Color Play: A Study in Orange, Red, and Pink

The work of an artist is often more like play. It could be said that all those who enjoy their right livelihood are playful on the job! I am playing with the cheerful colors of orange, red and pink today, with a touch of yellow for fun. Some of these images are my own and some are inspirational touchstones for me.

Traditional furniture with zesty colors creates a youthful space at home.

Silk fusion is a playful fiber art technique I enjoy. This piece is now ready for embellishment.

The pinks and coppery oranges in the wool pile today are an obvious favorite of mine!

I believe this feather has been overlaid on an orange and pink backdrop. Fun!

What colors are you playing with today?

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Bright Colors and Soft Textures in Home Decor Fiber Art

Wool circles staged for my new line of pillows!

Lots of embroidery will need to happen next!

Bright colors and silky textures are the inspiration I count on as I spend hot June days in my fiber art studio.  This new batch of 100% wool felt is now cut into circles, waiting patiently for me to sort out new fiber art designs! The popular Folk Art Flowers pillows I've had in my collection for a few years need to have some fresh design touches. I am planning to add flags and other bold circle-centric designs in the upcoming months.

Some of the soft and colorful wool from the Wool Festival in Estes Park.

Do you have a favorite color scheme in your home that you can share with me? I'd love to have your input.






This small folk art flag design is similar to a large wall fiber art piece I've been attending to this year. This smaller version is being made for a 12"x15" pillow design, and I am enjoying the process. Iconic flags are a fun addition to many home decor styles, and the layout of this flag is straight- forward. Perhaps this design is too traditional?

Do you think I should be more contemporary and angle the flag or give it some wave-like motion?








I visited the Wool Festival in Estes Park, Colorado, last weekend with some of my fun knitting friends! This picture shows some of the lovely colors and soft textures I purchased from the vendors at this terrific annual event. I always enjoy visiting with vendors at the market and catching up with their news and exciting products. Some of these friendly people are my year-long source of hand-dyed, eco-friendly wools for my fiber art. I have to admit, it is taking a lot of self-restraint to create this blog post today instead of getting elbow deep in this luscious pile of bright and silky wool! I wanted to share before I start pulling these fibers apart in the creative process.

I hope you will keep an eye out for new creations from Nestle And Soar in the coming weeks, and I also hope you will let me know if there is anything special I could Customize especially for you!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

P.S. Thank you for following this blog. I do appreciate it! Today through June 15, 2013, I invite you to use a special coupon code "BlogFriend" at checkout on my Nestle And Soar website, and receive 20% off your purchase of any one regular-priced item. If you aren't a follower of this blog, sign up today! Great coupons and fun specials are a part of the fun here. Georgianne

What it the Perfect Decorator Pillow?

Folk Art Flowers Pillow from Nestle and Soar

Decorative pillows may not be the first decision you make when decorating your home, but perhaps it should be! Finding a handmade pillow, throw pillow, or cushion that contains your favorite colors or style is a wonderful starting focus for a decorative plan! Or perhaps you prefer to wait until all the painting, rearranging, and furniture choices have been made before you select any embroidered pillows, tree pillows, or flower pillows to provide the “icing on the cake”, as it were. Either way, as a focusing tool or a final touch, choosing the perfect decorative pillow for your home is a lot of fun!

What do you need to think about before you put on your shopping shoes?

•  Take some quick notes about the space you will be decorating. As you observe your space, would you like a contemporary/modern decorative pillow? Have you always admired handmade bird pillows, and as you walk around your space, you see that this bird pillow would be a perfect fit? Your notes are a good place to write down words that describe your style aesthetic: traditional, modern, vintage, cabin, eco-chic…you get the idea. Knowing the direction of the space will save you lots of time and ease the shopping experience. Also, knowing the direction you are headed based on your personal style may help you find a great pillow that stands-out from, instead of blending-into, your developing plans. A pop of interest can be the perfect touch!

What is the size and color of your sofa?

•  Somewhere in your notes, jot down the dimensions of your furniture. Finding the perfect pillow for your home may come down to a matter of scale – if your sofa is tiny, your pillows probably won’t be huge! At this time, also note how you use your furniture. Is the room you are decorating always kept perfectly ordered, or do you lounge around in the space and truly make yourself comfortable? These are important questions because if your pillows are “for show” vs. for napping, it is good to keep that in mind at the beginning. I like to have a napping pillow near every sofa, but I also like to decorate with artistic pillows that are truly conversation starters!

• Quality craftsmanship matters: unless you plan to place the pillow out of reach, know that it will be handled. I think of my pillows as soft art for the home. When you decorate with embroidered items in particular, the stitches should be meticulously made. In fact, a well-made decorative pillow can become a family heirloom.

Fantastical Tree Pillow

• Know how to clean the pillow: when you decorate using fibers like wool, throwing the pillow in the washing machine may spoil the fun. If the maker of the pillow does not state care instructions, make sure you ask. If there is no one to ask, say, if you are shopping vintage, I would recommend you choose professional dry cleaning to be safe.

• Colorfast materials are important, especially if your decorative pillow will be in direct sunlight. Light has the ability to fade out fabrics quickly, so rotate the placement of decorative pillows in sunny rooms.

•  Some designers sell the pillow cover only without a pillow insert. This has pros and cons. If you order your decorative pillow online, a pillow cover alone is less expensive to mail. If you don’t already have a pillow of the correct size to use as the new pillow’s insert, you’ll have to make a trip to the fabric store. The retail price of pillow inserts varies depending on size and what they use to fill the insert. It’s great to buy a down pillow insert, if you want to spend a little more!

Decorative pillows for your home are like jewelry or designer hand bags. As your mood changes or as the seasons change, you can change your living space to reflect how you are feeling. I love having a wardrobe of decorative pillows on hand, and it is always fun to collect pillows with personality. Your home can be uniquely beautiful, just like you!

Watch for 100th Nestle and Soar Order on Etsy and You Could Receive a Present!!

Spring Tree Pillow

The Nestle and Soar Studio on Etsy has approached a milestone that I plan to celebrate--will you join me? The next order that comes to me via that shop will be my 100th Etsy Order! Isn't that fun?! I have very much enjoyed getting to know my customers by way of this fun-to-use virtual boutique and I am very grateful for all the support and encouragement I receive there.

Fantastical Tree Pillow

The fiber folk art item that is most often bought via Nestle and Soar on Etsy is...drum roll...custom work. That's right, most of my sales comes from private commissions. It is exciting that this is so, as it means to me that people find it easy to work with me in fulfilling their desire for a one-of-a-kind fiber art item. Out of the 99 orders I've fulfilled from my Etsy shop, 22 of them have been custom work. I hope you'll contact me if that is something you are interested in! You can read more about my commission work here.

Fantastical Tree Pillow

The next most popular item is one of my pillow designs that involves a tree. The Spring Tree Pillow and the Fantastical Tree Pillow are both big winners here at Nestle and Soar. It seems that everywhere I go, I find other tree lovers. In Colorado, trees may not be as old or as plentiful as they are in the eastern states, but folks from Colorado certainly love their trees! That is one of the benefits of operating a global retail shop: tree lovers from around the world tell me that they, too, have this "thing" for trees. I am very pleased to be able to continue my support of the Arbor Day Foundation through all of my different websites. If you love trees, your qualifying order from Nestle and Soar causes a tree to be planted in your honor in our National Forest system. I think that's exciting!

I am planning a special thank you for the person who submits the 100th order on my Etsy shop! I have a few special items in my cache that I haven't ever promoted, and based on what is ordered from me, I will select a special item to pass along. I think this free gift with order needs to find a new home where it can be appreciated by new eyes. Don't you think that would be a wonderful way to celebrate? In fact, on the day that my 100th order comes in, I will open a week of time where my blog readers can contact me via an email on my website, www.nestleandsoar.com. If you send me a note from there, I'll find a little something in my cache to pass along to you, too, just for saying hello! Remember, the one-week time frame for that offer begins on the day that the 100th order is placed, so you may want to keep an eye on my Etsy shop,  Nestle and Soar on Etsy. I hope you can help me celebrate!

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Studio Scene from Nestle and Soar

Folk Art Flowers on Linen Pillow

Photography and Me...

I am learning how to better use my camera this week and here is a practice shot of one of my folk art pillows. I am learning about controlling the light in a shot and how it is half the trick to good photos. I am also learning how to set the timer on my camera -- it seems that my hands are shaker than I realized -- even using a tripod!

My mom used to say that in her business life, she wore many hats. Entrepreneurs often do wear many hats...even all the hats! One task I must do for myself is photography and I am only now getting training. For folks who make handmade items and then sell them through their virtual boutique, as I do, having a photography set up that is convenient to use is a must. When it is too much trouble to get my folk art photographed and up on one of my websites, then business comes to a quick standstill. I would love to hear of ways you have made the photography part of your life easier and of better quality. I am a person who needs to take photos, but doesn't particularly like to take photos! I always seem to forget my camera at family functions, for instance.

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Handmade Folk Art Pillows and Inventory Control

Pillows ready to ship, wrapped in muslin cases.

When I made the decision to reconfigure my Nestle and Soar Studio space, it was important to keep in mind that I create soft goods...pillows and wool wall hangings. These fluffy items do not stack neatly or have enough stability to stand on their own. My fiber folk art is very textural and while it is strong and stable, I want to keep it in pristine condition as it awaits its new calling in a new place.

The inventory methods I've devised with these elements in mind are working like a charm! My first studio photo shows finished designer pillows ready for shipment. I sew a muslin pillow case to house each wool pillow I create, and that keeps it fresh for my clients. It also protects the pillow during shipment inside of a heavy cardboard box. I have pinned an inventory number with a photo of each pillow to the outside of the muslin case, and when each item is purchased, I tie a pretty ribbon around it; I like to think it feels like my clients are unwrapping a gift! I place my pillows on their backs for storage, which keeps them from wrinkling, as many of my designs involve linen.

Design wall with pillow fronts ready for embellishment

Some of my clients, especially those living far away, choose to have their pillow shipped without a pillow insert. It saves on postage expenses, and it also gives the opportunity to put their new Nestle and Soar folk art pillow cover onto a pillow they already own. This dresses up their home without adding to their "stuff", no pun intended! One wall of my studio has been draped with flannel and it is there that I display pillow fronts that are in process. My second image shows this wall with pillow fronts awaiting a few more seed beads, some hand embroidered details, or a final pass at the needle-felting station. I will not sew these pillows together until they are purchased, as this way, my client can tell me "Insert" or "No Insert". It is easier to store pillow inventory that does not already include the pillow insert, as I could conceivable stack 100 pillow fronts in the space it would take to stack 3 finished pillows!

I really enjoy walking into my studio and seeing the inventory. I can easily pluck a pillow-front from my design wall and dive into the final embellishment. Or, I can stand in front of my wall of finished pillows, wrapped and ready, and feel a rush of accomplishment. I sometimes daydream about who will next hold and love these pillows, and sometimes, I wonder if I really want to see any of them go! Umm, yes, I do! Do you hear any of them calling your name?

Thanks for stopping by,
Georgianne

Kapok -- My New High Fiber Diet

Talk about eating a high fiber diet! I received my wholesale order of kapok this week and I have been tasting it, peeling it off of my apron, sweeping it off the floor, and breathing it in! Kapok is as soft as silk! I can plunge my hand into the 40-pound bags and it feels like the softest silk, the most newborn kitten, the absolute best!

Kapok is a natural fiber from the seeds of the kapok tree grown in the South Pacific. It is hypoallergenic, fluffy, and a sustainably harvested filler. Like the bamboo batting I love in my quilting, I add kapok to the list of my new favorite fiber. I use it for filling my needle-felted pillows and it plumps my Freckled Bird lapel pins. (A flock of these freckled birds was last seen in my studio.) Kapok resists clumping which is ideal for your pillows; you can wash them and they bounce back to their original shape! Instead of the scratchy polyfil that is so last week, kapok is easy on my textile-weary hands. (My go-to hand moisturizer is now Alba Botanica; I buy that by the boat load, too!)

I've been shopping for kapok pillow forms for months and finally made the decision to buy this fiber in wholesale quantities and make my own pillow forms. I am glad that I did. I am placing them on my etsy shop this week if you'd like to try them in your own creative life. One day, kapok may be readily available throughout the country in many retail outlets. Until then, you can count on me!