Grand Bazaar is in da house!



Based on the amount of emails we've been receiving and posts like this one, I gather you all are itching to get sewing with Grand Bazaar, eh? Well, the great news is that your wait is over. News from the powers that be say that Grand Bazaar started to ship last week and continues on this week, so you should be seeing it pop up here & there any day now! WOOHOO!

We've been getting busy around the studio preparing for our next pattern release, which features Grand Bazaar heavily. Jon built me a nifty little photo studio at MODKID HQ... check it out:



Photo buffs out there: yes, I know the lights are not in the proper position. We are still working on getting everything situated right, but ain't it cool anyway?!

We have a 10' x 8' light wood floating floor that sits over the real wood floors for when I need to switch off the floor color. There's a seamless white backdrop hanging overhead for when I need a clean and modern look, but I don't know when I'll actually use it... I am absolutely madly in love with that marigold color on the walls! I take no credit for that since it was already painted that color when we moved in, but I am giddy with excitement over the gorgeousness of the photos with this sunny wall. Just look at these...

New Kyoko in Persian Wall and Spade.



New Julia in Playful Paisley and Sun Dot.



Dolls, dolls and more dolls...







Purses...



Everything looks good against that yellow wall. YIPPEE! And ooops.... I do believe I just gave you guys a little sneak peek of our Fall pattern release. But just wait... there's waaaay more where that came from! A full reveal is in the works (I just don't have it all photographed yet).


Soooo, to celebrate the arrival of my baby, Grand Bazaar, I will give away three ribbon samplers to three lucky readers. These ribbons coordinate perfectly with the fabrics and are so much fun to use!



Leave me a comment and tell me what you'll make with the fabric and the ribbons when you get them. I'll pick 3 winners for a ribbon sampler, like the ones shown below, a week from today. I love to hear from all you guys!!



Edited: if you're wondering where to get your Grand Bazaar mug like the one on the post I linked to above, just go to my Zazzle store. I have the whole collection here at the studio and can honestly say they are top notch quality! :)

Edited, again: uhmmm... please leave a way for us to contact you if you win! ;)

**THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED AND WINNERS ARE POSTED HERE.***

The Creative Connection Event

Have you heard about this thing? It's three whole days of creative, crafty goodness, or as they say on their website: a national conference and market celebrating creative women and entrepreneurs. I couldn't attend last year because it happened around the same time as my first manuscript was due for my book and unfortunately I just couldn't tear myself away. However, I was tickled pink when co-founder, Jo Packham, asked if I wanted to teach at this year's event! Of course I said yes... and now I want to tell you all about it...

I'll be teaching two classes (click on the name to be taken directly to the class page):

Sun & Surf Tote
At the start of this class I will hand you a kit that contains everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING, you need to complete this awesome tote... from the fabric, to the interfacing to all the notions, including buttons, grommets and even the thread! You will even get the original pattern, so you can take it home and make it again and again. You will walk away with a finished tote, just like the one pictured below, that is perfect for a trip to the beach, swim lessons or a day at the park. Hmmm...maybe it can even become your carry-on luggage for your return trip!





French Window Pillow Cover
Just like with my other class, you will receive a signature MODKID bag containing everything you need to complete this adorable pillow cover, including all the fabrics, the printed tutorial, the binding, thread and even a cute MODKID woven tag! All fabrics are from my Sanctuary line for Michael Miller Fabrics.





Last week, all the materials started arriving from all the wonderful companies I'm working with. Check out this awesome stack of fabric bolts courtesy of Michael Miller Fabrics...



And how about these adorable decorative buttons from Dill Buttons of America, Inc. There are enough buttons here for everyone to have 1 and then some (whatever we don't use, I'll give away at the end of the class).



And last, but certainly not least, I received a box of goodies from my good friends at OLFA. There are circle cutters and rotary cutters galore. We'll get to play with these in class and at the end of the class, I'll draw names for a giveaway.



So, in case you missed it above click here to read more about the Sun & Surf Tote class and here for the French Window Pillow class. Register soon because these classes fill up fast and there's limited enrollment!

Oh, I will also be participating in a roundtable pitch slam session -- Pitch To Become A Designer for a Textile/Licensing Manufacturer. If you've ever wanted to become a licensed textile designer, here's your chance to pitch your collection to a group of experts! I will be sharing the roundtable with Heather Bailey and Suzy Ultman. After pitching their ideas, participants will be able to spend some time with artists that have been through the whole licensing process. The experts in this category are Kathy Miller and Lilla Rogers. Learn more about this Pitch Slam session here.

Hope to see you all there this September! Let me know if anyone has any questions. And if you're attending, let me know too... I'd love to get to know my students in advance!

xoxo