Making stuff

Well Christmas is around the corner and I am having withdrawal from my little studio in the basement. I am making blankets for the cradle and doll bed I bought from the One of a Kind show for Summer and Penny. I would like to also make Reed a superhero cape but realistically that is not going to happen. I have one monkey left and it is going to be Penny's! I can't sell her.

I just read someone else's blog and realized that mine is boring. I think my New Year's resolution is to become more focused on my blog and my etsy.

I am buying lights so that I can take some wicked photos of my work. I give up on trying to rig something up every time!

Love,
Heidi

One of a Kind show

The One of a Kind show came and went already! I had to sew every night to keep my booth full. The owls, monkeys, pillows, and stockings were a hit!
I only sold a few ottomans but I guess not that many people wanted to carry a piece of furniture on the TTC. LOL The owl ottomans were the most popular.
I resigned for next year, but decided against the Spring Show. It would be wayyyy too insane for me to attempt to make enough to stock my booth in time.
Ironically I received the Sheridan catalogue for the night courses in the mail today. I think I am going to sign up to print there again. That worked out really well for me.
I have a million ideas..maybe 2 million. Better get started!

Oh, and I met tonnes of amazing artists and fantastic people. It was a great week, although I missed the munchkins like crazy.

Where or where can colour junkie be??

Um, in the basement sewing until I have cramps in my arms!

I just finished my first show on the weekend! I was an exhibitor in the Hamilton Baby Expo. I am so glad that I participated in that show. It gave me a chance to test out my booth for the One of a Kind and see which of my products people were drawn to. I met some fantastic people and will hopefully be putting my work in a couple of stores!

People were definitely interested in my pillows, owls, and monkeys....I am busy busy busy making more to replace what I sold out! My pillow form supplier is going to be happy to see me next week:)

This weekend between Halloween and a birthday party, I will be finishing some of my ottomans. This set is made using beautiful, colourful wool!

Also I have finished designing the templates for my Christmas stockings.

So here are a couple of pics of some of my new work........

What goes around comes around...

The picture above is from craftsanity.com...I love the colours of course.


I went out for lunch/a beer with some old coworkers of mine last weekend. I am terrible at keeping in touch sometimes. They hadn't met Penny yet and she is nine months old today!
I drove Anna home and she offered me the old light table from our work. When we were moving I had given it to her. She doesn't use it and I could convert it to an exposure table! I am going to put it in my basement studio:)
Poor Tommy has to move all of his paints/easel/paintings upstairs again. He had just finished setting up a corner of the basement for them. But I am a space sponge and I am slowly taking over every sqaure inch of the basement for my studio!

I'm in!

I found out that I got in to the One of a Kind show for Christmas. It is about a week less than 6 months away.
I started a to do list and it is very very long.
Tomorrow is night 5 of printing at Sheridan. I have been getting quite a bit done but I will need more fabrics than I am going to be able to print in the next 6 weeks.
I think I may sign up to use the studio again in the fall if it is available.
A friend and previous coworker offered me a light table that I could potentially convert into an exposure table to burn silk screens. I just have to figure out if I can find a way to fit it into my basement studio.
T may have to move his paintings and easel up to the spare bedroom and allow me to claim every square inch of the basement as my work space. I LOVE having a designated place to work. Lucky me.

Here is a sneaky peeky at some of my test swatches:)

Week 3

Tonight is week 3 of printing in the studio at Sheridan! Eek. Time is flying by.

My goals tonight:
1. Print trellis
2. Print alphabet
3. Print concrete block inspired design
4. Print tree!!!

I think that is pretty good, but if time permits...also expose a polka dot overall and the invert of the concrete block design.

Also tomorrow I would like to send T her mock ups of the bedcover for her daughter...

LOVING how much design work I have been doing. LOVING it.

Now for eye candy...



courtesy of joomoolynn on flickr

The Cool Hunter

OMG...just got a link to this from my daily CRAFT email...the cool hunter blog.
The power of colour:






Say it loud, say it proud "I love colour!"

There are more pictures on the blog entry of architecture that uses bright fabulous daring colour but I love these two pictures the best:)

What should I make?

Well I applied for the One of a Kind show using pictures of my pillows, ottomans, toys, blankets, and an applique/embroidery little picture to hang on your wall. I have an issue...I have too many ideas and can't seem to settle on what should be my main focus. I have access to the printing studio now so I don't want to waste any time...I exposed 5 screens with little patterns to print for my toys. I think I should focus on what I am going to put on my big screens next.
So...multi-color prints? single color prints? overall repeats or compositions?
I do lean towards repeats...
Stay tuned:)

Sheridan

Well, last night was like a huge clash of past and present! The studio has a tonne of screens from my old place of employment, plus some of our scrap strike offs for rags. It was very strange to see my work and my school mixed together. The college is a little fancier than when I was there but still pretty much the same.
It has been 10 years since I graduated...Two big changes I noticed:
1. signs that say no smoking outside and a list of fines associated with that
2. signs that say no cell phones in the life drawing classes.
Both good changes!
I managed to coat and expose nine screens and I worked on some artwork for other designs. Next week I am going to go early so I can strip my bigger screens and then print print print! It was so exciting and inspiring to be there.
I still haven't heard from the One of a Kind show...what the heck is the hold up???
Today I plan to go and drop off my application for the Baby Expo in Hamilton.

Back in the Studio-yo

Tonight is the first night that I get to use the Textile Print Studio at Sheridan! I haven't printed there since probably 2001? I am really excited, nervous, excited, nervous, excited and a little nervous...
I signed up to use the studio while the night course is running...it will be three hours once a week for 12 weeks. A fantastic opportunity for me to get some printing done away from the house. I hope I am super productive:)
I still haven't heard from the One of a Kind show, but I have stopped checking my email like a crazy person.

I leave for the studio in approximately 6 hours! Ahhhhhhh!!!

etsyfied

I was talking to my friend Amy this morning and she just discovered Etsy last night. She is super hooked now! I can just picture her awake into the wee hours of the morning thinking of what she could make and sell on there.

I find out at the end of this month if I got into the One of a Kind Christmas show in Toronto. If I do I will be into major production mode. Up until now I have been designing and making one of each idea.

I also find out soon if the night course that I signed up for is actually running...and if it is...Tuesdays are going to be my printing night!

This week I have been working on monkeys. I will post a picture later today so you can see the little cuties.

la deuxième poste

Today I am just going to show you some pictures that have great colour. I think I will do this every Monday, in keeping with the theme of my blog. We went to the beachfront yesterday and this is what the sky looked like...beautiful blue spring sky.



And this is Penny playing in the fresh green grass...finally the grass is green again. I think my new favourite colour is grass green...even though I love all greens, I think I may be partial to this one right now.



And last but not least, I bought new purple "duck" tape for my silk screens. Love it! Although, now the kids think the screens are so fun and cool, they must be toys. I will get a picture of the purple tape and post that too:)

the inaugural post

Welcome to my shiny new blog!

Your Favourite Colour Junkie is all about me and my life as a maker-mom.
I love bright colours. On my kids, my walls, the blankets on my bed.

After almost ten years as a designer and slave to the mass market textile industry I gave birth to a son. One year later we were lucky to be blessed with a daughter...Now that our family is complete I decided to start making again...only this time as a small business working into the wee hours of the night after the munchkins are sleeping (or not). Luckily I have a super supportive hubby (love ya babe) who helps me make it all happen.

So what do I make???
I design and screen print fabric which I then mix and match with store bought and vintage finds to make....
blankets
toys
pillows
ottomans
storage bins
basically fun and funky things for your home or for your baby!

With this blog I plan to:
share new designs I am working on....
show you some of the things that inspire me...
expose you to the world of crafty goodness out there!

So check back often!
Here's a peek at some of my wares:)