I have lots of colorful posts to share with you today to get you in the mood for Spring! First up, London-based Irish designer Orla Kiely. She just launched her Spring/Summer 2010 collection of fashion, accessories, stationery and things for the home on both her UK and US websites and I just have to share them to pick you up if you’re experiencing the Monday morning blues. I think this is her strongest collection to date – the palette is very bright and energetic, less muddy than past seasons, don’t you think?.
The handbags and wallets are my favorites, though I also like the new assortment of mugs and pillows along wit the embroidered stem towel – a subtle detail against white. I think her patterns this season really show a different side of Orla that I like and found her inspiration for this season most fascinating, “Orla Kiely finds her muse in Hayley Mills. This collection draws inspiration from The 70s’ Parent Trap to The Sound of Music. The collection reveals a designer whose work is evolving as she steps forward into a more charming and elegant world.“
What things to do you see that you simply must have?
(images: orla kiely)
I wish you a weekend filled with at least a few special moments for yourself because you certainly deserve them. It’s been a hard week for many of my friends, one watched her relationship end, another is watching his end, my brother-in-law had his 11th surgery and is in a lot of pain, and I got word from a relative that my dear mother is suffering depression because I moved away and well, that made me feel pretty sad because I didn’t even see this coming and wondered how I could have missed it. And I haven’t a clue what to do.
Sometimes it’s hard to be a grown up, I think we all have days when we wish it was all as magical as childhood made being an adult out to be. It made me think of this song by James Morrisson called Once When I Was Little. The lyrics are here, I invite you to read them and listen/watch him perform the song here. It’s very touching and true, something we all can relate to. Especially for me this week.
“I was the one, who would always jump in first. Didn’t think twice to look behind. Got such a good feeling, just from playing in the dirt, Once when I was little….” – James Morrison.
But I won’t end this week on a solemn note. I will leave it on a positive one. I think you’re lovely, just as the illustration says above by the talented Gemma Correll. I will see you Monday and make your weekend a great one.
(image: Gemma Correll)
Well the cat is out of bag, and meow! Liberty of London is collaborating with Target to bring a new collection on March 14th to a store near you. But did you know that Target has a few freebies for fans of their new line? Oh yes, you can grab some colorful, floral patterns for your desktop or phone (Droid or iPhone).
Simply click here and then click on “Pattern Your World” to view and download them. Enjoy!
(images: target)
I’ve been dying to get my hands on some fabric for Spring and though I have no clue what I’ll do with any of it I went on a bit of a spree a few days ago online at Volksfaden. This is a web-based shopped owned by an American living in Berlin and so that is where I usually go for fabrics when I’m looking for ones from American designers. I guess I needed a little fabric fix from the mothership. Here are the ones I had to have… they made me feel so Spring-y. And I’m on the whole chevron bandwagon with the rest of the blog world, so of course I needed to add a few of those to the pile. Here’s a glimpse of what was inside of my little magic package that arrived in the mail today. Spring in a box!
- Arabesque Ivory by Amy Butler
- Sun Spots Turquoise by Amy Butler
- Water Bouquet Mint by Amy Butler
- Fresh Poppies Sky by Amy Butler (sorry, sold out)
- Chevron Black by Paula Prass
- Chevron Yellow by Paula Prass
- Damask Grey by Dena Designs
Baby Paisley Taupe by Prints Charming - Toadstools by Cloud9
I’m sure I missed some, but you can have a look around the Volksfaden site to find some favorites of your own. If you live in Germany, or the EU, this is a great way to get fabric from the states I think as shipping can get quite expensive if you’re ordering a lot from outside of the EU.
8 prints in blues, greens and yellows. So fresh and ready to be transformed in pillows. I’m been dying to get rolling on some of my Amy Butler patterns.
These remind me of the coast and I imagine how nice they’d look on a covered balcony or patio.
I like these patterns because together, they remind me of a sweet little baby. Many of my friends are pregnant or have little ones and when I added just a few cute accents to the mix I noticed how perfect these patterns really would be in a baby’s room.
The wavy pattern is so versatile, it goes great with almost all of the patterns that I purchased.
I dream of someday owning a new pale blue or white Fiat. I’m just crazy for them. I love the vintage ones too, but I think a new one would be better for weekends up on the coast. My neighbor has a pale blue fiat and I have had my nose to the window more than once inspecting the interior. :) Last year I bought myself a toy Fiat that I display in my cabinet as a reminder of my dream. And aren’t these sweet prints so playful, I just adore the mini trees and the kids with the umbrellas.
(images: holly becker for decor8)
Do you want to know more about product styling and photography? A few days ago a reader commented on my most recent Etsy Take Five Tuesday column expressing frustration because she has a hard time taking good product shots for her store, and as a result felt overlooked by bloggers (like me) who are so particular about the images that we share on our sites.
I really appreciated hearing her thoughts and I felt bad because I know how it feels to be in that position as years ago I had no clue how to take photos and while I’m still not a professional, I have grown tremendously in this area in comparison to my humble beginnings and I wanted to let her in on how I made progress. I then thought that her frustration may be what others are feeling out there but who are too shy to say something — especially when their favorite blogs won’t feature their products due to photography that could be a bit more professional looking without breaking the bank. Truth is, I think anyone who has a home-based business, a computer, and a camera (point and shoot, DSLR, doesn’t matter) should pay attention to the photos that they are taking of their products because that is one of the major factors that can make or break their business. And it’s SO easy to quickly make improvements in this area… so why not try it?
In fact, in the class I am currently instructing with Leslie Shewring is covering many blog-related topics and one just so happens to be photography and styling for photos that appear on your blog (or web shop). Leslie does a beautiful job explaining things and students in our class seem to be gaining more and more confidence in their abilities to pretty-up their photos as the weeks go by. And though I cannot spill what we’ve been sharing in class, I can share some links that I’ve found personally helpful.
Some of these focus on food styling but that’s not the point, you can replace food with any object you’d like – the point is to examine the techniques shown. I want everyone to take pride in what they are sharing online, whether in their Flickr account, on Etsy, on their blogs, the point is that when you feel confident about the work you are presenting others will want to share it, too. So if you are frustrated and wonder about photography, styling, how to create a budget home photo studio for your small business then these links are for you:
- Etsy: Shop Makeover Series — Feature Friendly Photos
- Etsy: Shop Makeover Series — Are Your Photos Frontpage Worthy?
- Food Photography Setup: Part 1
- Food Photography Setup: Part 2 Compact Camera Food Photography Tips on Food Photography (that can be applied to your products not just food).
- Etsy Seller Tip: Present Yourself to the Press How To Brighten Your Photos
- Staying Sharp: Achieving Clarity and Crispness in Your Photos
- Give Props: How to Style Your Photos
- Making It Lovely: Product Photography Part 1
- Making It Lovely: Product Photography Part 2
- Homemade Light Box DIY
As far as magazines and books are concerning, I can’t direct you there as much because quite frankly, most feel wayyyy over my head and bore me to death. But I just started reading Digital Photographer magazine and find their tutorials super helpful and perfect for all levels. It’s a British title that I think is available at large booksellers in the states because I first found it at Barnes & Noble, so check it out!
Hope these links help you! If you know of some other great websites, online tutorials, books, magazines… please share them with us because I’m sure lots of readers would be grateful for as much help in this area as possible.
(image: holly becker for decor8)
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