I woke up like this

Midwinter Garden

Look what I received the other day!! My Midwinter Garden fabric collection! What a great welcome home surprise. I had been on vacation in LA last week and came home to this. I have so many ideas for these fabrics one of which would be a great summer dress. I am not the best sewer so I will have to source that one out.. but I do have some other fun projects I will be making and will be sure to post them!

You can find the collection here at the Clothworks website. I am sure they can tell you what stores near you are carrying it.

Its almost Halloween and I am busy making goodies for the kids school parties and have to still carve out some pumpkins for the actual day.. I hope everyone has a great Halloween!!

xoxox

Ellen

Celebrations book!!

Look its finally here, the book that has some of my designs in it!! I received it on Saturday and what a nice surprise it was. I was contacted from the publisher Rotovision back in the summer, they had seen some of my designs on Print and Pattern blog, and wanted to put them in their graphic book that showcased designs for all celebrations.

They took some of my bird designs for Mother's Day celebrations because I had designed them specifically for that day.

and some fun Halloween cards I did as well.

The book itself is a nice size, about the size of a reading book and the cover while its soft has a nice embossed design on it. There are some many well known illustrators and designers in it like the fabulous paper cutting artist Rob Ryan.

I feel like a kid in the candy store today.. I have had my work on just about everything but for some reason not publishing?? Crazy I know and that is an area that will be worked on allot in the next year.

If you are interested in purchasing this book just go here.

Have a great day everyone!

Ellen

Woodland Friends is in the house!

Look what I got last Friday!!! Yes my Woodland Friends collection finally came in and I was soo excited to get it, it was almost like Christmas here. I opened the box in front of my boys and they already started shouting out things they wanted me to make with it. I was laughing because as much as I would love to sit and sew some fabulous critters for them I am in way over my head with work these days, I can barely clean my house!

I am so happy at the way the collection came out, the feel of the fabric is so soft and lush and the colors much more vibrant that I thought. The fabric is printed in Japan so the quality is top notch. I think Clothworks did a fantastic job, so much so that today on Twitter I hear that some people can't get it! Wow! I had no idea, but glad to hear it.

I am currently working on the Woodland Friends II collection and let me tell you this is even more adorable than the last!! I spent an entire week on one design and I am in love with it! A week for me on one design is allot, I am so used to pumping out work and for me to work day and night on one is not usual, but in this case necessary. I am not sure if the Woodland Friends is sold out so go here and see.

Okay time to get back to work and finish the Woodland Friends II collection! Have a great weekend everyone.

xoxox

Ellen

Happy Anniversary... Happy Anniversary.. Happy Anniversary.. Happy....

Can you just hear Barny Rubble signing that song to Fred and Wilma?? Everytime I have an anniversary I think of it..probably because when I was a kid my brother and I would sing that to our parents on their day. The Flintstones were big in my house then and when they did that episode, well lets just say I never forgot it.

Today marks our 14th wedding anniversary and its almost hard to believe time has flown. I still remember that day as if it was yesterday. How New York City was all in gridlock because Pope Jon Paul II gave mass in Central Park. How I had to take the subway with my sister uptown to the hotel on the Park because the cab could not go any further. I almost felt like Rhoda, but I didn't have my dress on then.

I remember that the day before and after was sunny and beautiful and our day naturally it rained!! Just like today.. how fitting! I remember feeling like a princess in my big white gown and that I only got nervous when I had to walk down the aisle. I still remember and remind the hubby how he didn't make rehearsal because he had to go back to our apt. to get my brother and cousin, and because of the gridlock he showed up at the church as we were leaving.. naturally there had to be many cocktails before I would even talk about that!! I remember how handsome he looked waiting for me at the end of the aisle and how nervous he was.

I can honestly say that it all hasn't been roses and wine during these 14yrs and with two young children in the mix it would be near impossible to have a smooth ride. I have yet to meet a couple who said everyday was a honeymoon, and if they did I would think they needed their head examined. I believe that its those hard times that make us stronger and learn to care more for each other. If marriage was a picnic then more people would do it. Its a commitment and it takes allot of hard work to keep it afloat.

That being said tonight I will be enjoying a night out with the hubby without the kids!! A simple French restaurant will do for us(afterall I did get engaged on the Eiffel Tower!), and some much needed alone time. These days we are so busy its hard to get any alone time, so I shall revel in the moment!!

In fitting with the wedding theme today here is a design I did for a wedding shower. You can see the whole collection of party goods here.!

Ellen

Squirrel trying to get a nut!

Have you noticed anything new lately?? yes those darn squirrels are at it again.. running around collecting those nuts to store for winter. I somehow can relate to that squirrel in a frenzy running around.. it seems my life these days is going around 360º all the time.
I am constantly either working, cleaning, taking care of the kids or going to another event for school. This week I have the rare opportunity of having 2 yes count them folks 2 girls night out!! I had my first one last night with some old friends from High School,which was allot of fun, and I will have my second one tomorrow night with the moms of my son's friends along with another one of my close friends. We are headed into Boston's North End for some great Italian eats!!

I am grateful to get the chance to hang with my friends when the chaos is running around it helps to keep me from losing my mind!! So thank you ladies for making me laugh and reminding me that I am not the only one running around like a squirrel trying to get a nut! We all have our nuts to gather and its nice to just stop and take a break once in awhile.

Have a great weekend!!

Ellen