designer

  • After

    ByHeather Bailey

    ArchAfterB_300Here's the finished remodel. We went ahead and laid down the white flooring from our last tradeshow booth,
    figuring we could swap out the flooring in both rooms later on.
    However, I'm liking it. It's incredible how much brighter the room is
    with a big, white reflector for a floor.

    Here's a glimpse of one of our finished work tables
    too. They are amazing. Each table is seated onto a rolling platform.
    The tables can be lifted off the platforms as needed for classes and
    workshops—at some point—or for a myriad of other uses. And they are
    tough as nails with a commercial-grade finish.

    Now that the sheetrock dust and construction debris  have been cleared out, it's time to get back into artwork. With Project Life under my belt, next up is more fabric. I'm working on completing a couple of new lines for next year. 'Tis true.

  • Project Life – Olive Edition

    ByHeather Bailey


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    So here's the scoop!

    I just wrapped up designs for a new Project Life collection — the Olive Edition. Becky Higgins announced the news on her blog this morning, along with a ton of sneak peeks.

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    I'm sure a bunch of you are already familiar with Becky and her
    Project Life mission to "cultivate a good life & record it." If not though, I will LOVE to be the first to tell
    you. Project Life is a fun and easy system for housing treasured
    pictures, thoughts, memories, and life's important details, without the
    time, fuss, expense and gewgaw of a traditional scrapbooking approach.
    Of course, you can add as much gewgaw as you like.

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    Basically, you get a Project Life album, along with some thoughtfully-laid-out plastic sleeves (lots of configurations available) and a kit
    of double-sided cards to slip into those sleeves along with your photos.
    You can use the cards to track details and stories relating to your
    photos or just use the decorated sides of the cards to add personality
    to your album—or as placeholders till you are ready to write the details
    down. There are paper packs and plastic month dividers too.

    Here's the idea…

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    I have kept journals since I was ten years old. I know first-hand the
    benefits of keeping a personal record. You recognize your blessings
    better, you appreciate your day more, time doesn't seem so fleeting, and
    on top of that, you are left with a treasure for your loved ones to
    prize for generations.

    Project Life makes all of these life-keeping benefits easy to access.

    So, on top of my thrill in curating the new Olive collection for
    Becky, like the founder of The Hair Club for Men said in his commercial,
    "I'm also a customer."

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    The Project Life Olive Edition by Heather Bailey will be available to purchase in November through Amazon.com.
    There are swarms of PL fans waiting for each new edition to be
    available, so if you are interested, follow Becky's blog for updates and
    be prepared to shop the day the collection goes live.

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    So, go have a look at Becky's announcement post.
    She has way more preview photos posted over there than I do. Leave a
    comment. And read up on how Project Life works. There's even a cute
    little cartoon you can watch on her home page.

    (Fabric-folk, you realize these images sneaky-preview some new designs for you too, right?)

  • |

    Good as New

    ByHeather Bailey

    GardenDistrictChairT

    Getting back to project eye-candy, here's my finished chair. I went with St. Charles Bouquet in blue—which is perfect with my living room decor—and a distressed green finish to pay homage to the original condition of the chair. The contrast between the crisp new fabric and the lightly-weathered frame makes for a bold, yet elegant statement—in my smug and humble opinion.

    Upholstery470wThis is my Garden District™ fabric collection which came out right around when little bub came out to meet the world. I announced the collection to my newsletter subscribers but never managed to post any reveals here on the blog. Having a baby can be disorienting, to put it lightly.

    St. Charles Bouquet is a modification of Rose Bouquet from my Pop Garden™ quilting-weight collection. Those of you who have collected my designs will note that the focal bouquets of the print are much closer together and the scale of the design is much larger. The artwork was re-created and re-colored with home decor specifically in mind.

    The other prints in the Garden District™ collection are all new. Mockingbird is a print I put together at first for my Nicey Jane™ quilting-cotton collection, but it was swapped for Picnic Bouquet at the last moment, favoring the scale and mood of Mockingbird for home dec projects. Plus, Picnic Bouquet was too perfect for Nicey. It is one of my favorite prints in that collection.

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    I have received many pleas to release these home dec prints on quilting-weight cotton and laminated cotton as well. It would be helpful to know just which prints you're most interested in seeing in these other formats. They would need to be rescaled, paired with the perfect companion prints and recolored perhaps. There is a lot of thought that goes into balancing a cotton collection so the variety of prints can be mixed into the same quilt or craft project. It's complicated. But it can certainly be done.

    This collection was inspired by the urban gardens and vintage architecture of historic New Orleans. The prints are distinctly romantic with an urban influence. A portion of the collection is printed on a luscious cotton sateen, and others are printed on a sturdy cotton canvas. (In my opinion, a well-designed and inviting room offers a variety of textures.) The sateen prints are 55"/56" wide and the canvas prints are 58"/59" wide. Think bedding, curtains, pillows, purses, jackets, skirts, nursery decor, and more. At $17 to $19/yard, they are considerably more affordable than most designer decorating fabrics.

    That stack of chairs I just posted about… Garden District is the whole reason there IS a stack of chairs. My furniture-collecting habit reached new heights once this fabric collection was put into production.

    Finally, great color for the home! I got tired of searching for the perfect fabrics for my own home and decided to give up already and design them myself. I am genuinely, personally relieved.

  • Good as Old

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I was digging through some old pictures today and came across these 'before' pictures for a chair I upholstered last spring. If Shredded Chic worked in a family environment, I might have kept the chair as it was—it had its own appeal, all shredded and torn.

    ChairSpring470wtOnce I had the chair fully dismantled I learned it was much older than I expected —and really well made. The frame was solid. The whole thing was upholstered with tacks and the arms were padded with horse hair. I had incorrectly assumed that its larger size meant it was much newer.

    This thing was old. Perhaps big-bummed-bustle gowns explain its size.

    Tacks are more of a pain to remove than staples—but more gratifying. Once you get a good purchase on one, it prys out like butter. They aren't so friendly on bare feet though.

    I only had one day to finish the job before photographing the chair for a tradeshow. I was 5 months pregnant so this was quite a task. Upholstering is like wrestling a dusty, groggy bear. Afterward, you're covered with claw marks and you're sore all over.

    Isaac was very attentive that day, fussing over my swollen self, bringing me tools and water, untangling the air hose as needed. He was fascinated with the process and envious of the loud racket I was making. Though I learned upholstery back in college, Isaac had never witnessed me do the work.

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    He got involved here and there. He had his first adventure with a webbing stretcher; he tied the springs back into place for me too and made sure the frame was square again—he did an excellent job.

    I'm planning to have him do ALL of the prep work next time. That should save me a few pulled muscles.

    ChairLegBefore470wI have a stack of collected chairs waiting to be upholstered with Heather Bailey home dec prints. More chairs than I have room for really. So, birthday presents for friends? Reception seating for the office?

    I'll post 'before' photos of my next project and get your take on color/fabric combos.

    Truth is, such physical work is a nice change of pace. With gear laid out and a queue of chairs ready to go, the blazing heat of the garage is nothing a freezy Jamba Juice and a run through the sprinklers can't remedy.

  • Sketchy

    ByHeather Bailey

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    I'm in the thick of designing new prints. The one I'm working on right now will probably take me all week—at minimum. This pushes me awfully close to my target date, but the print is gorgeous, so I'm taking the gamble.

    The other designs are close. I can see the light. As long as I work through the dark, right?

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    In other news, we survived Spring Break. I look forward to having the kids around. But wow, this week, I'm more ready than ever for them to head back to school. A snippet of quiet, a splinter, a shard, a crumb, would be oh so lovely. Tomorrow is the day.

  • |

    Let the Feast Begin

    ByHeather Bailey

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    Wow, is it Thanksgiving week already!? I thought life was moving by quickly as it was, but add a new baby to the mix and whoo-ee! Hold onto your hat.

    HB_Holiday_04w2I’m going to offer to take my sister’s family photo for her Christmas cards. She has been helping me a ton with Charlotte this fall, having her over for playdates and making sure she’s not missing out on any fun while I’m tied up at home with the baby. Today, she and my sister-in-law took Charlotte to the zoo so I could finish up some work in time to have a break for Thanksgiving Day. Julia has two boys, one of which is six, Charlotte’s age. And Rachel has one boy who is also six. One tribe of monkeys goggling at another. I imagine the kids are having a blast.

    I probably should work on my own cards too, huh? If for no reason but to capture a snapshot of our funny little family as it currently stands: mom, dad, lanky teenage boy, toothless 1st-grade girl, and a newborn bobble-headed baby.

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    It’s funny, I don’t ever get too stressed about getting holiday cards out on time, but now that Julia’s cards are on my mind, I’m hearing a soft tick, tick, tick behind my right ear. Time to get to it.

    HB_Holiday_02final…which train of thought reminds me I better announce my new Holiday stationery things — cuz it’s high time. If you’re looking for bright, stylish photo cards or party invitations that haven’t been gooped up with long, sappy greetings, I have the solution. Check out my holiday collection. There are also great paper plates, napkins and cups. We only have about 6-12 of each item in stock, so go get ’em. I’m not sure if we’ll be able to replenish before Christmas hits, but I’ll find out and let you know.

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    And the winner of the Little Bits Quilting Bee book is Shannon from Mastering the Art of Being Me. Thank you, Random Number Generator, for your impartial input. Shannon, email me your address & such : )

  • Le-Purrty Please?

    ByHeather Bailey

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    We’ve decided to dress up the turret. Even if it only serves as a temporary nursery for the baby, this playroom space will surely be improved with color, curtains, and a little bit of magic dust known as attention. Once bub starts sleeping through the night, we can address how to best fit his masculine self into the lavender girlapalooza that is Charlotte’s bedroom—or sort out some other solution.

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    The older kids were skipping to get involved. All in all, painting took only 3x longer than it would have had Isaac manned the roller the entire time. I reassured him that it was a worthy trade off for good memories and sweet feelings. Besides, who could resist this petitioning kitty cat?

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  • |

    Signature Styles

    ByHeather Bailey


    I have a bit of catch up to do.  More than a bit.

    I made a list of all the blog posts I would have done if I hadn’t lost my Wonder Woman headband last month. (Or is it a tiara?)  It’s quite a list and I’m just not prepared to skip past “Go” and move on with things without spinning out a few re-caps.  There are too many cool things I have missed sharing.

    I’ll start with Signature Styles.  That’s me on the cover of a new book.  Newsworthy, right?   I think so.  In Jenny Doh’s latest title for Lark Crafts, she features 20 creative women and discusses each gal’s personal style as it relates to her work, her wardrobe and more.  Each “stitcher” has designed a project for the book as well.  For example, Megan Hunt includes instructions for an awesome little ruffled flower bracelet and Amy Tangerine shares techniques for “Crafty” tee shirt applique.  It’s a jam-packed read, with lots of eye candy. 

    For my part, I designed this quick and kicky wristlet purse.  It’s the ultimate easy-assemble purse pattern for customizing your wardrobe.  With a design so simple to sew, why not prep the perfect purse for every outfit?

    Wristlet Purse

    I’m really impressed with this book. I’m only about halfway through reading each of the features, but once I’ve devoured it entirely, I’m certain to keep it within easy reach for a quick visual escape.  It was a pleasure to work with Jenny and of course, an honor to be included.

    Signature Styles hit bookstores just this last month. If you’re interested in a signed copy, we are stocking a few at our online shop — for a limited time.

    Heather Bailey Purse

    Other women featured in this new book include: Serena Thompson, Meg McElwee, Elsie Flannigan, Rashida Coleman-Hale, Kathy Cano-Murillo (who I just had dinner with last week), Betz White, Meg Allan Cole, Bari J. Ackerman, Erika & Monika Simmons, Kayte Terry, Megan Hunt, Sonya Nimri, Megan Nicolay, Ruth Singer, Sandy Stone, Bonzie & Ger, Teva Durham, and Amy Tangerine.

    Feeling oddly curious about the history and significance of Wonder Woman’s headband?  Click here. It’s amazing what you can learn on the internet.


  • Saturday Market Bag

    ByHeather Bailey

    Introducing another of my new sewing patterns, the Saturday Market Bag.  It's a fun and easy sew —
    and perfect for toting spring things, like a
    picnic blanket and a good book. The pattern includes three options,
    including two simpler looks, one of which is reversible. And the sides
    of the bag unsnap for additional carrying space, so you can really go to
    town.  Or to church.  Or to market.

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    May Flowers!  Did you glimpse the new May Flowers discount link in the sidebar? Save
    some $$ and get free stuff — follow the link for codes and freebies
    good through May 31,2010.

  • Lucky Number

    ByHeather Bailey

    My son is 13 today.  Thirteen!  What in the world?  I was such a little grown-up at thirteen.  At least, I thought I was. 

    BoxShot470WT Things
    have been extra busy this month.  Isaac has built a wall to divide the
    main floor of my new office, allowing pattern storage to be neatly
    hidden away — and allowing the main work area to be cute-ified. I
    don't know when I'll get around to that cute-ification, but it now has
    the potential, which is a start.

    I have successfully ignored the
    move in order to wrap up some pressing projects.  A serious feat.  It
    looks like I have one more week to go.  Next time I make my way up
    there, I'll snap a photo of the new wall.  It was a lot of work and is
    just about finished.  There is a lot more work to do, but it will have
    to be gradual. With Nicey Jane new on the market and several new
    patterns popping, we're extra busy behind the scenes.

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    On a
    personal note, I purchased some cool, mid-century modern chairs today. 
    They need refinishing and new upholstery, but I can do that.  If it
    weren't for birthday dinner & birthday baking, I'd be out sanding
    them this evening.  Perhaps tomorrow.

    OpenBox470My camera is back too,
    which means more blogging. I can't seem to get comfortable posting
    without including photos. Case in point, the photos in this post. They
    don't relate to what I'm saying at all, but isn't this a fun vintage
    box? I gave it to Lindsay for Christmas, along with some other fun bits
    & baubs.  It's probably a stationery box from the 60s or 70s.  All
    it needed was a good cleaning and a refreshed interior. I used one of
    Amy Butler's scrapbook papers from a while back.  Don't they say that the best
    presents are those you have a hard time giving away? 
    Something like that. I love funky kitsch like this.