can you use these?

These are high-quality swatchbooks with high-quality fabric samples from a prominent fabric converter, given to me by an interior designer who no longer needed them. I have had them for 2 years and never touched them - now they need to go!

There are 5 books, including cotton home dec, poly lace, cotton/poly damask and cotton voile (or some such thing). I will keep as a group or split-up - don't care either way.

Disclaimers:

• I am not selling these.
• This is not a giveaway/contest. 
• You will have to pay for shipping via paypal.
• Legally, you cannot sell what you might make from these pieces, but you can craft and experiment until your heart's content.

If you'd like to know more or want these books, please send me an email. First-come, first-served.

giveaway winner(s)!!

 

Thank you to all who entered the fabric giveaway! Your comments about the #200 had me laughing, nodding along and keeping my fingers crossed! As I was cutting the swatches for the winner, I realized I have quite a few oddball-sized pieces that a couple more of you might be able to use, too - so I added 2 runner-up winners for 2 smaller, mish-mosh swatch packs.

Grand Prize Winner - comment #142 - from Kay, who said:
"200 would be the approx number of excuses I can come up with to avoid housework when I would rather be crafting!"

First Runner-up Winner - comment #207 - from Holly, who said:
"My sister-in-law sometimes reads the word 'zoo' as 200. =)"

Second Runner-up Winner - comment #85 - from Jingle, who said:
"I would like the choice of any 200 beautiful things on Etsy to disperse as I wish amongst me and my friends! That would be a GREAT 200!"

Thanks again everyone!

fabric sighting | wristlets with bloom fabric

These unique wristlets are handmade by Carolyn Suddaby of Cork & Cotton. As if the cork fabric wasn't enough to set her designs apart from the crowd, then she tops it off with various reverse appliqued fabrics to really give her accessories that extra pop. Here, she used my Bloom fabric. Love how she centered one of the flowers in the circle below. Prices run from $30-38 on her wristlets - pretty Joel Dewberry fabrics used, too. Looking good Carolyn!!

the finery of dinner convo

anyone got my back on that? i'm not talking in circles, but i would like 2 snaps up in a circle.

what's up?

  

I was using my bamboo tablet on Saturday to finish some designs (once and for freaking all), and Peanutman came a-hoverin' to see what I was doing. So without a word, I started writing a note to him while he stood there. Laughter and irresistable curiousity followed. For a good 20 mins, he played with it, writing his name and drawing his signature character, Billy Taters. We played about 50 rounds of tic-tac-toe, too. I don't have many cool toys, but the bamboo tablet rates pretty high. I go for quality not quantity.

Speaking of which, your responses to the fabric giveaway have been incredible! How lucky am I to get to read these heartfelt, silly, factual, confessional and wishful responses! A great reminder of how really real we all are - and that our similarities run deep! Thank you for participating! One more day to enter, if you haven't already!

 

color inspiration - veggies

little bit healthier than last week's candy inspiration! and instead of paint colors this week, how about a quick recipe?

Veggie Goo-Roo (so named by Peanutman - maybe he meant 'guru' - i'll have to ask!)

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
----------------------------
2 T olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves - minced or pressed
1 small onion - chopped
1 head of broccoli - cut into bite size florets
15 or so cherry tomatoes - halved
3 carrots - chopped into thin slices
1 16 oz. can tomatoe puree
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T red hot sauce (Franks rules)
6 oz water
parmesan cheese (loads)

*Carefully* cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds like a pumpkin. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake on foiled & ever-so-slightly oiled baking sheet at 350 for an hour. Should pierce easily with a fork when done. While your squash is cooking, prep all your veggies.

1. Saute onion in olive oil over med heat. Add garlic when onion is just about translucent.
2. Add carrots & broccoli - season with salt & pepper - saute about 2 mins.
3. Add cherry tomotoes - saute another 2 mins.
4. Add tomoto puree, vinegar and hot sauce. Season again.
5. Add water slowly, stirring as you go, so the puree becomes more saucy.
6. Turn heat down to low, cover and let simmer until squash is done. I don't let my broccoli get soggy so you might want to take it off the heat after about 15 mins, but keep it covered.

Squash: With a big spoon, scrape pulp/flesh out of each half, place in bowl. It will be hot - be prepared! As you're scraping, the spaghetti fibers will begin to reveal themselves a la pasta. Yay. Fork toss with a smidge of olive oil, salt & pepper.

Plate it: Top 2/3 C squash with about 2/3 C of the veggie goo-roo. Sprinkle lovingly with fresh parm - enjoy!

fabric giveaway!

In honor of my 200th sale on etsy today, I'm giving away a full-house swatch pack to one lucky winner! That would be 12 fabric swatches (13" x 9") - 1 for each for design in the damsel collection (some of which are on sale and will be retired soonly!). A total value of $60.

Rules:
- 1 entry per person (dupes will be deleted).
- winner will be chosen at random.
- contest ends tuesday, feb 24th at midnight.
- winner has 24 hours to claim prize. after that, a new winner will be selected.

How to enter:
Leave a comment here about the number 200. What does it make you think of? What would you like to have 200 of? Something funny or crazy or sweet - your choice! My response would be: "200 is the number of times I would leave a stubborn bowl in the dishwasher if it refused to get clean after each cycle." Yep. I would and I have (damn salsa). Your turn!!

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

[i am so far behind on things - did you know you could send a post to your blog right from flickr?]