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    Giveaway Day 29

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I take a sketchbook with me everywhere I go, even if I'm just heading
    to the gas station to refill the tank. I had lovely thoughts to share
    about keeping a sketchbook and how pivotal this is for anyone with
    artistic ambitions or creative hobbies.

    But then, my husband went outside to change the brakes on our car,
    leaving me to write out my lovely thoughts in the midst of a storm of
    children, which storm has blown my concentration right out the door. The
    teenager is writing a physics paper and packing for an overnight field
    trip tomorrow. The middle child is sick and needs medicine and love. The
    baby has torn his diaper off so many times, that I am now letting him
    sit naked on my lap and watch Jay Jay the Jet Plane while I type.

    Pencils_2

    I may not retrieve those lovely sketchbook thoughts till
    another day. Just know that the thoughts are there. I am passionate about
    sketchbooks    . You must, must, must have a sketchbook—so I went and got one for you, along
    with a big pack of pretty, colored pencils.

    It doesn't matter if you can draw. You need a place to capture your
    creative brainstorms. Write it down, draw it out, or risk losing it. I
    also picked up a colored pencil blender pen for you, a solvent-based marker meant for blending wax-based
    colored pencil pigments. This is something I have never tried before, so
    I got one for me too. We'll find out together.

    Sketchbook_250If
    I'm preaching to the choir, and you're already amply equipped with
    sketchbooks and colored pencils of your own, take a shot at this
    giveaway anyhow. If you win, then you can gift the prize to a creative friend who
    needs to hear the gospel truth about sketchbooks.

    As you know, I have some big introductions to make this week. I
    tidied up my sewing area this morning to make way for a full weekend of
    projects—assuming the baby keeps his diaper on and no unexpected
    strike-offs     arrive at the door.

    Just going with the flow. I'm grateful to have that flexibility.
    Speaking of flow… I better go put a diaper on this kid. I'm testing my
    luck at this point.

    Read More “Giveaway Day 29”

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    Giveaway Day 14 — Art Supplies!

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Art supplies! Who doesn't love to collect art supplies!?

    I'm incredibly excited to share today's prize with you. Copic has generously contributed a set of their Ciao Too
    artist-quality markers. I've been researching markers heavily all year
    and Copic stands tall at the top of the list. Not only does Copic offer
    their markers in scores of colors, with a variety of nibs to choose from, but Copic markers are also refillable and blendable. That's right—blendable. The ink flows smoothly and colors can be blended together without glaring streaks or stripes.

    CopicMarker5_3up_HeatherBailey_c

    They make several styles of markers which hold differing amounts of
    ink, but follow the same color system. The Ciao markers
    here come with a brush tip on one end and a chisel tip on the other.
    With some product lines, you can choose which nibs you like best and
    swap them out as you see fit. Most of their markers are
    double-ended—except for the super-duper wide ones.

    One popular style, the Copic Sketch marker, can be attached to their proprietary air-brush system where
    colors swap out easily and there's no fussy clean-up.

    I'm just mesmerized by these. Like every product I'm including in the
    giveaways this month, I contacted the company because I genuinely love
    what they do. I have been fawning over this prize ever since it arrived
    at the studio on Monday. Someone is going to be one lucky duck.

    CopicCutout_300Copic
    markers are top-of-the-line. They don't come cheaply, but they do their
    job fantastically and they maintain their value quite well. With refillable alcohol-inks and replaceable nibs, these valuable tools can be used in perpetuity.

    They work great for fabric studies and that works for me. I love them.

    So, here's your chance to get hooked on these amazing markers too. Today's winner will receive this 24 pack of Copic Ciao Too markers. A $130 value. Thank you, Copic!

    Follow Copic on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and the Copic Marker blog. In fact, check out the Gallery on their site for inspiring artwork and artist interviews.

    Comment to enter today's contest. Be sure to include your email
    address
    so we can contact you if you win. You don't have to type your email
    address into the body of the comment if you entered it in the email-address
    field on the comment form; I can access that info from behind the scenes. Today's giveaway will close at 11:59pm PST on Wednesday 8/14/13. One entry per person. Winner chosen at random using the random number generator at Random.org. Watch for the winner to
    be announced within a day or
    two at the bottom
    of the post.

    For more info on my August HELLO Giveaways, click here. Please
    share the word. Check back every day. 

    Good luck!

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 14 — Art Supplies!”

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    Giveaway Day 6

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Thank you, everyone for your encouraging comments. Please don't lose any sleep over my last post.
    It's been years and I'm doing okay now. I think I've only shared that
    experience with ten people beyond my family. It just needed to be said
    aloud. I knew it would explain some things I haven't been able to
    explain around here. Like why I've been rather quiet about Trash Ties, when they are so darn fabulous.

    HeatherBaileyStudio

    WhereWomenCreate_wSo, let's get back to lollipops and chirping birds. There is plenty to celebrate. Especially in the fabric department. I have
    two cotton quilting collections coming out in the next year—one of those
    is very, very soon. I also have a basics line to support those feature
    collections that will be out in the fall. And. And. And! I just heard word
    this week that Free Spirit will be moving forward with my fashion fabric
    collection for next Spring. Now I can put my fashion design
    degree to direct use in designing dresses, skirts, blouses, shifts. I've got a sketchbook full of ideas.

    Ashley
    and I have been brainstorming new products all morning and I'm
    dying to make time on my schedule. If only I commanded a troop of robot
    clones. Or hired a larger pool of talent at the studio. That might be
    more feasible. Especially if I can get these great products into your
    hands.

    I'll be patient. My business is art-centered which means it just
    plain takes longer to get those products made. I'm cool with that. I
    just get excited.

    Okay. So are you ready for today's giveaway yet?

    SignatureStyles_wToday's HELLO giveaway prize is a copy of Signature Styles
    by Jenny Doh, featuring 20 stylish stitchers. Projects from each
    designer are included. My contribution is the quick and easy wristlet
    purse shown at left. Winner will also receive Where Women Create—the
    one with me on the cover up there. This magazine is much more like a
    book for its fabulous content. In my opinion, they should make these
    things with hard covers. Every page is draped with images of luscious
    studio spaces and inspiring stories and insights. A $45 value.

    Comment to enter today's contest. Be sure to include your email address
    so we can contact you if you win. Today's giveaway closes at 11:59pm PST on Tuesday 8/6/13.
    Watch for the winner to be announced within a day or
    two at the bottom
    of the post.

    Prizes from our friends are starting to arrive at the studio now, so
    watch for a greater variety of items in the weeks to come. We have a
    full-on Project Life
    kit, fabrics from my upcoming collection (yet to be seen!), a giant
    50-spool pack of thread, inventive baby items, and much, much more.

    xo—Heather


    Read More “Giveaway Day 6”

  • Is it Monday again?

    ByHeather Bailey

    LanternBloom1
    I'm
    wrapping up an assortment of projects to clear my plate for August's
    design marathon.  I hope time slows down a bit for the next two weeks. 
    Elijah is starting junior high school and I'm – just – not – ready.  

    LanternPillowA Perhaps waiting for my new to
    birthday bike
    arrive will do the trick.  I haven't been this excited about a
    birthday present since I-can't-remember-when.  She's vanilla with pink
    rims, a rattan basket & a wooden rack — my creamcycle cruiser. 
    With a drink cup and bell — vrrink-vrrink.

    LanternBasketT And guess whose birthday was just yesterday? Laura. Laura of Lantern Bloom. I am mesmerized by her new fabrics. The mill did such a fabulous job
    recreating the moody depth of Laura's paintings;  it's hard to believe
    these are flat, smooth fabrics. Stretch one print across a canvas and
    it's instant wall art.

    I'm so proud of her. Laura has developed
    a unique painting style over the years. One of the last things we did
    together before she moved away 4 years ago was experiment with textured
    canvasses. Now she's a master of texture. Laura has a collection of art prints heading to Crate & Barrel and a rich, new collection of fabrics as well.

    Wish
    Laura a Happy Birthday, will you?  At a mere 2 weeks older, she paves
    the birthday way for me each year.  I hear birthday sirens sound long
    about July 26th, when it's time for Laura's slice of cake.  "Brace
    yourself, Heather, here it comes."  I ordered my bike today, so bring
    it on.

    Watch for Laura's Lantern Bloom fabrics too — definitely
    a collection to see in person.  You can even make out bits of canvas in
    some of the prints.