The new iphone has been great fun. In under two weeks I have managed to take over 700 photos and research a good 10K apps. I have it narrowed down to a few... under 20....
The more I see that can be creatively expressed through technology, the more inspired I become. I haven't any really great edited photos to share yet.. I have to figure out where to store all of this stuff, electronically and how to access it quickly. Be assured once I do, every post will have a photo............. (or three!)
Right now, I am feeling like I am losing ground on some of my personal projects currently in process. I have some exciting new design projects coming up, a kitchen and a commercial project, as well as the area of access to clientele. All are in the beginning stages. It is very exciting. I just need to create a good structure to maintain balance and keep it all running smoothly.
Expand my creativity on my own projects, be in the practice of what I have learned and developed on projects for others and share the inspiration and excitement along the way; that is my focus today.
Some projects I want to desperately get finished for myself are, the cherry dress. A lovely rayon of black navy, with deep red cherries scattered about. The neckline is a v- with flounced ruffles, the top being the black navy and the under flounce is a deep red, just peeking through. The sleeves are a small, flounced cap that slips out just beneath the red of the underflounce. All that is left is the zipper (an invisible one of course) and stitch up the side seams and finish the bottom dress and lining hem. All in all about an hour and a half of work left on it.. should be easy yes? not so far.... keep getting distracted!
There is another mixed media project to get started. I have scheduled time with a freind.. when I do this, I have more likelihood of staying on top of a project. I am much more accountable to others lately than I have been to myself. Something I will consciously have to work on. (not at the expense of others, but to honor myself) My life works very well when I honor myself and am accountable to me.. and life is pretty good right now.. ooh, the excitement of what lies ahead! Some SURPRISES I am sure! There is a new book at Glad's that I am drooling over. The author is Leslie Riley and the book is Create with Transfer Artist Paper: Use TAP to Transfer Any Image onto Fabric, Paper, Wood, Glass, Metal, Clay & More! of course there is most likely a link to it, too techie for me right now. Anyway, this is what the book I am working on with a friend is going to use. Oh, I forgot to mention, I am creating an art book for a story I wrote back in March. It is inspired by a dear friend of mine. I will document the process of its creation. By the 5th of July, I am to have the story boards done and the main construction materials gathered for a 4 hour workshop with another creative friend of mine.
Then, I must continue working on my textile designs. I have a collection of cupcake fabric started on Spoonflower.com (need to figure out this linking thing...to make it easy for you all to find see what I am talking about. I can be descriptive, however, there is something to being able to see for yourself. Then get together with another creative freind (really, all of my friends are, they are a great network of support and reflection of the fun I have in my life) to sew the entry way cushion with fabric she designed herself. We tweaked the pattern layout and colors.. I am excited to see the actual textile!
Ooh, this post may be getting too long, especially with no pretty pictures to break it up yet, so I will save the cupcake quilt description for another post... where are my glass beads, I wonder... that is what has stopped me on that one.. I kept opening that darn box EVERY time I was looking for something else.. and now do you think I can find it? I have opened at least 15 other boxes... oh, the creative chaos.
Maybe pics next time, the ones I have been taking have been practice, many lovely gardens, too bad I couldn't capture the scents!
Thanks for reading,
Shelly
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Inspired, Motivated and Overwhelmed....not necessarily in that order!
It has been a while since my last post. A lot of exciting things have happened in the past week and it has been busy, non stop.. I was able to post a photo..I knew it would be easy... just discovering the 'how to' was time consuming.
One of the new additions to my creative arsenal is my new iphone. I have finally taken the plunge and did it. It too is SUPER EASY to navigate and does soooooo much! I am looking forward to having her as a new assistant! She is my MM phone. My source of magic and my muse.... one of them anyway...
My next order of learning is to maximize the camera feature and create fabulous digital art; just for fun and to post my creative expression here on this blog and any others that I am inspired to create later on.
I have taken over 200 photos in the first days alone...Minnehaha Falls, Como Park Conservatory and the Mississippi River. Now to learn to create some very cool images with them.
I am inspired by the potential of future creating and how it will impact my understanding of creativity, of myself and my professional expression. Eagerly, I have been awaiting a clearing in my schedule to take action on the inspiration, however, I find myself in a state of overwhelm and have no idea where to begin. So first, I chose to just journal this morning and get my bearings, recapping the past few days and then start making my lists. What I have, what I know, what I don't know, what I want to accomplish and then start putting plans into my calendar of what to do next. Although, too much planning and no action... that doesn't work either. I am learning the balance, when I get overwhelmed and lose focus on what I am doing, I know it is time to work on the next thing that comes to mind. I am trusting my intuition to guide me on the best path of learning, discovery and creation. The challenges of a creative being.......
It seems my mind is wandering again.. time to go on to the next thing.. I will post again... soon... perhaps my mind will wander back here before the day is over?
One of the new additions to my creative arsenal is my new iphone. I have finally taken the plunge and did it. It too is SUPER EASY to navigate and does soooooo much! I am looking forward to having her as a new assistant! She is my MM phone. My source of magic and my muse.... one of them anyway...
My next order of learning is to maximize the camera feature and create fabulous digital art; just for fun and to post my creative expression here on this blog and any others that I am inspired to create later on.
I have taken over 200 photos in the first days alone...Minnehaha Falls, Como Park Conservatory and the Mississippi River. Now to learn to create some very cool images with them.
I am inspired by the potential of future creating and how it will impact my understanding of creativity, of myself and my professional expression. Eagerly, I have been awaiting a clearing in my schedule to take action on the inspiration, however, I find myself in a state of overwhelm and have no idea where to begin. So first, I chose to just journal this morning and get my bearings, recapping the past few days and then start making my lists. What I have, what I know, what I don't know, what I want to accomplish and then start putting plans into my calendar of what to do next. Although, too much planning and no action... that doesn't work either. I am learning the balance, when I get overwhelmed and lose focus on what I am doing, I know it is time to work on the next thing that comes to mind. I am trusting my intuition to guide me on the best path of learning, discovery and creation. The challenges of a creative being.......
It seems my mind is wandering again.. time to go on to the next thing.. I will post again... soon... perhaps my mind will wander back here before the day is over?
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Beyond the Quilt....Quilts in Interior Spaces
As I write this post, I realize there is so much I can share regarding the quilt itself, the design of the quilt, the aethetics of the space the quilt will primarily occupy... not to mention the textile itself. The quilting weight cotton.. I just have this to share... use the best quality materials you can afford for any project you are doing-something ingrained into my creative psyche in the years of design courses as well as what my dad used to tell me as a kid when he did projects around the house. The better quality materials, the finished product will be that much better. In all of the years I have been creating and specifying projects... this IS TRUE! Even on a test garment, use something fairly decent. There have been times my tests have turned out far better than I expected and the quality of materials kept me from fully enjoying the finished item. More about this in another post.. (and I wondered what I would write about...?)
The intention of this first post really is to share about the other design elements in a room and how a quilt.. a labor intensive work of art and love... is showcased.. or supports other elements in a room. In choosing to use a quilt in an interior space, determine it's purpose. My number one rule of design is FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION. The most beautiful thing, if it doesn't function properly can become a detested element in a space. The function of a quilt is personal. Is it a 'working quilt', providing warmth and comfort for it's user's? Or is it a purely decorative item providing visual comfort and nurturing? Maybe it is an heirloom that has 'retired from working service' and preservation or conservation is the primary concern.
In an interior space, the way I approach it anyway, is wall color (and ceiling color) support the furnishings of a room. Wall color is rarely a focal point in and of itself, although many people shy away from stronger color statements on their walls, the walls can be fairly bold if the other hues in the room are fairly bold. The wall color ideally showcases and plays with the items, especially focal point of a room. If there is a great deal of color or variety of colors in a room, the wall color may be a 'middle mixture' of the dominant hues.
For example, when selecting paint color for the large class room at Glad Creations Quilt Block, I chose a series of middle gray. The gray is neither warm nor cool, the end wall is a darker value than the side walls. As the room is the classroom and many different quilts are on display and in a rotating manner, there is no color theme that is dominant to showcase the quilts. Some quilters have specific color palettes they prefer working with, while others have no color preferences and have a great variety of color, value and saturation in the quilts they make. For the classroom at Glad Creations Quilt Block, however, a neutral had to be selected. It could not be too light of a value or the lighter quilts would get lost on them, and it could not be too dark or the room would become closed in and the darker quilts would loose their impact. The grays appear lighter on the walls than they do on their paint chip.
In selecting your wall color, look at the quilt(s) you will be using in the room. Find a common hue, or other color relatedness between the quilts and select a common hue OR its compliment for the wall color. Choose a value that will enhance the quilt. The entire room will be an extension of the quilt.
Here are some of my techy peice of this.. I still need to learn to import photos.. I know, MY favorite blogs have fabulous photos.. I promise to provide some... my little cheapy camera broke the same week I published the first post.. so I have only my photo archives to work from.. for now...oh, and I don't really know how to become a follower either.. I will see what I can find to post on this at a near future date... thank you for the e-mail responses I have recieved and for your support in following the blog.. .
The intention of this first post really is to share about the other design elements in a room and how a quilt.. a labor intensive work of art and love... is showcased.. or supports other elements in a room. In choosing to use a quilt in an interior space, determine it's purpose. My number one rule of design is FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION. The most beautiful thing, if it doesn't function properly can become a detested element in a space. The function of a quilt is personal. Is it a 'working quilt', providing warmth and comfort for it's user's? Or is it a purely decorative item providing visual comfort and nurturing? Maybe it is an heirloom that has 'retired from working service' and preservation or conservation is the primary concern.
In an interior space, the way I approach it anyway, is wall color (and ceiling color) support the furnishings of a room. Wall color is rarely a focal point in and of itself, although many people shy away from stronger color statements on their walls, the walls can be fairly bold if the other hues in the room are fairly bold. The wall color ideally showcases and plays with the items, especially focal point of a room. If there is a great deal of color or variety of colors in a room, the wall color may be a 'middle mixture' of the dominant hues.
For example, when selecting paint color for the large class room at Glad Creations Quilt Block, I chose a series of middle gray. The gray is neither warm nor cool, the end wall is a darker value than the side walls. As the room is the classroom and many different quilts are on display and in a rotating manner, there is no color theme that is dominant to showcase the quilts. Some quilters have specific color palettes they prefer working with, while others have no color preferences and have a great variety of color, value and saturation in the quilts they make. For the classroom at Glad Creations Quilt Block, however, a neutral had to be selected. It could not be too light of a value or the lighter quilts would get lost on them, and it could not be too dark or the room would become closed in and the darker quilts would loose their impact. The grays appear lighter on the walls than they do on their paint chip.
In selecting your wall color, look at the quilt(s) you will be using in the room. Find a common hue, or other color relatedness between the quilts and select a common hue OR its compliment for the wall color. Choose a value that will enhance the quilt. The entire room will be an extension of the quilt.
Here are some of my techy peice of this.. I still need to learn to import photos.. I know, MY favorite blogs have fabulous photos.. I promise to provide some... my little cheapy camera broke the same week I published the first post.. so I have only my photo archives to work from.. for now...oh, and I don't really know how to become a follower either.. I will see what I can find to post on this at a near future date... thank you for the e-mail responses I have recieved and for your support in following the blog.. .
Glad Creations Front of Large Classroom
Glad Creations Front of Large Classroom, a photo by My Shiny Sparkly Things and Inspirations on Flickr.
The gray walls of the large classroom work well with any color combination of quilts displayed. There are two values, a light and a medium. The neutral is neither warm nor cool and works with any color temperature. Gray is desaturated and void of any chroma, so as not to compete with the palettes.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
A Brief Overview of the Journey to NOW!
Here is a little about who I am, what I have already done and how I would like to expand my personal creative journey with others to benefit from my experience and expertise. My name is Shelly. I am a passionate creative with a focus on color and repeating patterns. I especially love textiles. Currently, I am a part time associate at Glad Creations Quilt Block.
As a practicing Interior Designer for the past 20 years, I have also had the privilege to work in some of the most Premier Trade only drapery workrooms in my local community. It has been great fun and a most rewarding experience. Working with some of the Top Interior Designers in Minneapolis/St Paul, I have learned so much in the areas of design, drafting and most importantly professional communication from many of these individuals; together we have successfully designed and dressed window treatments and bedding for some of the most challenging and beautiful homes in the area.
I have a formal degree in Applied Design and Visual Communication from the University of Minnesota, which has allowed me to expand on a lifelong passion of color and fabric applications. I love expanding and exploring the relationships of colors both three-dimensionally and two-dimensionally.
As a practicing Interior Designer for the past 20 years, I have also had the privilege to work in some of the most Premier Trade only drapery workrooms in my local community. It has been great fun and a most rewarding experience. Working with some of the Top Interior Designers in Minneapolis/St Paul, I have learned so much in the areas of design, drafting and most importantly professional communication from many of these individuals; together we have successfully designed and dressed window treatments and bedding for some of the most challenging and beautiful homes in the area.
I have a formal degree in Applied Design and Visual Communication from the University of Minnesota, which has allowed me to expand on a lifelong passion of color and fabric applications. I love expanding and exploring the relationships of colors both three-dimensionally and two-dimensionally.
I have been sewing for over 30 years and have been fortunate enough to have worked in textiles since my first job in high school. Design and construction have always been fascinating to me. I now realize that for me, an understanding of the elements and principles of design are my magic formula to create a life that I love!!
My areas of expertise are color and Home Furnishing Design and specification. I have been teaching classes on window treatment construction for the past 20 years for local retailers, community education, as well as done color seminar for the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show and written an article on color that was published in a local magazine.
In addition to Interior Design and Glad Creations, I am currently working on designing a suite of Home Furnishing Design Patterns, using construction methods suitable for using quilting weight cotton and achieving professional results. There will be posts on this further into the life of this blog… (oh, this will be soooo fun!) I also teach private sewing lessons for individuals, designing, specifying and constructing home furnishings that are an expression of who they are and suitable for the windows and structures in their personal spaces. I will be sharing some of the design process and before/afters pics with some of these projects.
My areas of expertise are color and Home Furnishing Design and specification. I have been teaching classes on window treatment construction for the past 20 years for local retailers, community education, as well as done color seminar for the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show and written an article on color that was published in a local magazine.
In addition to Interior Design and Glad Creations, I am currently working on designing a suite of Home Furnishing Design Patterns, using construction methods suitable for using quilting weight cotton and achieving professional results. There will be posts on this further into the life of this blog… (oh, this will be soooo fun!) I also teach private sewing lessons for individuals, designing, specifying and constructing home furnishings that are an expression of who they are and suitable for the windows and structures in their personal spaces. I will be sharing some of the design process and before/afters pics with some of these projects.
Well, enough about me, you will pick up more about my experiences and who I am, as I share myself through this blogging process. For me, this is a new presence in the world. My approach to designing for clients is to acknowledge where they have been, assess where they are and assist them in discovering and creating where they are going. This blog is my access to do for myself-give to myself- what I inherently provide for others. Until next time….
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