
I recently had a chat with talented Tanya Whelan of Grand Revival Designs, a designer of fabric and sewing patterns living in Belgium, about her new collection of fabric due out this Fall from Free Spirit. After catching a peek I couldn’t help but fall in love. And so here I am, sharing a glimpse of what Tanya has in store for us. She was so nice to send in such wonderful photos (most just shot over the weekend) to share on decor8 today. This new colorful line is called Dolce and you can watch her blog or the Fat Quarter Shop for updates on the exact launch date in both the U.S. and abroad.
Thank you Tanya for sharing these views today!
Psst: You can also send an email to kimberly AT fatquartershop DOT com to receive notification when these fabrics become available to purchase.
(images: Tanya Whelan)

After Leslie’s Color Me Pretty post yesterday, I’ve received many questions about how one can find and order Japanese stationery and rubber stamps online. I know there are some great Japanese shops I’ve referenced here in the past, but that was awhile ago so I think I’ll round up just a few of my favorite stores today, some I’ve shopped and had a perfect transaction every time.
Ginko Papers — Lovely owners, they’ve sourced Japan and pulled together a curated selection in their online shop. I ordered masking tape from them and some other paper products and the transaction and products were lovely!
Super Buzzy – Japanese fabric and papers. Weeee!
Fabric Tales – Fabrics and more.
This and That from Japan – Great source for everything crafty!
Karaku – This has long been my secret source but I’ve decided to share… I’ve been a total shopaholic from this store in the past. Great things. I have rubber stamps, fabric stamp pads, cotton tape, fabrics and more from this seller and have ordered way too many times to confess the exact number. But I heart Karaku. :)
3point5dollars – Another secret source of mine. Shhhh.
Do you have any sources to supply with sites in English? Please share your links if you’d like, we’d all really appreciate it! :)
(image: masking tape)

So many pretty things for you enjoy today, so please… sit back and relax as I take you on a little trip of my top five etsy sellers of the week. :)
Alice B Gardens: {etsy – first shop} {etsy – second shop} {flickr} {blog}
Elisabeth Bentz: {etsy} {blog}
Laura Amiss: {etsy}
Did you enjoy my picks? I hope so. Do you have some of your own that you’d like to share? If so, please mention them below in the comments section with a link so that I may consider them for a future take five! Thank you!
(images: linked to their sources above)

Hello Friends! It’s me, Leslie again with Color Me Pretty. Today I am inspired by Japanese stationery supplies and colors like peacock blue, chartreuse, golden yellow, creamy white and a little dark brown. I was fortunate enough to enjoy a brief trip to Japan a couple weeks ago and I wanted to share my inspirations with you. I spent hours, yes hours, in stationery stores all over Tokyo. I just could not get enough of the pens, papers, tapes and stamps. We all have our weaknesses and one of my big ones is Japanese stationery and craft supplies!
Peacock blue (a really dark turquoise) looks stunning in home decor, especially when paired with a lighter shade of turquoise. Add a little chartreuse or avocado to the mix and you have one of my favorite color combinations!
This time I also brought in a little golden yellow and some dark brown as Fall is settling in here. If it is Spring where you are, a lighter shade of yellow works well too. In grad school, I upholstered an old Scandinavian sofa that was given to me in a fabulous peacock blue velvet. It sounds kind of scandalous as I write this but it actually looked amazing against the white washed walls of my apartment! Today, my dear sofa is in storage but I still love turquoise accents around my home!
I can only hope that one or some of these photos may inspire you to start a creative project for yourself. I love the month of September because to me it feels like the time for a fresh start. Time to do something new or to get back to things that have been on hold. It is nice to decide to stay home in the evenings and focus on what we want to create. Maybe it could be a journal that incorporates collage. How about an album of just inspiring photographs or of you at your happiest and most fulfilled moments instead of just the usual chronological one? Design files and small home improvement projects can be fun to tackle too. Whatever gets you moving and creating.
Thank you for your support of my column and I can’t wait to see you back here again soon! -Leslie Shewring
(images: leslie shewring)




















































