My mom called me yesterday to tell me that some of my Jenaveve linen was in the new Martha Stewart Magazine! Woo Hoo!!!! Oh so excited!!!
Have a great Sunday!
Val
Simply Made......
Happy Friday! This is my first instalment of Simply Made. What is Simply Made? Let me tell you....I have tons of ideas and projects that are easy, and great weekend or day projects, as well as yummy food and drink recipes. I thought that I would start sharing them with all of you....
This week I will share my Pencil Case pattern. I love to carry my sketch book around but I dislike not being able to find a pencil or pen when I need it. This pattern solves all of those problems.
Ready to make a pencil case?
Pencil Case....
3 3/4" x 8" finished size
What you will need...
Fat Quarter for outside of pencil case or scraps the size of the cutting measurement
Fat Quarter for the lining of pencil case or scraps the size of the cutting measurement
Thread for Decorative Stitching and sewing together
7" zipper
*optional - elastic to attach to the pencil case so that you can put it around your sketch book and never be with out a pen or pencil - for my sketch book I pulled the elastic around the book making it tight, subtracted the finished size of the case, 8". My elastic size came out to 8" long. I used a cord type of elastic but you can use any type of elastic.
Cutting...
Cut 2 - 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" pieces from outside fabric
Cut 2 - 4 1/4" x 8 1/2" pieces from lining fabric
Sewing....
1. Stitch decorative lines on the ouside pieces of the case if desired.
2. Press the top edges on all four pieces of fabric down 1/4".
3. Place the zipper right side up on the foleded edge of one of the lineing pieces.
4. Place one of the outside pieces folded edge on top of the zipper. Pin through all three layers. Making sure the fabric pieces are lined up and at the edge of the zipper.
5. Using a zipper foot, stitch along the edge of the fold. Do not sew over pins.
6. Repeat the pinning and sewing process for the other side of the pencil case.
7. Unzip the zipper and place the outside fabric right sides together and the lining pieces right sides together.
8. Pin around the edges of the pencil case, make sure you fold the edges of the zipper area to the lining side.
*If you are adding the elastic - pin one end of the elastic piece to the edge of the outside piece of fabric - lining up the end with the raw edges, lay it over the fabric making sure not to twist and pin to the other side. When you sew around the case the elastic will be secured in the seam.
9. Leaving a 2" opening at the bottom of the lining pieces stitch around entire piece.
10. Carefully clip the corners.
11. Pull the case right side out through the opening at the bottom of the lining.
12. Push the corners out with a chop stick and press entire piece.
13. Top stitch along the bottom edge of the lining to close hole.
14. Push the lining into the outside piece.
15. TaDa your done!!!!!
If you need a cool journal....Rag and Bone Bindery makes amazing journals, even using Del Hi Yellow Pom Pom Dahlia...which they call Zinnia. I sent them some of my fabric and they made journals just for us at Twigs (that is our gift shop next to the Stitchin' Post)......
Bloom... one of the great things about these journals is that they are hand made and the paper is AMAZING.....
Ingrid....
Jenaveve....this is the one I have, looks a little different because they are hand made.
I hope you enjoyed the first Simply Made....Have a Great Weekend!!!!
XXOO
Valori
The new sewing patterns....
Hello my friends.....first and foremost THANK YOU to all of our service men and women! We are lucky to have you.....
Now, as the end of May arrives and the weather is only 62...I mean really, our spring has been SO cold and icky!! Good thing I have so much to do and I can't really be outside anyway.....
Taking a quick break from drawing to show you the new sewing cards....
This is Betsy...named after the old Cadillac in the photograph. We have this wonderful Wine Bar in Sisters (Cork Cellars - if you ever make it to town) and Betsy is the owners car...Carolyn and I were able to take it out and shot some photos with the ol' girl.....too fun! The quilt is made out of the Wrenly Cotton Voile but the simple design could be used for a variety of fabrics. It is a twin size...I thought it would be a fantastic dorm quilt, easy yet looks so cool!!
Bird's Eye View is a great quilt that utilizes a large print and solids. I used the Wren Gypsy fabric and picked solids to accent the colors in the fabric and used a white so that the background would flow. It looks complicated but the solids and background fabric are put together with a simple formula which takes away all the little piecing of the squares.
This quilt was very popular at market....I was plesently surprised.
Most of you have heard about my Little Wallet pattern....well, this is the big sister, Little Cell Phone Wallet. The design is longer and has a pocket on the back with a snap to put your cell phone in. I also added the option of a strap...which is nice for when you just want to go out with a few things and not your whole purse.
AAHHHH, the sweet Wish Bird....she is a gem. Easy construction with a pocket on the top that you can place a wish. The bird is a great way to start embroidery and play with beads, these accent the bird and make her a one of a kind gift. A more adult stuffed animal for all of us who still love stuffies and want to having something special in our home.
Mina Bag....this is your new favorite bag! SO, easy to construct and the perfect size. I really played with sizing, just big enough for all your stuff but not so big you feel like you are packing a diaper bag. The handles are the perfect length to have the bag on your shoulder but still get your hand in to find you cell phone or keys. I made the one on the cover with home decorator fabric from Wrenly and the accent fabric is my cotton linen, Jenaveve.
There you go....the new sewing cards. I really feel strong about these patterns, they are great projects yet not overly priced....ranging from $4 - $6 retail, can't beat that.
I will show you the new clothing patterns in the works soon......
Have a great day...back to drawing.
XXOO
Valori
PS Wrenly should be up on our site for Pre-Sales soon! I will let you know....
Market two....the details....
As promised some of the details of the booth....
We did coloring therapy in the booth....a great way to relax. This is my friend Kaye Prince!!! Isn't she cute....
My girl, Carolyn and I just before take down!! A long weekend but very good!
XXOO
Valori
Quilt Market photos....finally!
Ohi Vey.....I have been playing catch up since I have been home from market....catch up with the family. I missed them so much. Catch up with the shop and the studio and, and, and, and!!! Never ending I guess. Market was excellent! We had so much fun putting Wrenly's Place together and showing her to everyone that attended. Thanks to all my friends that came by the booth!!
So here you go....
The party in the booth before we packed it all up...I don't think the garage was every that fun!
Loved having my friends haning out in the booth chatting and relaxing.
and now for set up.....
Here is the booth....
Tomorrow there will be some details....
Have a great day!
XO
Valori
Wrenly and the Soul Sista...
I've been silkscreening t-shirts in the studio today, Wrenly and the Soul Sista... Coming to market with me. I love silkscreening!!! So glad I did so much of it in college!
Well I'm off to meet Carolyn to work on our power point for a lecture at market! We are meeting at the wine bar.... Is that bad?!? Nope a glass of wine can get the creative juices flowing...besides just plugging in pictures, we already know what were talking about. Yes, I am totally justifying the wine!!!
XxOo
Val
Around the corner...
I'm writing this on my iPhone from bed. The flu took me down yesterday. It was miserable, reminds me why I hate being sick. Today is better, I think I can get to my computer and get my emails done and some photo editing.
We had a party in the garage on Saturday to unveil Wrenly's Place to my friends and family that have been so supportive of my crazy, busy schedule. It was really fun. It feels great to have the booth done. Now we just have to fit it into the truck!
I'm going to nap and hopefully feel even better when I wake up.
Have a good day!
Val
Lulu in her market outfit!
Wrenly's Place.....
The booth is coming together in the garage. I'm having a cocktail party on Saturday to celebrate, and show my friends what I do. With market being in Salt Lake and we can drive it allows me to go all out. This is the first time that I have completed the booth before market, other than in my head. We all know what it is like to see something in your head and then it just doesn't work. Anyway, I'm heading back to the studio to finish up a few projects. Thank god for my husband helping me out with the kiddos and for being so supportive of me! I am lucky!
It's too bad I can't take Sophie to market, she would be a nice touch!
XOXO
Valori
A quick note....
Market is getting closer and closer.....and I am getting more and more frantic. I always think I am ahead of the game but then I feel that I am under the gun. UUGGHH!!I can tell when I have anxiety because I have a reoccurring dream about packing....I can't get every thing into the suitcase, or I'm running out of time to get to where I need to be and I can't get it packed quick enough. Funny what the brain does.....so a quick note on the market status. By the end of the week I am hoping to photograph the covers for the new patterns. Which means that I have all the patterns to the proper places and I can breath a bit......wish me luck!
Have a great day!
XXOO
Valori
One of those days...
When your having one of those days where you just feel down.... Go out to lunch with your husband and have a Yummy Blueberry Lemon Drop at Zydeco!!!
Then I shall pick myself up get over my insecurities and move on!
XO
Val
The Changing of the Bench....
The studio is a buzz of creativity as I am preparing for market. Sondy and Carolyn have been a big help getting all of the details worked out...
One of the elements in Wrenly's Place will be an old bench from the Stitchin' Post that I have painted and recovered....here is the changing of the bench! (PS most of the photos were taken with my iphone so not the best - please forgive me)
How it originally looked...
Lovley old fabric....now, as the fabric was removed this is what was found...
WOW, isn't that the 70's smacking in your face.....mom did such a great job covering this in a patchwork collection of cottons and velveteen's....
Look at this piece of fabric that we found behind the velveteen.....Carolyn thought that maybe as a kid I put it in the bench as she was recovering it...the fabric is from 1976. I would of been 3. Now, I can see Vivi sticking some sort of fabric in something I was working on, so it wouldn't surprise me if I did put the fabric in the bench. Mom doesn't remember...so we will never know.
Painted in turquoise....the old bench is taking on new life with the paint and my new home decorator fabric, Ingrid.
AAHHH, Sophie approved....that means I had to of done something right, those kitties can be pretty picky.
The bench sits in my studio now covered in cat hair but truly loved. I can't wait to see it in the booth.
Well, I'm off to the studio to get more done! Have a great day!!!
XXOO
Valori
Wrenly's Place...the beginning...
An update on the March Modern Fabric Madness.....I didn't make it past the second round...but I lost to a great competitor, Kate Spain...and I love her fabric so not too bad.....
We started assembling the booth this weekend in the garage.....I am so excited I think I might burst! I thought I would share bits and pieces of how Wrenly's Place is coming together.
Eric is Carolyn's husband and a wonderful contractor. He was nice enough to build the booth for me. Ross and Teague helped him out as much as possible....
Once the booth was done we had a great dinner with Carolyn and the boys....taco's and sangria how can you go wrong.....now it is time to paint...
Now for a bit of fabric....
Ross asked me if I was making a parachute...."No", I said, " just a failed quilt idea that will end up on the back of the voile quilt." It was a great idea just haven't quite figured out how to make it work.
This is the beginning of the Voile quilt out of Wrenly....
Back to work!
XO
Valori
Round 2......
Nest has made the second round.....YEAH and thanks to everyone who voted. As much as this is fun there is a little competition that comes out of me. I also get a anxious and self conscious......to be expected I guess.
Now here we go again....the voting starts today go to Fat Quarterly dot com and vote.....
I also have to announce I just made my first cut into Wrenly....it is always a moment when that happens it means the chaos of Market is beginning....I am so excited for my booth and my projects and I can't wait to share them with you. Soon, my friend I will share.
XXOO
Valori
The second round & Wrenly....
Well thanks to all of you who voted for me, I made it to the second round of March Modern Fabric Madness! Yeah! The next round of voting will be on the 14th.....It looks like they have now added links to the fabric collections so you can see what they look like. Which is good, kind of a pain to google each collection. They are learning as they go on the best way to make this fun and the least amount of work. I think it is fun and I really appreciate all of your support. I will let you know when the next round comes about so that we can make it to the third round, wouldn't that be cool.....
I'm having one of those mornings where all I want to do is take a nap after my work out.....just a tough one. I am determined to keep going to lose the last of the baby weight...god it takes forever to get it off. I know I'm strong but just have a layer of LOVE on top of the muscle. The other night when I was cuddling with Olivia and she says to me, "Mommy you are getting skinny." "Thank you honey." I replied. "Well, mom," she pauses as to think about what she was going to say, "you had some larger parts!" Totally sincere in her words. "Well, that is true honey, it is from you, your sister, and your brother!" "Well, you are getting skinny like me." and she gives me a huge hug! You have to appreciate her honesty. Too funny.....makes me smile.
As I promised I have some photos of Wrenly.....right now just the quilting cotton. The home decorator and cotton voile are to come.....
The stack of cottons.....
Wren in Cobalt, Gypsy and Mandarin....
Ingrid in Cobalt, Gypsy and Mandarin...
Bloom in Citrus, Mandarin and Cobalt....
Mamma Birds in Mandarin, Cobalt, Gypsy and Violet....
Rosette in Cherry, Violet, Citrus and Cerulean.....
Wildfield in Cobalt, Citrus, Cherry, and Gypsy....
Boho Stripe in Cerulean and Cherry....
What do you think?? Now I just have to get a few other deadlines done and I can start making things out of this yummy new collection. I am truly happy with it...hard for me to say sometimes. I usually have some sort of criticism of it my fabric when it arrives but I am starting to enjoy it as it comes and know that it was the best I could do at the time. Learning to appreciate myself. Which is huge.....
Hope you have a great day!!
XXOO
Valori
Wrenly.....in the house...
Well actually I'm in the Costco parking lot...but I just couldn't resist giving a quick look at the two large totes of fabric in the back of the car. Wrenly sample yardage is here!!! Yeah!!! FYI sample yardage is the fabric they fly into me to make things before the fabric hits the stores. Right now all the crates of lovely fabric are on the water from Korea. I will share more tomorrow. I am in the studio and I can start playing.
Have a great day!!!!
XO
Valori
I am getting strange looks from other shoppers as I take photos of the back of my car filled with fabric.
Quick Clarification....
Hello my friends....I must clarify that the fabric in question for the March Modern Fabric Madness is Nest and it is on tomorrow.....there is another Bliss out there.
Go Nest!!!!
Remember.....tomorrow... Fat Quarterly.
XOXO
Val
Need your help.....
Hello my friends....I need your help! There is a great on-line magazine called Fat Quarterly and they have started a March Madness competition based on fabric....March Modern Fabric Madness. I am honored to say that I have been included in the top 64 fabric collections to be voted on by their readers. Help me win each round and get to the championships....with the hopes of the title......Here are the collections that they have put in the mix....Looks like I have two fabric collections that they feel are worthy (that is too cool) - if I am reading the brackets correct.
Nest....as you might recall is from this spring here is some images to refresh your memory.... 
Looks like Nest will be first competing with a collection called Marine. Now I have not heard of this collection and am on a mission to see what it is. If anyone knows please let me know!!! This is on the first round March 2....that would be tomorrow!
The second collection is Bliss from this fall....
Looks like Bliss is competing with a collection called Queen Street. Again, I feel so out of the loop I don't know the fabric collection. If anyone knows of it please let me know so I can check it out. The competition for this one is March 6...that would be Sunday.
I am going to try to find out what the other collections look like and post them.....better hurry!
Now what do you think? Am I worthy....I think this is going to be fun even if I don't make it far I will keep my eyes on the competition and place my vote.
Love to all!!!
Valori
The sanity beach trip....
Ross and I recently spent a long - well needed - weekend at the beach...just us! It was lovely....sleep in, stay up late (at least 10) do what we want to do. We did chat about the kids a lot. Seems like that is our M.O. get a chance to be alone together and talk about the babes! Great to be away but miss them all the same.
The trip started out with a long drive over the freshly packed snow on the pass.....as passenger I got to do some drive-by shooting.
It was beautiful! So amazing to see the transformation of the forest from color to almost black and white.
We spent the afternoon in Portland, a nice lunch a little shopping....great day.
We love to stay at Manzanitia when we head to the Oregon coast...it is a small little town with a Awesome beach and it is very quiet. Always nice!
It actually snowed that first night....not anything that stuck on the beach but in the foothills there was a bit of accumulation. Our walk on the beach was a little frosty...but beautiful.
We took a hike on Saturday at Oswald West....my mom describes the hike to the beach perfectly "magical"....through the old growth forest with the trees covered with moss, so lush and spiritual.
It was a perfect 10 day....not a cloud in the sky, not that warm but still nice for February!
Some of our friends from Sisters happened to be at the coast the same weekend so we met in Pacific City for dinner at a great pub, The Pelican. We arrived as the sun was setting.....wow beautiful! This is the first photo I took after running from the car to the beach so not to miss it.
It was truly a one of a kind sunset!
Well, I'm back to cleaning and working...a little organizing here a little creating there. A good day in the studio. I finally got part of my space clean and re-organized that I actually feel like I can work. When it is too messy or chaotic I just can't work I end up pacing around until I'm totally frustrated and leave. But after yesterday's cleaning I am ready to go.
Have a great day!
XO
Valori
Snow...
While the rest of the country has been buried in snow we have been pretty dry. Then we awoke to this.... No school for Liv so she us going to work with me. Days like this make me want to just do something fun like silk screening! Too bad I have to work. Maybe I can take the afternoon off!
Have a great day!!!!
XO
Valori
The photos were taken on my iPhone with the Toy Camera app. It is really cool.
Meet Wren....
Happy Sunday! As we dream of Spring I think of the trees getting new leaves, the grass getting green and the warmer weather, I dream of my new fabric collection....I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Wrenly sample yardage. It is always so exciting to get the big box of fabric from Korea. We take all of the fabric out of the box and lay it on the living room floor. The girls tend to roll around in it welcoming it to the family. I thought I would introduce you to the fabric as we await the package.....
This is Wren...she has been on my design wall for a couple of years awaiting her place in fabric. It took me some time to figure out how I wanted to incorporate the beautiful bird.
One of the crazy things about designing fabric is the timing....I did this collection last year, in the summer. In January I turned in my collection for this fall and am starting to work on next spring. I get really attached to my drawings that then turn into fabric and am completely immersed in them....then it gets sent off and you get into the next collection. As time rolls by you get strike-offs and then sample yardage which ignites all of those connections you had with the fabric when you were intensely working on it.
Here is Wren in her garden....
I am starting the reconnection with Wrenly and finding the excitement to touch and play with the fabric.....oh the sample yardage can't come quick enough....
Have a great Sunday!!! I am off to clean the house then move onto the studio....I have started a huge cleanse of the studio. I am even going through all of my fabric that I have had since I first started designing....13 years ago. Eventually I am adding a shopping cart to my web site and will be selling some of the archives. That just makes me chuckle thinking of that old fabric....more to come soon!
XXOO
Valori