HELLO my name is Heather

  • Creative Spaces Giveaway

    ByHeather Bailey

    There is a new issue of Creative Spaces out this week. Apparently—and of course—volume #1 was so popular that Creating Keepsakes decided to publish a second volume—and this time I was able to say "Yes!" Kudos to Megan Hoeppner for gathering such inspiring spaces—and for her patience and tenacity with my busy schedule.

    RibbonJar_HeatherBailey2

    Confession: I've been holding back on you guys—a little. You see, I've finished a handful of craft-organization projects around here that I haven't shared yet. I'm letting Creative Spaces Vol. 2
    have the scoop: embroidery-floss storage made from a spinning earring
    display, colored-pencil storage from a transformed gift box, tiffin
    boxes for paint storage, the handy metal caddy I keep next to my
    drafting table for paints, brushes, pencils and inks—FUN STUFF.

    CreativeSpaces2So,
    go pick up a copy at your local book store or craft store for 132 pages
    of DIY storage and décor projects, and a behind-the-scenes tour of a
    wide variety of crafting spaces, from Amy Yingling's sleek and modern space to my own eclectic menagerie. For a full-size sneak peek at the issue, click here, then click on the ISSUU image at the center of the page.

    !!! I have one glorious copy to give away. Leave a comment below to enter. I'll announce the winner on Monday. !!!

  • Olive Edition – Hot Off the Press

    ByHeather Bailey

    I have fun news today. My Olive Edition core kits and papers for Project Life
    have arrived. They are now in stock at Amazon.com and available for purchase
    with Amazon's FREE Super Saver Shipping. Becky assures me that she
    ordered gobs of product, but she also laments that her products tend to
    sell out with ridiculous speed. I'm not sure where that leaves us on
    urgency.

    ProjectLife_Olive_HeatherBailey1

    But, I do know that it's the beginning of a new year—and the perfect time to get going on a Project Life album. The Project Life concept makes
    documenting your life fun—and easy. You only have to fuss as much as
    you like to fuss. And if you don't like to fuss, there's no need to
    fuss.

    For Project Life, you use pocket pages to organize your photos and
    then you add in color, design and documentation using one or more of the
    Project Life kits—like my Olive Edition core kit here. Each core kit comes with hundreds of cards
    for jotting down key bits of information pertaining to the photos in
    your album. Everything goes in a pocket page. And there are lots of pocket-page configurations to choose from. Super simple.

    ProjectLife_Olive_HeatherBailey2

    The Olive Edtion core kit
    is housed in a chic, glossy box and organized as you see below, in a
    tidy tray. In the larger compartment, there are title cards and foldable
    journaling cards with lots of writing space. All of the smaller cards
    have artwork on one side and journaling space on the reverse.

    There are scrapbookers who go wild with their embellishments,
    preferring all sorts of texture and flair within their layouts. And
    there are others who like simple, clean layouts. Project Life is
    designed to satisfy everyone.

    ProjectLife_Olive_HeatherBailey3

    I like goop, well-done goop, that is. But, I don't have time to goop.
    I do have time, however, to slip photos and cards into pockets. And my
    kids are expert pocket-slipper-inners. Project Life works for me and my
    busy, busy life in this way.

    ProjectLife_Olive_HeatherBailey4

    Of course, you know I'll find at least a dozen other ways to sneak
    Olive Edition cards from their well-ordered little box and use them for
    other purposes: gift tags, thank you cards, bookmarks, valentine
    ornaments—lots of ways to spread this loveliness about.

    Oh, that's right. There's a 12"x12" coordinating paper pack. I can use that.

    There are also some cool, plastic month dividers and a coordinating
    album/binder that should be in stock soon. These are still making their
    way to Amazon's warehouse.

    Here are links to the products available so far:

    • Olive Edition Core Kit
    • Olive Edition Paper Pack

    To pull up my collection over on Amazon as items are added, search "Olive Edition Project Life" in their Arts, Crafts & Sewing Department. I don't think Becky has "Heather Bailey" on the listing yet.

    For more info and images, visit my earlier post about the Olive Edition here.

  • In 2012…

    ByHeather Bailey

    I’m sitting at my desk amidst a whirl of pine-needle debris and
    glitter. The celebration and indulgence of Christmas is being swept up
    to make way for the new year: tightened belts, tightened routines,
    tightened to do lists, loosened possibilities.

    HeatherBailey_Flowers

    In 2012…

    ** I became a runner. I never believed it was possible. I did not
    succeed at age 14, I didn’t succeed at age 17, at age 24, at age 27. I
    tried many different times in my life. At age 36, two months after
    having a baby, I started running—very slowly, very carefully. It was a
    process. But, within a few months, I was running 5 to 6 miles per go. I
    am still baffled and amazed. Thank you, Couch to 5K, for holding me
    back. It turns out I was always doing too much too soon.

    ** I also learned that “running” means “jogging.” I was several weeks
    into the journey before I had this epiphany. If you run-for-your-life
    when the voice in the app says, “run,” you are not getting the idea—duh,
    Heather    .

    ** I had the thrill of getting to know my new little son. His unique
    personality revealed itself, as he hugged us and whacked us—alternating
    between the “Thank You” game and the “Uh-Oh” game—his two favorite
    phrases. What a sass-a-frass, lover-bub trouble-monkey.

    ** I took my kids to the Bahamas. They swam in blue waters and sat in
    the sand. Our first fancy vacation ever. Usually, we go camping.

    ** My work filled the shelves at Target. In the form of planners and
    calendars—there are new ones there right now. The best is when my
    personal friends stumble across them, having no idea I did this project.
    Serious double-take. “Wait, I know her.”

    ** I designed a new cotton quilting collection. It was all-consuming work, as usual.

    ** Then, I started on the next one.

    ** We remodeled and expanded our home work space.

    ** We moved our office/store so our little one could have a more
    homey start at life. It was a tight squeeze. But good and right.

    ** My mom started writing a column for the local paper.

    ** We gave our old van another chance at life—as our oldest child
    turns 16 this month and we don’t believe in giving a new driver
    something fancy to truck around in. $$$ in repairs later—more than the
    vehicle is worth, frankly—it still looks like a sad, speckled monster,
    but it works. The PERFECT first car.

    ** I took my daughter to dance class.

    ** I cheered for my teenager at band competitions.

    ** He grew to be two inches taller than his dad—so far.

    ** I hemmed a lot of pants for my growing children.

    ** I cried over difficult relationships.

    ** I prayed for my sister who is fervently wishing for a baby. I prayed for my brothers and my parents too.

    ** I thinned out my closet. Then, I filled it back up.

    ** I drank too much soda.

    ** I planted flowers.

    ** I filmed a tv episode with Sew It All for PBS.

    ** I didn’t blog all that much. I caught up on design projects after a
    brain-fuzzing pregnancy instead. And soaked up my sweet little kids who
    are growing older all-too-quickly.

    ** I designed aprons, kitchen towels, sewing patterns, embroidery
    patterns, fabrics, planners, calendars, a Project Life kit, a Shutterfly
    album and still more fabrics—all coming out in 2013.

    ** I found an awesome couch to reupholster for my family room. (I can’t wait!)

    ** I got older.

    ** I got muscles.

    ** I got boots. Several pairs.

    ** I took time off for the holidays.

    ** I baked a lot of cookies.

    ** I got tired of taking time off. And eating cookies.

    Now it's time to get back to it. Bring it on, 2013.

  • Pattern & Design

    ByHeather Bailey

    ColoringBook2

    If you're looking for a fun present for someone artsy in your life, check out this new coloring book from Jenean Morrison,
    another print designer who works with Free Spirit. She published this
    gorgeous thing herself. And it's just that—gorgeous. Every page is a new
    repeating pattern—there's 50 of them—on crisp, white paper, in a thick,
    substantial book—it's not one of those floppy, wussy coloring books
    with newsprint pages.

    I'm a big fan of artsy, craftsy gifts for kids especially during the
    holidays because they come with built-in entertainment. This makes the
    time off from school go more smoothly. And it's not TV or video games.

    I'm giving this copy to Charlotte for Christmas. So, I've gotta go wrap it up.

    If you want one too, as a gift—or for your own self—you can get your copies on Amazon.com. Here's the link. Support an independent artist while you're at it. They are only $12. And stop by Jenean's blog for a hello and a congratulations. Birthing out a book is no small feat.

  • Hungry Walls

    ByHeather Bailey

    HeatherBaileyOwl2

    My walls are disturbingly void of artwork. I just don't like most
    commercial artwork. It's not personal enough either. And I don't have
    time to scout out great pieces on Etsy or make the artwork myself. Not
    usually, anyhow, but I'm making an effort this month to at least get a
    couple of pieces started and see where they lead me. Starting with this
    owl.

    HeatherBaileyOwl1

    Of course, he might sit on my drafting table for weeks, waiting to be
    painted. I thought work would slow down a little during the holidays,
    but holy cow, every licensee is looking for new product lines from me. I
    really need to get an artist-type on staff.

    I do have two awesome birdie prints from Laura Gunn that need framing. I should go get frames, huh? — like, right now while I'm thinking about it.

    If you have art to recommend, certainly post a link. I have hungry walls.

  • She Shows Mettle—Meddling with Metal

    ByHeather Bailey

    ApologyNote_800

    While crawling into bed last night, I found this note tucked
    carefully under my blanket. Don't tell Charlotte, but my first reaction
    was a big smile. Charm and cuteness go a long way toward absolution. In
    this case, I consider the necklace somewhat improved by the note it is
    taped to.

    I may not be teaching Charlotte to keep her hands off my jewelry, but
    she is learning some honesty to go with her mischievous fiddling.
    That's something, at least.

  • Oh My Gouache!

    ByHeather Bailey

    StackedUp2

    Don't you just love when you're working along, having an
    normal-sort-of-day, and the postman shows up with a box of sunshine.
    Today I'm restocking my gouache supply. Not with onesie-twosie-tubes,
    here and there, but with all 84 colors in this particular range.

    I'm amping up for major output this year.

    BoxedUp

    In my years of ordering art supplies online from all over, I don't
    think I've yet seen such meticulous packaging. I tore into the bundles
    like it was Christmas. It took me a good 20 minutes to free the tubes.

    Gouache
    Yum,
    yum. Now where to keep them? I have a little baby here who would just
    love to sink his teeth into each one of these tubes, take the lids off,
    bust open the tails and squirt color everywhere.

    Come to think of it, that sounds just about right.

  • Are You Kidding? Of Course I Want a Sticker!

    ByHeather Bailey

    Eight years ago, on election day, I was six-months pregnant with Charlotte. I remember that day very well.
    I waited in line to vote for about 5 hours—on my feet. I got so
    dehydrated that I began to shake and cramp when I was about five people
    from the front of the line. I stuck it out the extra 10 minutes, voted,
    then headed to the emergency room once I discovered I was bleeding a
    little as well. I was in miserable shape. It was NOT a fun day.

    Vote2012_470A

    Now, I always pack water, food, and a folding chair—just in case.
    Today there was no line though. Somehow, I hit the timing just right. I
    missed the enormous lines from this morning and beat the rush hour lines
    sure to come later on. It was a 10-minute excursion.

    Tonight, we are heading to my brother's house to watch the results.
    Of course, it may take weeks to resolve now that the parties have
    discovered they can ring the voter-fraud alarm and buy more time. Ug.

    How to focus then for the rest of my day? We have a big magazine
    shoot at the studio today and I have a print from my new quilting
    collection that needs an adjustment to its repeat as well. And then
    there are the other 88 to-dos on the list. Oh my.

    BUT—the most important to-do on my list today is done—I voted.

    You should too. Bring water.

    Update: You must see this Election 2012 Bad Lip-Reading video above — too stinking funny. "It's like the whole world's a surfer dude and they're all chewing pencils."

  • Goodbye October, Hello November

    ByHeather Bailey

    ProjectLifeProof
    I'm
    back from a whirlwind month, trotting here, there and everywhere. Let's
    see, Pennsylvania, Florida, the Bahamas, then Denver, Dallas and
    Houston as well. Some of these stops were lay-overs, but other stops
    included white sand, TV cameras,
    and my favorite fabric folks (Quilt Market). I've only been home long
    enough in between each trip to unpack, then repack again.

    I returned to a desk stacked with product proofs to review and
    approve—the HB world kept on turning while I was away—hallelujah. Here's
    the color proof for my new Project Life Olive Edition album cover with Becky Higgins. Yummy, yummy olive green.

    I went for a subtle, decorator-ly print with
    a mod bent so the album would look fabulous in its own right and
    compliment many of the Project Life kits. This way several completed
    albums can be stacked together on the shelf and make their own color
    statement in a room. The spines of the albums are solid green with a
    metal label frame.

    I believe this product line will be out soon. December, most likely.
    But, remember, Becky's Project Lifers are seriously dedicated. You have
    got to get in there and grab these things up the day they go live on Amazon or you might have to wait another couple of months for the next order to arrive. I know, it's impressive—go Becky!

  • |

    Monster Bash

    ByHeather Bailey

    MonsterBibApplique_HeatherBailey

    I'm heading to Denver tomorrow to tape an episode of Sew It All for PBS. We're making baby bibs. I don't know when the episode airs, but I'll keep you posted. Should be fun!

    If the fates allow, there will be time left to bake cookies with my
    kiddos tonight before I go. And time for sleep—that's always nice. I'm
    terrible at sleeping before a trip. Even a quick little one-day
    appearance.