a sunny day in the studio

a few images of my happy little studio. you can even catch a glimpse of the new ikea cupboard which will hide my printer and my new little black ottoman that lives under the countertop and houses my little singer featherweight and my yummy new fabrics.

my new white floors

Today was a day of major construction ending in my dream, white floors and a new huge cabinet to house my printer, hide all the details of life and give me twice the counter space I had before. It is still in the works and I have no photos. I could show you the floor, but the old beige industrial rug photographed so well that you would never think it needed replacing. This kinda looks the same, but is a world different. My last move in my studio, I will die with white stained floors, you can't imagine how great they blend with the twenty year old David custom huge drawers and everything else I demanded. I keep spinning around to take it in. Amazing, perfect.

My painter is coming in the morning to paint the primed new base and repaint the old base moulding. Everything never looks right when something new is added. I am beside myself with happiness. Pictures don't quite work. Twenty old beige carpet looks about the same in a photo as new white floors. I will work on this. I am going do dream sweat dreams of the studio I never had. I hope I actually dream of painting out here. Something that has rarely happened. 

Hot - Hot - Hot!

They say it's a dry heat, so it's not so hot...Hummmm! When it's 100 and climbs to 106, every degree is noticed...and so the weather welcomed us to Indian Wells. That didn't, however, curtail any of the plans we had for enjoying the area! Richard golfed and golfed and golfed! When we got there, and then a tournament the next day and then a last round that afternoon. I swear the man is addicted! But then...this is a good addiction!


He of course could say the same about me...I visited as many fabric/yarn/bead stores I could find that weren't keeping summer hours. One store I visited was beads on one side and fabrics on the other. Unfortunately they weren't blended together in any way. When I asked how they came up with the idea they responded that it was the "hard" and the "soft". Still didn't quite get it, but oh well! The funny thing was, right next door was a yarn shop! Go figure!



In the afternoon I sat by the pool and people and bird watched. The water was everywhere, cascading, misting, being swam in! I loved the shots of the water I got and the birds were so willing to pose!



On Saturday night Richard and I attended a banquet in a ballroom that had a beautiful look back at the hotel! Heard a comic that night that had us in tears! He was the 2nd runner up in last season's "Last Comic Standing". Pretty funny!



We managed to escape the heat by staying in the A/C one day when I sewed and Richard watched - wait for it - golf! It was just as relaxing as the garden massage I had that morning. It started with a soak in bubbles with homeopathic oils in a private garden and ended with a wonderful massage in the same garden. Could hardly move afterward - but it was worth it!



On the way home we stopped to eat (and cool off) but were anxious to get back! After all we had angry kitties to calm down! And vegetables to harvest!



More zucchini than I know what to do with - still must find the zucchini bread recipe! The tomato plant has little flowers on it now and it's grown from the little boy it was, to taking up the whole bed with his brothers and sisters. And then there's the corn...can't wait for those babies to fill out! I keep checking them...still have a few weeks!

Was glad to get away...but always happy to return!

Pleasantly Surprised, and Addicted...

...to Junq! (I know you thought I'd say to lambs :o)

Thank you all for being my sidekicks to my first excursion to Junq. It was as you all described, and more. I am in love with Jeffrey's beautiful store, his eye for fashion, his lovely selection of merchandise, eye for design, and his prices (so good, so reasonable!) I am dreaming about the sherbet orange sweater I saw today, and may have to return soon to pick it up! I can certainly see why you have used his store model as an influence for your own. He's done a lovely job over there.

Now, on to the lambies...

http://www.youtube.com/watch

Here's the wonderful Youtube video I have spoken about. It's the corporate woman who throws in the towel and moves to Martha's Vineyard to start a Sheep Farm selling futures in yarn. Beware: it's a tear jerker (at least for me). I have watched it several times, and always love it. I hope you girls will enjoy watching it too.

It was fun to see you all today, and hear about all your exciting plans! I'm your biggest cheerleader!

xo, Val

Ikea ideas for new space

These photos are in no particular order.

Needle holders...tin or flower pots.

Exclude the t.v. and imagine glass shelving 12 1/2" deep, 40" wide. Posts attach the frame to the wall. We'd have to attach some plexiglass for the back and sides. Could accommodate fabric bolts and yarns.

Drawers to store tissue and packaging.

Most comfy chair on casters for behind desk...great back support and arms. Arms fit above the desk so you can push chair in all the way...space saver!

6 lights on steel rod hanging from ceiling...for over the desk.

Clever idea for fabric display...fabric stretched taught between two towel bars.

Fabrics have Arrived in Val's Art Studio

I'm about as excited as when Judy's fabrics arrived at the Grove! What is it with fabrics that get us so worked up?! Truly, it's the feeling of being a kid in a candy store when I anticipate opening up a box filled with precious fabric. I just love it!(Sorry about the quality of my photos. They got a bit blown out, and I just don't want to take the time to deal with it)
My shipment from Heather Bailey is a "look and see" shipment. I have looked, and now I see that I will be ordering lots of Heather Bailey fabric. The weight of the fabric is perfect, suitable for high quality clothing, or for using when making up houseware type projects. Heather Bailey has a great eye, and has loads of fabrics that work well with each other. If you don't know about Heather Bailey, you may want to check her out. Well, that is, if you like whimsy, color and playfulness, even a bit of Cowgirl Kitch... which I do. (I am married to a Colorado boy, after all!)
My shipment from Scarlet Fig arrived yesterday. Unfortunately, she's been having a problem with her printer, and it will be a while before the problems are sorted out. Sadly, I was not able to order my first choice, and made do with the yellow palette of fabrics. I am not as thrilled with the quality of these fabrics compared to their cost. But Scarlet Fig is a start up designer, probably a one girl operation. Even though I may not be able to use the fabrics in my vests, they will make perfect pillow backing. Don't you like how Judy's striped fabric fits perfectly in the mix?!

I'm always so excited to hear about the Grove Girls, and what you are up to next. Week to week, so many new developments! I always wish I could be better connected to you all, but I'm working on my own lot of new developments here in Val's Art Studio. I am working very hard to grow my little business, and am venturing into uncharted territory 'round these parts! It would be my greatest desire to be a part of Artisan's at The Grove, and hope there's a way to fit in some day, somehow, some way.

In the meantime, I have been invited to join a start up company in historic Harrisburg, Pennsylvania called The Hodgepodgery (cute, eh?!) This company is all about recycled, refashioned, green upcycled products for living. I hope we can come to terms that will work for both of us. I've never had too much luck with the shops because of my pricing... but hopefully something will work out here. I think my sweaters would sell well in PA!

I have also been asked to be involved in a corporate art project for a healthcare facility with a large art budget. They are looking for 13 whimsical fiber artists to create specific art for the interior of the facility. I'd need to make a presentation via CD... hmmm, seems challenging. But, seeing as this is what I did during all the years I worked for Artrageous, I think I'm up to the task. I have one month to come up with the CD. Maybe it's time I take myself to the Apple store and get my own private Idaho boy to give me lessons on how to create a drop dead presentation CD.

Well, my head is spinning. I'm glad that the family from Az decided my house was too small for renting this July. I think I'm going to put my efforts into learning how to take better photographs and making up a CD.

I won't see you all on Friday. I work at Austin's til 2, then we are picking Kyle up from his Surf Camp. There's a big to-do party for the parents on the last day of camp :o)

We had waffles!

And I think we were unanimous that the waffles were great!

Sorry Susan, you were in the bathroom when camera inspiration abounded...

Love you girls!

A working studio once again

I am on a mission. I am going to create new and beautiful things. Spencer asked me last week why I didn't paint anymore. I got a little defensive and said that I did it had just been a while and pointed all over the studio at recent work brought back from France. Damn kid has a better memory then I do, he knew that was a year ago.  He was also not impressed since he was the one actually painting a picture for his kindergarten teachers end of year thank you. At his demand that he only wanted to do it with me in my studio.

He would not drop the point. It went on all afternoon. Finally, he demanded I go paint while he watched so he could see if I still had it. Well, I did not want to do that, too tired or something. Plus, my studio has become a showplace and only he is really allowed to make a mess out there. Wrong, bad I know.

So, I sat on it and decided it was time to go back to my first love, before Spencer. I am headed back to the experimental phase I enjoyed so much. Evidence being I have one drawer of watercolor paints and an entire studio and garage of all the other acrylic, mixed media stuff. Message, go back and experiment. Play, have fun and explore the little girl that I missed. So, you are looking at evidence I spent another day cleaning and organizing, why is that what it always takes before I can create? The answer is it just does.

Up first are three little mini abstracts that have been sitting around waiting to be finished and loved. Done. Then evidence of a small portion of the supplies I have at the ready. Now really right there. I have abandoned the perfect painting corner and dragged back in all the stuff I need at hand to really paint in my mixed media style.

And lastly, joy for the new part of my studio. The sewing corner. I oiled my dear old Singer  Featherweight last night and spent a lovely hour practicing sewing on an old dish towel. My perfect little machine warmed right up and still had the old purr I remember from so many years ago.

Judy, trying to be the good student I washed and ironed all my new fabric purchases and am ready to commence sewing again after a very long hiatus.

Hoping to see you tomorrow at the trunk show!

You're invited!

To brunch at Marcia's and we'll be having Mark's famous waffles. Geez, I hope I haven't oversold them and that you'll like them. We'll have strawberries and whipped cream and butter and syrup. And in the interest of being awake for the afternoon we'll have martinellis in our orange juice.

And if you'd like to bead I'll be here to help. It's time to pay back all the support I've gotten. If you have something in mind bring it and if not, I know where you can find some inspiration and some beads.

See you Tuesday

Open for Business!

It finally happened! The knitting got done, the sewing got done, the fixtures built and painted and the fabrics and patterns unpacked! Richard had a lot of building to do at the Grove, on the fixtures, but had some time out to enjoy our chairs! With help from the "girls" - Gail, you were awesome - Susan and I had our opening day (so to speak) on Sunday.





The Amy Butler apron with a judi patuti flower- I had to add something...greeted guests at the door! Susan made some great "Nieman Marcus" choc/chip cookies and fresh squeezed lemonade. Can you believe she was able to pick enough lemons off her tree to serve a crowd? That's one plentiful tree!

It started a little slow, then "bam" the place was crowded! and the cookies were nearly gone! I managed to snag one and loved them...Susan you did it again with the baking! Not only was she baking, but she and Gail surprised me by making a head band Gail wore out of one of the fabrics with a knitted I-cord. So cute! Yet another great idea....

The day was full of surprises...a lot of my staff from FCC came, pretty amazing since none of them sew or knit. But were supportive and I'm sure curious to see what this "thing" was all about.


Susan and I set everything up on Monday and by Wed. the linen "Mommy" dress with fishes on it had sold. "Cha-ching!" So the sewing machine got put to the task of making another dress for the reception. Don't know why, but I forgot to get a picture of it! Gee wouldn't it be nice if the sewing machine just sewed up things all on it's own?... it would have been great to have sewing peeps for me and knitting peeps for Susan, then my sewing room wouldn't look like a thread tornado hit it! and Susan would have more time to blog!

Susan and I convinced Blakely to try on one of the summer dresses-it fit her perfectly...but she was a little shy in it - too bare - so she only came out of the bathroom for a quick picture!

Susan and Gail and I just kept coming up with more ideas---one of them was a project bag with a knitted I-cord. So that got made in the "fishy linen" and in Amy Butler's "happy dots". So cute...I can't stand having all that fabric and not make anything. I'm sure the project bags will show up in other fabrics later.

Krysta came over and HAD to have the apron...we compromised...I'll be helping her figure out how to make it! And Gail won the raffle, so she now has - count 'em- 3 projects lined up to sew! The PJ bottoms will be the first of many, many more projects. I'm sure she'll zip through these 3 projects with lighting speed!









Susan had a super day in yarn sales with the fabrics coming in second! I think we have a winning combination!