an adventure with Kristin the intern...O' Oriole Mill, how I love thee...

Happy holidays everyone. I'm just dropping in from my little adventures.....

This week I visited the Oriole Mill in North Carolina, tomorrow who knows? I went with my program to this Jacquard Weaving Center after having a long semester of learning how to assign weaves in Jacquad. The looms were humongous and I was surrounding by a thousand spools of thread. It was pretty much any Textile Major's dream come true. Initially when  finding out alot of my semester was going to be spent weaving a grandma blanket---I was not too pleased nor excited. However, I found a way to make mine cute and modern and I think now its  my proudest work ! (And plus I learned the basis of how designs are woven in the industry.) Thanks professor!
The process went by so quick, my blankets were done in minutes! Each heddle moving up and down so fast and powerful it could slice a carrot.

I did two blankets and I am so happy I did because I learned so much between the two. The striped floral goes along with my portfolio collection, found. The second one was my first experiment, a baroque inspired design with light bulbs. My favorite!That's me and my classmates with our woven masterpieces!

welcome my new intern Kristin!...

Happy Monday All!  Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.  I am so happy to introduce you to my super talented intern Kristin.  Kristin in going into her final year of studies, and I am thrilled to have her helping me out.  Here's a little peak at her work.  She will be sharing some inspiration from time to time under the name carpe diem.  Fun name right?  Well there is actually much more coming under that name very soon!  Yep, there is some super secret cooking of awesomeness going on over here!  Anyway, everyone play nice with Kristin!  :)  Here's to a fantastic, productive week!

Bokja Furniture: Ecletic Beauty

Hi all! Kristin the Intern here!

Coming back from NYC, one of my favorite memories was at ABC Carpet & Home where every floor was a new adventure. And holy moly when I saw this Bokja furniture, I was too excited for words. Every piece was an eclectic harmony of vintage and modern textiles, alike.  Beirut based designers, Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hibri compose pieces that not only are bursts of folklore & bright colors but highlight the longevity of sustainable fabrics. Every chair had a story  to tell from hand found materials taken from the silk road of India . This collection was every Etsy lovers dream come true!



Love the embroidered label!



clever "Head Rest" chair!



Khristian & I literally stood in this area for an hour admiring the subtle details.

abc carpet and home - inspiration...

More from ABC carpet and home.  It is six amazing floors, so there is tons to share!  I love how they display their inspiration right out on the walls and in the stairwell.  Fantastico!

nyc odyssey - abc carpet and home...

Happy Monday all!  Back from the trip, dealines a bit more under control (whew) - time to share the pics!  Lets continue with the always inspiring ABC carpet and home.  Enjoy!

Warning!  This is going to be a high drama area today!  I almost DIED five times over in the Madeline Weinrib Atelier.  She has an entire room dedicated to her yummy ikat and graphic goodness.  Rows and rows of absolutely divine rugs and pillows.  The killer moment was when I discovered the clutches.  GASP!  I know you are gasping too, come on! Gorgeous wallpaper!  Structured and refined from afar, loose and organic up close. I just love the freedom in this work.TREND ALERT!  Watch for graphic, seductive silhouettes and shadows for fall 2011.

trend alert - buffalo nation...

Happy Monday all. Major, huge trend alert to start your week. All things native american! The global ethnic trend has finally come back home. The prints, the tonal camels mixed with subtle earthy pops of color, and tons of fur. Its all happening for fall!  Try throwing in primary colors and brights into your prints for a youthful take on the trend.images Marie Claire Magazine and Free People

creative connections event + me!!...

Happy Friday everyone!  So a few weeks ago I blogged about a great new event happening in September called the Creative Connections Event.  As you already know, it will be a really wonderful exchange of creative entrepreneurs artists and crafts people.  Sounds fab right?  I know!  I am so thrilled to say that I will be participating on the how to launch a business panel!  I will be traveling to the event sponsored by my wonderful licensee Anthology Fabrics.  That's right!  I have ANOTHER fabric collection coming out soon!!  Details on that later. Here's a little blurb from the site about the event.

THE CREATIVE CONNECTION will bring together women who are passionate about being creative in their everyday lives as artists, bloggers, cooks, business owners and crafters. Come learn, create, market, shop and connect with like-minded women from all across the United States!

Check them out on facebook, and my favorite, twitter.  Head here to learn how to register for the event.  Let me know if you are attending the show.  I would love to meet up!

PS > psst. fabric lovers...did you know AMY BUTLER is going to be there!!!

the ghost artists...

I was browsing through one of the design books on my shelf called Textile Designs by Susan Meller and Joost Elffers.  Do you have it?  For some reason I landed on the introduction.  A portion of it is titled The Ghost Artist.  I'm certain you can infer the subject by the title.  This line really struck a cord with me, "The countless images that wrap our bodies and decorate our homes are in fact seen so often that they take special attention to be seen at all."  I am always fascinated by this idea.  Pattern plays such a large role in all of our lives, but few really think about how the patterns were born. When I explain to people what I do, one reaction is sure to be, 'wow I never thought about that'.  Isn't it so interesting all the things in our lives that we think "just are".  Do you/have you ever felt like a ghost artist?  This is why I love licensing because the value of what we all do is not taken for granted.  I do feel there is more attention on the field right now which is awesome.  The work of Bowie Style, Tricia Guild, and even Ikea have really helped to cast some light on our wonderful world of pattern.  Happy designing this wednesday friends!

art licensing - lessons in patience and endurance...

One year and two months in the making, my first fabric collection for Robert Kaufman is here!  I have actual samples, of actual fabric, that actually has my name on the selvedge!  This is crazy exciting!  When I got the box I could not get it open fast enough in between jumping up and down for joy.  So here's the scoop guys, samples in hand - yes, BUT the collection will not be in stores until OCTOBER.  So don't run over to the RK site, or rush into your favorite shop just yet.  You can just salivate in anticipation right here for a few short months!  P.S.  I am dying about the way that blue coloway turned out, aren't you?

So I was catching up with a really good friend yesterday.  She is a creative entrepreneur as well (if fact she designed my wedding dress).  She has the most radiant soul, and she always has a way of keeping things in a wonderful positive perspective.  As we were chatting about what is going on with each of our endeavors, we landed the subject of the long process of getting a business going, especially in licensing.  I don't think it is a secret that I can be a bit dramatic at times (well its not now!).  I said something to here like 'it takes so loooooong', yeah, you can hear it right? Her response - this is all a lesson in patience and endurance.  If you really want to be successful in licensing, you must have these two things. You know how sometimes people say just the right things at just the right times?  She hit the nail on the head yesterday.  It was just a great reminder to continue to look at the bigger picture.  So today I celebrate my fabulous samples, and in a few short months I will celebrate again!  If you are at the beginning of your art licensing journey, use these two words as a mantra on the tough days (and there will be a few of course).  You will be sure to feel a surge of strength as I have.

fashion tuesdays...

Fashion has always been (one of) my first love.  It was how I discovered this whole surface design gig really.  I am constantly turning to the runways for a heavy dose of fantastic inspiration.  So I thought I would share my findings with you.  Each Tuesday I'll share some  lovelies we only dream of owning, but can admire all we want!

fashion - falling for anna sui...

And she's done it again...  I just can't get enough of the whimsy in all of Anna Sui's designs.  This fall she has just killed it.  This rich color palette is to die for.  It just screams bohemian victorian richness to me - LOVE.  I really love the she is flashing the ever present folk/ethnic trend a bit forward with this strong mountain graphic.  I am going to experiment with all these yummy jewel tones and pair them with a range of fleshy neutrals.  YUM!  Any color trends you are loving right now?

print trend - stylized florals...

EEEK!!  I'm a officially a trend setter!  My good friend Anna (who is an amazing art director over at Eddie Bauer) emailed me (well facebooked me) the other day to tell me that she had spotted me on one of the top trend reporting sights Stylesight!  Are you kidding me?!  How exciting right?  When I was working at Nordstrom back in the day, I remember obsessing over all the fab prints I would see on WGSN and Stylesight.  Omg, now I'm in the report!  A bit Surreal really, but great!  I'm the 2nd and 4th images.

from the archives...

Happy Monday friends!  If you didn't notice the mission of this here space has changed a bit.  Parapluies et Soleil is now your place for art, inspiration, style, and making your creative dreams a reality. Exciting, yes?! So while I was musing about where we are going, I started thinking about where I've been.  One of my very first pieces as a freelancer was a project I worked on for Wrangler Jeans. This is a piece I created for the Wrangler 20x brand.  The project was a collaboration between me and the oh so fab Mary Beth Freet. I'm not sure if it ever went into production... We also collaborated on one of the pieces I have in the print and pattern book (the one with the landscape and owl).  Anywho, I hope you get a kick out of one from the archives as I have!  :)  Here's to a happy week!

blog break = inspiration hunt...

Happy Monday all!  I will be taking a break this week from blogging.  My baby (my computer) is heading to the spa - aka the apple genius bar for a few days.  In the mean time be sure to hang out with my good friends Jess, and Michelle. They will take good care of you!  Also check out the latest review of Confessions of a first timer from the fab Daisy Janie!  Thanks Jan!  Back soon with images from my inspiration hunt I am embarking on this week while I am unplugged!  :)

inspiration - yahgie textiles...

new obsession alert!  I quite simply love everything she does! Petergaye S. Kisielewicz designs all Yahgie textile prints, and they are all equally as fab as she seems to be.  Enjoy - I am!

these are so cool!  totally customizable - message, language, you name it!

mid-week inspiration - designerrugs.com...

[caption id="attachment_2174" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="alex perry "bibelo""][/caption]

Yesterday's inspiration post made me remember how much I LOVE this website!  OMG!  These rugs break my heart they are so fabulous (I hope you can sense the melodrama in my voice, but they are that great!)!  Have you seen this site designerrugs.com?  I mean really, you will be a fan too - promise!  The Aussies are really turning up the design heat these days!  :)

[caption id="attachment_2176" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="cloth "family tree""][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2173" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="catherine martin "cockatoo""][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2175" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="catherine martin "cockatoo""][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2172" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption=""cybele""][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2171" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="minnie pwerle "camp sites""][/caption]

the inspiration rolls on...

[caption id="attachment_2164" align="aligncenter" width="429" caption="www.designerrugs.com.au"][/caption]

I'm getting excited about diving into a few new collections!  Here's more inspiration for this Tuesday!