{Fabric Friday} klt:fabric stash peek...

The mailman made me really happy this week. There were many fun fabric deliveries to the klt:studio. I often buy little bits of fabrics here and there without a clue as to what I am going to do with them. These little nuggets of inspiration hang out in stacks in my studio until the perfect project calls out to them. I sometimes just sit and play with the fabrics and dream up what they are going to become. I would say half of my new fabric this week has a set purpose. I have new linen/cotton fabrics, japanese imports, more of the Hope Valley collection, a little Marimekko, and some new organic fleece. I am literally buried in ideas, orders, and new supplies these days.

Today it is absolutely beautiful here in the Northwest. I thought I would leave my stuffy, attic studio and get a little change of scenery and some fresh air. It was a nice opportunity to see my new stash of inspiration in a little different light. So I hold up a bouquet of organic fleece, slug antennae as a happy weekend toast.  Cheers to changing up the scenery every now and then and taking a break. Happy Fabric Friday! 

{Creative Process} How the new klt:mobile was made...

There is a new mobile design at klt:works and I am just thrilled about it. This idea has been kicking around in my brain for quite a while now- so it is very gratifying to finally have a finished product under my belt. This is just one of the many ideas in the works right now. My mind tends to move at a much faster pace than my fingers. Most of my studio time is spent filling orders, but every now and then, I sneak in new stuff to keep me excited. My hope is to offer a list of thread drawing characters to choose from - so a person could  choose their own story in a klt:mobile. I loved the idea of using my thread drawing for the floating images for a number of reasons. But having a mobile that is both high contrast (b&w) and modern in color & shape, is a big one (babies are said to see in b&w until they are 3 months). Maybe it is the art professor in me, but I thought that the creative process of how this mobile came to be might be an interesting thing to share.  So here we go....

Thread Drawing from elSage on Vimeo.

It all starts with drawings in thread. I know that I showed this video before, but it was in my first post and I really think it was just my mom who read it. Besides, it is the best way for me to describe how I draw in thread. This was a demo that I did for hutch studio. Most of the time,  a drawing would take a little longer (and I wouldn't have an audience either), but you get the idea. So this is how I created the squirrel, bird, owl, & nest for the klt:works tees, pillows, & now mobile. 

Once I have the images drawn, I take them to a local screen printer (that is 5 minutes away from my studio) and have them screen print my designs for me. It is Chris (not my husband, Chris) that is printing above- he is the one that has worked on a lot of  klt:works projects in 2010. I have been going to the same place for the last 4 years and consider the three of them, part of the klt:works team.

Then comes another fun part of the process, I get to pick out the fabrics for the back of the critters. You might remember me mentioning my love of Ink & Spindle fabrics in one of my Fabric Friday posts. I knew the minute I saw their fabrics, that I wanted to use them for my woodlands mobile (which I fondly think of as the Northwest mobile). I found this video on the Ink & Spindle blog and loved it. 

The last step is something that I really can't leave out. Chris makes all of the wood mobile structures in his little teeny shop area in the garage. He is literally wedged between piles of stuff & the car, when he works on his various house & klt:projects. He then heads upstairs to the klt:studio and methodically strings all of the critters on the mobiles - weighing them carefully with his gram scale from the ceramic studio. He puts the finishing touches on every single mobile that is made. I must pay tribute to those working hands above. Because without them, the mobiles would never be completed.

And that is how the new klt:mobile was made. Hope you enjoyed your creative process tour!  All in a day, right? 

{Music Monday} Rufus & his mom....

Rufus Wainwright has been a favorite musician in our house since 1999. Chris was the one who introduced me to his music. And funny enough, Chris found out about Rufus due to their physical similarities - which are sometimes quite uncanny. Rufus came from an extremely musical family- he is the son of folk singers Loudon Wainwright III & Kate McGarrigle, and brother of Martha Wainwright. His talents range from opera, theater, dance, and film along with rock. Needless to say, whatever Rufus does, it is unforgettable.

Rufus Wainwright Prima Donna - Trailer from George Scott on Vimeo.

It seemed appropriate to feature Rufus for this Music Monday post, being on the heels of Mother's Day. He and his mom Kate, were very close and often performed together.  Kate passed away in January of this year due to a form of cancer that she had been fighting for years. So I thought I would share one of their really sweet duets with you as a way of paying tribute. I love the way she looks at him throughout this performance.

All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu, is Rufus' latest album (it came out a few weeks ago). Here is nice little interview from that release, where he discusses his relationship with the piano. I also want to share one of his first music videos from his album, Poses (to give you some idea of his range). His sister Martha, used to tour with him and is in this video as well. 

Rufus Wainwright | All Days Are Nights: Songs for Lulu | Interview - The Piano from gary nadeau on Vimeo.

I seriously don't think that I could really do Rufus & his music justice in just one Music Monday post, but hopefully, it gives you an idea of what an incredibly creative musician his is. I was lucky enough to see Rufus in concert (when I was pregnant with Sayer actually) and I highly recommend seeing him live. He is just amazing and puts on quite a show! Happy Music Monday!