Designing my first collection

If you’ve looked around this site, you know that I’m a Graphic Designer by profession.

About 5 years ago I first had the inkling that I wanted to design fabrics, giftware, papergoods and home accessories. At the time I was not aware that there was a whole industry behind such endeavors. I thought I was going to be limited to screenprinting T-shirts by hand. Looking back now, it’s like ‘Duh,’ of course there’s a whole industry! Just look around, design is EVERYWHERE. Someone has the divine job of creating all that stuff, right? Why not me?

Source: google.com via Carter on Pinterest

 

 

It’s taken me a while to figure out how to break into this industry, but lately information seems to be everywhere! I am patiently awaiting Kim Kight’s Book, “A field Guide to Fabric Design” and I just joined the Forum over at True-Up

Source: flickr.com via Yetunde on Pinterest

I have read and reread both Pattern People’s e-book and Lizzie House’s e-book

 

I obsessively stalk Khristian A. Howell’s site and AphrochicShop for inspiration. I also visit How about Orange religiously because she has the coolest stuff.

I get my color cues from Design Seeds and Color Collective

So now you know my secret. I am a big Design and Pattern Nerd. That’s what I’m doing when I’m not working on a project or Cooking something. I’m getting super-excited about a new trick I learned in Illustrator.

Well, I guess all my nerd-dom has paid off, because I am finally just about done with my first design collection, yay! It is my plan to offer my designs in the form of Fabrics, giftware and home accessories. I am currently working out the manufacturing, and you will be the first to be notified when it’s all ready.

My favorite pins this week–Design

Here are a few things I pinned this week. I’m feeling very design-y right now. Hopefully these pictures brighten your day like they did mine. Tootles!

Discover aphrochic, fabulous designs!

Source: aphrochicshop.com via Yetunde on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: thedieline.com via Yetunde on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: imaginativebloom.com via Yetunde on Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: khristianahowell.com via Yetunde on Pinterest

Doing good work: Room Service Atlanta

image courtesy of www.hgtv.com

 

Look at what Ms. Erika at Blue Label Bungalow is up to! She has just founded Room Service Atlanta, a non-profit organization that provides interior design service to homeless shelters.  When we think of homeless shelters we often don’t think of interior design. As so often is the case when we think of homelessness, we think of just solving the obvious problems.

One of my biggest pet peeves is that often times people don’t think that homeless people deserve ‘frivolous’ things such as dignity. Some people even go so far as to place stringent and ridiculous conditions on their charity. We think because someone is homeless they should just accept cast-offs and be happy about it.  Most people would say that homeless people should get just the basics, no frills. “If they want more, let them go to work and get for themselves.” What a smug, easy answer. If only circumstances that lead to homelessness were that simple.

I’m not suggesting that homeless shelters should be outfitted in the same luxury as your average McMansion, but wouldn’t it be great if they were just a little more cheerful? Wouldn’t it be great if Interior Design did for the homeless what they do for you and me? Wouldn’t it be great if it gave them just a little lift and some encouragement to get them through this tough time in their life?  That is the beauty of Room Service Atlanta.  It says to the occupants of this shelter, “We get it. Just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a little beauty in your life.”

As Ms. Erika states in her very moving post, “No, interior design is not a cure all for homelessness, but it can do a ton of good for a person’s mental and emotional state.” Now, that’s using your powers for good.

I for one plan to donate some handmade/refurbished items to the cause, and you too can help. Go here or here for more information.

room service atlanta=awesome

image courtesy of www.hgtv.com

 

Look at what Ms. Erika at Blue Label Bungalow is up to! She has just founded Room Service Atlanta, a non-profit organization that provides interior design service to homeless shelters.  When we think of homeless shelters we often don’t think of interior design. As so often is the case when we think of homelessness, we think of just solving the obvious problems.

One of my biggest pet peeves is that often times people don’t think that homeless people deserve ‘frivolous’ things such as dignity. Some people even go so far as to place stringent and ridiculous conditions on their charity. We think because someone is homeless they should just accept cast-offs and be happy about it.  Most people would say that homeless people should get just the basics, no frills. “If they want more, let them go to work and get for themselves.” What a smug, easy answer. If only circumstances that lead to homelessness were that simple.

I’m not suggesting that homeless shelters should be outfitted in the same luxury as your average McMansion, but wouldn’t it be great if they were just a little more cheerful? Wouldn’t it be great if Interior Design did for the homeless what they do for you and me? Wouldn’t it be great if it gave them just a little lift and some encouragement to get them through this tough time in their life?  That is the beauty of Room Service Atlanta.  It says to the occupants of this shelter, “We get it. Just because you’re homeless doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a little beauty in your life.”

As Ms. Erika states in her very moving post, “No, interior design is not a cure all for homelessness, but it can do a ton of good for a person’s mental and emotional state.” Now, that’s using your powers for good.

I for one plan to donate some handmade/refurbished items to the cause, and you too can help. Go here or here for more information.

Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn!

Yes, I am going!!!!
For the first time EVER, I won’t be a day late and a dollar short. I am finally at the right place at the right time to participate in something I want to participate in.  I am finally in a major city during a major craft festival!  I will get to go to this festival and see all (okay, some) of the wonderful creative people of New York! I am beside myself with excitement! I will get to put a human face to the folks at Etsy and play around with crafty stuff at one of several workshops.  I will also get to meet one of my  favorite surface designers Lotta Jansdotter! She will be there offering free tote-stenciling workshops, and I will be there, with bells on! I am so mad that I didn’t think to bring my copies of her books to sign…then again, at the outset of this trip I didn’t know I’d actually get to meet her.  The funny thing is, I had planned on going to visit her studio tomorrow in Brooklyn, but found out I couldn’t because it would not be open on that day. I had emailed her from the website to check first (and good thing I did).  I followed the link for her facebook fan page, and there it was: an invitation to come and stencil with her for FREE!!! I couldn’t have planned this better!

I am very excited about this event for the obvious reasons above. I am also excited because I am taking this as a sign to finally go for it! I have been flirting with my surface design passion for a couple of years now… I’ve dipped my foot in the pool and backed up, dipped and backed up.  Now with my youngest child getting ready to start preschool full-time in the fall, I’ve been contemplating what I will now be doing with my days.  Of course, design rears it’s pretty little head again, and I am feeling quite drawn to it…this time more seriously.  I am working on trusting my own creative voice, and cultivating my creative confidence.  Ms. Jansdotter has been a big part of that for me…seeing the beauty in the simplicity of her work and knowing that I over think things too much, and that I need to just do it!

I cannot wait to see what tommorrow brings. Be on the lookout for pictures.

My Current Crafting Obsession

A couple of my vinyl cutouts. The image in orange is an original design of mine.

A few months ago I purchased a Silhouette cutting machine.  If you are not familiar with the Silhouette machine, it is like a Cricut machine…except you are can cut practically anything. You are not tied to any ridiculously overpriced and creativity-limiting shape cartridges. I had been dying for one for a while. I could imagine all the intricate shapes and designs I could cut.  Let me say that I have never really scrap-booked.  I keep trying to make myself do it, but all the overwhelmingly cutesy supplies and perfectly laid out pages scare me.  I love to use scrap-booking tools….for other projects around the house.  I wanted the machine for a couple of reasons.  1. I fell in love with vinyl wall decor, 2. I was excited about the possibilities of using the machine to cut stencils for screen-printing, and 3.) I especially loved the machine’s ‘print and cut’ function, whereby I could print and cut different shape labels for my (then business) body product packaging.

As it often happens in life I got my machine, messed with it a little, but didn’t really have time to learn it.  It sat around for a few months until a few days ago.  I finally got my crafting area together and decided it was time to spend some quality-time with my Silhouette.  I am so excited!  I know, I know… crafting is not for everyone.  In fact, I watched a segment of Martha’s show with the actress Kerry Washington.  In the clip, Martha asked her where she does her crafting, and she said after a brief pause…”Um…here on your show…”  It was hilarious, and it is exactly how some people feel about crafts.  And that’s okay.  Not everyone gets excited about it, but I’m one of  those people that do.

So, like I was saying. I finally got to bond with my machine, and here are a couple of my practice projects.  I cut out a couple of shapes in vinyl for my walls.  I haven’t even begun!  Wait till you see my new AfroMartha calling cards!

p.s: you can see the machine to the right of the laptop in the picture.