Show Prep

I am knee deep in creating pieces for the upcoming International Quilt Market in Minnesota. You know all the pieces we created for the Paris show? Well, those were out of the last collection, Olivia's Holiday, so here we go again creating all new samples, quilts and fun stuff around the new fabric collection, Opal Owl! But get this, I didn't get the fabrics until Friday of last week... the show is May 21st.... the booth gets filled with finished pieces out of the new collection. Imagine 60 different fabrics within the collection ( 6 cottons in 5 different colorways, flannels and a project panel - more on the panel later)... and we want to show it off.
So, then I start creating - well it's no surprise I love to sew for children... so I have a whole selection of goodies for kids.... then I have bags, adult pieces and of course quilts.... So because the fabrics were delayed in production, many of my seamstresses pulled out, or went on scheduled trips or something or other... so we have a skeleton crew including myself. I am very hands on in the development of the shows. Again, we start with the whole list of items... but of course, when I get my hands on the fabrics... well a whole new world opens up... it's amazing to me that as I design, paint, create the collection, select each and every color.... review each approval stage of the development of the fabric you'd think I'd be close enough to it that I can say, yip... this is what we are making for the show. Well, only half true! I get it, and my whole world explodes....
The list gets ticked off but I start throwing new items into the mix.... have a good giggle, change all the paint colors for the booth... change the logo color, request new shelving... a new pattern spinner for the sewing patterns.... and revise all the decor from earthy bird cages and tree branches. Instead, for Opal Owl... it seems that the story for the show is now this sparkling but magical rock and roll glam for kids..... here's a few items... my new toddler jacket is now the Rock n' rolla jacket, fedoras for small people, cool bags for kids, magical wands, rhinestone chic, a superb silver owl money-bank, berets and goodies galore to inspire the retail buyers.... in fabulous rich color of Opal Owl! The tricky part is to be loud without losing the sophistication.... a fine line let me tell you.
Let's see if I pull it off... I promise pictures and more pictures... you tell me!

See Opal Owl on the site here!

SEW TINA ~ a peek at a few images from the book

Yesterday I received the color proofs of my book, SEW TINA! to review. I saw pdfs to correct a few weeks ago but getting the pages in glossy paper stock with all those beautiful images just made it that much more yummy!

The photography throughout is extraordinary... The photographer Lynne Harty has posted a new blog which you should see. She's an amazingly talented lady and someone I like very much.... she and her lovely assistant Melissa were gems... read a little in her blog and see more pictures from the book on her blog here.

The pic here on the left is an image that sadly did not make the book... I had way too many projects of course so we had to cut them. However, we will have them available for you online..... this here is the Tea Time Tent. A lovely little idea for quiet time for your little reader. As you know I am a big tea and crumpet person, so of course she's having a 'cuppa'.

Visit Lynne on her blog, she's a talented lady!

Photo courtesy of Lynne Harty Photography © All rights are reserved

Canceled...

Well, today we started our day with the belief that we may indeed be on the flight for Paris this evening... At 11:30am this morning our flight status changed from 'On Time' to 'Canceled'... Although this was sort of the inevitable, it was the start of a surreal snowball effect.... Our plane apparently never left Paris this morning for Atlanta... so of course there was no chance whatsoever we could even think to wish otherwise! Wow! The airline then said, well we can get you on a plane next Tuesday... My show ends later this week and next Tuesday I'm supposed to be teaching my 3rd and 4th workshop! So no that would not work....
Wardrobe packed, all the 'sample duffel bags' packed and sitting ready to get loaded for the airport. Last minute plans and direction for staff, and, well, 'Oh, canceled...'.
Sort of in disbelief we sat for a bit, thinking about all the people stranded and sleeping on their arms, suitcases and on the floor in airports, and miles away from their homes. All the folks in hotels wondering if their next flight would be canceled. And, oh, what about all the cargo. Leading me to my next problem. We have all the kits ready for 50 people signed up for my classes / workshops and we can't even ship the kits to them. It would be too late! Due to the backlog the couriers can't guarantee anything and even tell us straight it would take a minimum of 5 to 7 days....
So, we get in contact with the 'Pour l'amour du fil' organizers and express our disappointment and they can't believe it! We have a dedicated space waiting for my samples and set up on Wednesday, and here I sit in frustration that I can't be there to meet my obligation to them and their attendees. I don't think they believe it still, they posted the classes on their blog today (this made me cry). Just a weird state of affairs don't you think?
I must say, I am glad the decision was made for us, heading off into the air with the looming ash cloud business, leaving 3 children behind is not the best idea in the world. And tonight we hear on the news, another blast of ash has been spewed, with the possibility of a second shut-down even before the first has started up again! What a mess for many many people.
My postcards will be delivered to the hotel in Nantes, maybe... tomorrow, and we will try to divert them here to North Carolina but I suspect with the enormity of this crazy situation, I may never see my postcards in reality!

Kisses to all and my best wishes to all of you stuck somewhere trying to get home. Safe travels for all of you!

In Limbo....

Well, as you may be aware, there is this enormous black ash cloud made up of tiny crusty little black spheres of hard ash! Apparently this can cause an engine of a plane to shut down completely... thus you crash! Well, as a result all the European airports are shut down, including Paris and all surrounding airports except for Corsica for some reason! We've been looking for flights from Spain, Portugal, Italy... nothing is available. And I watch the news and I am sick at all the poor people stuck in hotels and airports all over the world! It's awful so I am pleased I am still home sleeping in my own bed...
I even received a call from someone I know going to the show this week in Nantes and she lives in Germany - but get this, she's stuck in Charlotte NC. Was scheduled to leave Friday and is now scheduled for Tuesday and that's a maybe! We are scheduled to leave TODAY!
However, we have been waiting for our flight from Atlanta to Paris to cancel... but all weekend it says it's' on time'! When something like this happens it's called 'limbo', yes? Oh my... so do we pack or don't we pack! This morning we finally got through to the airline and get this.... it's not canceled, still going, but the big wigs in Europe are meeting right now to make some decisions...
So the question is... do we pack, get to Atlanta and then they cancel the flight to Paris? Do we risk the long flight through the volcanic ash... Oh how to be brave and ferocious!

You know I will update you!

The Postcard for the show

For every show I do we produce a lovely postcard type piece of literature for visitors to the booth or to pass along... It's a small piece of the whole presentation, but it's a vital one. Here's my marketing hat back on... That's my daughter right there. She's my model, my muse and my inspiration for many of the clothing I design for little girls. You have seen this face and will continue to see it for some time to come. She's growing up too fast... I adore creating apparel and fun things for children, it's way too much fun! And for how much longer is she going to tolerate me dressing her up. She's an athlete like her two brothers, and usually will not wear anything I make... boo hoo!
Anyway, here she is, and for most shows I do she's there looking right back at me every step of the way.

The front of the postcard features prints and art from 'Olivia's Holiday' fabric collection, and on the backside, we focused on the new collection about to debut in May, Opal Owl; the book slated for October and the sewing patterns which are now available all over the world... including Paris and Nantes where I will be showing and teaching the workshops.
By the way, I frame each postcard we do with my Amelia posted on the front side.

Pour l'Amour du fil {For the love of thread}

I have been invited to exhibit at a wonderful French show in Nantes by Quiltmania. A publisher of an amazingly popular quilt magazine printed in 3 different languages. They also produce quilt and sewing books in Europe. So, they visited us in Houston at one of the Quilt Shows here, and loved my booth so invited me there. Well, we leave this Monday evening, hopefully if the Ash cloud from the burping volcano in Iceland lets up... The scary thing is that we decided not to ship any last minute stuff for the show because it may not make it in time! Yikes. So here we go, many bags, travel via air then train to Nantes... Hopefully customs will behave themselves.

A bit about the show, there is a website, see www.pourlamourdufil.com for more info. However, it is a boutique show open to everyone, not just the trade which will be a first for me and the fabrics... Usually we exhibit to the trade where stores and buyers from everywhere come to see what the fabrics look like and we provide a lovely aesthetic to look at.... I do this for each collection. It's an enormous task, where all sewing patterns are recreated in the new fabric collections, I can't help but design items around the new fabrics and naturally I always take way too much. I have to literally stand up and say, ok I think we have enough!!!

I am going to blog a little on what I have prepared for the show, and workshops... oh, yes did I mention I am scheduled for 3 different workshops... the trip in general. Of course it's Paris, and it's spring, so I must take the husband don't you think? Poor thing, but he loves every minute of it all. Guess who sets up the booth... he's known as Mister Lighting! Obsessive about how everything is lit! It's a good thing! So here's the itinerary:
Monday 19th April We hopefully leave for Paris
Tuesday 20th ... We arrive in the am, then take the 3 hour train to Nantes....
Wednesday 21st... Set up for the booth, show and fluff and stuff
Thursday 22nd ... show starts
Friday 23rd ... Workshop 1: Kimono Suit for Baby {Tailleur de Kimino pour les enfants}
Saturday 24th ... Workshop 2: Goddess dress and Zig Zag dress for little girls
Sunday 25th ... close of the show, return to Paris
Monday 26th ... Paris
Tuesday 27th ... Workshop in suburb of Paris called Marcoussis, Everything Bag and Reversile hat... I'll post all about the workshops too. The hat and bag is a new sewing pattern and is gloriously easy but has a little 'stunning' injected into the finished product.... wait till you see!
Wednesday 28th ... Home

So, it's a busy schedule but it's great. A lovely show, visiting with people I adore, a little inspiration, a tiny bit of teaching, a little practice with the french language, a little scenery, a little French food, a lot of wine, and a little romance... what more could I ask for.

So stay tuned... loads more to follow!

Robes...

I am a comfort girl.... I work hard through the day, and when I am home I like to stroll around in my Kimono, or robe, or glorious kaftan... I just dont have enough! When I travel I always find a wonderful addition to the collection.. and so it grows. Always robed from head to toe I adore being swathed in fabric. Have always done so. So it's natural that I would come up with a new sewing pattern for this purpose... Don't know what it's called yet... but I'll come up with a nifty name I am sure!
I created the above robe in 2008 I believe in the Zazu collection in raspberry... isn't it scrumptious... and for flavor I made the soft kaftan nightgown in chocolate brown underneath... It's a beaut with raw edges... out of batiste.. which is not actually easy to sew with....

This week was a busy one... I reviewed the color 'lasers' for the book. It's well under way now after 2 years and much work. 30 projects loaded with personality for kids. It's already listed on Amazon. I think once the ISBN publishing UPC # is assigned, Amazon jumps on the bandwagon and there it is! So apparently pre-ordering is an option! The name is SEW TINA! I had an emotional moment when I got to see it in full color loaded with type, pics and the projects!Not only that, the art director, Pamela Norman, did an amazing job! I was thrilled. Worried for a while because I am picky about how the art and pics are laid out! I mean with the stationery business, Cid Pear, I oversee every inch of paper that is laid out. Very hands on! But whew, I was proud of me because I handed over all the art, we had chats about it of course, and then I had to let go! Mumma mia.... she did good! Yeah Ms Pam!

Our flights for Paris have been booked and we are all set to fly April 19th. That's coming up, you say! Yip! Not vacation but of course we will relax, eat much food and take in the sights of the fab city, naturally! A little shopping for Ms Tina of course! But what I am psyched about... is I am teaching workshops in the city at a few local fabric shops! This is the city where I get to do the crazy creative stuff! We also are exhibiting at the fabric show in Nantes for a few days. Full booth (display) with Olivia and some of Treetop, and a little......

I have a little one getting into my bed right now with a stomach ache... so I must sign off soon.

... where was I? Oh and a little of Fairy Tip-Toes. So all the seamstresses and myself are busy bustling to get quilts, the kids collection, adult 'robes', and all the workshop stuff done... eeeek.

Well, more to follow.... must attend to little boy here.

Kisses to you all...

TG

Olivia's Holiday

Olivia's Holiday is now available online here.... at www.fatquartershop.com

Fat Quarter does a fabulous job of showing the fabrics... I thought I'd share some of my favorites too.....

Kids Clothing

Zoe Dress is full and wide with a gathered neck line and elastic in the under arms for playtime fun!
Gathered in on the sides for extra poofy-ness... Zoe can be worn as is or with leggings and a T!

Bria in a reversible coat showing off my new fabrics from Olivia's Holiday! Isn't she cute?

So working on a new collection of kids apparel for both the Gift and Apparel markets. A few of the items shown here. I am designing them to fit toddler aged kids for gift stores. Bria here is just 14 months old and a sweet little darling...
The collection includes hats, sweet scarves, pocket bags for tots, coats, pinafores, dresses and more...
necklaces you'll want for you too!
More to come on this project! STAY TUNED...

Goldbug Studio

Today, Amelia and I had the pleasure of visiting a local artist, Ashley Carter! Ashley's business, Goldbug Studio Collection is housed in a wonderful old building which used to mend old firetrucks. You drive up and the white washed brick building is highlighted with a perfect acqua blue garage door (which leads into her warehouse). Around the corner we went to discover a perfect courtyard leading into a double glass garage door entrance to her showroom. For those of you who don't know what Ashley does, well she creates these one of a kind embellished, mixed-media pieces that are absolutely fantasy like in their vintage millinery florals, papers, tinsel and art... You can't believe the amount of work that goes into these creations! Detailed crowns for birthdays, bridal, Christmas or just because. Incredible ornaments I couldn't resist... and fairy tale boxes that boggle ones mind! She's a genius and her lovely art is available worldwide. This is truly a woman who has maintained her own personal creative integrity within a commercial and demanding main stream world. Just look at the crown above. This is actually a holiday tree topper... available at Anthropologie....
So thank you Ashley for a delightful afternoon. My Amelia was granted a beautiful Goldbug wand with which she cast good wishes all the way home.