Heart Lab: Quirkles

Remember Rebecca of Quirkles? Well, I persuaded her to come back and share the making of Mr. Milton (the cutest and my favorite!!!)

1. Template - Create Template for fabric pattern 20 minutes

2. Print all the fabrics - 1 hour

3. Ears - Cut out 5 minutes, Sew blanket stitch and inner ears and stuff 40 minutes.

4. Body - Cut out body pieces 20 minutes (but to design the pattern took 2 days)

5. Legs - Cut pattern pieces 20 minutes, sew on machine and turn inside out 20 minutes.

6. Arms - Repeat legs method. 40 minutes.

7. Fingers and Toes - Bonda web the top and bottom together and cut out individual toes and fingers 30 minutes. Hand sew blanket stitch round each one 1 hour.

8. Positioning & Stuffing - Position Ears, arms and legs within the body pieces and sew the body pattern pieces together on machine making sure everything will be in the right place when you turn it out 30 minutes. Stuff him 5 minutes.

9. Wings - sew design on each wing 10 minutes. Back the wing and sew round with blanket stitch 40mins. Sew each wing onto the body by hand 20 minutes.

10. Face - Sew features and attach eyes 30 minutes.

11. Sewing - Sew up the gap by hand inserting tag 20 minutes.

12. Tag - It took 2 hours on the computer to design and 1 hour to print and cut out.

Heart Lab: treetop studio

Jennie of treetop studio makes the sweetest prints all manually screenprinted on a Gocco. She was kind enough to invite us for a closer look...

1. Get supplies
I am absolutely in love with my Gocco press but it does go through supplies very quickly. Lucky for me one of the few Gocco suppliers in the world lives right here in Portland so i can just pop over to her house and grab what I need! She's a great lady who gives out sound advice along with my order, so I often spend an hour chatting about my life with her. What a deal! 1 and 1/2 hours.

2. Cut paper
I buy large sheets of lovely printmaking paper that I cut down into 8 x 10' sheets. This process sounds boring but I adore paper and it's tactile quality. I find the 2 hours or so I spend cutting wonderfully meditative.

3. Design
This is most time-consuming part, but also the most fun. I draw my images in Illustrator and 3 or 4 hours can go by in the blink of an eye when I'm deliberating over the perfect place for a leaf. I love the moment when the design finally looks balanced and all the elements snap into place.


>> click here to continue reading Heart Lab

4. Mix ink
Gocco ink has a great texture to it and I love mixing it up to get just the right shade, even though it can take over an hour. I put it into a baggie and squeeze it onto the master screen like I am frosting a cake. I also spend some time removing my cat from the ink palette...he also thinks it is cake frosting and often tries to sneak a taste.

5. Print
I load up the Gocco with all the necessary props and get to work printing. It works much like traditional screen printing. I press the first color, then let dry. Then press the second color, and so on. I usually print over 100 pieces so each layer takes awhile, about 90 minutes, but it's so rewarding to see the finished product!

6. Go to day job
At this point all the prints are laying out on my studio floor drying and I must go to that pesky little thing called a "day job" for 8 hours. Definitely my least favorite part.

7. Package 3 hours
I spend a few hours signing and numbering all of the prints and slipping them into poly sleeves. Then I photograph the new print and put it up on Etsy, pour myself a glass of wine and relax!

Thanks Jennie!!

Heart Lab: Cursive Design

I'm so happy to finally have Sarah of cursive design here!! She makes the most beautiful glass votives, the sweetest earrings AND these lovely necklaces... (sheesh she's one big ball of talent!)

Step 1: Searching for lace trims
For me the design process begins right in the aisles of trim at the fabric store. I pour over all of them looking for the right thickness and pattern that will work for my jewelry. I can be in the fabric store from anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.

Step 2: Mixing the dye colors
This usually lasts an entire day (or even more on some occasions). This is one of the most enjoyable parts for me since I feel color is such a main element in these pieces but it can also be very tedious and exhausting. I never settle until the color in my head matches the swatch of lace coming out of the dye bath. By the end of color mixing day I'm always ready for a glass of wine and a cheers to myself on getting the colors just right. 8 to 9 hours.

Step 3: Hand dying the lace
Once the dyes are all made I need to actually dye the chosen trims in the dye baths. I wash and rinse them until the water runs clear. This can take 30 minutes to an hour.

>> click here to expand & read full interview

Step 4: Stiffening the lace
After I wash the lace I dip them in liquid starch and pin them down flat to dry. This takes about an hour or so since I do a large batch at a time. I let them dry pinned down overnight.

Step 5: Sealing the lace
After they are dry I carefully take out the pins and lift up the stiff lace pieces. I cut off excess parts of the trim I won't use with a fine scissors. I lay them down flat and seal them with acrylic. This takes about 45 minutes and they will dry overnight.

Step 6: Designing the pieces
I typically sketch out ideas for an hour and than get to work with the chain, beads, findings, and lace. I alternate between working flat with the piece on the table and lifting it up to see how it hangs. This process can take 3-4 hours depending on how many I'm working on at a time.

Step 7: Photoshoot/Cleaning up images/Uploading to shop
I'm still learning as I go with photography and is SO important. Shooting jewelry can be very tricky. I just got a fantastic camera which has helped immensely, but I'm still learning about lighting and composition etc. etc. That being said my last photoshoot with 34 pieces took me 2 and a half days. And I wish I was kidding. That time frame will get smaller and smaller as I get better though. Next, I clean them up in Photoshop for about 2 hours. Lastly they get uploaded to the shop. (about an hour).

Step 8: Packaging orders
Depending on how many orders I am packing it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to wrap them up. It's important to me to make the package look special on the outside as well. It makes the experience of getting something in the mail that much more exciting.

Thanks Sarah!!

Heart Lab: Jennifer Koshbin

My jaw literally dropped when I saw Jennifer Koshbin's book sculpture series The Book Project: diggin’ for the truth - and when I finally manged to pick it up - the words HOLY SH!T soon followed! I couldn't believe it... did she actually cut each page one by one with the precision of a heart surgeon??

If you're lucky enough to be in the San Antonio area (lucky dogs!) then make sure you head out to see:

>> Off with Their Heads
New works by Jen Koshbin
One9Zero6 Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
Saturday June 14th.
PRESALE - ALL WORK AVAILABLE NOW - PRIOR TO SHOW OPENING

1. Concept: After reading whatever I can on the subject that I’m working on, and collaborating with my husband who is a philosophy prof, I look over my own sketches as well as other artists’ works that inspire me before deciding what I want to take to the public. Concepts and images are continually floating in and out of both my studio space and my head space.

This takes a lifetime, but for each book I probably spend 4-5 hours deciding on which image to use next.

2. Finding "The One": In Ballast/Levity, which came out of The Book Project I, I chose a book that makes most sense to what I am seeking to resolve. 1 hour

3. Sketching: I sketch out an image on the inside cover. 3 hours

4. Cutting: Using a cutting tool, I cut the pages one by one. 2 hours

5. Assemble, glue and attach: I assembled the cut pieces, individually glued them back together, and attached them to the opposing inside cover, so book would close. 1 hour

6. Drying, Self-convincing & Framing: As the piece dried I had time to convince myself it was finished, which is difficult if not impossible. Then I framed the piece. 1 hour

7. Photoshoot: Next I took photos of the work. 1/2 hour

8. Website: Posted it on website. 1 hour

9. Reflection: I typically work in series. Each series reflects a passion or perhaps a problem to be solved. I think we are all working in genres that help us understand who we are and who we aren’t. So now I sit back with all my favorite foods in hand, look at my work and reflect on what I’ve done. Another lifetime.

Heart Lab: Handmade Handbuilt Pottery by Deborah

I discovered Deborah's handbuilt pottery line while putting together the Laced Up editorial. I've never seen pieces like hers before and I just had to find out more about her process...

1. Inspiration: Walking around, doing nothing clay related and suddenly seeing something in nature that inspires me - Indefinite time

2. Prepping the clay: Slice a chunk of clay off the block and knead it, spreading it thinner with my hands, finding the perfect rough organic looking shape, then smoothing it with a rolling pin - About 20 minutes

3. Impressing the clay with bits of antique lace and ribbons and making my signature hand stamped flower (or art deco girl) add-on - 10 minutes

4. Shaping it into a cone shape and sealing it with slip (wet clay) - 2 minutes


5. Drying: 3 days

6. Firing: Loading and Firing it in the kiln - 9 hours

7. Finishing: Removing it and staining it with mason stains and a transparent glaze over it - 20 minutes

8. Second Firing: Back in the kiln for a second firing - another 9 hours

9. Taking the pictures: What seems like an eternity but probably is only 15 minutes

10. Upload: Listing it on etsy - 10 minutes

11: Packaging it and shipping: An hour ..... more if there’s a line at the post office!

Thanks Deb!!

Heart Lab: For the Record

I think I've mentioned it like ten times now, but I have a serious soft spot for appliqué and hand stitching. So of course I'm super in love with everything Jacqueline, of For the Record makes. Check out her shop, it's full of lovely handmade items like cosies, blankets, embroidered notebooks... just too much cuteness for anyone to handle!

1. Template: First I draw out the template size of the object onto paper. 10 minutes spent looking for ruler and pencil, 1 minute drawing up the template.

2. Choosing Materials: Select and cut out the base material and lining. 1/2 hour - usually done before sleeping the night before.

3. Piecing and embellishments: Piece together and decide what to use for the embellishments on the front of the cosy. 10 minutes. Done in the car (while husband drives) with fabric spread all over- I try to avoid wearing black for work as the threads tend to get stuck onto my clothes!

4. Appliqué: My fave activity in the whole process :)
15 to 40 minutes, depending on how complicated it is. I sometimes do a whole series, then come back for a second round and add more stuff to the. All done in the car, makes the early morning car ride much more enjoyable.

5. Tack & Stitch: Tack, machine stitch together lining - 15 minutes

6. Ironing: 15 minutes for a whole set. I try to do 10 copies at a time, it's more efficient this way.

7. Ribbon: Choose the side ribbon and cut to size - 5 minutes

8. Tack & Stitch: Tack again and machine stitch up the cosy - 25 minutes for 10 pieces

9. Ironing: Iron everything flat

Thanks Jacqueline!!

Heart Lab: La Pomme

Apol of La Pomme creates the most precious things - her imagination is magical and the fact that she does it all from a small village in France makes it all the more endearing! Oh and did I mention she works out of a small mobile home she installed next to her garden, after growing tired of working on top of her dining room table!

1. Deciding to make a bird: Took one afternoon. I live in the Camargue, in France. It’s a nature reserve, and one day while staring at the flamingos and herons feeding in front of my home and listening to the squawking of seagulls and other feathered creatures, I decided I was going to make myself a bird plush.

2. Letting the idea boil in my neuron soup: Months and months, meanwhile I grow fabric fruits and flowers.

3. The A-ha! moment: Took just, uhm, a moment, when I happened upon a picture of swans while doing research on plants to add to my dry garden.

4. Making the pattern: 10 to 15 minutes. I’m pretty quick at this.

5. Cutting and sewing the bird: 20 minutes



>> continue reading Heart Lab

6. Stuffing the bird: (With polyfill herbs and potatoes--yum!.) Takes another 10 minutes.

7. Sewing it close by hand and adding the wings: 15 minutes

8. Deciding on the final touches: Hand-embroidery? What stitches to use? What color of thread? Just the wings or all over the body? Buttons for the eyes? This can go on for a long time!

9. Letting it sit in my workroom: Overnight. The day after, I take a good long look and decide if I’m happy with it. If not, I poke the poor thing with a needle some more.

10. Calling my husband to show off and exclaim, "Isn’t he cute!": Just five minutes in real time, but for my husband, who has had to live through this for every single thing I’ve ever made, it probably seems like it’s taking forever :)

Make sure to check out La Pomme where you can buy one of these lovely swans and be sure to stop by lapommeblogs.blogspot.com to say hi!

Thanks Apol!!

Heart Lab: Nicola Starr

Nicola emailed me samples of her work and I knew right away that I had to get her on the site before she got too big and busy for lil' old me!

Her collages have an air of simplicity, almost Zen in nature. Each element is balanced, right down to the last pixel. The page could have 10 very different elements on it, but somehow everything is in harmony. By no means do I equate simplicity with easy, in fact, I think simplicity is one of the hardest things to achieve (in life, in art, in cooking ... I guess in everything).

Don't take my word for it, have a look at her website and her flickr gallery.

Step 1: Searching
The image search begins. Old magazines (1950's and 1960's national geographics are my favourites), old books, stamps and envelopes. I also take swatches of colour from modern glossy magazines = Usually I spend about 45 minutes finding the images and 30 minutes re-reading the magazines (very bad habit!)

Step 2: Cutting
Now for the cutting out of images and shapes and paper. I have a scalpel obsession, I have to change the blade on mine constantly, I can't stand a blunt blade = I find it beneficial to both my work and fingers if I spend at least 30 minutes cutting out slowly!


>> continue reading Heart Lab

Step 3: Layout, layout, layout
Working out my layout/composition can sometimes take minutes sometimes hours. If something isn't working, I flick through some of my favourite design books (End of Print - David Carson, All Messed Up - Anna Gerber) for some inspiration = hard to put a time on this one, on a good day 25 minutes, but I have been known to spend about 3 hours moving a square frame about 2 inches in either direction.

Step 4: Finishing by Hand
I used a lot of lines, letters and general doodles to pull all parts of the collage together = I like to take my time with finishing touches I usually spend about 45 minutes.

Step 5: Scanning
Scan the collage into my lovely laptop = if Butch, my laptop, is behaving nicely this usually takes about 10 minutes.

Step 6: Tweaking
I use Photoshop to clean up the image, balance colours and add a few elements = Again I have been known to play around with one image for at least 3 hours but I aim to get this done in about 30 minutes

Step 7: Uploading
I usually upload to my flickr account or send the image to the printers depending on who I created the collage for = this again is dependent on "Butch" and the interweb so sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes I'm resizing for an hour!!

Thanks Nicola!!

Heart Lab: Bailey Doesn't Bark

I love the latest pieces from RJ's Bailey Doesn't Bark line (how great is that name!). Here's a peek at how these unique handpainted pieces come to life .... Thanks RJ!

1.The Big Idea
Ideas just come to my head out of the blue. My head is like a blender ;) all the information I collect while walking around, seeing beautiful things, museums, books, magazines, movies, internet, situations, people...(the list goes on) blends into one and stays in there until its ready to be drawn/made. I rarely sketch what I'm going to draw - When I have an idea, I like to draw directly on the 'canvas'. The 'canvas' (in this case - porcelain) usually is picked because I have a particular idea for it. Maybe I do things backwards... (I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't know how long it takes for one particular idea to come up...)




2. Picking the porcelain: 1 hour



3. Painting
The process can take just a few minutes to several days... It really depends on how I'm doing as far as inspiration and if I had coffee right before - caffeine jitters...

On a good day I can draw several pieces in a couple of hours. Before I fire the porcelain, I tend to leave the pieces out for a 1-2 days because sometimes I do change my mind about the drawing and change it up a little here and there until I'm happy with it. I use a fine brush and apply several layers if necessary.
Painting: 1 hour OR 5 hours...

>> continue reading Heart Lab

4. Waiting for the paint to dry: 24 hours - 36 hours




5. I fire the porcelain at least 2 times:
1st time - 40 minutes with a cool down of 30 minutes to 24 hours (depending on the piece)
2nd time - 40 minutes


6. Cool Down
After final firing, I let the pieces cool down inside the oven with the door open: 1 hour


7. Bath Time
The next day I wash the piece with soft sponge and wash cloth in luke warm water + dish soap:
5 minutes


8. Photographing + uploading for website: 10 minutes per item




9. Packing + Shipping: 10 minutes per item



10. Post office: ...... depends on the line. =)

Heart Lab: Yellow Owl Workshop

I'm not really sure how she was able to fit this into her crazy schedule, but this week's Heart Lab is brought to us by Christine Schmidt of Yellow Owl Workshop (Thank you!!!) So much goodness comes out of her studio that I had a really tough time suggesting one piece to focus on.

We finally settled on customized wedding invitations...


>> continue reading Heart Lab

Stop by Yellow Owl Workshop and check out other samples of Christine's custom announcements and invitations.

Thanks again Christine!

Heart Lab: Feed the Dog by Carmel Killin

I really hope everyone who owns a Feed the Dog cushion knows how lucky they are. Just look at how much work goes into one of Carmel's one of a kind cushions ranging from $60 to $80... a steal and a deal if you ask me! I love how she effortlessly combines screen and lino printing, top stitching and appliqué, creating the most unique cushions on the market.

Oh and don't forget to check out her blog to see what she's up to and to say hello!

1. Lino cut bird print
- Sketching & lino cutting a variety of bird shapes - 6 hrs.
- Test printing different colors onto fabrics - 2 hrs.
- Cutting out bird shapes - 2 half-watched episodes of The Sopranos
- Stitching onto fabric - 5 mins.

2. Appliquéd scrap fabric trees
- Sorting through bags of scrap material & combining colors & textures - 2 hrs on ipod shuffle
- Cutting free form tree shapes & organizing into neat piles - days, endless days
- Mixing & matching trees to suit other elements of the design & constantly rearranging positions - hours of indecision
- Cutting & tracing fusible webbing & ironing onto trees to hold them in place while machine stitches - approx. 1 hour per group of three

3. Lino cut pattern
- Drawing a grid onto a piece of lino, tracing perfect circles onto grid, cutting imperfect texture into the lino - half a day, including cup of tea & many moments of forced eyesight breaks, ie. staring at the beautiful magnolia trees outside my window.
- Preparing table & equipment, loading the roller & printing onto fabric - 30 minutes...

>> continue reading Heart Lab

4. Multi-layered house print
- Scanning original house drawing by 5 yr old nephew into Photoshop, scaling & touching up the image, separating into 4 different layers to be made into screens
- Sorting through suitable pieces of fabric then printing my own original patterns (both lino & screen) onto them.
- Overprinting each of the four screen images of the house onto these patterned fabrics (when dry).
- Cutting out all the individual parts of the house, windows, doors, etc.
- Mixing and matching different parts of the house then applying double-sided fusible webbing to keep in place
- Matching stitching to cover

ALL OF THE ABOVE - approx 2 - 3 days and cancelled dinner dates/ coffee meet-ups with friends & family

5. Handcut screenprint tree
- Drawing trees, handcutting a stencil - couple of hours of talkback radio
- Test printing different colors on fabric - 1 hour of laughing, smirking, pondering the ridiculous/ enlightening chat of talkback radio
- Printing onto fabric - 20 mins.

6. Lino cut pattern
- Cutting stencil, painting onto fabric - 30 mins.


7. Hand stitching
- Choosing thread color, stitching onto fabric - 15 mins.


GENERAL DUTIES...

8. Making my own custom-fit pillow inserts or adjusting pre-bought ones to just the right amount of "bounciness" - at least 30 mins. per insert

9. Sewing the pillow pieces together
Cutting & sewing two webbing ties, one label & one lino cut bird to reverse side THEN sewing & serging edges together - 30 mins.

10. Heat setting the fabric
(to make the design washable & long-lasting)
Initial ironing of fabric cover with completed design then a blast of heat from an industrial tumble dryer - 30 mins.

11. Making my own labels
Designing in Photoshop, getting labels made into a screen, printing onto fabric and cutting out the labels by hand - approx. 2 days

12. Making own sewing tags
- Designing, printing cover of tag onto cardboard
- Cutting, gluing & sewing fabric scraps
for reverse of tag
- Hand cutting final circle shape
- Hole punching each circular tag
- Attaching string to tag then tag to cushion

ALL OF THE ABOVE - life is just way too short to be engaging in this! (but they do look fabulous & I get so many appreciative comments)

13. Equipment clean up
Thoroughly washing tools, screens & other printing materials - a lifetime of feeling guilty for contributing to current national water shortage

14. Creating new colors
- Mixing fabric colors by eye to get just the right shade & tone
- Experimenting with different color palettes
- Experimenting with the different effects of colors on different fabrics & textures

ALL OF THE ABOVE - days, weeks, who knows?

15. Designing on the fabric itself
Endlessly arranging & shifting shapes on fabric - days/weeks until satisfied with the composition

16. Journeys to suppliers
Driving to fabric, ink & accessories suppliers -
2 full tanks of petrol per week, 3 hours of small talk, 2.5 liters of water consumed on journeys, a couple of headaches when I've forgotten my water, 324 minutes stopped at traffic lights, and x milliliters of carbon emission

17. Taking photos to promote & advertise products
- Another two tanks of petrol & x milliliters of carbon emission driving pillows to the homes of wealthy friends & families who have exquisite interiors that do justice to my pillows (ie, enhance their beauty. look more beautiful = will sell more pillows)
- Taking photos
- Bottles of wine, chocolates & other small gifts to thank friends & family for the use of their interiors
- Downloading & touching up images in Photoshop
- Producing two versions of images: web-friendly and high resolution print-friendly
- Uploading images to various online shops & directories & printing for catalogs & other advertising material

ALL OF THE ABOVE - a missed weekend or two playing with my nephews

Thanks Carmel! Thank you so much for taking the time out to give us such an in-depth look into your art. I think you need to increase your prices :)

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Heart Lab: kirby by Sarah

I really really really LOVE Sarah's work, her paper dolls are my favorite. So I was super psyched when she agreed to give us a peek at how one of her lovely ladies come to life. Enjoy!

Oh and there's only a few left in her shop so you better click and hurry before I beat you to it... thought it was only fair for me to give you a head start :)

1. Sketching first draft: 15 minutes

2. Measuring and drawing final draft onto cardboard: 25 minutes

3. Cutting her out and trimming the raw edges with a cutting knife: 25 minutes and nearly losing a finger

4. Mixing paint for the perfect skin tone, hair, and dress: 20 minutes


5. Painting: 1 ½ hours (forgot about lunch)

6. Photographing & Uploading/editing photos: 30 minutes

7. Writing description and creating a new listing for Etsy: 20 minutes whilst listening to my boyfriend read ‘Rumplestiltskin’ to me

Want more Sarah? Go check out her blog at ohkirby.blogspot.com and her second shop kirbyvintage.etsy.com - she admits to having a slight obsession with hoarding vintage finds and owning this shop is sort of like therapy!

Heart Lab: xfreshbatteryx

This week's Heart Lab is brought to you courtesy of the lovely Claire Platt of xfreshbatteryx. I was first introduced to her work last summer, when Jan of Poppytalk blogged about a show she was a part of. I was so happy when she agreed to participate because I had an inkling that her work would be perfect for Heart Lab.

By the way, my inkling was an understatement - WOW, look at how much goes into her work...

1. Initial Drawing: Before I even start to sew I spend time drawing and then selecting which drawings I want to use for my embroideries. I spend around 30 mins. - 1 hour on the drawing itself and am always seeking inspiration for the drawings.