Adult bean bag chair

I'm back from my Asia trip and thrilled to share our

new grown up size bean bag tutorial by Joanna of Stardust Shoes

  we've gotten tons of requests following the most popular tut ever: 

Joanna's child sized bean bag chair.

 adding to all this fun they're made up in Laura Gunn's Poppy Collection

here's Laura and her kiddos

 Great pics by Trenna Travis Design Studio

 looks like the 3 bears scenario in bean bags instead of beds

love it!!

Osaka shopping part 2

The Handmade Indie Movement is alive and thriving in Osaka's Horie neighborhood.

Above and below at Swap Meet Market

 My little wandering gnome companion had a grand time at Prickle below

Girl time in Osaka

Wandering around Osaka-

shopping-walking

eating- walking

  shopping- walking

  eating-walking
it's my favorite thing to do here

Japan's a great place for trend research.
  They love to shop and have a great eye for fashion, quality and detail-
but seriously,  I don't know how they do it in these shoes

call this New Vintage

 

feminine touches

lots of lace, small floral prints, sheers

this purse was in EVERY STORE

metallic, sequins, shimmer, sheen  everywhere!

At the moment, the main thread I see connecting all of us is a shiny metallic one finding it's way into all  our closets! Maybe it's a way of bringing a little sparkle and shine into our lackluster global economy.

wandering gnome in Japan

Gnome spotting in Osaka Japan!

gettin' goofy

 hanging with the girls

 

hanging with old friends...

Tina you're the winner!!!!!!!!

Gnomesome Traveler

Hey, guess what? I'm traveling again and here's the deal;  If you can guess where in the world I'll be based on the images below (from our print Gnome-some Traveler) we'll choose one winner to  receive a yard of it along with....

 

a bonus yard of our  gnome panel

 my travel size companion - super quick to make- ready to go

 

  (note to self: would be good to hatch these ideas before you're walking out the door. 

Next time I'll make more and bring along as travel gifts)

here's the choices:

Australia

 

Japan

Egypt

Paris

 

India

London

 

New York City

Italy

 

Russia

Somewhere in the Tropics

and the winners are....

Wow! thank you all for the wonderful response and kind words.

and now for the good part:  the winners are:

Dotty jane

Theresa B

Barbara G

(to all the rest of you: there's more to come)

Surfacing

I'm Back!!! yes it's me! What better way to resurface than to come back the same way I started when I took the plunge on my first posting in 07 !
Yes, yes, I know people have started to question and speculate about my absence, so here's an abbreviated account of my whereabouts since the end of October:

"LIFE"

My daughter and I took a  "trip of a lifetime" to India.  It wasn't going to be a "work trip" but how could it not be?  It's true when you see the ads for "Incredible India" and I've got a 1000 pictures to prove it! (look for this in future collections and postings)

My Dad passed away - what can I say? My Mom and Dad will always be my source of strength and inspiration. I was blessed to be their daughter. 

Took some time to be with loved ones and welcome new family members throughout the holidays.

and now I'm back
recharged, reconnected, reinvigorated and ready to do a bit of re-inventing!

so....... to kick things off and since it's
VALENTINES DAY!
here's a gift from me to you:  I'll pick three names to receive this bundle of fabrics from my stash here in the studio:

 

Designer Row: Before & After

As promised:
here we are on the classy side of the street across from Camp Michael Miller
(for a better look- check out their blogs- waaay better photos)

Patty Young
before:

after:
bright happy fun colors and great sewing patterns
on top of all that she's a great photographer too!
Pillow and Maxfield
before
after:
Valerie Pillow & Anne Maxfield
wow! 1st time booth- born pros- gorgeous

Sandi Henderson
before:

after:
warm, yummy inviting - it all just works together so well-
well deserved ribbon there: merchandising award!

Paula Prass (and husband Tim alias McGuyver)
before:

after:
modern,sophisticated always "just right"
"once an interior designer always an interior designer"

Houston Quilt Market

Creativity Booth Award
this is how it ended
But this is where it started:
with a theme and a challenge: pull together gnomes - vintage trailers- and a classy group of independent designers together in one cohesive group of booths.
first the trailer:

Before

During
(held together with starch)
After
Ta Da!!
doesn't that look like we twitched our noses and voila! booth done?

but of course - here's the real story
(someday I'm gonna do this time-lapse photography style)
If they bring it WE will build it
Trees to be assembled limb by limb

and here's the talent behind the talent.
Tom builder of dreams
Becky
invent and sew
Jean
aka
"THE GNOME"

Deb
head down stitching fast

note the corner sign post:
Paula Prass, Sandi Henderson, Pillow & Maxfield and Patty Young on the classy side of the street.

next post we'll cross the road for a visit