taking stock

...here's to a healthier, happier and more productive 2011. 

oh, and one year closer to 2012 - Cheers !

See you in the New Year.

Make it your best...

rightly so

it's no secret that SEASIDE Cloth & Grass is inspired in large part by an uber clean palette of color as each new onset of pattern design and product development commences.  What better way than to ring in the New Year than to take a look at these breathtakers which illustrate this point so finely.  The grandeur of this home drives home this philosophy oh so well...oh, and by the way, it could also be a sneak peek into some of the loosely interpreted lifestyle accessories that may be making their way back into the design portfolio in the coming year as SSCG reinvents itself again...enjoy...

oh my, and oh my.  

pics courtesy the mcgrath agency

forward



...multiples and illustrative case studies in black and white - use this method often in extracting inspiration and design motifs.   Looking forward to the New Year...how about you?



seaside inspired christmas

a series of images from the archives depicting my interpretation of a joyous noel... hope yours is delightful

and celebratory cheers to a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year 2011

beachcombing



on this Monday before the 'big day', I am inspired by these creations...an artist after my own heart with a series of finds from the sea and beyond.  A lovely mini selection from an even larger series of prints from a delightful little shop discovered on etsy...for more of her work you can pop over through this link and see for yourself all of her collection that includes some of the wonders of the ocean transformed into fine art prints;  http://www.quercusdesign.etsy.com/

only five shopping days left...!  better get on it, ho ho ho...

feels like friday

just a couple of the many textures and illustrations that will be part of the mulling-over package that will be on the to-do list this weekend as I continue pattern development...

hope your weekend plans include lots of goodies - friends, food and fun !

photos illustrations via old book illustrations on the interwebz

fan or not

...even after living for many years in a State with an overabundance of cacti, I have never quite become accustomed to their spiny, dangerous and prickly tendencies.  Mildly put, I really do not like them very much.  However, I am noticing that their forms are becoming more and more popular in many design settings and accessorizing products.  I've seen a lot of botanical arrangements crafted in felt, which certainly takes out the spiny danger.  Still unsure about the re-creation of these little monsters though, even with the pseudo likenesses in textile form.  Here are a few okay color combinations for consideration...

 

echinodermata excellencia

Sea life at its finest, with all the intricacy of a 19th century ink illustrator.

Echinoderms (Phylum Echinodermata) are an exclusively marine invertebrate animal species displaying radial symmetry as adults.

Member Classes include Asteroidea (starfish), Echinoidea (sea urchins and sand dollars), Crinoidea (stone lillies and feather stars), Holothurians (sea cucumbers) and Ophiuroidea (brittle stars).
Their extinct ancestors constitute a much larger group and have left behind an extensive fossil record.
These extraordinary images come from a multi-volume series of monographs from the 1840s entitled: 'Monographies d'Échinodermes Vivans et Fossiles'  or 'Monographs of living and fossilised echinoderms'.



Monday Inspiration

Absolutely love these illustrations and photos that were executed wonderfully into a calendar for 2011 from a delightful shop known as Little Brown Ben.  According to their profile information...Little Brown Pen is a fine art photography and illustration boutique founded by Nichole and Evan Robertson. Nichole is the woman with the camera, Evan is the man with the pen, and they both have an insatiable appetite for 1920s Parisian cafe culture.   In January of 2009, they left behind New York and bought a one-way ticket to Paris. Maybe it was naive and idealistic, but only naive idealists would move to Paris in the middle of the winter.  They left behind a New York “live to work” mentality and resolved to slow down. That they did, and with more time to walk and notice things came photos. Lots of photos...

Paris, Artists, Wanderlusts, Illustration and Photos?  Truly a talented couple after my own heart. You can visit their site here to see more of their wonderful work:  http://www.littlebrownpen.etsy.com/

Feels like Friday

Easing into the weekend rife with upcoming projects.  Already weeks and weeks into thinking about the launch of the Spring collection and busily gathering sources, textiles, textures and the like to work steadily through the weekend on some ideas that have been brewing lately.  Here are a couple of color and texture inspiration shots from the drawing board that may or may not make the cut...
We will just have to wait and see what the collection looks like and then it will become evident in the pieces where the inspiration came from ...  Enjoy your weekend...!

Shades of Winter in Grey and White

Recently came across an article that stated there are approximately 13,000 + shades, or colors of white.  At first it seemed a bit too extraordinary, but then as I started thinking about it and me being a color enthusiast after all (!) it seemed very true.  Actually, there are probably many more than that number of 13,000 when you consider all of the tints, hues and tonal qualities of white.  Who says white's not a color?  I beg to differ... :D  A few white-ish and grey tonal visual inspiration goodies I have in my stash files...

The inspiration of decay

It's no secret that I have a fierce attraction to, and find a huge amount of inspiration from, the obscure, the tattered, the vintage, the often overlooked decay of everyday items.  I notice the odd characteristics of banal things like the common areas of wear and tear on luggage, or how the handles of leather bags begin to form an inimitable patina from years of use.  However odd it may seem, it continues to manifest and transform into an indescribable inspiration when I begin to design a new item.  Colors, trends, seasons - they will always be the mainstays of inspiration - for the masses.  I find a secret pleasure in knowing that it is the often-overlooked that truly delivers for me.

The Bourgeois Girls have arrived

The new Bourgeois Clutches have started to trickle into the shop, and I just love how versatile they are!  Their perfect size is great for so many uses; they fit neatly into a larger tote for staying organized; they are great to tuck into the compartment of the golf cart; just the right size for the gym bag makeup necessities, and of course perfect to grab and go off to the market for a couple of things.  I added plenty of pockets inside - 4 in all  (!) to carry phone, cash, keys, gloss, credit cards, and even a small camera so you don't miss any photo ops, if you are so inclined!  And, of course they are all inspired by seaside villages - so pick your favorite and off you go !  Here's the direct link to the shoppe:    http://www.seasidecloth.etsy.com/.

Here a just a couple of the many new designs to come, with a few of their inspiration photos.  Hauntingly still architectural remnants, sandy shores and the utility of a coastal village during the dormant winter months make for great design interpretation of the bourgeois.
And as always, thank you everyone for your kind words and support of Seaside Cloth & Grass !

Spanish Festival - inspired by the sands and shell remnants of the Spanish coastline

the classics

more seaside-inclined winter inspiration in the form of classic black and white photos.  a simple photo post whilst I mfr tediously in the workroom today...

seaside lately

...here are just a few of the items that I have been working on lately, those that have consumed some time. Plus some gifts for dear ones, new pattern developments, sourcing new textiles and hardware, and oh, yeah the holidays! Also, the bourgeois clutches are starting to trickle into the shop if you are so inclined...well, you know you are, so here's the link to my shop: http://www.seasidecloth.etsy.com/. Thanks everyone!