{Fabric Friday} Ink & Spindle + Earth Day ~ Organic Fabric Giveaway

I have the perfect textiles to feature on the Fabric Friday after Earth Day. While I know I have mentioned Ink & Spindle before, I have a little more to share. Lara Cameron and Tegan Rose are the two textile designers who run the boutique screen-printing studio in Australia. It was their love of screen printed textiles and sustainable alternatives to mass produced textiles that brought the two together. They take great pride in their high quality printing and their minimal impact on the environment. The result is beautiful hand printed fabric and designs that showcase their love of the earth. 
{photos below found here}

But wait, it gets even better! When visiting the Ink & Spindles blog, I found out about a really cool giveaway that will make you fellow fabric lovers, drool. To celebrate Earth Day, Ink & Spindle is participating in a blog hop giveaway!

As their blog explains: "In our little corner of the industry, we want to promote the use of organic fabrics. In particular, those that are sustainable & Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) Certified." 

Here is the scoop: 12 wonderful people/businesses below are giving away some beautiful textiles! So, it is time to do some blog hopping now. Stop by each blog and enter their giveaways!

Betz White - Birch Fabrics - Cloud9 Fabrics - Cottage Industrialist - Daisy Janie

Harmony Art - Homesweet - loop - Monaluna - Swanky Swell - Umbrella Prints - Ink & Spindle 

I just got my most recent order of Ink & Spindle fabrics this week and they are so gorgeous. I have a perfect idea on how to use them and I am just chomping at the bit to see & share the finished product. But until then, here is my growing klt:fabricstash.  Good luck on the Blog Hop Fabric Giveaway!  I am on my way to enter them myself. Happy Fabric Friday! Do you have any favorite textile designers? 

{Earth Day} a little something from klt:works...

Happy Earth Day everyone! 

Being eco-friendly is something that is important to me. Over the years, I have found some great companies to work with such as Alternative Apparel, American Apparel, & Enviro-tote to help me offer some eco-conscious options at klt:works. Organic & eco-tees, and recycled totes are always available at klt:works and I want to offer up a little extra savings on those items today. Until midnight tonight (PST), you can receive a 25% refund (via Pay Pal) off your order by using the word "Earth" at checkout either here or here.

So, enjoy celebrating the earth a little extra today. I think I am going to go frolic in a puddle or just sit in a tractor tire for a spell. How are you going to celebrate Earth Day?
Just a little side note: I love the scarf that I am wearing in the picture (perfect for NW weather). You can find it at Redbird Style- Robin makes some great things!

{A Centipede} Steve from A to Z

When I was pregnant with Sayer, Chris & I decided to design a mobile with him in mind. We thought it should be a mobile with bug characters. Each of us had ideas as to what bugs should be included and we chipped away individually at sketches of our little critters. One day, I found a tiny, white piece of paper sitting on my dresser. It was a sketch of centipede named Steve that Chris had modestly placed in spot where it would be noticed. In a matter of hours, a Steve prototype was created.

Where did this image come from you ask? Apparently, there is a real Steve Centipede who lived in Rhode Island in the 70's. Chris has vivid memories of a real centipede that lived in the corner (on the wall) in his living room. Steve came out at night and hung out while Chris' family  watched TV and it pretty much freaked him out. I asked him who named Steve and he thinks it must have been his mother. He dad doesn't remember and said, "he just was always Steve". Steve made quite an impression on Chris - particularly his "feathery legs" and the way he quickly scampered around. He later vanished about as mysteriously as he had appeared, but had quite a long stay at the Theiss household (from when Chris was 6-12 years old he thinks). There are rumblings that Steve's children live there still. Even though Steve made Chris a bit uneasy, he wanted to include him on a mobile because not many people get to meet a centipede and he wanted to create one that was a little more friendly. It just seemed like a perfect bug to hang out with kids on their ceiling. It's nice that Sayer gets to enjoy one of Chris' childhood memories. (pictures above & below: from sketch to nursery)

We haven't really explained the story of Steve to Sayer yet, but somehow he must have picked up on the special connection that Chris has with the crazy centipede. One night last week, Sayer looked up at his Crawling Critters Mobile and talked to me about Steve. He said he wanted me to make Steve like his Whoo Whoo (Ollie Plush). He told me he wanted red, then he decided that he wanted blue (he is really into colors these days). I took on this challenge last weekend (in between working on orders). I made two to show him. Of course, in toddler fashion, he hasn't really decided. He keeps going back and forth between the two  color combinations.

So, that is how Steve came to be. Regardless of what color the plush ends up, Sayer gave me the kick that I needed to make a pattern for a larger Steve. I always had a plan to do it, but it took a special request from my favorite 2 year old to get the wheels in motion. I think he may have a career as the klt:art director in his future.  Do you have a favorite plush or character from your childhood?

{Music Monday} Spectacular Collaborations...

I finally had a chance to read through my issue #2 of, It's Nice That, the other night & I stumbled on an interview with photographer, Peter Funch. It gave me a chance to re-visit a video that I have always really enjoyed & it happened to work quite nicely for this Music Monday post. As you have probably picked up already, I absolutely love making artistic connections and this is another good one! It is all about color & music that makes you feel good today.

Peter Funch worked with Sony Bravia to create an advertising video that used colorful, bouncing balls throughout the streets of San Francisco. The music featured, was "heartbeats" by another klt:studio fav, Jose Gonzalez.  This collaborative video is an amazing fit ! It gives me chills everytime I watch it.

Admittedly, it is the Sony Bravia video that introduced me to Jose Gonzalez's music back in 2006 and ever since then, it has been a studio staple. "The Nest" & "Sensing Owls" are two of my favorite songs that seem to get a lot of air time while I work. I am a believer that music can affect imagery. I tend to listen to songs about birds particularly when I am drawing them in thread. {And a side note: Jose Gonzalez radio on Pandora is excellent too!}

Bouncing back to the balls, I was able to find the making of the Sony Bravia video to share with those of you that enjoy process like I do. I find innovative thinkers so inspiring, don't you? So, happy Music Monday! Hope these videos helped "put you in a nice place". What is your favorite music/video collaboration?

{Fabric Friday} Marimekko & the Skagit Valley

The tulip fields are in full bloom where I live. Driving out through the fields all you see are large blocks of vibrant color- like a patchwork quilt. I find that during this time of year, the colors and shapes of this valley, influence my fabric and palette choices.

{My son, Sayer, running through a tulip field in the Skagit Valley last week.}

Which brings me to my love of Marimekko fabrics. Marimekko is a Finnish corporation that began in the 1951. Their textile designs came from artists printing their graphic designs on fabrics. The name, Marimekko, is considered to represent, “the desire for a modern lifestyle that is in harmony with the natural environment”. Well, that pretty much sums up my aesthetic in a nut shell. I actually have been known to drool a little when looking at Marimekko fabrics. My klt:stash is running a bit low these days so I put together a klt:wishlist to share with you. 

{Marimekko wish list fabrics found here}

{ klt:works dwindling Marimekko stash}

I can’t help but wonder if the the vast tulip fields of the area where Marimekko originated, had some influence in the palette and designs of their textiles. And maybe it is because I grew up in an area agriculturally similar, that I gravitate towards the Marimekko designs and aesthetic? It is nice to feel that connection anyway.

{Tulip fields in the Netherlands-picture via the Post Family}

Marimekko textiles are classics and I will continue to enjoy them and create with them for as long as I am inspired by my own surroundings.  Happy Fabric Friday!

{Everyday Inspiration} Story time ...

I am like a sponge when it comes to soaking up the thousands of details that a day throws my way. Hanging out with a toddler can pretty much guarantee that some pretty noteworthy things will been seen, pointed out, and documented in my mental sketchbook. One of my favorite times for seeking inspiration, is story time with Sayer. Whether it is concocting our own stories or reading one of his many books, some tidbit of information is always stashed away for future creations. I have always loved children's books and have collected them for years. They are displayed all around the house because I like to have them accessible and in my sight. The book ledge in my studio, dedicated to my current finds, and the book wall in Sayer's room are some of my favorite spots to gaze. 

My fellow, book lover friend, Catherine (monsieur minouchet), gave me, Spot It! Find the Hidden Creatures, by Delphine Chedru last Christmas. This is a truly gorgeous book! It has become a favorite of Sayer's as well. His favorite part of the book is, "The fox in the night...". He really seems to respond to the palette (he is also really aware of color these days). I even got him the pajamas that he is wearing in the picture above, because of the book- they are his "night fox" pajamas. We spend so much time studying each page in this book, that some of the color combinations inevitably found their way into my studio. I wanted to share with you how this book has influenced my color choices when making some recent klt:plush.

{pictured: Bluebird with Helen Rawlinson screen printed fabric, Night time Dewey Bird, Marimekko Slugs}

{pictured: ABC Dewey Bird with Helen Rawlinson screen printed fabric}

There is no doubt in my mind that I will continue to be inspired by this book, and many others, when making things for klt:works. Is there a favorite book that you look to for inspiration? 

{Music Monday} Finding music visually...

I bought my first Neko Case cd, because I was drawn to it visually. I really didn't know much about her then, but the illustrations on Fox Confessor Brings The Flood (2006), drew me in. I buy books this way too. Every now and then, it is the cd & book designs that are the most interesting part, but not with Fox Confessor. I instantly became a fan of Neko's voice, interesting lyrics, and music. I find that I naturally gravitate towards musicians that have a honed visual sensibility. {image via artist's website}

I love the animated illustration for, Maybe Sparrow (Fox Confessor). This video is beautiful on so many levels. You will probably see why I like it - I use owl and bird imagery a lot in the klt:studio. 

I recently bought the book, When You Were Small, for Sayer. I had the same immediate response to it visually as I had to the Neko Case cd & video. It wasn't until buying the book, that I made the connection that it was the same illustrator, Julie Morstad. It is apparent that Neko & Julie share the same sensibility. Combining the talents of these two women is pure genius!

I stumbled upon this next video of Neko talking about her creative process for her album, Middle Cyclone. When I listened to her talk, as if I wasn't already hooked, I became immediately aware of why her music has become a studio favorite of mine. The statement that resonates with me the most is when she talks about "happy accidents". This is a phrase that I use often when I teach painting but it is also one that I truly live by. Her philosophy, and the way that she goes about her creative process is something that I really understand and appreciate. I suppose that is why I respond to her work so strongly. This little snippet inspires me with music, words, and a visual language that appeals to me aesthetically. Hope you enjoy it too.

So, thank you Julie Morstad, for introducing me to such an amazing musician through your illustrations! Happy Music Monday!  So, what musician inspires you?