I love the layers in this look. This designer is so full of color and fun in her designs. Gudrun Sjoden's site is full of lovely information and images of travel and design. The company has a good business and environmental policy as well.
"My basic belief is that the first step towards reducing negative environmental impact is to minimize the use of resources. Which is why I think we should think long term and wear clothes that are hard wearing in timeless designs".
For as long as I have been creating art work, I have been trying to photograph that work. It is a never ending challenge to try a represent your creative design in an image that others can see and feel all that you have put into the work. Lighting, styling, models, props all play such a huge part in the overall "look" we try to bring to the photo.
Over at decor8 , I foundher list of favorite flickr photographers and I admit I am in awe of some of the amazing photographs that are presented on the flickr. Hours have been spent looking and finding more and more each time I search. Here is a some of my favorites. What are you flickr favoriites?
Since I love fabric so much, I am bringing you a few designers that use fabric for gift wrap and cards. I have done this is the past. It is a great way to recycle and sometimes the wrap can be part of the gift.
1. home sewn gift tags, 2. Presents wrapped in fabric, 3. bunches + bunches of holiday gift tags., 4. Set of 4 snowman fabric gift bags - adorable
When you have a shop, Holidays are different. You start so early and depend on this time of year to make a lot of sales to hold over in the slow beginning of the year. A lot of time is spent decorating and setting up displays, that you personal home decorating seems like just more work. We have pared down as the boys have gotten older, I still like the decorating part and making things feel a special way. But I also start thinking about the next season design ideas and can hardly wait to start on the next big collection.
I love this display, I am always drawn to multiples of simple things grouped together.
Photo Credit: Photolife
I needed some decorative items for the window displays this year and money is tight. The local display contest theme is "Holiday Magic." I am going for Tim Burton meets Dr Seussfor my design. I needed some stockings, and even looking at the fabric store did not offer the right thing. So off to the thrift store and here is what I came up with, a fun tutorial for Stripy Stockings.
Purchase striped tight knit shirts at thrift store or use old ones your have at home.
Cut out the sleeves, close to the armhole(raglan sleeves are tricker)
Flip the sleeve upside down and it almost looks like a foot. Turn inside out, Draw a foot shape around the top of the sleeve and sew along the line, trim and turn right side out. The best part is the top is already finished as it was the bottom of the original sleeve.
Finish by adding a ribbon or yarn loop to hang and enjoy. Here are a few finished stockings.
This is a sneak from my windows.
It is December an so the holiday windows at the Red Thread are almost ready for the season. I have a love/hate relationship with my windows and how to best fill them in creative ways. They are a great marketing tool for me-I am in a redevelopment area so a lot of boarded up buildings around, and I love display work. The shop has four windows and they are large. It has been years since I have been to a large city to see the amazing windows that the large department stores, and creative boutiques present. This is a great example. I will show mine later this week.
So many things go along with being an independent business owner. The outside work of promoting, networking, and trying to work to support your community. I never seem to be able to say no. I feel the need to help people, so when they ask me to do something I will do whatever I can. Last week the local Sisters Cities group had their fund-raiser to send the students to their conference on Conflict Resolutions in Ireland next summer. They sell wrapping paper and have a Holiday Ideas night. I did creative wrapping demos (it takes a long time to wrap 20 gifts and try to make each on look unique) and a art table scape for display. Many local business set offered their table set up at the event held at the Suffolk Museum.
