HELLO my name is Heather

  • Finally Used My New Pink Coat

    ByHeather Bailey

    Redhousesquare
    I
    just got back from a fantastic weekend in Chicago with dozens, make
    that hundreds, of inspirational women.  I enjoyed the tremendous honor
    of participating in the web panel at the Country Living Women
    Entrepreneurs event at the Renaissance Hotel.  Wow.  I think we’d all
    agree. Wow. 

    A much-needed, much-enjoyed energizer!

    Webpanel2_l_2

    They dyed the Chicago river green that day.  I hear there was a
    fantastic parade.  Though it was tempting to sneak outside for a quick
    peek, we were all plugged in for a serious re-charge and not likely to
    disengage. Webpanel_w
    I spent the event shoulder to shoulder with Anna Griffin, as dynamic as she is beautiful.  Such a treat to get to know her.

    *Panel photos courtesy of Anna herself, who thoughtfully dug out my
    camera for a couple of quick shots.  (Thanks, Anna!  Your photos were
    the best ones of the batch.)  There she is with miss Beth Ferreira of
    Etsy — lots of exciting things in the works over at Etsy*

    Dozens of business owners gathered from over 40 states to attend the
    event.  I had the pleasure of meeting many of them during the breaks —
    I wish I could have met them all.  Evenings were spent getting to know
    the panelists & the well-knit Country Living editors & staff.
    What an amazing group!  Contagious electricity.

    Annanbethcl2_l_2

    I’d share more photos, but most of them are blurry &
    psychedelic.  I did get one sharp shot of the audience to my left.
    That’s Vicki Bodwell in front (sunshine embodied) of Warm Biscuit.

    Audiencecl_ll_2
    My Saturday night ended with a winding tour through the maze-like
    hallways of the House of Blues with Maggie Pace of Pick Up Sticks (love
    her!).  I’d have been set with blog photos if I’d had my camera at
    dinner that
    night — imagine walls upholstered with crazy quilts & painted
    shoes.  And the pokiest elevator in modern Chicago — good company
    makes all the difference.

    Then there was Sunday.  Bonus day.  No work, no plans, just a
    last-minute meet-up with a gaggle of gals from the event.  Joanna
    Figueroa     & I drove out to Lincoln Park to window shop and fabric
    talk with the delightful Paula Prass, her beautiful daughter, Jennifer,
    miss Bari J., and Anita Hopper who makes handbags of recycled leather
    jackets (great concept).

    Lunchladies_l

    What a fantastic weekend!  Kudos to Country Living for bringing
    women business owners together for such a meaningful event.  If you’re
    revving up to focus your creative dreams into a real business, I highly
    recommend attending next year.  Thanks Country Living for your
    hospitality, I had a wonderful time. 

  • Extra, Extra

    ByHeather Bailey

    Heatherbaileymehc470
    Last
    shot of the day and it was remarkable we got anything as it was pretty
    dark by that time.  It looks like I’m kicking my leg up in a pose, but
    I’m really just keeping my balance.  Isaac says this adds to the
    50s-postcard-feeling we’ve got going on here – happy girl in skirt
    packing licorice-laden picnic into outrageously-fabulous orange truck.
    Sounds good to me.

    Mehc_cvr_2
    This is the parting shot from an 8-page feature in the current Mary
    Engelbreit’s Home Companion magazine.  The April/May 2008 issue just
    hit news stands this week.  To help answer questions about the article
    & to help keep up with all of the new visitors popping in (Hello
    friends!), I’ve put together some information about the projects &
    patterns featured in the article.  Here’s a link to that info page.
    And congrats to my talented husband for a beautiful cover! 

    Home Companion is an amazing magazine.  If you’ve never picked up a copy before, do it!  You’ll think, "Dang-shoot, I’ve been missing out!"  Then you just might have to track down all of the previous issues & catch up.

    Creatingkeepsakesmarch08
    There’s also a little spot about my blog in the March issue of Creating
    Keepsakes     magazine.  A few of the editors from the magazine approached
    me at The Cheesecake Factory while I was in Anaheim a couple of weeks
    ago.  They handed me an issue of the magazine and said," Well, I guess this was
    fortuitous timing!  Congrats on your new scrapbook collection."  Odd to
    be spotted in public, but kinda fun too. And the paper-craft crowd
    seems just as fabulous as the fabric crowd;  cool ladies having
    all-together too much fun (well, mostly ladies).  Oh to get invited on
    a trip to Italy;  it seems paper-crafters know how to go all-out!

  • Welcome Home Companion Readers!

    ByHeather Bailey

    It is such an honor to be featured in the current issue of Mary Engelbreit’s inspirational magazine.  I don’t have many magazine subscriptions & Home Companion
    is right there at the top of my personal favorites.  If you haven’t
    thumbed through this magazine before, go get yourself a copy!  Exciting
    artists & designers, beautiful homes, nifty projects… the works.

    Mehc_cvr

    Of course, if you’ve clicked on over to this page, you probably have
    a copy of the magazine already clutched in your arms & are looking
    for more info about the projects and materials featured in the cover
    story of the April/May 2008 issue.

    Twotopes3
    First off, there are two free patterns from the article available for
    download.  Both are paper craft projects.  The first is my Paper Globe pattern, with instructions for creating topiaries from these easy paper balls.  They make great ornaments too.  For the pattern, click on the "Paper Globe" Link in the sidebar of my blog under "Free Patterns."

    Then there’s the Party Chicks
    pattern, which can be used to make placecard holders for your next
    Spring party.  Or use the pattern for a present tag or notecard.  The
    Party Chicks in the article were made with a combination of craft
    papers & soda-can tin.  No trick there, just cut the side off a
    soda can with junk scissors (not the good ones!), flatten it out &
    use in place of paper.  A glue stick did the trick for me.  Tin
    sheeting can make a mean paper cut though, so use paper if you’re
    crafting with young kids, use common sense, etc.  Find the Party Chicks
    pattern link in my sidebar as well, under "Free Patterns."

    Paperchick

    Heatherbaileymehc2
    Then there’s all of the sewing fun! 

    All of the projects featured in the article are made from my Freshcut™ fabric collection, available wholesale through Westminster/Free Spirit
    and retail through hundreds of independent fabric shops worldwide.
    This article is the first official preview of my upcoming sewing
    pattern collection set to launch this Spring/Summer 2008!  Of course,
    there are some upcoming patterns not shown in the article (aprons,
    quilts, purses, etc.), but most of the sewn designs from the article
    will be available for purchase as sewing patterns in the near future.
    One of the first patterns will feature my pear pincushion,
    as well as the strawberry pattern at right (used as a tablecloth weight
    in the article) & a couple of other pincushion designs.  The
    bookbag design, and the pig & chick dolls will be published as
    patterns as well.  As it’s made, I’ll announce news about the patterns
    on my weblog, HELLOmynameisHeather.com, so stop back by.

    And we’re moving right along on those patterns! Now that my scrapbook & paper craft collection
    is designed and onto production, we’re busy behind-the-scenes finishing
    up the first wave of sewing patterns, my next collection of fabric, two
    or three other "secret" projects, and we’re wrapping up the design of
    my new site at www.HeatherBailey.com.

    Tablechicks

    Speaking of Isaac (the
    other half of "we"), I owe my husband a big thank you!  He did all of
    the beautiful photography for this article and is a great help in so
    many ways.  Thanks, hon.  And big hugs to my friends and their lovely
    daughters: Mimi, Katie, Kaitlyn & Abby.  For sewing help (I
    couldn’t have pulled this off without you), a huge thank you to my
    friend, Jona, & to my mom, both amazing seamstresses!

    Heatherbaileymehc1

    Finally, to the editorial staff (especially Kathy & Barbara!), thank you for this opportunity.  I absolutely adore Home Companion. It’s a complete honor to have worked with you.  Keep the inspiration coming!

    Thanks for stopping by, everyone. Send me an email if you have any further questions!

    xo–Heather

    ∆   ∆   ∆ 

    Ttboxes_3
    Oh yes, and Abby and I are wearing Trash Ties™, my hair accessory invention thingie.  To learn more about Trash Ties & what they can do, visit TrashTies.com!   Here’s my blog post explaining the whole sh-bang.

    **Click here to go back to the main page of my blog**

    Heatherbaileymehc

  • Teensy Tiny Watercolor Set

    ByHeather Bailey

    Watercolors1
    This
    little box of watercolors is no bigger than 5" x 6" and is extremely
    handy if you’re a must-make-something-at-all-times kind of person like
    I am. (My soda should give you some idea how small it is – I threw
    that in there for scale). This tool is easy to grab & ready to go,
    whether to Granny’s house, on a family vacation, or on a business
    trip.  And I really enjoy painting from watercolor pans (those
    rectangular cubes of color).

    Sometimes I just want to get to it & paint, without having to fuss with lids every time I need a new color.

    Watercolors2
    It’s
    been a while since I’ve done much with watercolors or shown you any of
    my watercolor work, but this is still one of my favorite little things
    to have around.

    This set is by Windsor Newton and is called "Cotman WaterColours:
    The Compact Set."  I think they’re available at Michael’s.  And here
    are a couple of online stores that sell them as well:  CheapJoes, FineArtStore, & KenBromley(UK).

  • The Wacom

    ByHeather Bailey

    I’m jumping price brackets from my last March of the Tools post.
    But, whatever the expense, here’s a tool I absolutely couldn’t do
    without:  the Wacom tablet.

    Lapwac
    This
    tool allows you to forego your computer mouse for a stylus (penlike
    tool below).  Some artists will use the stylus & pad to draw or
    paint images right into the computer and for such an approach the Wacom
    is invaluable.  I, however, do all of my initial artwork outside of the
    computer, so the Wacom’s obvious benefit of more authentic art isn’t my
    main reason for affection here.  In fact, it is really my right hand
    that’s in love with the Wacom.  Intense work on the computer with a
    mouse can make your hand cramp & throb after endless hours of
    clicking & dragging & clicking & dragging.  Working with a
    stylus is just a lot more comfortable. A lot more!

    Stylus

    And there are some pretty cool secondary features too.  The graphics
    tablet is pressure sensitive. So, if you have an art program that’s
    compatible with this feature, you’ll find that with some paint brush
    tools a stylus will create a varied stroke in response to the pressure
    you apply.  This is the case with Painter, Illustrator, etc.  No
    settings to change.  A normal computer mouse will just produce an even
    line. 

    Wacom

    The buttons in the corners can be programmed to do whatever
    functions you regularly use.  And the longer rectangle (see top photo)
    allows you to zoom or scroll if you stroke your finger across it.  I
    have my buttons disabled as I’m all about key commands.  But I still
    think they’re cool.

    So that’s the Wacom.  I have one huge tablet, as wide as my
    keyboard, and a smaller one to take with my laptop.  As I said before,
    I couldn’t do without it, so I had to have a second one for travel.

  • March of the Tools

    ByHeather Bailey

    I love tools.  Tools that make life better, work easier, and fun
    funner.  I get a lot of questions about which sewing machines I have,
    what camera equipment I use, etc.  And seeing as I haven’t put together
    my FAQs page just yet, I thought I’d embark on a new theme for the
    month of March… March of the Tools.  Work tools, food tools, sewing
    tools, whatever tools come to mind, but all tools that I love &
    use. 

    Thepitter

    To
    kick things off, here’s one of my favorite doo-hickies – only the best
    cherry pitter ever.  My sister picked this up for me at Williams Sonoma
    (I think) a number of years ago.  No other cherry pitter will do.  You
    just place a cherry on top of that "O" and squeeze.  The pit comes
    shooting out the hole.  Just make sure you wear an apron and do your
    pitting over the sink into a bowl.  (Oh look, here’s one with a splash guard.)  Nothing’s more indulgent or
    delicious than sitting down to a bowl full of pitted cherries, washed
    and ready to eat.  I swear, cherries are ambrosia & nectar in one –
    food of the gods.

    Thepits_w_2And
    with cherry season well behind us, I resorted to the
    crocheted-cherry detailing on one of my dolls to set the proper fruity
    mood here.  Not quite so photogenic as real cherries, but I saved
    myself from a serious cherry hunt, so humor me.

    The parading tools
    will likely include some things silly, some serious and some
    expensive.  No bragging intended, just some dang good tools you might
    want to know about.

    Hb_marchoftools_150_2Want to join me on this March of the Tools?  I’d sure love the company.  And
    the tool recommendations.  If so, here’s a badge you can
    post in your sidebar.  Link back to this post, so your readers will
    know what’s up.  (If there’s some trickier/better way to do badges,
    certainly let me know.)  This one is 150 dpi, or you can use the 250
    dpi one here, or snag the clovered-up version from my sidebar.  Add your link in the comments below so we all know who’s playing
    along.  Then we can all click over to your blog throughout the month to see what sort of tools we’re missing out on.  And join the March of the Tools Flickr Group (great resource for next year’s Christmas list, I’m thinking).

    That’s my 76 trombones. Cornets or not, I’m marching.

  • Very Pretty

    ByHeather Bailey

    Lelemon
    Like
    footballs.  Our first harvest of lemons.  They are huge.  Even my
    parents, who live on a citrus grove, can’t believe how big our lemons
    are.  You can’t tell from the photos, but they’re probably 50% bigger
    than average & perfect.

    Anyone remember the song, "Lemon tree, very pretty…?" My mother used to sing it to me when I was a small child.

    Pluck_3

    Being new to lemon trees, I couldn’t believe the thorns!  Some as
    long as 2-3".  I was extra careful with Charlotte underfoot, but not so
    careful with myself.  I wouldn’t bother with gardening gloves (though I
    have really cute blue leather gloves with red trim).  I got poked here
    and there.  Not so much like a needle poke though — those thorns are
    lemony.  So a lemon-thorn poke is like a needle poke with lemon juice
    on top.

    The worst is getting spiked in the forehead.

    Demthorns
    I
    love it though.  I love to garden.  I even like the thorns.  It’s just
    nice to be outside with the kids and the chirping birds.  And what’s
    more sweet than sharing a pitcher of freshly-squeezed lemonade with
    your kids — lemons they helped harvest?  Not much. 

    It was a good day.

    Lemontree
    Now to get the rest of the garden in order.  One day.

  • Fun That is Funny

    ByHeather Bailey

    Queene
    "Oh my. Oh. Look at her. Whoa, she is awesome! Even better, kinda scary."

    I almost interrupted the Queen’s presentation on historical costume to ask if she’d be my new best friend.  Got scared though.

    Queene2
    Which
    reminds me of college…  I redintegrate again (love that word!)  One
    of my two closest friends in college used to charge around campus with
    a bulldog snarl on her face.  With hot-pink, spiky hair, heavy eyeliner,
    and lots of silver chains, she had droves of cutie-pies convinced she
    was bad news.  Funny thing was, she was the sweetest girl, never mean to anyone & not into anything shady.  She just got a kick out of stirring up a little harmless mystery. 

    And there I was trotting along beside her, bright & sunny,
    newly-married & all-too squeaky clean.  I swear if anyone had the
    nerve to look her direction long enough, they would have surely noticed
    me beside her and her whole mystique would have dissipated in an
    instant.  My friend designed the most interesting clothes – not shy of
    pink feather boas or studded black vinyl.  In fact, she was all sparkes
    & chains really.  Extremely talented though.  Last I heard from
    her, she was forging swords for the movie industry or something.
    Coolest girl.


    Chartreusewardrobe_2

    Which has me thinking…  Shouldn’t there be a site where we ladies
    can officially call-out our maiden names and make ourselves findable? 
    I’m tired of searching for old friends to no avail.  It’s those dern
    maiden names.  Or we can all post our maiden names on our blogs.  Or in
    the comments of this post if you like.  My maiden name is
    Heather Hutchings. 

    There friends, now find me!

    So, back on track… Um yes, we took the kids to the Renaissance
    Festival    .  Sting was there again, doing his thing.  And there was my
    favorite new character with that Queen of Hearts flair.  I just love her!  And she had the coolest green floral trunk!  We could be good friends.

    Trickystixclge_2

    Pettingzoo

    Granny got Elijah some tricky sticks. (I think they’re called
    Crystal Stix.)  And Charlotte was bestowed a lavender butterfly wand.
    Costumes, jousting, greasy turkey legs, petting zoo – the kids couldn’t
    have had more fun.   

    Peregrinefalcon

    As for me, as long as I get a good look at a Peregrine Falcon, a
    couple of freaky vultures & an owl, I’m good.  The Birds of Prey
    demonstration is really the highlight for me.  That, and a day in the
    sun with my family.

    Owl3_2Hey
    & thanks for the huzzahs over my new paper collection.  I’ve always
    loved to make paper dolls & cards & whatnot.  I predict some
    seriously good fun.

    And a fashion-history factoid from my History of Costume class in
    college… Did you know that women used to pluck out rows & rows of
    hair, more than an inch sometimes, in order to make their foreheads
    fashionably tall?  Or that Queen Elizabeth used to paint blue lines on
    her skin – you know, for younger- looking skin.  (I’d like to see
    Beyonce or Heather Locklear do that commercial.)  Interesting article on historical beauty practices here.  Lots of poisons though : (

    Closedatdusk

  • Hatched

    ByHeather Bailey

    Paperchick

    Ah, paper crafts — sweet, peaceful, clippy, foldy, gluey goodness.  You guys called it – the cat has flown
    the bag.  I have a new line of paper craft & scrapbook goodies on
    its way, announced last weekend with my googly eyes peering down at the
    crowd from the top of a 12-foot banner, as if to say, "Hey down there,
    be nice now." 

    Heatherbailey_ribboncharms_sh
    This has been in the works for a while now, so my lips are quite sore
    from the super glue.  Figuratively.  Pschewwaa, what a relief.  Now
    that I can talk, you have got to see the vintage button stickers I have
    coming down the pipeline – all shiny & 3-D – and the french paper
    clips, die-cut felt ribbon, chipboard buckles-thingies, etc, etc, etc.
    Gaw! 

    Heck, here’s one peek – Ribbon Charms (buttons & buckles to
    me).  Autumn Leaves doesn’t have the collection up on the web yet &
    it’ll be a while before it hits stores, so I better not go further just
    yet.

    And another fun thing.  I ran into Kathy from Mary Engelbreit’s Home
    Companion     at the show and guess whose article made the cover for the
    next issue!  They have some sort of public internet vote to pick the
    cover – cool tradition btw.  Well, I meant to campaign, dance
    in a clown suit, whatever it would take for you to go vote for Isaac’s
    covershot, but completely missed the vote all together.  It came &
    went.  And there we are anyway, with no guilty feelings for swinging
    the vote either.  He-yaw.

    Tablechicks_t

    These Party Chicks are one of the projects I put together for that
    upcoming MEHC article, place-card holders for only the most
    decadently-playful table setting. That’s watermelon &
    orange-flavored licorice back there. Who needs veggies?  I used
    aluminum soda-can-sides, together with art papers & random whatnots
    from around the studio.  And each chicky-girl roosts on a vintage toy
    block. 

    Easter’s only a month away – free pattern in sidebar : )  Fun for baby shower or birthday decor too – or as gift tags.

    I have a couple of days left to go in polishing up the paper
    collection for production, then it’s onto another new adventure in the works.