I painted a lot for Christmas.  One painting was one I particularly wanted to keep for myself, as I love gerbera daisies.  Any kind of daisy really..  but the colors that gerberas grow in.. it makes painting them especially fun.

Can I take a quick second to write a note concerning fabric design?  I'm not sure if it is because I have my "How do you Design fabric" link on the sidebar..  (I wrote this to address this FAQ, but it seems to be getting worse rather than better..)

I get about 4 emails a day from people requesting info on how to become a fabric designer.  I'm so sorry, but these emails have to go unanswered.  I feel like a wench letting contacts flow away without a response, really I do.  But there are a few reasons I can't answer these.

1) It would take a LOT of time to teach you how "I" design fabric.

2) The way "I" design isn't standard.  Every designer I know has a different process.

3)  It isn't something that can be taught through email.

4)  Even if it was something that could be taught through email, I really can't take that time (see #1) to teach to you basically become.. my competition.

Several of my fellow designers are dear, dear friends.  But honestly, we are each others competition.  Sarah and I frequently talk design, and design methods etc etc..  show each other what we are working on.  One day , in the middle of one of these design phone call chats, I said to her..  "you know we are really helping each other but we're actually competition right?"  And she gasped and said something like, "NO, we're not!!"  And then we laughed, and agreed that, yes - we are.  But we don't care and it doesn't get in the way of our friendship.. but..  there you are.  Things are what they are.

5)  I really have no say in who becomes a Michael Miller designer..  I'm just a licensed designer who loves working with the company.  I'm not the creative director for the company..  (This really could be number ONE.. but "time" won out in the end.)

Hopefully this doesn't come off as snarky or rude.. if I could help make everyones wishes and dreams come true with the wave of a wand, I really would.  But I can't, and am still working to make my own happen.

My best advice to you if you are considering design, do your research.  Don't worry about the money you will make (If you want to get into it for the money, do something else..)  Don't spend time researching the best equipment for the job..  just start drawing.  That's how it happened for me.  Don't worry about digitizing and repeat and color and theory and mills and contracts..  Just pick up that pencil.  The rest will just come into place if it is meant to be.

xo

Sandi

Before I get started.. I guest posted over at Making it Fun the other day.  Hop over there to see a sneak of what I have been working on!

I was in the art store the other day and saw these little pots of irridescent powder.  They are called PearlEx and there are so many things you can do with them.  I have seen them combined with all kinds of paints (watercolors, acrylics, etc..)  You could mix them into melted crayons, brush them onto art projects.. they are pretty limitless. 

But the art I had in mind for these little babies had nothing to do with paper. I had the idea to mix them into nail polish.  I wasn't sure if it would work at all.. but in the words of my 7 year old.  "Holy Cow!!  It like, totally worked!"

I started by pouring a small puddle of nail polish onto an old envelope.

I didn't want to mix any of the powder into the original nail polish, so I grabbed one of the kids cheap-o paint brushes.  Scooped up a little bit of powder with the brush..

Mix it into the polish..

Paint it on your nails, just like you would normal polish..

And voila!  Shimmery nails..  Not like there isn't an arsenal of already-shimmering nail polishes on the market, but this was just too fun of an idea not to try.  I mixed a PearlEx ( #643 Pink Gold ) with a Sephora nail polish ( Let's Do Lunch ).  These colors were pretty complimentary, but next time I'm going to try and mix completely different colors and see what I get.  The other really cool thing about this?  It dries waayyy faster than normal polish alone.  Like.. a fifth of the time.  Don't know why, but not complaining!

OH- also.  I cleaned the cheap-o brush with nail polish remover and it worked just fine.  Used it the second time around with no problems.

Ta-

Sandi

Hey Friends!

Sorry for the long absence.  I don't do it on purpose.  You know how you get into a rut and its hard to change pace?  Moi ala winter come January.  I make it just fine through December and then January hits and it is just.. gray.  I've started a dozen posts this month but run out of steam before finishing any of them.  You know how that gets?

So I have been trying to reclaim myself.  Gave myself a facial - Skinny Girl from Walmart.  I was shocked, it was the best mask I've ever used.

Started a nightly ritual involving a bubble bath, candles and Pride & Prejudice.  I look forward to that bath all day..  My favorite body products are by Pacifica.. amazing.

Speaking of which.. have you READ Jane Austen?  I mean, not just watched the movies but read the books?  I admit, this is my first time through even though I have been a fan for a long time.  Wow, she really knew what she was doing.

My mom surprised Dustin and I with a trip to Lolo Hot Springs and we took off on Monday.  That was fantastic.  Rejuevenation, check.

Did I even mentioned how big of swimmer I am?  I adore the water.. I swam competetively and as a diver in my youth.  Took lifeguarding training as a class in high school and then worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor for several years.  I miss it.  our quick jaunt in the water has made us decide to run to the YMCA and snag a family pass.  Dustin said I move through the water like a mermaid.  :)

We gorged ourselves on fresh fruit from Bountiful Basket (do you have one of these where you are?  They are fantastic!)  and ate cheese and bread and got caught making out in the hot pool.  I might have walked around in the mountains without a shirt on (around midnight) but I'm not committing to that one.  ;)

And then I went all wild and crazy and went straigh haired for the day.

And signed up for Bountiful Basket!  I have been waiting for this to come here and was overjoyed when it finally arrived.  Have you heard of this?  It is $15 a week and you get enough fresh fruit & veggies to feed an army.

I'll take a picture of what we get next week if you are interested and then maybe chronicle what we make with it?  Hmm..

There have been crafty adventures going on.. of course!  It's just all that dreaded "can't share now syndrome..."  But I am guest blogging over at Making it Fun on Sunday with a video tour of the new studio and maybe... you can get a climpse at the new Henna group.  That I get constant requests for.  Truly, it's being done.  Another long awaited return?  Claire should be popping up in the website next weekish.  If you are interested in a pre-order (we are only ordering about 1000 to begin.. customers request returns of patterns but then sometimes they don't sell that well?)  Then leave a comment and if there is enough interest, I'll put together a pre-order for the pattern.  Just keep in mind, they won't be here for about 2 weeks.

 

:)

Sandi