Vintage Image Birthday Card

My last post showed my before and after of lady from a fashion plate that's in the public domain.

I spent a weekend turning her and a few others into birthday cards.

Again, I have used my own patterns for the dresses, backgrounds and upholstery, and used a secret recipe to rough it all up.

This is what I'm doing with my life.

Another 18th Century Redo

This design had another large flower, but I changed the design by just using the one. I included the smaller bouquet, but fudged it a lot to make it different from the original.

The leaves took forever!

Accuquilt Quilt Block Contest

I took my newest pattern collection, Merriweather, and applied it to a quilt block I created for Accuquilt's contest.

Fingers crossed!

25 New Patterns

Man, I get discouraged.

As a pattern designer, I am in competition with hundreds of talented people. I question my skills and abilities. I worry about making a living.  Days or even weeks can go by without a sale or a job.

In those times when I just don't know what to do next, what market to cater to, how to be better or more successful , I always seem to remember the most important thing for me as a designer:

Create beauty.

Yes, I still look for work and keep my current clients happy. But mostly, I gotta do what I do best.

So, the second most important thing is:

Design.

I set a goal last week to get busy and create 25 new patterns just for the joy of it.

Here are the first 6 patterns filling the letters of one of my favorite words.

Happier Life

I continue to spend my free time interpreting old ads. FUN!!!

Sometimes I spend that time combing archives of images and collecting those that will lend themselves to my vision.  It's like online shopping, but it's free!

Here's a great example of my new image and the original advertisement.

This Astral lady has a great dress I could "paint" with a pattern I just created. The chair behind her worked well, too.

More Vintage Effects - Advertisements

With all the great inspiration I get from the nicely priced downloads at Creative Market, I just can't stop creating images using them!

This ad I created so encompasses all my true loves: old advertisements, vector, vintage effects in Photoshop and ... self-promotion!

Is it sad or commendable that I spend part of my weekends playing with this kinda thing?

Terrarium Art at Lilla Rogers

Alas, I didn't place in the top 50 in the contest. I'm astonished, though, at the amazing artwork that the entrants submitted. Such beauty and talent!

See all of them here. 

Here's mine:

Issuu

It's been around for awhile, but I've only just discovered it. Issuu, a digital publishing platform.

I spend spare time each day perusing Pinterest and continue to make great discoveries there, some that have even furthered my career. Now Issuu has become, for me, a new go-to for exploring the worlds of design, diy and art.

I'm amazed at what's available there! It was the perfect platform for my make-your-own Trick-or-Treat bag using your own fabric, or the pre-printed panel that will soon be available on Modern Yardage.

Currently, I'm creating a lookbook especially to publish on Issuu, and it has truly been a labor of love.

In other news ... are you hungry for a vegan breakfast?

Colorblast June 2015 by Design Options

I was featured this very dynamic slide show by Design Options. Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll across.

It's a long story, but I actually came to Kim Designs via Design Options, a fortuitous meeting! Kim has been instrumental as my agent for making design sales for me.

Today's image is a design done recently, and likely will become part of a collection called "Parlor."

I've been busy this last week or so working on new designs for Needlepaint, which is always a lot of fun.

Oh, and I've FINALLY redone my website. It looks pretty much the same but I was able to get out from under an old and vulnerable Joomla website. Wonderful!

My Interview with Make It In Design

In week that otherwise saw me designing like crazy - designs no one has seen yet - my interview with Make It In Design has been posted.

Another One of THOSE Weeks!

By that I mean, I didn't do much new designing, but instead was doing some hourly graphic jobs for some of my awesome clients!

Heck, I want them to be successful as much I they do! And what a blessing that I made a living as a graphic designer this week.

I did create a promotional for my Modern Yardage collection Hedgerow in Summer.

Multi-purpose Floral

Gotta keep 'em coming. Large scale, small, ditzy, contemporary, classic, mod, flower power, elegant ... you name it.

Florals are the most sought after patterns.

Here's the one I did today. I'm still working out the colors.

Spring is in the Air

I haven't felt all that great the last week or so. But, that doesn't stop me from my near daily run or from my workouts. And it certainly hasn't gotten in the way of my designing and playing with color.

Maybe Spring is in my blood.

Oh, have I ever got some wonderful collections in the pipeline!!!

This pattern I'm featuring today is not yet a part of a collection, but it sure is jazzy!

Botanical Floral

I redrew bits and pieces of flowers and grasses from antique botanical prints and fashioned this new floral.

I plan to create 5 patterns to go with it for a lovely new collection.

Eden's Garden Fabric Collection at Modern Yardage

I really like this little print, Precious in Turquoise, one of six patterns in my new collection Eden's Garden at Modern Yardage.  As you see, the colors are lovely aquas and pinks with a touch of white.

What a cute top Precious makes!

Modern Yardage

I've been launched at Modern Yardage!

Although MY is a place to buy gorgeous fabric online, one day in the near future, you'll see us in quilt stores around the country. We'll be the new big thing!

Come see us for fabrics for quilting, home decor, craft and apparel projects!

Four  of my collections are available now, including these two:

Florals

I did this one years ago. Maybe its time has come?

Hedgerow in Four Colorways

Here it is in Autumn.

Look for it at Modern Yardage soon!

New Designer at Modern Yardage - Me! Tracy Miller!

My fabric designs will be up soon at Modern Yardage, but here is a sneak peak:

LOVE!