Don't Just Put Flowers in the Vase!

"Oh, nice flowers, but why is there an artichoke in the vase? Oh, wait there's two... no, three!" Gasped my dear husband looking at our luncheon table this morning.
"Yes, darling you are so observant, there are 3 artichokes in the flower arrangement." I respond, while I rush around preparing the appetizers, Henry underfoot, my oldest son rolling his eyes, like 'why ask dad,' and the twins speaking in loud squeaky voices in excitement and sugar overload on chocolate and sugary marshmellow! Tugging on my apron all at the same time! I think it's normal for artichokes in the flowers to be frank. Once I had a whole bushell of carrots upside down with their greenery flowing over the top of the vase. How 'appropo' for Easter ... ah, bunnies and all. I so believe in expanding ones world, and,

"...don't just put flowers in the flower vase."

is a metaphor to live with, don't you? I mean what else can we do? How about placing garden furniture inside and crystal chandeliers outside hanging from the large old oak tree. What about live, yes, swimming fish as a dinner center piece and napkins torn from scraps of linen... Oh yes... So I went on a hunt for some simple oversized placemats so I didn't cover my lovely wood table with a tablecloth... and of course I didn't find the placemats so this morning I opened my fabric stock closets and found lovely linens in a few appropriate colors and 'whalah' instant napkins. I didn't bother stitching the edges, and of course I went further and ripped large pieces of linen; sandwiched cotton batting inbetween the layers and oh-me-gawsh, I have my placemats. Not finished of course, and just lovely. I folded and ironed them and tied chocolate (what else) color satin ribbon bows....
I somehow favor raw sticks, ivy, green moss, birds and all things with a natural twist. In that flower arrangement, along with those artichokes, are bunches of willow sticks... all curvy and wrapped into the flowers. Oh and of course I came across natural sticks of cinnamon, I think on my hunt for the peppercorns... and naturally stuck them into the flowers too!
A lovely concoction I dare say... Well, it all worked, what with those frayed linen edges, bits of sticks and raw cinnamon, oh and the artichokes!

MJ Booties

When my twins were babies they were tiny. I mean Amelia was 2 lbs 12 oz and Jonty was a big boy at 4 lbs... They were preemies and there were very few oneseys or booties to fit. I did find some soft cuddlies at The Gap, but other than that I made their little hats and booties and blankees... Oh and we had to have many burp cloths around with little man Jonty. A little reflux action had us walking around everywhere with one attached to our shoulders!!! They're now 5 and tall (they are both going to be tall people and tower over little me)... and when ever I see little booties I go crazy. Now I create lovely patterns for babies everywhere, not just for mine! I even have a series of Bootie stationery... very popular booties for birth announcements and notecards... The pink booties are called Baby Oxfords and the green and pink are called PinkBooties... see them both on www.cidpear.com.

The fabric booties shown up top, are called MJ Booties (Ahhh that would be Mary-Jane Booties)... The pattern is easy and my objective was to make them without looking home-made... they are soft and even have a foundation in the sole for shape. The fabric here is from new Annabella in Rachael colorways, the black and white fabric is called VENICE. I love it with the Bliss in its pinks and dark chocolates (used as the lining), and the sole (which you unfortunately can't see, is an acqua blue colorway for a new fabric called Mila. This pattern is going to be available for sale shortly. Debuting in Portland Oregon in May. Wait 'til you see the matching, adorable brimmed sun hat for babies. This aint your average hat people....
Sorry the pattern is not a freeby... But have a peek and let me know if you're interested.
All my best, this sunny day in North Carolina... a mere 74 degrees F or about 20 C. Yeahhhh... I love it here in the Spring!

Sleepy Afternoon Quilt Pattern

Especially for Chloe!
I am chomping at the bit for my sample yardage from the mill... Chloe's Imagination is on its way in final form and I just can't wait. So, today I literally ran into my favorite local quilt shop, (between my 5 year olds gymnastics, checking in at the Cid Pear studios, and of course saturdays are meant for shoe shopping) Quilts Like Crazy (Wake Forest NC) where I thoroughly enjoy chatting with shop owner, Nancy and her lovely daughters; and of course, again, I was wowed by the amazing quilts hanging around the shop.
The dilemma for me as a fabric artist is basically, how to show off the fabrics in quilt form without cutting too deeply into the fabrics. The truth is, I want to show off the art and design, but also their glorious pattern and color combinations in delicious patchwork. It's sort of ironic, no?

Anyhoo, with all of that in mind, and CHLOE'S IMAGINATION due in shortly, I have been working on a series of quilt designs for the show, and thought I'd share with you. I created this design especially for Chloe's Imagination, and I chose the Marigold Palace colorway. I love it so much, I can't wait to try it in the lavender and browns too; and oh, the Pink Veranda colors are vibrant in girly pink, chartreuse gold and luscious swimming pool blue... just you wait! So, here's an image of the quilt I called "Sleepy Afternoon". It reminds me of a hammock and a shady spot, with the bees and the birds fluttering about. It's a simple quilt using a very easy 3 part block, and a plain square. And a lovely accent for the border and that tiny square... So here it is, tell me what you think... feel free to down load the pattern HERE.

Cloth Paper Scissors

Oh what fun it is to be published... So right on the front cover is a little sneak peek at my 'Sherbert Girl Necklaces'.... Whew wee... I open the mag, and there on page 66 (clickity-click) is my stiff self... I hate photos of me you see. And then a series of perfect pictures taken at the International Quilt Show in October last year. This is my booth where I stand all day long and simply visit with stores, publishers, designers... It's a nice time to rest actually after months of pre-show prep work. I am very hands on and so have calused fingers... I LOVE IT! The pictures in the article show the kids clothing (by the way sewing patterns are in the works for all of this)... Back to the article, I turn the page and one of those sweet hangars I created for the kids clothing is beautifully photographed along with one of my hand-made tassels. Oh, I must make a pattern for these tassels... And then the article goes on with pics and my instructions for the Sherbert Girl Necklaces! So go pick one up or go online to Cloth Paper Scissors to subscribe. You're going to love this pub! Collage, art, scrapbooking, jewelry, 3-dimensional art and much more. It's like art and handmade on steroids...


Ok, so also look at the inside back cover. That lovely lady is called "Luv"... isn't she cute? This is actually, a Free-Motion Applique sewing project Cloth Paper Scissors' sister magazine and TV Show is using for an online Quilting Arts Festival. Whew that was a mouthful. You'll see my smiling mug sitting at a desk illustrating how to create "Luv" out of fabric. It's a very innovative online video-class you can take in the comfort of your home. A brain-child of Quilting Arts Editor, the fabulous Pokey Bolton. Anyway, I was invited to participate in the event, and now Luv is going to be available to everyone. Note: Luv is one lady in a series for my stationery collection called EFFERVESCENT. Here's Luv on paper ~ she's available at www.cidpear.com online. I also do a lady with a cup of tea and two laughable girlfriends holding their cocktails... A very fun sewing project. So check out Quilting Arts festival, I hope to see you there!

Chloe's Imagination

These are just a few of the new fabrics debuting this Spring in Portland Oregon. They are superb... I am so excited about this collection. This colorway is called Fairyland Coco, and its lovely in soft lavenders, and light dreamy greens, and warm beigey-ivory, but anchored in dark chocolate. There's a lovely modern toile in this collection I created from two perfectly relaxed but majestic peacocks, sitting in leafy branches, eclectic flowers you'd find in 1850s wall paper, and a birdhouse you'd want in your garden. The toile is called Cade's Treehouse.

The entire collection came from childhood memories in Africa, playing in our large back yard. It was picturesque with enormous trees and birds including a little HooPoo which whistled all afternoon long. We'd dance and play, and climb these trees until dark. An archard traveled the East end of the garden beyond a thick, leafy and high hedge of orange hibiscus flowers. This was truly a garden like none other - a mix of traditional English flower beds, but rough and wild flowers tangled themselves in patches. Trees were surrounded by flower beds, and the only seemingly planned plants were the fruit trees. And these were ringed with a circle of rocks to prevent the grass from growing up to the tree trunks. We had one enormous avocado tree and I remember my father running from it, tearing his shirt off his back and waving it around furiously. After a while we realized he'd obviously disturbed the hive in the tree; he was saved from the black puffy cloud of bees by diving headfirst into the pond. Kenneth the gardener was not amused! This second image is from the colorway I called AZUR TEA.
Anyway, I conjured up some of these fabulous memories from this garden and put some of them into the collection. You'll find perfect little ladybugs, those infamous bees, birdhouses, and trellises, veranda shade and that leafy hedge. It's also I think an eclectic mess of English organization and pattern, but also a sense of a wild flower garden with nature filling in to finish it's character!
This is called Pink Veranda and you can see it's toile "Cade's Treehouse" is in pinks and an soft acid green background color; I pulled in brilliant blues and of course that dark chocolate brown. The depth of the blue and the brown with the airiness of the pink and greens creates that drama I so crave in my fabrics...

One more, but not the last, here I called Marigold Palace - it's sherbet orange, chocolate, golds and a touch of pink. Eclectic to be sure and one of my favorites in the collection. I can't wait to get my yardage so I can get crackin'.... The large blue flower in the center there is called Fortiny after my fabulous great aunt... Fortiny is an amazingly strong woman with a voice to kill for - she was on the BBC radio for years. She was always one of those woman you didn't mess with... you know the kind. And a fabulously elegant worldly woman... who at 80 is now living a quiet life on the most southern tip of the African continent where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Pacific... in a small village called Fish Hoek!

I say not the last colorway because there is one more, and it was so fabulous right off the bat it was approved. It's called Oberon's Red and let me tell you it's gorgeous... We didn't have time to photograph it, so we'll leave that as a surprise. I hope to see you in Portland and if not, please email me or Sarah Amerhein at Westminster Fibers/Free Spirit to reserve your bolts. Oh my are you going to love this one! And for those of you looking to buy retail, check out the store listing or email me and we'll get you hooked up.

Always a pleasure and I am pleased I got this little post in.... The kids are off school today and we had a glorious morning of errands, the pet shop, visiting the studio, going to the postoffice (it was closed, today is a holiday), ice-cream and now they're playing with the neighborhood kids! Thank goodness!
All my best, Tina

ROSE CUMMING

I recently had the most amazing chat with Mark Lipinksi of QUILTERS HOME MAG. He is a scream... truly. We laughed out loud the entire time. Anyway, he asked me who I'd love to meet (alive or not), and I replied oh oh ROSE CUMMING. I stumbled upon her in a rare article... Isn't she lovely? I adore her crazy hair (much like mine if I grew it out...) And apparently it was scarlet.  Anyway, this is what I learned:

Rose Cumming was a dramatic decorator and designer. She designed fabrics and wallcoverings too. We're talking in the 1920s and 30s... a time I would have loved to live in...

Apparently, just prior to WWI, Rose and her sister traveled to New York from their sheep farm in Australia, on their way to England. Women were not allowed to travel across certain seas, so they were stranded in New York city. Oh dear! After a while, Rose decided she's better get a job because they had no source of income, and so she asked a friend (who happened to be the editor of Vanity Fair at the time), what should she do. He suggested she become a decorator, and Rose said...

"Perhaps I would, but first tell me what it is."

Oh my goodness, my kind of person right there! "Oh ok, what is it?' So she began her career... opening a shop and studio on Park Avenue. A complete iconoclast in 

every way. Starting with leaving the lights on in her shop window, at night! What? Apparently no one did back then (we're talking 1920s/30s). Rose's design technique ~ creating unexpected and seemingly random arrangements, and color combinations. Mixing furniture, trinkets and accessories from all around the globe and error, together! She also broke rules by using unexpected materials like Mylar, silver lame and plastic ~ cellophane curtains! I love this chick!

Rose's favorite color combinations included violet, teals and limey green; brilliant orange and raspberry reds; and purples and pinks together. Yeowsa... not afraid of color was she?

Cumming fabrics are bold in design and color. She created new and re-colored English floral chintzes. In those color combos it's a wonder her style was described as 'dramatic' and 'fairylike'. Her fabric biz is still around and currently owned by Dessin Fournir. Apparently when she dies in the late 60s, her sister took over the business until she sold it. How amazing.... 

My only question for this amazing woman is why is there not more material written on her. Come on someone out there, please write this woman's story! I wanna read all about her.

Paper Butterflies

Well, last year at one of the trade shows we do, we created hundreds of butterflies. They floated around large paper lanterns we had. They looked superb... Anyway, today I decided we should show off these lovely fluttery things... so a little picture to whet your appetite. I can't wait to make these out of fabric too. How wonderful... We also are working on a pattern for butterfly wings for kids... We can make it out of paper but I am making a fabric version for my daughter! She's such a little fairy she needs a new set of wings each week... So enjoy.


DOWNLOAD BUTTERFLY PATTERN HERE

Annabella

I just received my samples hot off the 'press'? They are the new collection ANNABELLA in colorway I called 'rachael'. It's a pretty collection, here's the whole thing! Nine different patterns.
Clockwise from top right: Beatrice, Venice, Klara, Rochelle (bottom center), Bliss, Mila, Nikki, Suzanna, and center is Annabella. The colors include soft pinks and rose, darkest chocolate (almost black), white-ivory, a little sage green, and clear blue.

Of course I immediately tore into the box, pulled out the yardage and began cutting. Laying the first quilt on the floor I am working with just 4 of these beauties in a large patchwork pattern. Designing, naturally, as I go on. I am using Bliss (bottom left corner) as patchwork squares over the foundation patchwork quilt. I dreamed of free-motion quilting in large gerber-daisy patterns here and there... but we'll see how it goes. Stay tuned for the final result!

See more colorways coming this spring!

HANGAR PATTERN free

Download pdf pattern HERE.

Hangars

I design clothing, and I especially have fun designing and making clothing for kids. I have a 5 year old twins, and as babies through their toddler years, they were always dressed in the little duds I created for them. (Side note: Now that they're 5 nothing I make will do.... it's what the other kids are wearing and that's that...Oh my... ) So, I relished in designing and creating a collection for the fabric trade show last market, without boundaries. Using my own fabric collections...
I used a mix of the Zazu and Georgina fabric lines, and a touch of Bamboo from the Tropics collection. Well, when it came to hanging the little outfits, I had planned to use these wonderful wooden hangars I'd saved. But when I hung the clothes, the hangars seemed drab... so I created my very own hangars and they worked beautifully. They were easy and so very cute...